Connecticut western news., 1908-02-20
SERMON ON LINCOLN
 BY SHARON MINISTER
EULOGY OF THE GREAT MAN

His Remarkable Transformation-The
 Study of his Life is the Story of an
 Intense Struggle Which Developed
 and Fitted Him to Fill the Highest
 Position in the Land-A Captain of
 the Ship of State-Proclamation
 Was Master Stroke.
 We herewith present a portion of sermon on Abraham Lincoln" delivered Sunday in Sharon by Rev. G. l.. Forte, pastor of the Congregational church. We regret that we were unable to pres ent it in it's entirety. '...
 In the North there is a general admir- ation of Lincoln. do pot know what the South thinks but I am under the impression, that even there he has the respect of those who differed with him. Perhaps we are not far enough away from the Civil War to write yet an un- biased account of the events of that period, without a savor of partianshlp, but it does not seem that we need to get away, ages before we can estimate the importance of an event like the Re- bellion. We can see in Lincoln traits of character which are so evident that even while he lived his bitterest foes had to make acknowledgements we read of deeds done, which even when they were done, not later, his enemies must accept on the same basis of approval, which obtained to increase the admiration and loyalty of his friends. C..
 Abraham Lincoln was born on the then frontier and during the first years of his life was kept in the front by the constant migrations westward of his family. Lincoln is the result of his fathers shiftiessness and of the genuis of the frontier. The rough days of anti slavery on the plains produced many a stalwart pioneer and one of these was Abraham Lincoln. He was the tall and awkward schoolmaster, the Ichabod Crane of Sleepy Hollow. the numbering backwoods- of many a novel, the uncouth, the rough and ready of actual life and actual experience of western life; but somehow he was these and yet these transformed into a man of worth the like of whom is rarely found. Lincoln is the caricature of the worst physical type of A. M. He is the embodiment of the traits and peculiarities of our now classic "Uncle Sam" and as we may be moved to laughter over his appearance, we have come to esteem him so highly that we do not look at the form but at the character. /~Uncle Sam' represents the typical American who founded this nation. and this nation is now on level to command the respect of citizens and also of foreigner. Abra- ham Lincoln was so stalwart, talented and good that he, like a benefcient nation, takes attention from his appear ance to himself Abraham Lincoln was the result and the expression of the best genius of our vigorous and progressive country. He was of the pioneers and he came to be pioneerl Lincoln could not be overcome, for he had succeeded in existing and because he need not fear necessities nor harm to his person, he was equal to herculean tasks Lincoln was one of the great men and the study of his life is most interesting because it is the study of an instense struggle that always found the important con- testant stronger. that at least, and really that in short time, educated, developed and fitted him for the highest position in the land: this very struggle, that might have killed the average man, made Lincoln famous.
 Abraham Lincoln was born February 12, 1909, in a mere hut, three miles from Hodgensville, Ky.
 Abraham's father was Thomas Lin coin, fair sample of what might be cal led to-day the white trash of the middle west. Abraham's mother was Nancy Hanks, who possessed the unusual ac- complishment of reading and writing. and we are told she taught her husband how to write his name. Thomas Lin  coin was shiftless and through it his wife came to be not unlike many untidy, ir- responsible frontier women, and this failing on the part of both was the cause of the miserable surroundings for the 18th president of the U. s. in his boy hood.
 When Abraham was years old his mother died and 13 months later step mother came in to be an unusually good mother to the boy.
 She brought with her four-horse load of furniture For the first time in his life Abraham slept in bed, such as it was, and enjoyed srch other comforts, as his mother could provide and request Of ner shiftless husband. Abraham at-