Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-11-10
Sunday Railroad Trains.

The Sabbath is among the oldest of all
our institutions. 1t runs back to the begin
ming and is part of the creation itself.
This cannot be said of the state or the
church. or of anything else but the family.
1t is the basis on which every other struc-
ture is raised 1t must be maintained or
they fall and fail. The Sabbath has been
long enough observed to know how Sab
bathkeeping or Sabbath affects
human welfare. We want not, then, theo-
ries on the subject of Sabbath.keeping, or
arguments to establish its necessity, so much
as facts-the facts of observation and expe-
rience. Happily these are at hand in abun-
dance to show the gain of Sabbath-keeping
and the loss of Sabbath-breaking. Few of
this generation have observed more carefully
or state more clearly the facts of experience
on this subject than the Rev. DIR. Bacon of
New Haven, Connecticut In the October
number of our oldest and national Quar-
terly, the North american Reuie,o, he says :
A Sabbath keeping people will become a
manliness All men, and especially the busy
millions in an advanced civilization like our own,
need, for the minds sake, not less than for the
sake of weared nerves and muscles, the seventh
day ntermission OF their ordinary work. In
the Sabbath-keeping village, life is less frivolous
and at the same time industry il more productive
for the weekly rest. A Sabbath-keepng nation
is greater in peace and in war for the character
which its tranquil and thoughtful Sabbaths have
impressed upon it,
Railroads, too, though of modern origin,
have been run long enough to know how
they can be best worked for mind and body
or loss and gain to their owners, employees
and the community. Take, then, the testi-
mony of those that have had the clearest OBJ
servation and largest experience in their
working-that of the locomotive engineers.
We hardly need remark, in citing their tes-
timony, that the engineers are an intelligent,
reliable class. The presidents and directors
of our railroad corporations, being wise men,
would not entrust their property and the
lives of the millions of their fellow men, and
the vast railroad interests, to any other.
These men are the best witnesses and fully
competent to give testimony in the case.
Four hundred and fifty of them, some more
than year ago, spoke in way that cannot
be misunderstood. These engineers of the
New York Central and Hudson River rail
road, in petition to Vice-president Van
derbilt for the abolition of Sunday trains,
says
This never-ending toll ruins our health, and
prematurely makes as feel worn out, like old
men and we are sensible of our inability to per-
form our duty well when we work TO an ex-
cess Troubled in mind, jaded and worn
out in body, the engineer cannot give his duties
the attention they should have in order to best
advance his employers interests. Give
us the Sabbath for rest after our week Of labori-
Gus duties, and we pledge you, that with system
nvigorated by a season Of repose, by a brain
eased and cleared by hours Of relaxation, we can
go to work with more energy, more mental and
physical force, and can and will accomplish more
work. and do better if possible, in six days, than
we can now do in seven. We can give you ten
days in six, il you require it, II we can look for
ward to a certain period OF rest