Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1921-02-11
LINCOLN'S RELIGION.

~ bOok just puhllSnCd, KEY. Jpnn
Wesley Hill, author, "a gentleman moi
entirely unknown 10 Tazcwrll pco-
pie discusses chiefly, l.incolns re
ligious status. The sole object of the
author seems to have been to prove
that President Lincoln was not only
Christian but Il very dcvout one
That Lincoln was a skcptic in his
carly life, is clearly shown and ac-
counted for. In his more mature
years he became firm believer in
God, and spent much of his time in
prayer and looked to God for guild
ancc he said. and for help in all his
perplcXitics and responsibilities. Like
many, if not all, great men, he be-
lievcd in one ovcr-ruling Providence.
His adherence and obedience to the
ten commandments, was marked
throughout his mature years. In this
regard, he is an example worthy to
he held up before the young men Of
all times as an example worthy OF
imitation. However. candor compcls
the statement. that, so far as history
and biography records, Abraham
Lincoln never made public profcs
sion of his faith in Jesus Christ.
never joined church.
Mr.. Hills laborcd efforts To make
Lincoln model Christian will fail of
conviction SO far as careful ami
unprecedented review of his book
shows, to the writer. That the mature
Lincoln abandoned the iniidcl views
of his earlier years has been clearly
shown by numerous biographcrs and
that in his after life he was Il de-
vout believer in God, and sought Ills
help in many pcrplcXing situations
and times OF weighty responsible
ties, is already shown and well
known. But, if Lincoln ever bowed n,
the feet of Jesus, or acknowledged
him privately, as it appears he ncv
er did publicly, convincing proof is
wanting.
There are those-iar too many
these days and times, who believe
that all that is necessary to saliva
ton is to obey as far rs possible
the ten commandments and follow
the Golden Rule If the Bible be true
neither observance Of the ten com
mandmnts, the Golden Rule. nor even
obedience to the sermon on the
Mount, not only cannot save II sin
ner but obedience and adherence to
all these are not even essential t.
salvation. Jesus alone can save. To-
there is none other name given I'M
der heaven whereby we must be
saved There is no attempt on de-
sire here to give lecture al all. hut
in our time when there is not only
"a wave" of crime hut of iniidelity
stealing silently over the land Meth
er Abraham Lincoln nor amy other
man Cor woman) however great az
widely worshppcd ~. q hero, should
be paradcd before the world -, .,i
example and model for young men
and young women. who DOES not
humbly and sincerely bow ai ttc
feet Of Jesus Christ. 10 believe IN
God, rs the Pharisees did. - Mood :
mus did, and the young, devout Jcw
who had kept all the commandments
from his youth up. and even Paul
himself, is not sufficient. "Yc he
lieve in God, believe also in ne"
We do not believe that this latest
book will clear away the doubts
which its very publication admits to
have existed and to exist nov. /.
should not be necessary to write Il
book of 400 pages or four dozen pag-
cs to prove man Christian. Who
would think of writing book to
prove that General Lee, or Stoncwall
Jackson or VIM. Mckinley or other
great and well known public men
were Christians?
The book, Lincoln the Man OF
Cod is well gotten up. Much of it,
even its palmer statements Of fact
is clothed in forid rhetoric and soph-
omoric defamation in which MI
Hill cXccls. The book is pleasant
easy reading and will repay pcrusn!
The writer thanks Congressman
Slcmp for the copy sent him