: ~
‘ sot date when the celebrated docu
tihupn.
tivitiea.
dependence “as signed on July 4 1776.
This war of the history books as
.it. might be called, hm] its inception
more than a hundrid years ago, when
one of [the signers of the I)"(‘l.’li‘flli0n
“himself wrote- to nuothvr Congrcss-
man of '76 that tho ilocuinr-nt was not
.,;§i‘gned On July 4. Since that tlmc the
Jimmy careful and scrupulous oi‘ the
historians haw1 hi‘t'll shy of opcnly
asserting: July 4, 1776, as the. dair- of
,f‘lts subscribing although with posi-
..1ive.n(-Hs nil arc agreed that it was
-formnily adopted then.
.r
Controversy Over Dates
Was Started Early
Since ’i‘homrw Mrlx’rnn, one of i'hc
signers; first milled John Asiitms's nt-
icntlon in tiw popular lit-lint that the
Declaration was both zulopimi and
signed (in the same (lay. and since
Adams drew Thomas .lvfi‘vrsnn. its nu-
thor. in on tho (‘onirovc-rsy. this in-
teresting quvstion has lw-on the topic
of numerous discussions in newspapers
and magazines. the- Sulljl'L‘i. of in. large
numlwr of collcm‘ doctorntn thcsos
and tho ruisun (l'uii‘c for at least five
voluminous books.
The "no monograph now lilkf'll to be
the authority on the qucstiun has long
been out of print and is extremely
difficult to obtain. It was the work
of Judge Mellon Chamberlain. :t noted
historical student of forty years' ago.
His contribution was first printed as
a. lending article in the Massa-
chusctu-s Histori cal [C(‘ik'iti. In 1885
it was reprinted inn) :1. am: ill vniumo
called the "AUUH niicv .iton of tho Doc-
inrhiion oi‘ indvpcndenco." Since
Chamberlain‘s lmok at least two other
books have appeared, dealing with the
«me queatiuns and coming to the
(name conclusion.
0n the one skin of this history book
battle arc uligm-d tho sinulcs of John
Adams and Thomas .lr-t’rcrson, both of
whom left. their written word that
‘~ July 4 was the date- of the Dcclar: {-
tion' 3 adoption and signing. Their
rltinga lhuvn. convincr-il a small group
I historians, the must. nolui of whom
is Ixmx‘ug, the author of :1 large num-
ber of llcvolutionnry works
r_.“;....-c_” A _. __ A...__,_. “N _,__u
Away bmk in 1212 the (‘hlldr‘r‘n‘
of France and Gcrmany nrganizml
ihcmsc, 10138 as Crumdv: s and started
to march across Europe to Gcnou,
Italy, meaning to sci sail [or Syria
and ovcrcomc the Saracens. Thvir
lulurium’s in this attempt to save
3c civilization ‘0] their any will not
be duplicated by the launrialion of
a Children's Church with this
purpose io—dau. Dr. Sichicrman's
cwpcrimcnt may be nationally
adopted.
4
’3, Rev. N. S. SOITERMAN
Of Grace Presbyterian Church,
Indianapolis, Ind.
The most important highway that
in being traveled by mankind is the
highway that loads to religious char-
acter and cgperience. The sending
forth of our boys.a.nd girlsfon this
‘mrncy~ is the greatest bufiincss of
our generation It is at. this point
that nations rise or- fall. But to face
this supremo task of the ages is to
be amused to the fact that the mo.-
1ority of our boys and girls are being
font forth. where indeed they are sent
forth at all. in ox carts. and that in
In use of the automobile and the
airplane.
‘_I find within myself a ready sym-
pathy with a. bitter complaint of Mr.
H. G. Wells against a wrong concept
of God which was lodged in his mind
an a child. Them: are his words as
bonus put them down in “God‘ the
-_ Invisible King? “He and his hell
, wero' tho nightmare of my childhood.
. .‘ . I thought of him as a. fantastic
manner perpetually waiting to con-
drum. and to, ptrike me dead! . . .
flatm- over me and about my silli-
ileum. and forgetfuiness as the sky and
can Would be about a child drowning
-Atiiintic.'* ' It required a long
‘ in I'll struggle for Wells to out-
. grow iii fulie conception of God and
to-dovelop I right attitude toward
pironia were born nndralsed on
‘flion 'ot.tho North Sea. bottom
all was won 'from the ocean WaVPfl
fir ,thOlI' oturdy Holland ancestors. In
filly whom! and womanhood they
can. to mtheir home in a new
Rolland munlty of western Michi-
‘ Hero their boys and girls grew
Ind Ilthough it Was America
of the environment was that of
w, Holland. Ind especially was this
“ ”at in. Emma and worship.
