Frontier Fighters The Glowing Imperishable Deeds of those Fearless Sons of Courage, who gave their lives so that the West might have liberty and justice. When the Reverend Thomas Starr King accepted a pastorate in San Francisco, his well-wishing Boston friends thought he had suddenly become bereft of his reason. They assured him California was a land of brawling miners, outlaws, and savages. But on April 5th, 1860, Starr King and his wife boarded the steamer Northern Light for San Francisco. When the ship was a few miles out, he remarked to his wife, Well, Julian, you worried a little? No, no, not exactly worried. Just a little apprehensive. California is such a new country. Such a... Such a wild country. I know. You're a little worried about me personally. I don't exactly look the rugged pioneer type. Starr, why did you ever leave Boston? Not that I wouldn't go with you to the ends of the earth. I know, my darling, what you're thinking. I've given up so much to accept so little. Oh, it does look that way to the human eye, but, Julian, dear, I was called to San Francisco to serve both my country and my God. Starr, you sound like a soldier about to enlist in the Army. And, dear, if Abraham Lincoln is elected President of these United States, well, I... Oh, but don't worry, oh, little head, Julian. I can only say, my darling, that I was really called to California. But now, look up at the sky, my dear. Isn't it glorious to know God's in his heaven and all's right with the world? On April 28, 1860, Starr King preached his first sermon in the Unitarian Church on Stockton Street. His size, his beardless, boyish face, were held against him until he spoke. Then every doubt in the minds of his parishioners faded away. They were charmed and tranced, delighted, wildly enthusiastic. With every sermon, his fame grew, and in a few months, people came from every part of the state to hear this inspired young preacher. Just before Lincoln was inaugurated, some of his followers asked Starr King to declare himself. Declare myself, gentlemen? Why, I don't understand. It won't be many days now before a great calamity is going to hit these United States' powerful hearts. And can't help but be that, and more, for the man like Lincoln that's sitting in the White House. I ain't for mincing words. You're gonna be north or south, Reverend King. Neither, Mr. Jones. Neither. Just a humble, God-fearing, liberty-loving American. And now, gentlemen, I bid you good morning. Something wrong, dear? Not yet, Julia, but there will be soon. When the question, shall there be a north or south, raises its head in the house of the Lord, in his earthly kingdom, we can certainly look for trouble. Starr, dear. Starr, wake up. What's that? Don't you hear that furious pounding on the door? One of your parishioners must be desperately ill. Coming, coming, patient. Reverend King, a thousand apologies for getting you out of bed at this hour, but news just came over the telegraph wire from Washington. Something happened to Abraham Lincoln? The President is well, but, oh, sir, Fort Sumter has been fired upon. Fort Sumter fired upon? That means that the Civil War has begun. California will be in a bad way, Reverend. More than 40% of her citizens are of Southern birth. If we lose California, the entire West may secede from the Union. I don't know why I come to you, Reverend King, except I thought you'd want to say something about it from the pulpit. From my pulpit and from every pulpit in the state of California that loves the Union, and from every lecture platform, from every street corner if need be. You will be criticized, Reverend King, for taking a stand like that. Your congregation brought you to California. To, to save souls. Yes, I know, David, but God rules Earth as well as Heaven. From this hour on, I dedicate my life to saving California and preserving the Union. There are those who say they are Union men and in favor of the government, and yet they are bitterly opposed to the administration and cannot support its policy. But in a war for self-existence, this divorce is impossible. One might as well say it's a fire. While his house is beginning to crackle in flames, I am in favor of this engine. I go for this water. The hose meets my endorsement, and certainly I'm for putting out the fire. But don't ask me to help man the brakes, for I am conscientiously opposed to the hose pipe. Its nozzle isn't handsome. It wasn't made by a Democrat. My friends, I have a vision. I want to share it with you. I see a restored, peaceful, majestic, irresistible America, where North and South are one again. And liberty and Union, now and forever, are one and inseparable. I can't stop dear. I must have another speech ready by morning. Just think, Julia, we're beginning to turn the tide in favor of the Union. Just by fall, if Leland Stanford is elected governor, then California will be safe from disunion. But you're helped, dear. You can't go on like this, living in excitement. But just burn yourself out. I can't stop now. Not even for a minute. Today, tomorrow, next month, next year. Not until every state is restored to the Union. Poor star. Forgive me for having scolded you. Your life has been service to God. Service to your fellow men and women. Your life was laden with love, winged with sacrifice. I do know more than thousands do everywhere in the United States. United States. They were united once. Pray God they will be again soon. The war years drove on. In a bitterly fought campaign to reelect Abraham Lincoln, threats were made against the preacher Patriot's life. He tried to keep their knowledge from Mrs. King. One day, greatly alarmed, she came to his study. Star, star, look at this note I found. It's terrible. Monsters to think that anyone wants to kill you. Julia, here, dear, now pull yourself together. Oh, we're leaving California. We'll go away. We've done your duty by God and man. No one can expect more of us. There, there, now dear, here. Let me see that note. I turned cold all over when I read it. Why, Julia, I've received notes like this before. But you didn't even say anything. What was there to say, Julia? I wasn't afraid. And I knew that no harm could come to me until my mission was finished. Star, we leave California. You need a rest. You've gotten so thin. You don't sleep well anymore. You hardly take time to eat. After Abraham Lincoln is re-elected and the Union is whole and sound again, we'll have a second honeymoon. We'll go to Europe. We'll see all the places we've read about. Star, star, here, let me get you some water. No, I'm all right. It's just a little dry spot in my throat. I'm all right. I'm all right. I'm all right. I'm all right. I'm all right. I'm all right. I'm all right. I'm all right. I'm all right. I'm all right. I'm all right. I'm all right. Stop crying. I'm all right. You don't cry. But you said, your crunch. You can't cry either. Pearl, I'm sorry to have frightened you. You're dead for a moment. You want to lie down and rest for just 15 minutes. Well no, no, no. I haven't addressed a mass meeting. Julia, I considered my work well done. If I can bring a majority of 10,000 votes to the president, wouldn't that a wonderful vote of confidence in the great work he's doing? I wonder what you'll receive for the great work you're doing? doing? For the little I've done to help my country, I may receive a crown of thorns, or the bitter cup which he drank and called it sweet. Even when his strength was fast failing him, Star King drove himself on day by day. Even as the election returns were pouring in, he kept on preaching the gospel of liberty and union, one and inseparable. Closing his fervent plea for an undivided union, he said, and when the work of the government shall be accomplished, when the flag of 13 stripes and 34 stars shall again float over Sumter, over New Orleans, over Mount Vernon, and the American dust of Washington. Reverend, final election returns. Thanks Bill, I'll announce them from the stage. How does that make Bill? Like a landslide. Yes, yes it does. Ladies and gentlemen, I shall conclude my speech. There's nothing more to be said. My work is done. Abraham Lincoln in the Union State of California is favored by a majority of 30,000 votes. Doctor, is my husband very ill? Mrs. King, there's hardly a spark of life left in that frail body. Oh no, no. Oh, Julia. Oh, come in dear. Julia, read me the 23rd Psalm. No, no, no. Now give me the Bible. I'll read it. Yes dear. Here's your Bible. Don't look so unhappy dear. I'm not going far away. You see, I can't stray far because the Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. He leadeth me beside the still water. He restore my soul. Doctor. A great soul has joined his maker. In Golden Gate Park San Francisco there has been erected a beautiful monument to Thomas Star King. The inscription reads, in him eloquence, strength, and virtue were devoted with fearless courage to truth, country, and his fellow men. And so a man of God joins the long line of great, selfless, and daring frontier fighters.