TO AND FROM THE CITY--OUR OMNIBUS--BOX AND MONKEY BOARD--THE LOST
DAY--CRAPE ON THE WHIP--NIGHT GATHERING OF BARGE MEN--FETTERS
BROKEN--THE SILENT WATER-WAYS--BIBLE IN CABIN--THE BARGEMAN'S HOPE.
THE BOOK IN THE HIGHWAYS:
ITS FETTER-BREAKING.
"He went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the
receipt of custom: and He said unto him, Follow Me. And he left
all, rose up, and followed Him." LUKE v. 27, 28.
"My saying is," observed the driver of an omnibus to a gentleman at his
side, "that it is right to be sociable; for if we are to have friends,
we must be friendly ourselves." "Capital remark, that," we thought,
while sitting down at the other side of the rather elevated box, waiting
an opportunity to join in the conversation. The man was not quite
unknown to us, as, in our almost daily journeys to the City, we had
mounted at his side in turn with that of other knights of the whip who
drove omnibuses from one of the suburbs to the centre of the mighty
City--the Bank.
Once before, a short terse sentence had, in our hearing, been uttered by
him which made a favourable impression, and we were now certain that
James was a character--a man with an individuality. He was certainly
respected by his fellows, as, while many others had singular names given
them, expressive of peculiarities or contempt, he was always addressed
as James; and it was certain, from the hurried words shouted by the
drivers as they rapidly passed each other, that he dared to be singular
by paying like respect to them. It was thus that we got to know the
christian or surnames of men who were addressed by others as Kitty,
Cranky, Boosey; and even "Ugly Jib"--as a worthy man was called in
derision of a facial deformity--smiled pleasantly as our driver, in
cheery tone, gave the rapid word of greeting, "Fine morning, Dan," or
"Raw evening, Dan; button up tight."
[Illustration: Driver with four men in top hats, outside passengers]
A kindliness of disposition was also evident by the style in which he
handled the "ribbons;" with a care and decision peculiar to the man, as
though fearful of jagging the horses with the bit. As for the whip, it
was simply what he called it, "his ornament." To have used it with
violence upon his dumb friends never entered his mind. This was evident
one dreary night when we had stayed late in the City, and happened to be
the only outside passenger. As the hill was ascended near the end of the
journey, the horses slackened pace almost to a walk. Now, we thought, is
time for use of the "ornament;" and use it he did, but in a gentle
manner. Patting one horse upon the neck with it, he said in an
encouraging tone, "Now, Polly; come, get on;" and then passing it over
to the other, he stroked kindly and said, "This won't do, Sally; come,
pull up." Then followed the "click, click, click," an accomplishment of
the mouth only attainable by the thorough "bus" driver; and then the
horses, as with a human sense of the power of kindness, took the collar
and cheerfully capped the hill.
"And so you treat your cattle as young ladies, do you?" we observed.
"Well, you see, sir," he replied, "as the saying is, 'the man that's any
good considers his beast;' and it answers, as I can keep time as well as
any one; and the foreman of the yard never finds fault, as I run them in
quite comfortable, not all reeking and trembling as some do. And then,
when I go into the yard of a morning, the pretty creatures look round
and shake their manes, as much as to say, 'Good morning, master, we
shall get on all right to-day.' You see, sir," he continued, after a
thoughtful pause, "I have two daughters at home, Mary and Sarah, and
good girls they are, though I don't see much of them; and as I am always
thinking of them I mention them like to the horses when I want to pull
up to time and the like."
"Your daughters, I suppose, go out to some employment, as you see so
little of them?"
The answer was not immediately given, as the man hung his head and with
ill-concealed emotion said, "No, sir, they ain't quite old enough for
that; and I have heard a saying that no good is got by showing your
sores, and 'that which can't be cured must be endured.' You see, I have
to work more hours a week than niggers in the West Indies were ever made
to do. Compared with other working men, I do nearly two days' work in
one. This I have done for these sixteen years, and very little I've seen
of my family and home. I often feel that I am getting used up, and think
of a saying a foreman of mine had for men who asked for a day off the
box: 'Rest indeed! rest in the grave, that will do for you.'"
This reply was given in a tone of despair which stopped the conversation
for the short time required to reach the end of the journey. The parting
word of "Good night, coachman," evidently helped him to regain his usual
cheerfulness, as we heard the shake of the reins and the usual
utterance, "All right, Sally; come, get on, Polly."
With us, cheerfulness was not so easily regained. The happy home and
family joys seemed to deepen rather than remove the impression made by
the driver. "It is now after ten," we thought, "and the poor fellow has
another journey to the City and back. On the box again at eight in the
morning until midnight, with little prospect of a Sunday; well, we will
speak to him upon that subject."
