The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1914-06-04

anu ever the StdTS ABOVE look QOWl
On thy stars below in Fredericl
town."
But someone is ready to ask, cane
what has all this to do with our sub
, Jectg" l answer, much every day
but chiefly because it is the soldiers
duty to remember, as well as the duty
Iof all of US, and | wished to remind
you of one element in the struggle
for the preservation of the Union
which felt sure would be both inter
testing and instructive.
Much more might be said, and
would especially like TO tell You what
the Friends in the South suffered for
freedom and the Union, but time for
bids.
But there is another thing of much
greater importance than what the
Quaker did, and which il, is our high
est duty to remember and cherish,
and that is what God Almighty did in
directing the destiny of the Nation
through those awful days of fratrici.
dial war. First of all we see His
hand in having a man ready to be
the leader of His people. This has
appeared in all crises of human his.
His Abraham, Joseph, Moses. David
and Paul ready for the working out
of His. purposes, and in our own. Ma
tional history His Washington and
Abraham Lincoln. And | would add,
without any mental reservation, that
| believe that Abraham Lincoln was
as truly chosen of God for the great
work to which he was called as any
of those whom ! have named. God
is working just as definitely today as
He ever worked in history. The Bible
is completed book but the volume
of Gods providence is still open.
This fact of Gods guiding hand in
our Nations history was recognized
by Mr.. Lincoln himself in his fare
we'll words to his friends at Spring
field, ILL.,, when he was leaving them
to take up the duties of Chief Execu-
tive of the nation. These words |
have seen framed and hanging on the
wall of the old Lincoln home in
Springfield, and they ought to be hung
upon the walls of every mans heart |
who is a lover of his country. This |
is what he said;
"A duty devolyes upon me which is |
perhaps greater than that which has
deyolyed upon any other man since |
the days of Washington. He never
would have succeeded except for the !
aid of Divine Providence upon which |
he at all times relied. ! feel that |
cannot succeed without the same di- !
vine aid which sustained him. and in
the same Almighty Being | place my
reliance for support; and | hope you,
my friends, will all pray that l may
receive that divine assistance, with
out which | cannot succeed, but with
which success is certain"
Another incident will relate to
show the reliance of Lincoln upon
Him who had called him. 1t was
iuring the dark days of 1862 when
The hopes of the Nation were at their
lowest ebb. 1t was, think, after the
second battle of Bull Run had been
fought and lost, Mcclellan was en-.
trenched before Richmond, and the
strength. and resources of the Nation
seem to have been fruitlessly vast |
ed. Henry Ward Beecher was then |
In Brooklyn, and was perhaps more
associated with the
cause of the North than any other
minister of the Gospel. He had
and lectured and fought its
battles in pulpit and press all over
.he country, had ransomed slaves
rom his pulpit, and his convictions
md feelings were everywhere known.
Late one evening stranger called
It his home and asked to see him.
Mr.. Beecher was working alone in his
study. as was his usual custom, and
his stranger refused to send up his
name, and came muffled in a military
,loak which completely hid his face.
Mrs. Beecher's suspicious were arous"
I'd, and she was very unwilling tha1
ne should have the interview which
he requested, especially as Mr.. Beech
sr's life had frequently been threaten
I'd by sympathiZerS with the South.
The latter, however, insisted that his
visitor be shown up. Accordingly
he stranger entered, the doors were
shut, and for hours the wife below
could hear their voices and their foot.
steps as they paced back and forth.
Finally, toward midnight the myster'
Gus visitor went out, still muffled in
ais cloak, so that it was Impossible
20 gain any idea of his features.
. The years went by, the war was
finished. the President had suffered
nartyrdom at his post. and it was not
until shortly before Mr.. Beecher's
Heath, over twenty years later, that
/ was known that the mysterious
stranger who had called on the
stormy winter night was Abraham
Lincoln. He had travelled in
Disguise and at night from Washing
ton to Brooklyn to gain the sympathy
and help of one whom he knew as
man of God, engaged in the same
great battle in which he was the lead,
er. Alone for hours that night the
two had wrestled together in prayer
with the God of battles and the
Watcher over the right, until they
had received the help which he had
promised to those who seek his aid
1--WE are indebted for this TO Sam /
lel Scoyille, Jr., grandson of Henri,
Ward Beecher.) ..ar |
Yes, my friends. there is God in
Heaven who watches over the affairs
of men and nations. and none have
been more quick 10 recognize this
than the men whom God has chosen
ID lea dour country In the great cri
ses of its history.
Now there Is much more that
had hoped to speak, especially as tol
our duty toward present-day problems,
49,. ox.oin tix,x. farhfda Gufficp III to