The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-02-13

BLESSED By THE had b ee SEN
TEARS OF A HUM fenced to death
BILE MOTHER The most immor-
tai words that flowed from his pen
were his signature to the emancipation
proclamation and to the innumerable
pardons which set the prisoners free
The quality ct mercy is not strained.
It droppeth as the gentle rain from
Upon the place beneath. 1t is twice
blessed
It blesseth him that gives and him that
takes.
IT'S mightiest in the mighty. 1t becomes
The throned monarch better than his
crown.
And earthly power doth then show likest
Gods
When mercy seasons Justice.
So sang Lincoln's favorite poet, Shake
gpeare. Measured by this standard.
our meek and patient American presi-
dent was the most godlike ruler in his
tory, for he showed most mercy.
War and force we have had long.
The world does not need these. What
she does need is love The disinter-
ested, divine compassion that would
do good to all men, that would pardon
the offender, that would take the chain
from all hands and the tears from all
eyes-it is this for which humanity
thirsts.
Love sufereth long and is kind; love
envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is
not puffed up, doth not behave itself I'M
seemly. seeketh not its own, is not pro-
Voked. thinketh no evil. rejoiceth not in
unrighteousness, but rejoiceth with the
truth; beareth all things. believeth all
things. hopeth all things. endureth all
things.
Panl-S iroronrfoI mir oR
Abraham Lincoln was the most per-
feet incarnation seen in modern times.
In his own life few men have been
more righteous than he. 1t would be
hard to place finger on a single flaw
in his conduct or his public or private
morals. At the same time few men
have been SO indulgent or forgiving OF
lapses in others. Meanness or injus-
tice aroused him to sudden fury. but
mere weakness and human stumblings
found him ever compassionate.
Judge Bates, Lincoln's attorney gen.
eral, once said Of his chief:
He lacks but one thing. >" His def
cheney is in the element OF will L have
sometimes told him, for instance, that he
was unfit to be intrusted with the par
doning power. Why, IL a man comes to
him with a touching story his Judgment
rs almost CGTLR1n TO De aHeGLed Dy IT,
Should the applicant be q woman. wife,
n mother or a sister, in nine cases out of
ten her tears, II nothing else are sure to
prevail
May it not be that Lincoln was
right and his attorney general wrong?
May 1t not be that this quality Of
mercy" here denominated his one de-
feet, may turn out his chief glory? He
showed no lack of will In other things.
No man could be more firm where a
great principle was at stake. May this
not be a case in which
Earthly power doth then show Iikest
Gods
When mercy seasons justice?
1t seems to me if 1 had to throw
away all pictures Of Lincoln but one l
would retain that of his being blessed
by the tears Of humble mother whose
son he had pardoned or of a humber
slave whose chains he had broken.
1t was objected that his leniency in
terfered with discipline. Perhaps it
did, but even that is open to question.
Suppose we grant 1T, however? What
then7 Discipline is a great thing, but
love is greater. The world has been
taught discipline for countless ages.
but Abraham Lincoln's example. of
1orbearance and mercy has sunk
deeper into its heart and made more
for righteousness than many years of
discipline.
II men can be ruled more by love
than fear, If an appeal to their better
natures is more powerful than one to
their lower selves. then Lincoln's new
way Of enforcing discipline is better
than the old. He made all the soldiers
feel that he was their friend. They
observed better discipline because of
their love for him. There were but
few he pardoned. and it is not re-
corded that much, If any, harm came
from them afterward. but the soften
ing influence of his acts went out to
the entire army, to the entire nation
and to the ages. The poorest people
loved him most. Those whose need
for the leadership of great soul is
sorest turn with surest instinct to him.
The reason is that be loved and
trusted the plain people; he opened the
prison doors; he turned the bondman
free.