COI.I.ECTION

THE LESSON OF THE HOITB.
JUSTICE AS WELL AS MERCY.
A DISCOURSE
PREACHED ON THE SABS.\TH FOtl.pWING THE *
Assassmaiioii of the President

IN THE ¦, '¦-_''

cm mil PRESBHERUN CHURCN,

,''^

WASHINGTON, O . O . ,

i

-;-''-. BY THE PASTOR,

REV. JOHN CHESTER.

• '-'-Si*';; ¦
• -
WASHINGTON CHRONICl^E PRINT.
IS6&:
'
THE LESSON OF THE HOUR.

JUSTICE AS WELL AS MERCY,

A DISCOURSE

PREACHED ON THE SABBATH FOLLOWING THE

Assassination ofthe President,

IN THE

CtPITOl Hill PRESBYTERIIN CHURCH.

WASHINGTON, D. C

BY THE PASTOK,

REV= JOHN CHESTER.

WASHINGTON CHRONICLE PRINT.
less.

z ^

Wasuihgtoh, Aprilll, 1885.
REV. JOHN CHESTER.
Reverend and Dear Sir :
The undersigned, of the Congregation and Members of the Capitol
Hill Presbyterian Church, being impressed with the importance of the
truths conveyed in your eloquent and appropriate discourse of last Sab
bath, on the assassination of the honored and beloved President of the
Republic, Abraham Lincoln, and believing that the thoughts therein
conveyed are worthy of perusal and careful consideration by a more
eitended circle, respectfully request a copy of it for publication.
WALTER L. NICHOLSON,
C. H. PARSONS,
ROBERT LEITCH,
CHAS. E. LATHROP,
•J. S. KELLOGG,
JAS. M. GORDON,
JOHN R. ARRISON,
JOHN TAYLOR.

To Messrs. Walter L. Nicholson, O. 3. Parsons, Robert Leitcli, Charles
E. LaiJirop, and otliers.
Gentlemen :
I cheerfully yield to your kind request, if ypu deem this humble
offering of affection, laid on the altar of our beloved President's mem-
. ory, capable of benefiting a wider circle. It was intended as a calm
appeal, not to the passions, but to the consciences of all who desire the
integrity of the Union, maintained on the principles of Justice.
Very truly yours,
JOHN CHESTER.

SERMON.

"How ARE THE MIGHTY FALLEN 1" — II SAMUEL, I, 19.
The President of the United States is dead ! He whom for
more than four years we have looked up to more as a father
than a ruler; the kind-hearted, the true-hearted, the wise-
hearted President has fallen.
A few days ago I saw him standing at the window of his
mansion, his face irradiated with a genial smile, which showed
the warm heart within. I heard the kind, generous, forbear
ing words he spoke in the hours of triumph, and heard the cry
ascend from many a lip, in a tone that showed it came from the'
heart, "Grod bless you, Abraham Lincoln." A few hours ago,
at midnight, a messenger knocked at my door, and breathed in
faltering accents the awful tidings, " The President is mur
dered ! I"
Oh, can it be? Is it not a dream? Can it be, that even in
this sinful world sin has reachM such a height as to assassi
nate our Chief Magistrate, and folly such a pitch as to murder
him whose leniency they now so much needed ?
But an hour of trial is an hour of duty. While God permits his
people to weep, and even sympathizes with them iu their sorrow,
yet he summons them to fulfil their stern duty. You have
come this morning to the sanctuary of God, not only to pray
and praise, but to be taught your duty. It is, I believe, the
time when the minister of the Gospel is charged with a grave
and responsible task. That task is like Aaron's of old, when

