The Elbert County tribune., 1910-07-01


way, did not keep this es
teemed magazine closed to the eyes of boyhood
1t is to be feared that this parson, despite his
poetry, would be voted old man. For
when the Fourth fell on Sunday he saw no reason
why 1t should be celebrated on any other day or
In any fashion not in keeping with seemly oh
servance of the Sabbath Instead of gladly ac
cepting the bounty of the calendar and having
trilogy. series of three dramatic and exciting
days fraught with danger and delight, this gloomy
parsonage would have limited the days events to
a sermon and a prayer.
In his records can be found testimony against
him, for they read:
July 4. 1S47 Sunday.
July g. Monday morning This is celebrated
as the Fourth of July very improperly. Yesterday
was the day and ministers might have preached
upon the subject of religious freedom; this would
have been sufficient and ought to have been sat.
isfactory. But no. there must be noise, the drum
must beat and the cannon roar, the children be
dressed in their best and paraded. and Don't
these children look nicer
'Oh, yes. very nice. but If their parents would
teach them to respect their superiors and behave
with propriety 1t would be far better. Well, there
has been general turnout, rich and poor. young
and DID, all mixed up together This is free
country-but not so. it is a country of slave hold.
ers. We hold 100000 of fellow mortals as
slaves-and how inconsistent"
July A. 1852 Sunday.
July g. Monday.
The community were not satisfied to have
because
they could not serve Satan openly and boldly
as today. My opinion is that when the Fourth
of July comes on the Sabbath It ought to be re-
membered In suitable and proper manner by
assembling in the sanctuary and hearing the proc
lamation of peace announced from the pulpit,
good tdings of great joy which shall be to all
people. Suitable prayers and suitable readings
would be suitable acknowledgment that our
blessings of God but because this won't do
we must have great noise and hustle and much
that is derogatory to the Christian character must
be put in operation"
He didn't like the methods of celebration any
better when the glorious day fell in the middle
of the week for July 4. 1849. he wrote:
"Wednesday. At the rising of the sun the bells
of the city are ringing and the cannon roaring
calling upon those within hearing to awake arise
and call upon their God, and give him thanks for
this great blessing. national independence
which we this day commemorate by making all
the noise we can and by acting well as we
can and as bad as we can"
All of which would justify any boy in the
belief that though the parson may have been a
God-fearing parsonage who walked the narrow
path all his godly days and was never even tempt
ed by lingering desire for pleasant primrose by
ways he must certainly have been rather an
unpleasant person to live with and that the milk
of human kindness which his portion, though
1t may not have soured. as certainly lacking
in cream.
How different was the letter which John Ad-
ans In the first flush of Joy the adoption
by congress OF the Declaration of Independence.
wrote to his wife. Its date, July g. may give some
ardent young Americans excuse for firing their
crackers before the dawn of the day which even
lawmakers say may have its claim shattered
into fiery Noise
This first historic Adams, first vice-president,
second president of the republic which he helped
to bring into being. was good husband. Busy
as he must have been. for he was foremost fig
ure in the stirring events 'the Atlas of Indepen-
dence" the Colossus of that debate which pre-
ceded the vote on the matchmaking resolution,
he wrote July two letters to his wife, Abigail.
In one he said: Yesterday the greatest question
was decided which ever was debated in America;
and a greater perhaps never was. nor will be,
decided among men. A resolution passed
without one dissenting colony that these united
colonies and of right ought to be, free and
independent states" In the other The second
epoch in the history of America. am apt to be-
ieve that 1t will be celebrated by succeeding gen
erations as the great anniversary festival 1t
ought to be commemorated the day of deliver
ance by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty
1t ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade,
with shows games. sports, bells, bonires and
illumnations from one end Of this continent to
the other, from this time forward forevermore
You will think me transported with enthusiasm
but not. l am well aware OF the toll and
blood and treasure that 1t will cost to main
states Yet through all the gloom l can the
rays of ravishing light and glory. | can see that
the end is more than worth all the means; and
that posterity will triumph in that days trans
action even though should rue 1t, which trust
in God shall not"
Though posterity selected. instead of July q.
July L. the day on which the formal Declaration