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.
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.