Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-02-13
in L|NC0LN'S CHURCH
Memorial Exercises by Grand
Army of the Republic.
LARGE EDIFICE THR0NGED
Tributes to the Character of the
War President.
HISTORIC PEW IS DECORATED
Addresses Delivered by Gen. Bates,
DR.. Radcliffe, Representative
Swasey and Gen. Burdett.
HISTORIC PEW IS DECORATED

| In the New York Avenue Presbyterian
Church, which Abraham Lincoln attend
ed regularly during his presidency,
son of one of Lincolns cabinet advisers,
a Christian minister. member Of the ma
tional Legislative body and past national
commander Of the boys In blue paid
tributes to Abraham Lincoln last night
| at the Lincoln centenary celebration held
by the department of the Potomac, Grand
ARM of the Republic.
Lieut.. Gen. John c. Bates was the pre-
siding officer, and addresses were made
by Rev. DIR. Wallace Radcliffe. Repre-
sentative John p Swasey of Maine. who
saw Lincoln on many occasions around
the streets of the capital. and Gen. 5. 5.
Burdett. past communicating chief of the
c. A. R.. who saw and heard much of
Lincoln during the winter of 1SJt-JI,
which he spent in Springfield. Ill. 1tev.
John Reid Shannon. pastor OF the Metro
politan Methodist Episcopal Church. Of
| fered the invocation and Rev DIR. Charles
E Guthrie. pastor of Hamline Nj. r.
Church, pronounced the benediction.
Historic Pew Marked
The G. A. r. celebration of Lincolns
birthday was made notable by several
features. Being held in the church which
Lincoln attended when President. his pew
was pointed out as the only one in the
edifice still retaining it's black varnish and
was marked by large flag furnished by
William B. Gushing Camp. No 30 Sons
of Veterans. Over the picture of Lincoln,
hung at the front of the pulpit. was
wreath of evergreen that was made from
green's cut from a tree which stands on
| the old Lincoln farm in Kentucky. near
the cabin in which the martyred Presi-
dent was born Members of Lincoln and
Gushing camps. Sons of Veterans. who
acted as ushers. also wore sprigs of ever
green from the same historic spot.
Seated on the platform were the pre-
siding officer, the speakers, the officers
of the Department of the Potomac, G..
A. r.; G. +. Rausch, department COM
mander of the Spanish War Veterans;
Thomas ]. Shannon. commandments
Of the Union Veteran Legion: f. r.
Campbell past commander-in-chief of the
Sons of Veterans, and other prominent
officers Of patriotic societies. The de-
partment G. A. r. officers are as follows
John S. Walker. department commander
Edwin II. HObrook, senior vice COM
,. mander; Henry A. Johnson, junior vice
commander: Rev. n. II. Miller chaplain
DR.. a. E. Johnson. medical director; o. III.
Oldroyd. assistant adjutant general: Fran
els l.. Mckenna. assistant QuartermaSter
general George P. Davis. judge advocate
John G. Maynard, chief mastering off,
Ger: E. c. Daugherty. inspector: A. s.
Perham, patriotic instructor and B. +
Chase, chief of staff.
Church Thronged
To seat all those who applied for adj
mission the church should have been
twice as large. By the time the exercises
began seats were at a premium. and the
police. under the command of Lieut.. Hol-
linberger of the first precinct, were COM
PEELED to turn hundreds away. The au-
dience was made up largely of the men
who wore the blue uniform Of the G. A.
r. and of the sray-haired women who
stayed behind in the years from 1861 to
1865. but who bore their share of the
nations burden.
Occupying the post of honor at the
right of the platform were the members
Of Lincoln Post. and on the left side were
many members of the Woman's Relief
| Corps, under the leadership of it's presi-
dent. Mrs. f. l.. Newton.
Music was furnished by the 18th Cav
airy Band, under the leadership of F.
Angelsberg. While the audience was as
sembline the band played patriotic airs
and war songs. The meeting was called
| to order by John S. Walker. department
commander; and the members of Lin
coin Post carrying the national colors.
| were received formally. \ flag exercise
| by the members of the Womans Relief
| Corps followed. and the sight of the
| aloft the flag for which the men OF the
! G.. A. r. fought, will long linger in the
memory of those who witnessed 1t.
| After the singing Of The Star Span
| gled Banner. by Mrs. b. II. Smart, the
audience joining in the chorus, the col
| ors were formally presented by Hazard
| Wheeler. color sergeant of the depart
| ment.
! Gen. Bates "reminiscences.
| Lieut.. Gen. Bates. the presiding officer,
| told OF his meeting with Lincoln when
| his father was a member Of Lincoln's
| cabinet. Some letters of regret were
read Admiral George Dewey wrote that
his health prohibited his attendance at
| the celebration: Vice President elect
| Sherman declared that an engagement to
| speak a a Lincoln celbration in Pitts
| burg prevented his attendance. and Vice
| President Fairbanks declined because of
| his participate in Lincoln day services
| at Harrisburg.
The address of Rev. Dr. Radcliffe was
| a eulOgy of Lincoln.
| DR.. Radcliffe's Eulogy.
| To-day. the world brings love and I'M
alloyed joy to the memory of Abraham
Lincoln" he began. abraham Lincoln
lis miracle of history. Poor and I'M
known in the wilderness. compelled in
young manhood to la Dor hard for crust
of bread, rising into power almost the
creature of accident, maligned, deprec-
ated he stands at last the first Amer-
can, the wonder of the schools for his
literary works. the despair of statesmen
for his mana cement and control of state
craft, the idol of his people. the Moses of
a race. great. Great. simply in the fact
of his character. Take away all else, he
stands pure, ma jestlC, commanding as
mount aims In his character: great as a
man and therefore commanding human
lily.
| He was great, declared DR.. Radcliffe,
because he good. because he was a
Ichristian man. There are those in the
community, he said, who recall his regu-
lar attendance at the Sunday church serv-
Ices and at the midweek prayer services
those who recall his confession of Christ
his declaration, Il love liberty because
Christ taught il and Christ is Cod
Prof. T.. c. Townsend read Lincoln $
lfavorite poem. why Should the Spirit OF
Mortal be Proud
Representative Swasey's Tribute.
In his tribute to Lincoln Representa-
tive Swasey recalled many of the famous
addresses of the martyrd President. He
spoke of Lincoln's modesty. shown by the
speech at Gettysburg. when he said. The
world will little note nor long remember
what we saw here He recalled the ma