The Nevada County picayune., 1922-02-16
LINCOLN'S RELIGIOUS BELIEF
By Dr. John C. Williams

Abraham Lincoln had but little re- ligious training and was left to make his own decisions as to his faith as well as in all other things. But he was of n devout nature and was a seeker after the truth. and was con stant student of the bible and other religious books. He committed many parts of the bible to memory and could quote readily from all parts of it.
 Tn his young manhood he was affect cd by the liberal views taught by Theodore Parker and Ralph Waldo Emmerson, both of Boston, and at times verged upon infdelity but did not ever go completely into state of unbelief. The first great shadow that came across his path was the death of his hetrothed. Anne Rutledge. and he
 ty and found that the liberal religious views gave him but little solace. and he was comfortlesS for long season and had period of great spiritual darkness. He afterwards married Miss Todd and attended the Episcopal church in Springfield with her. In 1850 for second time there was dark shadow across his path and he and his wife were called upon to give up their little baby boy, Edward Baker Lincoln, and they sent for the rector of the Episcopal church. pr. chaS. Dresser. who had also performed the marriage ceremony for them. and wished that he should conduct the fun eral services for their infant son. However. Dr Dresser was out of the city and could not be found and so they called in the pastor of the First Presbyterian church Dr James Smith. and Inc preached very conSoling and comforting sermon that greatly suS taincd them and specially helped Mir Lincoln and saved him from the great anguish he experienced in the death of Anne Rutledge.
 From this time on there came new era in Lincolnt fife and he passed from tle liberal to thp orthodox way of thinking. Dr. Smith was not only Il minister of great sympathy for the sorrowing but was also noted scholar and writer. and had had debate down
 n Mississippi with noted iutidel and in the end the minister, aS is usual in such cases gained q complete victory over the infidel. and there was q re quent fG the publication of his part Of the debate in book form. Dr. Smith then prepared his speeches for the printer and these were published in q volume of about GOO pages. and bore the title The Christians Defense Lincoln procured a copy of this book immediately following the funeral of his little son and carefully read and studied the book II made q great inn prcSSion upon his legal mind and wa the very thing he was longing for and declared that the reading of the book had produced q marked change in his own thinking
 AIr Lincoln then took pew in the First Presbyterian church of Spring field and became regular attendant there till he left for Washington in 1S61 His wife had her membership from the Episcopal church and united with Dr. smiths church. and all of the Lincoln children born after ls51 were baptized by Dr. Smith. and while Lincoln never did join the church. vet he would stand with his wife in the haptsmal services for these children.
 II was then, the preaching of Bf James smith and the reading of his | book that caused this change in the re ligiouS belief of Lincoln and much of , his after remarkable life can he traced : to the influence eXerted by this minis | ter For Lincoln. according t0 Mir. ! Barton, the historian, was so impressed ! with the plan adopted in the debate of | Dr Smith with the iniidel. that he 1