Barbour County index., 1910-06-29

NENSW reasons all excellent in their
way, did not keep this es-
teemed magazine closed to the eyes Of boyhood,
It is to be feared that this parson despite his
poetry would be voted a cross old For
when the Fourth fell on Sunday he saw no reason
why it should be celebrated on any other day or
IN any fashion not in keeping with a seemly OBJ
servance of the Sabbath. Instead OF gladly ac-
cepting the bounty of the calendar and having
a trilogy, a 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 prayer.
In his records can be found testimony against
him, for they read:
July a. 1S47. Sunday
July s. Monday morning. This is celebrated
the Fourth of July very improperly. Yesterday
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
r9ust beat and the cannon roar, the children be
dressed in their best and paraded. and Don't
these children look nice?'
"Oh yes, very nice, but if their parents would
teach them to respect their superiors and behave
with propriety it would be far better Well, there
has been general turnout, rich and poor, young
and old, all mixed up together. This is free
country-but not so. it is a country of slave hold
We hold 100000 of our fellow mortals as
slaves-and how inconsistent"
July 4, 1852. Sunday.
July 5. Monday.
"The community were not satisfied to have
yesterday being the Fourth Of July because
they could not serve Satan openly and boldly
today. My opinion is that when the Fourth
of July comes the Sabbath it ought to be re-
membered in a suitable and proper manner by
assembling In the sanctuary and hearing the proc
lamation of peace announced from the pulpit
good tidings of great JOY which shall be to all
people, Suitable prayers and suitable readings
would be a suitable acknowledgment that our
y C0I
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. 1S49, 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 this day commemorate by making all
the noise and by acting as 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 gody 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 the letter which John Ad-
ans in the first flush of JOY over the adoption
by congress of the Declaration of independence.
wrote to his wife It's date, July 8, 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
N 2
as he must have been. for he foremost fig
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 on July two letters to his wife, Abigail
In one he said: Yesterday the greatest question
decided which debated in America;
and greater perhaps never was, will be-
decided among men. resolution passed
without one dissenting colony, that these united
colonies are and of right ought to be, free and
independent states" In the other: THE second
day OF July, 1875, will be the most memorable
epoch in the history of America. l am apt to be
lieve that it will be celebrated by succeeding gen
erations as the great anniversary festival II
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 bonfires and
illumnations from end of this continent tC
the other, from this time forward foreVermore
You will think transported With enthusiasm
but not. l well aware of the toll ant
blood and treasure that it will cost us to main
tain this declaration and support and defend these
states. Yet through all the gloom see the
rays of ravishing light and glory. can see tina
the end is more than worth all the means ant
that posterity will triumph in that days trans
action even though we should rue 1t which | trus
in God shall not"
Though posterity selected, instead of July
July 4. the day which the formal Declaration