The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1915-07-09

'Tis the star-spang!ed banner; O long
may it wave
Ger me land of the free and the home
OF the brave!
And Wi ere is that band who so yaunt-
ingly swore
That the havoc of war and the bat
tiles confusion
A home and country should leave US
no more?
Their blood has washed out their foul
footsteps pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and
slave
From theIerror of fight, or the gloom
of the grave;
And the star-spangled banner in tri-
umph doth wave
Ger the land of the free and the home
of the brave.
".
O thus be it ever, when freemen shall
stand
Between t3eir loved homes and wars
desolation!
BIest with victory and peace, may the
beaven-rescued land
Praise the power that nath made and
and preserved US nation!
Then conquer We must, when our
cause it is just,
And this be our motto, In God is our
trust;
And the star-spangled banner in trj-
ump shall wave
Ger the land of the free and the home
of the brave.
One hundred and tnirty-nine years
ago last Sunday our forbears in con-
ventioa assembled and representing
the colonies, pledged "our lives, our
fortunes, and our sacred honor" to
uphold the independence. and liberty
of the colonies. 1t is we'll occasionally
for the citizens of today to turn back
the pages of history and read again
the (. eroic struggles which were made
to insure our liberties, else we forget
and by forgetting lose that liberty
which was vouchsafed US. 1t would
be well to have that great document
read occasionally in our schools and
explained to the children. The long
enjoyment of the blessing of! liberty
or any great blessing, makes US un-
mindful of what we really enjoy. Tie
second paragraph, which is the vital
one, read: eve hold these truths self
evident, that all men are created equal,
that they are endowed by their Creator
with certain unalienable gifts, taat
among these are Life, Liberty; and the
Pursuit of Happiness. That to secure
these rights, governments are insi-
tuted among men, deriving their just
powers from the consent of the gov
erned." The equality of man which
this remarkable document meant to
imply uo doubt was tie equality Of OPP
portunity that every child and every
man should have. That is the point
that 1 desire to impress in quoting
this paragraph. Every child should
have an opportunity to make Of itself
the very best man or woman tcat it is
possible to make. That every man and
every woman should nave an equal op-
portunity to do the very best that is in
them. And what is the ultimate OBJ
jec+.? Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit
of Happiness. 1t was never intended
that this life should be one of sorrow
and misery, but it s1ould be the pur-
suit of Happiness. And then listen
wnat an obligation those forbears OF
our took when they finally adopted
this instrument: "And for the support
of this Declaration, with a firm re-
lance upon the protection of Divine
Providence, we mutually pledge to
each other our lives, our fortunes, and
our sacred honor." What stronger
pledge could man make. Go back and
read this document on this anniversary
139 years from the date of its adop-
tion. 1t will revive the patriotic feel
ing which may lie dormant within your