he stood " between the living and the dead."* Then, as now,
the crime of rebellion had brought a fearful judgment on the
people. God commanded his ministers, Moses and Aaron, to
direct the people to separate themselves from the leaders of that
rebellion, that a righteous judgment might overtake them.f
Jehovah changes not. The principle of justice on which he
deals with his creatures changes not. The message which he
entrusted to his ministers then to deliver to his people, is the
message which we believe he entrusts to them now.
But first, let us take our own place in the dust before his
throne. " I and my people have sinned." God is punishing us
for these sins. We have been proud, and depended too much
on our own strength. God has shown us how weak and de
fenceless we are without his strengthening and sheltering arm.
We have trusted too much to the wisdom of our rulers- and the
skill of our generals. God has removed the one, and by an
hair-breadth escape, shown how easily He could have removed
the other. He wants to withdraw us from leaning too heavily
on the feeble arm of man, that we may lean more on that of tl e
Almighty. We have permitted that accursed thing, human
slavery, to grow up and flourish under a Constitution which
proclaimed liberty to the oppressed. We have permitted men
to fill the high places of the nation whose wealth has been ex
torted from the sweat of the brow of the oppressed, and whose
power has been maintained by their blood. God has made us
to shed our blood to defend our country from the assaults of
these men on, its liberties.
And now He has put the cup again to our lips. We thought
it had been drained to its bottom ; but we had yet to taste its
dregs— the bitterest draught of all. Our President has been
assassinated ! !
Our President, we say, for he was emphatically the people's
*Nnml)ors XVE 48.
tNumbers xvi; 24-26.

President, chosen by their hearts as well as by their votes.
One who had the affection of the masses more than any who
preceded him, (except it be Washington.) One who was es
teemed by the lovers of liberty throughout the world. One
whose most prominent trait was kindness of heart to all. One
who stood firm " amid the raging of the people," and conscien
tiously and fearlessly discharged his duty amid the taunts and
sneers of a vile faction. One who guided the helm of State so
skillfully amid the Scylla of domestic treason and the Oharybdis
of foreign intervention, that it extorted from the press of Eng
land and Europe a reluctant but necessary admiration. This
man has fallen ! Just at the period when the sun of our coun
try had reached its meridian splendor, ^is sun was suddenly
eclipsed. And now, who is to answer for the blood of this man ?
It should he laid at the door of those pepple of the so-called
"Southern Gonfederacy ," who have in their public press clam
ored for the commission of this very deed; who have advertised
for means to carry out the diabolical scheme ;* who have asked
contributions to it as " toward a patriotic purpose ;" and at the
door of men who would permit such things to appear in their
public press unrebuked.
It should be laid again at the, door of that spirit of rebellion
against the rightful authority, ivhich they have fostered in their
hearts and acted out in their lives. The very same spirit which
*Tlie following appears in the advertising colarans of the Selnia (Ala.) Despatch,
copied in the National Republican January 26, 1863 :
" OjfE Miiiioir DoiiABS Wasted to have Peace et the 1st of Makch.— It the citi-
"zens of the Southern Confederacy ¦will furnish me with the cash, or good securities, for
" thesum of one million dollars, I will cause the lives 0/ Abraham Lincoln, William H.
" Seward, and Andrew Johnson to be talsen by the 1st of March next. This will give us
" Peace and satisfy the world that cruel tyrants cannot live in a "land of liberty." If
'•• this is not aceoinplished, nothing will be claimed beyond the sum of fifty thousand dol-
" lars in advance, which is supposed to be necessary to reach and slaughter the three
" villains. '• I win give, myself, one thousand doUars towards this palriotic purpose, ' Every
" one wishing to contribute wiU address Box K. Cahaba, Alabama.
" December 1, 1864." '

8
would strike a blow at the Governtnent Of this country is the
very spirit that would strike One at the head of that Govern
ment. The very war that the South inaugurated four years
ago by concentrating the fire of a dozen forts upon a helpless
garrison, in the harbor of Charleston, is the very spirit that
would make an assassin skulk behind an unprotected man and
fire upon him. The very spirit that would delight in the mise
ries of the captives who fell into their hands — which would
starve them to death in their prisons — which would hunt them
with blood-hounds when they tried to escape from the horrid
bondage — which would light with the incendiary torch the
dwellings of our Northern cities, is the very one that would
revel in the thought that the fatal blow had been inflicted on
the head of our President.
It should he laid at the door of Slavery. The very same
spirit which has held so long thousands of its fellow men, born
in the image of God, in bondage — which would sell them at the
auction block like cattle — which would lacerate them with the
whip — which wonld stand by and see husband and wife and
pfarent and child separated for the sake of money, and yet de
fend slavery as a "Divine institution," is the very same spirit
which the Savior spoke of when he said " Verily, he who kill
eth you will think he doeth God service." It is the very school
whose course of education comd graduate such an assassin as
him who crept np to a sick man's bed under the pretence of
mercy, and then endeavored to mu«der him as he lay in all the
helplessness of suffering. Slavery has' begot many such chil
dren, and now, in her last dying throes, she has brought forth
this Monstrosity of Sin.
It should he laid at the doors of those in the North who have
aided and sympathized with the rebels — who have tried to weak
en the hands of this Government while it was endeavoring to
maintain its rightful authority— who have held up our kind

