July 4th

The pledge is from Red Skelton's January 14, 1969 broadcast. I ,Me; an individual; a committee of one. Pledge ;Dedicate all of my worldly goods to give without self-pity. Allegiance ;My love and my devotion. To the Flag ;Our standard; Old Glory ; a symbol of courage; and wherever she waves there is respect, because your loyalty has given her a dignity that shouts, "Freedom is everybody's job." United ;That means that we have all come together. States ;Individual communities that have united into forty-eight great states. Forty-eight individual communities with pride and dignity and purpose. All divided by imaginary boundaries, yet united to a common cause, and that is love of country... of America. And to the Republic ;Republic--a sovereign state in which power is invested in representatives chosen by the people to govern. And government is the people; and it's from the people to the leaders, not from the leaders to the people. For which it stands One Nation ;meaning, so blessed by God. Indivisible ;Incapable of being divided. With Liberty ;Which is Freedom; the right of power for one to live his own life, without fears, threats, or any sort of retaliation. And Justice ;The principle, and qualities, of dealing fairly with others. For All ;For All--that means, boys and girls, it's as much your country as it is mine. And now, boys and girls, let me hear you recite the Pledge of Allegiance: I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic, for which it stands; one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Since I was a small boy, two states have been added to our country, and two words have been added to the Pledge of Allegiance: Under God. Wouldn't it be a pity if someone said that is a prayer, and that would be eliminated from schools, too? Liberty: the quality or state of being free: the power of choice Justice: the quality of being just, impartial, or fair b (1) : the principle or ideal of just dealing or right action (2) : conformity to this principle or ideal : RIGHTEOUSNESS c : the quality of conforming to law 3 : conformity to truth, fact, or reason : CORRECTNESS

1 Peter 2:16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. 17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. 18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. Galatians 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. 1 Cor 9:19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. Speeking on the rights of an apostle.

1 Cor 7:21 Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather. 22 For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant. 23 Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men. Free 1658 evleu,qeroj eleutheros {el-yoo'-ther-os} • probably from the alternate of 2064; TDNT - 2:487,224; adj • AV - free 18, free woman 3, at liberty 1, free man 1; 23 • 1) freeborn 1a) in a civil sense, one who is not a slave 1b) of one who ceases to be a slave, freed, manumitted 2) free, exempt, unrestrained, not bound by an obligation 3) in an ethical sense: free from the yoke of the Mosaic Law Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

History of the 4th of July Virginia Gazette on July 18th, 1777 Although July 4th is celebrated as America’s official split from Britain’s rule and the beginning of the American Revolution. Taxation without representation! That was the battle cry of the 13 colonies in America who were forced to pay taxes to England’s King George III with no representation in Parliament. As dissatisfaction grew, British troops were sent in to quell any signs of rebellion, and repeated attempts by the colonists to resolve the crisis without war proved fruitless. The original resolution was introduced by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia on June 7, 1776, and called for the Continental Congress to declare the United States free from British rule. On June 11, 1776, the colonies’ Second Continental Congress, meeting in Philadelphia, formed a committee with the express purpose of drafting a document that would formally sever their ties with Great Britain. The committee included Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin

Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman and Robert R. Livingston. The document was crafted by Jefferson, who was considered the strongest and most eloquent writer (nevertheless, a total of 86 changes were made to his draft!) The final version, the document that we know as the Declaration of Independence was officially adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, although the resolution that led to the writing of the Declaration was actually approved two days earlier. The following day, copies of the Declaration of Independence were distributed and, on July 6, The Pennsylvania Evening Post became the first newspaper to print the extraordinary document. On July 8, 1776, the first public readings of the Declaration were held in Philadelphia’s Independence Square to the ringing of bells and band music. All of this had occurred with some of the delegates to the Congress not even present; New York, for example, did not even vote on the resolution until July 9th. (Did you know that that not a single signature was appended to the Declaration on July 4th. While most of the fifty-six names were in place by early August, one signer, Thomas McKean, did not actually sign the Declaration until 1781.) One year later, on July 4, 1777, Philadelphia marked Independence Day by adjourning Congress and celebrating with bonfires, bells and fireworks. The custom eventually spread to other towns both large and small, where the day was marked with processions, oratory, picnics, contests, games, military displays and fireworks. Observations throughout the nation became even more common at the end of the War of 1812 with Great Britain. On June 24, 1826, Thomas Jefferson sent a letter to Roger C. Weightman, declining an invitation to come to Washington, D.C., to help celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. It was the last letter, Jefferson, who was gravely ill, ever wrote. In it, Jefferson says of the document: May it be to the world, what I believe it will be ... the signal of arousing men to burst the chains ... and to assume the blessings and security of self-government. That form, which we have substituted, restores the free right to the unbounded exercise of reason and freedom of opinion. All eyes are opened, or opening, to the rights of man. ... For ourselves, let the annual return of this day forever refresh our recollections of these rights, and an undiminished devotion to them. In 1941, Congress declared July 4 a legal Federal holiday. Today, communities across the nation mark this major midsummer holiday with parades, fireworks, picnics and the playing of the "Star Spangled Banner". Declaration of Independence Declaration: a statement made by a party to a legal transaction 3 a : something that is declared Independence: the quality or state of being not subject to control by others.

The Christian's Declaration Of Independence Sanctify them through thy truth:

thy word is truth. John 17:17 In Jesus Christ; I am free from failure for the Bible says: Php 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. I am free from want for the Bible says: Php 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” I am free from fear for the Bible says: 2 Tim. 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. I am free from doubt for the Bible says: Rom. 12:3 “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.” I am free from weakness, for the Bible says: Ps 27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? I am free from the power of satan, for the Bible says: 1Jo 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. I am free from defeat, for the Bible says: 2Co 2:14 Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. I am free from ignorance, for the Bible says: 1Co 1:30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption I am free from sin, for the Bible says: John 1:7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. I am free from worry, for the Bible says: 1Pe 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. I am free from bondage, for the Bible says:

2 Cor. 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. I am free from condemnation, for the Bible says: Rom. 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.