The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-04-20
What Can we Do9

Mr.. Editor: = Below are few thoughts,
briefly expressed, which contain suitable
themes for consideration to-day, April 10:
The essential characteristics Of our Heaven
ly Father are Divine Love and Infinite Wis
dom.
He created man upon this earth that he
might, BY living natural life here, learn to
live a spiritual life in heaven. Man has alien
ated himself from God by indulging his evil
nature. God administers to him In mercy the
mIldest admonitions and corrections that will
cause him IMAM to turn from his evil way,
aud obey the Divine commands. The terrible
and bloody war through which, hope, we
have now passed, was an admonition for the
sins of the people, Individually as well as col
lectively; for, as nation is composed of indi-
vidual persons, the sin of each one, In the
complex, constitutes the national sin. Conse-
euently repentance and humiliation is the
duty Of every individual. Abraham Lincoln
was the chosen instrument in the hand of God
to carry on this war: not that he was man
Of more talent or ability than any other man
ter, and temperament fitted him for the work
to be DONE Gideon, who said his fathers
tribe was the smallest tribe of all Israel. and
he was the smallest Of his fathers tribe, was
Divinely appointed TO 60 and distroy the Mid
ianites. Our Heavenly Father shows his love
for us, and his paternal care over us. by those
signal exhibitions of Divine power that we
may not say "our own arm hath gotten us this
glorious victory" but shat ye may known
that am the Lord" and that we may &C.
knowledge him as the source of all power.
Eye have no power against me, except it were
given you OF my Father" said our Lord to
the Jewish ruler who was about to condemn
him to be cruciaed.
There is one most singular coincidence asso-
ciated with the assassination of President Lin
coin which should not be lightly passed over.
From the first day that he became the head of
the nation, his enemies have sought to kill him.
Although he has been among them, and, to
natural appearance, frequently exposed to an
attack, he has never been molested, for his
time had not yet come until the whole work
was virtually done,-the rebellion fairly sub
.dued,-the great mass of the enemies of our
government brought to submission; and then
on the anniversary of that day on which our
Lord Jesus Christ was cruci6ed, he was muir
dered. And we are told through the papers
to-day that the manner in which the deed was
done was such that the chances were twenty
to one against the murderer accomplishing his
object. Admitting the hand of Divine Provi-
dence to rule in all our affairs, how are we to
account for this? In no other way than by
saying that President Lincoln had performed
all Of that part of the work which he was best
fitted and prepared to perform. And as Moses
was not permitted to enter the land of Canaan,
so, for good and wise reasons unknown to US,
President Lincoln was not permitted to re-
main in this world to .consummate the crown
| Ing efforts of his life. Another end was ac-
complished in this murder. 1t exhibits in the
most clear and unmistakable manner the
deadly hatred and internal malignity which
are held by the enemies of the people of the
north and of free government.
Andrew johnson is in no less degree tie
Divinely appointed instrument in the hands Of
God to complete, carry out, and consummate
this great work, than Abraham Lincoln was
to carry it thus far; or than Joshua was to
conduct the children Of Israel across the river
Jordan. It is therefore the duty of all who
desire peace and happiness to stay 10 his
hands while the work is 1eing completed s.