John Jasper had not enjoyed many educational advantages in his early life, but he was a shrewd negro. He saw that the colored men in Richmond were being used by the designing politicians in their own interests. Before the election the candidates for office would go about addressing their "colored constituents" and making all manner of promises as to what would be done for the negro race if only these particular gentlemen were chosen to office. But when they were once safely elected not one of them could see a colored man across the street. On the Sunday night before the city election, Mr. Jasper preached a sermon on the political outlook and in the course of that sermon he told this story: "Brethren, the other night I had a dream. I dreamed that I was dead. I went to heaven, but I found it a long way from Richmond, Virginia, to heaven. I toiled along through the brush and the briers and over the rocks until at last, through much tribulation, I reached the Gate of Heaven. "I knocked and St. Peter said, 'Who's theah?' ""The Rev. John Jasper, Richmond, Virginia.' "Is you a-horseback or a-foot?' "I'se a-foot, Sah.' ""Then you cahn't come in heah-no man can come in heah except he's a'horseback.'" Mr. Jasper said that he felt profoundly disappointed. He had been striving to live a consistent, Christian life for many years. He had been preaching the Gospel of his blessed Lord with such ability as he possessed and now to be told that he could not be admitted to heaven because he had come on foot seemed harsh. He believed, however, in the perseverance of the saints and he started back to earth to get a horse that he might come up properly. Again he toiled along through the brush and the briers and over the rocks until, about half way down to the earth, he met General Mahone. "Why, Gineral," he said, "is you dead, too? Whar you gwine?" The General informed him that he was on the way to heaven. Then John Jasper explained that he would not be admitted because he was on foot. The two men stood there on the path discussing the matter until presently General Mahone said: "Now John, I'll tell you what we will do. You get down on your hands and knees and I'll get on your back. Then I'll ride you up to the Gate of Heaven. When St. Peter asks me if I am on horseback or on foot, I'll tell him I am on horseback. Then I'll ride you in and there we'll be." This seemed like an admirable arrangement, and John Jasper, according to his dream, meekly got down on his hands and knees and took General Mahone on his back. Then once more he toiled along through the brush and the briers and over the rocks until again he was at the Gate of Heaven. General Mahone knocked and St. Peter said: "Who's there?" "General Mahone, Richmond, Vir ginia." "Is you a-horseback or a-foot?" “All right, General,” replied St. Peter, "hitch your horse outside and walk right in." I do not need to make the application as John Jasper made it that night to his colored congregation. I tell the story as illustrating a quality which I fear has not entirely disappeared from some of our present-day politicians. There are still men in every community who like to have the public get down on all fours that these aspirants for office may ride them for their own advantage. I tell this story as illustrating a quality of which not one shred can be found in the make-up of Abraham Lincoln. He had no desire that the American people should get down on all fours that he might ride them for his own advantage. He desired rather than he might take upon himself the form of a servant and stoop down in patient fashion to minister to their welfare. He lived in the spirit of that Book which John Hay, his Secretary, tells us lay always on his desk-a book in which he was accustomed to read every day. The Book says: "He that saveth his life shall lose it. But he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it." Lincoln found himself; he found his place in the hearts of his countrymen; and he found his secure niche in the Temple of Fame because he lived and died to serve. He |