The Holly chieftain., 1924-02-07

And all through the storm the people had conf
dence In him. They overwhelmingly reelected
him.
AT last the end came. The roar of battle died
away. There peace once more. But he saw.
only in part the frultion of his great purpose He
died In the moment of triumph with douDter and
detractor silenced and the cheers of rejoicing in
his ears. The nation wept In inconsoable grief.
But 1t did not then realize nll that 1t had lost Now
the Judgment of history is making plain the mag
ntude of that loss
Now he belongs to the agesW The first great
conqueror of all history with the open hand and
not the mailed fist civilian, born of the COM
mon people and rightfully claimed us their very
own. The tenderest soul which ever saved n nation
by the sword. patriot who gave no thought to
self. But world-conqueror. for though dead he
yet commands the admiration. the respect and the
love of all mankind,
The Christian gentleman and patriotic American
whom death called last year will speak
to us of his iustrous predecessor On the last
anniversary he spoke at Lincoln memorial din
ner in Washington in behalf Of Lincoln Memorial
university at Cumberland Gap, Tenn. And he
showed his own quality by his appreciation Of
LIncoln's qualities Here are words (which should
be long remembered:
mo human story surpasses the fascination and
the Inspiration of that Of Abraham Lincoln. The
Republic pays tribute tonight and most of the
world Is doing him reverence because In his un-
shaken faith the world finds Its own hopes nightly
STRENGTHENED. Our words are all feeble because
we are dealing with the master martyr. the SUI
preme leader in national crisis, the surprising
believer in fulfilled destiny, and colossal figure
among the hero-statesmen of all the ages.
"One cannot but have observed how greatly the
thoughts of people have turned to this Of
vsion the great emancipation, who spoke with the
voice of the common people for truth and for free
dom One cannot have failed to note that the
fortunes of mankind have confronted tribuation
and distress the minds Of men have turned to this
son of the yearning. eager. earnest, simple people.
and have sought in the story of his life for guild
ance in the hour of humanity's trial. To me this
has been portent of hope, justification of faith,
reason for confidence that men will not only
guide the bark of civilization through the storms
which beset it. but will at last bring 1t into the
port of better and happier day.
ut does not hard to understand why In
times like these In which live there should be
such renascence of sentiment for Lincoln of re-
newed interest In the great lessons of his life For
men have come to think of him they have not
thought Of others among the merely human char
acters of history Lincoln has appealed to them
ms cne who manfestly was brought forth with
the destiny or consecrated by an infinite hand to
render particular service to save nation to
emancipate people, to preserve In the world the
fruits of the American experiment in and for de-
mocracy.
"Surelv 1t is not strange that the eyes and the
interest of world should turn to him now, when
all mankind feels the need for such leadership
and service and direction he gave world.
n civilization an epoch-all these are facing the
bitter need for the moral purpose the noble aspra-
tions the high courage that he interpreted to our
America in the days of its crisis. More, humanity
Itself needs to drink of the cup of unfans conf
dence which enabled him to stand erect and un-
shaken amid discouragements and criticism which