|PIC1|Dave Moyle the editor of 'On Track' invited M V Tronson to write a monthly Footplate Padre article 14 months ago and it has become very popular, particularly with people linked with the railways who have a Christian interest.
"In both our online and postal mail bags, we regularly find correspondence from such interested people, some including personal anecdotes and photographs illustrating similar experiences to the stories I write." M V Tronson explained. " It has become an inspiring part of my ministry."
Seniority for locomotive engineman functioned as the regulated program for progression within the Government railway systems right up until quite recent times.
In effect, the day an engineman was employed determined his seniority. Those employed before him were senior to him, and those employed after him were junior to him in promotion order.
In his 'On Track' November Footplate Padre article, M V Tronson unpacks this old system, and details the inevitable negative results of such a 'lowest common denominator' system.
He also pointed out that in the 1980's the system was seen to be outdated, because a young lad entering a trade could become a businessman and an esteemed member of the business community in a few years, whereas it took ten to twelve years for a locomotive engineman to gain his driver's ticket; and even then he was forever an employee.
M V Tronson then illustrates the events which, in quite recent years, brought 'change' to this historical seniority system and then points out relevant Christian teaching on this drama.
In his bible teaching on this theme, M V Tronson comments that he could not help but think of Jesus words in explaining who were the real children of God. The belief in his day was that those born into the family of Jewish peoples believed they were the born into God's heritage as children of Abraham. This was a seniority system of belief. Jesus found Himself having to bring them back to the true meaning of faith.
"Jesus taught that it was not what family you belonged to, but rather what spiritual family you gave your allegiance to. It had nothing to do with seniority. In Matthew 19:30, we read, 'But many who are first will be last and many who are last will be first'." M V Tronson noted.
This November Footplate Padre article can be read in 'On Track' E-Railway magazine
http://otrailnews.comfypage.com/