A few nights after, being purposely late, we again mounted beside our
proverb-speaking acquaintance, and watched for an opportunity to draw
him out upon the "rest-rights" of his class. This soon occurred, as the
driver remarked that his horses were fresh, "as they had yesterday in
the stables."
"And so they have a rest-day now and then," we remarked, "and you have a
natural and scriptural right to one in seven. How often do you get it?"
"I've lost mine this many a long year," was the reply; "and as they say
somewhere, 'losers are always in the wrong;' and so five thousand or
more of us who toil on the stones of London during all the Sundays are
in the wrong--of course we are--and being in for a bad bargain must make
the best of it. For us there is no help, as saints and sinners are both
against us."
"Saints against you?"
"Yes sir, begging your pardon, the saints, or that sort of them that
ain't advanced, and can't get on without their ears being tingled. We
who live all our waking hours elevated on a 'bus observes a great deal,
and that there are two sorts of Christians. It is wonderful if you
compare duly what religion does. The hundreds of gentlemen's carriages
it keeps indoors; the lots of working-men and city gents who can be
happy at home, and the wonderful number that goes to their own places of
worship, as is right. Well, these religious riders are a strange set,
they are indeed. Sometimes they are ashamed of their prayer or hymn
books, and sometimes they show them off boldly. My conductor was a
Sunday-school boy not long ago, and he hates the sight of them. Between
the box and monkey board there is an understanding, 'signs and wonders,'
as I calls them, and when a religious party gets in, he puts his hands
together and looks solemn; and when the pleasure-takers--our worst
enemies--and there's no end of them, he rubs his hands and looks jolly.
Well, these religious Sunday riders are a selfish, shabby lot; it's
quite common when they pay with a shilling for them to say, 'Give me a
threepenny piece, please, conductor.' That, you know, is for the
collection; but if he can help it he don't give it them, as he is of my
opinion, that these people ought to keep to their own places of worship,
and not bring religion into contempt by supporting Sunday labour. Well,
but the Sunday pleasure people are generous fools. They do a hard day's
work and pay for it, as they don't believe in the religious way of
being happy. At night the men put their wives and children inside and
get out here themselves smoking hard after the drink they have had. Last
Sunday night two of this sort got up beside me, and one of them swore
badly, and offered me a cigar; but I said to him, 'The saying is, that
"the tongue defiles the whole body," and I don't care to smoke with a
man that curses.' Then he bullied me and threatened to inform about me;
and I thought afterwards that I had done wrongly, as it is not doing my
duty in that state of life in which God has placed me (as the Catechism
says) if I offend riders; and as we outcasts--yes, I say outcasts, as
men who have no Sundays and no ministers to care for them are--can't
hope to be saved if God Almighty does not have mercy upon them for doing
their duty."
[Illustration: Man collecting fares]
The last part of this speech, which had been delivered at intervals
between stoppages, was uttered with an expression of despair which
reminded one of the day's sigh of the prisoner without hope. After a
pause, the remark was ventured, "But, James, you can surely get a Sunday
off whenever you like; it is only forfeiting the day's pay; and as I
have ridden with you for some time, I had a thought of asking you to let
me give you a Sunday, you could then attend Divine worship?"
"Thank you kindly, sir," he replied; "but I could not ask for more than
one in two months or so, though we are supposed to have every third or
fourth Sunday. I am feeling old, and a man ain't liked who is often off
his 'bus. The foreman would soon say that a younger man was ready to
take the reins; and then the workhouse, its disgrace, and separation
from as good a wife as ever lived. No, sir, personal kindness can't do
much for us Sunday slaves. No! it's getting the public to feel that
it's a disgrace to the riders, and an injury to us poor fellows, that
can alone do it."
Such were his opinions; but we soon after had the satisfaction to know
that he enjoyed one happy Christian Sabbath, and upon several journeys
we listened to his quaint remarks upon preacher and sermons. An interest
in his spiritual state (which is always akin to real friendship)
resulted; and upon many occasions instruction concerning personal
salvation was given. The last ten minutes of the journey, when we were
often alone, were valued, as, at intervals for more than a year, the
good-natured driver listened as a little child to the message of a
Redeemer's mercy. The summer and autumn had thus passed away, and during
the winter we seldom rode with him, as his hours had been changed. Upon
one of these occasions he from cold spoke with difficulty; but his
weather-beaten countenance expressed a quiet peace, as he said, "I got a
day off last Sunday week, and went to church twice. At night it was a
saying of Jesus that was preached about, 'Come unto me, all ye that
labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.' The sermon made
me as happy as a prince; and after supper my Polly read the chapter
through, where it is; and then I read a Psalm which is like a prayer."
