Introducing an exchange student from Germany to Lincoln

[RJNorton]

On a light note: I think I remember reading somewhere that Lincoln met with a German Pastor whose congregation was in Nashville (of all places). Apparently, the Pastor had been offering prayers for Lincoln during the services. But it was all in German-to a German congregation- in the South. Lincoln made some kind of comment like: "God understands German!"

Here goes, Bill:

At the meeting of the General Synod at Lancaster, Pa., May, 1862, Pastor H. Eggers, who at that time had charge of a German Mission in the city of Nashville, which was then occupied by the Confederates, made a stirring patriotic speech in the course of which he said that he was the only minister in the city of Nashville that dared pray for President Lincoln and the reason he dared do it was " that he prayed in German and the rebels couldn't understand German but the Lord could."

https://archive.org/stream/gettysburglin...w_djvu.txt