Nation’s Forefathers Quoted For Fourth

“Proclaim liberty throughout the land unto all the inhabitants thereof” — Leviticus 25:10 is inscribed on the Liberty Bell.

The next line of the verse is “Let it be a jubilee unto you.” It seems equally appropriate to me, as the Fourth of July has become a jubilee to Americans everywhere. Two hundred and thirty-six years ago we declared ourselves to be a sovereign nation separate from England and willing to fight for our independence. You know the history of it — the British set out to squash this rebellion as they had squashed others in different parts of the world. This time it was a surprise to them; this time the revolutionaries won!

George Washington said, “Let us therefore animate and encourage each other, and show the whole world that a Freeman, contending for liberty on his own ground is superior to any slavish mercenary on earth.”

At Lexington and Concord, at Bunker Hill, at Valley Forge and finally, at Yorktown, Americans stood their ground and fought for the independence which we treasure and celebrate today.

“The same God who gave us life gave us liberty at the same time.” — Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, two of our illustrious forefathers, were both similar and very different to each other.

Jefferson: tall, red-headed, scholarly and quiet, was a lawyer and a plantation owner. He was a Renaissance man who often invented what he needed. One of Jefferson's slaves remarked to an historian that “Mr. Jefferson's inventions usually had slaves on the other end to make them work.”

John Adams: short, dark-haired, a devoted husband and father, was also a lawyer and a farmer. He was not quiet like Jefferson, but took every opportunity to argue against the Injustices of George III. He was so fiercely dedicated to justice that he defended the soldiers who fired on unarmed citizens at the Boston Massacre. He was also dedicated to independence.

Adams and Jefferson had much in common, but they differed on the issue of slavery. Unfortunately, they left that thorny problem for future generations to settle. They agreed that independence had to be the first priority.

On July 4, 1826, both Thomas Jefferson and John Adams passed into history within hours of each other. It seems right and appropriate, doesn't it, that two of our great forefathers should die on the most meaningful of our national holidays? Jefferson had it engraved on his headstone: “Author of the Declaration of Independence.” He saw it as his greatest accomplishment.

“On the day of John Adam's death, hearing the noise of bells and cannon, he asked the occasion. On being reminded it was ‘Independent Day’ he replied, ‘Independence Forever!’”

— Daniel Webster I can't top that, so I say with the spirit of John Adams who I'm sure is watching over us, “Independence Forever!”

And that's the view from Antioch Mountain.