Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1909-07-21

author, Janet Jennings, of Monroe,
this state. 1t is just out of the
Cantwell press of this city, and is
as fresh as a bunch of June roses.
have read It through almost at
one sitting; having got over page
or two 1 could not for the life of
me find a good stopping place.
In her brief preface the author
a delightful writer, by the way
says she is "wOrshiper at the
shrine of Lincolns memory" and SO
say we all of US. But she has had
the advantage of the most of us
For twenty-five years she was a
journalist in Washington, and. be-
ing a diligent seeker after good
! things, she found not a few men
and women who had been so for
tunate as to know Lincoln person
ally-warm friends of his-who were
| glad to tell the best things they
could remember concerning him
And these best things are what Miss
well, | don't know whether It is
Miss Jennings or Mrs.-women folks
do not write their names in these
| days so that a fellow can tell--any-
how, Janet Jennings has written
these best things down in her little
book so that all of us can enjoy
them with her. Her intens on seems
to have been to put the very best
into the least practicable space.
The author of this little Lincoln
book is a believer in the fact that
good thoughts put into the growing
minds of the young must influence
of the young must influence them
for good. Though in many cases
this tuition is almost unconscious
it still has its influence on charac-
ter. 1t is with this faith that she
has written hers book about Lincoln.
| While it is sincerely to be desired
that ever-sOmany boys and girls
will read the beautiful things Janet
Jennings has here written for them
we older folks may also well take
time to read them and profit by
them. | have already watched an
other old war veteran porting over
it, and have heard him declare that
he has now greater love for Lin
coin than ever before.
would like to copy down here
ever-so-many of the bits of wisdom
Janet Jennings has cleaned from
Lincoln's talks; but l shall have to
be content with only a few of them.
Was Lincoln Christian Man?
Most people say Lincoln was a
Christian of the very highest type;
yet there are some who deny the
fact. The matter depends. l suppose,
upon the defin .tion of Christian.
Whatever Lincoln was, he was hon.
est. There certainly was nothing
about him of cant or hypocrisy He
was never member of any church,
but | presume we cannot call any
man a Christian just because he is
church member ror say he is
not Christian because his name
is not ON the church roll Lincoln
was, however. a regular attendant
at church. Here is what he called
his Confession of Faith:
When any church viii inscribe
over to its altar as its sole quaIifi-
cation for membership, the Savior's
condensed statement of both Law
and Gospel-'Thou shalt love the
Lord thy God with all thy soul ana
with all thy mind and thy neigh
bor as thyself'-that church will
join. with all my heart and soul"
And he had this to say, concerning
the bible, to his friend Joshua
Speed: 81 an profitahly engaged
in reading he Eible. Take all OF
this book uIon re~sou that you can.
aud the balance on faith, and you
will live and die a better man
| Here is his farewell address to
| his old neighbors and friends at
Springfield as he was about to leave
them and go to Washington Could
any one but Christian have spok-
en- thus?
My Frierds No one not in my
position can appreciate the sadness
I feel at this parting Here have
lived more than a quarter of cen
tury; here I1Y children we're born.
and here one of them lies buried
know not low soon shah see
you again A duty devolves upon
me which is. perhaps greater than
that which deyolved upon any other
man since the days of Washington.
He would never have succeeded ex-
cept for the aid of Divine Provi-
dence. upon which he at all times
relied l feel that I cannot succeed
without the salDe Divine aid which
sustained him. and in the same AL
mighty Being place my reliance
for support; and hope you. my
friends win pray that may re-
ceive Divine Assistance. without
which cannot succeed but with
which success is certain. Again.
bid YOU all most affectionate fare
well
4 was after the battle Of Chan
cellorsville. in Nav, 1868. the dark
ast days Of the war-wben Lin
on walked the aoor Of his Office
s3 night in an agony Of anxiety. r.
was noticed in the morning that. in