I remember on one occasion, when an immense quantity of freight
was to be brought from New York to Boston, they undertook to
run on the Sabbath day. They came up with a large load of
cotton, and on coming near to M---- a bale got afire, and there
were not hands enough to roll it off. They then drove to M----
and rang the bells, and the people came down to the number of
three hundred. “Help us,” said the railway people, “to put
out the fire.” “No; you have no business to run that train on
the Sabbath.” They then sent up to one of the directors and
said: “If you speak a word, these men will bring us water;
there is property being destroyed.” “I voted in the board of
directors,” he replied, “against this running on the Sabbath,
and if you burn the whole freight, I will not raise a finger.”
And the two carloads of cotton were destroyed. The company had
to pay for them--but they ran no more trains on the Sabbath.
(Text.)--JOHN B. GOUGH.
(2795)
=Sabbath Desecration=--See PUNCTILIOUSNESS.