The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1917-02-13

rrVm lhe Iarthest extremity OF the
United States westward to the Philip
pine Islands, from the Panama Canal
northward to the rim Of the Arctic Cir.
Gle today the nation pauses 70 pay lis
respects to Abraham Lincoln, upon the
occasion of the anniversary Of HIS
birth.
Born Of humble parentage in 1909,
Lincoln, unassuming, patient, kind and
peise@viAlg, rose 70 the highest distinc.
ton IN America. In Honolulu Amer.
iean flags are flying in honor of din.
coin g birthday as they are waving in
the metropolis of New York and in
the smallest out Of the way hamlet Of
the United States.
DR.. ]. H. Williams addressed the
congregation of the Central Union
Church Sunday. morning his topic be-
ing "Lincolp 3 Greatest Achievement. q
Following is the address in its en-.
tirety:i es3R II
One great name is before the Amer.
lean people today. Tomorrow is the
one hundred and eighth anniversary of
the birth of Abraham Lincoln. Ii is
fitting that we should consider. tod ~.
this great man, and draw some lessons
from his life. II has been said that
we are always ''attracted by the career
Of man who has passed from the
humblest station in early life to posi-
tions of honor and fame in mature
years With Lincoln this space was
the broadest possible in civilized life.
His childhood was spent in cabin,
upon a mud floor, and his youth and
early manhood were checkered by mort
than the usual share of vieissitudes
and disappointment. His means of
education bore no logical relation TO
the position he finally reached as q
thinker, writer, aud speaker A man
was once asked what he considered
the best reply to those who claimed
that Shakespeare did not write the
plays that bear his name--could nd,
have written them because of ahde-
heiency in the educational training of
his youth He answered, Abraham
Lincoln. BY the same process of READ
oning that is used to show that Shakes.
pcare did not write Hamlet il may be
proved that Lincoln did not compose
the speech which he delivered at Get.
tysburg." That speech ranks with the
ever
been made. There is nothing finer IN
Cicero, Demosthenes, Burke, or Web.
ster. And yet Lincoln Is training in
the schools and in elegant letters Fwaas
exceedingly meRgre. II Is the man
that accounts for 1.-THE man which
a, school or letters can neither make
nor unmake. ..s. 49, s X
All predictions and arguments based
upon Lincoln,s lowly origin and bring
ing up fall to the ground before the
actual facts. II was said by some,
when he was first President, that Ii
was disgrace TO n civilized nation
TO place in the President Is chair a man
of such coarse and unrefned instincts
Unrefnedl Do you remember the
letter which Mr., Lincoln wrote to b
lady in Boston who had given Ave
sons to the war for the Unionf Lei
me read it to you, to refresh YOU
minds, aud to show an example di
writing, the most chaste, refined and
{ e.legsPt .9f which our English tongue
Is capable:
Dear MADAM 81 have heen shown
in the files of the War Department, o
statement of the Adjptant General Of
Massachusetts, that you are the moth
er Of five sons who have died glorious,
ly on the field of battle. feel how
weak and fruitless must be any word
Of mine which should attempt to be
guile you from loss SO overwhelming
But / cannot refrain from rendering
to you the consolation that may he
found in the thanks of the Republic
they died to save. ] pray that our
Heavenly Father may assuage the an
guish Of your bereavement, and leave
you only the cherished memory of til,
loved and lost, and the solemn pride
that must be yours to have laid &
costly sacrifice upon the altar Of free
DOM,
There is nothing Of its kind simpler
tenderer, finer, in all literature. .
Y 4 =