We had not after this many opportunities for conversation, but
frequently received his salute (the raising of the whip to the hat) as
we passed on other omnibuses. One fine morning towards the end of the
winter, which had been very severe, upon mounting an early 'bus, we
noticed a bow of CRAPE ON THE WHIP, and inquired concerning it. "It's
James as used to drive this 'bus," the man replied with feeling; "but he
is only one of the several old whips who have been done up this horrid
winter. He had sixteen hours a day on this box for six weeks hard off,
and had a bad cold; and when he tried for a rest Sunday, so many wanted
it that he was snubbed, and was afraid of losing his whip, and so he
kept on till he couldn't do so any longer, and then he took to his bed,
and died in a few days."
The startling intelligence produced a sense of sadness during the
journey, and led to solemn thought with desire to break fetters and let
this order of Sabbath slaves go free.
That _Crape on the Whip_ spoke of injury done to a man, and an important
class of men, and that by a too general habit of breaking a Divine law
through love of pleasure, or want of consideration.
To labour or employ labour on the Lord's day, unless for purposes of
necessity or mercy, is sinful; as the command is, "Remember the Sabbath
day to keep it holy," and "Thou shalt reverence my Sabbaths." It is a
breach of the moral law for mere pleasure to use any kind of vehicle on
"the day which the Lord has made," and given for rest and worship. Poor
James, like thousands of his class, was injured also by the criminal
carelessness of professed Christians. These Sunday riders do spiritual
and eternal damage to public servants, as well as temporal wrong, for--
"Evil is wrought by want of thought,
As well as want of heart."
That _Crape on the Whip_ told the oft-repeated fact that the body of the
Sunday worker rests earlier in the grave through loss of the Sabbath
rest. The Maker of our frame has declared cessation from labour during
a seventh portion of our time to be necessary to its health and vigour.
The son of toil by hand or brain, who by loss of, or misuse of, the rest
day so graciously given, impairs or fails to restore his strength, thus
does injury to himself and others.
That _Crape on the Whip_ assumed the force of a call to the Church,
urging to self-denial and to active effort. Shall public servants slave
on for our convenience, with no man to care for their souls? Let
Christian men who are brought into friendly contact with them answer
"No," by telling them of a Saviour's mercy. Let workers in the Lord's
vineyard seek opportunity to instruct them, while making effort to
lessen their hours of toil. Numerous as they are, they are only part of
a class, including cabmen, railway servants, and others who suffer the
moral degradation of Sabbath slavery. Their helpers, for instance the
men who take charge of the horses, are the hardest-worked men in
England. From early morning until late at night, all the year round they
toil on. One of them remarked, "Cursed already, unceasing labour, and
life used up early." A City Missionary, in a yard he visits, has
arranged for eleven of these to join him on the Sabbath in an old
omnibus which stands in a corner of the yard. It was once licensed to
carry twelve inside. He there conducts a little service with them. Then
again there are servants of the Redeemer who make constant effort to
bring the life-giving power of Christ's religion to bear upon these
Sabbath outcasts. Let us be partakers in their struggles and joys until
the victory is gained; until freedom for those who cry because of the
oppressor is secured; until no conscience is troubled by _Crape on the
Whip_ indicating that souls which were sabbathless and uncared for had,
_without_ preparation, entered the presence of God.
This earnest pleading for the oppressed omnibus men, through the pages
of the _London City Mission Magazine_, reached many hearts with
Christian sympathy, and not a few resolved that these men also should be
spiritually cared for, and that an effort should be made to improve
their condition. An "elect lady" gave full support for a Missionary to
those who ply omnibuses in the West, while the liberality of a gentleman
abounded to those of the South, and the help of many extended the
benefit to East and North London.
[Illustration: Man beside two tired-looking horses]
Welcomes, hearty and full of hope, were given by the omnibus men to
their new friends. Among their thousands there was not a Church member,
a "Church goer," or one influenced by reading the Scriptures; except two
or three who worked for private masters of Christian principles. To
these Sabbathless men of constant toil, the Gospel which speaks of
deliverance through the mercy of God in Christ Jesus was indeed a joyful
sound, and right glad were they while waiting for a few minutes at each
end of their journeys to listen to the messengers sent to them with glad
tidings, and the result has been blessing to many souls, and the
commencement of a struggle for their Sabbath and social rights.
