Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1865-08-09
THE CHARACTER OF LING oLN.

'IHE UhhhAUlhb UE LlNU UIN.
OF all the tributes paid to the character
of ABRAHAM LINCOLN, that, contained in
the address Of DR.. Holland to the citizens of
Springfield, Mass, is the most beautiful
and touching. We extract a paragraph on
the Christian character Of the late Presl-
dent
We loved and honored Mr.. LINCOLN be-
cause he was a Christian. | can never
think of that toll worn man, rising long be-
fore his household, and spending an hour
with his Maker and his Bible, without tears.
IN that silent hour Of communion, he has
drawn from the fountain which has fed all
these qualities which have SO won upon our
fai. h aud love. All, what tears, v hat pray
ers, what aspirations, what lamentations,
what struggles. have been witnessed 10y the
four walls OF that rooml Aye, what food
have the angels brought him there There
day after day, while we have been sleeping,
has he knelt and prayed for us-prayed for
the country, prayed for victory, prayed Tor
wisdom and Guidance, prayed for strength
for his great. mission, prayed for the accom-
plishment OF his great purposes. There has
he found consolation in trial, comfort IN de-
feat and disaster, patience In reyerses, cour-
age for labor, wisdom IN perpleylty, and
peace in the consciousness ofs3Op approy-
al. The man who was so humble and SO
brOtherly among men, was bowed with
filial humility before GoD. 1t was
while standing among those who had laid
down their lives i0r US, that he gave his
heart to One who had laid down his life for
him. A praying President? 4 praying
statesman? a praying politician? a pray
ing commander in chief Of our armies and
navies? Our foremost man, our highest
man, our august ruler, our noblest dignita-
ry, knceing simple hearted child before
his Heavenly Father? Oh, when shall we
see the like Of this again? Why should we
not mourn the loss of such man as this
Why should We not love him as we have
loved no other chief magistrate? He was a
cOnsecrated man-conseeTated to his coun-
try and his Con.
Looking over the field of Mr.. LINCoLN's
labors for the country, the speaker said
The destruction Of the rebellion and the
destruction of slavery are the two great a
chievments on which the fame Of Mr.. LIN
COLIN will rest in history; but no man will
write the history of these achievements just
ly, who shall not reveal the nature of the
power by which they were wrought out.
The history which shall fail to show the SUI
periOrity of the wisdom Of an honest, hum
bic, Christian heart oven commanding and
cultured intellect, will be a gracelesS libel on
Mr. LINCOLN fame [ do not know where
In the history OF mankind | can find so
marked an instance of the power of genuine
character and the wisdom of truthful, |
earnest heart, as | see in the immeasurably |
great results of MIR. LINCOLN 5 adnIinistra-
ton. | should be false to you, false to the |
occasion, false to the memory Of him we
mourn, and false to the GOD he worshipped |
and obeyed, if | should fail to adjure you to |
that all our national triumphs Of
81 V.alall.an ord har- 1
barisIn have been won through the wisdom |
and the power of simple, honest, Chris |
tian heart. Here is the grand lesson we are |
to learn from the life Of Mr.. LINCOLN. |
ou, Christian men who have voted, and |
voted again, for impure men, for selfish |
men, for drunkards, for unprincipled men. |
for unchrStian men, because they were men |
OF talent, of genius or accomplishments, or |
capacity for governments, and because You /
thought that a good head was more import |
ant than good heart, have learned lesson I
from the life and achievments of Mr.. LIN
COLIN which you cannot forget without sin a.
gainst God and crime against your country.
We have begun to be a Christian nation.
We have recognized the controlling power
of Providence in our affairs. We have wit
messed in the highest seat the power of
Christian wisdom and might Of an humble /
praying man. Let US see that we remain
Christian nation-that our votes are given
to no man who cannot bring to his work the /
power which has made the name of ABRA-
HAM LINCOLN one of the brightest which
illustrates the annals of nation.
And here is paragraph beautiful in i'm
imagination and usefulness:
dare not speak the thoughts of ven
geance that burns within me, when | recall |
this shameless deed. | dare not breathe
those imprecations that rise 90 my lips when
| think of this wanton extinction OF great
and benefcent life | can hardly pray for
Justice, fully measured out to the mad muir
lerer of his truest friend, for. somehow, [
feel the presence of that kindly spirit, the
magnetism of those kindly eyes, appealing
to me to forbear have come into such
with his personality that can
not escape the power of his charity and his