To the honour of England, the practical Sabbath movement among the people began in that great country. A few pious men, taught by its religious societies, of which they were distinguished members, the superiority of united over insulated action, formed themselves into “The Lord’s-day Society,” which has ever since exercised a very wholesome influence. An early step on its part was to establish a connection with Parliament, through the medium of an influential member who might choose to be officially connected with the Society. After unsuccessful efforts in different quarters, they were directed to the late Sir Andrew Agnew of Lochnaw, Bart., then member for Wigtonshire, who, after many doubts and fears, prompted by the modesty of his nature and his deep sense of the responsibility attaching to every more prominent part in the cause of God, consented to their application; and he soon became established, as he continued to his dying hour to be, the rooted and grounded friend of the Sabbath, and of every institution and effort, whether made by many or few, for its observance. The author had the happiness to renew an earlier acquaintance with this excellent and distinguished person under the gallery of the House of Commons in the year 1833, when, in the playful language which was a characteristic of the man, he was “enlisted as a Sabbath recruit, the smart-money being a cup of tea in Bellamy’s.” From that night to the last hour of this lamented gentleman’s active life, he had the happiness of serving under him in the struggle; and having seen more intimately than most persons the nature of his principles and policy, which were eminently wise and practical, and their gradual systematising, he records in these pages such particulars as may be of use to others; taking up the pen, as he does, singly, because much that is valuable may otherwise be lost, now that death has interposed. If they be found to refer mainly to the Railway question, this obviously is because the portion of the field which has latterly engaged the chief attention of Sabbatarians, and has demanded most largely their practical combination, is that important point. It will be felt by all, that while Sabbath desecrations of every kind require to be sharply looked after, very many of them are so slight or rare that they may be sufficiently met—as indeed all great as well as small must be—by the blessing of God upon the faithful preaching of the word, and upon the honest indignation of the people in their several neighbourhoods. But where great numbers are united, by selfishness or any other bond, for the protection of any particular Sabbath wrong, they must be met, or at all events they may most effectually be met, by an opposite combination; and therefore these pages, leadingly devoted as they are to the railway, and to the principles and practice of combined acting there, will be found useful in every other serious Sabbath question.