Henry Ward Beecher invited me to repeat my address on the next Sunday evening in Plymouth Church.

I did so and the house was packed clear out to the sidewalk.

At the end of my address Mr.Beecher leaned over and said: "The Lord helped you to-night." When the meeting closed Mr.Henry C.Bowen said, "Will you and Mr.Beecher not start for Washington to-morrow morning to urge Mr.Lincoln to proclaim emancipation ?" We both agreed to go before the week was over, but could not before.

On the Wednesday of that very week the Battle of Antietam was fought, and on the Friday morning we opened our papers and read President Lincoln's first Proclamation of Emancipation.

The great deed was done; the night was over; the morning had dawned.