The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-02-14
Fearful Andersonville.

Rev. Isaac M Foster, of Port Ewen, N. Y., delivered a most stirring ad- dress before the banquet given by the Sons of veterans. and the G. A. K., at the Atlantic Hotel, in commemora- ton of Lincoln bay. Mayor Buck ingham preceded the clergyman ou the toast card and made splendid speech upon the duties of citizens to- ward the city. The earnestness o1 the mayors remarks struck a keynote in the mind of the clergyman, wno spoke extemporaneously, and in con nection with his address he also talked of citizenship duties in a most force full way. He said, among other things, that if he had his say, fire protection, police protection. nor any kind of protection that good citizen ship has created, should be given to the man who will not go to the polls on election day and exercise his right of suffrage.
 He said there were not enough people thinking for themselves now adays, telling story of his dos Trip" who was always willing to follow him, and who frequently gam boled off by himself only to return to his masters hells, when called.
 
 MT. Foster, 'and there are a great many people like that nowadays-al- ways ready to follow the band, and when everything-is over declare, We won Lincoln was a man who was not afraid to be counted with the minority, if he believed he was right. He was over feet tall and about all of his height was backbone.
 There is no bone in a shark eX cept his jawbone and his teeth-the rest is cartilage. Did you ever think that there is a lot of people like that, except they often have store teeth"
 MT. Foster said during his address:
 This is a great city. a wonderful city. A minister once left here and went all over the world. When he returned he told his son that he thought the United States was the center of the world, that New Eng land was the center of that, that Connecticut was the center of New England and Bridgeport the center of the state.
 There is nothing of value because of what it is, but because of what it does. On this basis rests the value of every life. It was what Lincoln did that made him a leader of men. Yet there is not a magnificent element in his life not possible in the life of ev- cry other man.
 "The study of this great mans life and character presents to us no marked qualities that may not be de- veloped in the humblest life.
 'HTFue, he was related to great in- terests-interests that touched the lives of all the nation in the genera ton which he lived and all genera tions to follow, and because of this we see them in their brightness and beauty.
 ''He was not great because he was president, but he was a great presi- dent.
 True 1t is, because he was presi- dent it gave him opportunity. But above the high office rose the great tai, stood out before the gaze of the world the nobility of character and service that fell as a benediction and blessing upon the nation and the world.
 First. he believed in the eternal virtues of truth. The truest type of life in service. There are I suppose some supreme moments in every life when duty presents itself in a voice which we cannot fail to hear. How much then of interest to ourselves and others hangs in the balance. To my thought such a moment rises in Lincoln's life.
 while the convention was being held in Chicago to nominate him, but it was not the supreme moment
 His election was a great moment in his life when he came on to Wash fngton and there was grave doubts as to whether he would be permitted to pass through Baltimore But it was not the supreme moment
 "Fis speech at Cettvshuro is said to be the finest effort in the Fnelish lan- qua ge. There is something better than being President of a great na- tion- It was better that m'ehtv Snain be crushed than that Cuba he made to suffer under the yoke of tyranny.
 1.-Two years of the great war had been in prooress and we had not won a single battle Thines loo',ed dark for the Peruh'ic and vet. with all of these thines confrontine him. against the counsel of every member of his caNtnet- Lincoln wrote the prOclarna ton that freed Oo0 0nO slaves This was the supreme moment of his life.
 This is obedience to duty. This law Of service ruled his life. He said Every r-an is said to have his pecu- liar amhftton. Whether that he true or nor I can say. for one. that I have no other so great as that of being truly esteemed of riy fellow men. by rendering myself worthy of their es-