The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1870-05-03

colin 5 FORMER LAW PARTNER
The following letter was recently
published in the Toledo (Ohiol Index,
and we find it copied into Forney's
Washington Chronicle uudoubtod Rad
ical authority:
SpHINaFlfLD, Ill, Feb Is, 1870
Mn ABBorr: Some time since | pro-
missed you that | would send a letter in
relation to Mr.. Lincoln's religion. do
so now Before entering on that ques-
ton, one or two preliminary remarks
will help us to understand why he dis
agreed with the Christian world in its
principles as well as in its theology
In the first place Lincolu's mind was Il
purely logical mind; secondly, Lincoln
was a purely practical man. He had
no fancy or Imagination, and not much
emotion, He was a reahst as opposed
to an idealist As a general rule, it is
true that purely logical mind has not
much hope, if it ever has faith in the
unseen and unknown. Mr.. Lincoln had
not much hope and no faith IN things
outside Of the domain OF demonstra-
ton; no was so constituted SO organ
ized-that he could believe nothing an
less the senses Of logic could reach it.
have often read to him law point,
decision, or something ! fancied; he
could not understand it till he took the
book out OF my hand and read it for
himself. He was terribly, yexatiously
skeptical He could scarcely under
stand anything unless he had time and
place fixed in his mind.
! became acquainted with Mr.. Lin
coin in 1924 and ! think.I knew him
well TO the day Of his death. His mind,
when boy in Kentucky showed GER
tain gloom, an unsocial nature, pc
culiar abstractodness, bold and dar-
ing skepticism. In Indiana, from 1927
to 1880, it manifested the same quail
ties OF attributes as iu Kentucky; it
only intensified, developed itself along
| those lines, in Indiana. He came 10
Illinois in 1890 and, after some little
rowing, settled in New Salem, now 10
Menard county, Illinois. This village
lies about twenty miles northwest Of
this city. II was here chat Mr. Lincoln
became acquainted with class Of mon
| the world never saw tie Ike Of before
or since They were large men large
/ IN body and large in mind hard &c
whip, and never to be fooled. They
we're bold, daring, reckless set o.
men; tbey were men Of their own
minds believed what was demonstra-
/ tble--were men Of great common sense
| With these men Mr. Lincoln was
thrown; with them he lived, and with
them ho moved and almost had his be.
ling. They were skepties oil scofiors
SOME.
These scoifers were good men, and
+ their SCOTS were protests against theol
ogy loud protests against the fr0lic'
Of Christianity they had never heard
/ Of Theism and tho new and better re
+ lgious thoughts Of this age Hence
being natural skeptics, aud being bold
brave men, they uttered thelr thoughts
freely, They declared that Jesus wa,
an illegitimate child ! know these mei
sell and have lclt for them have don,
my little best when occasion offered Il
educate them mp 10 higher thoughts 4
Theae men could not conceive il possi
bio that t ere could be one, no ono il
three Gods; they could not believe tha
the Father ruined one of his own love
II children THIS was moHstrous /,
them. They we're on AL occasions whel
offered, debating the various question:
of christianity among themselves, they
took their stand on common sense nnc
tJar own souls, aud though their argu
ments were rude aud rough, no maj
eoull overthrow their hcmelf logic
They nadlcd all disines, aud not un
Frequently made them skeptics disbo
Heyers as bssd as themselves The,
were q joyial. .ho4lthfai generous, social
, true aud manly SEA oi people
I It was here. aa4 among these people
that Lincoln WIS thrown About az
ylar 1885 he Glanced to cone acroa
NolAey's Ruins, and some u Paine
theological e0rks Iie ai once seize,
bold 81 them. and asamiiated them in
10 his own being Yoiney and Pain
became a part Of Mr. Liucoln from ls3
TO the eud ii his sie il 1885 be wrot
ont small woik % Inh3elity. a.,
intended q laya & pgbaahei II Wa
sn attack upcu thc Whole grounds D
Christianity aad especially was it 81
ailack upan tie aea laAi jesus SCI
lho Chnsi, the true and only bego,teI
Son 81 God. as tEe Christian w0gl
contends Mr. Linc0la pas NJ tie tim