Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1868-07-16
Abraham Lincoln and the
Five Points sunday School.

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Five Points sunday School.
Rev. Edward Egglcston, of Evanston,
ILL.,, writes to the independent:
"Am0ng a number of incidents that have
floated to me, when travelling through Cen
tral Illinois, there is one altogether too
good to be lost. l believe it to be pelectly
authentic.
"a respected townsman, an old acquaint-
ancc of-AIr. Lincoln, was the narrator of
the story to my informant, and himself a
participant. According to that habit of
familiarity so prevalent in the West (by
means of which a man is made TO prolons
his boyhood throughout his life), this
gentleman is known among old friends by
the name of Jim, as Mr.. Lincoln was al
ways called Abe For the sake of my
story, shall hayc to call Mr.. Jim,
as any one of his fellow citizens would in
telling it.
"This gentleman relates that, soon after
Mr.. Lincoln's Cooper Institute speech. he
saw netice in the New York Tribune
that Hon. A. Lincoln, of Illinois, had de-
livercd an address 10 the Sunday School at
the Five Points, which was very well
received by both teachers and pupils
Knowing that Mr.. Lincoln was not a pro-
fessor of religion, il struck him that it was
good subject for banter, and so, seizing
the paper. he started for old Abe's office.
Bursting into the room impulsively, he
was startled to find stranger in conycrsa
ton with Mr.. Lincoln, and turned to re-
trace his steps, when the latter called out:
Jim, What do you want?' Nothing.
Yes, you doi come back After some
entreaty, Jim approached Mr.. Lincoln.
and remarked, with twinkle in his eye;
well, Abe, l see you have been making a
speech to Sunday School children,
What's the matter?' sit down, Jim, and I'll
tell you all about that And with that he
put his feet on the stove and began:
"When Sunday morning came, l did not
know exactly what to do. Washburnc
asked me where was going. told him
Fhad nowhere to 60; and he proposed to
take me down to the Five Points Sunday
School, to show me someting worth seeing.
| was very much interested by what saw.
Presently Mr.. Pease came up and spoke to
Washburne, who introduced me. Mr..
Pease wanted US to speak Washburne
spoke, and then was urged TO speak. l
told them did not know anything about
talking to Sunday Schools, but Mr.. Pease
said that there were many of them friend
less and homeless, and that a few words
would do them good. Washburne said l
must talk. And so rose. to speak; but /
tell you, Jim, didn't know what to say.
couldn't talk about Christ and religion,
for didn't know much of either; but /
remembered that Mr. Pease had said that
they were homeless, and friendless, and /
thought OF the time when / had been
pinched by terrible poverty. And SO
told them that l had been poor; that re-
membered when my toes stuck out through
my broken shoes in winter; when my arms
were out at the elbows; when I shiyered
with the cold. And Itold them there was
only one rule. That was, always do the
very best yeu can. told them that had
always tried to do the best could; and
that ifthey would follow that rule. they
would get along somehow. That was
about what / said. And when got
through, Mr.. Pease said it was just the
thing they needed. And when the school
was dismissed all the teachers came up
and shook hands with me, and thanked me
for it; though did not know that l. was
saying anything Of any account But the
next morning saw my remarks noticed in
the papers, o'iI .aiti' p 'qis
"Just here Mr. Lincoln put his hand in
his pocket, and remarked that he had new
er heard anything that touched him as had
the songs which those children. sang.
With that he drew forth little book,
remarking fhat they had given him one of
the books from which they sang. Did
youcver hear any poetry like this, Jirn2'
And he began to read a piece, with all the
earnestness of his great, earnest soul. In
the middle Of the second verse his friend
Jim fe:t choking in his throat and a
tickling In his nose. AT the beginning Of
the third verse he saw that the stranger
was weeping and his own tears fell fast.
Tuning toward Lincoln, who was reading
straight on, he saw the great binding tears
in his eyes, so that he could not possibly
see the page. He was repeating that little
song from memory! How often he. had
read it, or how long its sweet and simple
accents continued TO reverbcrate through