The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1914-03-04

father was poor farmer, who after
a time removed from Kentucky to
| Indiana. Lincoln's father was not
| only a poor man, he was shiftless,
| moving around from one place to am
| other and going from one thing to an
! other and of course that kept him
| poor. Abraham Lincoln spent his
boyhood in severe agricultural labor
and his entire schooling did not ex-
| coed one year. In 1880 he removed
| to Illinois where he was engaged
with another man in splitting rails
and he did so well, could split so
many in day that they used to call
him the rail splitter.
in 1884 he was elected to the IL
| linois legislature. At this time he
lived by surveying land; wore patch
ed home spun clothes and spent his
leisure hours studying law. In 1860
he was nominated for the presidency
of the United States. The non-ex-
tension OF slavery to the territories
or new states to be formed from
them was the most important prin-
ciple OF his party. He was elected
presiden. in 1861 and then followed
that great civil war the account of
| which we know so well; the greatest
most terrible war this country ever
knew-or as some one has said. 1t
proved TO be the most gigantic and
bloody struggle in the annals of hui
man strife; the result OF the conflict
toe, being the most momentus per-
haps in its relations to the interests
of the human race of any since the
world began
Lincoln was reelected President
in 1864 and on April Is was cruelty
murdered millions mourned his
death and the great loss to this coun-
try. We are glad, too, that Lincoln,
az well as Washington, belongs to us.
To-day we honor these great men.
II was much interested the other
day in reading an article on Lincoln
entitled, The Genius of Lincoln. A
comparison with Shakespeare as a
literary genius was brought out.
Many have failed to comprehend how
Shakespeare with his practically
small advantages OF education and
early training could have acquired
The afiluence and graces of language
and the knowledge OF literature and
social life apparent in his works.
And yet the apparent difficulty Of
explanation is decidedly greater in
Lincolns case.
"Shakespeare's parentage and ear
ly opportunities were far beyond
those Of Lincoln. Shakespeare's par
ents were well.to-do and his school
atta.nmeats were good. We have al
ready spoken of Lincoln's home and
school atta.nments, how nieagre they
were and yet some Of his literary
productions are unsurpassed. The
presidential message, the address at
the Cooper Institute. The Gettys-
burg address and the last Inaugural
address are some of the fines. of lit
erary productions. This same maya.
zine article tells us that. there are
eight modern examples OF supreme
genius in Europe and America and
that they fall naturally into three
classes. The first class consists Of
hose whose eminence was wholly or
chiefly in literature, namely, Dante,
Shakespeare, Goethe The second
class comprehents pre-eminent politi-
cal genius, the born leaders OF men.
and they were tire. Cromwell, Ma
poleon. Washington. The third class
combining these elements and there
fore the highest type comprise but
two examples, Luther and Lincoln.
Luther who shaped the modern Ger
nan language and the Reformed Re
ligicn. and Lincoln whose eloquence
stirred the people OF vast country
to IN enthusiasm of self-sacrihce and
whose craftsmanship set free four mil
lions of slaves. And now comparing
Lincoln with his only rival We find
hat Luther had at the outset the adj
yantagee Of well-ordered home and
4 complete scholastic education, but
he failed to equal the great American
In one faculty for a leader Of men
that Of iudlcious selfrestraint in
speech and action. And so on the
whole America can Justly claim the
honor of having produced in Abraham
Lincoln the grandest example Of com
bincd literary and political genius
that the world has known since The
Chris ian era
Lincoln was one OF those great
wen sent by God into the world at a
special time and prepared for a spec
ial work. Lincoln was as much
called Of God and prepared by God Il
lead the negro race out OF bondage as
was Noses called and prepared of
God 10 lead the Israelites out of bond
age in Egvpt. as much chosen OF God
to unity these United States into one
great completed whole as was Abra-
ham OF cid called to so ont in search
of Canaan for the establishment Of
Gods chosen people