,. new target the first day of
,W m which was begun at
tilt village school about two
W to which I was intro-
. m the knowledge of a,
'W. word. At that. day":
MI m thrilled as I
M boon time by the ac-
m m “bird."
' , services were in
And of two or
m A: I lookback
" ”and! nothing in
;‘ Undoubtedly .‘l'uly 4,1926.wi.li be
specially observed fl: the anniversary
of the signing and adoption of the
American Magma. Charm. This myth
, of July 4. as the dissenting faction of
historians calls it. is for them too sol-
idly ingrown in~the body of American
, beliefs: to, be dislodged during the next
few years before the approaching fes-
What these same historians
term the "myth" is the almost unani-
gvvmous belief of the hundred million of
.Americans that the Declaration of In-
asThis Nation Born Aug.
2 or Day We Celebrafc?
‘HE international celebration of
Font. Bancroft and Webster.
name on the document until 1781, five
years after its adoption.
muted McKean‘s letter of dissent from
the popular belief to a. friend. asked:
"What are we to think of history,
when in less than forty years such
diversities appear in the memories of
living men who were witnesses?" «
McKean's letter Shows that a. num-
ber of other men whose names were on
the Declaration as .printod in the
Journal, made public in 1777, were
also
day.
Adams under date of January.
"In the printch Public Journal for
1776, Vol. 2," Mr. McKcan states, “it
nppcars that the Declaration of Inde-
pendence was declared on the 4th of
July. 1776, by the gcntlcmcn whose
names arc there inst-rind: \vhcrcas no
person signed it on that day, and
among the names thcre inserted one
gentleman: namely, George Rhead.
“us not in favor of it, and seven were
not in Congress that day. namely,
Messrs. Morris, Rush. Clymer. Smith.
'l’uyTOi‘ and Ross. all of l‘onnsylvanin.
and Mr. Thornton of Now Hampshire.
nor wore tho six gentlemen last named
members of Congress on the 4th
of July. The five for Pennsylvania
were appointed dclegaies by the con-
V'L-nlion of that State on the 20th
of July. and Mr. Thornton took his
seat in Congress for the first time on
This letter was written to John
the 4th of November following;
where the names of Henry “Winner of
New York 11nd Thomas McKean of
Delaware are not printed as subscrib-
ers, though both were present in Con-
prc-as on tho 4th of July and voted
for indupr-ndcncv.
"Afttr the 4th or July I was not in
Congress for sun-ml months. having
marched with o. n-glmont of Anaemia)
tors as Colonel in support Gen. W'ash-
ington, until the flying corps of ten
thousand mvn was completed. \Vhen
the Associators were discharged I
ri-iurncd to Philadelphia. took my seat
in Congress, and signal my name to
the parr‘hmcnt.”
\thn the Declaration was pro-
claimed in public after its adoption
only the names of John Hancock,
the prcsidcni of the Congress, and
Charles Thomson. its socrctary. Wore
read. The pulilitation in the Printed
Jourrml of 1777 was made to road as
it stands at present. "In Congress
July 4, 1776." All of the names with
the cxccption of McKcan. although he
mentions Vv’lsnor. which was an error
on [his part, were appended to the
durnmcnt in the Journal under date
of tho 4th.
John Adams in writing a reply to
I wish that I might erase from my
mind tho mumory of a colvi winter
zii'tornoon experience when :1 group
of us boys and girls were unihcrcd
by an old white haired chit-r of the
church. “mil meaning, but so mistak-
enly tllrncicd. as he gathr-rcd 11:: about
a. red hot stove to instruct us in the
fundamentals of religious truth. God
that aftnrnoon was pictured to us as
a. stern, heartless being. ready to cast
us into a fire a thousand times hotter
than tho stove in our midst for every
mlsdcod in our lives!
It was such experiences as these that
made Sunday and training in religion
the most drcadod and irksomc eyenta
of our young livm. The truth that re-
ligion is life and not for Sunday or one
compartment of life only never oc-
curred to us. The experience of joy.
good le, service. loyalty. courage.
vision and God-consciousness. the
fruits of real religion. were for us un-
discovered and undrcamed of territory.
Thus were We robbed of life's best and
noblest gifts!
Out of these experiences was born
the attempt to organize the boys and
girls of our congregation into a church
organization of their own; and the
story is here told with the hope that
the telling may encourage those who
may be similarly engaged and inspire
gnany other: to make like ventures ll
the life of their children's preparation
for the leadership of to-morrow.
