On 4 March 1865, Abraham Lincoln took the oath of office for President of the United States for his second term, a term that lasted 41 days.
The address he made on that occasion was short and to the point. Many people admire it for its supposed great style and its lofty thoughts.
Great style, yes. I do not think the thoughts are lofty. I dislike the talk intensely.
Here is the core of why I do not like the address.
This is what Lincoln said in the middle of the short talk. If I had been Lincoln, I would have been loath to blame God for his war’s overall bloodiness.
“ Neither party expected for the war the magnitude or the duration which it has already attained. Neither anticipated that the cause of the conflict might cease with or even before the conflict itself should cease. Each looked for an easier triumph, and a result less fundamental and astounding. Both read the same Bible and pray to the same God, and each invokes His aid against the other. It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God's assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men's faces, but let us judge not, that we be not judged. The prayers of both could not be answered. That of neither has been answered fully. The Almighty has His own purposes. "Woe unto the world because of offenses; for it must needs be that offenses come, but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh." If we shall suppose that American slavery is one of those offenses which, in the providence of God, must needs come, but which, having continued through His appointed time, He now wills to remove, and that He gives to both North and South this terrible war as the woe due to those by whom the offense came, shall we discern therein any departure from those divine attributes which the believers in a living God always ascribe to Him? Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray, that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away. Yet, if God wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondsman's two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said "the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether."
If Lincoln had wanted to be truth and accurate, this is what he should have said on that day:
"My government did not expected for the war the magnitude or the duration which it has already attained. Neither side anticipated that the cause of the conflict might cease with or even before the conflict itself should cease. Each looked for an easier triumph, and a result less fundamental and astounding. Neither side would give up the war.
"Both read the same Bible and pray to the same God, and each invokes His aid against the other. It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God's assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men's faces, or in conscripting young men into a war they did not start or want. However – Let us judge not me, so I will not judge you. The prayers of both sides might have been answered. So far, neither has been answered fully. The Almighty has His own purposes.
" 'Woe unto the world because of offenses; for it must needs be that offenses come, but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh.'
"American slavery is one of those offenses which according to MY will must needs come to an end.
"Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray, that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away.
"However – if I and my generals will that it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondsman's two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, remember this fact my subjects – my judgments are true and righteous altogether."
For it was Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, their governments, and their generals -- not God -- who dragged out The Civil War.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
