Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1882-06-10
DIR. JOHNsON,s ELOQUENCE.
speech of Rev. DIR. Herrick Johnson
at Lincoln rOmb.

AT Lincoln kOnlD.
When the members Of the Presbyterian
General Assembly visited the tomb OF
Lincoln during the meeting at Spring
field, the Rev. DR.. johnson said:
Gathered here to-day at the tomb OF
our first martyred President, it BELTS
the place and the hour that we recall his
death, catch, if possible, his ner,spirlt,
and enter anew into the meaning OF the
sacrifice. We did well to rear this
mausOleum to his memory and to weave
amaranths for the brow of the beloved
dead. FOrevermOre sacred will be this
commonwealth that entOmbs him. The
prairie, whose flowers here made room
for him, is the richer for his ashes.
But what of the dead to the living?
We shall build better than monumental
marble to his memory if we build the
meaning of his spirit and the meaning
of his martyrdom into our hearts and
lives.
Let us emphasize for one thing CEN
trail truth of our holy religion, that it is
only by crucified Redeemer salvation
cOmeth. Apostles are stoned, prophets
are sawn asunder.
knowledge by suffering entereth,
And life is perfected by DEATH"
In looking over the fields of strife, it
seems as if men planted each new truth
with blood, and shed much to set some
truths. But in the end truth is set, in
hearts and homes, societies and states,
and the fruitage Is glorious.
Is it too much to say that the plant OF
universal emancipation in all this land
for the negro was worth even the blood
of LincOlnp Is it too much to say that
through that baptism of suffering and
sorrow which eliminated in his DEATH
the spirit of glory and of God nestled
down upon this nation, and we were
left the richer for the baptism? Let us
thank God to-day that though
| Careless seems the Great Avenger,
And histOry's pages but record
One death-grapple in the darkness
'Twixt old systems and the word;
| Truth forever on the scaffOld,
| Wrong forever on the throne
Yet that scaffOld sways the future;
And behind the dim unknown
Standeth God within the shadow,
Keeping watch above His own.
Here in the hallOwed spot let us also
make room in our hearts for larger and
sweeter charity. Abraham LincOln's
heart was full of it. When the spirit OF
hate and passion murdered him it muir
dered mercy. The calm, patient, often
weary, but ever kindly and gentle soul
how he did plead with his maynard
cOuntrymen! What gentleness was in
all his speech! With what brOOding
tenderness he watched over his great
trust! His tears were bottled, his pray
ers were registered, his love has conquered
his prophetic vision must have caught
the glory of this glad hour, as he srid
"Tbe mystic chords of memory thai
stretches from every battlefield and every
soldiers grave, will yet vibrate to the
music of the Union, when they are agar
touched, as they will be, by the better
angels of our nature"
The hands of those better angels hid
den from mortal eyes have struck tn,
last chords; we listen here in the husf
of this holy hour to the music of theil
vibration, and, blessed be God, our deal
discovered and so long alienated Presby
terrain Church takes step with the cOun
try to the music that finds its heavenl!
expression and inspiration in TIL
thirteenth chapter of First Corinthians
Let us 60 from this tomb praying t
be bathed more and more in the spiri
of Christ's love and sacrifice, and to b.
nodded more and more into the imag
of his divine passion.