Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1889-06-28
temperance.
Conducted by the W. c. T. U.
FOURTH OF JULY.
from the Union Signal. |


completes fourteen years of centennial
celebrations. These years have been
efficient teachers of history, doing much
to take away the reproach justly resting
upon us a score of years ago that we, as
a people, knew less of our national histo-
ry than that of Greece and Rome. There
is still one lesson we greatly need to
learn-how to make our national holi-
days inspirers of patriotism instead of
reveling and debauch, Outside of New
York, this lesson was taught by April 30
more forcibly than by any other cele-
bration within our remembrance. The
gathering of the nation in its churches
on that morning, in grateful acknowledge
ment to God of His protecting care; the
gathering of pupils in the schools to hear
rehearsed the story of heroic days an
hundred years ago, to be taught rever-
ence for the flag which symbolizes that
which is worth dying for, and the be-
stowal of centennial souvenirs, to be
through the growing years reminders of
the lessons of that day-all this taught
what every Fourth of July should teach,
love of country and thanksgiving to God
''who hath made and preserves us a
nation"
1t is pitiful to think of the degradation
to which our national birthday has sunk
"a day with no higher associations in
the minds of children than Chinese fire.
crackers, and in the minds of their elders,
than German beer and Irish whisky. If
there is one day in the year which should
be thoroughly Americanized, but which
has been thoroughly foreignized, it is
Fourth of July. One mission of the w.
Z. L. L. is to rescue it from its degreda-
ton and make it a day in which pure
patriotism is exalted, love of country
instilled which is too deep to brook any
thing that brings blot upon the. fair
name America. 1t is this feeling which
leads to the increasing desire to preempt
the Fourth for temperance, to go out to
Gods first temples" and there anew
dedicate ourselves to patriotism, purity
and temperance. More and more each
year is this done, and we trust this year
will witness multiplied temperance cele-
brations of the Fourth. We believe it
Will. Already do we hear of the grand
rallying of our forces at Lake Bluff, and
at many other points East and West,
North and South.
Singing of our patriotic songs is, or
should be, prominent feature in these
gatherings, for temperance and patriot
ism. as well as the gospel. can be sung
into people. This singing should be,
not by few trained voices alone, but by
the people. 'Let all the people praise
Thee, . Lord, let all the people praise
Thee" was the ancient command, and it
holds good to-day. No prima donna nor
basso profundo can so inspire us as the
great volume of sound rolling out from
thousands of Threats, and yelling up from
thousands of hearts which find express
sion for the deepest emotions in our ma
tional hymns.
But to our shame be it spoken, never
did so few people in a nation really know
their own patriotic songs. This is de-
monstrated in every large assembly when
the congregation attempts to sing them.
a week ago last Sabbath we attended a
memorial service for our soldiers. and
"The Star Spangled Banner" "Columbia,
the Gem of the Ocean," and america"
were sung. The congregation were
urged to join in the singing; their will to
do so was evidently good, for they start
ed in courageously, but the volume of
sound grew "small by degrees and beau
tifully less, after the first verse was COM
pleted. On the chorus it came up again,
strong and full, but between whites the
choir had 1t all their own way the trouble
was, we did not know the words. This
and similar experiences suggest the
thought of having these patriotic songs
and temperance anthem printed on
slips for use at the Fourth of July tenn
perance celebrations, which the w. T. p.
A. have done.
a strong reason for temperance cele-
brations of the Fourth, is the taking of
reformed men out of the way of tempta-
ton. On no other day of the year are they
so tempted in cities and license towns.
And they dread the ordeal. Once when
inviting a reformed man to attend tenn
perance celebration in the woods, we were
almost startled by the intense earnest
ness of his answer: 'Indeed, | am
going. don't dare spend the Fourth in
town" Let there be near each of our
rum-cursed towns on the coming Fourth,
these cities of refuge, where weak, hunted
souls may escape from the clutches of
those who seek to destroy them. And
let every Christian man and woman see
to it that at least one such man is invited
to go where the pursuers of his soul can
not reach him.
Fourth of July should be made by all