Romans 13:3-6 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Will you then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good… When the Emperor Nicholas was in England, in 1844, industry in Russia could hardly be said to exist, and the Czar was extremely anxious to introduce machinery of all sorts into his arsenals, so as to become independent of foreign makers. With this object he visited a number of large establishments in the Midland Counties and the North; and one Sunday morning Mr. James Nasmyth, the inventor of the steam hammer, and proprietor of large works at Patricroft, was much surprised at the appearance in his garden of an officer in a carriage and a gorgeous uniform, whose chasseur, still more gorgeous than his master, was sent up to disturb the old gentleman's Sabbath rest by loudly announcing, "Prince K — ." The prince himself walked in, smoking a cigarette, and informed Mr. Nasmyth in good English that the Czar intended to honour the Patricroft works with a visit on that afternoon. "Indeed! " replied their owner, "I regret that his majesty will not see much, as it is Sunday." "But it would be easy," rejoined the aide-de-camp, coolly helping himself to a bon-bon which his chasseur handed him out of a handsome box, "to start the works for a few hours. Mr. Nasmyth might be sure of his majesty's favour." "Sir," replied Mr. Nasmyth, "the favour of my God is more important to me than that of your master. And if I were inclined to break the Sabbath for him, my men would not. "Would you not start the works for Queen Victoria on Sunday?" asked the astonished aide-de-camp. "Her Gracious Majesty," replied the old Briton, "would never suggest such a thing." The Czar did not visit Patricroft. Parallel Verses KJV: For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: |
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