The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1924-02-22
First Prize Essay
LINCOLN, The MAN
H.L uI

Hannah Hoppock
A little boy stood gazing at a
picture on the wall of the living
room. He was an average little
boy, with the freckles and turned-up
nose that are the hallmarks of
youthful Americans, but the imps
of mischief were quiet in his i'm
pudent blue eyes, He was seeing
the picture for the first time. Fin
ally he turned to his father.
who's this man, daddy"
His father as it happened didn't
say, go ask Mother" He said,
That's Abraham Lincoln. He was
man, son!s
This average mans answer to his
son is the substance of it all. He
didn't say, "He was a Republican.
Nor did he say, "He was the six
teenth President of the United
States He said, "He was a man,
sonl" And now that the storm that
descended upon his generation is
stilled; now that contemporary criti-
cism is silent, it is this only that
concerns Americans: Abraham Lin
coin was man: man with a
soul so great, with a heart so tender,
with understanding so near to being
divine, that we who live fifty years
from the time of his death, feel for
him love and reverence surprising
any ever felt for popular hero.
Looking back to his early life we
see the awakening genius, and the
| flaming vision of Lincoln. 1t isn't
necessary to speak of his struggle
for an education to show that he
was ambitious. The very fact of his
obscure beginning and his work-filled
days makes of him more magnifi-
cent figure. He was a king, bare
foot and crownless but with his king
| ly nature looking out of his eyes.
| Coming to us as he does, from the
woods and hills, he is more truly
ours than if he had lived in more
artificial atmosphere He was big
enough to reach the heights without
a helping hand. He was man.
Lincoln was a humorist. The
world has laughed at his quaint
humor. He was infinitely human
and kindly. The world has marvelec
at the tender simplicity of his let
cr to the bereaved Mrs. Bixby, has
loved his merciful attitude toward
gularly was lacking in personal van
ity and self interest. Had he been
lofty and faultless, and cold, he
would have forced us to admire his
ability and his great intellect, but he
won our love, for he was intensely
human He spoke our language. He
was not god, he was only man
since the blessed time of Christ's
'ok arm upoa earth, no historic figure
seems more essentially Christ-like
than that of Lincoln. He was hon
est to degree, both in his dealings
with others and with himself. His
life was clean and wholesome. He
lived as simply and frugally when
ne was president as when he was a
railsplitter. His exalted position did
not make him arrogant or tyrannical
He was brother to his fellowman
serving disinterestedly and humbly
1t is not irreverent to compare the
lowly Fisherman of Galillee with the
backwoodsman of Illinois. And even
as Christ became the splendid leader
of a crusade against the slavery of
SIM so did Abraham Lincoln become
the splendid leader of a crusade
against human slavery. Christ was
the Man, Lincoln Man who fol
lowed in his footsteps. He could
walk with crowds and keep his vir-
tue; he could talk with kings, MOI
lose the common touch. He was q
man.
In. comon with all genuises, Lin
coin was lonely man 1t was moi
that he felt superior to his neighboi
lit was simply that he was super.
Tor. He was too big to be bound by
social conventions, he was too big
for the comprehension of the aver
age He was a man alone, because
his contemporaries were not his
equals. They could love him anC
respect him, but they could no. m II
him upon his own level. He was &
martyr, born to be crucified that