Pondering Lincoln’s “Ill Omen”

Posted on February 16, 2009
Filed Under History |

I have an old biography of Abraham Lincoln. I like old biographies—especially ones by those who personally knew of whom they were writing.

In this case, it is by the Hon. Isaac N. Arnold. Not many people knew Lincoln better than Isaac and it is probable that no one had personally studied Lincoln in his private or public life more than he.

So, I enjoy Arnold’s 1884 book, The Life of Abraham Lincoln. Some may argue that a more modern biography can weave together all the stuff that has been written about the subject, and therefore be more complete. But I think that modern works also have a tendency to be prejudicial in their own way, whether that is trying to use history as an end to a mean or simply just filtered by a politically correct viewpoint. I know the argument could be made that a close friend like Arnold would have his own prejudices, but I choose to side with the prejudices of a close friend—one who would dare say, for example, that Lincoln “…knew the Bible by heart. There was not a clergyman to be found so familiar with it as he. Scarcely a speech or paper prepared by him, from this time to his death, but contains apt allusions and striking illustrations from the sacred book.”

Something makes me think that observation might not make a modern biography.

Arnold writes of the time that Lincoln and John Hardin were riding together in a larger group headed for Springfield. He and Hardin stopped briefly in a thicket of wild plum and crab-apple trees to water the horses when Lincoln spied two baby birds that had been blown out of a nest, much too early in their lives. Hardin finally mounted up and rode on, leaving Lincoln as he searched for the nest. When Lincoln finally joined them and had to endure their laughter, Lincoln humbly confessed, “I could not have slept if I had not restored those little birds to their mother.”

It was this heart for the helpless that stirred the nationally obscure Lincoln to arise when Congress repealed the Missouri Compromise, opening up the vast western territories to slavery—an institution he abhorred. In his eulogy of Henry Clay, Lincoln warned of coming judgment through an allusion to Pharaoh, whose country was cursed with plagues and his host drowned in the Red Sea for striving to retain in bondage a captive people who had been held in slavery for hundreds of years.

But it was in an address years earlier that Lincoln spoke more formally of an “ill omen” on the horizon. He observed how those who had given their lives for liberty and freedom had all but passed away and the task of preserving it now fell to a generation that had not suffered for its benefits. And, what, Lincoln asked, was the danger that confronted them?

“Shall we expect some trans-atlantic military giant to step across the ocean and crush us at a blow? Never. All the armies of Europe, Asia, and Africa combined, with all the treasure of the earth (our own excepted) in their military chest, with a Bonaparte for a commander, could not, by force, take a drink from the Ohio, or make a track on the Blue Ridge, in a trial of a thousand years.”

“At what point then is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer, if it ever reaches us, it must spring up among us. It cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time, or die by suicide.”

“There is even now something of ill omen among us.”

Lincoln went on to speak of those who disdain notions of right and wrong from the past, notions that formed laws laid down over years and years; those who sought to make their own ethical norms, following their own “wild and furious passions”, resorting even to “mob violence” to get their way.

He described them as one who “scorns to tread in the footsteps of any predecessor, however illustrious. It thirsts and burns for distinction…”

I am always struck by the freshness of Lincoln’s speeches…they seem to be so timeless and appropriate for today. True, man has always been selfish and self-centered, but our culture now nurtures an accepted virtue associated with self-centeredness—a dedication to the notion that my inner desires are sacred and woe to the one who dares declare them “wrong”.

On this President’s Day, I confess that I long to hear a Lincoln stand and speak.

But isn’t that exactly what he was getting at? The Lincolns of the past…have passed. The task of fighting for what is right now falls to us.

Comments

52 Responses to “Pondering Lincoln’s “Ill Omen””

  1. Karen on February 16th, 2009 11:37 pm

    Thanks for this great story of Lincoln. I, too, love reading about him. It is of know mystery that his speeches transcend time, given the fact that their origin was formulated by a heart and life dedicated to knowing and living Scripture. I pray the task ahead for generations to come will be fulfilled by a new brave politician, armed and able to fight the good fight for our good and God’s glory.

