The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1865-04-28
Abraham Lincoln.

The following tribute to Mr.. Liucoln's
character as christian was paid BY Dr.
Holland, in his address in Springfield,
Wednesday:
Again, we loved and houorcd Mr.. Lincoln
because he was 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 sears.
In that silent hour of communion, ne has
drawn from the fountain which has led oil
these qualities that have 90 won upon our
faith and love. All what tears, what pray
err. what aspirations, what lamentations,
what struggles, have been witnesed'b the
four walls of that quiet room! Aye what
food have the angles brought him there
There, day after day, while we have been
sleeping. has no knelt and prayed Tor us
PRAYED for the country, prayed for victory,
prayed for wisdom and guidance, prayed for
strength for his great mission, prayed for the
accomplishment OF his great purposes. There
has he found consolation in trial. comfort in
defeat and disaster, patience in reverses.
courage for labor, wisdom in perplexity, and
peace in the consciousness Of Gods approx
nj. The man who was 80 humble and broth
erly among men, was bowed with flial hu.
miity before God. IL was while standing
among those who had laid down their lives
for US. that he gave his heart to the One
who had laid down his life for him. A pray
ing PRESIDENT A praying statesman A
praying politician A praying COM
mandcr in.chief of our armies and navies !.
Our foremost man, our highest man. our au-
gust ruler, our dignitary, kneeling u 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
u man us this? Why should we not love
him rs we have loved no ether chiel mags.
trate! IIc was n consecrated man-conse-
Grated to his country and his God.
And this is no less beautiful for ITS sug-
gestive picture than for its truthfulness:
| dare not speak the thoughts vengeance
that barn within me when | recall this
shameless deed. dare not breathe those
imprecatious that rise to my lips when |
think of this wanton extinction Of u great
and bene6cent life. can hardly pray for
Justice fully measured out to the mad murder
er Of his truest friend, for. somehow, | feel
the presence of that kindly spirit, the mag
nct;sm OF those kindly eyes, appealing to me
to iorbear. have come into such commun-
ion with his personality that cannot escape
the power OF his character and his christian
iorbearancc; and the curse, rising like bub-
BILE from the turbid waters within me, breaks
into nCthingncss in the rarer atmosphere
which he throws around me. II he could
speak to me from that other shore. no would
say, what all his actions and all his words
said OF Others not less guilty than his assass-
in "My murderer was mad and mistaken
rs well IA malignant. He thought no was
doing great and glorious deed, on behalf
Of great and and glorious cause. My death
was necessary to the perfection OF my mission,
and was only one sacrifice among hundreds
of thousands of others made for the same
end" All that other shore! The COM
mander in-chiof is with his army now. More
are they that are with him in victory and
peace than they who still tread the earth.
The largest body Of the soldiers of the re-
public. pitch their white tents and unfold
their golden banners and sing their songs OF
triumph around him. Not his the hosts OF
worn and wearicd bodies, not with him the
riddled colors and war stained uniforms, mp
on his ears breaks ncyermorc the dissonance
Of booming cannon, and clashing sabre, aud
dying groan. hut youth and life troop around
him with u love purer than ours. and joy
which more than balances our griet.