Morris tribune., 1881-10-27
FOR CONSCIENCE.SAKE.

! conscience, dear wife, said John Evershed
rs they sat at tea after the duties of the day
were done. l kave pondered it long and
lnxiously, and thought to speak to you
| about it, but have hesitated through fear of
causing you anxiety, but am driven to the
point at last"
John EyerShed was an engineer, ana ran
an express passenger train upon an impor-
| tant trank line road Steady and reliable
as the sun; always at his post, with his
hand upon the throttle and his eve upon
the track: with the steam at higher or
lower pressure, as the road wound up or
down grade; the shrek of the steam
whistle ringing out for down brakes never
moment too late and never a moment too
soon; he had gone out with his train daily
| for the past ten years. Those who knew
him best relied the most implicitly upon
his prudence and sagacity, and committed
their property and lives the mole readily to
his care and foresight. He had run upon
the same engine all the time he had been in
the company's employ, and regarded it al
most with the affection he would have done
If it had been a sentiment being. Often,
when the days run was over, he would
drop into the engine house to look after the
grooming of his iron steed, and see that it
had-not good oats and hay, but-good oil
for its supple joinst and iron sinews, and
clean toxcs and tubes for its water and fire.
And now this bearded and stalwart
man, grim and grimy when upon his en-
glhe, but clean and we'll kempt at the tea
table with his own family, had matter
lying heavy on his conscience"
What Is it, my dear?' reJoined the
wife; perhaps if you confde in me the
matter can be more readily disposed of
than If you carried it alone
1T is this matter of running Sunday
train. While you and the children are at
the church and Sabbath school, I am driv-
ing over tue road with a shrek and q roar
that breaks in upon the quiet of the day,
and banishes from the mind all devotional
thoughts. Since we stood up together in
the broad aisle of the dear old church, and
together consecrated ourselves to God, this
thought has troubled me more and more.
Suppose, dear wife, from some Sunday
catastrophe I should be brought home
dead. Would not the thought that it oc-
cured on such q day render the calamity
all the more bitter for you to hear ?"
God spare usp' exclaimed the wife.
"Amenl' responded the husband; but
such thing might be-"
ASK our pastor what he thinks about
it."
Il have done that already, and laid the
case fully before him; but after long con-
ference he answered, Il must refer it back
to you; solve the problem for yourself, with
prayer to God for light and guidance in
accordance with his holy will. He will
give you no supernatural revelation, but in
the light Of reason and conscience it will
bsimpressed upon your own mind what is
the right course for you to pursue. Some
bod hn Iai
trains; is there any man upon the road
more steady and reliable than you, and
would the lives of travellers be saf er in
any other hands than yours?"
Il did not say no to that, for it might look
like boasting; but did say there were safe
and reliable men who did not make my
professions of christianity, and did not have
my scruples, who would be glad to have my
place; but then, ought to lead these men
into temptation in order to deliver nayseU
from evil? And besides, dear wife, if throw
up.my place. what will you and our children
do for bread? 1 am at home on my engine,
and no man can be more SO; but am a
mere child in any other place. I am
locomotive engine driver-only locomotive
engine driver, and nothing else!"
Yes, you are" responded the wife en-
phat1cally. You are christian man that
would become martyr for conscience sake,
and you are tender and considerate hus-
band and father. Do in this matter what
you think is right; and any sacrifices you
may be called upon to make we will share
cheerfully together"
downy couch, for he was troubled with
anxious thoughts. His comfortable but
modest home was still encumbered for half
its value, and he relied upon what he could
save out of his salary to meet the install
ments as they fell due. If his house was
only paid for, he thought, how speedily
would he settle this vexed question; but in
that case would there be any sacrifice for
conscience sake?
He settled in his mind at last to see the
superintendent, and asked to be relieved
from running Sunday train, "for," )" he ad-
ded, be the consequences what they may,
L cannot and will not run another on that
day." And in accordance with that deter
mination he called at the superintendents
office. The officer was splendid busi-
ness man, quick of perception, ready in
execution, and not over-scrupulous nor
choice in his language or expression. But
he knew his men thoroughly, and all the
workings of the road he managed.
al have request to make of the COM
pany, said the engineer respectfully.
We'll, what is it? Is your salary too
small. or your work too hard, or your en-
gine not good enough?"
mo, nothing of the kind. am satisfied
with everything but one, and that is the
running of a Sunday train"
"a mighty tender conscience you must
have" responded the official. Must the
road stop running or break its connections
because some tender-footed sheep Of
fanatical shepherd refuses to leap the bar
of conscience2 Can train lay over for
prayers when the United States mail and
an express car aud three hundred passen-
gers must be through on time? Railroad
employees with your scrHples would ruin my
corporation in a year, and am quite sure
you have mistaken your calling in becom-
ing an engineer"