Abraham Lincoln: The Character of a Leader.

Abstract

Abstract : Abraham Lincoln towers over American history as no other figure, with the possible exception of George Washington. It took Washington to hold the colonies together and allow them to coalesce into the beginnings of the nation we now have. It took Abraham Lincoln to hold the nation together through The deepest crisis of its short life, and then to give it the vision for what it should and could be. In doing so he surprised many people, perhaps even himself for he was a humble man. That he was able to do what he did in spite of tremendous opposition and, at times, discouragement, is a testament to the strength of his character, and to his ability to remain true to his convictions and not be swayed by every change in opinion. This strength of character was a result of his faith in God. This faith gave him the foundational moral sense which guided him through the almost insoluble problems the nation faced. With the truth of God's word to sustain him he could take a stand for what was right, and not be moved. it was faith in a just and merciful God which allowed him to keep on resisting the spread of slavery because he knew that it was an affront to God, and this faith carried him through all the controversy regarding his decision to free the slaves. His faith in God undergirded his adherence to the rule of law. He knew that God had given his law to men for their own good, and he knew that a standard of conduct was good for society because men would often not choose the good when left on their own. Abraham Lincoln did what was right because it was right. He was given the wisdom to understand how fast he could proceed and how much he could do, and he used his wisdom for the benefit of the country.