Omaha daily bee., 1909-02-13

Roosevelt at Lincoln's birthplace in Ken
lucky. given at noon yesterday. The cadet
battalion sang the Whitman poem, 20, Cap
tain, Ny Captain" and Mr.. Davidson in
troduced Father McGovern.
His Death a spur and Incentive.
The priest Of st. Peters parish reviewed
the events which led up to the crises that
demanded such a man as Abraham Lincoln
He then described the young mans prepa-
ration for the place which he was to fill,
but for which he prepared so unconsciously.
Through the trying years of the civil war,
Father McGovern traced the life of the
man who was captain of the ship of state,
and concluded by saying:
The life. the deeds, yes, the very dea'h
of our first and best loved martyred presi-
dent, are spur and an incentive to the most
generous devotion to our dearest America.
1t may be truly said that for it he spent his
life, for 1t he bled and died. and we can
scarcely read the history of his career with
out feeling that we do give but little. when
we consecrate all that we have to its serv-
ice. He strongly reminds us of Washing
ton. that sturdy patriot who through his
prowess on the field OF battle may be said
to have created our republican government;
but Washington was by nature and birth
an aristocrat. while Lincoln was a COM
moner and closer to the people. II Wash
ington called the republic into being, Lircoln
regenerated IL. and became a second Father
of his Country.
"A pagan muse has written: 1T is a
sweet and glorious thing to die for ones
country We are not pasans, and we have
consequently higher motives to lead us 10
make sacrifices for the land Of our birth
than had those who served dumb idols.
One of our own poets puts these words on
the lips of a general leading his troops in
the struggle for independence:
Strike, Till the last armed foe expires;
Strike. For the green graves of your sires;
Strikei For your affairs and your fires.
God and your native land.
America Foremost of Nations.
Whatever others may say OF their own,
their native land, we feel that America il
foremost in the onward march OF nations,
that nowhere is freedom so much a reality
as under the Stars and Stripes. We believe
that our own America has a providential
mission to accomplish among the family
Of nations. What an inspired writer said
OF Gods dealings with another race at
another time may be applied also to US:
He has not done in like manner to every
nation. and His judgments He has net
made manifest 10 them
Il need not urge you to cherish with
reverence the memory of & man whose soul
was possessed by convictions such as these.
Love Of country ma be said TO have been
his ruling passion. as 1t wal the guiding
star which directed his course in the troub-
lous days Of civil strife. HIS name is
written throughout the land in parks. in
b~oulevards, in cities, in towns. and It will
endure as long as our popular government
lasts, which. we ~fervently pray, will be
until the dawn OF eternity. Yes. as long
as human thought can be swayed by lofty
sentiments and noble example. the name OF
Lincoln will be found conspicuous among
the worlds heroes, for. though a lover OF
peace. he was great In war and great iE
the hearts OF his cot ntrymen.
Loveland Points 20 Portrait.
Rev. F. L. LOyeland OF the First Meth
l Al 49, - $50