The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1902-07-10
CELEBRATION
HOW JULY 4, 1777, WAS OBSERVED
AT BOSTON
Text of sermon Preached on the Occas-
ion-Three of the Nations Most Noti-
BILE Presidents Died on Independence
Anniversaries.

The biggest bird in the world is the
great American eagle. With one claw
resting on the highest peak of the Al
leghanies and the other OH the Rocky
mountains, one wing touching the At
Iantic, the other the Pacific ocean,
while his beak reaches the Canadian
border, and his tail dips into the Gulf
of Mexico, this great bird sends his
voice echoing from Maine to Florida,
from California to New York. Ay, and
it's echo passes far beyond over the seas.
Even in the utermost parts OF the earth
the scream of the American eagle is
heard and needed.
But there is one day in the year
when that triumphant scream sounds
its loundest the world over. That is
on the glorious Fourth, the one day
prominently dear to ever lover of free
dom.
The first celebration of July Fourth
was attended with joyous solemnity,
1t was just one year after the great DE.
claration that marked the birth of the
greatest nation on earth, but then the
present and future were both dark and
threatening. Our brave forefathers
hoped and dared. but the result was
still shrouded in uncertainty. 1t might
mean an ignominious death to many
of those unselfish patriots, or it might
mean victory and freedom for all.
This initial celebration took place in
Boston, July 4, 1777. The first blood
in the cause of liberty had been shed in
Massachusetts,, therefore it was right
and fitting that the assembly of that
state, in session at that time, should
strike the keynote of national thanks
giving by requesting the Rev. DIR. Cor.
don to preach sermon before it. His
text was an exceedingly appropriate
one, from l Kings vii, 18th to 10th
verses:
"And the king. answered the people
roughly, and forsook the old mems coun-
sci that they gave him. And spake to
them after the counsel of the young men,
saying, My father made your yoke
heavy, and will add to your yoke; my
father also chastised you with whips, but
will chastise you with scorpions
"Wherefore the king hearkened not
unto the people; for the cause was with
the Lord. that He might perform His
saying which the Lord spake by Ahijan
tl,o n ita
Nehat.
$50 when all Israel saw that the king
heark ened no. unto them, the people an
swered, saying, What portion have we in
David? Neither have we inheritance in
the son of Jesse. TO your tents, o Israeli
now see to thine own house, David So
Israel departed unto their tents"
On July 4, 1910, several Of the larger
cities furnished immense hogsheads Of
punch as free gift to all who applied
for drink.
On the fiftieth anniversary of Inde-
pendenoe day, July 4, 1928, John
Adams, of Massachusetts,, Washing
toms successor as president, and one of
the committee which had reported the
Declaration of Independence, breathed
his last, and OH the same day his sue
cessor, Thos. Jefferson, author Of the
immortal Declaration, passed away at
his historic homo at Monticello, Va.
Five years later, July 4, 1881, James
Monroe, author of the celebrated
"Monroe Doctrine" died.
During all these years 1t had been
customary for many of the states to
give grand banquets in central points.
This paternal, but expensive act, how
ever, came TO final end on the Fourth
of July, 1888. But the festivities know
no languishing'on on that account. What
the state governments laid down the
people took up with increasing enthus-
iasm, and this was as 1t should be.
For. as the centuries of our national life
roll on, its birthday should become
more and more signifioant.-The Sur
ny South.
nho xd;a Thovunaou WAS DELAYED