The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1912-02-29
LINCOLN'S CENTENARY
The Secret of Linooln's Greatness
BY WILLIAM NJ. DYE
(Coutinued From Last Week)

l,incoln was a constant and profound
student of the Bible. His public
phraseology that at times they seem
wonderfully prophetic. He said to
Joshua Speed, on one occasion, Take
all the Book on reason that you can and
the balance on faith, and you will live
and die better man." On another
occasion, when presented with Bible,
by the colored men of Baltimore, he
said, I'm regard to the great Book
gift which God has given to men. All
the good from the Saviour of the
world is communicated in this Book. "
AS to his faith in prayer. would say,
that he believed much in prayer. He
often knelt before his Maker and pour
cd out his heart in fervcnt prayer. He
often prayed for the nation, and for
the success of his armies. He declared
many times that the victory at Vicks-
burg and Gettysburg came in answer
to his prayers. Once when Bishop
Simpson called to see him, while the
thick clouds were hanging heavily over
him, Lincoln said, Bishop, feel the
need of prayer as never before. Please
pray for me" and they knelt together
before God ard imrlored His help ask
ing strength and guidance.
He was thoroughly sound optomist.
When others saw only the lowering
ominous clouds and driving storms, he
could discover the silver lining which
promised fairer days, and more bouy
ant hopes. When his colleagues be-
came desponent and and both looked
and talked defeat, his expressive face
grew droll with humor and he would tell
them stories until he banished their
peSsimism.
But Love was the crowning glory of
Lincoln s Christian life America has
had but few, if any, who were so tender
so kind, so forgiving. He never
spoke unkindly to any man, not
even his enemies. Grant said. "It
was his nature to find excuses for his
adversaries" Listen to Lincoln's own
testimony: II have never knowingly
planted thorn in any human heart.
but have always endeavored to pluck
thorn and plant a rose wherever
rose would grow What an ideal!
He vino would attempt to select a
single incident fr ON so many and so
rich ones, occurring in his career, to
illustrate his luminous traits, becomes
! bcwildered to know which one to choose
because of such a vast wealth of re
sources: In some particulars, the
following is ore of the most touching:-
One day while the President, was with
his troops, who were fighting at the
front, suddenly there began to be borne
past him the wounded, both Union and
Confederate. As enc stretcher was
passing Lincoln, he heard the voice of
a lad calling for his mother in agoniz
ing tones. Lincoln's great heart was
moved. He forgot the crisis for the
inollteHl- Ile oIucItu Tue ocdiciS "
stop. Kneeling and bending over the
wounded soldier, he asked, What can
do for you. my boy?'-"Oh, you will
do nothing for me-, he replied. you
are yankee. | can't hope my message
will ever reach my mother. Lincoln,
in tears, his voice full of tendcrest love
convinced the lad Of his sincerely and
he gave his good-by words without re
serve. The President directed his
words copied. and ordered that they be
sent that night with flag of truce,
into the enemies lines, to his comm
and
Lincoln, like his EASTER, wept with
those who wept. More than once this
man of sorrCws", SAID. 'Ihave not
suffered for the SOUTH, Ihave suffer
ed with the South. The broken
hearted mothers who visited him at the
White House to appeal to him to him
to save their husbands and sons from
the prison pen. or the sentence Of court
marshall, found a man like unto him
who stood up in the Synagogue at
Nazareth and said. HE hath sent me
set at liberty them that are bruised
Continued Next Week.