A lady, for instance, offered a supper to three hundred of the omnibus
men of West London if they could be got together. Lord Shaftesbury's
advice was taken in the matter, and he decided that it would be well to
invite them to the repast when they left work, from eleven to half-past
twelve at night. This was done. A large, unfurnished room near the
Paddington Station was taken. Their Missionary delivered the invitations
the day before, and as midnight drew near the rush of men proved that
all had accepted them. The uninvited guests, indeed, exceeded the
invited, so the ample supply of provisions were soon cleared off. Then a
raised platform was extemporized, and great was the demonstration of
delight when Lord Shaftesbury took his stand upon it. The sight was of
thrilling interest, as his lordship was surrounded by a group of
gentlemen and ministers, including the Earl of Aberdeen and Canon
Fleming, and in front were a mass of omnibus men, closely packed to the
end of the room. The excitement was great when the noble lord announced
that "The Man with the Book," who wrote "Crape on the Whip," would
first address them.
This speaker, who was well received, stated the difficulties of the men,
and gave matured advice as to the means of their removal. Referring to a
conversation he had held with a director of the company, he stated that
this gentleman admitted that the men were cruelly overworked, and that
they were, with few exceptions, deprived of their natural and scriptural
right to the Sabbath rest; but that the evil resulted from the increase
of the Sunday riding public, and from faults with the men themselves
which riveted their fetters. These faults were faithfully stated, and
passages from the Book of God were repeated and pressed upon their
attention, which, if believed from the heart, would lead them to their
God and Saviour, and so break these and the heavier fetters of the soul,
making them happy as the freedmen of Christ.
Dr. Manning, of the Tract Society, Lord Aberdeen, and Canon Fleming,
then made pointed and telling speeches, after which the noble chairman
wound up the meeting by telling the men that it was right that their
grievance of constant toil--long hours without Sabbath rest--should thus
be made known, that a healthy public opinion might be formed on their
behalf. From his long experience in effort to reduce the hours of labour
he gave them valuable advice, and concluded with the words:--
"I cannot find language strong enough to express all I feel at
constant labour being forced on men, not excepting the Lord's day.
It is abominable, and sufficient to call down the vengeance of God
on the country. The rest of the Lord's day is a great necessity,
and to deny you men the enjoyment and repose of that day is not
only a very great cruelty, but an abominable sin (cheers). I want
to remind you of this, that this work which we are commencing
cannot be done by us alone; it must be done in cooperation with
you. You must support the effort by strong appeals to your
employers, and still stronger appeals to the public, and by
unceasing prayer to Almighty God. You must press on all the rights
you have, and which by God's grace you are determined to enforce.
Your sole reliance must be in the blessing of the Almighty. To Him
you must direct your thoughts and prayers, and draw down His
blessing upon the effort, and take to your consideration these
words which fell from the lips of many Protestant martyrs in their
great sufferings,--
'Although the day be never so long,
At last it ringeth to evensong.'"
Great cheering followed, and after singing a hymn, the meeting, to which
additional hundreds of omnibus men had flocked, separated at two o'clock
in the morning.
But what good has resulted from this effort and meeting?
Well, much. Employers are granting their Sunday slaves concessions,
slight indeed, but hopeful as to the future. Many persons who used these
vehicles on the Lord's day have discontinued the practice. Some drivers
and conductors have left on Sabbath principles; and, best of all, many
of the men have already received spiritual good.
This was certainly the case with old Ben, who had driven to the Bank
many thousand times, and who for thirty-two years had never attended
Divine worship. He, indeed, held religion and religious people in
derision. The Missionary secured his attention, and one day soon after
the meeting, old Ben observed to him, "I read the tracts now, sir, and a
bit of the Bible, and mean soon to get another Sunday off." He
succeeded, and in the morning, the first time for so many years,
attended Divine worship. In the evening his wife went, and he remained
at home reading the Scriptures. He retired to rest unusually happy, but
to sleep the long sleep, as in the silence of the night watches his
immortal spirit was summoned to the presence of God.
It is indeed well that at length these men should have spiritual care,
and that the "feet of those who carry glad tidings" should make their
way to those who are in like condemnation. Now it so occurred that about
the same time that Christian attention was directed to the neglect and
wants of the men who labour upon our _noisy highways_, the roads,--that
a like attention was called to those who pass life quietly on our
_silent highways_, the canals. These water ways of the metropolis extend
for several hundred miles through and about the City and its suburbs,
and connect and bring into communication other great cities of the
country. They are traversed continually by barges, which besides much
merchandise contain a large floating population. Whole families inhabit
the small cabins, and they have been described in the British Parliament
as the most ignorant and debased of the people. It was therefore decided
by the rulers of the mission to select a suitable man from the ranks,
and bid him to make known the Gospel in the cabins, and on the towing
paths.
