Happy 4th of July Independence Day

American Minute for July 4th:

The Declaration of Independence was approved JULY 4, 1776. John Hancock signed first, saying "the price on my head has just doubled." Benjamin Franklin said "We must hang together or most assuredly we shall hang separately." Of the 56 signers: 17 served in the military, 11 had their homes destroyed, 5 were hunted and captured, Abraham Clark had two sons imprisoned on the British starving ship Jersey, John Witherspoon's son was killed in battle, Francis Lewis' wife was inprisoned and died from the harsh treatment, many, such as Thomas Nelson and Carter Braxton, lost their fortunes and 9 died during the War. When Samuel Adams signed the Declaration, he said: "We have this day restored the Sovereign to whom all men ought to be obedient. He reigns in heaven and from the rising to the setting of the sun, let His kingdom come." John Adams said: "I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty." John Adams continued: "I am well aware of the toil and blood and treasure that it will cost to maintain this Declaration...Yet through all the gloom I can see the rays of ravishing light and glory...Posterity will triumph in that day's transaction, even though we [may regret] it, which I trust in God we shall not."

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http://www.thedeclarationofindependence.org/ Adams, Samuel. 1776, statement made while the Declaration of Independence was being signed. Charles E. Kistler, This Nation Under God (Boston: Richard G. Badger, The Gorham Press, 1924), p. 71. Peter Marshall & David Manuel, The Light & the Glory (NJ: Fleming H. Revell Co., 1977), p. 309. "Our Christian Heritage," Letter from Plymouth Rock (Marlborough, NH: The Plymouth Rock Foundation), p. 8. D.P. Diffine, Ph.D., One Nation Under God - How Close a Separation? (Searcy, Arkansas: Harding University, Belden Center for Private Enterprise Education, 6 edition, 1992), p. 6. Of the fifty-six signers: 17 lost their fortunes, 12 had their homes destroyed, 9 died during the war, 5 were captured as prisoners of war (George Walton, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Arthur Middleton, Edward Rutledge, and Richard Stockton), 1 had two sons captured and put on the British starving ship Jersey (Abraham Clark) and 1 lost his son in the War (John Witherspoon.)

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