Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1865-04-21

the head of q nation, and The represent
tative Of great national aud moral ques-
tons and ideas, his loss 3, IN far wider
sense, calamity His sudden removal |
from his place, becomes An event, the
effects OF which, n the Providence of
God, m q ST tell for vast good Or,lor vast
evil, upon the people thus deprived of
their head. Il is as the sun going cut
In darkness, or the invasion of clear
morning and high noon by the.shadas Of
midnight, without the mellowing in
Auence and calm preparation of sunset
and event6e.. A horrible dread over
wheims all hearts. Fear sets its IN
seen influences to work, and distrust |
goes forth to shake the foundations of |
confidence and hope II is in such an /
hour as this, that the minds OF men !
| must be directed 70 some stay; that some |
/ philosophy must be unfolded 10 show |
| the causes and agencies that work in
such q mysterious dispensalion, and that
some ratiying point be found, around
| which the stricken sympathie5 and
impulses may gather for strength
to endure the blow, and wisdom TO
avert its i'll effects Such a stay, such
a philosophy. such rallying point is
found in God, and his woDdroas provi-
denee in the affairs OF men and the des-
TIMES of nations Help, Lord " says
David, turning TO the Throne, for the
godly man ceaseth, for the faithful fail
from among the children Of men.
1t becomes the duty Of the pulpit, then,
on such occasions as the present, to turn
the attention Of the public mind tosH Him
whom the Psalnist declares to be 4"
very present help 10 time Of trouble -
to trace the death of the great and good,
the influential aud the wise, to this Lead
ing feature in the Divine eeosomg in all
ages, that man shall not learn to trust
the arm of flesh, but shall see, through
all agencies and instrumentaiities what
ever, the power and might Of God work
ing out the vast problems Of human ex-
, alIation and destiny Prone to dsbe-
lief, to see only those things that are
visible to the eye Of flesh, man continu.
ally needs, and from time TO time in his
history has received, these checks and
admonitions from God His idols have
r been thrown down before the God of
Israel; and be has found himself COM
! PEELED as last to do homage to Him
who setteth above over all things from
: the beginning who never sends out
D | His voice bat that it is mighty voice
Does he stay himself on wealth and
. boast himself in his gold2 Financial
distress is sent to tell him of winged
: | riches, and bankruptcy comes, a mis-
: sionary to remind him Of a higher trust
4 and stay than gold chat perisheth. Does
J, he become great, and proud, and boast
r lful, and luxuriant, and effeminate, and
licentious, through prosperity Then the
!. "pestilence that walketh in darkness" or
!. "the sickness that destroyeth at noon
h day comes to preach to him Of his NOR
n tally and remind him Of bis accounta-
O bility, and of the frsil tenure by which
n he holds things hereA The hardy barba-
d rian fertilizes his fair fields with the
: blood Of their tillers, or brother is ar
l. rayed against brother in deadly strife, to
a fall in the fierce embrace of death
n Are his armies victorious, and his ma
v vies, do they ride proudly on every sea
Il Is his Gag honored abroad, and trinm-
!. plant over foreign aud domestic foes, so
'. that he undnly glorifes his captains aud
!. chief men +? Then the oomeliest and
IS choicest Of these become the destroyer
. mark, to let him see, as he gazes ON the
II sable weeds of woe, how frail is the staff
) on which be has leaned. Not by might
e or by power, but by my spirit, saith The
1t Lord Of Hestsl = ~
l. Reference 70 fhe book Of Divine Rev
IS | eiation will reveal a commentary upon
the dealings of God with man in every
!, age, and show that in all cases, whether
II he be chastened as the individual, the
b family, the community, or the nation, il
'. is all TO the sam intent, the recognition
l. of God and His providsnce, and His
% claims upon the gratitude aud regard Of
h His creatures and it will also reveal the
% fact that chastisement will always have
% upon him one of two effects: II will
n either draw him to God, to recognition
e of His claims and to obedience to His
n will, or 1t will harden his heart and set
IS his face as flint to his own devices until
T. they prove his utter ruin and confusion.
r. 1t will provoke him to wrath and ev-
1t cry evil passion, or it will provoke him
g to love and good works.
e In him, whose loss we this day depIore,
L a great and good man has passed
4 away Emphatically sthe father of his
r country in sense that none but the
: immortal Washington can claim, and
: second only to him in his efforts and
u endurances for his country's good, his
e pure and lofty patriotism, his unwav
]. ering integrity, simple truthfulness and
q singleness of purpose, and in the af-
. feetions of his eountrymeu, that noble
u form to-day is cold and still in death
yesterday, as it were, in the flush of
life and the heyday of hope and we'll
earned fame; every hour bringing fresh
n laurels to the wreath VI glory and honor,
e which a loving and a grateful PEG.
pie were twining for his brow, to-day
death has folded his sable pinions at
;. the Capitol, and nation is in tears over
e him whom she had learned to trust as
d her wise and prudent counsellor, and
n guide, back to the paths Of Union, pros
perity and peace. Her illustrious head
: has been taken from her and now they
x are bearing him to the silent rest of the
d tomb. Amid the sobs and tears of af-
hicted millions, the booming of cannon,
the sad tolling Of bells, and the sympa-
thetic tribute of bursting hearts, they are
laying Americas honored son 10 sleep
d And such death after such lifei To
4 whom now shall we turn2 Help, LORD,
!. for the faithful fail from among the
children of men, And, surely there
are none that, reviewing the pure and
unsullied record of Abraham Lincoln,
his perfect accordance Of practice with
declared principle, his wonderful free
dem from party bias or personal preju-
dice, the evidences since his death, com
J ing in from friends and foes alike, Of
: his great, good heart and tender sympa-
a thy With the oppressed, the wronged and
the doWn4rodden every where; the
singleness of purpose with which he
prosecuted the great duties to which he
3 had been called, the meek spirit with
= which he bore himself under abuse, and
the humility with which be carried bis
| ranidlz incraasina hnnnrs and 49,