JUNE 1,
1865:
The belated “National
Day of Mourning” is held for President Lincoln. Flags (which had been raised to
full staff for the Grand Review of The Armies) were dipped again. And though it
may seem incredible to 21st Century Americans who suffer from a kind
of cultural Attention Deficit Disorder, the National Day of Mourning was marked
by many church and memorial services and
weeping throughout the nation even six weeks after Lincoln’s death. To an
extent, this June memorial day was of particular import in the south where
Unionists and other southerners touched by Lincoln’s death had an
officially-sanctioned opportunity to publicly mourn the fallen President.
Rabbi
Sabato Morais of Congregation Mikve-Israel in Philadelphia gave a published
sermon, which began:
If the essence of
religion is what the great Hillel taught us, then I unhesitatingly say that the
breast of our lamented President was ever kindled with that divine spark.
"To forbear doing unto others what would displease us" . . . is the
maxim he illustrated in the immortal document of emancipation that bears his
honorable signature. It is that which he exemplified by his numerous acts of
clemency . . .
And
ended
We must bear his name
with a blessing upon our lips.
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