Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1895-03-28
The Conductors Story.

II was the summer of 1873 was
running extras on the -rallroad' A
circus travelling about the country
came into the town on our line An
order was issued for an extra train
for Sunday morning. / received no
tice early on Tuesday morning 1
resd the order carefully. 1t gave the
time of arrival in our city at . a. M
I looked again to see if it was not
On. M. l was a teacher in the Sab
bath school; l had a bright class OF
bows about sixteen years Of age, just
the right age to be Interested III CIR
cuses. and to be wide awake when one
arrived in town. My heart sank l.
a protesting Christian, and withal a
Sabbath school teacher, detailed to
RIM a circus train on the Sabbath,
and to arrive, too, IN my own CITY,
where everybody knew me, just as
Christians we're ready for church
What should do? had worked
nearly nine years as brakeman, and
I had been promoted to a conductor.
Oould [ afford to lose all by my re-
fusal to do as ordered? Then l
thought of my family depending up
ON me; and l said, l cannot throw
away all these years OF hard toll to
satisfy conscience, for expected to
be discharged if I refused to do as
ordered Then l thought OF the boys
in the Sabbath school. What II some
of them should happen to be at the
depot to see the train, or If they
were just on their way to church as
we arrived, and should see me, as
they doubtless would? l thought OF
the church and the prayer meeting
What should l do? / thought Of my
ov n influence as lost for good, and
there was desperate struggle be-
tween the evil and the good.
7 had four days in which to decide
How strange it wasl Notice did moi
usually reach until the day previous
What long dreary days they seemed
And the boys heard of the order anc
were guessing what | would do. They
knew what | had said IN prayeI
meeting about desecratlng the Sab
bath. for some of them were there
"Would he go or would he qult?'
4No, he would not quit, for he would
not dare refuse to co." they said
Satn rday morning came mus
notify the office that day whaC
would do. Sleepless nights snC
weary days hao passed, and 1 hac
thought and prayed, but l was de
cided, DUTY seemed clear, yer.
Clear;' and it was, that "a Christian
man could not run excursion trainI
on the Sabbath"
NV father was deacon in tn
Orthodox church, and just befor
going 10 my work, went to hin
and told him the story, reservlng M
decision to myself, aud asking hi
advice what to do. knew well wha
he would say. What a look wen
over his face as he spokel But"
said, father, will you help mo to ge
something to do9 I shall lose m
place; have devoted nearly all m
whole life to this business, and nov
/ must turn to something else"
Trust In God, my boy" he al
swered promptly, "and / will hel
you, too"
/ returned to the Office, and Wake
up to the manager as he sat, an
said, in respectful tone: II hay
been detailed to run circus ira
Sunday morning, and I cannot do
ON the Sabbath"
Imagine my establishment as
LOOK ed me in the face, and sal
"You. been detailed to run Sund
trainsl l am surprised You
right home, and don't you wor
ABOUT Sunday trains"
1 have never been detailed
Sunday work since. But the m
who offered to do work for ext
pay upon the Sabbath, have 10
since been discharged Congrel
tion1lSt.
AZ
THOUGHTS FOR QUIET HOUR.
~ l-Ia. 1Tou,t ITospi4i