e for liberty and God's
truth, and can you die for them?" And that boy bowed his assent.
Washington climbed hand over hand up the golden rounds of the ladder of
success; Lincoln built the ladder up which he climbed out of the fence
rails which his own hands had split. Like his Divine Master, he touched
two or three crusts and turned them into bread for the hungry
multitudes.

His little log cabin shames our palaces. His three books, the Bible, the
"Pilgrim's Progress" and "AEsop's Fables" eclipse our libraries. His six
months in a log schoolhouse were more than equal to our eight years in
lecture hall and university. His fidelity to the great convictions
shames our shifting politicians. For fifty years he walked forward under
clouded skies. Like Dante, he held heart-break at bay. During one brief
epoch only did his sun clear itself of clouds. He died without full
recognition or reward. In retrospect he stands forth the saddest and
sweetest, the strongest and gentlest, the most picturesque and the most
pathetic figure in our history. The Saviour of the world was born in a
stable and cradled in a manger, and went by the Via Dolorosa towards the
world's throne. Not otherwise Abraham Lincoln was born in a cabin, more
suited for herds and flocks than for a young mother and a little child;
and by the way of poverty and adversity the great emancipator travelled
towards his throne of influence and world supremacy.

History holds a few deeds so great that they can be done but once. There
are some laws, some reforms and some liberties that once achieved are
always achieved. Thus, Columbus discovered this new world, but his
achievement reduced all the other explorers to the level of imitators.
Thus Isaac Newton discovered gravity, and in a moment every other
astronomer became a pupil and a disciple. There never can be but one
James Watt, for, though a thousand inventors improve his engine, their
names are little tapers, shining over against the sun. The last century
offered men of genius two signal opportunities, and there were a
thousand eager aspirants for the honour. Charles Darwin discovered the
golden key that unlocked the kingdom of nature and life, and carried
off the honours of science. Abraham Lincoln, in an hour when some would
meanly lose it, planned to nobly save the Union, emancipated three
million slaves, and carried off the honours in the realm of reform and
liberty.

How great was the work done by this man and h