Announcement was made in the
Bible School And regular services. of
the churéh tut on I given sunday
morning at To: 16 o‘clock I. thirty min-
ute service would be commuted by the
pastor for children between the age-
of 6 and 16. When the time Irrivcd
I happy and eager noun of boys or V
girls. twice as him u was Intir'
ook their place. for I, chore
all that! own. The cervioo v. ,
Ici dupliccto of the ICU" .83.,
cap: that the mars. hymn“
On the other side. on the side of
the Idoptmn of the Dcciam- those who maintain that July 4 was
- lion of Independence is to be the date of the Declaration's adoption
hold in Philadclphia in 1926 but the but not of it: signing. are also a great
academic warfare concerning the ex- numbcr of historians. among them
One
will Wan signed still merrily con- of their strongest defenses is of course
Thomas McKean, the dissenting signer.
who. it is known. did not place his
John Adams; Who. when he trans-
not prosont on that memorable »
1814:'
JUNIOR CHURCH WORKERS
.
r i
McKcun, mid: “Molx’vun is mis—
taken. The final vote of in—
drpendencc. after the last debate, was
passed on the 2d or 3d of July and
the Declaration preparcd and signed
on the 4th." ,
But 'Adnms. as Chamberlain points
out, was depending upon his memory.
in the "W'orlcs" of-John Adams is
{a letter written to Sumnci 'Chasc,
which contradicts his positive state-
ment, above. The letter is dated July
9. 1776. from Philadelphia The fol-
lowing: paragraph is taken from it. in
reply to Chase’s question asking when
the Declaration is to be signed.
“As soon as an American seal is
prepared." wrote Adams. "I conjec-
ture the Declaration will be sub-
scribed by all the members, which will
give you the opportunity you wish for.
of transmitting your name among the
voiarlcs of independence."
This letter seems to be more in
consonance, Chamberlain says. with
the facts later revealed by the publi-
and therefore instruct and build up
the life in spiritual values.
After the service had continued for
about six weeks we were thoroughly
convinced that the children were ready
and enthusiastic for the organization
(1' a church of their own. To this end
a Saturday afternoon party was ar-
ranged for in a. large room of the
board of trustees Were chosen. Ush-
ers were also named and a selected
juvenile chorus choir organized. One
of the girls was appointed to play the
piano for the choir and for the slug-
In: of the hymns by the junior con-
gregation. Filnds for the exxx‘nscs of
the organization and the worldwide
program of the church are provided
by the children just as in the regular
congregation. and all money redeived
is administered by the boys and girls
through their board elected for that
purpose.
At this gathering I formal organio
zatlon of the Junior Church was
made and officers Were elected by the
children out of their own midst. This
organization is also an exact dupli-
cate of the adult church. A board of
elders. a board of deacons, and a
church building; a room blessed with
an abundance of light and an atmos-
phere of cheerfulness.
* The membership of the Junior_
Church consists of two kinds, active
and associate membership. The ac.
tive membership is made up of those,
whohave made full profession of their
faith in Jesus. Gin-is: “their Lord
and Saviour. "The acacia” member-
ship includes all the refit of the chil-
dren tint: chime in the worship and
program of the church. =
The Junior Church meet- every
Sunny morning It 10:“ o'clook.
which. in fifteen minutes um- tho
tom of theBlbh School,“ continue-V
:rthirty' minute. Thu-torm-
dud-momma tho.
1:: a. 1‘ only“.
The Signing of ihe Declaration of Independence.
cation in 1820 of the Secret Journals
of the Proceedings of the Continental
Congress of 1776.
It remained. however; for Jefferson
to insist that the signing occurred on
the 4th. In a letter to a friend who
was puzzled on the miter he wrote
hisconviciions. This letter was writ-
ten before the Secret-Journal was pub-
lished. but a postscript. after its pub-
lication. reasserts his belief.
“It was not till the 2d of Jufy that
the Declaration itself was taken up
nor till the 4:11 that it. was decided;
and it was signed by every member
present except Mn Dickinson. The
subsequent signntirfea of men who
were not then present that easily ex-
plained if we observe who they were,
to wit: that they are of New York
and Pennsylvania. . . . “'hy the
signature of Thornton was permitted
so late as the 4th of November I can—
not now say." ’
This letter is dated May 12.
Monticello.
1319.
CHILDREN’S CHURCH CREED IS
neck in advame for that purpose.
This gix es a. rare opportunity for the
development of the power of public
speaking for which nearly every walk
in lilo presents no unmet. demand.
