Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1903-06-29
TALMAGE
SERMON
By Rev.
FRANK DE WITT TALMACE. DID,.
Pastor Of Jeffersoo P.rk Presby-
terrain Church. Chicago

preacher. choosing n patriotic theme
for the nations anniversary. shows
some OF the lessons 10 be drawn from
the Declaration OF Independence and
their application 60 the later conditions
OF our own times. The text is Psalm
cvi. .. THAT may rejoic in the glad
ness Of thy nation"
when n child Is born the attending
physician makes out birth certificate.
This important document is sent TO the
freproof building where are preserved
the county records. The omission OF
this certificate or the improper filing
OF the same might cause inestimable
damage. Years hence the lack OF II
might disinherlt the child OF large
property interests and involve many
strife.
Rut though the birth certificate of an
Individual may be vigilantly guarded
u Is not so carefully preserved as is
the birth certificate of nation. Then
the sentimental as well as the intrinsic
value places IL above the price Of silver
and gold. II possible II is carefully
housed within the sacred hall wherein
the nation was born. The paper upon
which is written the Declaration of In
dependence Is the American nations
birth certificate. Other nations came
20 recognition by the slow processes
OF evolution. but the United States of
America sprang into existence in a
day, and this Declaration announced to
an astonished world on July 4. 1776.
the birth OF a new member of the
family OF nations. AS the young King
Alfonso XIII. of Spain. having been
born after the death Of his father, has
the unique distinction among sover-
eigns of being born q king. so the
American Goddess of Liberty at her
first appearance took her place in
the world as a sovereign. The docu-
ment In which she declared her sover-
eighty and her rights constituted the
old Independence hall of Philadelphia
the most sacred building In American
history, since within It's walls is that
sacred birth chamber in which was
Hrst rocked the cradle Of this newborn
national infant. 1t publishes to the
world that the men who signed their
names at the foot of that immortal
document, penned by Thomas Jeffer-
son In the little three story red brick
house still standing at the corner of
Seventh and Market streets. Philadel-
phia, were the attending witnesses
whose testimony gave validity to that
national birth certificate.
An immortal Paper.
The Declaration of Independence as
a document Is our theme today. l am
desk n fac-simile of this immortal pa
per. | do this for two reasons. First.
II Is the last Sabbath preceding our
national Independence day; hence 1t Is
fitting and appropriate for patriotic
themes. The second reason Is that q
Few weeks ago. after the death of q
very dear friend. the facsimile of the
Declaration of Independence which
now place before you came into my
VOcrtrclOu nuNt IL ONtI anu
over again. have read 1t in the
chirography OF Thomas Jefferson and
In the handwriting with which the at
tending statesmen signed II. have
read IL with all its corrections and
tnterlineations. | have read II with
entirely different feelings from those
with which l used to regard II when
II came to me in cold and unimpas-
stoned type. This most sacred docu-
ment Of American history appears to
me In an entirely new aspect. and from
II today would CLEAN some new moral
deductions for the everyday struggles
Of our practical lives.
The Declaration of Independence was
the startling elimination Of manly in
tolerance OF injustice. The document
was not. as some people suppose, the
result of long and carefully planned
conspiracy extending over many years
II seemed rather to have been the out
growth of the moment. Ii was the
capitalization of sentiments the result!
OF which but few men could foresee
The British ministry had not antici
pated II. neither had the American PEG
pie. When the First Continental con
gress assembled In Philadelphia. oil
Sept. 3, 1TI4. there was probably not on
prominent leader i'm all America wh'
wished for national independence will
the sole exception possibly of Samue
Adams of Boston. Before the 18th o
April. lTT5." wrote Thomas jefferson
II had never heard whisper of dis
position TO separate from the mothe
country" when first took comman'
OF the army. July 3. 1II5. | abhorre'
the idea of independence wrot
George Washington in one OF his LET
tiers. but am now convinced tina
nothing else will save US" All tina
the American colony wished from Eng
land was not separation. but justice.
For Right and Justice.
The two countries in every essentia