  2. Meggie on February 17th, 2009 9:32 am

    Amen. And as was prayed by the believers in Acts in the face of persecution, “…enable your servants to speak Your word with great boldness.”

  3. Nancy on February 17th, 2009 11:09 am

    I too am very cautious about where my information comes from, whether it is concerning Abraham Lincoln or anything. It seems to me Americans are far too quick to believe anything that is in print and not take into account WHO is writing it and what association is between them and the subject or what influence the author is trying to force or their readers. Because every printed note or document has a purpose and a reason for writing it. Our people do not look for the truth but they want to make it appear everyone else is wrong but them. They too must have the importance of sugnifigance in their hearts and minds, who knows, I don’t but the words they print reveals their heart and their purpose. GOD knows their purpose and they will receive the consequences due them. BLessings to you for trying to make a difference in this world.

  4. Barry on February 17th, 2009 11:23 am

    It seems to me that the point is this - there is no politician like Lincoln on the horizon. It is now our task, as Christians, to fight for what is right. We can not afford to wait for another Lincoln.

  5. Donald on February 17th, 2009 8:25 pm

    Thanks, enjoyed your comments.

  6. melody on February 18th, 2009 11:07 am

    Thank you for your thoughtful response. As a teacher, perhaps one of the best things we can do in teaching truth to our children is to show them how to detect bias in an article or book….more work certainly, but an important way to discern truth.

  7. Terri on February 18th, 2009 11:24 am

    Wow–truth is truth no matter the time. Thanks for gleaning these words!

  8. Darry on February 18th, 2009 11:53 am

    Thank you for giving me another book to read! I love reading about Lincoln and I think he was one of the real Godly giants in American history. Thank you also, Del, for all you have done in bringing the Truth Project to us. It is the best program I have found and my wife and I have a goal of getting as many Christians as possible through it to prepare us for the difficult times ahead. God bless you!

  9. Tammy on February 18th, 2009 1:00 pm

    Thank you. I am originally from Illinois. I was always very proud to come from “The Land of Lincoln”, but I’m not very proud anymore. Just like America as a whole we have forgotten where Lincoln got his Character from…God himself fasioned this man and our history as you have taught if full of men that chose to do what was right rather than what was popular. Lincoln was not popular, but I believe God knew we needed him and used him as a prophet as well as a statesman. Will we ever listen as a collective nation to the one who created us? I think as with Israel there is a remnant, so I continue to pray “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2chro 7:14). Hope in God not men, hope, or change…

  10. debbie on February 18th, 2009 8:07 pm

    Thanks so much for the Lincoln insight. I find myself searching these days. I know that God is Sovereign and that he has a plan but I still wonder if there is something I am missing or that I should be doing. As I watch the news, listen to the radio waves, read the papers, I almost feel as if I live in an alternate universe and am watching things unfold that I never thought would… Pray.

  11. Mike on February 18th, 2009 10:26 pm

    Human nature hasn’t changed…there is so much wrong with the welfare state that Christians have helped to create. One can feel overwhelmed and give in to despair. But history is being written and what will it say about me and about you?? I hope it will, at the very least, say that there were those who saw what was happening and did all they could to fight against it. And they did not bow down to the ‘king’s idol’! And who knows?? Maybe it will be said, “They didn’t bend, they didn’t bow, they didn’t burn!” God could raise up a thousand ‘Lincolns’ if He so chooses and I for one believe He is. PRAY.

    God bless TTP!

  12. Kristy on February 19th, 2009 5:19 pm

    Thanks again Del: We are soon finishing up a great Wed night Bible Study on the Prophet
    Jeremiah. Our instructor was proclaiming his
    enjoyment of Lincolns life also and how from
    so many places in the NT, the writers “look back”
    to Jeremiah and other prophets, just at J looked
    ahead to the Messiah and his restoration and
    forgiveness and the replacement of the heart of
    stone to the heart of flesh. How exciting to know
    that the message of the Prophets, including our
    President Lincoln all continue to spur each of us
    on to speak that truth in His love, no matter what
    the cost. Nothing matters but His Truth. Praise
    God for the encouragement of His word and many of
    our Founding Fathers.

