The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1904-10-20
Tho Religion That Mates One Faithful.


:, The. railway superintendent came down
to his office on Monday morning, sat down
at his desk and began to open ms maj.
The first letter, was fEom the wife OF q
DISCHARGED conductor, which said:
Il take this opportunity to write wa..e
nv husband is at church. He mas been
going regularly the last three Sundays:
He has been to sec the minister, and
the minister gave him good advice and
drew up pledge and he signed it, and
every morning and night he asks God to
help him keep it. am sure he will never
drink again. We have only seven do .ars
in the house. ! am doing my own WORK,
though | am not strong enough to do It..
The baby is sick, and | dc not know how
we are to live when the lite money we
now have is gone. For Gods sake, pity
Us and give my husband his train again,
and am sure he will never drink another
drop
The superintendent read the letter and
handed it across the desk to friend who1
had entered. Read that" said he, and
tel me what to Co"
What has been his record" asked the
friend.
This ia the third time he has been
found drunk on duty. Each time ] warned
him. and tic second time | suspended hIm.
This time | discharged him for good. /
can't pace human lives IN the care CT
man who can't be trusted. ]f take him
back It wont be three weeks before he
is drinking little on the sr, and within
three years he vii. wreck a tram. as sure
as the sun rises tomorrow.
Dave you a.oiher place where yoa could
use him, some pace inro.vinS less re-
sporsibiity:' 9,
No, he is physically unah'e to do hard
worn. and there is no other kind at which
| can put man OF that sort. l don't
dare set him even W tchnS crossing. In
fact. there is 10 position on a railroad ior
Il man who caa't be trusted to do his
duly" .,
Later in the day the conductor himself
him kindly, but with no encouragement IN
his manner. >,
II knew you would come" he said,
land ] must be frank and say that !
should have thought more OF you had you
STAYED at homie and he.ped your wife with
the housework, instead OF going to. church
so that she cou.d write me about it. -,
But" said the conductor, ''she wanted
me to 60. and did not know about the
letter until she tod me afterward, and
really, I am sure | shall never iall again.
I have asked God to he.p me Trust me
once more and have pity for 10Y fanny"
The superintendent shook his head sad:
". "you want me to pity your FAM y
he said, "but you didn't pity them y,o r.
se.f. aud You never thought about asking
God to hep you, except to hep yom out
of scraDe You have got yolr religion
too late so far rs this Office is concerned.
1t will help yol to forgiveness TO yo
sins. and | hone will make better. man
of YOU, but it s too ate for job OF rum
ming a train. That kind OF re'igi on that
we have to insist on in this Office isn't the
kinds that he'ps a man to get job back;
it is the kind that makes him keep it. [
believe in religion, and wish every man in
the company's employ was religious man;
but the kind of religion this company
needs is the kind that makes men faithful
to their work. =,
The discharged man vent ont and the
superintendent's stern face re'aXed. I
am sorry for that wife and the sick baby"
he said, "but I can't trust human lives
to a man who gets his religion so late"
The true faith is the faith which makes
faithful. 1t Is never too late to look to
God for forgiveness. but penitence soms-
times comes too ,atc TO restore lost op'
porlunity. Companion.