A faith like Lincoln's would transform the world!

The line invokes Abraham Lincoln as a moral exemplar whose “faith” is not merely religious belief but steadfast confidence in human equality, democratic ideals, and the possibility of national renewal amid crisis. By claiming such faith “would transform the world,” Oppenheim frames Lincoln’s inner conviction as a catalytic force: if widely shared, it could convert private conscience into public action and reshape political life. The exclamation gives the sentence the character of a rallying cry, suggesting the author is less interested in historical description than in urging readers to adopt a Lincoln-like moral courage and hope as an antidote to cynicism or injustice.