The Lincoln Hypothesis by Timothy Ballard

Author:Timothy Ballard [Ballard, Timothy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: History, Non-fiction
Publisher: Deseret Book Company
Published: 2014-05-09T16:00:00+00:00

Relying on God’s Guidance

After a congressional delegation visited Lincoln during the war and pressed him to make sure slavery would be cast away forever, Lincoln made a most astonishing comment. First, he echoed the principles behind the American covenant—that national salvation was dependent upon doing right, and so slavery’s eradication would be paramount. But then he went further, testifying that perhaps there was even more to it. His words had a powerful effect upon Congressman James Wilson (who recorded Lincoln’s statement). Wilson noted that as the president spoke these words with his right arm outstretched, “his face [was] aglow like the face of a prophet.”8 Lincoln’s full response was as follows:

“My faith is greater than yours. I not only believe that Providence is not unmindful of the struggle in which this nation is engaged; that if we do not do right, God will let us go our own way to ruin; and that if we do right, He will lead us safely out of this wilderness, crown our arms with victory, and restore our dissevered union, as you expressed your belief; but I also believe that He will compel us to do right in order that He may do these things, not so much because we desire them as that they accord with His plans of dealing with this nation, in the midst of which He means to establish justice. I think He means that we shall do more than we have yet done in furtherance of His plans, and He will open the way for our doing it. I have felt His hand upon me in great trials and submitted to His guidance, and I trust that as He shall further open the way I will be ready to walk therein, relying on His help and trusting in His goodness and wisdom.”9

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