The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-11-25
LINCOLN ON PRAYER.
His Response In Isee to Delegation Of
Lutheran Ministers.
New York Observer

New York Observer
Among the religious denominations Of onr
land the first to take definite action with the
view OF strengthening the hands of the Pres
ident by assuring him Of the sympathy and
prayers of the Church was the Lutheran. In
the spring of 1862 series of resolutions hav-
ing this object was adopted by the General
Synod of the Evangelical Luthern Church in
the United States. / was appointed Chair
man of the committee to present them to
the President. The other members of the
committee were the Rev. DR.. Pohlman and
the Hon. Mr.. Van Dyke, both OF Albany, the
latter at that time Superintendent of Bank
ing. When the committee called at the
State Department to arrange fer an inter
view, Mr.. Seward asked me if 1 had copy
OF the resolu tons that we were about TO pre-
sent, as the President would wish to know
beforehand what he was to respond to.
handed him a Baltimore paper in which
they had been published. That day, little
before noon, We were introduced to the Pres
ident by Mr.. Seward. In presenting the en-
crossed copy of the resolutions signed by the
officers of the General Synod / made a short
address, as did also DR.. Pohlman.
said he would read what he had written, and
he did so. He then invited the committee
to be seated, and freely entered into CONVEX
sation with them. General Sprague, having
just come from the front, was called in for
few moments to report. When he had re-
tired the President turned to US and said
with no little animation:
I'VE shall socn foreclose upon them, un-
less they hit us lick back again." / after
ward frequently thought of that peculiar
expression when we got so many lickS
back.
asked Mr.. Seward for the manusciip
containing Mr.. LncOln's response, which he
gave me. after having it copied. 1t reads as
follows:
GENTLEMEN: l welcome here the repre-
sentatives of the Evangelical Lutherans of
the United States. / accept with gratitude
their assurances OF the sympathy and sup
port of the enlightened, influential and
loyal class of my fellow citizens in an i'm
portant crisis, which involves, in my judg-
ment, not only the civil and religious liber-
| ties of our own dear land. but in a large
degree the civil and religious liberties of
mankind in many countries and throughout
| many ages. You all know, gentlemen, the
world knows, how reluctantly accepted the
| issue OF battle, forced upon me on my adj
| vent TO this place by the internal enemies of
our country. You all know, the world
KNOWS, Tie forces anu RESOURCES Ine pubic
agents have brought into employment to
| SUSANNA Government against which there
| has been brought noto one complaint of real
| injury committed against society at home
or abroad You may all recollect that, in
4 taking up the sword thus forced into our
| hands, this Government appealed to the
prayers of the pious and the good, and de-
| clared that it placed its whole dependence
upon the favor of God. / now humbly and
reverently, in your presence, reiterate the
| acknowledgement of that dependence, not
| doubling that if it shall please the Divine
| Being who determines the destinies of ma
| tons that this shall remain united people,
| they WILL humbly seeking the divine guild
| ance, make their prolonged national exist
ence a source of new benefits to themselves
| and their successors. and to all classes and
| conditions of mankind"
am the only survivor OF the committee
| to whom the address was made. OF those
| clergymen who accompanied the committee
| there is but one alive. Though the inter
| view above described has been recorded in
| the historical annals of those stirring times,
| yet do not know that the response OF the
President has hitherto been published in
full.
Ellsworth Kan. l.. STERNBERG.