This week, 161 years ago, Abraham Lincoln was elected 16th President of the United States. His win was a surprise to everyone. Lincoln had lost two Senate races in the last five years, including one to Stephen Douglas, one of his opponents in the 1860 presidential race.
Virtually all expected Lincoln to place third in the election, which featured candidates from the four major political parties of the time.
Lincoln did not travel to Washington in early November as other candidates did. There was no eager anticipation of a win. Many had voiced their opposition to Lincoln in no uncertain terms.
For example, Lincoln represented the Republican Party, and Maine, a stronghold for the party, did not pledge their support. In fact, none of the nine Representatives and Senators from Maine voted for Lincoln.
Lincoln’s profound resiliency undoubtedly played a role in the significant impact he would have on American history. Many of lesser fortitude would have given up long before the presidential contest began.
Lincoln’s life was beset with setbacks. He lost a job and was defeated in a bid for the State Legislature in 1832. His business failed in 1833. His love died in 1835. He had a nervous breakdown in 1836, and he suffered a defeat in a bid to serve as Speaker in 1838. But he did not give up.
Following these setbacks and hurdles, he served as Whig Floor Leader (1838), he was elected to the Illinois State Legislature (1840), he established a new law practice with Stephen T. Logan (1841), and he was authorized to practice law in U.S. District Court (1842).
But more setbacks were in store. He was defeated in his run for Congress in 1843. He was elected to Congress in 1846 but lost as an incumbent in 1848. He was rejected for a position as Land Officer in 1849, defeated in his run for Senate in 1854, defeated in his run for Vice President in 1856, and again defeated when he ran for a seat in the Senate in 1858.
There were a few victories along the way, but the striking setbacks kept coming. Still, Lincoln did not give up.
It was this week, 161 years ago, that Lincoln’s tenacity paid off. No one at the time envisioned what impact the self-educated, out-of-fashion, unpolished, new President would have on a divided nation and changing world. But in the next four years, Lincoln would change the course of history.
Lincoln had hope that his prospects would change—and they did. Lincoln had hope that he could win an election—and he did. Lincoln had hope that his setbacks could make him better, not bitter—and they did. From Lincoln’s story, we learn that hope in the present is a bridge to success in the future. It is easy to have hope in the midst of success—Lincoln was able to find hope in the midst of darkness.
For Lincoln, faith plus hope was the formula that pushed him on and positioned him for success.
And almost exactly 81 years following Lincoln’s historic election, Winston Churchill, the Prime Minister of England (who was an admirer of Abraham Lincoln), spoke at Harrow Public School for Boys. The now-famous speech was given against the backdrop of a series of defeats and a gloomy outlook for England in the early days of World War II.
To a group of schoolboys, Churchill intimated: “Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never — in nothing, great or small, large or petty — never give in, except to convictions of honor and good sense.”
Churchill inspired those boys, and his battered nation, to not give up—and in time the allied forces won the war. Lincoln’s perseverance led to his winning the election in 1860—and in time, he changed the course of history.
Friends, let the testimonies of Lincoln and Churchill inspire you today. Do not give up — do not give in — do not lose heart — and do not lose hope.
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