President as " a tyrant" who ought tobe deposed — who have
heaped names upon him which, if true, would make him merit
death — who have taught this people in secret societies to plot
treason, and encouraged armed resistance to the efforts of the
Government to draft soldiers for its defence. Who can dare
deny that the very spirit that manifested itself in the city of
New York in the summer of 1863 is the very spirit that man
ifested itself in the city of Washington during this last week ?
That those who would burn down an Orphan Asylum, and
roast Negroes in the streets, would not hesitate to perpetrate
the crime of assassinating the President?
Just as the clothes of that holy man Stephen were laid at
the feet of " that young man Saul," who, though not casting a
stone himself, sympathized with those that did, and therefore
" consented to his death," so ought the clothes — the blood
stained garments of our President — ^to be laid at the feet of
these men, yea, women, saying, "What hast thou done ? the
voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto God from the ground
against thee."
I trust that I address none such this morning, but if one
such is under the sound of my voice, I warn you that you have
blood on your skirts — that it becomes you this day to repent of
your sins if you wish to escape the justice of God and the jaws
of hell. •
And now, we approach a part of this subject to which is invited
your most serious and thoughtful consideration. It is a point
to which I have myself given much prayerful attention, and
which certainly demands the same of every well-wisher of his
country. I ask no one to adopt these views without first com
paring them with the teachings ofthe Bible ; but I ask you also
not to reject them without the same examination.
The question is, whether this sad calamity is not meant in
mercy, to rouse us toact justly towards the leaders and foment-

10
ers of this rebellion ? Pour years ago the people of this coun
try could hardly be made to believe that, if the Union was to
be preserved, the whole armed power of the Government must
be called irfto requisition, and conciliatory measures exchanged
for forcible suppression. Then came that attack on Port Sum
ter, which dissipated the theory of pacification to the winds,
and forced from loyal people of the North the cry for vengeance
on the men who were dipping their swords in the life-blood of
the Republic. Just so now. God finds some of this people,
after a struggle which haa cost rivers of blood, expecting to end
this nefarious rebellion by conciliatory measures with its lead
ers and fomenters. Let conciliatory measures be shown in
abundance to their poor deluded followers, who have long since
seen their folly, and for many months have longed to hear the
tramp of that army which should free them from their oppres
sors. But to the men whose hands are stained with the blood
of our fathers, brothers and sons — to the men who have, by tbe
most wicked lies, " fired the Southern heart " — whose hearts
have not one particle of repentance, but who would still destroy
this Government if they had the power — to such let justice (we
do not ask for revenge, only for justice) be meted out. Let it
be a justice that ivill deprive them of the opportunity of repeat
ing the crime.
We claim this as a duty enjoined on our rulers by the Word
of God. God has given them on this subject, the following
plain directions : — " Let every soul be subject unto the higher
powers. For there is no power but of God : the powers that
be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the
power, resisteth the ordinance of God : and they that resist shall
receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror
to good works, but to evil. Wilt thou then notbe afraid ofthe
power ? Do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of
the same. For he is the minister pf God to thee for good."

