The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1915-02-11
ABRAHAM LINCOLN,
THE CHRISTIAN
Address Given at the Congregational
Church on February z, by Rev. Sid
ney X. Perkins.
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PubliAhed hy heQutst
Acts. XII-22. Il have found Davic
the son Of Jesse, a man after mine owl
heart, which shall fulfill all my will.
Next Friday, Feb. II, is the ami
versary of the birth Of Abraham Lin
coin and as the years pass it is not
uniting to frequently make mention
Of man whose great service TO his
country, and in sense to all mankind
was rendered within the memory OF
many still living. As the years pass
the name of Lincoln is more and more
revered--and justly so--as his unique
service is more and more clearly dis
cerned in the setting of the great
events with which he had so much to
do. And if it could be said that David
the son of Jesse with all his frailties
was "a man after Gods own heart
il may be no less justly claimed that
the man who carried the burdens of
his country so bravely,--and discharg-
ed his duties so conscientiously and
wisely, was also man after Gods
own heart--seeking to fulfill the will
of God, as he understood it. His de-
sire to do Gods will was SO often ex-
pressed by the great President him.
self during the trying days OF the
Civil War that the language of the
text becomes singularly appropriate.
My theme this morning is abraham
Lincoln, the Christian" This is the
title of book lately published, whose
author, in telling why he undertook the
work, truly says that Lincoln, the
Lawyer" Lincoln the Citizen" Lin
coin, the Story-Teller," 'Lincoln, the
Statesman" Lincoln, the Friend Of
Man." and other phases Of this re-
markable character, have received
special treatment at the hands of vari-
Gus writers,-and while some attention
has been given to the religious side of
Iincolns character it has been com
paratively meager, and has not been
given the prominence that it de-
serves"
And because of the fact that in
some quarters there has been a dis
position to regard Lincoln as an ag-
nostic, if not an atheist, there was the
more need that such work as Mr..
johnson hrs attempted should be done
by somebody. The author has gath
cred his testimony from wide field
some of his material is already ia
miliar to many people who are ac-
ouainted with Lincoln literature-but
nowhere else can be found SO many
positive evidences of Mr.. Lincoln's
Christian faith. 1t is not my purpose
to give book review in place of a
sermon, but to make free use of the
materials which enable me to see how
the martyred President grew in faith
and religious conviction as the years
went by, until during the frey period
of trial between 81 and '65 it seemed
truly that he walked with Cod
until day came when che was not
for God took him to himself"
The boys and girls have learned that
one Of the very few books Of Lincoln's
boyhood was the Bible, and few young
people have been so familiar with the
Bible as Abraham Lincoln was IN his
youth. Many others have been made
far more familiar in the home and IN
the Sunday school with helps which
tell about the Bible, but few have had
the Bible itself so clearly impressed on
their minds and hearts. 1t was this
intimate knowledge Of the text of the
King James version which probably
had a great influence upon the won
derful English style Of Abraham Lin
coin, as shown in his Gettysburg adj
dress. The Bible meant the more to
the pioneer boy because he had a
Christian mother TO influence his earli-
est years, and when that mother was
taken away when Abraham was about
nine years old, it was fortunate for
the lad that another Christian woman
of equally strong, or stronger char
acter fulfilled a mothers mission In
his life. So that in Gods providence
Abraham Lincoln was not deprived of
religious influences Of the best kind
those to be received in the home.
Churches had not been established IN
the wild region where his lot was cast
for many years, and services by itin-
Grant preachers were rare occur
much so--that when hrs
mother died there was no minister
within call TO conduct service-so
great a grief TO the boy that he wrote
10 q travelling minister whom he had
known in Kentucky asking him 70
come and preach a funeral sermon"
in memory Of his mother So, months
after her death, company Of settlers
from many miles around gathered in
the woods 10 hear funeral sermon at