Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-07-02
TALMAGC
SERMON
By Rev.
FRANK DE WITT TALMAGE, DID,.
Pastor Of Jefferson Park Presby.
terian Church, Chicago

| PREACHER, choosing patr1Ouc theme
for the nations anniversary, shows
some Of the lessons to be drawn from
the Declaration Of Independence and
their application to the later conditions
Of our own times. The text is Psalm
cvi, 5. THAT may rejoic In the glad.
ness Of thy nation"
When a child Is born the attending
physician makes out birth certificate
This important document Is sent to the
fireproof building where are preserved
the county records. The omission of
this certificate or the improper filing
Of the same might cause inesumable
damage. Years hence the lack of It
might disinherit the child of large
property interests and involve many
would be heirs in interminabc legal
strife.
But though the birth certificate of an
individual may be vlgilantly guarded
1t is not so carefully preserved as is
the birth certificate of n nation. Then
the sentimental as we'll as the intrinsic
value places it above the price of silver
and gold. If possible it 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
| to recognition by the slow processes
| Of evolution. but the United States of
America sprang into existence in
day, and this Declaration announced to
an astonished world on July 4, 1916,
the birth of 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-
| elgns of being born 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
history, since within its walls is that
sacred birth chamber in which was
first 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 Jefrer-
son in the little three story red brick
house still standing at the corner of
Seventh and Market streets, phiadel-
phia. were the attending witnesses
whose testimony gave validity to that
national birth certificate.
An Immortal Paper.
The Declaration of Independence as
document is our theme today. l am
going to lay down upon my pulpit
desk a fac-simile Of this immortal pa
per. l do this for two reasons First
it is the last Sabbath preceding our
national independence day; hence it Is
fitting and appropriate for patriotic
themes, The second reason is that
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
possession. | have read 1t over and
over again. | have read it in the
chirogrnphy of Thomas jefferson and
in the handwriting with which the at
tending statesmen signed it. l have
read It with all its corrections and
interlineations. | have read it with
entirely different feelings from those
with which ! used to regard 1t when
it 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
1t 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 a long and carefully planned
conspiracy extending over many years.
1t seemed rather TO have been the out
growth of the moment. 1t was the
capitalization of sentiments the results
OF which but few men could foresee.
The British ministry had not antici-
pated It, neither had the American peo-
pie. When the First Continental con-
gress assembled in Philadelphia, on
Sept 5, IVA. there was probably not one
prominent leader in all America who
wished for national independence with
the sole exception possibly of Samuel
Adams OF Boston. Before the 18th OF
April, 1775," wrote Thomas Jefferson,
II had never heard whisper of dis
position to separate from the mother
country" when first took command
of the army, July 3, 1775, | abhorred
the idea of independence" wrote
George Washington in one of his let
tiers, but l am now convinced that
nothing else will save us" All that
the American colony wished from Eng
land was not separation, but justice.
For Right and Justice.
The two countries in every essential
part of their make up were one. They
spoke the same language. Many fam
lilies had brothers and sisters and other
relatives in both countries. The chit
drcn Of prominent Americans were for