, 1876-07-02

nope thnt there will be return to the good old |
y! way' from this Centennial onward. Its cclebra-
Of the patriotic feeling The forcfathcrs RECON-
!nended that it be celebrated by al the people
1olnng IN one accord in a solemn observance OF
tue day, in which thanks should be offered pub
icly to God, aud instruction given to tue people
IN sound patriotic oration, by some one capa-
bic Of instructing and giving strong meat, on
the outlcs OF . citizen. And it was considered
not inappropriate that the solemn services
should be ushered in BY the sound. of cannon,
and the martial music Of the fife and drum, and
parade 1a tue Esepe nca shGd all Il Join dsrp IN pnoGi aG
patriotism was understood. Our powder en-
thusasln has dcgencrat cd to that insignificant in
vention Of the ueathcn Chinec, the llrc-crack-
eri and the patriotism gets expression III climb
ing the CREASED pole, or in the not-lnucli-better
cat gingerbread, nnd get the good children
away from the sound of the fearfully fascinat-
ing tire-crackcrs. The Fourth Of July Grafton
has been picked at by public rid!culc, as many
game Of. Against this drift should come rhe
command to the patriotic Jews contained in the
text: *Thou shalt nol remove tue landmarks
which they OF old have set in thine inheritance"
It is not best to cnjoin upon the people al
ways to be solemn and sober, even in sermons.
Too much Of that indoctrination will turn to
acidity in the spirit. Therefore, OH joyful occa-
sions, there should be large latitude for the
expression of joy. II it Gun be carried toward
TIC higher order Of oppression it is all ths bet
sound of the gun, and inspiring il mar
tial music Tie bonfire which the pa
:triotic Adams suggggestedl,;s when dark
ness shall at last cotlis::. in to close
the day is not by asy meas NJ 1t demoraztng emo ex
both in literal and moral sense, is scene
which both youth aud age may witness with
benefit. These, the patriotic gun, the stirring
drum, the deyout thanksgiving, the eloquent
and instructive GRAFTON, and the good fire to
ways Of celebrating INDEPENDENCE Day, rs our
fathers appropriately named it, and the preacher
hopes will not be out Of fashion for the next
hundred years. They are some Of the land
marks which it would ne descration to remove.
The Centennial which We celebrate as land-
mark, docs not represent Ions life Tor natlon
At most it only brings us TO the majority, Us the
young man becomes Of age and enters upon MS
estate. So as yet we have only had the youth
full experience and pcrils Of national life: Yet
its birth was All exception in history, aud only
possible in modern times, when natfons are
fitted and fated to become mothers OF nations.
Aud in the case Of the birth Of our parent, it
fulfilled the T1pheSg g apPfa m rn to tae atfer
1t began life typifed by the human existence;
and it was launched upon voyage, as the ship
is sent out upon the sea; and upon voyage
and life that should never end. For, as nave
QeIDFp luLItlltEus kuED44 S3 l!O tAOt1Sto" IL
made for the death of nations. They die, how.
ever, but not the natural death, is men die OF
old age fully ripe, like the grain-acld, for the
harvest; but only through two ways; by assas-
eination or through suicide The 1ong-liycd na-
tiops arc the most valuable in the world. We
celebrate this year the vitality Of our nation
through its government If through the wis
dom Of the citizens who make tie government,
NC escape the assassination Of the traitor Will
in, or the aggressor from abroad; or through
StrrrhfuncE
tie luxury Of life, and corruption. OF
the public morals which arc selfde-
struction, SLOW and sure, eating into the vltals,
like consumption upon the human systcm-we
may expect there will be returns OF centennial
celebrations till nations are no longer needed
among men. Why should there eyer be ne
ccssty for the Government to end: Certainly it
will not if we have discovered the true Theory OF
government and the American citizen continues
Intelligent and honest enough to hold tie trust
that IS committed to him. wish the young
people who read this to think OF this fact; that
our patriotic fathers ordained this Government
to stand forever; they contemplated no pos
sblty Of its death; and its vitality must bc sus-
tanned by the integrity Of their aud our descend
ants from generation to generation. That is
the first great lesson we are to learn from TINS
Centennial celebration.
Whatever child is born into this world who
ever sits sail upon voyage across the ocean anu
enters upon those journeys l have made thc
~'~tt:9
track many way-marks by which he will be
governed, or from which he takes
observation Of the progress, Of his
journey. The milc-stoncs along the country
have more philosophy in them than their pro
lectors dreamed OF; they oil tell us how RAPIDLY
roll the wheels OF time while roll the carriage
wheels, and the train r,lshes on carrying us 10
the great Somewhere. ! have seen hundred
passengers OH board OF steamer upon the ocean
with nothing to be deserted III the vast distance
of Il bouudcss horizon but the rolling white tops
OF the waves, stand in mute thrilling interest to
witness the Captain Of the ship lift his quadrant
to the sun at midday, to draw from it tue great
within the fraction of i mile, the good ship may
be floating. Every good mariner takes bis daily
observations, and keeps good reckoning OF
the progress of his voyage in bis log-boo].
He looks to the heavens for information,
he takes knowledge Of the sun and
the stars, and when they be obscured
and he approaches the place of supposed dan
ger, he looks for the lighthouse to guard him
from the perilous rock, or to guide lin safely
to the entrance Of the haroor; Let & US tnahh .1.a
things tlla mark our journey onward, such rs
our birthdays and the birthdays of our chill
dren, and the marriages and the mem
orabe events in the ha family, IN the sGw,
al and Christmas, with the Independence
Day, which has more meaning in it than Fourth
Of July. AS 4 people, our fault is, NC have no
reverence for such things. Dcsolate is that
family, dcsolate in ignorance ana heaEtlcssncss
for it's Children no Christmas, and no Thanks
giving, no holidays; III such family, the Sab.
BATH, If known at all, becomes 4 cave OF gloom
Nations need time for culture as well as youth
for education. Our business as people Tor the
first hundred years has bcc. to do the work
necessary for the beginning. Our mission has
been to clear the forests, break up the fields for