Richmond daily palladium., 1906-02-12
REV, GRAHAM ON
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
TELLS coNGkEGATIoN He Is
THE GREATEST CHARAc-
TER SINCE CHRIST.
PAYS A BRILLIANT TRIBUTE
TO Memory of World s Emancipator
His Text From John, Behold
the Lamb of Cod
PAYS A BRILLIANT TRIBUTE

At the First Presbyterian Church
Sabbath morning, in a sermon on
"The Worlds Emancipator, from
the text, John 30, "Behold the
Lamb of God, that taketh away the
sin of the world,' Rev. Thomas J..
Graham paid the following tribute to
Abraham Lincoln, whose birthday
is celebrated today.
"The present week brings promi-
nently into the minds and hearts of
many the name, abraham Lin
coln,' of whom the late Hon. John
Hay, the former private secretary of
Lincoln and not long ago our agile
and honored secretary of state, said !:
GAS in spite of some rudeness, re-
publicanism is the sole hope of a sick
world, so Lincoln, with all his fol-
bles, is the greatest character since
Christi
HOur heroes we love to honor.
Many pulpits this Lords Day praise
this worthy man, man who. in re-
ply to question of Gen. Palmer,
"Why in the crisis the people had
chosen a one-horse lawyer from a
one-horse town for their leader,' an
swered, "Because he was not bound
to- any theory which was liable to
prove dangerous, but was bound to
the right to do the right"
"He wrought well. We magnify,
aye, even glorify his name and char
.acter today, both of which once pass
ed through the fiery furnace of an
tagonistic and malicious criticism.
"Men of all shades of political sem
timent and conviction vie to do him
honor. The Christian Endeavor
World gave prizes for the best stories
of and concerning him. The flag
over the school houses and exercises
in his honor, remind and interest the
youth. Banqueters stop to hear his
praises. The press joins the chorus,
in one instance commenting thus
"In commemorating the birthday Of
Abraham Lincoln, the American peo-
pie pay just tribute to very great
man, and points us to heed his
ways and words in these days, 'as
our society becomes more complex
and our national problems increase
and expand.'
"He was an emancipator, man, at
torney at law, statesman, President.
He proved himself friend
of the oppressed in his high calling.
Lowell's tribute to him was in ex-
alted tone:
"Nature, they say, doth dote,
And cannot make a man
Save on some worn-out plan,
Repeating us by rote:
For him her Old World moulds aside
she threw,
And, choosing sweet clay from the
breast fthe unexhausted West,
With stuff untainted shaped a hero
new,
Wise, steadfast in the strength of
God and true,
How beautiful to see
Once more a shepherd of mankind
indeed,
Who loved his charge, but never low
ed to lead;
One whose meek flock the people joy
ed to be,
Not lured by any cheat of birth,
But by his clear-grained human
worth, e aa!.
And brave old wisdom of sincerity,
They knew that outward grace i
DUST, .4 ,.s
They could not choose but trust s
In that sure-footed minds unfalter.
ing skill
And supple-tempered will
That bent like perfect steel to spring
again and thrust.
He was no lonely mountain-peak Of
! mind,
Thrusting to thin air 'er our cloudy
/ bars,
A sea-mark, now, now lost in vapor' 's
| blind;
Broad prairie rather, genial, level
lined,
Fruitful and friendly for all human
kind.
Yet also night to heaven and loved OF
loftiest stars j..
/ "Though we may speak with EN-
erson truthfully of stthe smooth me
diocrity Of the times" yet the heroes