Smyrna times., 1895-05-08
President Lincoln's Prayers.

, VI course secession was q miserahl
sophlsm, and the Southern Confederac,
based on slavery was an anchropism
, 1t was te-ship in the nineteenth
century. 1t sailed under the curse O
both God and man, and was sure II
sink or be sunk in due time Rut
whether we could have made such 3
good tight as we did, with any Other
chief and leader that President Iincolr
may well be doubted. It is true he
did not have the culture and prestige
OF MIR. Seward; but he had real breadth
and sagacity, fine moral fiber, and was
pre'emlnently man of his age and
time.
1t may be his early beliefs were un-
settled and variable; but it is certain
that our great war, as it progressed
sobered and steadied him, and that in
the end he came to accept as the rule
OF his life ITO do justly, to love mercv.
and to walk humbly before God" As
striking evidence of this, beg to give
significant conversation of his in NV
presence, in July, 1868, in Washineton
u. o., on the Sunday after the battle of
gettysburg. General Sickles, of New
York, had lost leg on the second dav
at Gettysburg, while in command of
the Third Corps, and arrived in Wash
lngton on the Sunday following. July
0th.J As member of his staff. called
to see him, and while there Mr.Lincoln
also called, with his son Tad, and re-
NAMED an hour or more. He greeted
Slckles very heartily and kindly. of
course, and cOmplimented him upon
his stout fight at Gettysburg, and then.
after inquiring about our killed and
wounded generally, passed on to the
question as to what Meade was going
70 DO with his victory. They discussed
this pro and con at some length. Lin
coin hoping for great results if Meade |
only pressed Lee actively; buC Sickles
was dubious and diplomatic, as became
SO astute a man. And then, presently.
General Sickles turned to him, and
asked what he thought during the
Gettysburg campaign, and whether he
was not anxious about it?
Mr.. Lincoln gravely replied, no, he
was not; that some of his cabinet and
many others in Washington were. but
thnt he himself hsd no fears. General
Slckles inquired how this was. and
seemed curious about it. Mr.. Lincoln
hesitated, but finally replied well. I
VIII tell you how it was. In the pinch
OF our campaign up there, when every.
BODY seemed panic.strieken, and no.
body could tell what was going to han.
pen' oppressed by the gravity of our
affairs, went into my room one dav
and locked the door and got down IN !
my knees before Almighty God. and
prayed to him nightly for victory at |
Gettysburg. told Him that this was
bis war, and our cause His cause, but
that we couldn't stand another Fred. 9
9rlcksburg or Charlottesville. And {
hen and there made "A solemn vow to
God that if He would stand :
'y our boys at Gettysburg I would y
'tand by Him. And He did and I will.
And after that Il don't know how i. a
vas can't explain it) but soon a sweet \
omtort crept into my soul that things O
would go all right at Gettysburg and p
hat is why had no fears about Won > u
1e said this sOlemnly and patheticallv :.
II from the very depths of his heart D
nd both Sickles and l were deeplv
ouched by his manner. +
Presently General Sickles asked him 1
hat news be had from Vicksburg. He n
ns"ered. he had none worth mention W
lg, but that Grant Yves still "pegging lie
way" down there, and he thought a =.
pod deal of him as a general and m
asnt going to remove him, though
rged to do so; and" besides, ,"he added az
nave been praying over Vicksburg ET xT
SO, and believe our Heavenly Father wi
going to give us victory there too, "
'cause we need it, in order to bisect pu
Q Confederacy and have the Missis. ~. nl'
1pi How unvexed to the sea. OF wi
urse he did not know that Vicksb urp thi
ID already fallen, July 4, and that a We
nooat was soon to arrive at Cairo with ne ne
great news that was to make that Iisl
'urth of July memorable in history ere
ever. Ma
he said these things very deliberate. CIV Ss.
and touchingly, as if he believed wo
oroughly in them. OF course do wo
I give his exact words, but very for
arly his words, and his ideas pre-
ely. He asked us not to repeat what nm, nm
said-at least, not then--lest "peo. quo
might laugh, you know" But his
gic death, and the long lapse of mas mas
Ars since, and his imputed infdelitv ~ OF
not atheism, would seem to Justify bur
speaking now. General Sickles He
well remembers the above CONVEX Me
ion, and gave the substance of il in and an
ecent after-dinner address in Wash. forr
ton, but not so fully as the above.
course be could not be expected to
all 1t so well, done to deathn as he II
be nearly was. Altogether, we the
Iericans may well be proud of Abra. the
Il Lincoln. If not our first Ameri- beel
I, he is at least only second after gait
'rge Washington; and he will 20 Peo
'n to history an honor and credit 10 win
nan nature. to Il