A House Divided against itself cannot Stand

        Another interesting bit of insight from the Hillsdale College Constitution class:  I never understood the full implications of President Lincolns famous comment in the Lincoln./Douglas debate: “A house divided against itself cannot stand.”  I always thought he was simply referring to the fact that the United States was a divided country, part slave holding and part free.  In fact he was referring to the logic of Douglas’ whole argument for slavery.

             The quote, “A house divided against itself cannot stand” alludes to the story in the book of Matthew.  Christ has cast out demons.  The Pharisees accuse him of doing the work of the devil.   “It is by the prince of demons that he drives out demons.”  When Jesus says “a house divided against itself cannot stand,” he shows how illogical the Pharisees’ accusations is.  Satan’s demons cannot be expelled with Satan’s aid unless Satan is willing to undermine his own empire. 

          The use of the quote suggests that Lincoln thought Douglas’ arguments equally illogical.  Douglas was arguing for the right of territories to decide to be slave or free, basing his argument of the principle self-government, “the birthright of free men resting upon free thought and action.”  Establishing a state that allows the citizens to vote for tyranny, for aristocracy, for the rule of one class over the other is absurd.  It cannot stand. There are no foundational supports. Voting for tyranny on the pretense of loving liberty is the height of hypocrisy.

           The Hillsdale class is a real adventure.  The most important thing I learned is that the founders had the wisdom of humility.  They knew they were fallible and that all of us share the same propensity for evil, so they struggled mightily to create a government that would protect the rights of every man.

           In his farewell address Washington said, “May the children of the stock of Abraham who dwell in this land continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other inhabitants—while everyone shall sit in safety under his own vine and fig tree and there shall be none to make him afraid.”