  13. Teressa on February 21st, 2009 11:59 am

    Great job! Thank you for your insight!

  14. Ian on February 22nd, 2009 4:05 pm

    Being a Canadian, I may not have the same connection to the history of your great country. I do, however, have a very real connection to Christians of all stripes who populated the history of the Church. Mr. Lincoln is one of the higher profile saints of bygone eras on who’s faith the present Church is founded.We forget that to our peril.The headlong rush of present society to divorce ourselves of the past is, at best, running with our eyes closed. At worst, it could herald the disolution of all we hold dear.

  15. Vickie on February 23rd, 2009 9:33 am

    Thank you for this! Lincoln was a man of humble mind and heart who fought to do right even when it was unpopular (and dangerous) to do so. It is imperative that we stand up and do the same - no matter what. America is doomed without Almighty God. And we are rotting, right now, from the inside out. Sin rots and stinks. Let us repent of our individual wrongs and forsake them, do what is right, cling to God, read His Word and let Him empower us as we stand up and proclaim truth!! Fear the One who has the power to destroy your soul - not the one who only can destroy your body.

  16. Margaret on February 25th, 2009 2:18 pm

    Thank you so much, Del! I am, with a few others, organizing a Christian movement in our state to stand in our state’s capital FOR righteous legislation. Our senators and representatives vote, as early as tomorrow, on issues such as Domestic Partnership/Gay Marriage, Embryonic Stem Cell Research, Death with Dignity/Terminally-ill Suicide, and other matters that further diminish the value of life and are abominations to our Lord Jesus Christ. It is so very encouraging to read your words and those of the others who comment about the need for Christians to stand up in our country. The homosexual community in our state represent less than 1% of the population, but are a LOUD bunch compared to the Protestant Christians and Catholics who represent more than 60% of our state’s population. We can’t just talk amongst ourselves but must get involved in the places where we can make a difference. My husband and I LOVE the Truth Project study and are so grateful for your service in pointing to the Truth, and encouraging us to live it! God bless you!

  17. Alex on February 28th, 2009 10:16 am

    Thank you so much for this column.

    As a student of history for much of my life, like you, I have always been strongly wary of its political uses. In fact, I abandoned formal academia largely because of the strong focus at University placed on ‘interpreting’ history (and news), often before the events themselves had been accurately read, recorded, and/or understood. Instead, I continued to study on my own.

    When I look back on only my own lifetime in Canada and in Quebec and Ontario in particular, I find myself now often having to tell younger people “that’s not the way it was” when they tell me of what they’ve learned in school of the 60’s, 70’s and even 80’s. Given the ‘left’ has, since the 1970’s, largely taken control of the educational system and news media here, this came as no surprise to me when it first started. The trend has accelerated since.

    Truth never changes regardless of how the “interpreters” would have it - and God’s Truth is eternal.

  18. Ed on March 2nd, 2009 8:35 am

    It’s ironic that repeal of the Missouri Compromise brought Lincoln and others to act. The Missouri Compromise protected not just some slaves, but all slaveowners, and it didn’t protect other slaves. After all, it was a compromise. It was a piece of legislation that allowed Northerners to feel like slavery was a southern problem, and only when slavery threatened to move north, then they moved themselves. I’m glad that, by the time of the Lincoln Douglas debates, Lincoln had come to realize compromise was no solution. What compromises have we grown too accustomed to, as Christians today?

  19. Daniel on March 2nd, 2009 10:19 am

    Del,

    It was so wonderful reading of your love for our 16th beloved president. I, too, share your feelings of him. He was truly a brother in the Lord, and a great example of God’s love.

    If you truly would love to hear a present day Lincoln speak from the White House, the perhaps you should run for president. I think you’d fare pretty well. I sure enjoy hearing you speak. Whether it’s you, or someone else; what this country really needs is a true man of God…who will be faithful to the only One who can straiten this country out…YHWH!

