The Lincoln Highway: 7. Pastor John Summary & Analysis

Pastor John, another stowaway on the train, finds Billy alone in the freight car. Pastor John is not ordained, but he travels the country and preaches fire and brimstone to those who will listen. He stowed away on the train to flee a revival meeting after having sex with the choirmaster’s young daughter, which turned the congregation against John. John converses with Billy until he hears Billy’s coin collection jangle in his bag. John steals the coins and finds that the collection of silver dollars is more valuable than John had imagined. John considers enlisting Billy to help him sell the coins, but he changes his mind when he imagines “the Jews” of New York using Billy against him.

As Billy clutches his bag, Pastor John surmises that the boy has something else inside. He tries to take the bag, and when Billy resists, John strikes him. He moves to hit Billy again, but a tall Black man whom John recognizes as Ulysses stops him. John offers to share the money with Ulysses, but Ulysses insists John leave. When John tries to stall with a prayer, Ulysses throws John out of the moving train.