A lot of ink has been spilled to decide whether or not Abraham Lincoln was or was not a Christian. I read a lot of it as I constructed God Caused the Civil War. Here's my take on the whole debate: he was!! Here's the evidence I found and the sources. Take the evidence and believe or disbelieve as you see fit. (My Bob-ism for this sort of situation is, "Do what you want...you will anyway!")"But when, very shortly before his death in answer to the question of an Illinois clergyman, ‘Do you love Jesus,’ he replied: ‘When I [Abraham Lincoln] left Springfield [to become President] I asked the people to pray for me. I was not a Christian. When I buried my son, the severest trial of my life, I was not a Christian. But when I went to Gettysburg [Nov. 19, 1863] and saw the graves of thousands of our soldiers, I then and there consecrated myself to Christ. Yes, I do love Jesus"(1)
I also saw a video (can't remember which one) with an interview of Professor Gabor Boritt of Gettysburg College who is pretty much an expert on things Lincoln. He indicated that the original draft of the Gettysburg Address did NOT contain the phrase "under God" in it, but that Lincoln extemporized as he spoke; which would make perfect sense if he had a conversion experience earlier in the day!
I have often thought that when the old hymn "When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder" is sung, folks are thinking of those who end up in Heaven. Well, from a Scriptural standpoint, EVERYBODY is gonna be there briefly. It's just that the separation of the sheep and goats will be based on which roll your name was entered in from Eternity Past. (I talked of this in Post #36.) Here on the anniversary of Lincoln's birth, I'd ask...
Got sheepskin or goatskin?
Source: (1)Taggart, D. Raymond, D. D. The Faith of Abraham Lincoln. The Service Print Shop, Topeka, Kansas, 1943, p. 192.
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