Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-02-12
The Two Abrahams, One OF lew.
ISL and Other OF American
History.
A. LINCOLN AS A PROPHET.
Organization Of the y. ". G. 4. Move.
ment--Dr. Goshen Speaks on
~ Man"

sHe lIs( ITcspNleFldn cnurcN last
evening. In commcmoration OF the
birthday of Abraham Lincoln, from
the text, And the Lord blessed Abra-
ham IN all things" Gen. xiv: T. The
speaker said in part.
And 80 He is willing TO bless us all.
The story of Abroham's life is a simple
unveillng OF tho eternal truth that
every mans life Is a plan Of God. He
liz happy man who finds and falls in
with this plan with all his heart. Here
In consists the greatness OF the father
OF the faithful and the inspiration OF
Hebrew history.
AS II was in the beginning, IL ever
has been, Ia now and ever Will be. /
believe that the great men and groa,
nations or the modern world are clearly
chosen and called to special service for
God and humanity. as were the chiefs
and clansmen of Gods ancient people.
or these moderns. none have been more
highly favored than those who speak
our mother tongue. We have been
blessed above others that we, above
others, may bless the world. This is
presumably true Of our own favored
people. lie hath not dealt more kindly
With any nation, not even his ancient
people. We, too, are children OF the
promise. children OF destiny. IL only
remains for us to keep our promise and,
as God shall give US grace, 10 fulfill
our destiny, and we may make the
name American as great as the great
est In the calendar of nations and as
good as the best In tho honor roll Of
Gods chosen people.
THE text | have chosen is a concrete
suggestion Of the truth wish 10 teach.
As God has used blessed nations whose
records are not written here. SO he has
used and blessed men whose names
are not written here. There is no ques-
ton IN my mind but that God who
blessed Abraham the Hebrew in all
things also blessed Lincoln the Ameri-
can, in all things. The one could no
more have been what he was without
the blessing Of God than the other.
Moreover ! am willing to confess that
| am quite AZ muah interested In Gods
way OF making great Americans as
am in His way Of making great He
brews. The question, therefore. which
/ wish 10 raise Is not how did God bless
him whom many call the greatest of
the Hebrews, but how did God bless
him whom ] do not hesitate 10 call tho
most beloved American.
God blessed our Abraham in the
thoroughness OF the schooling which lie
gave His humanity, Lincoln began life
at the bottom OF the very depths. No
pride OF blood ever thrilled his soul. He
must needs be content with simple hui
man nature. As he was born of the
people. he was raised with the people,
and always trusted and stood up for
the people. When once he dreamed
THAT, IN pushing through q crowd he
overheard one say: He is a common
lookin' fellow. he awoke replying,
Friend, The Lord prefers common-look-
ing people that IL why He made so
many OF them Lincoln never dis
trusted the ultimate justice of the peo-
pie and probably entered into and rep
resented the feelings OF the average
American as no one else has ever done.
Charles q. Leland declares that From
his childhood. Abraham Lincoln was
POSSESSED even to unreason, with the
idea that whatsoever was absolutely
popular. was founded on reason and
right. He was born with his ear to
the ground and had through life the
marvellous gift OF keeping in touch
with the people
Lincoln knew all that a human
heart may know, without breaking. OF
affection. More than
once he was almost engulfed In his
horror of great darkness His feelings
were intense TO the verge OF insanity
But, as the saddest and greatest OF the
prophets says: II is good for a man TO
bear the yoke In lis youth 1t was a
part of our Abraham's schooling No
university diploma could ever have
done so much TO make this otherwise
self sufiicing man pity as a father
pltleth his children.
80 II was In his firs,-hand relations
with humanity that he learned to walk
alone, For as. with all his humor. Lin
coin had an almost melancholy sense
OF the seriousness OF life; so with all
he was OF all his contemporaries by
far the most lonely"
LINCOLN AS a PROPHET.
Rev. Frank Fay Eddy preached yes
terday morning, IN the Unitarian
church on THE Prophetic Lincoln"
and said In part "'rhe prophet I'm all
ages has certain characteristics, the
most fundamental of which seems to
be capacity OF soul, lie must have a
big soul and a responsive one, so that
some big theme Of the ages may find
room therein for root and growth.
The prophet lie not only master Of
some great idea or set OF Ideas. but is
by them In the sense that he
Is an instrument played upon by di- |
vine forces, Then. too. the prophet |
must have the courage OF his convic- |
lions. The prophet must not be cow
ard, he must have that highest type |
Of courage which Il rooted In con- |
science. All finest heroism and all |
q &c Ia t,a h.ft bta
kind OF courage. There are prophets |
ancient and modern. major and minor. |
Lincoln although a modern prophet, II |
seems to me, IL 10 be ranked among |
The major ones. Lincoln stands In |
quite as vital relationship to his ma |
ion and his time as did ever the great |
ast Of Jewish prophets 10 theirs. He |
Is Just as great and lust as holy a |
prophet as jeremiah or Elijah. This |
great man OF the people IL prophet |
for Us not so much In what he foretold |
pr foresaw. as IN the sense OF being |
type Of great souls that arise always |
In the hour of trial. We may not boz
Tow his wisdom. but we may profit by |
his spirit for the peculiar problems of |
our own time. We have a mighty |
question looming on the horizon OF az
fairs. II Is the question OF who shall |
hold the mastery Of the earth. the |
economic problem OF the lust distri- |
,ution Of wealth. The issue cannot be |
lvoided. II must be faced In our |
hour OF trial may there be in our body |
polite a saving remnant or minority |
Tor great prophet souls 10 personfy. |
In the coming battles OF democracy |
may there's be prophets after the type |
u Lincoln"
THE T. W. C. A. MOVE.
The second public meeting In fur
herance OF the organization OF the Salt
Lake Young Womens Christian asso-
station was held yesterday afternoon |
m the First Fresbyterian church whera |