There comes to my mind the name and figure of him the celebration of
whose birthday I predict will soon be made a national holiday,--he than
whom there is no greater, whose praises are sung and whose name and
memory are honored and blessed by millions in all parts of the world
to-day, and will be by millions yet unborn, our beloved and sainted
Lincoln. And then I ask, Why is this? Why is this? One sentence of his
tells us what to look to for the answer. During that famous series of
public debates in Illinois with Stephen A. Douglas in 1858, speaking at
Freeport, Mr. Douglas at one place said, "I care not whether slavery in
the Territories be voted up or whether it be voted down, it makes not a
particle of difference with me." Mr. Lincoln, speaking from the fulness
of his great and royal heart, in reply said, with emotion, "I am sorry
to perceive that my friend Judge Douglas is so constituted that he does
not feel the lash the least bit when it is laid upon another man's
back." Thoughts upon self? Not for a moment. Upon others? Always. He at
once recognized in those black men four million brothers for whom he had
a service to perform.

It would seem almost grotesque to use the word _self-ish_ in connection
with this great name. He very early, and when still in a very humble and
lowly station in life, either consciously or unconsciously grasped this
great truth, and in making the great underlying principle of his life to
serve, to help his fellow-men, he adopted just that course that has made
him one of the greatest of the sons of men, our royal-hearted elder
brother. He never spent time in asking what he could do to attain to
greatness, to popularity, to power, what to perpetuate his name and
memory. He simply asked how he could help, how he could be of service to
his fellow-men, and continually did all his hands found to do.