The sweet voice of Philip Phillips once charmed the Senate
chamber at Washington and won a rare tribute from President
Lincoln. It was toward the close of the Civil War. The United
States Christian Commission was in session. Statesmen, generals
and other leading friends of the Union were there. On being
invited to sing, Mr. Phillips rendered Mrs. Gates’ “Your
Mission,” beginning,
“If you can not on the ocean
Sail among the swiftest fleet.”
As he proceeded every one sat spellbound. But when he reached
the lines,
“If you can not in the conflict
Prove yourself a soldier true;
If where fire and smoke are thickest
There’s no work for you to do;
When the battle-field is silent
You can go with careful tread;
You can bear away the wounded,
You can cover up the dead,”
the Senate chamber rang with a tempest of applause, and a note
was passed to the chairman, Secretary Seward, from the pen of
Mr. Lincoln for the singer: “Near the close let us have ‘Your
Mission’ repeated.”
(3411)
=Voice, Knowledge of=--See TESTIMONY, A SHEEP’S.