The surprise at the lock of the Grand Junction Canal was great indeed
when a stranger boarded each of their vessels, and addressed them as
though they were old acquaintance. It was evident at first that they did
not take kindly to the new friend. There were suspicious looks, and such
hints as, "There bees them as says we are awful bad, and as puts us down
in them papers as is in the publics." The zeal of the good man was also
a matter of jest with them; as when they saw the agility with which he
sprang from the tow-path to the barge, and from boat to boat, one man
said to the other, "he's a jumping Jack, he is." The readings from the
Bible, appeals to conscience, and the gift of Testaments and illustrated
publications, soon won a way to their hearts, and in the course of five
months their "Tract Man" became a popular personage, and this is how the
fact was discovered. Mr. Atkinson, late Mayor of Hull, who superintends
the work, gave a tea to as many boatmen and their wives as happened upon
a certain evening to be at the Brentford Junction, and two hundred and
fifty, direct from their boats, assembled, and a rough company they
appeared.
Tea over, and justice was done to it, the meeting commenced by their
host taking the chair, and he, after hearty words of Christian kindness,
requested the man who was known to carry a Book with him to address
them. This he did by telling them "that a few days before he had read
something upon an old tea-pot in the Brighton Museum, which he would
repeat to them,--
'The loss of gold is much,
The loss of health is more,
The loss of Christ is such a loss
That no man can restore!'
"And then he explained to them the value of money, and the misfortune of
losing it by accident, and the sin of losing it by drunkenness and vice.
The value of health, and the folly of losing it by intemperance,
smoking, and neglectful habits. The value, the preciousness of Christ as
the Saviour of sinners, and the folly, the crime, of refusing the mercy
of God by Him. The Book was then produced, and the words read solemnly,
'Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.'"
Their Missionary was then called upon, and the boat people received him
with a demonstration of delight. His speech was simple in words, but
full of Christian affection for their souls, and of sympathy in the
trials of their calling. It was evident that they received him as their
own "parson man," as they drank in every word he uttered, and with a
great noise expressed their delight with his speech. One of them indeed
rose, and with a stammering tongue said, "that he was a waterway man,
and like them all, he and his wife wanted to see him often in their
cabin, to read to them from the good Bible, and to try and make them
good, as he knew he was doing to some of them."
At the close it was cheering to hear them trying with all their will to
sing, "Tell me the Old, Old Story," and to notice their reverence during
the closing prayer.
After the tea several letters were sent to the Office. They were alike
in style, and we select one to show the progress which has been made
with these rough people.
"Dear sir i right those few lines to you to thenk you for you
kingens for sending such a man to the Poor Boat Peple i think he
Just the man for it to Point them to the lame of god Wich taks the
sins away he Not shamed to take yup his crose and tell Poor Peple a
Bout Jueses i cant right much But i hope you escuse my Bad righting
Whe have knowed in tim a good Wile at Padgtion and glad to see his
face Down kingsland Pasen the lord Bless his labore and give him
soles fore his hiere so
No More frome
c.---- D----.
Boat man."
We will only add that a gathering from among the boat people, as from
the omnibus men, is being made to the Lord Jesus, and as they approach
Him, the Saviour, their spiritual fetters are broken, and the outward
fetters of their calling fall away. Duty, compassion, patriotism,
require that these thousands of the oppressed should have opportunity to
worship Jehovah in His temple, and to become acquainted with His laws,
and the wonders of His grace. Remember, oh ye people who have been
chosen and called to form the Church of the Redeemed on earth; remember
that it is your dignity, as well as duty, to help all who are oppressed;
everywhere to proclaim the freedom of the kingdom "set up in the earth;"
that to you the enraptured words of the prophet are addressed with royal
command and sustaining promises: "Thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go
forth; to them that are in darkness, Show yourselves. They shall feed in
the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places ... for He that
hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall
He guide them."[2]
[2] Isaiah xlix. 9, 10.
The Book for All:
ITS UNIVERSAL GOOD.
Ye have not sowed in vain!
Though the heavens seem as brass,
And, piercing the crust of the burning plain,
Ye scan not a blade of grass.
Yet there is life within,
And waters of life on high:
One morn ye shall wake, and the spring's soft green
O'er the moistened fields shall lie.
Tears in the dull, cold eye,
Light on the darkened brow,
The smile of peace or the prayerful sigh,
Where the mocking smile sits now.
Went ye not forth with prayer?
Then ye went not forth in vain:
"The Sower, the Son of Man," was there,
And His was that precious grain.