Today officially being Flag Day, I was asked to talk about the Declaration of Independence as we approach our Independence Day, recognizing its Two Hundred and Fiftieth celebration. So many thoughts sprang into my mind, wondering how could I possibly attend to each without having at least an hour.
Back when I was living at home as a teenager, my folks
used Independence Day as a way to have a family picnic of sorts, all of this
carried out in their backyard by the pool with all manner of food spread out on
the table. We had a sliding glass door
that separated the inside from the yard, one dog in the back while the other
inside kept them apart as well.
As a precaution to occasional ‘dust ups’ between the
dogs, we kept a full size Little League baseball bat near the back sliding door
which the dogs came to understand meant business. Mom was about to take a bowl
of potato salad out as she pulled back on the sliding door. That was when the Independence Day Dust Up
started. Two dogs met underneath her
pioneer styled dress without regard for proper etiquette.
While holding the bowl of potato salad in one hand,
mom grabbed the bat handle and started bopping dogs that were entangled under
her dress. Eventually the dogs got the
message and broke up, but not before she’d gotten a nasty bruise on her
shin. Mom claimed it was from one of the
dogs; however, upon closer inspection we could read the name, “Louisville
Slugger”. Mom had accidentally bopped
her own leg.
That was one heck of an Independence Day celebration;
but that’s not why I decided to include it in today’s talk. No, my folks wanted their children to
understand the importance of what we were celebrating. It wasn’t about the hamburgers, the potato
salade or soda pop we’d be enjoying. The
Declaration of Independence was a thought issued to the world, a thought that
needed to be handed down from one generation to the next.
“We hold these truths to
be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their
Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and
the pursuit of Happiness…”
Ezra Taft Benson recorded, “I believe with all my
heart the words of the American patriot Patrick Henry, who, on the eve of the
American Revolution, said, “There is a just God who presides over the destinies
of nations and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us.” Further,
it is part of my faith that no people can maintain freedom unless their
political institutions are founded on faith in God and belief in the existence
of moral law. God has endowed men with certain inalienable rights,
and no government may morally limit or destroy these.”
“The Rough Draft reads “[inherent &] inalienable.” There is no
indication that Congress changed “inalienable” to “unalienable”; but the latter
form appears in the text in the rough Journal, in the corrected Journal, and in
the parchment copy. John Adams, in making his copy of the Rough Draft, wrote
“unalienable.” Adams was one of the committee which supervised the printing of
the text adopted by Congress, and it may have been at his suggestion that the
change was made in printing. “Unalienable” may have been the more customary
form in the eighteenth century.”
“Inherent &”
never made it to the final draft and we can only wonder if it was pulled due to
some politically correct discussion or whether it simply sounded redundant to
those issuing the declaration. The
Founders used words sparingly and with great accuracy for the most part; they
likely concluded “inherent &” was unnecessary to complete the thought;
life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are unalienable rights from our
Creator.
The root word Inherent carries with it the idea that
might be read at the reading of a will.
If we are to inherit, from whom do we owe that inheritance? Perhaps understanding the gift of rights would
make more sense if we accept that unalienable rights could only come from our
Father in Heaven.
Now, if we look at inheriting those rights and using
them, taking into consideration that we’ve accepted our inheritance while our
Father lives, then the parable of the Prodigal Son means even more. Are we not all hoping to be accepted by our
Father, stumbling as it were, on our way home, having spent, unwisely at times,
much of what was given? How’s that for
something to think about…
Of all the issues that bother Progressives, Democrats,
Socialists, call them whatever you like, the idea that God, not our government,
gave us inalienable individual rights keeps them from moving forward toward
their idea of Utopia, a place where the State provides everything equally to
those in need. If they could just get
past that sticking point, they could do anything they wanted because then
government in all its glory would determine what’s best, not the individual.
These folks deny God as the head of our government at every turn; is it any
wonder that they scoff at individual rights?
