Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-02-12
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

Lincoln, the president whom history
has given the title of martyr one Is
that the Almighty is ever excercis-
Ing His watchfu care over the works
OF His hands, preserving and main
talning that which lie has established,
until the divine plans and purposes
shall have been accomplished The
power and wisdom of God are as much
In evidence in history as IN nature In
the rise and fall Of nations. the shift
ing of scenes and the entrances and
exits on the stage of the world the
rational spectator cannot fail 10 d.
Germ the operations OF the same In
finite mind as that which IS NANTES,
in tho strucmre OF worlds. The his
tory OF Lincoln IL a notable Illustration
OF this truth. The United states had
been established by the Almighty, 10
become the leading nation OF the world,
in order that. through its influence
freedom, light and truth should bless
all the nations 81 the world. But an
other power was At work, ne ultimate
aim OF which was 10 break UP this
Republic and thus thwart the Divine
purposes Had tbe doctrines Of slav-
cry and secession prevailed, this coun-
try would have been lost, and tho world
would have reverted back to the condi-
tons OF the dark ages" Bur lie who
rules The destinies Of man clearly fore
Jaw what the result would have been,
and so He sent to fhc world man
through whose fundamentally the
Union was saved, TO continue It's miss
sion among the nations of the earth.
The advent Of such men into the
world. equipped with unusual powers,
and coming just when needed, lie one
of the most unmlstakable evidences OF
Divine providence.
Another. not less striking lesson IL
that the most potent Instruments OF
the Almighty are usually found In
places where human wisdom would new
err look for them. Lincoln was not born
IN a palace. He did not have the adj
vantage OF the boosted refining In
fluence OF higher society" or OF what
Is usually called education Like the
Prophet Joseph, he was the child of ex-
tremely poor circumstances, and had u
hard struggle But he was carried on
ward and forward toward his destiny
with the irresistible force OF events.
Lincoln was born In the heart OF Ken
tucky. in rude little fog cabin. on q
farm too poor to support its owners
The father was illiterate, but the moth
er was well schooied, for that time. and
took great pains 10 teach the future
knew. From her, In the long winter
evenings. they heard Bible lore, fairy
tales. and country legends Little Abe
attended the "A B c school" when a
teacher could he provided, He was
n bright and persistent student Ho
used to gather spcewood bushes, place
them upon log and burn them two
or three together, that he might read
and study at night by this light by the
same spicewood- bush light the happy
mother, Nancy Hanks. used to stitch
the boys deerskln trousers, am.
other some-spun clothing In re-
turn no used TO help her with
the soap.maklng. and do the simple
chores, Such was the life Of Lin
coin during the frat years Of earthly
existence. Who but God would have
gone 10 such a poor place as the Lin
coin farm in Kentucky TO lind "a savior
of the American union? Who but God
would have picked out that boy for that
work OF salvation?
Another truth is, with equal force,
brought home to US IN his history, 10
be chosen instrument of the Al
mighty IL to encounter deadly cnmlty.
history proves the fact. No man was
ever more honored. or more loved by
friends than Lincoln, and yet he had
enemies on all sides. His election TO
tho Presidency was by the South con-
strued as an act OF hostility to that
section. His first step for the preser-
walton OF the Union the request for IS.
900 men OF the militia, was by the gov
ernor of Missouri denounced as Ill
legal, unconstitutional. and reyolu-
tlonarv. IN It's object inhuman and dia
bollcal." And a similar sentiment was
entertained IN many other states. Linz
coin completed his mission faithfully
and then gave his life as tribute Ia
the sacred cause OF liberty. The con-
Fpirstors seemed to have triunphed
but they were really defeated. Lincoln,
the martyr, became d powerful agent
In the further progress OF the country
His was a victory In death and through
death.
The guiding principles OF his life We
would do well 70 contemplate. HI
summed them up thus with male,
toward none, with charity for all. Will
armness In the right. as God gives u,
20 see the right, let us strive on {,
inlsh the work We are In; 20 bind IN
The nations wounds; 70 care for hin
who shall have borne the battle, ant
.or his widow ana his orphan-to d,
I'll which may achieve and cherish 4
lust ana lasting peace among our
,elves and with an nations" That 4
he beacon light Lincoln sun sends NJ
,cross the deep OF the past, lndlcatin,
he safe harbor.