Posted on 07/04/2011 6:36:29 AM PDT by EternalVigilance
American Minute with Bill Federer
July 4
The Declaration of Independence was approved JULY 4, 1776.
John Hancock signed first, saying "the price on my head has just
doubled."
Benjamin Franklin said "We must hang together or most assuredly we
shall hang separately."
Of the 56 signers:
17 served in the military;
11 had their homes destroyed;
5 were hunted and captured;
Abraham Clark had two sons imprisoned on the British starving ship
Jersey;
John Witherspoon's son was killed in battle;
Francis Lewis' wife was imprisoned and died from the harsh treatment;
many, such as Thomas Nelson and Carter Braxton, lost their fortunes;
and 9 died during the War.
When Samuel Adams signed the Declaration, he said:
"We have this day restored the Sovereign to whom all men ought to be
obedient. He reigns in heaven and from the rising to the setting of
the sun, let His kingdom come."
"I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding
generations, as the great anniversary Festival.
It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn acts
of devotion to God Almighty.
It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shews, games,
sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations from one End of this
Continent to the other from this time forward forever more."
"You will think me transported with enthusiasm but I am not. I am
well aware of the toil and blood and treasure, that it will cost us to
maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States.
Yet through all the gloom I can see the rays of ravishing light and
glory. I can see that the end is more than worth all the means.
And that Posterity will triumph in that Days Transaction, even
although we should rue it, which I trust in God We shall not."
Stonewall Jackson: Duty is ours. Consequences are Gods.
Outstanding!
I laugh whenever someone says this country was NOT founded on Christian principles. There is more than ample evidence that this country and its founders depended greatly upon the grace of Almighty God to lead and guide them and they knew, without doubt, that when a nation honors God, God will also honor that nation.
An important point about the Declaration of Independence is that, when they declared that we are endowed with unalienable rights by our Creator, they also said these were self evident truths. This, to me, was an amazing statement because they did not need to argue - like some do today - whether or not God exists, but that it was a given.
Remember when we used to say the Pledge each morning, at the beginning of the schoolday? I wonder how many (public) schools still do it today? And I wonder how many allow it, but ONLY with “that annoying part about God” removed ...
Placemark
Placemark.
Mark
John Adams:
We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion... Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.
And we sang patriotic songs and our teacher would read the Bible before starting class (in elementary school) and say a prayer. No one ever complained. And even when my kids were in elementary school, their music teacher was Jewish and they learned several Jewish songs and no one complained. They had Christmas programs and sang real Christmas songs and no one complained. I truly don’t recognize America today.
That’s the way my school day started.
freep bookmarked...and it’s all your fault. thnx
Thanks.
Last week I read Ann Coulter’s recent book. She made some different claims about the Signers. My copy is on a Kindle, not sure how to isolate (the comments)it because I have only been using it a short while.
When I do figure it out, I'll attempt to send you what she said/wrote.
Sounds good.
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