    God bless you…Daniel

  20. Irene on March 3rd, 2009 7:38 pm

    I remember hearing those words of Lincoln’s many times at Disneyland in the theater that featured “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln.” Even 30 years ago, Lincoln’s prophecy of the only way the US could be destroyed rang so true and raised goosebumps. Now, in this even more perilous time, I wish every American could come face to face with the truth: We are on a suicide mission if we do not stop and retrace our steps and return to the values of our Christian heritage. Thanks for the timely reminder, Del.

  21. Malcolm Tros on March 3rd, 2009 8:34 pm

    Most Americans are not aware that Lincoln arrested the Maryland State Legislature so that they couldn’t vote to withdraw from the union and that he attacked the south under martial law, because the US Constitution would not have supported such action.

    In order to side step the constitution, Lincoln invented something called “the executive order” and his first executive order authorized sending troops to attack the south.

    If you want to know what Lincoln was really like, I would suggest the book “Lincoln Unmasked.”

  22. Nicholas on March 3rd, 2009 9:00 pm

    I enjoyed your info on Issac Arnold’s biography of A. Lincoln. Where can this book be found? I
    would love to have a copy to read and for my own library.

  23. Sheryl on March 3rd, 2009 9:28 pm

    Great article that made me want to read the book!…to that end I found that the book is available as a FREE download from Google. They have scanned a copy and made a digital copy available in an effort to preserve some great books!…the book is not under copyright restrictions so it was possible for them to do it. Here’s the link if you would like to take a look! http://books.google.com/books/pdf/The_Life_of_Abraham_Lincoln.pdf?id=_DATAAAAYAAJ&output=pdf&sig=ACfU3U26IT1f-QdBRl1Ap6I7o9QD36vSHg

  24. Rob on March 3rd, 2009 9:48 pm

    It is discouraging that there are those who have sought to strengthen their political position by borrowing from the strength of Lincoln without adopting similar core values. We must have truth values to gain lasting strength and positive influence that will result in lasting blessing in our land.

  25. Phil on March 3rd, 2009 10:44 pm

    How is it with such great men in our past, Lincoln and the founding fathers, that the Constitution still doesn’t have God in it? I’m interested in passing a Christian Amendment to the Constitution. Lincoln was pondering just such an amendment before he was shot. Think of what the world would be like if he had supported this amendment and saw to its passage. Our country has gone far too long forgetting God. We need to do everything in our power to stop the slide and return to our King. Do you know of any current work on this subject or will I have to rekindle the fire myself?

    God’s arm is not too short… Phil “)

  26. Robert on March 3rd, 2009 11:16 pm

    Thanks again for the Truth Project-
    Lincolns story is appreciated- I especially love the story about the two hapless birds. In that event Lincoln and I have something common and am convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt because of his knowing God’s Word, that he would call abortion murder, homosexuality sin, this country a Judeo-Christian nation by foundation and the terror yet to come for those who will not bend their knee to Christ’s Lordship in All things certain.

  27. nora on March 3rd, 2009 11:17 pm

    I dare say we could all be more like Mr. Lincoln if we would become as well acquainted with the entire contents of the Word of God as he.
    One of my favorite stories of this great man was taken from Carl Sandburg’s book about his early years.
    When he was born a male cousin who lived with the Lincon family wanted to hold the new baby. When he took tiny Abraham he started crying profusely. After a bit of trying to quiet him, he handed him to his aunt and said, “Here Auntie, take him, he’ll never come to much.”
    If only they had known!
    The same is true with every child. We must take every opportunity to teach them in the ways of the Lord. We never know what God has planned for their future.

  28. Pat on March 3rd, 2009 11:42 pm

    Amen!

  29. Vivian on March 4th, 2009 6:07 am

    Thanks for the comments on the book. I am going to get it and read at least some of it to my children. We just finished watching the Truth Project. It is one of those things where I feel like shouting to all who will listen “You need to see this!” Thanks for being faithful to the call. God is not dead! He is alive! And wonder, of wonders . . alive and active in ME! And all believers! Thanks again for all you are doing.

