New Britain herald., 1926-02-08

military discipline. Vet whom he
 sought to pardon,
 You are asking me 10 pardon
 some poor fellow" exclaimed th, president. Give mo that pcn. And ', in less tune than il can be told the pardon was ordered without further
 investigation.
 "Tho hru'olitirs and all the in- finite anguish of the War came homo
 10 Mr, Lincoln as 10 no one clso in
 inc country! He felt deeply his own personal share in it alL On
 'ho l7th ot November l}G3, the
 very day he spoke so frrllngly at . Gettysburg, he met on tho train Il i father bound for tho Held to lay Il wreath upon tho grave of his only
 son, To him, Mr. Litcou said in l parting; You have been called upon 1 lO mako terrible sacrifice for the
 Union, and a visit 10 inc spo' fear. l Will open your wounds afrcsh. Bu, ! Oh' my dear sir, if We had reached l the end Of sacrifices and had noth- ing lcft for us 10 do but to place sarlands on thc graves of those who
 hay" already fallen, we would give thanks even amidst our tears, Rut when think of the sacrifices of life yy' 'o ho offered, and the hearts anI bones vet 10 lo made dcsolutr hr- for" 'alS drc1dfGI war; so wickc,lly forced upon us, is over my hear, Is like lead within mc and l feel lik" midlng in deep darkness
 "Whon retaliation was proposed Q liunoln after colorcd soldiers :ro'n tho Union side had hccn takon prisoners, and murdered without Tlal h" hatly refused, though with '"ors in his eyes:
 How can l kill men in cold blood for what others have donco Only think what would follow. ] do not know where such q measure would stop
 "I' Scoms hardly possible for any human being 10 have hccn more thoroughly friendly, tender, kindly and free from haired, revenge Jealousy or ill-Wishing 'han this man. To many q woman and child. 70 great and smoll, he was the same SWrct-minlcd and bencfcirntly dis posed friend. Doubtless Inc wished as well 10 the right and great as 10 the poor and helpless. But very naturally he found better opportuni- ties 10 hclp the latter, and moro of them have been put on record.
 "LinColn stands before the Amcri- can people as one of tho humblcst of men. Even the post of his body suggested q certain slooping humility, Many powerful men of our lime confuse strength with az grcssiVe thrustfulncss. But what vas the source of that humility so characteristic of Lincoln? He walk cd humbly with God His lowli- ness Of mind and spirit was only th, outgroWth of deeper reverence for his Master. Walt Whitman declar- cd thnt Mr. Lincoln's religious na- ture was certainly of the simplest and most deeply rooted kind. Bui the great man had no natural tend oncv for 'he forms and ceremonies Of religion. For theological discus sion he had little time or liking. He cd in the substance and actual fact of things. But he believed in God. II" believed in duty. He believed in immortality He believed in pray err He considered himself a Chris ! ian. And, 10 inc best of his ability, maintained the principles of inc faith. He had q solemn covenant registered in heaven, and in thc light of that promise he walked day by day. When he issucd his Eman- Cipation Proclamation he told his cabinet in words that silencod all 1. opposition: T have promised my God that would do this thing
 "Aft"r all, what Lincoln did and . what he said was the natural out- | come of what he was, And in the very larEness of his religion, there ! is lesson needed ty Americans to- ! day Of every denomination and va | ri"ty Of religions faith How petty arc some of tn" questions that trou- hl" us in this generation, How fool ! ish are. these matters of dogma and . organization, when got beside thc | great sens" of God, of duty Of spiritual Euidanco of trust revealed in the spirit of this man,'