Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-09


the so-called pastoral prayer was offered 10
stand up. As the Sainted DIR. PhneaS d.
Gurley, minister of the church at that time,
prayed Lincoln felt that he came in the very
presence of God and therefore felt moved to
stand. It must have been an impressive sight
land there are some today who still remember
it, to see the President of the United States
and Senator Bradley, who also maintained that
custom, stand in reverence and with bowed
heads while the minister sought the divine
guidance upon the Nation in those darkest of
days, which We pray by the providence of God
may never return.
When the days of the Civil War were upon
us and hospital accommodations failed to care
for the wounded soldiers, word went out from
the Army headquarters IN Washington that all
the churches in Washington were to be turned
over to the Army for hospital purposes. The
following Sunday morning DR.. Gurley made
the announcement from the pulpit that that
church would be closed indefinitely for that
reason. Lincoln was in attendance upon the
church at the time and appeared greatly sur
prlSed. AS soon as the minister had finished
the announcement he arose in the pew saying
This church shall not be closed. We need it
too much shall countermand the order"
And yet now and then some one will say and
write that Lincoln had no use for and was
little concerned with the church
We have room on the first floor of the
church Of which are very proud because it
was to this room that Lincoln came to attend
the midweek prayer service. 1t is a small room
adjoining the main lecture room where the
services were held. But. lest some one make
use OF them for political purposes, Lincoln sat
in the small adjoining room with the door
partially ajar so that he could hear these peo-
pie pray to God and commit the issues of the
war to the Almighty. It was not until the
close OF his life that this fact became known
at all. Only the minister of the church and
the secret service men were acquainted with
that fact but one day when two Young men
desired to know who these strangers were Ieav-
ing the little room at the close of the PRAYER
meeting they traced Lincoln by the large foot
prints made in the fresh-fallen snow to the
White House When these same young men
told DR.. Gurley that they had made the dis
coVery he asked them upon the pledge of honor
not to make it known and they kept their word
One OF these two young men later became an
elder in this church What a message and a
heritage that, to all the people OF the IandI
The room where Lincoln prayed! II he had
need of it who shall dare refuse its practice?
IN the Spring of 1928, when this church was
celebrating the 125th anniversary of its un-
broken ministry in this city, the family of
Robert Todd Lincoln presented to this church
memorial gift in memory of Abraham Lincoln
The memorial gift is the Lincoln Memorial
Tower with chimes. The tower is of the Sir
Christopher Wren design, while the chimes
were made by a firm which traces back its
enterprise to the family of Nancy Hanks. the
mother of Abraham Lincoln, whose people were
among the first makers of bells in the United.
States. There is romance playing around
that simple fact Each night the spire of the
tower is illuminated and from far and wide
men can see this glorious pinnacle of light
shining in the darkness above the canyonlike
tops OF the city's skyline, shining as light in
darkness. truly symbolic of the spirit of Lin
coin, whose life led the Nation out of the dark
ness into the light
There is a very interesting aside which in
wolves the two sons of Lincoln in a memorable
incident in the life of this church. Lincoln
made the discovery that his two boys were not
coming to the Sunday school very regularly
and it annoyed him. He asked them where
they did attend Sunday school and they made
the reply that they preferred to attend the
Sunday school of the Fourth Church of this
city They said to the President it was more
fun to go there. When the President asked
MS boys what they meant by that statement
they replied: 1T Is much more fun to attend
church there. because we like to hear the pew
doors slam when the minister prays for the
President OF the United States and many OF
the congregation with Southern convictions
leave the church in anger"
When Lincoln died, the minister OF this
church, DR.. Gurley, was with him. kneeling In
prayer. Would that we might have that prayer
preserved for us
How strange his life! No one ever went
from cradle so humble to a grave SO illus
trious. The Almighty takes pleasure In using
the lowlieSt for the highest. The least promis-
ing are given names above all other names
Those who have accomplished most for man
kind have been born in humbleSt homes 1t was
so with Lincoln. It was so with Moses-and
Jesus. It will be so through the ages
You cannot explain Lincoln He is beyond
defining. He was not the product of his age.
his home. his inheritance or his environment