Sunday, July 02, 2006

Happy Independence Day...July 2?


Today, during announcements at the beginning of worship, I mentioned this passage from a letter written by John Adams to wife Abigail on July 3, 1776:
"The Second Day of July 1776 will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America. . . . It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires, and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more."
Adams got the modes of celebrating right. We still celebrate Independence Day in these ways. But he got the day wrong.

But he may be forgiven this error. It was on July 2, that the Continental Congress approved severing ties with Great Britain. It was on July 4, that the Declaration of Independence itself was passed by that body.

See more details here.

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