  30. Bob on March 4th, 2009 7:20 am

    I wonder what Lincoln would have to say about the policies of the new administration with respect to the rights of the unborn and the implications for our nation….

  31. Chet on March 4th, 2009 7:41 am

    Makes one wonder: What happened to the leaders of this country that Know God and Know right from wrong? There is way to much smudging between right and wrong, to much grey area. And it seems to be getting bigger. Better stop here because I feel a preach coming on.

    Chet

  32. Marshall on March 4th, 2009 7:53 am

    You will find a much different opinion of Mr. Lincoln here in the South. He waged an unconstitutional war on states that were within their rights to secede. He cared not so much for the slaves (once considered sending them all to Liberia) as to maintain federal power at the expense of states rights. More than 600,000 Americans died because of Lincoln’s actions yet he is revered as a national icon. Curious, but then the victors write the history.

  33. JBP on March 4th, 2009 8:31 am

    Psalms 115:1-8 (King James Version)Psalms 1 Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake. 2 Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God? 3 But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. 4 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. 5 They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: 6 They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: 7 They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat. 8 They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them.

    We must as a nation get back to the “Glory” of Our God.

  34. Troy on March 4th, 2009 9:24 am

    What great and wonderful comments. Thank you Dr. Tackett for your continued words of encouragement and insight. I enjoyed this article.

    And to Cheryl, thank you for the link. I will read this book.

    Lastly, it was mentioned a number of times about how we cannot depend on the politician to always do what is right and that we as Christians must stand up and fight for what we KNOW is right and true. We as Christians need to create a new model as to what a “politician” truly is. Would that be a new political party with the Bible as its core? Maybe. There would be a a lot of things to overcome in this “modern” culture, but remember, “If God is with us, who could be against us.” Find those who would be great leaders in our various governmental arms and then see if they hold those values we as Christians hold so dear. Hopefully, they too are Christian.

    Times like these are when we all need to buckle down and get back to basics. As quoted above, Lincoln said, “At what point then is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer, if it ever reaches us, it must spring up among us. It cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time, or die by suicide.”

    “There is even now something of ill omen among us.”

    We’ve seen the enemy and it is us. I, too, still have much to reflect on and come to terms with in me and my family that we still do that supports the current direction.

    God bless you all and may God bless our country and all endeavors of the heart to bring Him glory.

  35. Jim on March 4th, 2009 9:26 am

    I know of few Republican lawyers born and raised in Illinois who do not have an abiding affection for Mr. Lincoln. I am no exception.

    I would like to make one correction. Congress did not repeal the Missouri Compromise, thereby opening the West to slavery. This was done by the Supreme Court, which in the Dred Scott case held the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional. This act of judicial activism prompted Lincoln to return to public life (he had dropped out for a number of years after serving in Congress) and propelled him to the Senate campaign against Stephen Douglas and then the presidency.

    Jim

  36. Judy on March 4th, 2009 10:15 am

    Del, thank you so much for this exhortation. Thanks also for the Truth Project. It is proving to be a heart-changing experience for many of us taking part in it. I am just finishing “Life at the Bottom” by Theodore Dalrymple. Now I’m going to have to hunt down a copy of “The Life of Abraham Lincoln.” We home-school and we are in the middle of an intensive study of the Civil War. My son, (15)and I read your article together and incorporated into our class time today. The more we read about Lincoln, the more blessed (and convicted) I am to realize how this man made himself available to God. I, too, am amazed by “the freshness” of Lincoln’s speeches and writings. In turn, I’m left shaking my head that while Lincoln is especially being honored during this time in history, with the election of our first African-American president, so much of what Lincoln said is readily ignored - the “ill omen” among us.

    Yes, the task of fighting for what is right is ours. I pray for boldness.

