Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1904-02-13
TALMAGE
SERMON
By Rev.
FRANK DE WITT TALMACE, DID,.
Pastor Of Jefferson Park Presby.
terrain Church. Chicago

Los Angeles. cal. Feb. AT the
time when the whole nation is honor
ing the memory of Lincoln this ami
yerSary sermon sheds Il new and inter
esiin. light upon the character of the
neutrality-suspicious.. The text is James
v. :. BE W also patient"
"What was the most powerful ad-
dress YOU ever heard:'' l once asked
my father in one of our conversations
when journcying around the world.
Well he replied. Il have listened to
nearly all the great American orators
of my time ! have been personally
acquainted with most of them and have
spoken from the same platform with
many of them. But without any doubt
the greatest address ever heard-if it
is TO be Judged by its electric and
overwhelming instantaneous effect
was that delivered 10y Henry W. Grady
of Georgia in 1SS'; 1T the annual ban
quet Of the New England society.
had just finished 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
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
perfecting. through century. came
the man who stands as the first typical
American. the first who comprehcnded
within himself all the strength and
gentleness. all the ma iesty and grace,
of this republic-Abraham Lincoln"
These words were quoted almost YER
batim from memory
The tremendous impression produced
by Henry Grady's speech was not due
to the fact that he was saying some
thing that no other man had said be-
fore. but 10 the fact that. for the first
time since the civil war. the great lead
ers of the north realized that Lincoln
was appreciated and honorcd as much
south of Mason and Dixon's line as he
was among the Michigan pines and
upon the Illinois prairie.
Second to Only Ono.
Since that time | have read almost
every biography written about the per
sonality of that man who stands sec
ond 10 only one. if he does not stand
side by side with George Washington.
in the affections of the American PEG
pie. | find that Henry Wattcrson Of
Kentucky has a. deep reverence for
Lincoln as had Charles W. Dana or
Nicolay or Joseph Mclill or William
Herndon or David Davis or SWEET or
Speed. who knew him by personal con-
tact. Therefore | am sure that on this
Sunday preceding the celebration of
Lincoln's birthday shall have with
me the cordial appreciation of the south
as well as of the north as ! draw from
his character lessons of inspiration and
pay tribute To his memory Al heart
he was true friend of the south. and
l believe that his uniiimcly death re-
tar,lcti the contamination of rccnnStruc-
ton AT least quarter of century
Most Lincoln eulogiSts start. as Hen
~ Watterson beautifully expressed
ii. by looking into II crystal globe
that. slowly turning. tells the story of
his life. and they SEE therein Il little
hcarthroken boy weeping by the out
stretched form of Il dead mother But
this dc not intend 10 do You are nj
ready familiar with the facts of that
eventful life. In speaking Of him today
! would try To get the keynote of his
character and show the predominant
quality which made him SO great and
so useful 10 the nation. That quality |
conceive 10 be his patience. and | shall
recall 10 your minds the times and the
circumstances in which. 10y the exercise
of that quality. hc proved the grandeur
of his nature. Al the base of the ri.
gantic statue of Faith. overlooking the
pilgrims graves al Plymouth and the
harbor where the Mayfiower east an-
chor. are figures symboliZing Freedom.
Education. Law and Morality. But
here today. standing 10y the grave Of
this great man. we see the figure Of
sanctiiied Patience. We find this fig
ure not cut from stone or east i'm iron.
but Hl;iue out Oh utSt WnltH WAS once
living. breathing. throbbing. moving
flesh and blood. As the paramount de-
sire of Lincoln's last four years on
earth and those tumultuoiis years which
led up In them was to save the Union.
] shall try in this brief eulogy to show
how. 10y glorious patience. that great
purpose of his life was accomplished.
a Positive Man.
In the first place. we must start with
the we'll accepted and universally ac-
knowlcdged fact that Abraham Lincoln
was n man of positive characteristics.
William Herndon Just after l.incoln's
nomination wrote To Senator Wilson
OF Massachusetts, that when Lincoln
made up his mind TO do anything he
had "a will of iron" After the assas-
sination in Forl'S thratcr Senator Will
son wrote Il letter 10 l.incoln'S old law
partner that he had truly analyZcd
l.incoln's character in reference 10 this
one characteristic. But. though Lin
coin WAS positive man and had well
settled convictions. hc never believed