Changes

==Religion==

==Religion==

Abraham Lincoln, like many other people of his day, believed that "Religion is a private affair between a man and his God."  Doubts about Lincoln's faith have arisen mainly because he never officially joined a church, which his political opponents used sometimes to accuse him. He had a love of the Bible and memorized parts of the Bible.  Lincoln said once that:

Abraham Lincoln, like many other people of his day, believed that "Religion is a private affair between a man and his God."  Doubts about Lincoln's faith have arisen mainly because he never officially joined a church, which his political opponents used sometimes to accuse him. Lincoln, however, had a love of the Bible and memorized parts of it.  His allusions to faith in public speech included the following:

''"I doubt the possibility or propriety of settling the religion of Jesus Christ in the models of man-made creeds and dogmas.  I cannot without mental reservations assent to long and complicated creeds and catechisms."''  

*''"I doubt the possibility or propriety of settling the religion of Jesus Christ in the models of man-made creeds and dogmas.  I cannot without mental reservations assent to long and complicated creeds and catechisms."''

*''"Tell father to remember to call upon and confide in our great, and good, and merciful Maker who will not turn away from him in any extremity.  He notes the fall of a sparrow and numbers the hairs of our heads; and he will not forget the dying man who puts his trust in him.  If it is to be his lot to go now, he will soon have a joyous meeting with many loved ones gone before; and where the rest of us, through the help of God, hope ere long to join them."''

He also said on another occasion:

Lincoln also included religious statements in the famous [[Gettysburg address]], which included the phrase "under God," and was used as support for adding the same phrase to the [[Pledge of Allegiance]].

:''"That I am not a member of any Christian church is true, but I have never denied the truth of the Scriptures, and I have never spoken with intentional disrespect of religion in general or of any denomination of Christians in particular."''

He also made statements that suggest a strong faith, such as when his father was ill:

Despite all this, rumors still circulate.  Many Christians believe that he was a strong Christian, while some others disagree.  Still another opinion is that he converted to Christianity during his time in office. Evidence for this opinion comes from two clergymen who claimed that he had made a secret trip from Washington to be baptized after he was shot at Ford's theater, and a Roman Catholic Priest who said that Lincoln received the sacrament of baptism in secret.  Neither of these claims have any proof in White House records or his personal diary.<ref> [[God and the Oval Office]], by John C. McCollister, W Publishing, 2005.  </ref>

 

Rumors still circulate.  Many Christians believe that he was a strong Christian.  Others believe he was not one.  Another opinion is that he became one while in office. After he was shot at Ford's theater two clergy claimed that he had made a secret trip from Washington to be baptized.  Also a Roman Catholic Priest claimed that Lincoln received the sacrament of baptism in secret.  Neither of these claims have any proof in White House records or his personal diary.<ref> [[God and the Oval Office]], by John C. McCollister, W Publishing, 2005.  </ref>

==Lincoln's style of writing==

==Lincoln's style of writing==