THE INDIAN CONTINGENT.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1514, 7 March 1901, Page 15

THE INDIAN CONTINGENT.

.. . , .t-t — PBOTEST AQAIN&X-.■ BuN.OAY '-' - - ... TBAVELLiK-s..:fi; -; The Rev J." Kennedy Eli'iott, -Mddeh rabo-r of the Prssbyteriart General ...ASr . .sembly, -.has ;addreased the ... .following y comiaumcsation. to. the .Premier: -rdj'.."d..di • "T -' A 'PROTEST--’ “’l i-rfoi; A To the Right 'Hohourabld/ M,.' Jt Scd-- J ' . dcn>-. Premier ' -’of.. Dear Sir,—l have .been ;absent''.- front ■ ' •home, and ..now on. my .return.. T.;take< the earliest- opportuality Vftf!. writingf you., I ..consider it my ..duty,. as/Mgdera-. tor of the Presbyterian Church in. iffiow,. . Sealaud, to protest against the* wantonSabbath; -desecration, which you fanned.•and.- sanctioned’ by- -your - ; persofial -six- w. perintondence. I refer to. the -tthvei'liisg - cf 'the Indian. tro-cp-S . last. Suirdoy '-.htui i .>■ the military . displays tot- -tl.Te- • various.'- . towns along, the - line;, of /railway/ ■ - -The*- • soldier gu.&sts that; journeyed; with-/you '•will le-aye. our shores' with /the. conviction- that Christians hold their religious - - principles ... lightly. . ..The. -’cppficlfastncsswith •which our. str-gfi-gert;adhered ; to - their own religious customs is a rehtik© to us, and as. tiieu* .scruples wo re- . re-. ’ spectedr .it might,, reasonably: have beetfc. expected that • yets wouM- have rsmem-. feared .the deference yfiu owed to" - th© -'* prevailing opinions with regard '' to/ Sabbath, sanctity. The procedure . of . last- Sunday cannot be justified as coining . within the recognised, exceptionsof necessity "and- mercy. I torn positive, that neither the present British Prime Minister nor his predecessors, during the Viotoris.iv reign would, 'have- so insulted . ' Christian sentiment and; shocked , ante grieved the public conscience—.certainly „ . not • Mr. - Gladstone-, whoso name ,'oq-icf. mauds your -respect;- and • who ' w-a3' -a!*-"... ways the fearless- and eloquen-t.defender''. . of‘the'Day of Rest." .Asya minister of Him who is .Lord .- of the Sabbath.-ton'd-■whose claims .on ■ this occasion you have disregarded, I announce, and history '- attests it, that no- nation can continue* to- enjoy prosperity that deliberately affronts God, and the individual who assumes t-hat attitude will have the lustre of his renown' dimmed. Let me urge on you also the reflection that the programme, you oarried-oub deprived -many of that weekly rest to- which they were justly entitled, and which experience proves to oe conducive to- the well-being, of man. You have the reputation of being; generous to. those who differ from - you-, and I 'know you will. pardon the plainness of my speech. I yo-u. I have 'not written hi - ' a-ny. captious spirit, but a-s impelled, by h- strong seiiso of duty!- As the ’ subject ;pf Babbatk observance is one of public importance, I intend sending a copy. of-' this ; -letter , 'to the local newspapers. 1&; you. in. ray es-tigem aii-ri an that -of-many if you hasten -t-o- acknowledge- -.. fraiikly r that. you have.' erred.";.— ' Respectfully ' . yours, J.. Hemiedy Elllc-t-b.—Tke : Mans©, 25, Pirie street, Weiimgt-dn. STt-U. .F-fe-h- ; ■■ ruary, 1901. -.,■ ~ -' .; . v • . , -. r*