Claims of completeness are dangerous, and I make none. But I have been diligent in pursuit of all probable sources of knowledge of this subject, and I do not now know where to look for any other book of manuscript that would greatly alter or add to the material which this book contains. I am glad, therefore, at this stage, to share the fruits of my investigations with the reader. W. E. B. THE FIRST CHURCH STUDY OAK PARK, ILLINOIS CONTENTS PART I: A STUDY OF RELIGIOUS ENVIRONMENTS CHAPTER PAGE I THE CONFLICT OF TESTIMONY 19 II WHY THE BIOGRAPHIES DIFFER 24 III THE ENVIRONMENT OF LINCOLN'S BOYHOOD 29 IV THE ENVIRONMENTS OF LINCOLN'S YOUNG MANHOOD 51 V THE ENVIRONMENT OF LINCOLN'S LIFE IN SPRINGFIELD 71 VI THE ENVIRONMENT OF LINCOLN'S LIFE IN WASHINGTON 86 PART II: AN ANALYSIS OF THE EVIDENCE VII THE RULES OF EVIDENCE 101 VIII THE BATEMAN INCIDENT 114 IX THE LAMON BIOGRAPHY 128 X THE REED LECTURE 135 XI THE HERNDON LECTURES, LETTERS, AND BIOGRAPHY 140 XII LINCOLN'S BURNT BOOK 146 XIII "THE CHRISTIAN'S DEFENCE" 156 XIV "VESTIGES OF CREATION" 166 XV OTHER FORMATIVE BOOKS 172 XVI CHITTENDEN AND CHINIQUY 188 XVII THE BEECHER AND SICKLES INCIDENTS 198 XVIII "BEHIND THE SCENES" 203 XIX FROM THE HOUSETOPS AND IN THE CLOSET 210 PART III: THE RELIGION OF LINCOLN XX WHAT LINCOLN WAS NOT 225 XXI WHY DID LINCOLN NEVER JOIN A CHURCH? 244 XXII THE CONSTRUCTIVE ARGUMENT 260 XXIII THE CREED OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN 291 APPENDICES AND BIBLIOGRAPHY I EXTRACT FROM NEWTON BATEMAN'S LECTURE ON LINCOLN WITH VARIANTS OF THE SPRINGFIELD FAREWELL ADDRESS 303 II "HIGH-HANDED OUTRAGE AT UTICA" 307 By Artemus Ward III "THE CONVERSION OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN" 309 By the Rev. Edward L. Watson IV THE REED LECTURE 314 V TWO HERNDON LETTERS CONCERNING LINCOLN'S RELIGION 336 VI THE IRWIN ARTICLE, WITH LETTERS 341 VII "THE CHRISTIAN'S DEFENCE" 358 With full chapter analysis VIII LINCOLN AND THE CHURCHES 377 By Nicolay and Hay IX "BOUND TOGETHER IN CHRISTIANITY AND PATRIOTISM" 385 Hitherto unpublished address of Lincoln