Happy Independence Day
America the Beautiful
It astonishes the mind and saddens the heart to behold the ambivalence shown by so many toward our most sacred of national documents, the Declaration of Independence. It borders on national shame. Few among us can tell of its importance or the principles contained in its eloquent prose. Yet, it is the bedrock on which this nation was built. It is the premise for our Constitution. Devotion to these principles is what makes us American.
The power of the Declarations’ message is in its optimism and recognition that the majesty of America and the dignity of Americans come from the principle of Freedom expressed in our founding documents.
“About the Declaration there is a finality that is exceedingly restful…” proclaimed our 30th president Calvin Coolidge on the 150th anniversary of our independence, “It is often asserted that the world has made a great deal of progress since 1776, that we have had new thoughts and new experiences which have given us a great advance over the people of that day, and that we may therefore very well discard their conclusions for something more modern. But that reasoning can not be applied to this great charter. If all men are created equal, that is final. If they are endowed with inalienable rights, that is final. If governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed, that is final. No advance, no progress can be made beyond these propositions. If anyone wishes to deny their truth or their soundness, the only direction in which he can proceed historically is not forward, but backward toward the time when there was no equality, no right of the individual, no rule of the people. Those who wish to proceed in that direction can not lay claim to progress. They are reactionary. Their ideas are not more modern, but are ancient, than those of the Revolutionary fathers.”
Coolidge continues, “If there is any failure in respect to any of these principles, it is because there is a failure on the part of individuals to observe them. We hold that the duly authorized expression of the will of the people has a divine sanction. But even in that we come back to the theory of John Wise that ‘Democracy is Christ’s government.’ The ultimate sanction of the law rests on the righteous authority of the Almighty.”
There are so many divisive issues today that we fail to remember what constitutes our national identity. No matter how imperfect the practice of our American experiment, the nobility and truth of our founding principles will always ensure for our nation a righteous place in the hearts of all lovers of liberty.
It would be easy to relax at home today, enjoy hamburgers and hot dogs cooked on the backyard barbeque and “ahh” at the fireworks in the evening. In other words, it would be easy to treat the Fourth of July like any other day off from work. But we owe it to ourselves, our founding fathers and most of all to our posterity, to understand the importance and have fidelity to God’s gift of Freedom.
Happy Independence Day!
And More…
Sometime during the day, we will hear the song America the Beautiful. Most of us, as I did, learned this and many other patriotic songs as youngsters in school. Pay close attention to the second verse that goes:
“America! America!
God mend thine every flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law!”
Maybe, just maybe we were not so blindly taught that America was perfect and that we should reflect on what it means to be a good citizen with respect for others. We are certainly not guiltless, but in my childhood of the ‘60s and ‘70s the adults in my world had a little more wisdom. Have a wonderful day.