An Instructive Incident by Dudley Marvin Canright

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 21, 1871

An Instructive Incident.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

The other night, while coming from Saginaw to Battle Creek, I wished to change cars at Lansing. I must make good connection in order to reach my appointment in Iowa. By-and-by the conductor came and took up the tickets for Lansing. Soon the train stopped, and I heard them call out, “Lansing,” and off I got, and on went the train. But lo, and behold, it was North Lansing, instead of Lansing! There was no hack or any other conveyance. It was three miles to the cars I wished to take, and they were to go in twenty minutes! They told me it was no use to try to reach the train. I must stay all night. But my resolution was taken in a moment; I would try. I could but fail any way. So off I started up the track alone in the dark with a heavy satchel. All can well imagine that I did not feel very comfortable under these circumstances. All this resulted from a mistake of my own. I did not design to do it. I honestly supposed that I was doing right; yet this did not relieve my difficulty in the least. I had to bear the consequences just the same as if I had done it deliberately. I could but have bitter reflections over what might have been had I used proper caution. Thus brooding over this and other sadder mistakes which I have made in life, I hurried on, walking and running alternately. Of course I had but faint hopes of being on time; yet I did hope. Finally I reached the depot where I should have stopped at first. On, on, I pushed sweaty and weary. When I was within a mile of the depot, I was told that probably the train had not gone. This inspired me with new strength. Another half mile, and I met the hack returning, and found the cars had not gone yet. I knew that every minute was now precious. I ran with all my might till I could hardly get my breath. When within forty rods of the depot, I saw the train standing there lighted up, apparently about ready to start. One minute more and I might even now miss it. So I exerted myself to the very utmost. I think I must have been within eight or ten rods of the cars when the old engine began to puff and the bell began to ring! Must I get so near the prize and then lose it after all my effort? It seemed to me I could go no farther nor get one foot before the other. But that would not do; so I summoned all the strength I had, and ran a little faster. In another moment I landed on the steps of the car, and was moving off!

The first thing I did was to take care not to catch cold after such an effort. This I did by walking to and fro in the car till I became cool and rested. But the feeling of relief, of success, of victory, which came over me, abundantly paid me for all my effort.

REFLECTIONS.

This incident brought to my mind many very profitable reflections:

1. Mistakes. How very sad it is to make mistakes. Once made, they must be suffered. No amount of honesty or ignorance will change the consequence in the least. Men are constantly making mistakes and suffering for them. Here is one who made a mistake in his business; here is another who made a mistake in his calling; and there is a third who made a mistake in his marriage. All are sad and unhappy. They must bear it now. Yet in many cases mistakes may be corrected in time by energy, perseverance, and the blessing of God. But how terrible will be that final and great mistake which it will appear at the Judgment thousands have made! What anguish and hopeless despair will then fill the souls of such!

2. Indecision. Had I lost only one minute by indecision on the start, I would have been too late! Prompt action is often necessary to success. When the Spirit of God is striving with us, we must yield to it, lest by indecision and delay we grieve it from us, and we be left in the dark to go to ruin.

3. Weight. Could I have laid aside my overcoat and satchel, how much more easily, swiftly, and surely, I could have run that race! I nearly lost the train by being weighed down and hindered by them. I could then fully appreciate Paul’s advice in Heb. 12:1. How truly this illustrates the condition of many who are trying to run the heavenly race. See them sweat, and toil, and worry, and almost get discouraged by the little progress they make. What is the matter? They are all loaded down with these weights, and are unwilling to lay them aside. There is great danger of such.

4. How perilous to stop to rest or to dally by the way! These precious moments once lost can never be regained, and the loss of them may be our ruin.

5. The farther we travel and the nearer we come to the final end of our journey, the more tired and weary we become, and the harder it seems to go forward. How exceedingly bad I should have felt had I failed and given out when so near the object of my effort! But how terribly will that soul feel who has run well till near the end of the journey, and then failed. Yet thousands will do this—will fall in the sight of the prize.

6. What deep satisfaction, what feelings of relief, what holy joy, will the final overcomer feel! The happiness of that one hour will abundantly make up for all the toil and sorrow endured in the whole of life’s struggle. May we all finally reach the heavenly train.

D. M. CANRIGHT.