rations were mostly drawn
from things in everyday life which everybody understood; his language
was the plain home-spun provincialism of the locality where his hearers
were born and brought up; but however much may be due to these things,
those who knew him best would say, that his almost universal acceptance
was due to his undoubted sincerity. This made everything he said in
the pulpit quite proper. What would appear out of place in any other
man, was becoming in him; all his odd sayings and gestures were kindly
received, and never an unpleasant feeling was excited in the breast of
any who really knew the man.

Oh, it is a grand thing when a man has so lived and proved himself
among those around him, that they all feel his religion to be sincere!
What good may not such a man be capable of doing? He may be unschooled
and unread, he may be poor, and hold but a humble position in the ranks
of life, and yet withal, he may exert a power which neither rank nor
learning can acquire, nor wealth purchase. He rules hearts; learning
may rule heads, and wealth may influence manners, but sincere goodness
enshrines itself on the throne of the heart.

Men among whom "Little Abe" lived and worked, with whom he met from day
to day,--men who professed to have no regard for religion as such,
respected Abe's presence more than they would that of their own
fathers, and stopped their unclean conversation at his approach, or by
some other unmistakable means indicated their deep respect for him.
They all knew what grace had done for him, and they honoured the
genuine work, thereby entitling Abe to say, "I'm a wonder unto many."

One man says, "If there were no other evidence that religion is a good
thing, there was proof enough in Little Abe. I have had ample
opportunities of watching his daily life for many years, having worked
in the same mill with him, and I know what the other mill hands thought
of him as well; everybody believed in the 'Little Bishop,' and there
wasn't a man to be found that would utter a disrespectful word of him.
He was often employed in what is called 'cuttling,' that is, drawing
cloth from the machine. To do this he had to kneel on the ground; it
was easy work, and required very little thought. Many a time have I
seen him, while in this position, praying and drawing off the cloth,
and I have thought that Abe couldn't help praying if he got on his
knees, whether it was in the mill or anywhere else.

"Someti