The Light of Home, the Smile of Friends
From Music and the Spoken Word
Delivered By: Lloyd D. Newell • Program 4222
On a cold, threatening morning, February 11, 1861, Abraham Lincoln, president-elect of the United States of America, stood on the rear platform of a train that would take him from his home in Springfield, Illinois, to Washington, the nation’s capital. The dreary weather was a fitting preview of what Lincoln would soon face as president—in just a few months, a civil war would split the country, and he would carry the burden of saving the nation.
To a crowd of 1,000 who had gathered to see him off, Lincoln said: “To this place, and the kindness of these people, I owe every thing. . . . I now leave, not knowing when, or whether ever, I may return, with a task before me greater than that which rested upon [George] Washington. Without the assistance of that Divine Being who ever attended him I cannot succeed. With that assistance I cannot fail. Trusting in Him, who can go with me, and remain with you and be every where for good, . . . I bid you an affectionate farewell.”1
His parting words were not a victory speech or even a rallying cry but an expression of humble gratitude. He recognized the profound influence of family and friends, who stood by him through triumphs and failures. He acknowledged that only by placing full trust in God could he overcome the challenges ahead.
We each face challenges, and sometimes they seem insurmountable. But, as Lincoln noted, we have a sure foundation in the strength of those around us, and we have the promise of divine help to see us through. The words of a familiar Civil War–era poem are a stirring reminder of such reassuring comfort:
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