Post An Anti-Lincoln Poem (Part One).

An Anti-Lincoln Poem (Part One). Martha Ann Penney was the daughter of the Baptist preacher Dr. William W. Penney. William, alongside his father John Penney, another Baptist preacher, were instrumental in founding all of the Baptist Churches in Anderson County, Kentucky. Eli Penney, William’s brother, is most notably known for being the grandfather of the famous J. C. Penney. Martha came to marry a Baptist preacher named James Madison Bell and sired eight children. As a pastime, Martha would often author poetry concerning current events and life’s trials. At the request of her daughter she was able to compile all of the poetry she wrote throughout the years and presented it to her in a handwritten book. Years later, after her mother’s death, Martha’s daughter felt compelled to publish her mother’s poetry as a monument to her memory.  From Martha’s pen we now read: “There dwelt in Babylon of old Some mighty kings wicked and bold. They ruled their subjects with a rod  And set themselves above our God. They did decree, with solemn vow,  All men should to their idols bow; But some feared God far more than they  And their decree did disobey. So Shadrach, Meshac and Abednego  In a fiery furnace they did throw,  But Israel's God whom we admire  Did save them from the smell of fire. King Darius with his wicked men  Threw Daniel in the lion's den ; But Daniel's was a glorious cause  And God sealed up the lion's jaws. Then Darius threw those wicked men With wives and children in that den. The lions, 'mid their cries and groans,  Did, in a moment, break their bones. ,Tis thus king Lincoln rules our land  And deals out vengeance with his hand. ,Tis thus our land in rivers run  With blood of father, brother, son. He speaks, and none dare tell him nay. He makes men their best friends to slay,  And if with him you disagree  The prison walls you sure will see. He tears the husband from his wife  And forces him to deadly strife. From day to day we hear the cry, ‘Give men and money or you die.’ Not like the wicked kings of old Has he set up a god of gold. Negro equality is his God,  And white men feel his iron rod. A curse was laid on Ham, and all  The colored race, both great and small; But Lincoln spurns God's firm decree  And vows he'll set the negro free. He will not suffer such a race To serve the whites; he'll change the case. He sways his sceptre day and night  To blend the colors black and white. God made them black with kinky hair,  But made the race of Japheth fair, Yet Lincoln, with his men in arms,  Extols the blacks' superior charms. He'll set God's botchwork now to rights By slaying brave and noble whites,  And elevate that sable race That since the flood has borne disgrace.” -Poems of Mrs. Martha A. Bell by Martha Ann Penney Bell, pgs. 86-88. 𝔹𝕠𝕦𝕟𝕕𝕤 𝕠𝕗 ℍ𝕒𝕓𝕚𝕥𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 & 𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕮𝖔𝖓𝖋𝖊𝖉𝖊𝖗𝖆𝖙𝖊 𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