The Gettysburg Address & Its Cosmic Echo

Pastor Glenn Aguirre texted me about 10 weeks ago and asked me to recite or read the Gettysburg Address for our Church Family's Freedom Sabbath, July 4, 2026. From that point until this past weekend, my razors remained tucked away. Only once before, early in my ministry, had I given my chin and chops such a chance to prove themselves. Would they come through for my impersonation of America's national savior? Would Mr. Lincoln's most famous expressions of grief and patriotism still ring true? My research was comforting. America's 16th president held his manuscript as a prompt page drawn from his stovepipe hat. I could, too. The lanky Chief Executive was just my height, 6 foot three inches tall, but

his Kentucky roots gave him a Southern accent. Thomas Edison claimed the invention of voice recording 17 years following the president's cemetery oration on Thursday, November 19, 1863 in Pennsylvania. So, there is no audio to accompany this black and white photograph taken about Noon that day, three hours before some of the 15,000 eyewitnesses are quoted as hearing Abraham Lincoln's high-pitched tenor voice repeat the famous 272 words.

Of the pivotal battle's approximately 51,000 Union and Confederate total casualties who fell during its three days of combat, July 1-3, 1863, 3,000 Yankees were interred in the plot being dedicated in the November ceremony. President Lincoln felt weak on the train from Washington to Gettysburg day-before the service. On the morning of the ceremony, the President was dizzy. His personal secretary, John Hay, noted during the speech that Lincoln's face had "a ghastly color" and that he was "sad, mournful, almost haggard". After the speech, when Lincoln boarded the 6:30 pm train to return to Washington, D.C., he was feverish with a severe headache. He was subsequently diagnosed with a case of smallpox.

Here, then is my attempt, like Abraham Lincoln's, to enter the emotion of the cemetery at Gettysburg 163 years ago.

CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW. FIND THE VIDEO PROGRESS LINE AND ADVANCE IT TO 1:45:00 AND WATCH TO THE END OF THE GETTYSBURG ADDRESS, THEN RETURN HERE FOR THIS POST'S CONCLUSION.

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While familiarizing myself with Lincoln's iconic address given in rural Pennsylvania, his striking phrases seemed timeless, too good for only one historic venue! Especially, these classic expressions felt strongly applicable to an epic Biblical war into which all mankind has been drawn!...

1. "Brought forth on this..."

2. "Dedicated to the proposition..."

3. "Engaged in a great..."

4. "We are met in the middle..."

5. "In a larger sense, we cannot dedicate..."

6. "It is for us the living, rather to be dedicated to the unfinished work..."

My pastoral heart couldn't help itself! Down went Lincoln's words into a new context which echoed from Gettysburg, but was about an even bigger sacrifice, an even larger achievement and mission--the salvation of mankind and their restoration in a new Earth without suffering, death, and war!!

Gettysburg's echo became "The Mount Calvary Address." You can hear it read responsively by a 400-person congregation and its pastors! You can share the conviction brought by God's Spirit!

CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW. ADVANCE TO 2:09:40 AND JOIN PASTOR GLENN'S MOVING SERMON CONCLUSION AND FOLLOW THE ON-SCREEN TEXT TO SEE THE STRIKING PARALLEL BETWEEN GETTYSBURG AND MT. CALVARY.

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We hear You offer us freedom, Lord Jesus, and we accept it and take your hand to walk with you and stay free!!

Chaplain Dave Smith