Extra Credit Questions

[AussieMick]

Walt Whitman?

[RJNorton]

Those are very logical guesses, Mike and Michael, but neither is correct.

[Gene C]

Stanton ?

[Rob Wick]

I was thinking either Stanton or Seward. Could you tell where this took place, I e., was it a newspaper interview or in a letter?

Best
Rob

[RJNorton]

Nope, it was not Stanton or Seward.

Rob, it was in a letter.

[David Lockmiller]

John Hay?

[RJNorton]

Very good, David! Yes, it was John Hay

In a letter from John Hay to William Herndon dated September 5, 1866, Hay wrote:

"I consider Lincoln Republicanism incarnate — with all its faults and all its virtues. As in spite of some rudenesses, Republicanism is the sole hope of a sick world, so Lincoln with all his foibles, is the greatest character since Christ."

[AussieMick]

A member of Congress expressed surprise that Lincoln had not joined a church. He responded that he would join with all his heart "Whenever any church will inscribe over its altar, as its sole qualification for membership ... " what?

[RJNorton]

"Membership not Required." (?)

[AussieMick]

Not a bad attempt, Roger. And I should have said that I'd accept anything which came close. But there would be only one requirement for membership. Thats what I want. ( I've taken this anecdote from a biography so it may or may not be true. )

I'll leave the question open in case anybody else can come closer.

The biographer was said to be a very great friend of Lincoln.

[mbgross]

to have only one requirement and that is to serve your fellow man.

[AussieMick]

Hmmm ... no, that's not it. Another good try, but sorry its not what I'm wanting.

---

The Biographer did a Sketch of Lincoln.

( googling is Ok ... but I may have made it difficult for you)

[David Lockmiller]

When any church will inscribe over its altar, as its sole qualification for membership the Saviour's condensed statement of the substance of both Law and Gospel, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and thy neighbor, as thyself," that church will I join with all my heart and soul. -- A Remark to H. C. Demig, c. 1862.

From the book in my possession titled "Lincoln Dictionary"(copyright MCMLIX) Edited by Ralph B. Winn, pages 109-110.

President Abraham Lincoln prefaced this quoted statement with these words:

"I have never united myself to any church, because I have found difficulty in giving my assent, without mental reservation, to the long, complicated statements of Christian doctrine which characterize their Articles of Belief and Confessions of Faith."

[AussieMick]

Well done, David. Especially for finding to whom Lincoln was speaking. I searched but couldnt locate a name.

My source for the question was Issac N. Arnold.
The Project Gutenberg eBook of Sketch of the life of Abraham Lincoln
I'm not sure if anybody has referred to this book before on this forum.
https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/378...mages.html

I was going to use clues based upon Issac Newton Arnold's names ( the Issac Newton part ... he was also a descendant of Benedict Arnold and wrote his biography .... and Issac's father was named George Washington Arnold).

---

http://www.mrlincolnandfriends.org/membe...ac-arnold/

[AussieMick]

Where can we see the intellectual Lincoln, his features alert and intense and his mind sharpened , with a look of craftiness in the half-closed eyes and the slightly twisted lips ?

( according to someone expert in making such observations)