The Soul of Abraham LincolnBarton, William E. (William Eleazar)
Religion
The Soul of Abraham Lincoln
Barton, William E. (William Eleazar)
Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865 -- Religion; Presidents -- United States -- Biography
or none. That remark he frequently or often made; that agrees with
Harnett's statement that he believed all would be saved. When a man
believes all men will be saved, he can then be logical and say all will
be saved or none, and not otherwise. In the same letter, Mr. Herndon
says Mr. Lincoln held that God had a fixed punishment for sin and no
means could bribe him to remit that punishment. That evidence agrees
with Cogdal's statement that sin was to be punished, but not endlessly.
Both Herndon and Cogdal agree in the statement that Lincoln believed
that if our ministers would preach punishment and not so much pardon
the world would be benefited by it.
I am now through with the evidence I shall offer at this time, though I
could add the evidence of a dozen more to the same purport. I think I
have clearly proved that
LINCOLN WAS A UNIVERSALIST
in 1833; that he wrote a manuscript on that subject then; that in 1847
he
DENIED THE CHARGE
of infidelity; that in 1850-58-59 he was still a Universalist. If this
be true when was he an infidel? But to get a clear understanding of
the case, Universalism and infidelity are as far apart as the poles.
Universalism maintains that there is one God, whose nature is love
revealed in our Lord Jesus Christ. This Lincoln certainly believed,
infidelity denies it. Universalism maintains that Christ was the Son
of God; infidelity denies it. Universalism maintains that the Old and
New Testament Scriptures contain a record of God's revelation to man;
infidelity denies it, and says the New Testament is no more inspired
than Homer's songs, Milton's "Paradise Lost," or Shakspeare. My
authority for the infidel view is W. H. Herndon, in his letter.
Before closing, I wish it distinctly understood that if I could show
that
LINCOLN WAS NOT AN INFIDEL
without showing him a Universalist, I would do so; that I am not trying
to bolster up Universalism on Lincoln's faith, as I do not claim to be
a Universalist myself.
There are many points in Mr. Herndon's lecture and letter that I might
notice, but as I am only trying to show that
HERNDON IS WRONG
in his understanding of Lincoln's religious belief, I shall not notice
them, as they do not concern me or the question in dispute.
Mr. Herndon, in his lecture and letter both, says Mr. Lincoln wrote a
manuscript against Christianity. Mr. Graham,
LINCOLN'S TEACHER
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