New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-02-12
LAUDS LINCOLN.
.Saus He Is Dearer to People than
WASHINGTON.

..IIncoln's humor was often keenly satrical. but
it never inflicted pain" said Robert c. ogden. in
an address on THE Character of Lincoln" before
Rockefeller's Bible class at the Fifth Avenue
Rantist Church yesterday morning. John D.
Rockefeller jr, introduced Mr.. Ogden as an hon
orary member of the class and a man who had
known Lincoln personally.
A wear ago Mr.. Ogden gave the class some inter-
esting "reminiscences Of Lincoln and yesterday he
continued the subject. He began by declaring that
the personality of Lincoln undoubtedly dearer
to the hearts of his countrymen than that of Wash
ington. He said:
Lincoln sprang from poverty to greatness: Wash
ranks of democracy, Washington was born amid
aristocratc SURROUNDINGS: Ihese facts make Lam n
His Country.
Mr.. Ogden said that perhaps Lncoln's greatest
virtue his rugged honesty He added:
man does not deserve great credit. perhaps.
merely because he is honest. 1t is the duty of ali
Of to be honest in our business transactions and
fair in all our dealings with our fellow men Lin
he maintained IT under unusually trying circum-
In the early days of his career he entered into a
business partnership with man named Berry The
of unsteady habits, and Lincoln was inexperienced.
Even the creditors did not expect Lincoln g to re-
deem these notes, for they knew that he was penn-
this task In after years he paid the firms debts
these notes he was not able to redeem until he had
entered the White House. but he never forgot his
Mr.. Ogden then told a story which he said he
believed had never been printed. While Lincoln
was a Congressman, he said Congress voted an
appropriation for certain furnishings in the House
The work given to distant relative of Lin
coin. When the work was completed 1t was found
that the cost had greatly exceeded the amount of
the appropriation. Lincoln could i'll spare the
money, but he quietly made out his personal check
for the balance and sent it to his relative.
Mr.. Ogden told of a young who desired to
enter the profession of law, and who wrote to
Lincoln, asking him if 1t possible to be
honest lawyer and at the time command
success.
Don't be misguided by popular misconceptions"
Lincoln wrote back. IF. however. you don't think
you could be honest lawyer, young man, be
honest without being lawyer. Believe me- knav-
cry in any walk of life does pay in the long
run" The speaker thus referred to Lncoln's log
zeal mind
1t has often been said that Lincoln did not at first
favor abolition. Lincoln was always opposed to
slavery, but above ell things, he sought the
he spoke on the public platform against anti
slavery.
Regarding Lincoln's love for his fellow men Mr.
Ogden said:
Abe had sharp tongue, and often INDUCED in
can safely say, however that even his most pierre
said anything that gave pain. It was because Of
defeated opponent was able TO declare that the
country had chosen the greatest man It was, be-
the Illinois Senatorshp. was the man who held
Iincolns hat while he being inaugurated as
President Even his defeated rivals loved and re-
spected him. Recognizing his humanity the South
to-day reveres his memory as much as does the
North.
John D. Rockefeller. jr. spoke of Lncoln's re-
gion He said:
There are many who say that Lincoln not a
! Christian. Whatever his creed whether not he
believed the divinity of Christ 1t is safe assert
that he lived according TO the teachings OF Christ
I think. therefore. we can call him good Chris
| tian.
Because of the illness OF OF its members. the
! Bible class quartet unable to sing yesterday.
The class attendance was nearly two hundred 1t is
| growing every week.