The writer has never had the priv-
ilege of organizing any group of which
the members have shown such instant
and continued interest as have our
boys and girls in the Junior Church.
Three times as many children astherc
were in the regular services of the
church eagerl) gather from Sunday
to Sunday in their own meeting for
worship and ronmxsmp. AJOY they
never know before is theirs as they
share in making beautiful and impres-
sive the worship of their Cneator.
The whole service is planned with
the idea of making the worship digni-
fied and impressive: the best hymns
of the church are learned, Scripture
ls mad? attravfive. prayer is filled with
meaning, and the abundant life is
mum into the daily cxperieuce. ,
08° 01 the unexpectedj-eunlta or
this illuminant in our chfireh'hicbun
that}. have I Mr attendance
“mudtiflaaxthomuhi‘cm
Wmumaflt churc‘hunn
overbefm Iii-found.
Slocum
With the Secret Journal before them
the more exact of the later historians.
including Chdmberlain. seem to have
cleared up the question. Unless. as
Jefferson seems to insinuate. there is
or was a copy of. the Declaration of
Independence which no one except
Jefferson seems to have seen.
In the Secret Journal under date
of July 4. with respect to the Decla—
ration. appear: the following:
"Ordered that the Declaration_be
authenticated and printed. That the
committee appointed to prepare the
Declaration superintend and correct
the pres." ’
The Declaration is printed in this
Journal as it was read. but without
any names attached as signers.
The next mention of the Declara-
tion's signing occurs in the Secret
Journal under date of July 19, 1776.
It follows:
“Resolved that. the Declaration
passed on the 4th be fairly engromcd
on parchment. with the title and style
0! 'The Unanimous Declaration of {he
Thirteen United States—of America'
and that the same vs hen engrossed be
signed by every member of the Con-
gress.' -
Under date of August" ., 1776, the
Secret Journal roads:
"The Declaration being engrossed
and comparwi ill the table was signed
by the members." 7
In the Secret Journal nothing ap-
pears about signing under date of the
4th of July. Logicnlly, then, with
Chamberlain, Bancroft and the other
precise historians. despite the faulty
memory of John Adams and the per-
sistent conviction of Thomas Jeffer-
son, which was drawn from his jour-
nal. correctedlfrom time to time. the
verdict in the controversy over the
exact date of signing the Declaration
ofIndepcndcnce is against July 4.
1776. The more correct date, founded
on the facts of histon‘ point to Au-
gust 2.
GOD IS LOVE
these things in their own service. The
most enthusiastic workers of our
whole church are the Junior Church
children.
One who is interested in boys and
'giris—and who should not be, for
they are the foundation or the world
of to—morrow—cannot but be 1m»
pressed by the extent and variety of
Junior movements which are being
organized all over our land. But to
mention a. few, like the Junior Cham-
bers of Commerce. the Junior Adver-
tising Clubs. the De Malay organiza-
tion of the Masonic Order. the Boy
and Girl Scout movements. the news-
boy bands. the Junior Leagues in the
sports of the hour, &c.. one may well
ask if the church is as on and for-
ward looking as she wish be in pre-
paring the boys and girls for leader—
ship in the organized movements of
religious thought and practice.
Many an adult personahas the ex-
patience of being elected to some office
' in the church life to find himself em-
barrassed because of a. lack of knowl-
edge of the nature and purpose of the
duties to which he is elected. with the
added result that the work of the.
church is thereby made ineffective or
wholly neglected. ' Those who have
searched for leadership in forwarding
the program of tho kingdom of. God
realizefuuwoll-thatthislsoneofthc
grate-t edict thatmec them attain
ofkb‘oyc may for emclént
service oceanic «the prepdrctory.
mining which 1119 Junior Church If-
fouls?
‘Liflffle UpSoICuSce I; ,,
One Lesson f Junior Church
Muchlsnladoofthcmdedcouuo
It seems, to me we have been very
pear doing this by compelling our
children to sit. through services of
worship which were planned for the
adult life or the community. Let us
remember that it. is a very long jour-
ney from the religious background of
the average bay and girl to that of
.ihe white crowned Christian with a.
long life of worship. and service back
of him. and give to the children the
right to be properly built into the
church of Vic-marrow by setting before
them the opportunity to be built into
each other by fellowship in worship
and service which they can appreciate
and enthusiastically share with one
another.
