The Railroaders Prayer

Browsing in the archives this morning we stumbled upon this beautiful prayer and felt compelled to share it with you all.

The railroad men with their wives and daughters present. Reverently bowed their heads and George Stuart, with trembling lips and deep emotion, offered the following prayer, and as he left the platform a dozen men gripped his hand and brushed a tear from their eyes:

“O Lord, we meet as a body of railroad men, with our wives and daughters to consult for our interest. We are reminded that life itself is a train and the road to heaven a railroad, God’s truth is the rail, God’s love the fire and His promises the signal lights. Oh, we recognize Thee as the General Manager of our road, the Superintendent of our train and Chief Dispatcher. Thou, didst survey the right-of-way and Thy Son didst purchase it with His blood. Thou didst lay the track and ballast the road. Thou hast furnished the rolling stock; Thou art the owner and controller of all. We look to Thee for all our orders and Thou must sign the checks for our sustenance since Thou art the owner and controller of all.

We are grateful for the bible, Thy book of rules and instruction; be merciful in our examination and look with charity upon our failures. Thy promises and warnings are our headlights and hand lanterns; help us to use them so as to save our train from wreck. Deliver us from broken rails, blind switches, false signals, and mistaken orders. Be with us on every high bridge of responsibility, on every sharp curve of emergency, and in every dark tunnel of trouble let the light of Thy promises shine out bright. Grant us passes for our wives and children and let them go with us. When the storms of temptations and trial come, save us from the fatal slides and wash-outs that have wrecked so many trains on the road of life. Let our way be kept secure by Thy guardian care, always show the steel rail and rock ballast, and be solid and firm and free from destruction. Deliver us from the snares of our enemy. May the headlight of the truth shine bright on a thrown switch, false signal or fatal obstruction placed for the wreckage of our train. Let the light of Thy promises burn bright to light the last dark tunnel of death. As we run through the Grand Central Station of the skies may we have the approving smile of the General Manager and Superintendent; sign with joy the payroll, receive our wages, and have an eternal lay-off with God and angels and the loved ones at home. And we will praise Thee forever. Amen.” – Meridian Dispatch.

Source: The Newton Record, March 3rd, 1921

The engines may look different, the culture may have changed a bit -- but our prayers for you are still the same. To the men, women and children of the railroads -- you are forever in our thoughts.