Evening star., 1934-02-11

On q table under this letter Is
framed copy Of the New York Herald,
dated April IS, 1865, which, in the re-
strained journalistic style of 10 years
ago, gives the story Of Lincoln's as
sassination at Ford's Theater.
OF all our Presidents Thomas Jef-
ferson and Lincoln are the only two
who were not church members. Lin
coin In his lifetime was censured for
this, as he was censured for many
other things. Enemies were quick to
advance 1t In proof that he was dis
believer and an atheist.
Even now" said DR.. Sizoo. "I still
receive letters which say that Lincoln
had no use for and was little con-
cerned with the church"
But all authentic biographies Of
Lincoln admit that he was man of
profound and intense religious feeling.
In her Life of Abraham Lincoln" !"
Ida Tarbell often speaks of his weekly
attendance at the First Presbyterian
Church in Springfield.
Lincoln all his life went regularly
to church." she says. Even If he was
not a man of strictly orthodox beliefs
he certainly was, If we accept his own
words, profoundly religious"
Pastor Was Confidant.
Lincoln'S pastor in the dark Cos
became not merely his friend. but his
conf1dant and his solace. Nights when
the President was tortured by insom-
nia-and they were many, indeed
he sometimes sent his servant for DR..
Gurley and the two men would walk
up and down the south portico of the
White House until dawn.
/ While the fighting was thick near
Washington many public buildings
we're turned into hospitals. One Sat-
urday night great piles of lumber were
dumped on the sidewalk in front of
this church From the pulpit DR..
Gurley announced that this would be
the last Sunday service. BY order of
the military authorities of Washing
/ ton the pews we're to be made into
cots. In the silence that followed this
announcement the long, lanky figure
of Lincoln arose from his pew and de-
clared
That order was issued without my
authority 1 rescind it. We need this
church to keep the stars shining in
our skies"
This story. like much of the Lincoln
lore of which the church is so proud,
vas handed down by Dr.. Gurley, whose
friendship with Lincoln no historian
questions.
Prayed at Bedside.
While Lincoln lay dying from the
assassin's bullet. DR.. Gurley knelt at
his bedside and prayed. Later, at the
request of Mrs. Lincoln. he accom-
panied the Presidents body to Spring
he wrote the words Of the hymn which
was sung at Lincoln's funeral-"Rest
Noble Martyr, Rest in Peace
This hymn will be sung today, as ii
is always sung at the Lincoln memo
rial service at his church.
The New York Avenue Presbyterian
Church has a long and continuous his
tory that we'll nigh parallels that OF
the Capital City.
Its beginnings we're very simple. II
was born in 1903. the year of the Lou
isiana Purchase. while Pennsylvania
avenue was an impossible bed Of red
clay, along which Thomas Jefferson
was supervising the planting Of four
rows of poplars.
That year handful Of Scotch car
penters and maSons was brought from
Philadelphia by the Government. With
them came the Rev. Mr.. Laurie, whose
wife was a cousin Of Sir Walter Scott
Their first meeting house was the
lobby Of the old Treasury Hall in the
Capitol where they prayed: "Oh, Lord
max us recht, for Ye ken we are unco
hard to turn"