Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-02-09
DR.. STOLTz TELLS
OF LINCOLN LIFE
PRESBYTERIAN MINISTER GIVES
GRAPHIC WORD PlcTRE OF
MARTYRED PRESIDENT
LikENED TO DAVID
Says Choice Of Illinois Rail Splitter
LIkENED TO DAVID
Says Choice Of Illinois Rail Splitter
Was Made by God-Rich Were
Ignored and the Poor
Selected.

ham Lincoln" in which the great
emancipation was likened to those Of
long ago, whom though poor, were
chosen by God to be leaders, was the
subject of an address given in the
First Presbyterian church yesterday
morning by the former pastor, Dr.. F.
F. Stoltz. Touching upon portions Of
the life of the martyred president,
from the day of his birth to his assas-
sination, DR.. Stoltz pictured him as an
implement Of the Almighty, selected
a poor man with a rich heart"
Taking his text from I Samuel, 18th
verse, 18th chapter and Jehovah
said, Arise, anoint him; for this is
he,'" DR.. Stoltz began his address by
showing conclusively that the choice
of Abraham Lincoln was selection Of
God "On February IL, in the year Of
our Lord, 1S09,," began DR.. Stoltz,
there was born in a pioneers cabin
home in the state of Kentucky, a baby
boy, whose record of work in man
hoods years in the nation and in the
world, was to consecrate his birthday
to high and holy uses.
God Chose Lincoln.
Had we been privileged to look
into that cabin home and to see the
mother enfold her baby in her loving
embrace, the rapt expression of her
face might have suggested day
dreams Of possible greatness for
him, which she would be careful to
hide in the mothers heart; but the
fondest dreams could hardly have
comprehended the surprising place in
the nations history which the Father
of all had chosen for him to fill For
the divine selection had designated
Abraham Lincoln for conspicuous ser
vice. There is just as truly a divine
election for each one Of our lives. The
field of service may not be marked
but it is Gods personal thought for
one the good intended for him, his
contribution to the worlds work.
An interesting feature Of this cleo
ting work of God is the strange
places in which the greatest workers
are sometimes found.
David was taken from the simple
life of the shepherd; Luther from a
miners hut; Lincoln from a poor pic.
neer's cabin. We may wonder at this.
Why should God pass by the house
of wealth, culture and power, and
choose from an unlettered and I'M
known house? The answer must be,
the knowledge of God.
scene in the home Of Jesse. the
Bethlehmite, gives illustration. Sam
uel, the Seer, was sent to Jesse's
home to anoint a successor to king
Saul. The father called all of his sons,
except the lad David, whom he left
In nf tho Shnar n hnPnra hn
prophet. To his surprise they were
refused. "And Samuel said unto Jesse,
Are here all the children?' And he
said There remaineth yet the young
est, and, hehold he keepeth the
sheep And Samuel said unto Jesse.
Send and fetch him, for we will not
sit down till he come hither." When
he was brought in Jehovah said :
arise; anolnt him; for this is he"
God makes no mistakes, and here
Is the reason for 1t. "The Lord seeth
not as man seeth; for man looketh on
the outward appearance, but the Lord
looketh on the heart"
never read this story without be-
ing impressed with the wonderful
ness of it, Not a man in all Israel
would have chosen the lad David to be
the successor Of King Saul. 1t could
not have occurred to any one. Why
not choose some other, then. Because
God, who looks upon the hearts of
men and knows what they can be led
to do, their potentialities, their posi-.
bilities, could not use other than Da.
yid at that most critical hour in Is.
raels history
T1,,,. ~ ,,p1,D hi al
The 18th century witnessed to a mum,
Der of them They were men and won.
en- called to be reformers, called to be
teachers, called to hold the reins of
government In most trying circum.
stances.
Chosen by God.
The most prominent name among
the dozen or so we might mention as
belonging to the 18th century Is that
Of Abraham Lincoln. He was preem-
inently Gods man to this nation in
| the most crucial hour of it's existence
certainly since its founding. Fitted
above all other men for that most
| now see how God chose him, led him
on and opened the door for him when
the man ard the hour should come
| together.
Had supernatural or superhumar
visitor appeared to Abraham Lincoln
at any time between his goth and 25th
year, and told him that there was tC
| be an awful civil war from 1861 to 1866
ard that he of all men was to guide
the ship Of state over the perilous wa
| ters his astonishment could not have
! been less than was that of Abraham
the first Of the Jewish nation, when
as an old man, he was told that he was
to have son born of Sarah, and that
| in him all the nations Of the eartf
We're to be blessed.
| / can imagine him saying to his Wis
itor. "It cannot be. My family is poor
I have not had the training of the
schools. There are others so mucf
better fitted than l." And yet the Lore
who knows the heart, would have di.
| rected his messenger to arise anc
anoint him; for this was ne.
Abraham Lincoln was a great soul
great with or without the school Sucf
a one may not be able to go to school
but he will keep school of his own
His was not an added or circumstan-
tial greatness, although circumstance
might reveal the greatness. Rather /
was an Unborn greatness of soul tina
must look about, must study pro
4 foundry the problems of life, mus
!strive above all things to see the truth