On July 4th 1776, the Declaration of Independence was signed by John Hancock. This was the first step in forming a new Republic by declaring a separation from their mother country and the tyrannical edicts and taxation that had begun to cripple a vibrant new nation.
Effects of Wars and Rumors of Wars
Most warring countries cannot fully protect their people from the effects of their wars, and the memories and trauma are ingrained into the population for generations. America, as a dominant power, has effectively succeeded in that endeavor where so many others have failed; so much so, that through several world wars and other foreign skirmishes, residents at home have lived in relative safety and complacency, without much involvement or gratitude for the price being paid.
America Is A Christian Nation
The peace and safety that has blessed American shores for over two hundred years is not just happenstance. America’s 2nd President, John Adams stated that “The general principles on which the [Founding] Fathers achieved independence, were the general principles of Christianity.” In writing to his wife that day about the new significance of the 4th of July, Adams indicated that he felt it would become a major religious holiday, stating that “It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty.”
In 1836, southern Congressmen had passed a "gag rule" so the House must automatically table petitions against slavery. John Quincy Adams, after completing a term as the 6th President of the United States and then being elected to the House of Representative, was responsible for the repeal of that rule after an eight year battle. In 1837, Adams was asked to deliver a 4th of July speech in Newburyport, Massachusetts. Adams was a popular speaker because he fought unceasingly against the circumscription of civil liberties, was the son of a President, and was also old enough to have witnessed the historical events of 1776.
“Why is it,” he asked, “that next to the birthday of the Savior of the World, your most joyous and venerated festival returns on this day? Is it not that, in the chain of human events, the birthday of the nation is indissolubly linked with the birthday of the Savior?”
“Is it not,” he continued, “that the Declaration of Independence first organized the social compact on the foundation of the Redeemer’s mission on earth? That it laid the cornerstone of human government upon the first precepts of Christianity?"
Patriots and Heroes That Have Gone Before
The 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence were simple men, honorable and hardworking, with a view toward the birth of a nation of principles. They also understood that by their signatures on this document, they could be signing their own death warrants. They were teachers and university professors, ministers and businessmen, captains, farmers, and sailors, signing a document that began with the reasons for separation from Great Britain, and closing with:
“And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.”
Never Forget The Message
The celebration of the 4th of July was never intended to be just fireworks, big bands, and ice cream. It was intended to remind this country that the very liberties its citizens have enjoyed all their lives are tenuous unless preserved upon the principles on which this country was founded.
This nation's Founding Fathers were sincere and Godly men, crafting a document for America's freedom and then laying their very lives on the line for future generations, and committing this country and all its people to their God.
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Marie Thomas - Marie Thomas (RieT) is an author in multiple genres, with 18 years in technical writing, and freelance work in science, biographical, and ...
