Milford chronicle., 1904-02-12
TALMACE
SERMON
By Rev.
FRANK DE WITT TALMAcE. DID,,
Pastor Of Jefferson Park Presby-
terian Church. Chicago

-e N--N l+rl-4p4s VI Lincoln InlS ami
Versary sermon sheds new and inter
esting light upon the character of the
statesman-president. The text is James
v, 5, BE We also patient"
What was the most powerful ad-
dress you ever heard:" | once asked
my father in one Of our conversations
when journeyins around the world.
Well" he replied. Il have listened TO
nearly all the great American orators
OF my time. l have been personally
acquainted with most of them and have
spoke1 from the same platform with
many of them. But ithout any doubt
the greatest address l ever heard-if if
Is TO be judged by its electric and
overwhelming instantaneous effect
was that delivered by Henry W. Grady
OF Georgia in 1856 at the annual ban
quet of the New England society.
had just finished a speech on The Com
ing American when Mr.. Grady arose.
After a few Introductory remarks he
said; My friends, DR.. Talmage has
told you that the typical American has
got to come. Let me tell you that he
mas already come. Great types. like
valuable plants, are slow TO flower and I
Iruit But from the union of these !
colonists, Puritans and Cavaliers. from [
the strengthening of their purDoses
and the crossing Of their blood. slow
perfeeting. through a century. came
the man who stands as the first tvpieal
American, the first who comprehended
within himself all the strength and
gentleness, all the majesty and grace.
Of this republic-Abraham Lincoln ?"
These words We're quoted almost YER
Datim from memory.
The tremendous impression produced
by Henry Grady's speech was not due
to the fact that he was saying some
thlng that no other man had said be-
Tore but to the fact that. for the first
time since the civil war. the great lead t
ers of the north realized that Lincoln q
was appreciated and honored as much /
south Of Mason and Dixon's line as he n
was among the Michigan pines and n
upon the Illinois prairie. c
Second TO only Ono. z
Since that time I have read almost b
every biography written about the per. II
sonality OF that man who stands sec Il
'nd to only one, if he does not stand W
side by side with George Washington. OF
a the affections Of the American peo- c.
DE. | find that Henry Watterson of N
kentucky has as deep a reverence for re
lincoln as had Charles W. Dana or ci
'lcoiay Or Joseph Medil or William th
Iendon or David Davis or SWEET 'or Ia
peed, who knew him by personal con- la
act Therefore l am sure that on this Of
uhday preceding the celebration of
incoln's birthday l shall have with Of
ie the cordial appreciation of the south pa
well as Of the north as l draw from TO
IS character lessons Of inspiration and col
ny tribute to his memory. At heart me
was true friend Of the south. and hOl
believe that his untimely death re- er.
rded the cOnsumma ton of rpconstruc- die
IN at least quarter Of a century. linz
Most Lincoln euloglsts start. as Hem bill
Watterson beautifully expressed er
by looking into a ''crystal plobe tim
at, slowly turning. tells the story of cat
life and they see therein little var
artDroken boy weeping by the out
'etched form Of a dead mother" But A
is | do not intend to do. You are al thin
idy familiar with the facts of that do
entful life. In speaking Of him today aug
would try to get the keynote Of his to a
lracter and show the predominant peoJ
ality which made him so great and hav
useful to the nation. That quality I his
lceive to be his patience, and shall and
all TO your minds the times and the time
in which, by the exercise city
that quality. he proved the grandeur siblC
his nature. At the base of the gi- lead
tic statue Of Faith. overlooking the kney
rims graves at Plymouth and the I club
Dor where the Mayhower cast an was
r are figures symbolizing Freedom. tienc
lcation. Law and Morality. But WORD
today, standing by the grave Of Step
great man, we see the figure Of held
,tlhed Patience. We find this fig ern
NOT cut from stone or cast in iron. said.
made out Of dust which was once of tn
lg, breathing. throbbing. moving it wi
and blood. As the paramount de- To
Of Lincoln's last four years on one ?
b and those tumultuOus years which / still q
up to them was to save the Union | Thor,
al try in this brief eulogy to show tbons
by glorious patience, that great as m
ose Of his life was accomplished. origir
Positive Man. Unior
the first place we must start with theret
well accepted and universally ac- own ,
'ledged face that Abraham Lincoln langu
man o. positive characteristics. idea 8"
am Hefndon just after LincoIn's of the
lauoN wrote to Senator Wilson be 50
-asaSlusetts that when Lincoln state
UP his mind to do anything he this;
a will Of iron" After the assas- other
on in Ford's theater Senator VIII. this.
-rote a letter TO Lincolns old law night
er that he had truly analyzed vasion
ms character in reference to this two "
characteristic. But. though Lin have /
vas positive man and had well the rea
convictions. he never believed White
two wrongs make one right" In | First
to accomplish his patriotic pur. that W
hn rvaa t1rtr.-ffrs..--