The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1910-07-01

WUTN~ reasons all excellent In their
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 cross 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 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 8. 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
nust beat and the 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 proprety it would be far better. Well, there
has been a general turnout, rich and poor young
and old, all mixed up together This is free
country-but not so, 1t is country Of slave hold
ers. We hold 100000 of 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 Satan openly and boldly
today My opinion Is that when the Fourth
of July comes on the Sabbath 1t ought to be
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
tkoIIN o1Ir,, lido
blessings Of God but because this won't do
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 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 can and by acting as well
can and as bad as we can"
All of which would justify any boy in the
belief that though the parson may have been
God-fearlng 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
it may not have soured. was as certainly lacking
in cream.
How different was the letter which John Ad-
ans in the first flush of Joy over the adoption
by congress of the Declaration of Independence.
wlote to his wife. It's date, July 3, may give some
ardent young Americans excuse for firing their
crackers Lefore 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 a foremost he-
ure in the stirring events, the Atlas OF lnuepeh-
dence" the Colossus of that debate" when pre-
coded the vote on the matchmaking resolution,
he wrote on July two letters to his wife, Abigail
In one he said: Yesterday the greatest question
was decided which debated In America;
and a greater perhaps never was, nor VIII ne,
decided among men resolution was 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. | am apt to be-
lieve that it will be celebrated by succeeding gen.
erations as the great anniversary festival 1t
ought to be COMMUNICATED 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, bonf1res ana
Nominations from end of this continent to
the other, from this time forward foreVermore
You will think me transported with enthusiasm,
hut I am not II am well aware Of the toll and
blood and treasure that it will cost to main
tain this declaration and support and defend these
states Yet through all the gloom can see the
rays of ravishlng 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 we should rue It, which trust
in God we shall not"
Though posterity selected, instead OF July 2,
July 4 the day on which the formal Declaration