The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-02-14


sermon sheds new and interesting light
upon the character of the statesman-pres-
ident. The text is James v, 8. BE We also
patient"
What was the most powerful address
you ever heard?" once asked my father
In one of our conversations when jour
neying around the world. WELL" he re-
piled, Il have listened to nearly all the
great American orators of my time. 1
have been personally acquainted with
most of them. But without any doubt the
greatest address 1 ever heard-if 1t Is to
be judged by its electric and overwheim-
ing instantaneous effect-was that deliv-
cred by Henry w. Grady of Georgia in
1886 at the annual banquet of the New
England society. l had just finished
speech on the Coming American when
Mr.. Grady arose. After few introduce
tory remarks he said: My friends, DIR.
Talmage has told you that the typical
American has got to come. Let me tell
you that he has already come. Great
types, like valuable plants, are slow to
flower and fruit. But from the union of
these colonists, Puritans and Cavaliers,
from the Strengthening of their purposes
and the crossing of their blood, slow per-
fecting, through a century. came the man
who stands as the first typical American,
the first who comprehended within HIM
self all the strength and gentleness, all
the majesty and grace, of this republic
Abraham Lincoln" These words were
quoted almost verbatum from memory.
The tremendous impression produced by
Henry Grady's speech was due to the
fact that he was saying something that
no other man had said before, but to the
fact that, for the first time since the
civil war. the great leaders of the north
realized that Lincoln was appreciated and
honored as much south of Mason and
Dixon's line as he was among the Mich
igan pines and upon the Illinois prairie.
Second to Only One.
Since that time 1 have read almost ev-
cry biography written about the person.
alty of that man who stands second to
only one, if he does not stand side by
side with George Washington, in the af-
fections OF the American people. | find
that Henry Watterson of Kentucky has
as deep a reverence for Lincoln as had
Charles w. Dana or Nicolay or Joseph
Medill or William Herndon or David
Davis or SWEET or Speed, who knew him
by personal contact. Therefore, am
sure than on this Sunday, preceding the
celebration of Lncons birthday I shall
have with me the cordial appreciation of
the south as we'll as the north as ! draw
from his character lessons of inspiration
and pay tribute to his memory. At heart
he was a true friend of the south, and
believe that his untimey death retarded
the contamination of reconstruction at
least a quarter of century.
Most Lilcoln eu lsists start, as Henry
Watterson beautifully expressed 1t, by
looking into crystal globe that, slow
ly turning, tells the story of his life, and
they see therein a little heartbroken boy
weeping by the outstretched form of a
dead mother" But this / do not intend
to do. You are already familiar with the
facts of that eventful life. In speaking
of him today I would try to get the key
note of his character and show the pre-
dominant quality which made him SO
great and so useful to the nation. That
quality | conceive to be his patience, and
| shall recall to your minds the times and
the circumstances In which, by the exer-
else of their quality, he proved the
grandeur of his nature. AS the base of
the gigantic statue of Faith, overlooking
the pilgrims graves at Plymouth and the
harbor where ne Mayfower cast anchor,
are figures symbolzing Freedom, Educa-
ton, Law and Morality. But here today,
standing by the grave of this great man,
we see the figure of sanctifed Patience.
We find this figure not cut from stone or
cast in iron, but made out OF dust which
was once living, breathing, throbbing,
moving flesh and blood AS the paramount
desire of Lincolns last four years on
earth and those tumultuous years which
led up to them was to save the union, l
shall try in this brief eulogy to show how,
by glorious patience, that great purpose
of his life was accomplished.
positive Man