November 19 marks the anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's most famous speech, The Gettysburg Address. I share it with you here today, in thirteen lines. I think these good lines to reflect upon, perhaps now more than ever.
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure.
We are met on a great battle-field of that war.
We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live.
It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate we can not consecrate — we can not hallow — this ground.
The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract.
The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.
It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.
It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us —
that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion —
that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom —
and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
If you have never visited Gettyburg, I encourage you to do so. I have been there twice, and while it can be quite sobering, it is well worth the journey. I only wish we'd been able to attend one of the evening ghost tours! The picture above is of one of the monuments found at Gettysburg in honor of the famed Iron Brigade of Wisconsin (photo by me).
LINKS TO OTHER THURSDAY THIRTEENS:(Please leave your link if this is your first visit!)
Alice Audrey * Maddy Barone * Shelley Munro
Stephanie Bennett * Darla M Sands * Danielle
Jeanne St James * Tatiana Caldwell * Paige Tyler
Jennifer Leeland * Harriet * CountryDew
Adelle Laudan
More Thursday Thirteen participants
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure.
We are met on a great battle-field of that war.
We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live.
It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate we can not consecrate — we can not hallow — this ground.
The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract.
The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.
It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.
It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us —
that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion —
that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom —
and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
If you have never visited Gettyburg, I encourage you to do so. I have been there twice, and while it can be quite sobering, it is well worth the journey. I only wish we'd been able to attend one of the evening ghost tours! The picture above is of one of the monuments found at Gettysburg in honor of the famed Iron Brigade of Wisconsin (photo by me).
Alice Audrey * Maddy Barone * Shelley Munro
Stephanie Bennett * Darla M Sands * Danielle
Jeanne St James * Tatiana Caldwell * Paige Tyler
Jennifer Leeland * Harriet * CountryDew
Adelle Laudan
More Thursday Thirteen participants
14 comments:
Some of the historical speeches are very moving. Maybe we'll visit one day.
One of my favorite historical speeches. Thanks for sharing it. :) Happy Thursday!
Thank you for sharing this! Very stirring. I should visit and take my dad, the history buff. :)
Shelley: I hope you do get the chance to visit some day. It was quite the moving experience.
Stephanie: It is a classic, isn't it?
Darla: You really should. I bet your dad would love it!
Awesome! Thanks for sharing this! Great List!!
Great TT! Haven't been there, but it sounds like a cool place to visit!
*hugs*
Paige
My TT is at http://paigetylertheauthor.blogspot.com/
He was such a humble man to think his speech would be little noted and not long remembered.
One of the greatest speeches ever given, written hastily on the train to Gettyburg. It actually brings tears to my eyes sometimes.
Danielle: Most welcome, thanks for visiting!
Paige: It is indeed a cool place to visit. The place fairly vibrates with history.
Alice: Too bad more of of our modern politicians aren't as humble and modest, no?
Maddy: Short and hastily written, but altogether quite moving!
I just missed the days where this speech had to be memorized.
It's too bad. It still should be.
Love it.
Jennifer: I agree. But then, I also think they need to bring back civics classes. People should know how their government works and who their elected officials are.
That's for sure. But then, most of them weren't faced with such an overwhelming crisis. They are free to reveal there idiocy.
Thanks for this. Very interesting. He definitely had a way with people.
Happy T13!
Alice: And reveal their idiocy they do, LOL!
Adelle: I'm glad you liked. Lincoln definitely had a way with both words and people.
Post a Comment