Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-05-12
The Other Train that Is Coming.

As train was passing over New Eng
| land railroad it struck broken rail. The
brakeman felt the shock. He knew car
riage was off the line, and sprsng for brake.
IL was his last brave service The crash
came, and he was picked up, poor mangled
wreck his skull had been broken. He was
heard, however, to utter these words-the
last utterances of faithful, loyal soul
Put out the signals for the other train %
Somewhere down the line he knew another
train was coming, laundering, crashing
along, dashing faster, faster, faster, and there
was his train on the line Out with the
signals ont with the signals another train
is coming This was his last Injunction.
The other train, that other train, | am say
ing to myself-the generation that is fol-
lowing us, coming along faster, faster, faster,
just ahead of whom we are only perhaps to
be in their way, a hinderance, an obstacle,
and, possibly, the occasion of their ruin.
What need of care, what need of caution,
what need of restless vigilance for their
sake, in speech, in act, in look, in gesture
| want nothing to escape me that will be an
obstacle in their way. If we are on the
track, blocking it, if we are in the way, let
us take ourselves out of the way as soon as
possible. "What will you take ?" was the
question asked an observant boy at table,
and referring to the drink he might desire.
| will take what father takes" The father
had received from the waiter glass of in
toxicating drink. The father heard the
boys remark, set aside his glass, and called
for water. He saw the other train coming,
and cleared the line for it at once. think
the saddest of all experiences is the con-
seriousness that an opportunity for right do
ing has been lost. 1t brings sad look
into mans face to know that he has set an
example, bad in itself, and hopelessly fol-
lowed by others. We know Of an empty
train that came to stop on a gradient, the
station having been reached. In the absence
of an official the train broke loose, and went
crashing down the line to meet the steam.
boat express. Some one chased the runaway
train, but could not overtake it. The op-
portunity for the arrest of the train had
gone. There was a collision that night. Oh.
souls on the track fathers and mothers |
your opportunity in behalf of your boys and
girls is today-nowi Don't let it slip from
you. We are not only TO have clear line
for the next train, but in every way we are
to make and keep that line suitable for the
travel OF the coming generation. Here
comes the work of the Sunday school teacher,
to get the uneasy, rambling feet of child
hood over into the roadway of the very best
life. passed recently large rabble OF boys
in vacant building plot They were noisy
and rough. What more important work,
asked myself, than to labor for that age and
class, the generation coming. Through the
Sunday schhol, the Bible, the church, we
are to open a sure, steadfast, blessed way for
their feet. Our opportunity is to-day. Did
not Voltaire make the age of five the limit
inside which character substantially is set
tied ? At any rate, that limit cannot be set,
with safety, very far ahead. don't want
to be so absorbed in the cares and pursuits
OF my generation as to forget the next
want to think of and plan for the coming
generation-that other train on the track
As the Lord helps me, mean to think more
and more of the interests of the children on
the other train that is coming.-Sunday
School World.