The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1902-02-27

military and naval service. The lmpor
lance for man and beast of the pre-
scribed weekly rest, the sacred rights
of Christian soldiers and sailors, a
becoming Difference to the best senti-
mentS of a Christian people, and a due
regard for the Divine Will, demand
that Sunday labor in the army and
navy be reduced to the measure of
strict necessity"
How high he held the Bible as the
guide and instructor OF men in the
higher ways OF righteousness let the
following words testify. On September
4th. 1861, he said to the colored men of
Baltimore: In regard tc the Great
Book, | have only to say that it is the
best gift which God has given to- man.
All the good from the Savior of the
world is communicated in this book -
Such is the direct evidence of Lincoln's
regard for the Scriptures. None OF our
Presidents and very few of our orators
have made such frequent and effective
use of Bible quotations. Some of these
have become famous, none more so,
perhaps, than that word quoted from
the Master, "a house divided against
itself cannot stand" a quotation which
did more than many speeches to bring
home to the reason and conscience of
the people the actual condition of the
nation, the duties and responsibilities
that were facing it.
Again, his belief in prayer and it's
efficacy is seen by these words: This
government, in taking up the sword,
appealed to the prayers of the pious and
good, and declared that it placed the
whole dependence on God. | now
humbly and reverently reiterate the
acknowledgement of that dependence -
Again he said; Il have often gone to
my knees in prayer, because there was
no place else to GO
We are familiar with the President S
memorable interview with Gen. Daniel
+. Sickles, as he lay sick and wounded
i'll the hospital at Washington after the
battle of Gettysburg After talking of
the battle, Gen. Sickles said to the
President: ''Mr. Lincoln, we heard at
Gettysburg that here at the capital you
were all so anxious about the result of
the battle that the government officials
packed up and got ready to leave at
short notice with the official archives. :"
Yes" said the President, some pre-
cautions were prudently aiken, but for
my part, ] was sure of our success at
Gettysburg" why" asked Gen.
Sickles, "were you SO coniident?" Then,
after long pause, in which the Presi-
dent seemed in deep meditation, his
face lighted up, and turning to the
General he said: "When Lee crossed
the Potomac and entered Pennsylvania,
followed by our army, felt that the
crisis had come. | knew that defeat in
great battle on Northern soil involv-
ed the loss of Washington, to be follow
ed, perhaps, by the intervention of
England and France in favor Of the
Southern Confederacy. l went to my
room and got down ON my knees in
prayer. | felt that | must put all my
trust in Almighty God. He gave our
people the best country ever given to
man. He alone could save it from
destruction, had tried my best to do
my duty, and found myself unequal to
the task. The burden was more than
could bear. God had often been our
protector in other days. Iprayed that
he would not let the nation perish. l
asked him to help us and give us victory
now. l felt that my prayer was