Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-02-12
Abraham LincOLn'S Faith
BY the Rev. H. c. Holloway, D. D.

q ONE years ago, in a public ad-
~ dress, Colonel Robert G.. Inger-
soil said Abraham Lincoln's
religion was the religion of Voltaire
and Tom Paine. General Charles H.
Coils was present on the occasion,
and it led to an interesting cores
pondence between these two distin-
guished men. General Coils, in a
letter to the famous Ingersoll,
among other things, said:
Dear Colonel Ingersoll:-
l have just returned home from
listening to your most entertaining
lecture upon the life of Abraham
Lincoln. l thank you sincerely for
all that was good in it, and that en-
titles me to be frank in condemning
what | consider was bad. You said
that Ltncoln's religion was the reli-
gion of Voltaire and of Tom Paine.
l know not where you get your au-
thority for this, but if the statement
be true Lincoln himself was untrue,
for no man invoked the gracious
favor of Almighty God in every
effort of his life with more apparent
ferVor than did he, and this God was
not the Deist's God but the God
whom he worshiped under the
forms of the Christian Church.
do not write this in defense of his
religion or as objecting to yours,
but think 1t were better for the
truth of history that you should
blame him for what he was than
commend him for what he was not. "
To this Ingersoll replied, saying,
that "Voltaire was not only a be-
lever in God but even in Special
1VHN ENnNR I'm
was also believer in God, and
wrote his creed as follows: Il be-
lieve in one God and no more, and
hope for Immortality This Cen
eral Coils answered.: "Voltaire
called himself a Master Deist' You
have publicly made the broad state
ment that Mr.. Lincoln's religion was
that of Voltaire and Thomas Paine
this you do not deny. ] say that Mr.
Lincoln is not a Deist." There is
abundant evidence of this.
When we find that Mr.. Lincoln
professed Christianity, worshiped
at Christian Church, admitted his
belief in the Divinity of Christ, and
boldly asserted the doctrine of the
inspiration of the Scriptures, we are
compelled to deny that his religion
was the religion of Voltaire and Tom
tended a Christian Church in Wash
ington is a historical fact. Though
not a member as we technically un-
derstand it, he was a constant at
tendant of DR.. Gurley's Presbyterian
Church. He also frequently attended
DIR. Sutherland's Church. DIR. Cur
ley was his pastor and was present
at his deathbed.
A Christian at Heart.
That he was Christian at heart
| as well as in form, and believed in
the efficacy of the prayers and sup.
| port of Christian denominations-let
q few extracts from his addresses
verify: Leaving his home at Spring.
| field with a full-a sorrowful appre.
citation of the awful responsibility
| devolving upon him, surrounded by
q Christian community with whom
he had lived a quarter of a century
he thus addressed them: "I now
leave, not knowing when or whether
! ever / may return, with a task be.
fore me greater than that which
rested upon Washington. Without
the assistance of that Divine Beinl
| who ever attended him, l cannot
succeed. With that assistance can.
not fail. Trusting in Him, who car
| go with me and remain with you ant
| be everywhere for good, let us con-
| fidently hope that all will yet be
| we'll. To His care commencing you
as 1 hope in your prayers you will
commend me, I bid you an affection
ate farewell"
To committees of the different
churches that came to the White