In the 1840s, Lincoln subscribed to the Doctrine of Necessity, a belief that the human mind was controlled by a higher power.
ɪnðə wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi z, lˈɪŋkən səbskɹˈaɪbd tə ðə dˈɑːktɹɪn ʌv nəsˈɛsɪɾi, ɐ bᵻlˈiːf ðætðə hjˈuːmən mˈaɪnd wʌz kəntɹˈoʊld baɪ ɐ hˈaɪɚ pˈaʊɚ.