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particular interest until the Judge reached the description of the charge across the bridge and the wound received. 'Do you say,' he interrupted, 'that the young man was wounded?' 'Yes,' replied the Congressman, 'badly.' 'Then he had shed his blood for his country,' responded Mr. Lincoln, musingly. 'Kellogg,' he continued, brightening up, 'isn't there something in the Scripture about the shedding of blood being the remission of sins?' 'Guess you are about right there,' replied the Judge. It is a good point, and there is no going behind it,' rejoined the President; and taking up his pen, another ‘pardon' -this time without 'oath,' condition, or reserve-was added to the records of the War Office."

Somehow there was a close bond of fellowship between Mr. Lincoln and Father Chiniquy, and in a prolonged interview with that devoted friend, Mr. Lincoln is reported to have given utterance to the following sentiments: "Why did God Almighty refuse to Moses the favor of crossing the Jordan, and entering the Promised Land? It was on account of the nation's sins! That law of divine retribution and justice, by which one must suffer for another, is surely a terrible mystery. But it is a fact which no man who has any intelligence and knowledge can deny. Moses, who knew that law, though he probably did not understand it better than we do, calmly says to his people, 'God was wroth with me for your sakes.'

"But though we do not understand that mysterious and terrible law, we find it written in letters of tears and blood wherever we go. We do not read a single page of history without finding undeniable traces of its existence.

"Where is the mother who has not shed real tears and suffered real tortures, for her children's sake?

"Who is the good king, the worthy emperor, the gifted chieftain, who has not suffered unspeakable mental agonies, or even death, for his people's sake?

"Is not our Christian religion the highest expression of 9 Six Months in the White House, pp. 318-319.

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the wisdom, mercy and love of God? But what is Christianity if not the very incarnation of that eternal law of divine justice in our humanity?

"When I look on Moses, alone silently dying on the Mount of Pisgah, I see that law in one of its most sublime human manifestations, and I am filled with admiration and awe.

"But when I consider that law of justice, and expiation in the death of the Just, the divine Son of Mary, on the Mount of Calvary, I remain mute in my adoration. The spectacle of the Crucified One which is before my eyes is more than sublime, it is divine! Moses died for his people's sake, but Christ died for the whole world's sake! Both died to fulfill the same eternal law of the divine justice, though in a different measure.'

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Lincoln believed in the doctrine of

THE HOLY SPIRIT

The most remarkable feature of Mr. Lincoln's religious life was his faith in, and constant reliance upon, the Holy Spirit. The third person of the Holy Trinity he always and properly regarded as the executive of the Godhead. He seems to have kept constantly in mind the truth so clearly taught by the Scriptures and by the symbols of the Church that "whatever God does He does by the Spirit." All his literary works, whether carefully or hurriedly written, as well as his spoken words, abound in direct or indirect references to the Holy Spirit. They are also dominated by a sense of the Spirit's presence and leading. Nothing of value concerning religious matters would be left in his literary productions if those portions relating to the Holy Spirit were removed. His references to God, the Father Almighty, and to Jesus Christ, would be utterly without significance apart from his declared or understood faith in the Holy Spirit. It is so certain as to be universally admitted, that Abraham Lincoln lived and wrought 10 Fifty Years in the Church of Rome, pp. 706-711.

in constant dependence upon God. And equally certain is it that all that he hoped to realize from the favor of God, whether in the gift of needed wisdom or guidance for which he prayed so devoutly, in strength and ability to bear his burdens and perform his tasks, or in divine guidance in counsel and judgment, help in battle upon sea and land, and in all upon which he asked or desired the favor of God, his expectation was in all cases that the desired favors if granted would be ministered by the Holy Spirit.

Mr. Lincoln's expectations of divine help, through the Holy Spirit, were thoroughly scriptural and were sustained by his familiarity with the declarations of the Bible. He always sustained a scriptural attitude when seeking the aid from heaven, making his appeal for divine help in a spirit of humility and with a sense of utter helplessness.

The spirit which was dominant in all his life found striking expression when, as he left his home city for his great and final work he expressed his sense of utter helplessness without divine aid. He had a most exalted opinion of the American people. He believed in their patriotism, their loyalty to the government, their wisdom and their unsurpassed courage; and while proposing to make the most of their strength and help, his hope of success rested wholly in the favor of God; and that divine favor he expected to receive through such ministrations of the Holy Spirit as the exigencies of his life made necessary.

"The stars in their courses fought against Sisera" (Judges 5:20), and Abraham Lincoln who was familiar with this declaration of Scripture knew that the Almighty was able to marshal the forces of the celestial world to aid His own people. "And the Lord thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines and discomfited them" (I Sam. 7:10), and Abraham Lincoln accepted this as a declaration of God's purpose to call into activity the elements of nature for the accomplishment of His high purposes. He believed in the power and purpose of God, by His Holy Spirit,

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