Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-07-02


them without spectaclesr
Faith Justified.
The signers pledged their fortunes as
well as their lives. Had the insurrec-
ton been failure their personal prop.
critics would have been confiscated
When the millionaire, Charles Carroll,
signed the Declaration bystander flip
PANTY remarked, There go a few mil
lions OF dollars If the cause Is unsuc-
cessful." Yet so dead in earnest was
Charles Carroll to pledge his life, his
fortune and his sacred honor to the
cause Of American liberty that lest his
name should be confused with that Of
another Charles Carroll he specified
and individualized his name as he sign
ed It, Charles Carroll Of Carrollton."
But while the members of the CONT
mental congress of 177G were brave
men, they were also, as a class, pray
Ing men. True courage and consecra-
ton are brothers. They were men
who believed in God. They were men
who, down upon their knees, reverently
and earnestly and intensely sought dl-
vine light. In the famous historical
picture the members of the Second Con
tinental congress are shown on their
knees In prayer. To the Christian
American student that picture ought
TO be the most impressive historical
painting ever hung in legislative hall
or in foreign or domestic art gallery.
| have seen the noted war pictures of
n-ff, A.
form of Emperor William I. in many
scenes, fanked by Won Moltke and the
nation builder. Prince Bismarck. In
Paris | have seen the Napoleonic pic
lures and in London the war pictures
Of Waterloo, where the pale faced Wei
lington immovabIy sits his horse,
watching the destruction Of the French
grenadicrs. But in all the art galleries
of the world there Is no historical pic
ture that to my mind, is so impressive,
so significant. so full of inspiration as
that historic picture Of the Continental
congress In prayer.
Most of the members Of that congress
came from praying Christian homes.
They assembled in the spring and sum-
mer of 177G to take the most mo-
mentous step which the citizens Of any
country can take. 1t was no light or
trivial act to renounce allegiance TO
King George and to defy the power Of
the British government. These men
well knew the consequences involved
in such n step anG realized inc neces-
sity of having divine guidance. One
q g.. 30 4 I,+
prominent Episcopalian minister of
Philadelphia should be sent for and
asked TO lead the members in prayer
to God. Samuel Adams. think it was
seconded that morton. He said in sub
stance: II am not an Episcopalian, but
| am not a bigot. l feel that Gods
hand must lead US in this national
crisis. l second the motion" The mo-
ton was carried. Tho next day this
Episcopalian minister came to the leg
isative hall. He came in full canonical
robes. All the members knelt. / can
well believe that all must have joined
In the prayer that the God of the
armies of Moses and Of Joshua would
lead and guide them. How on any
other assumption can we explain their
dauntlesS courage? 1t would have been
sheer temerity for those men to sign
that Declaration unless they had be-
lieved that God would be with them In
the struggle that must ensue. And
their faith was justified by the result.
The God who heard the pleading of the
Israelites in the Wilderness heard the
prayers of that Continental congress. In
his providence England was not left
free to use her strength In crushing the
infant nation. The life and death
struggle in which she had TO engage
nearer home curtailed her power, and
to that fact, due 70 the ovcrrulng
mercy of God, our forefathers owed
their success. Oh. my fellow country
men, let us on this anniversary eXer-
else the faith that our fathers had in
the God Of nations. May we continue
to pray as our ancestors prayed in
1776 and in lS12 and in 1861. May we
feel as a nation that our God Is a
prayer answering God, and that he will
listen to our petitions. whether lifted in
church pulpit or in the legislative hall,
Thus on this glorious national holl
day want you to take the Declaration
of Independence, which is our birth
certificate, and place 1t between the
leaves of your Bible, There may it
speak to US as Christian citizens and as
Individuals While it reminds us of the
patriotism and sublime heroism of our
fathers, may 1t also remind us OF tue
obligation devolving upon us to redeem
our beloved land from the plague of
sin and to promote, as far as in us lies
the Righteousness which alone exalteth
a nation. And as individuals may It
not remind us OF our high privileges as
citizens in the kingdom of God? When
assailed by temptation n by the OWL
that would subjugate us lot us remem-
Der the Declaration of Independence
which Christ signed for us with his
own blood and realize. in our own lives
the truth of his words. III the Son
make you free yc shall be free indeed"
[copyright. 1904. by Louis Klopsch.l