Augustus St. Gaudens
STATUE OF LINCOLN, LINCOLN PARK, CHICAGO
LINCOLN DAY
ENTERTAINMENTS
RECITATIONS, PLAYS, DIALOGUES, DRILLS,
TABLEAUX, PANTOMIMES, QUOTATIONS,
SONGS, TRIBUTES, STORIES, FACTS
EDITED BY
JOS. C. SINDELAR
A. FLANAGAN COMPANY
CHICAGO
Copyright, 1908
BY
A. FLANAGAN COMPANY
IT IS especially fitting to issue this book—in fact, anybook on the life and work of Abraham Lincoln—atthis time, just preceding the centennial of his birth.Insignificant as the little volume may seem, it will haveearned its right to publication if it bring, in whateversmall measure, before the growing mind of the countrya better realization of the grand life of the noble Lincoln—theloved and martyred President—inspired by Godand divinely prepared for a great purpose: to guard andpreserve a free and united country.
One hundred years seem but a day! One thousandyears hence a deeper feeling will be felt for everythingconcerning Lincoln, as with each passing year he growsin the affections of the people. His body is dead, but hismemory will live in the hearts of the people as long asour country shall cherish freedom and liberty. He was aborn king of men, with an intense and yearning love forhis fellows and their welfare, which knew neither rank,race, nor creed, but gathered within its boundless charityall mankind.
What a shining xample this simple but sublime lifeoffers to our growing youth! Born of humble parents,surrounded by poverty and hardships such as we seldomencounter today, his rise to the highest position in thegift of the American people—which position he not onlyably filled but highly honored—is a grand illustration ofpersistence and ambition; ambition, though, temperedwith foresight and wisdom. His was an exemplary character:a character which for quaint simplicity, earnestness,kindness, truthfulness and purity has never been surpassedamong the historic personages of the world. Hisfigure, too, more than any other in the history of ourcountry, illustrates that America is the land of opportunity.« 4 »In short, to us he is the representative and typicalAmerican.
He missed the polish that higher education affords,polish though he needed not. What would not this country,with all its bright and polished men, give today foranother man of rugged education, rugged honesty andrugged foresight and wisdom as was Abraham Lincoln?It is hard to measure the usefulness of the life of such aman, yet more hard to do his memory justice. Greatqualities of heart and head did he possess, of patience,patriotism, and piety, too. He occupies a unique placein our nation's history. Though most of us never sawhim, yet we feel daily the influence of his just and kindlylife bound up in the two titl