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An
Outreach Publication of the Church of Christ at
Creekwood |
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Handsome Indeed! Abraham
Lincoln was admired by many, but he also had many
critics. But
even persistent critics in the Government, like
Pennsylvania's Thaddeus Stevens, House Speaker Schuyler Colfax recalled that Stevens "used to tell, with great gusto, this story of his own personal experience. Mr. Stevens had gone with an elderly lady from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania (his district), to the White House, to ask the pardon of her son, condemned to die for sleeping on his post. The President suddenly turned upon his cynical Pennsylvania friend, whom he knew had so often assailed him for excessive lenity, and said, 'Now, Thad, what would you do in this case if you happened to be President?'” “Mr.
Stevens knew how many hundreds of his constituents
were waiting breathlessly “‘Well, then,’ said Mr. Lincoln, after a moment's writing in silence, ‘here, madam, is your son's pardon.’ “Her gratitude filled her heart to overflowing, and it seemed to her as though her son had been snatched from the gateway of the grave. She could only thank the President with her tears as she passed out, but when she and Mr. Stevens had reached the outer door of the White House she burst out, excitedly, 'I KNEW it was a lie! I KNEW it was a lie!'” “‘What do you mean?’ asked her astonished companion. “Why, when I left my country home in old Lancaster yesterday, the neighbors told me that I would find that Mr. Lincoln was an UGLY man, when in fact... he is really the most handsome man I have ever seen in my life!’” “And certainly, when sympathy and mercy lightened up those rugged features, many a wife and mother pleading for his intervention had reason to think him handsome indeed." * Interestingly,
the Scriptures do not contain an exact description of
the physical appearance of Jesus Christ... Yet,
many would describe Jesus as the most handsome Man
that has ever lived.
Why? Because Jesus died so that we might live! (1 Thessalonians 5:10). He paid the price for our sins on the cross so that we may have forgiveness and the hope of eternal life if we accept His offer on His terms. Jesus
will save those who: believe
in Him (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance
(Acts 17:30-31), confess
Him before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized
(immersed) in His name for the forgiveness of sins
(Acts 2:38). His
redeeming blood will continue to cleanse those who
continue to walk in the light of And
certainly, when God’s mercy is understood and
accepted, many have reason to think Him handsome
indeed! David
A. Sargent, Minister * Allen Thorndike Rice, editor, Reminiscences of Abraham Lincoln, (Schuyler Colfax). http://www.mrlincolnandfriends.org/inside.asp?pageID=6&subjectID=6 To Subscribe to "Living Water" send a blank e-mail to:
HTML version: subscribe-livingwater@lyris.dundee.net Follow this link to locate the church of Christ nearest you: www.churchzip.com Archived issues of "Living Water" can be accessed from our website at: www.creekwoodcc.org
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