Abraham Lincoln: Was He a Christian?Remsburg, John E. (John Eleazer)
Religion
Abraham Lincoln: Was He a Christian?
Remsburg, John E. (John Eleazer)
Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865 -- Religion
"In addition to what has appeared from my pen, I will
state that I have had many conversations with Mr. Lincoln, which were
more or less of a religious character, and while I never tried to draw
anything like a statement of his views from him, yet he freely expressed
himself to me as having 'a hope of blessed immortality through Jesus
Christ.' His views seemed to settle so naturally around that statement,
that I considered no other necessary. His language seemed not that of an
inquirer, but of one who had a prior settled belief in the fundamental
doctrines of the Christian religion. Once or twice, speaking to me of
the change which had come upon him, he said, while he could not fix any
definite time, yet it was after he came here, and I am very positive
that in his own mind he identified it with about the time of Willie's
death. He said, too, that after he went to the White House he kept up
the habit of daily prayer. Sometimes he said it was only ten words, but
those ten words he had. There is no possible reason to suppose that Mr.
Lincoln would ever deceive me as to his religious sentiments. In many
conversations with him, I absorbed the firm conviction that Mr. Lincoln
was at heart a Christian man, believed in the Savior, and was seriously
considering the step which would formally connect him with the
visible church on earth. Certainly, any suggestion as to Mr. Lincoln's
skepticism or Infidelity, to me who knew him intimately from 1862 till
the time of his death, is a monstrous fiction--a shocking perversion.
"Yours truly,
"Noah Brooks."
REV. BYRON SUNDERLAND, D.D.
Mr. Reed presents a lengthy letter from the Rev. Byron Sunderland, of
Washington, dated Nov. 15, 1872. Dr. Sunderland in company with a party
of friends visited the President in the autumn of 1862. In this letter
he says:
"After some conversation, in which he seemed disposed to have his joke
and fun, he settled down to a serious consideration of the subject
before his mind, and for one half-hour poured forth a volume of the
deepest Christian philosophy I ever heard."
REV. DR. MINER.
The Rev. Dr. Miner, who met Lincoln in Washington, says:
"All that was said during that memorable afternoon I spent alone with
that great and good man is engraven too deeply on my memory ever to be
effaced. I felt certain of this fact, that if Mr. Lincoln was not really
an experimental Christian, he was acting like one. He was doing his duty
manfully, and looking to God for help in time of need; and, like the
immortal Washington, he believed in the efficacy of prayer, and it was
his custom to read the Scriptures and pray himself."
REV. P. D. GURLEY, D.D.
While in Washington, Lincoln with his family attended the Presbyterian
church of which the Rev. Dr. Gurley was pastor. Mr. Reed cites the
following as the testimony of Dr. Gurley in regard to the alleged
Infidelity of Lincoln:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account