Page:Navvies and Their Needs.djvu/16

 'The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.' He told us about the Saviour who came at Christmas time, all out of love for us; and the best of it was that he made it so plain that it meant us, and not only better sort of people, I just felt as if I'd found some one who cared for me. And indeed, sir, so I had. I've learnt more about it since then, and I do know now that there is One who cares for us navvies, aye, even for the worst of us; and, thank God, I've learnt to care for Him too.

"I expect, sir, I've tired you with my talk. I shall have to get off at the station we're coming to; but I'll just show you something as I've brought away from yon place." And so saying he produced from the inner recesses of his pea-jacket from one pocket a good-sized reference Bible, and from another a prayer-book and hymn-book bound together.

"Can you read these now?" I asked

"Yes, sir, I've learnt to read and write too. You see I've been well off these last five years, and I've got something to show for the time; but I'm fearful sometimes how it'll be with me now. I'd never have left, but you see the work was done, and I was forced to come away. I wish I could give up navvying altogether, and yet sometimes I think I should like to help other navvies to what I've got myself I'm going now to some works near, and I fancy nothing is being done there for the good of the men. I've learnt the value of going to church, and I mean to go if I have to walk miles for it, but what we want is more work like that I've been telling you of—regular work among the navvies themselves. You see, sir, we're most of us very ignorant, and it isn't likely as we can