Unlikely Controversy.

In 1808 Hugh Wylie faced an unexpected dilemma. Wylie was the postmaster of the small town of Washington, Pennsylvania. He was also an elder of his Presbyterian church, one of the leading lay people of the congregation. As an elder Wylie had to obey the biblical rules about observing the Sabbath, which forbade doing any unnecessary labor. But as postmaster, some Sunday work was required. Mail had to be sorted the day it arrived, and mail arrived in Wylie's office every day of the week, including Sunday, on the coaches that traveled from the East Coast, through Washington, to the developing western states and territories. Wylie had also taken to opening the post office on Sunday so people could pick up their mail since he was working there anyway and they were in town to attend church. One of Wylie's neighbors complained about...