Martinsburg weekly independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1873-1875, 1874-04-04

he would have distinctly preferred
that no incident or event Of his
life should be omitted; that
every incident and event of his
history, and every characteristic of
his nature should be presented
with Photographic accuracy. He
would have been content that the
vail of obscurity should be with
drawn from his early life. All
that was rude and outre in it could
detract nothing from the career
which he afterwards so wonder.
fully accomplished. The higher
clements of his character, as they
were developed and wrought their
effect, could have lost nothing in
the worlds judgment by a con-
trast, however strong, with the
weaker ond cruder elements of his
nature. His life was q type of the
society in which he lived, and
with the progress aud develop
ments ofthat society advanced and
expanded with a civilization which
changed the unpeopled West to a
land of churches and cities. wealth
and civilization.
! have for years been one of your
most earnest admiiers,a and there
fore respectfully, but earnestly
protest against the injustice of a
criticism which rests upon an i'm
preston so erroneous in regard to
the subject of my religious belief.
In your comment upon that part
of the biography which treats of
Mr.. Lincoln's religion you say:
GA certain doubt is cast upon his
argument by the heartiness Of it.
We cannot avoid an impression
that an anti Christian animus in
spires him. And you further
say, "How far was Lincoln reli-
gious man ~ in that he does not
know what Lincoln was, nor what
religion is. That | did not know
what Mr.. Lincoln was, | must take
leave to contradict with some en-
phasis; that / do not know what
religion is, in the presence OF so
many illustrious failures to COM
prehend its true character, / may
be permitted to doubt. Speaking Of
Mr.. Lincoln in reference to this
feature of his character, l express
TIE decided opinion that he was
an eminently moral man, the sym
metry of his conduct being marred
by the single blemish which gave
to his conversation at times some
faint of indecency, if not unchast-
ness. Regarding him as moral
man, with nay views upon the re-
lations existing between the two
characteristics, have no difficulty
in believing him religious man!
Yet he was not a christian. He
possessed, it is true, a system of
faith and worship, but it was one
which Orthodox christianity stig-
matizes as a false religion.
The language employed in the
original Ms. on the subject was
somewhat of this character, viz
at surely cannot be a difficult
matter to determine whether
man who lived so recently and so
famOusly was christian or not.
If he was christian he must have
been sincere, for sincerity is one Of
the first of Christian virtues, and
if sincere he must have awaited
himself of the promises OF our
Lord by a public profession of
his faith, baptism in his name and
membership of his church." Did
Mr.. Lincoln do this? No one pre-
tends that he did, and those who
maintain that he was neverthe-
less christian must hold thatsa
man may be christian and not
keep one of the plainest COM
mandments that he may follow
Jesus and yet deny him that he
may be ashamed to own his Re-
deemer and yet claim his interces-
sion; that he may serve him ac-
ceptably, forsaking nothing, ac-
knowledging nothing, repenting
nothing.
When it is established by the
testimony of the Christian minis
try that sinners may enter Heaven
by broad back gate like this,
few will think it worth while to
continue in the straight and mar
row path prescribed by the word
of God. They who would canon
ize Mr.. Lincoln as a saint should
pause and reflect a brief moment
upon the incalculable injury they
do the cause which most Of them
profess to love. The dedication or
profiigate Caesars was shocking
enough to the moral sense of de-
cent heather, but what is to be-
come of the Christian Church when
mere politicians, who never so
much as pretended to accept
single one of the least important
precepts, are thrust into the high
est places in the calendar of saints.
This is sacrilege. I have never