The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1914-02-20

from Thurodays Daily.
j Rev. w. n. keesey: I'VE all
Ecpe that the principles for which
Abraham Lincoln stood and lived
and died will become mere and more
the guiding principals Of our own
lives"
Rev. @. A. cshoon: "There Is
a delightful bond OF sympathy be.
tween the man who led the pioneers
and ourselves, who are but a gen
Grafton or two removed from pion-
eer days, and who know the trials
and hardshlps Of the pioneer life."
Jean A. Flittie: "Lincoln was a
strange combination Of human frsil.
ties and human virtues, yet withal,
strong In his simplicity and mighty
in his faith"
Or. J. w. Andrews: "Lincoln was
borne upward by the rising tide OF
anti-sIavery sentiment. Today, there
Is steadily rising a mighty anti-sa.
Icon sentiment, which will grow
more powerful, year by year."
Rev. Frank Doran: ~ would not
mind placing the statue Of Lincoln
on pedestal several inches higher
TRAN that Of George Washington"
More than two hundred and fifty
attended the first annual Lincoln
banquet of the Centenary Methodist
church, held In the church parlors
last evening. The rooms were beau.
tifully and appropriately decorated
with flags and bunting and the nap
kins, with which the tables were
literally supplied. were adorned
with printed images OF the American
flag. Smilax and carnations were
also among the table decorations.
The program was carried out with
perfect success from start to finish,
Robert Bradley managing the service
~ the tables and Rev. w. r. Keesey,
pastor OF the church, the post pran-
dial features, rs POSTMASTER. Music
was furnished during the repast
with a victrola. The victuals were
prepared by the ladies the church
and served by the young men, of the
church. The general arrangements
we're made by the official beard.
kecsey as POSTMASTER.
Immediately after the repast, Rev.
w. r. Keesey, the POSTMASTER. ex.
tended welcome to all, speaking
particularly OF members OF other
churches In the city. and other
visitors from the city at large. He
spoke of the year 1909 as having
been especially productive OF great
men. that having been the year
when Gladstone. Darwin, Tennyson
and Lincoln were born. He ex.
pressed the hope that the memory
of Lincoln would live long and the
principles for which he stood and
lived and died would become more
than ever before the guiding princi
pies of the lives Of his countrymen
The toastmaster first presented Rev.
@. A. Cahoon, superintendent of the
Mankato district of the Methodist
church.
Rev. Cahoon responded to the
toast, Out of the Backwoods." He
declared that all people respected
ard loved Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln
had often been called the tall white
angel and came as near as any man
to being the national idol. The life
CT this man was full of human inter-
est. There was delightful bond
CT sympathy between the man who
led the pioneers and those who were
but one or two generations removed
from the pioneers. The speaker
told Of the early life of Lincoln and
laid great emphasis on the fact that
ali of the schooling that he ever got
amounted to only one year, yet he
managed to master the three RS,
and thus possessed the key to all
OF his subsequent studies. When
young man he had thoroughly read
few books, amog them being the
Bible, Pilgrem's Progress, Robinson
Crusoe, Life OF Washington and
History OF the United States. With
such reading, he was probably better
Informed than the average youth of
his day.
kindied Spark of Ambition.
Rev. Cahoon declared that the
memorable trip to New Orleans
made by Lincoln In 1891 probably
Gid more than anything else to
kindle the spark of political am
b!tion that made him a maker of
history. Lincoln observed the doings
in the slave markets and declared,
III ! ever get chance to hit that
thing. I win hit II hard" His latent
ambition was famed into a flame
and great purpose asserted itself.
HeRceforth he was no longer mere
backwoodsman. but one who was be-
coming more and more leader OF
men.
The speaker referred TO Lincoln's
melancholy temperament. lie said II