Page:Six Months at the White House.djvu/126

Rh means of the preservation of the whole family. And so God has called your son into his upper kingdom—a kingdom and an existence as real, more real, than your own. It may be that he too, like Joseph, has gone, in God's good providence, to be the salvation of his father's household. It is a part of the Lord's plan for the ultimate happiness of you and yours. Doubt it not. I have a sermon," continued Dr. Vinton, "upon this subject, which I think might interest you." Mr. Lincoln begged him to send it at an early day—thanking him repeatedly for his cheering and hopeful words.  The sermon was sent, and read over and over by the President, who caused a copy to be made for his own private use before it was returned.  Through a member of the family, I have been informed that Mr. Lincoln's views in relation to spiritual things seemed changed from that hour.  Certain it is, that thenceforth he ceased the observance of the day of the week upon which his son died, and gradually resumed his accustomed cheerfulness.

Among my visitors in the early part of May was the Hon. Mr. Alley, of Massachusetts, who gave me a deeply interesting inside glimpse of the Chicago Republican Convention in 1860. The popular current had, at first, set very strongly in favor of Mr. Seward, who, many supposed, would be