The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-02-08

and simplicity took this immortal form.
In like manner all the episodes Of his
administration may be exam ned With
out disclosing anything which he ae-
complished by virtue of gifts Of which
the ordinary mortal need despair What
we're the forces by which ne effected
what branier men could not achieve?
He was unseifsh. Is that an impos-
sible virtue? He was simple and mod
est. Is talent requ red for that? He
was sympathetic and considerate of
others No college or school teaches
that. He was sincere in thought and
action No dramatic crisis brought this
about. He was honest cared little for
money and much for honor. Dare any
one claim that this is beyond him? He
was deliberate in judgment and long
suffering in patience. Those are not
intellectual aeh evements. He was tenn
perate in word and deed That is a
matter of self-controi. His triumph was
the perfeeting Of qualities which all
men may command.
Events Which Shaped Him.
II one could select some striking event
and prove that it transformed Lincoln
or directed his career, the story of his
life might be more picturesque, but II
would be of far less value. The events
which shaped him were the everyday
happenings of the dull, trivial round
the irksome details of routine. Those
who fret because they seem to be vast
ing time over homely tasks, OF despair
of gaining anything from them, or are
discouraged because they are not pro-
crossing fast enough, or are not re-
ceiving what they regard as "a fair
chance in life" have something to learn
from the pages of Lincoln's life II was
a wise as well as a subtle French PHI
losopher who declared that the time
best spent is the time we waste. -
Doubtless Lincoln thought he was
wasting time as a farmland in the
fields, as a clerk in Offutt's store, as
Gerry. and at the end of his term In
congress it is well known that he re-
garded the years he had devoted TO
politics as time thrown away. Yet the
years spent in the open air gave him
the const tuition Of iron without which
lis great work could never have been
dce0mplished: his experience as q clerk
earned him the tribute rather than NJ
nickname of Honest Abe" mis- incur
sion into the business world tesAed and
tempered his honor. and the knowledge
gained in local politics contributed es-
ssntiaily to his career. There was not
an experience in his entire life which
may fairly be said to have proved a
waste of finle-there was scarcely any
thing which entered into OF even
touched II which he did not sooner or
later turn 20 some account During
his career as president there were times
when q highly cultured man with little
or no real knowledge Of the people
would surely have brought disaster
upon himself; again and again he uti-
lied homely details and TRIES Of daily
living which had sunk into his being
and with which he had never con-
sefously charged MS mind. All his fall
ures and diss ppointments bore rich har-
vests. No career ever more dearly
demonstrated the value of 'th- httle
things that are not worth while. or
better revealed the undreamed Of posi-
bilities that lie within the humbiest ex-
perienee.
Lincoln contributed some wonderful
pages to history. but other men have
done that and the world. as a whole
has not greatly benefited. He won g
place among the great rulers OF the
earth, but others have done that whose
names have become mere memory
tests. or wnDss deeds are chiefly re-
corded on blood stained fields. He did
much to preserve the Union and boliAh
slavery, but generals and soldiers and
vast army ~ Simple flti1fnE support
ed him IN the work, and are entitled "a
snare In the glory. 1t is neither Lin
coin the president-nOT Lincoln tire
master of meP-nor Lincoln the savior
Of the state who Is winning the hearts
of more and more Americans every
year All that history could tell OF
the president was told many years ago.
It is Lincoln the man VINO is inspiring
his fell1 5 tOGay-thc man wShin
touch of ell the humble of heart This
is he who Of all Americans is leaving
his impress upon eternity"
FREDERICK TREVOR HILL