The Lord’s Anointed

The same night that John Wilkes Booth assassinated President Abraham Lincoln, assassinations were also attempted against Secretary of State William Seward and Vice President Andrew Johnson. Most people don’t realize that Booth, when he took the life of Abraham Lincoln, also sought to wipe out Lincoln’s entire leadership.

On the same night, Lewis Powell attempted to assassinate Secretary of State Seward in his home. Powell was able to gain entry into Seward’s home by claiming he was delivering medicine to the ailing man. When he gained entry to his room, he made his attempt.

Though Seward was critically injured by Powell’s knife, he did survive. While recovering, he was not told about Lincoln’s assassination in fear that it might send him into shock and derail his recovery. While looking out the window from his bed a few days later, however, Seward noticed the American flag flying at half-mast. He said to his attendant, “The president is dead.” When the young man tried to deny it, Seward said, “If he had been alive he would have been the first to call on me.”

Vice President Andrew Johnson was a little more fortunate. The man who was supposed to kill him at his hotel decided against the plan 15 minutes before he was to carry it out. “I enlisted to abduct the President of the United States,” the man later claimed, “not to kill.”

Young David, after he was anointed by Samuel to be king but before he did become king, had the chance to take the life of King Saul on two occasions. But David, learning from the ways of his merciful God, refused to do so, saying, “I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is the Lord’s anointed” (1 Samuel 24:10). Saul was anything but righteous at that point, yet David felt convicted by God that He had no business taking the life of the king.

Key Bible Texts

Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:21 KJV)