  37. David on March 4th, 2009 10:17 am

    I enjoyed the Truth Project study that I was invited to. My wife and two of our friends are now going through it at our home. It is truly fascinating and I marvel at how small my mind is. You have a larger than life understanding of God and who he is in our world. There is so much more to understanding God than I can comprehend.
    I enjoyed your thoughts on Lincoln. Where can I buy that book.
    Thank you.

  38. Peggy on March 4th, 2009 10:24 am

    What a rich heritage America has had. It brings me such deep sorrow to know that we have moved so far away from love of the truth. Because of our fascination with the countefeit, and our delight in wickedness, as a nation, we are perishing. Tour #1 reminds us that “For this I have been born and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth, hears My voice.” -Jesus (John 18:37) Thanks, Dell, for presenting the truth to us in such a way as to bring us back to embracing it.

  39. Gary on March 4th, 2009 10:37 am

    I also believe that our greatest enemy will not be those who try to invade our borders (Americans have shown they can and will rise to the ocassion). My greatest fear is what was expressed by Lincoln and what I see happening from within and inside of our culture. After two Truth Project series and after much contemplation, “it has become plain” to me that we are experiencing this erosion from within.

  40. Pat on March 4th, 2009 10:52 am

    The more we study God’s Word the better we will know it and the better we can live and proclaim it with confidence. Obviously, Abraham Lincoln was a man of God’s Word. As a result of his confidence in scripture we are still being challenged by his speeches today. I hope the Christians of today will reach many people tomorrow because of our firm stand for the things of God and a truly righteous lifestyle that will bring God glory.

  41. Jonathan on March 4th, 2009 11:02 am

    Del,

    While I agree with much of what you have written (both now and in the past), do not forget that Lincoln was the same man that gave the below quote in the Lincoln/Douglas debates.

    “I am not now, nor ever have been in favor of bringing about in any way the social or political equality of the white and black races. I am not now nor ever have been in favor of making voters or jurors of Negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor of intermarriages with white people. There is a physical difference between the white and the black races which will forever forbid the two races living together on social or political equality. There must be a position of superior and inferior, and I am in favor of assigning the superior position to the white man.”
    - Abraham Lincoln - Fourth Lincoln/Douglas Debate, Charleston, Illinois, 1858 in, Abraham Lincoln: Speeches and Writings, 1832-1858, p. 636

    Great men sometimes say dumb things. Sometimes their views change. God changes many a man’s mind. Maybe it was God that Changed Lincoln.

  42. Bill M. on March 4th, 2009 11:05 am

    Thank you Dr. Tackett! My day isn’t complete until I peruse the “FOTF” links. The messages are heartfelt and your commentary on Abe Lincoln is priceless. Thanks again for making my day. P.S. We are beginning our 7th “Truth Project” class at our church and lives are being enriched. May God continue to bless you and your staff.

  43. Greg on March 4th, 2009 12:31 pm

    Amazingly these past few weeks, I have been struggling to remain positive in the midst of the onslaught of bad news, economic doom and a hopeful future that seems to be eroding before our eyes. Yet, I heard the small voice inside whisper; you still have the opportunity to make a difference. What a great and pertinent message Lincoln gave that we can apply. We can stand for truth and be the voice of right. It is only lost if we quit.

    Thanks Del for your vision and encouragement!

  44. Dave on March 4th, 2009 2:19 pm

    Dr. Tackett:
    Thouroughly enjoyed reading Pondering Lincoln’s “III Omen”. Keep running the race with your eyes fixed on Jesus. The Church today needs more Apologists like yourself who fight against the attacks on Christianity and our Christian heritage. May god give you strength, encouragement and a renewal of spirit on a daily basis.

  45. Joyce on March 4th, 2009 2:26 pm

    Thank you, Del, for the Truth Project and the opportunities it has openned up.
    Reading what was said of not any nation being able to step foot here in attack, I concluded that the only way we can be decimated is by implosion. We will be our own undoing if we continue in the path we have chosen. It bothered me that Pres. Obama used Lincoln’s bible to swear in. I felt it was a ruse.
    However, I am encouraged by all the responses of what American people are doing to uphold God’s precepts in this land and will continue to pray and do the same, following the great examples, like Lincoln, He has given us.

