Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1867-09-17
Deserved Rebuke.

lthln the past lew years the Northern re-
hgious press has become SO completely idcp.
titled with the political affairs of the country.
aud principally in the interest of the radical
party that they are generally sunkcu deeper
in the mire of politics than the secular or
gans. One Of these papers, of the Campbell
ite persuasion, has been holding up the "late
lamented,' as a saint, and is thus taken to
task by one Of its subscribers:-
YORK, Pa, July 18th, 1867.
Editor Christian Standard IL observe
in recent issue Of your paper you commend
ed Life OF Abraham Lincoln, for the Sab
bath School and Home Circle" as n book
proper for your subscribers to Introduce into
their families, aud you refer 1.-The moral and
religious characteristics Of the Great Emau.
cipator, as Of excellent and profitable ex-
ample TO Christians. There is nothing to in-
dictate that you have pecuniaTy interest in
the book, aud it is fair TO presume that YOU
have endeavOred to speed its sale from an
honest belief that its hero was follower Of
Christ. On this assumption alone can YOU
escape the grave charge Of holding up the
example Of an unregeuerate man, wiltuIly
and knowingly, for limitation by young peo-
pie and the emulation Of old disciples Since.
therefore, cannot, without imPeaching your
Integrity and zeal fer the Gospel, doubt that
you truly regard tile late Mr.. Lincoln as hay-
ing been an eminent and admirable example
OF devoted piety, shall really take it as a
KINDNESS If you will be pleased, in an early
number of the .StGHddr6, to inform an aux-
lous inquirer on what ground you rest an
opinion OF such grave consequence, and which
you ayOw with such bOIdness. The inuuirv
IS especially pertinent in view of the fact
that Mr.. Lincoln never made any profession
OF faith IN Christ before the world, that he
was buried With Him in baptism, and never
Partonk OF any OF the ordinances or shared
any OF the duties which He appointed to His
dlscIples-aDd that while others, since his
unhappy death, which took place in an edi-
fee not commonly regarded among Christians
as an ante-roOm to Heaven, have made large
religious claims for him, he never in all his
life made any for himself.
1t will be gratifying indeed, and Of sub
stantIal service to the memory Of the late
President, If you can, In the face Of these
unpleasant facts, show that his feet were
planted on the Rock Of Ages, aud that his
walk with God was close and constant.
1t will be Of especial comfort TO the I'M
regenerate II you can make it plain that the
Scripture which calls for faith, repentance,
baptism, and cody life as the conditions of
salvation, is obsolete. and tina; there are broad
and easy ways to Heaven by which one may
escape the narrow and thorny path which
leads up to the door Of Christ and which Is
the only one Of which che word Of God gives
any account. And it will certainly tend to
IIberalize society, loosen the uneasy and con-
ventiODal bonds which restrain the tongues Of
men from smut, and promote general aud
boisterous mirth, if class of jokes of which
his late ExceIIency was VIGOROUSLY fond, and
which are as yet confined TO bar-rOOms OF
worse places, can be shown to be proper
studies for little boys and girls in Sunday
School, and harmless chat for Christian pa.
rents around the winter FIRE.
1 write this Oh my own behalf as well as on,
that of a sister ofthe church who Is a subscri-
Der to your paper and constant reader of it.
Please publish it in conjunction with yOuu
answer.
Respectfully yours,
JAS. i. SKUNK.