Many years ago, I discovered the ministry of Keith Green and his wife, Melody. Last Days Ministries offered several tracts to instruct, encourage, and strengthen Christians in their faith. Here is a true story taken from the 1894 edition of “Touching Incidents and Remarkable Answers to Prayer” as told by Pastor Dosh. He writes:
I recently saw one of the happiest moments while traveling on the train. The train was heading west, and it was evening. A little girl about eight years old boarded at a station, carrying a small purse under her arm. She entered my car and quickly found a seat. Then she began to look at each face, but all were unfamiliar to her. She looked tired and used her purse as a makeshift pillow; she lay down on the seat to rest for a little while. Soon, the conductor came by, collecting tickets and fares. Watching him, she asked if she could lie there. The courteous conductor said she could and kindly asked for her ticket. She told him she didn't have one, and then I overheard the following conversation. Said the conductor:
"Where are you going?" "I'm going to heaven," she answered. "Who's paying your fare?" he asked. She said, "Mister, does this railroad lead to heaven, and does Jesus travel on it?" "I don't think so," he answered. "Why did you think that?" "Well, sir, before my mommy died, she used to sing to me about a heavenly railroad. You looked so nice and kind that I thought this was that railroad. My mommy used to sing about Jesus on the heavenly railroad, saying He paid the fare for everyone and that the train stopped at every station to pick people up. My mom doesn’t sing to me anymore. Nobody sings to me now, and I thought I'd take the train and see my mommy. Mister, do you sing to your little girl about the railroad that goes to heaven? You have a little girl, don't you?" With tears in his eyes, he replied, "No, my little dear, I don’t have a little girl now. I had one once, but she died some time ago and went to heaven." "Did she go on this railroad, and are you going to see her now?" she asked. By this time, everyone in the coach was on their feet, and most were crying. Trying to describe what I saw is almost impossible. Some said, "God bless this little girl." Hearing someone say she was an angel, the little girl earnestly replied, "Yes, my mommy used to say that I would be an angel someday."
Addressing herself once more to the conductor, she asked him, "Do you love Jesus? I do, and if you love Him, He will let you ride to heaven on His railroad. I'm going there, and I wish you would go with me. I know Jesus will let me into heaven when I get there, and He will let you in too, and everybody that will ride on His railroad - yes, all these people. Wouldn't you like seeing heaven, Jesus, and your little girl?" So pathetically and innocently uttered, these words brought a great gush of tears from all eyes, but most profusely from those of the conductor. Some who were already traveling on the heavenly railroad shouted aloud for joy.
She asked the conductor, "Mister, may I lie here until we get to heaven?" "Yes, dear, yes," he answered. "Will you wake me up when we get there so I can see my mommy, your little girl, and Jesus?" she asked. "I so much want to see them all." His response came in broken phrases but with tender words, "Yes, dear angel, yes. God bless you." "Amen!" was sobbed by more than twenty voices.
Turning her eyes once more to the conductor, she asked him again, "What should I tell your little girl when I see her? Should I tell her that I saw her daddy on Jesus' railroad? Should I?" This caused a fresh wave of tears from everyone present, and the conductor knelt beside her. Embracing her, he wept silent tears he couldn't speak. At this moment, the brakeman announced the name of another station. The conductor stood up and asked the brakeman to handle his duties at that station, for he was busy. That was a special place. I thank God that I witnessed this scene and felt sorrowful that I had to leave the train at that time.
The Sequel
A letter from the conductor to Pastor Dosh
Dear Pastor Dosh,
I want to unburden my heart by writing to you and saying that the angel visit on the train was a blessing to me, even though I didn't fully realize it until a few hours later. But blessed be the Redeemer, I now know that I am His, and He is mine. I no longer wonder why Christians are happy. Oh, my joy, my joy! The instrument of my salvation has gone to be with God. I wanted to adopt her in the place of my little daughter, who is now in heaven, and with that intention, I took her back to her hometown, where she left the train.
When I discussed adopting her with my wife, she replied, "Yes, certainly, and immediately too, for there is a Divine providence in this. Oh," she said, "I could never refuse to take under my charge the instrument of my husband's salvation." When I returned to the town where I had left the little girl, I asked about her and learned that just three days after her return, she died suddenly, without any apparent disease, and her happy soul had gone to dwell with her mother, my little girl, and the angels in heaven.
I was sorry to hear of her death, but my sorrow has turned to joy when I think that my daughter in heaven received word from earth about her daddy and that he is on the heavenly railway. Oh! Sir, I believe I see my little girl near the Redeemer. I hear her sing, "I'm safe at home, and daddy and mommy are coming." I find myself replying, "Yes, my darling, we are coming and will soon be there." Oh, my dear sir, I am so glad I know you! May the blessing of the great God rest upon you. Please write to me, and be assured I would be most happy to meet you again.[1]