  46. margaret on March 4th, 2009 6:02 pm

    Dear Dell, I find the words from Lincoln like a breath of fresh air. I thank you so much for presenting them to us again. We must all be strong.

  47. Dennis on March 5th, 2009 4:14 pm

    And from within it surly does come. Sinfulness considered a constitutional right. What is so difficult to see here? Eyes that do not see, ears that do not hear. Where have I herd that before..

  48. Roger on March 6th, 2009 8:00 pm

    We are at lesson V in the “Truth Project”: Science.
    I find the series stimulating and spiritually enriching. The classroom setting seems natural and the students’ responses give pedagogical insight.
    But I am disappointed that so few at church agree with me. Many feel the material is too “hard” and intellectually out-of-reach for them. I am mystified at their confusion.
    Dr. Tackett’s class lessons are abundantly clear even while introducing new unfamiliar concepts in philosophical thought and other ideas about world history. Having been a student for many years at four Universities, I mentally click into the format effortlessly.
    Some seem to possess a sort of malaise almost even hostility to learning. These are “average” people—college educated—relinquishing a rewarding process due to the “dumbing down” of cultural forces so prevalent in the modern age.
    We, as Christians, need to put on our “thinking caps”. Only then can we “give an answer to those who ask about the reasons for our faith”.

  49. Dawn on March 14th, 2009 6:17 pm

    Love your blog. I must confess I find it more than a little coincidental that our current president has tried so hard to make it appear that he and our former 16th president have so much in common; down to the Innaugural Train ride.I am resolved to remain confident that Our Lord Jesus Christ reigns forevermore,He changes the times and seasons;He removes kings and establishes kings.He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.He reveals the deep and hidden things;He knows what is in the darkness,and light dwells with Him. Daniel 2:21-22(CSB).Father forgive this nation.

  50. mike on March 17th, 2009 10:54 am

    I have been saying to my wife for quite few years, “isn’t there a Lincoln out there somewhere?” Someone who will not lie to us, someone who has our best interests at heart? Someone who is honest? It’s so sad that in a country of 300 milion people, the current leaders are the best we can come up with? It is so sad and pathetic…

  51. David on March 24th, 2009 4:05 pm

    First, regarding the comments about Lincoln’s unconstitutional use of power, he did no such thing. If you understand the Federalists’ arguments regarding prerogative power, and that a government never intends for it’s own demise, and therefore one has the power to do what is necessary for the maintenance of the Union, Lincoln acted Constitutionally in suspending habeus corpus and in taking other “letter of the law” unconstitutional actions. That is to say that Lincoln acted with the same constitutional understanding of the Founders.

    Second, in response to the quotation by Lincoln about the difference between whites and blacks, if you read Lincoln’s speeches in their entirety, you will find out that he uses his skills in rhetoric to assert truth. Of course the skill color of whites and blacks are different. Would you claim differently? Is that not a natural difference which is not to be abridged? Also, Lincoln says nothing to the effect of being an ambassador for slavery in noting that he would be in favor of white’s ruling if one race must rule over the other. He’s only arguing as any mortal would in preference to self-preservation that he would prefer to rule than be ruled. That’s not something dumb, that’s asserting the fallen nature of humanity, and thus provides a support for the promotion of the principle of equality.

    If you would like to understand these arguments in their comprehensive form with great supporting contextual evidence, check out the book by Dr. Thomas Krannawitter, Vindicating Lincoln: Defending the Politics of Our Greatest President .

    In the book, Krannawitter shows false the misunderstandings and blatantly wrong statements by Thomas DiLorenzo, Thomas Woods, Walter Williams, and others about Lincoln and the Civil War.

  52. mcLu on August 15th, 2010 2:40 pm

    I’m searching for a LIVE strong character like Lincoln’s. He is an example for my interaction with myself and the people around me.
    As the Bible says in Ezekiel 22:30 “I sought for a man among them, that should make up the edge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found NONE.”
    Well, I’m disappointed!

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