The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-05-26
A TRIBUTE TO LINCOLN
MEMORIAL ADDRESS BY Ey-PREsI-
DENT MARTIN, OF MoORE's HILL.
An Interesting Lecture Delivered Mt
the broadway Methodist Epis-
cOpa1 Church.

no part OF the memorial services In
Broadway Methodist church. Ex-president
j. H. Martin, of Moore's Hill College, last
night delivered his lecture on Abraham
Lincoln" In simple, forceful sentences he
portrayed Lincoln the man and president
He told with eloquence the story Of Lin
coins early life and struggles; of his
achievements as a lawyer; of his historic
debates with Douglas and of his dramatic
political career, with its tragic ending
mo story of Lincoln" he said would be
complete without some mention of his ten
der, sympathetic nature. man of great
physical strength and moral courage as
well as firmness of will, he had all the
gentleness of a woman
His heart and sympathies were always
with the common soldier. 1t was General
Butler, believe, who gave an account of
the Presidents visit to a hospital AS he
passed from ward TO ward, stopping long
enough to speak word of cheer and COM
fort TO each poor fellow as he lay on his
little cot, he finally came to a boy who was
evidently dying
Mr.. Lincoln sat down by his side, and
asked the dying boy If there was any
thing he could do for him. L wish you
would write to my mother. was the feeble
answer And the President wrote It down.
signing his own name
When he read the letter TO the boy. and
came to the closing sentence. This letter is
written by Abraham Lincoln the poor fell
low looked up, and said, 'Why-is-this
president?
Mr.. Lincoln answered" Yes, and now
that you know who am, is there anything
more 1 can do for you? The dying boy
answered. Nothing more-unless-y ou-hold-
observation-disclosures
ana so the great president sat by that
humole cot, and with big tears rolling down
MS face, he held the trembling hand of that
dying boy until the spark of life had fled
HIS LETTER TO A MOTHER.
Search the annals of history and you
Will nowhere find more beautiful, tender
utterance than his letter to Mrs Bixby. of
Boston, who had given FIVE sons to her
country. This letter was written in No
vember, 1864, at time when the angel of
death had visited almost every household
in stricken land. and it was even then
lowering over the president himself. 1t be-
gins:
My Dear Mrs. Bixby 1 have been
shown in the files of the war department
that you are the mother of five sons who
nave died gloriously on the field of battle
L feel how weak and fruitless must be anv
words of mine which should attempt to be-
guile you from your grief for a loss SO
overwhelming
And yet 1 cannot refrain from fender
ing to you the consolation that may he
found In the thanks of the Republic which
they died to save earnestly pray that our
Heavenly Rather may soothe the anguish
OF your bereavement and leave you only
the cherished memory of the loved and the
lost, and the solemn pride that must be
yours IN having laid so costly a sacrifice
upon the altar of freedom
The peerless glory of Abraham Lincoln
lies In the fact that beyond all other men
ne could read the thoughts and enter into
the feeling and sympathies of the com
mon people, and in his own great sad heart
he carried the burdens and sorrows of his
countrymen until he wrought out the Ma
tin freedom and sealed ii with his blood"
Relating Lincoln's order to Grant that
JEFFERSON Davis was not to be captured.
Ex-president Martin continued:
The sequel showed that General Grant
In his prophecy was not mistaken In a
few days the rebellion did collapse Rich
mond was taken and Davis and his cabinet
We're fugitives. The civil war was ended.
The patient man who had suffered the
pains or thousand deaths was now in the
full sunshine of popular affection. By slow
and painful steps he had climed from the
foot OF the ladder to the topmost round
Enemies no longer denied, friends no longer
questioned his ability. He had saved the
Union. given freedom to a race. Even MIR
Lincoln himself was happy. His face. al
with renewed life. His tall bent form
Strengthened; his whole being seemed trans
formed as II conscious that the great pur-
pose Of his life had been accomplished"
FIGURE OF ALL LANDS AND AGES.
Describing the scenes that followed the
announcement of the presidents assassina-
ton, the speaker said: Business stopped.
Merchants closed their stores, professional
men their offices. Mechanics left their
shops and farmers their plows Men gath
cred In groups. The flags OF victory were
hauled down. while emblems Of mourning
took their places. Bells which yesterday
rang in triumph tolled in mourning for the
dead.
Men forgot that they had ever doubted
or despised him. They saw only the simple.
noble outlines along which he had always
worked-how completely he had sunk every
personal and partisan feeling in his efforts
TO save the Union.
THE fame OF Lincoln will continue to
grow as the centuries go by. Some one
has said God made but one Shakespeare
that enough He made but one Lin
coin. Lincoln belongs 10 the ages In all
lands and among all peoples struggling for
civil liberty, for higher and better civil.
iZatiOn, the name of Abraham Lincoln will
be hailed the liberator and the benafactor
of mankind. Throughout the world he will
stand the greatest character of Ameri-
can history. while among the coming mil
lions OF the negro race, not only In the
United States and the isles OF the sea