Evening star., 1939-02-12

the lamented President belonged to
no particular denomination. yet
he was frequent attendant of this
church, and had special pew.
Funeral Services.
The pastor of this church, at that
time, was the Rev. Phineas D. Cur
ley, D. D., and he was present at
the bedside of the stricken President
when he breathed his last, and Of
fered up prayer. On April l9,
1865, funeral services we're held in
the east room of the White House,
where the Rev. DR.. Hall OF the
Episcopal Church, Bishop Simpson
of the Methodist Church and DR..
Gray of the Baptist Church were
present and assisted. The Rev. Dr..
Gurley delivered the discourse.
A daughter of DR.. Gurley is still
residing in this city. She is the
widow of Dr. j. o. Adams. She Is
native of this city and was born
in the house at 1919 I street NV,
which was in Lincoln's day the
manse of the New York Avenue
Presbyterian Church. This house
was afterward occupied by DR.. and
Mrs. Swan M. Burnett. and here
Mrs. Burnett wrote Little Lord
Fauntleroy.'
The evening of the assassination
of the President. according to Mrs.
Adams recollections, her father was
rocking her to sleep when a man
entered and announced that Mrs.
Lincoln wanted DR.. Gurley to come
at once.
Found Father Abrupt.
Never had her father been so
abrupt with her. He tossed her
aside-took up his beaver hat and
dashed out-afterward she learned
what had happened-how the police
had opened the way as the White
House carriage took DR.. Gurley TO
the Olyroyd house where he prayed
at Lincoln's deathbed.
Mrs. Adams is said to have been
the first child baptized in the New
York Avenue Presbyterian Church,
she being just nine months older
than that edifce. Mrs. Adams has
two daughters. Miss Constance
Eastman Adams of the Story Telling
League and Mrs. E. R. Millar, and a
grandson, Tom Millar.
1t is very nice to read about the
great and good men and women OF
this country of ours, but if we do
not learn something by so doing.
do not follow their precepts. and
| fail to absorb some of their whole
some teachings, then we are prob
ably losing time in so doing. How
ever, it does seem almost impossible
for any one to read an accurate and
unbiased life of Lincoln without
being benefited to some degree at
least.
Lincoln wrote many things and
is recorded as having said many
things we'll worth adopting and fol-
lowing in our own lives. OF these,
space will not permit of an extended
review, but the writer does feel that
the repeating of a few of his we'll
known sayings will be a good way
to close this story.
He said: Let us not express nor
cherish any hard feelings toward any
citizen who by his vote has differed
with us. Let us at all times remem-
ber that all American citizens are
brothers of a common country, and
should dwell together in the bonds
of fraternal feeling"
II have made some marks which
will tell for the cause of civil liberty
long after I am gone"
A mild reprimand given young
officer is still good advice: Beware
of entrance to quarrel, but being
in, bear it that the opposed may be
beware of thee!' is good. but not the
best. Quarrel not at all. No man
resolved to make the most of him.
self can spare time for personal
contention. Still less can he afford
to take all the consequences, in
cluding the vitiating of his temper
and the loss of self-control. YIELD
larger things to which you can show
no more than equal right, and yielc