A remarkable instance of how the Lord controlled circumstances for the
detention of one train, and speeded the arrival of the other, in answer
to the prayer of a poor widow, who was in anxiety and distress, is thus
known to the editor of _The Watchman and Reflector_:
"Not long ago an engineer brought his train to a stand at a little
Massachusetts village, where the passengers have five minutes for lunch.
A lady came along the platform and said: 'The conductor tells me the
train at the junction in P---- leaves fifteen minutes before our
arrival. It is Saturday night, that is the last train. I have a very
sick child in the car, and no money for a hotel, and none for a private
conveyance for the long, long journey into the country. What shall I
do?' 'Well,' said the engineer, 'I wish I could tell you.' 'Would it be
possible for you to hurry a little?' said the anxious, tearful mother.
'No, madam, I have the time-table, and the rules say I must run by it.'
She turned sorrowfully away, leaving the bronzed face of the engineer
wet with tears. Presently she returned and said, 'Are you a Christian?'
'I trust I am,' was the reply. 'Will you pray with me that the Lord may,
in some way, delay the train at the junction?' 'Why, yes, I will pray
with you, but I have not much faith.' Just then, the conductor cried,
'All aboard.' The poor woman hurried back to her deformed and sick
child, and away went the train, climbing the grade. 'Somehow,' says the
engineer, 'everything worked to a charm. _As I prayed, I couldn't help
letting my engine out just a little_. We hardly stopped at the first
station, people got on and off with wonderful alacrity, the conductor's
lantern was in the air in half a minute, and then away again. Once over
the summit, it was dreadful easy to give her a little more, and then a
little more, as I prayed, till she seemed to shoot through the air like
an arrow. Somehow I couldn't hold her, knowing I had the road, and so we
dashed up to the junction six minutes ahead of time.' There stood the
train, and the conductor with his lantern on his arm. 'Well,' said he,
'_will you tell me what I am waiting here for? Somehow I felt I must
wait your coming to-night, but I don't know why_.' 'I guess,' said the
brother conductor, 'it is for this woman, with her sick and deformed
child, dreadfully anxious to get home this Saturday night.' But the man
on the engine and the grateful mother think they can tell why the train
waited. God held it to answer their prayers."
Think of this wonderful improbability according to natural
circumstances. These trains never connected with each other, nor were
intended to. There was no message sent ahead to stop. There was not the
slightest business reason for waiting, yet the second conductor, on
arrival of the first, asks this question, "_What am I waiting for_," and
the answer of the first is more singular, "I don't know."
ANOTHER INSTANCE OF SUPERHUMAN CONTROL OF THE LOCOMOTIVE, IN ANSWER TO
PRAYER.
An exact parallel instance to the foregoing is given in the experience
of a correspondent of _The Christian_, which occurred in the latter part
of November, 1864, while traveling with her aged father and two small
girls:
"We started from New Hampshire on Thursday morning, expecting to have
ample time to get through to Indiana before Saturday night; but, after
we crossed the St. Lawrence River, the next day, I think, there was a
smash-up on a freight train, which hindered our train about two hours. I
began to feel anxious, as I knew our limited means would not permit us
to stop long on the way. After the cars had started again, I inquired of
the conductor what time we should get to Toledo, fearing we should not
reach there in time for the down train. _He said it would be impossible
to gain the time._ Soon they changed conductors, and I made a similar
inquiry, getting about the same answer. Still I hoped, till we reached
the Detroit River. Here I found that, though they had put on all the
steam they dared to, they were _almost an hour behind time_, so I should
have to stay over till Sunday night.
"After getting seated in the cars on the other side, I ventured to ask
the conductor if we should get to Toledo in time for the down train. He
readily said, '_No, madam, impossible! If we put on all the steam, we
dare to, we shall be more than half an hour behind time._ If we were on
some trains we might hope they would wait; but on this, _never! He is
the most exact conductor you ever saw. He was never known to wait a
second, say nothing about a minute, beyond the time._' I then inquired
if we could not stay at the depot. He said, No; we should all freeze to
death, for the fire is out till Sunday evening.
"A gentleman sitting in front of us said he would show us a good hotel
near by, as he was acquainted there. I thanked him, but sunk back on my
seat. Covering my eyes with my hand, and raising my heart to God, I
said, 'O, God, if thou art my Father, and I am thy child, put it into
the heart of that conductor to wait till we get there.'
"Soon I became calm, and fell asleep, not realizing that God would
answer my poor prayer; but, when we reached Toledo, to the astonishment
of us all, there stood the conductor, _wanting to know the reason why he
had to wait_, when our conductor told him there was a lady with her
crippled father and two little daughters, who were going down on that
train.
"Soon as all were out of the car, both conductors came with their
lanterns and gave their aid in helping my father to the other train,
where they had reserved seats by keeping the door locked. All was hurry
and confusion to me, as I had my eye on father, fearing he might fall,
it being very slippery, when the baggage-master said, 'Your checks,
madam!' I handed them to him, and rushed into the car; but, before I got
seated, the car started, and I had no checks for my baggage. Again my
heart cried out, 'O, Thou that hearest prayer, take care of my baggage!'
believing He could do that as well as make the conductor wait. In a few
moments the conductor came to me with a face radiant with smiles,
saying, '_Madam, I waited a whole half hour for you_,--_a thing I never
did before since I was a conductor, so much as to wait one minute after
my time_.' He said, 'I know it was your father that I was waiting for,
because there was nothing else on the train for which I could have
waited.' I exclaimed, in a half suppressed tone, 'Praise the Lord!' I
could not help it; it gushed out. Then he said, '_At the very moment all
were on board, and I was ready to start, such a feeling came over me as
I never had in my life before. I could not start_. Something kept saying
to me, _you must wait_, for there is something pending on that train you
must wait for. I waited, and here you are, all safe.' Again my heart
said, Praise the Lord! and he started to leave me, when I said, 'But
there is one thing.' 'What is it?' was his quick reply. 'I gave the
baggage-master my checks, and have none in return.' 'What were the
numbers?' I told him. 'I have them,' he said, handing them to me, 'but
your baggage will not be there till Monday morning. We had no time to
put it on, we had waited so long.'"