The Democratic advocate., 1909-08-13


choice. | congratulate you, each
one, on the success you have won,
and the more on your good fortune In
winning the favor of these handsome
young ladies who have honored you
BY consenting to receive from your
hands the crowns which | will give
you to place upon their brows.
! should like to delay you. how
ever, short while 10 speak OF some
Incidents suggested by the occasion,
and, IN the language Of the usual
tournament speaker, tell Of what In
spring auspices this day surrounds
us"
Not only Is this the seventh annual
Farmers picnic, horse show and
tournament held BY the business men
Of Mt, Airy In this grove. but this an-
niversary comes on the seventh day
Of the month and. as we reckon time,
on the seventh day OF the week II
Is but o coincidence that SO much in
teTest should thus center around the
figure seven IN reference 10 this tour
nament, but II has ali led me to
speak TO you OF the meaning and in
fuence Of this magical symbol called
Seven"
Among all nations. the number
SEVEN" from the earliest recorded
events. has boen considered as q
sacred number. and ia every system
81 antiquity we find d frequent ref
erenee to e. The pythagoreans CALI
ed Il a venerable number, because Il
referred 20 the creation. and because
IL waa made up of the two perfect
figures. the triangle and the square
Among the Hebrews, The etymoiogy
of the word shows ia sacred import,
for. from the word "shebang.r seven.
Is derived the verb shnbRng. 20
swear. because oaths we're confirmed
either BY seven witnesses. or by sey-
en- victims offered IN sacrifice. as we
are told Ia the book uf Genesis was
the covenant ~ Abraham and Abim-
sloch,
The recurrence TO this number Is
frequent Ia all Scriptural history
The Sabbath was the seventh day
Noah received seven days notice Of
the commencement uf the deluge.
and was commanded 20 select beasts
and fowls by Revous. seven persons
accompanied him into the ark. the
intervals between deapatching the
H9fN WIN FNtA AANAhf HNNNA hANM o
Solomon was seven years building
tho temple which was dedicated in
the seventh month, and the festival
lasted seven days: the famous gold
candleHiick IN the tabernacle con
sisted uf seven branches, and finally.
the tower OF Babel was said TO have
been elevated seven stories before the
desperation.
The radical meaning ot the lie
brew word "ahehang." or seven. IL
auiiiclency or fulnegs, and the num-
hcr was thus denominated. because
Il was on the seventh day that God
completed his work Of creations. and
hence" says parkhurat, seven was
both among believers and heathena
the number Of Buiilciency or com.
pioiiOn"
The belief Of the heathCna was tina,
there WA seven ancient planets. the
lliud0OH supposed the world 10 ha
encluaad within the compass Of seven
pcninsnlas the 0olhs had seven de-
iticg or gods. viz The sun. the
Moon. TuiHco. WoGen Thor. Friga
aud Seatut. from whose NAMES are
derived our days OF the week.
jacob served years for Rachel. and
aiBo another seven years, for, We arr
told. Rachel wna very fair The sew
en- years of plenty and the Heven
years Of famine were farstoid iu
FhHroah'a dream by the seven fat and
lean beasts. and the seyeyn ears ol
blasted corn Tho children OF Israel
were 70 eat unleayened bread seven
days Every seventh year was d.
rected 10 be year OF rest for all
things, aud az the end OF seven times
seven years commenced the jubilee
they were to observe feast seven
days after they had gathered In their
corn and wine. Every seventh year
the land lay fallow. Every seventh
year there was a general relief from
All debta. and bondsifien were set
free. Every seventh year the law
was directed 10 be read to the people
And there we're besides many other
rules and customs In which the fig.
ure seven formed a cnnspiouous part
There we're seven well-known
champions OF Christendom the sey.
en- churches OF Asia; the aevan cities
name applied TO Egypt, Jerusalem
Babylon. Athens, Rome, CONSTANT.
nopie and either London or Paris
. NNt hafNH HNAAHAh VI AAAN NDEiut tut
pyramids Of Egypt. the walls and
hanging gardens OF Babylon, the tenn
pie OF Diana az Ephesus. the statute
OF the 0lympian Jupiter AT Athens
the Mausoleum, the Colossus ot
Rhodes, and the pharos or lighthouse
Of Alexandria; and in the past cen.
tury we had the Seven Weeks Wai
In Europe and the Seven Days Battle
around Richmond during the Civi
War In our own country.
These and many more reasons arc
sufficient 10 give Significance to tbs
occasion we celebrate here today
Seven Is not only a sacred symbol
but Il Is prophetic; Il denotes a com.
| pletneas, fullness OF things. II Il
especially appropriate. therefore, Il
seems TO me, TO congratulate The
/ business men of Mt. Airy and OF the
adjoining counties Of Carroll, Fred
erick, Montgomery and Howard, OF
/ the wonderful success achieved BY
them In making this farmers picnic
/ horse show aud tournament so de
served a success, and let US hope tha
! the seven and seventh anniversar.
will mark even greater achievements
/ want to thank you for your court
eous attention, and turn now to ths
deferred pleasure OF crowns anC
i prizes.
I ---~aup-s---lEln------
Orphans Court.
Monday, August 9.-Henry p
! ~ W