11
That is, Government is not to be feared except by evil doers.
But that God does intend it shall be feared by evil doers,
andthat they shall not escape punishment is evident, 'for he
adds, " But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid ; for he
beareth not the sword in vain, for he is the minister of God."
That is, he acts as the delegated authority of God, and as such
God commands him to be " a revenger, to execute wrath upon
him that doeth evil." Now we present to the consciences of
any who have scruples on this subject, this question : Can
this Government refuse " to execute wrath upon those who
have done evil " by resisting its rightful authority, when God
says in so doing they have resisted him? Can they do it with
out disobeying the plain injunction of His Word ? Do you
want to know how God views rebellion ? You will find his
opinion in I Samuel, xv: 23 — " For rebellion is as the sin of
witchcraft ;" and the punishment he commanded to be dealt to
the witch, you will find in Exodus, xxii : 18 — " Thou shalt not
suffer a witch to live." Yes, this people are now in danger of
the very sin which they were guilty of before this war. Then
they were in danger of having a sinful complicity with slavery
by undue leniency to the crftnes of the slaveholders. Now may
they not be in danger of a sinful complicity with rebellion by
an undue leniency to the crimes of its leaders ?
But it is urged that we ought to be merciful to our enemies
if we wish to obtain mercy in the day of judgment. Well, if
the Bible is true, no one will obtain mercy at God's hands that
does not first repent of his sins. " Repent and believe, and ye
shall be saved." Yea, they must fir-st forsake them. "Let
the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his
thoughts ; and let bim return unto the Lord, and He will have
mercy upon him ; and to our God, for He will abundantly par
don." Let these men show a sincere and hearty repentance
of their sin of rebellion ; let them return unto this Government
with a full purpose of and endeavor after new obedience, and

12
we admit that leniency ought to be shown them. But when
they are captured in their sins; fighting to the very last
moment, and only giving up because they are conquered ; not
because they are less desirous of success, then we say treat
them just as God will treat the man whom he finds rebelling
against him at the hour of death, giving up then his course of
sin only because he has not the opportunity of -pushing it
further. But it is urged again Christ prayed for the forgiveness of his
enemies, and we should imitate his spirit and forgive ours.
Yes, but the same Savior wept over those very enemies, be
cause iie saw their persistent rebellion must cause the wrath
of God to come upon them and their guilty city;* for even his
mercy had no longer any argument why justice should forbear
to punish. If you will read the account of Josephus, of how
God permitted the crucifiers of Christ to be punished in the
destruction of Jerusalem, you will read a catalogue of horrors
such as even this war cannot equal. Oh, yes, God punishes
the wicked when they do not repent of their sins and return to
Him, and wo to that land whose rulers bear the sword in vain,
when God has given it to them •' to be a revenger to execute
wrath upon him that doeth evil." There may be such a thing
as mistaking a complicity with sin for mercy.
No, we put this question to you : Is there a man or woman
who would dare to advocate the doctrine that if the assassin of
Mr. Lincoln could be found he should be permitted to go free.
But why is his guilt so extraordinary ? Not only because he
murdered a being created in the image of God. You feel that
there was something more than this. What most stirs our
hearts and arouses our righteous indignation, is the fact that
he was our President; that in him was embodied the Govern
ment of this land. Yet these men who have been for four years
Ltrke xix : 41-44.

13
aiming a parricidal blow at this very Government some con
tend should go free.
I am well aware of the cry that may be raised at ministers
of the Gospel advocating such sentim"ents ; but just so was it
raised years ago, when ministers of the Gospel undertook to
denounce slavery and the complicity of this Government with
it as a sin against God and man. This country has lived to
see that they were right, and only to regret that it did not
sooner heed the warning. So now the time will come as surely
as there is a righteous God, when, if this people let this sin of
rebellion go unpunished, they will repent it in sackcloth and
ashes. Methinks I see rising from the dead a host of wounded, man
gled bodies, in whom is recognized the forms of our sons,
brothers, fathers, who have lain weltering in blood before the
skilfully erected fortifications of our adversaries ; or who died
of wasting disease while waiting through long, weary months
on the Peninsula, striving to capture the citadel of rebellion ;
or who were starved to death by a slow but sure process in
Belle Isle and AndersonvUle. Methinks I see their skeleton
fingers pointing to these 'men — these leaders — walking our
streets in undisturbed repose, having a safe conduct given them
to their homes, or an easy passage to distant lands, where they
can wave their laurels amidst the pseans of admiring sympa
thizers. I see them thus rise from the dead and demand of
this Republic : — Is this the fruit of our labors ; the reward of
our suffering ? Is this what you call mercy ? If it is, why
then did you not show it to us ? You asked our blood to save
the country, while you spare the blood of these men who have
tried to destroy it ! Oh, yes, " the voice of the blood of our
patriots crieth unto God from the ground for vengeance."
This, then, we believe to he the lesson ofthe hour. The im
portance of inflicting the heaviest penalties of the law on the

