Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-02-13

whole program was one that moved
the patriotic sentiments of all who
crowded the college chapel. The ban1
opened the exercises by playing med
ley of patriotic airs, including Dixie. .
After hymn had been sung by the
assembly, Rev. Ira o. Nothstein Of
fered prayer
After the invocation, Professor Peter
Johnson played CaIlaert's inspiring
"Triomphale" on the pipe organ, and
the Wennerberg chorus followed with
Star Spangled Banner and Onward,
Onward So enthusiastic was the
audience that the chorus was conf
PEELED to respond to an encore, singing
"Old Kentucky Home" Mr.. Oakleaf's
address followed
Friendship, Humanity and Sacrifice.
IF were to sum up the essence If
Lincoln's life and character said the
speaker, Il would say that his FREEDOM
mating trait was friendship for human
ity and sacrifice for others. These
were the motives that actuated his
whole life Lincoln always plucked a
thistle and planted a flower where he
thought it would grow. The more l
read of his life, the more am i'm
pressed that this was his aim.
"And because of these high motives
and these lofty ideals, Lincoln is today
being accorded the greatest honors
ever received by an American In
every school house, every college,
every university in the country today
his praises are being sung and his
virtues extolled. Every nation on the
globe is vying with the other in doing
honor to the memory of his name.''
The speaker than began review Of
Lincolns life, interspersing the story
with many humorous anecdotes which
portrayed admirably the well known
humorous side of Lincoln's character.
In one of the anecdotes the speaker
told how Lincoln had been chosen
captain of company of volunteers
which had been mustered to fight
Black Hawk. Lincoln knew nothing
of military tactics and commands, bur
his native wit always came to his res
cue. Coming to a high fence one day
through which passage coul be OBJ
tanned only by means of lall hole
Lincoln was at a loss as to what order
TO give in order to have his company
crawl through. Finally he gave it mp
and dismissed the whole company
with orders to assemble on the other
side of the fence.
First Contact With slavery.
Lincoln's first contact with slavery
said the speaker. came about once
when he made trip to New Orleans
with cargo of freight At that time
he Witnessed negro sale in New Or
leans and was SO impressed by the
'heart-readering scenes enacted that
he turned to his companions with the
words: by God, if ever get chance
Ito hi: that institution, will hit il
hard,'
The speaker traced all the events
in Lincoln's life, telling of his sad love
affair with Anne Rutledge. his election
10 the state Legislature and subsa
quently to congress, and finally of the
great fame and national reputation
which he won through his debates
with Stephen Douglas. Then followed
swiftly the great events in his life
| his nomination for president of the
United States by the newly organized
, republican party and his election thf
same year as chief executive
Not long after he reached Washing
, ton to take UP the reins of government
the war clouds began to gather in tbs
southern horizon. Around him he gath
cred the strongest men in the countr.
/ many of them his own rivals TO
the presidency. The war came an,
found the new president equal to the
task in spite of the fact that interna
discussions were greater elements o
difficulty to Lincoln than the enem,
| itself
Lessons From Lincoln's Life.
| illinois had furnished a man win,
stood at the head of the nation ant
Lincoln turned to Illinois for he'll
when he called to his aid for the high
est post of honor in the army, U.
Grant. Grant had no sooner take
charge of the army than he brougil
order out of chaos Illinois had give