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Hoosier United Methodist News Archives
| Hoosier United Methodist News |
April 2001 |
My Witness:
I will not leave you as orphans
By Diane Pearson
Local historian, Leroy Good is full of fascinating stories about Frankfort and Clinton County. His story about the orphan train is one of my favorites. Leroy said, "At the end of the 19th century and the early years of the 20th century, a train periodically rolled through Jefferson in the western part of Clinton County that the locals referred to as the orphan train. Orphaned children from the east rode the rails, as they made their way across the country, they were paraded in front of curious onlookers at each station. There are people living in Clinton County today who are ancestors of the orphan train children.
Leroy recounted, "When I was a child, I can remember people telling stories about going down to the train station to meet the orphan train. It was an attraction people didn't want to miss. Most people weren't interested in adopting a child. They were there simply out of curiosity and pity."
I couldn't get that image out of my mind -- orphans begging to be chosen.
I tried to imagine what that scene might have looked like; the faces of the children pressed against the windows of the train as it rolled to a stop. One-by-one boys and girls of all ages stepped off the train, greeted by silence and the stares of the crowd as the audience looked them over. On display, each child hoping to be the chosen one. The more attractive children were always picked first, of course. The ones left on the platform had obviously been through this routine many times before, rejected over and over again.
In John 14, Jesus comforts his disciples as he prepares for his crucifixion. They beg to go with him, but Jesus promises, "I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." (John 14:3) Jesus also explains to the disciples that he will be gone but in his place will be the Holy Spirit. "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you . Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." (John 14:18,27)
At this Easter season, we are reminded that if we believe in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, then we are adopted into the family of God as his sons and daughters through the blood of his precious son, Jesus Christ. No one is left standing at the station, begging to be chosen. And we are also given the wonderful gift of the Holy Spirit which dwells within the hearts of all believers.
Last updated January 14, 2004