14
unprincipled, unrepentant leaders and instigators of this rebel
lion, while mercy is shown, with a wise discrimination, to their
misguided and repentant followers.
Under the light of this truth, the duly of the hour also be
comes plain : — To see that by the hands of the lawful authori
ties this punishment is meted out, and to uphold their hands in
their endeavors to do it. Refrain from all acts that would take
the law into your own hands. We have law in this land, and,
thank God, we have proved over and over during the last four
years that we have power to execute it. If it is important that
it should be executed, it is equally important that it should be
executed by the lawfully constituted authorities. Next to re
bellion there is nothing worse than mob law. It is anarchy,
and anarchy is the sister spirit of rebellion. We have every
reason to believe, from the history of his past life, tli.at our
present President will not shrink from doing his whole duty in
this respect. Let us hold up his hands if we wish to see the
majjesty of the law vindicated, and the country purged of
treason. The next duty is to possess our souls in peace as to fears of
personal injury. At such a time as this there is naturally a
fear of personal violence. When assassins are abroad even
good men tremble. But, my hearer, your safety is in doing
your duty to your God and country. Such He hides under the
shadow of His wings. Or, if they fall at their posts, he gives
them a martyr's crown. "Be thou faithful unto death, and I
will give thee a crown of life." But oh, learn the uncertainty
of life, and the necessity of constant preparation for death.
Then you can look death in the face with calmness, in what
ever form it may come.
Be reminded also by this calamity of the necessity of con
stant prayer for the preservation of the lives of your rulers.
Probably all of us in our time of triumph have had a feeling of

15
security concerning them, which made us relax our efforts in
this particular. What a lesson have we received in the neces
sity of its constant practice. Yes, let us also remember " to
commit the keeping of their souls to Him in well doing, as unto
a faithful Creator," that His grace may swell in their hearts,
and His wisdom inspire their minds.
And now, amid the gloom which naturally gathers around
your hearts, let me point you to some encouraging truths.
God is still on His throne. Blessed truth ! Yea, though
" clouds and darkness are round about Him, righteousness and
judgment are the habitation of His throne." He may hide His
face from us for a moment, but it no more affects his purposes of
mercy than the passing cloud affects the undiminished glories
of the sun. He may even suffer our rulers to be assassinated
by the hands of wicked men, just as he permitted his chosen,
anointed king, Saul, to be pierced by the arrow of the wicked.
But it will no more affect the stability of our Government than
it did that of Israel's. Then God raised up a David to avenge
the fearful crime, and gave Israel a power and a glory which
it had never before reached. Human governments which have
been instituted by God will also be maintained by Him. Who
can doubt that the Government of this country, laid amid the
prayers of so many of His precious saints, and baptised with
the blood of our fathers in the Revolution, was instituted by
Him? Verily, then, He will maintain it. Verily, He has
already given us an earnest of the fact. He has parted the
waters of this rebellion, and enabled our rulers to bear the ark
of our liberties safely through the bloody sea. Verily that
ark he will still preserve, until, after its perilous journeyings,
it finds a permanent abode in the inmost shrine of freedom's
temple. And now we visit, in thought, the lifeless body of our late
President.

16
Lay there quietly in thy last sleep, oh beloved dust!!
Around thy body the sentinels this day keep watch, but around
thy memory our hearts shall keep guard in this.generatipn, and
then commit the sacred trust to our children's children.
Sleep there calmly. Thou under whose Administration a
race has broken its shackles and risen from, its degradation.
Over thy bier this day, that race is shedding more heartfelt
tears than ever before moistened the couch of an earthly ruler.
Sleep there, environed by all the glory of thy nation's fame.
Thou, who enteredst the Presidential chair, in the time of thy
nation's trial, and left it not until thine eyes beheld its triumph.
The lovers of freedom throughout the world respect thy worth.
Sleep there, eloquent even in death. " Though being dead,
thou yet speaketh." " Thy blood crieth unto God from the
ground for vengeance." The assassin's weapon only deprived
thy body of life ; thou still livest, enshrined in our hearts,
and nations yet unborn shall rise up and call thee blessed.

YALE UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

Gftof
STUART W. JACKSON
Yale 1898