Jesus is my ticket to ride!

"This Train is Bound for Glory:

The Story of America's Chapel Cars"

by Wilma Rugh Taylor and Norman Thomas Taylor

When Mr. Jones received this book as a gift for his 60th birthday, I read the title and experienced a "thrill." Do you know what I mean? The phrase, "bound for glory" thrills me in a theological sense. This year, for many reasons, the simple truth of the Gospel has found new meaning in my life.

I haven't read this book yet, but I plan to. I read several reviews of it on the internet. I will combine a few of these for you here:

This extraordinary work tells the history of thirteen "churches on wheels" commissioned by the Baptist, Episcopal, and Roman Catholic churches to travel throughout the Western United States during the half-century between the 1890's and the 1930's.

There were three Episcopal cars: The Cathedral Car of North Dakota, and the two chapel cars of Upper Michigan; seven American Baptist Publication Society cars: Evangel, Emmanuel, Glad Tidings, Good Will, Messenger of Peace, Herald of Hope, and Grace; and three Catholic Extension Society cars: St. Anthony, St. Peter, and St. Paul.

A chapel car
"Glad Tidings" chapel car

The authors' exhaustive resource includes spectacular photography, train logs, historical data about the towns of the train routes, and in-depth information from survivors and descendants of those who experienced the chapel cars' missions firsthand--all providing for extraordinary glimpses into these mission-bound vehicles.

I am a child of the 60's, and folk music was instrumental in my growing-up years. The title of this book is also the title of a folk song made famous by American folk singer, Woody Guthrie; although the origin of the song is actually unknown. I remember hearing and liking Woody Guthrie's version of it those many years ago. Listen to the chorus:

"This train is bound for glory,
this train (my Lord).
This train is bound for glory,
this train;
this train is bound for glory,
and if you ride you must be holy,
this train, my Lord, this train."

"and if you ride you must be holy." If that is true (and it is) then NO ONE CAN RIDE! Not one single person is holy! And Scripture tells us that, "those who are not holy will not see the Lord." (Hebrews 12:14). Without Jesus, the train would be completely empty ...

But Jesus is our ticket to ride! His sacrifice on the cross cleansed us from every sin, and if we trust in his work of salvation, we are made holy! "So also Jesus suffered and died outside the city gates in order to make his people holy by shedding his own blood. So let us go out to him outside the camp and bear the disgrace he bore. For this world is not our home; we are looking forward to our city in heaven, which is yet to come." (Hebrews 13:12-14). I know that I am "bound for glory" only because of Jesus. I am looking forward very much to the day when He comes with a shout to lead me to glory!

Thanks for the great book, Nick and Rachel. It was a gift for Mr. Jones, but I'm going to enjoy reading it too. It fits right into the train them of this blog too -- kind of handy, don't you think?