Gold is good in its place; but loving, brave, patriotic men are

Hear the voice of Abraham Lincoln, the great liberator and martyr of a divided nation, who declared: “Gold is good in its place; but loving, brave, patriotic men are better than gold.” These words shine like a beacon across the ages, for they remind us that wealth, though useful, is not the foundation of a nation’s greatness. The true treasure of any people is not the coin in their coffers, but the character in their citizens—their courage, their love, their devotion to one another and to the cause of freedom.

The origin of this wisdom lies in the fiery trial of Lincoln’s own time. The American Civil War was not fought with gold alone, though money and resources were vital. It was fought with the hearts and the blood of ordinary men who left their farms, their shops, and their families to defend the Union or to resist it. In the crucible of war, Lincoln saw clearly that no amount of gold could save the nation if its people lacked the strength of bravery, the devotion of patriotism, and the binding power of love for one another and their common land.

History has proved this truth again and again. Consider the stand of the Greeks at Thermopylae, who with a mere three hundred Spartans and their allies held back the vast armies of Persia. Persia had wealth beyond measure—palaces of marble, treasuries filled with silver and gold—but it was the courage of men who loved their homeland that carved their story into eternity. The Persians’ riches bought them soldiers, but the Spartans’ devotion bought them immortality. Thus Lincoln’s words find echo in the deeds of the ancients: wealth may build walls, but only courage and loyalty can defend them.

And think of George Washington at Valley Forge, when the American cause hung by a thread. The Continental Army was starving, freezing, poorly clothed, and without pay. By the measure of gold, they were bankrupt. Yet they endured, not because of wealth, but because of their faith in the cause of liberty. Their ragged persistence turned despair into victory. Gold could not have bought their survival; only the patriotism of the soldiers, and the bravery of their commander, sustained the birth of a nation.

Lincoln’s words also pierce into the heart of our daily lives. How often do men and women chase after wealth as though it were the highest prize! Yet what is gold compared to a friend who stands with you in hardship? What is treasure compared to a community bound by mutual care? A rich nation filled with selfish hearts will crumble; a modest nation filled with loving, brave men will endure through storm and struggle. Gold can purchase comfort, but it cannot buy honor, sacrifice, or the strength to carry one’s people through the fires of trial.

The lesson is clear: let not the love of wealth rule over the love of virtue. Gold is good in its place—yes, it can build, it can feed, it can clothe—but it is a tool, not a god. Place your trust not in riches, but in the strength of character: in loyalty to your people, in the courage to do what is right, in the love that binds family, friend, and nation together. These are the riches that endure when gold is spent, when empires fall, when history turns its page.

Therefore, O listener, walk not in pursuit of gold alone, but in pursuit of greatness of spirit. Be among the brave, who stand firm when others falter; be among the patriotic, who serve the whole and not only themselves; be among the loving, who give without measure, for love multiplies where gold diminishes. For as Lincoln teaches, nations are not held together by vaults of treasure, but by the hearts of men and women who choose honor over greed, sacrifice over selfishness, and devotion over indifference.

So remember this eternal truth: gold is fleeting, but character is eternal. Choose to be the kind of person who is better than gold, and your legacy will outlast all the treasures of this world.