Greatness lies, not in being strong, but in the right using of strength and strength is not used rightly when it serves only to carry a man above his fellows for his own solitary glory. He is the greatest whose strength carries up the most hearts by the attraction of his own.

Beecher distinguishes mere power from moral greatness. Physical strength, talent, wealth, or influence become “great” only when directed toward uplifting others rather than elevating oneself. The image of strength that “carries up the most hearts” frames leadership as attractive and communal: the truly great person draws people upward through character, generosity, and example, not through domination or self-advertisement. The quote reflects a 19th‑century Protestant moral rhetoric in which personal gifts are treated as stewardship—resources entrusted to an individual for the benefit of the wider community. It also anticipates modern ideals of servant leadership, measuring greatness by the good one enables in others.