The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1865-04-26
Sermon on the Death Of President
Lincoln.

We find the following abstract of an
excellent sermon delivered by Rev. G.. A.
Adams. of the Presbyterian Church, Per-
rysburg, on Sunday morning, l6th inst, in
tho Toledo Commercidl of Wednesday
last: .t
"Know We not that there is P,iuco and grcSl
man fIou this day in israeli"
"Thc Lord shall remove the docr Of evil ac-
cording to his wckcdncSs."-2 Samuel Iii, Is and
part ot Sqy.
These words were spoken by Davil, in al
In sion to the mourning Tor Abncr whom Joab
had assassinated In sopo aspects tho
words are appropriate to our condition to-
day.
great man has fallen at the hands of
an assassin. Tho nation is overwhelmed
with grief. The omhloms of woe meet the
eye wherever one goes.
This is not tho timo for lahorcd oulogi-
nm of him who has fallen. Neither can the
fact he overlooked that President Lincoln
had elements of character which Justify
us to-day in the use OF these words OF Da.
vid.
Tho very fact that he is so profoundly
lamented. is proof, nf itsclt, that he WAS
great. For no man who can rise us he has
to till the hearts OF his Countrymen, TO gain
thcr confidence and respect as he has
while occupying u difficult position, can be
wanting in sumo elements of greatness
The undsscmblod, lcrvcnt grief of the ma
iority of the nation, is his highest eulOgium
Those qualities which have commended
him to the nation were his unhlcmshed in.
| tcgrty; his broad philauthrophy; his Chris
tian forbearanco and faith :; his patience and
courage under difficulties; his statesman
| like foresight, which enabled him tn master
the difficulties of our times; his diplomatic
skill when pitted against trained diplomat
lists of the South, and his freedom from
| petty ambitions.
! Like William of Orange, who was assns-
sinated in 1884, at the instigation of the
| Duke of Parma he gained 10 himself the
praise of rcticence. Like him, also, he
could and did speak with eloquence and
/ peculiar fitness To every occasion. Like
| William, ho had dedicated himself to the
! Lord in the service of his country. Like
| him, he died at the hands Of the enomics of
| his country.
His fall at this iuacturo Of affairs is n
most remarkable Providence 1t is no
cause for wonder that men can only grasp
each others hands mutcly look the dis.
ress they cannot speak. His death turned
the cup of Joy into one of bitterness and
woe. What can be said? Who is wise
enough to speak, Feeling is voiceless-
hut fear and alarm are not 80, and to allay
fears it becomes necessary to say that his
death will not have the least
tendency to retard the work OF
our armies. 1t came too late to
benefit n failing cause. Had it taken
place in '6l-2.3 or 1 tho cause of loyalty
woull have been greatly damaged. liad
it taken place when New York was
in the hands of traitors, the damage
would have been incalrulable. But it has
been permitted to take place ut time
when the armies of the Union are carrying
all before them. They arc not doing the
work of the President they arc doing the
will of the people--and the people still
live.
The death of Orange was the ruin of the
cause of Netherlnnd unity-Philip ga ned
ten of the seventeen provinces in cOnSe
quence. The ruin of Napoleon was The
ruin of the cause. II is true that men fear
on account of Their great humiliation in
the person of their Vice President Let
him have our prayers. 1t may bo that God
has work for him, and that his time has
come. God does not always lot one mar
do the whole of any ono work. Moses hC
raised up to give laws to the people ant
educate them. When his work was done
tho leadership was passed into tho hands
of Joshua. The cause was not lost or re
tarded by tho loss of the great leader, whC
passed away while his eye was undimmed
ahd his natural strength unabatol. Meth
er will the cause of Freedom and Law
which is upheld by our arms.
But though the work of sublung tn,
Rebellion will not be hindered, it is proha
Die that Mr.. Lincolns death will he, the
ruin of that moderate treatment of rebels L
which he was favorable, and to whicl
large portions of the people have been dis
posed since our great successes II is Ger
tain that under this blow men have sct thci
teeth. together, while the heart has mutter
cd vengeance. Last Sunday you were couIi
Selcd to moderation and mercy. At on
meeting on Monday night we told tho peo
pie that now we were satisIied-woul
, bury the hatchet-let by.gones he by-gones
, for we were disposed to bo generous il
victory, and not trample on "a fallen foe
lInt this has all passed. Blood cries on
from the ground for vengeance, and il mtl
bo that such il the purpose of God. aud tn
Significance of this bloody removal of hir
who stood first in his advocacy Of mcTcy.
Ii is c'rtain also that the present Execu
tive is a Southern man, and full of bitter
} feeling towards those who have persocu
= ted the Unionists of East Tennessee. For
bearance towards the rebels is not dis
tinguishing trait Of Andrew Johnson Ii
this quiokcning of the blood of the nation
and this prOvidential elevation Of "A man q
this character to the Presidential Chair
, there may be an indication Of tho Divin
! will in favor of metins out to traitors th'
, lull penalties of the laws. Possibly we
D were too ready to neglect justice for NOR
~, aud that TO is determined that tn
blood of the martyrs of Liberty shall b
avenged,
> But Of this the speaker is not positive
, Of one thing he is--that is, ii this assassin
alton should be clearly proved to ha Tn
work OF rebel leaders, ami not the work o
\ mere madman. then he is Wiling to ALLOW
that he attempted to hnry the hatchet to
! soon; he will aaG DO ready to adopt th
|. view that Justice must have her own at al
h "a Tds, But whatever may be our doubt
! or our fears, let us come back To the fait
Of pavid---a faith which filled him while h
pronounced fearful doom on JoAb and hi'
descendants, aud which also sustained hir
, in his official inability to punish. AMI thai
. was that "the Lord shall reward tho eyi
der aecordilg TO his works"
or sixty-seven royal and imperial queen
of France, only thirteen have died withou