“For shall the work say
of him that made it, he made me not? Or shall the thing framed say of him that
framed it, he had no understanding?” (2 Nep 27:27)
To understand the mindset of our Founders, it’s
important to find out what they believed.
There are some who claim Thomas Jefferson was an agnostic, that he’s
responsible for making sure we have a separation of church and state. They preach this in our public schools, our
colleges and universities as a means of indoctrination on the path to socialization.
“Thomas Jefferson wrote
on the front of his well- worn Bible: "I am a Christian, that is to say a
disciple of the doctrines of Jesus. I have little doubt that our whole country
will soon be rallied to the unity of our Creator and, I hope, to the pure
doctrine of Jesus also.”
Does this sound like a man who wanted to establish a
wall of separation to keep religion out of government?
If we do not correct this information, making sure the
next generation has a better grasp on our history, how will they know the
importance of what was set aside for them, why it’s important to feel this in
their own hearts.
Perhaps that’s why they finished with these words,
words that mean much as I consider, …each man signed with full knowledge, … the
serious nature of such a declaration…
“…And for the support of
this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence,
we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.”
I may have figured out why some folks just don’t get
it; this country we call the United States of America. Far too many of us have become a First Verse
Only people. Most everyone is familiar
with our National Anthem; but how many know there are more verses that complete
the thoughts intended?
“Oh thus be it ever when
free men shall stand, Between their loved homes and the war’s desolation! Blest
with victory and peace may the heave’n rescued land Praise the Pow’r that hath
made and preserved us a nation! Then conquer we must, when our cause it is
just, And this be our motto: “In God is our Trust!” And the star spangled
banner in triumph shall wave, O’er the land of the free and the home of the
brave.”
Are we a “first verse only” people now, content with
having had our shot, able to sit back and watch as our great experiment in
freedom slowly dies? Paul Simon wrote a song about such feelings, An
American Tune.
“…And we come on the ship they call the Mayflower. We come on the ship that
sailed the moon. We come in the age's most uncertain hours, and sing an
American tune. Oh, and it's all right, it's all right, it's all right. You
can't be forever blessed…”
I should acknowledge a story related by Elder Jonathan
C. Roberts of the Seventy who attended our Stake Conference many years ago. Elder
Roberts had taken his family on vacation to a lake in the Ozarks, boated across
the expanse of water to the middle where they deployed a large inflatable deck
which they would use as a base. His wife had forgotten to bring along the food,
and he jumped on one of the motorized ski contraptions to retrieve it.
Not being familiar with the lake he took notice of key landmarks prior to
embarking across the water, making good use of his scouting skills lest he be
unable to find his way back. Once he’d recovered the food he headed back,
taking note of his position with respect to the aforementioned landmarks. He
traveled to where he thought he’d started and had a sinking feeling he might
have made a mistake, not being able to see the boat or inflatable deck in spite
of having the landmarks lined up as his memory permitted.
He scoured the horizon and saw something far off in the distance and made his
way closer, the speck growing larger to resemble the shape of a boat and later,
as he got even closer, his family playing on the inflatable deck. Upon arrival
he asked why they’d moved from their original spot; except his wife told him,
“We haven’t moved.”
Elder Roberts checked the landmarks which no longer matched those he originally
had depended upon at which time he realized they hadn’t been on a lake at all;
rather, a very slow moving river. They had drifted a considerable distance from
their original position.
Here we are in the year 2026 looking for familiar
landmarks, landmarks that were left by our Founders to guide us, more
importantly, to remind us that we, as a nation, are beholden to our Creator for
our very existence.
The Founders understood the principles which unite God
and His children along with the social involvements which prevail, not only
among those who acknowledge and adhere to God’s commandments, laws,
restrictions and blessings; but with an understanding of those who would stand
in defiance of these same commandments, laws, restrictions and blessings. Our
Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights are an
acknowledgement of the eternal order of things being made of and through Him.
I’ll close with an important thought,
“We hold these truths to
be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their
Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and
the pursuit of Happiness…”
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
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