Add your own...
July 4, 2006
Here's a Fourth of July reflection from the Rev. Stephen Crotts, who used to be teaching pastor at a local church.
"Just these lines, my friends... a few scattered thoughts about July Fourth
"The most important political office is that of private citizen" Louis Brandeis
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In 1789 when George Washington became president, there was a king in France, a Holy Roman emperor who ruled much of Europe, a czarina in Russia, a shogun ruling Japan, and an emperor of China. Of all these powerful offices, only the presidency still exists.
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James Russell Lowell ....
July 4, 2006
Just these lines, my friends….
...to share with a few scattered thoughts about July Fourth, Independence Day.
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James Russell Lowell called the U.S. Constitution "A machine that would not go of itself"
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"It is time not only to know the truth, but to provide for it"
Patrick Henry
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"Freedom is not just a privilege, it is a test-and those who fail the test will not allowed to keep it"
Stephen M. Crotts, July 4, 1976
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"Liberty lies in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there is no constitution, no law, and no court that can save it."
Judge Learned Hand, to a group of immigrants about to become citizens
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James Buchanan, former President said,
"I like the noise of democracy"
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"Men must be governed by God or they will be ruled by tyrants"
William Penn, Quaker founder of Pennsylvania
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Seen on a bumper sticker:
"God bless America!...and please hurry!"
But what about "America blessing God," I ask?
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In his farewell address, George Washington said,
"The truth is, politics and morality are inseparable. And as morality’s foundation is religion, religion and politics are necessarily related."
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Our Constitution guarantees us, Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness
Notice it does not promise us happiness.
Just the pursuit of it.
And so many of us aren’t catching any happiness.
That’s because happiness is not an end.
It is a by-product.
Happiness comes from knowing the Lord and discharging one’s own responsibility.
…Responsibility to love one's neighbor, to provide for one's family with honest work, to fear God, to seek justice….Why not start living like this? Our nation could use a few good citizens!
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"Now it shall be said of Jacob and Israel, ‘What has God wrought!"
Behold, a people!" Numbers 23:23
God’s people!
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