The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1923-07-12

uttered ON this CONTINENT
Lincoln was always a master O.
men. This he did not accomplish By
surrounding himself with mediocre
men. On the contrary, he called Il
his side the greatest men in the ma
ton. Nothing more adequately proves
a mans superiority than an open con,
test with great minds. Lincoln 3
superiority over other men was sub.
jected to the acid test when he match
ed wits with such men as Seward and
Stanton. AT the beginning of his adj
ADMINISTRATION he was burdened by the
patronizing attitude of Seward. I'M
mediately after the Inauguration.
Seward wrote q letter to Lincoln, of
fering to come to the rescue as presi-
Dental successor in case the president
should find himself incompetent to
fill his great office. But Lincoln
knew his own strength, and the mem
bers of his cabinet soon acknowledged
his superiority. AtAthe time that Sew
ard wrote his letter, crisis developed
in foreign affairs. Lincoln called a
meeting of the cabinet and asked Sew.
ard to prepare paper for discussion
Seward took counsel with the leading
authorities on international law. AT.
ter he had read his paper and the
cabinet had discussed it, the presi-
dent showed up its weakness in q few
remarks, and then pointed out its
peiils Then he presented a paper
containing draft of the message that
he thought should be sent. His logic
was so clear and convincing, and so
overwhelmingly superior to that Of
Seward, that every member of the
cabinet, including Seward himself, |
realized that Lincoln lowered above
that of his advisers. Men outside of
Washington also soon became con
seious of Lincoln intellectual recah.
There were great men in the nation
who differed with Lincoln in his war
policy, including Beecher, Greeley,
and Wendell Phillips Lincoln pub
llshed a letter answering their MAIN
objections. This was so cleverly done
that he had no further trouble with
these men after 1862. /
Though taught from his youth to I
head the Bible and other religious
books, Lincoln 8 faith was somewhat
shaken during his early manhood, It
when a copy of Paine 3 Age of Rea-
son fell into his hands. But we should o
remember that Paul was skeptic in
MIS- youth, as were also Augustine and
Bunyan. Let it suffice to know that.
n later life, no man gave fuller ex-
preston to his belief in God and in
Jesus Christ as the Way, the Truth,
md the Life. This truth was fully
evealed when Lincoln left his home a
n Springfield to occupy the White W
Iouse. Addressing his old neighbors h
few words of farewell, he said 2
Without the assistance of that De. @
inc Being who ever attended Wash.
lgton, I cannot succeed; with that as.
istance ] cannot fall t,
When the burdens of the war bore L,
cavity down upon him, he said: eff
were not for my firm belief in an
overwhelming Providence, it would be o
fficult for me, in the midst of this ..
ar, to keep my reason. r
After his visit to Gettysburg, when r
wounded general lay dying in the
'spital, President Lincoln visited
M. The general said:
"Mr President, were yon not
armed during the Gettysburg
ys9''
Mr. Lincoln quickly replied: "No,
neral, / was not. -
But why were you not alarmed n,
> Now, general, that you ask me, /
u tell you. went into my room,
locked the door, fell upon my
ees and said: 'Oh, Lord God, I
ve done absolutely everything. Now
! must help And I was told that
would give us Gettysburg, and L
ieved him..
IN one of the last days of his life
drove across the Potomac to Ar
yton. Stanton's two daughters
e with him. Gen. Tannett recog-
cd the president. His face was
wn and haggard from anxiety and
row. Mr.. Lincoln inquired if the
d would play LEAD, Kindly
hit. Gen. Tannett says that the
sident stood with his hat in his
It hand and with his left hand on
wheel of his carriage. Suddenly
president began to recite the :
DIS Of that great hymn, quite OBJ
BUS of his surroundings: "Lead,
dly Light, !. amid TIL encircling
m; lead Thou me on. Keep Thou
feet, do not ask to see the dis