Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-02-18

Lincoln saw into the future with
the prophetic imagination usually
youchsafed only to the poet and the
seer. He had In him all the lift to-
ward greatness Of the visionary. with.
out any Of the visionary's fanaticism
or egotism, without any Of the vision
ary's marrow jealousy Of the practi-
calSman and inability to strive In prac.
tical fashion for the reallzd1ion Of an
ideal He had the practical mans
hard common sense and willingness
to adapt means to ends; but there was
in him none Of that morbid growth Of
mind and soul which blinds so many
practical men to the higher things Of
life. No more practical man ever lived
than this homely backwoods idealist;
but he had nothing in common with
those practical men whose conscien-
ces are warped until they fail to dis
tinguish between good and evil, fail
to understand that strength, ability,
shrewdness, whether In the world of
business or Of politics, only serve to
make their possessor more noxious
a more evil member of the community,
IL they are not guided and controlled
by fine and high moral sense
Lessons from Lineoln's Life.
I'VE of this day must try to solve
many social and industrial problems,
requiring to an especial degree the
combination Of indomitable resolution
with cool-headed sanity. We can profit
by the way In which Lincoln used
both these traits as he strove for re-
form. We can learn much Of value
from the very attacks which following
that course brought upon his head. at
tacks alike BY the extremists Of revo-
luton and by theextremists Of reaction.
He never waYered In devotion to his
principles, in his love for the union.
and In his adherence Of slavery. Tim.
Id and lukewarm people were always
denouncIng him because he was ex'
IRENE; but - matter Of fact he |
never went to extremes, he worked
step by step; and because Of this the
extremists hated and denounced him
with fervor which now seems TO US
fantastic IN It's dedication Of the un-
real and the impossible. At the very
time when one side was holding him
up as the apostle Of social revolution
because he was against slavery, the
leading abolitionist denounced him as
the sslaVe hound Of Illinois" When
he was the second time candidate for
president, the majority Of his oppo-
nents attacked him because Of what
they termed Lis extreme radicaligm,
while q minority threatened to bolt
his nomination because he was not
radical enough. He had continually to
check those who wished to 90 forward
too fast, at the very time that he over.
rode the opposition Of those who
wished not to go forward at all The
goal was never dim before his vision;
but be picked his way cautiously, with
put either halt or hurry. as he strode
toward 1t, through such a morass Of
iinaculty that no man OF less courage
would have attempted It. while II
would surely have overwhelmed any
nan OF judgment less serene.
Man Of Crest federation.
yet perhaps the most wonderful
hing Of eli, and, from the standpoint
II the American Of to-day and Of the
uture. the most vitality important, vas
be extraordinary way IN which Lin
loln could fight Yalihntiy against what
ls deemed wrong and yet preserve IN
IlniHished bis lore and respect for
d brofhsr from shon he elHersd- :