New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1886-01-20

President Lincoln on PRAYER.
From the New York Observer.
Among the religious denominations
of our land the first to take definite
action with the view of strengthine
the hands OF the President by assur-
ing him Of the sympathy and prayers
of the Church was the Lutheran. In
the spring of 1862 series of resolu-
tions having this object was adopted
by the General Synod Of the Evangel-
zeal Lutheran Church in the United
States. / was appointed Chairman
OF the committee to present them to
the President. The other members of
thecommittee were the Rev. DR.. Pohl-
man and the Hon. Mr.. Van Dyke,
both Of Albany, the latter at that
time Superintendent of Banking.
When the committee called at the
State Department to arrange for an
interview Mr.. Seward asked if I had a
copy of the resolutions we were about
to present, as the President would
wish to know beforehand what he was
to respond to. handed him Balti-
more 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 emgrossed copy OF the resolutions
signed by the officers of the General
Synod made short address, as did
also Mr.. Pohlman.
When the President came to re-
spond he said he would read what he
had written. and did so. He then in
vited the committee to be seated, and
freely entered into conversation with
them. Gen. Sprague, having Just
come from the front, was called in for
a few moments to report. When he
had retired the President turned to
us and said with no little animation.
"We shall soon foreclose upon them,
unless they hit us lick back again"
afterward frequently thought ofthat
peculiar expression when we got so
many hicks back.
Iasked Mr.. Seward for the manu-.
script containing Mr.. Lincoln's re.
spouse, which he gave me, after hay
ing it copied. It reads as follows:
GENTLEMEN: I welcome here the
representatives of the Evangelical
Lutherans Of the United States. 1 &C.
cept with gratitude their assurances
OF the sympathy and support of this
enlightened, influential, and royal
class OF my fellow citizens in an i'm.
portant crisis, which involves, in my
judgment, not only the civil and relig-
ious liberties ofour own dear land, but
IN large degree the civil and religious
liberties of mankind in many countries
and throughout many ages. You all
know, gentleman. and the world knows,
how reluctantly l accepted this issue
Of battle. forced upon me on my ad-
vent to this place by the internal en-
emles OF our country. You all know,
the world knows, the forces and re-
sources the public agents have brought
into employment to sustain a Govern
ment against which there has been
brought not one complaint Of real in
jury committed against society at
home Or abroad. You all may recol-
lect that. in taking up the sword thus
forced into our hands, this Govern
ment appealed to the prayer OF the
pious and good, and declared that it
placed it's whole dependence upon the
favor Of God. / now, humbly and rev
erently, in your presence, reiterate the
acknowledgment Of that dependence,
not doubling that if it shall please the
Divine Being who determines the des-
TIMES Of nations that this shall remain
a united people, they will, humbly
seeking the divine guidance, make their
prolonged national existence a source
of new benefits to themselves and their
successors, and to all classes and con-
ditions of mankind"
am the only survivor Of the com.
mittee to whom the address was made.
OF those clergymen who accompanied
the committee there is but one alive.
Though the interview above described
has been recorded in the historical an
nails of those stirring times, yet | do
not know that the response of the
president has been heretofore published
in full. T.. SrERNBERG.