National Republican., 1885-11-14
LINCOLN ON PRAYER.
His Response in 1869 to Delegation
of Lutheran Ministers.

lNcW 1OEh
Among the religious denominations OF
our land the first to take definite action
with the view Of strengthning the hands of
the President by assuring him Of the sym
pathy and prayers OF the church was the
Lutheran. In the spring Of 1869 q series
of resolutions having this object was
adopted by the General Synod Of the Evan
gelical Luthem Church In the United
Stated. was appointed chairman Of the
committee to present them to the Presl-
dent. The other members OF the commit
tee were the Rev. DIR. 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 for an inter
view, Mr.. Seward asked me II had copy
of the resolutions that we were about to
present, as the President would wish to
know beforehand what he was to respond
paper in which they had been published.
That day, a little before noon, We were In
troduced to the President by Mr., Seward.
In presenting the engrossed copy OF the
resolutions signed by the officers of the
General Synod, / made short address, US
did also DIR. Pohlman.
When the President came to respond he
said would read.what he had written, and he
did so. He then invited the committee TO
sation with them. Gen. Sprague, having
just come from the front, was called In a
few moments to report. When he had re-
tired the President turned to us and said,
with no little animation: 1--WE shall soon
foreclose upon them, unless they hit us q
lick back again" l afterward frequently
thought Of That peculiar expression when
we got so many licks back.
/ asked Mr. Seward for the manuscript
containing Mr.. Lincoln's response, which he
gave me, after having 1t copied. 1t reads
as follows:
"GENTLEMEN-I welcome here the repre-
sentatives Of the Evangelical Lutherans of
the United States. / accepts with gratitude
their assurances Of the sympathy aud sup
port of the enlightened, influential aud
| loyal class of my fellow-citizens In an i'm
portant crisis which involves, in my
| judg ment not only the civil and religious
| liberties Of our dear land but In large de-
gree the civil and religious liberties Of
mankind In many countries and through
| out many ages. You all know, gentlemen,
and the world knows, how reluctantly
accepted this issue of battle, forced upon
me on my advent to this place by the eter-
nal enemies OF my country. You all know,
| the world knows, the forces and resources
public agents have brought into employ
ment TO sustain government against
which there has been brought not one
complaint of real injury committed against
society at home or abroad. You all may
recollect that In taking up tho sword thus
forced into our hands, this government ap-
pealed to the prayers OF the pous and the
good, and declared that 1t placed its whole
dependence upon the favor Of God.
now, humbly and reverently, In your pres.
ence reiterate the acknowledgment OF that
dependence, not doubling that II 1t shall
please the Deyine Being who determines
the destinies Of natiopsa and that this shall re
main united people, they will, humbly
seeking the devlne guidance, making thei
prolonged national existence q source q
new benefits TO themselves and their sue
sssors, and TO all classes and conditions o
mankind.tn
~ am the only survivor OF the commit
tee to whom the address was made, o
those clergymen that accompanied th
committee, there is but one alive. Thougl
the interview above described has beel
recorded In the historical annals of thos'
stirring times, yet dOnot know that tn
response OF the President has heretofor
been published In full
! ELLSWORTH, KAN. l.. STERNBERo.