Some one somewhere tells the story
of a little girl who wanted to see the
circus parade but could not because
the crowd was dense and she was
small. So she stopped a policeman
and moved him to action by the plea
“Please lift me up so I can see." This
little story expresses well the oppor-
tunity of the Junior Church to lift: our
boys and girls to the level where a.
vision of the beauty and holiness of
real worship may be theirs to the un-
ending enrichment of their lives and
the upbuilding of their character.
According to the survey of the In-
:térchurch “(arid Movement, 6_9.3 per
cent. of thé children and youth of our
land i-eceive no insinuction in the re-
ligibua , and moral‘ sanctum: upon
which our ‘ democratic institutions
rest. when in addition to this we
remember how tow are the hours of
instruction in these things of film
'who do enroll in schools of religion
we must agree how acute is the quci-
.tion of capturing the children of to-
,dIy and building their: mo the‘ lead-
“A nation which
“Ship of to-monrow.
tooLthtthy planlncaucnnonudmlea M.“ ridesinautomobllcsshonidnot psi-an: WW
milligram
ch}: stay out of it no longer.
TUASB“ ' hi, Auuuo‘i‘ 1
192d;
Auld Lang SVne
on the Collegen
Campus
Byal. A.
, of 65 Y
"Tis a‘ rest we crave, just :2“ .
v, ‘ space. ”ea-15in:
From the cares and thew Wor rri
And we find it here in {1115850me
, place. . defile cu
' l’h‘e're we all can be boys ml ,,
’- IT is with some such feeling “Ellen
ing them that about ‘hia -
throngs of men of all age,
{is very varied conditions lately
’11:» SW arming about the various“
.7 that with ever} pass
ham.
'them.
Some enthusiasts will have been on
hand early 11 the morning of the first
of the days. -. ;. -i“‘"d for the celebra-
» tion. Finding "11 rrspeuixe class
headquarters ox 1 “i too ionniy, they
will have tried to i.- l tho time bym
dering with a in
about théfldl'ildfimk‘ shades, once so
familiar. gazing wisiiu up at mg
windows to which their noisy hail of
‘Oh! Billy,” or "Oh! Johnny "or "011‘."
something or other once called
remembered faces.
mg yea:
income dearer and dearer in
ir
' of siiangene-
ll};
fondly
Or vcr: likely un-
der the tutelage of one of those now
in authorih—one of the now rulers,
“that knew not Joseph"—tbcy have
been called upon to admire the beauty
and utility of the new lefit‘cs with
which grateful alumni or wl‘rzilthy ad-
mirers have impressively adorned and
decorated alma‘ mater.
hearts went out all the mom i.
to iho<e dearly familiar oi.)
with \\ hich their happys indent (1.253
were so Closelv associated, and for
w hich they have a special and subtle-
sxmpathv, for like themselves, it
seems :15 if they too were gradually
being crowded into the past.
Dear to the Heart
Are the Old Building:
The Harvard authorities were Wise
to preserve with such filial care all
those plain 0 id brick buildings so elo-
quent in ihcmsches of the devotion
and self- denial of the early settlers.
and about which the tendrils of the
aifecii on of their graduates cling so
loxinglv.Bc:1utiful new edificeasonn.
times enshrining to an extent cher-
ished sentiments. can with suificient
funds always be erected. but the 3:58:0-
ciations of generations attaching to an
ancient college building can never be
replaced.
But it is not the new masonry or
architectural acquisitions nor the ma-
terial. or cv en scholastic advancement
of their alma mater. that have in:-
pelled her sons to flock back in such
numbers. Their main desire is for the
other fellows and to feel (ht? spell of
the old environments. More and more.
as the arrivals come faster uni fast or.
their interest centers in the headquar-
let's—no longer lonely. There is an
eager. friendlv interest shonn by all
in each cw corner; there is a real
héértiness in the greetings—not a
tram of formality; the clergnnen {oi-
get to use their accustomed hand-
shakeeso eloquent of professional and
perfunctory pefional interest, and even
the seasoned statesman is forced to
abandon that "get thee past me
quick" clutch with which he is wont
to meet his admiring constituents.
Once across the threshold of the
chosen place all are at one on a com-
mon level. The impetuous Democracy
of Youth once more rules them all.
4
"The Banker has left his country 1:101:55:
the Editor his uxl '
The Lawyer has laid1 asxisde his briefs,
the Doctor has quit his pills. "
It is not Governor This nor Senator
That. His Honor the Judge has mis-
laid his judicial pose. and gladly re-
sponds to the old familiar nickname
"Buck." which he once bore so
proudly when representing the col-
lege on its ball nine.
The air is full or nicknames, and
weird abbreviations of the names that
at their homes are borne by dignified
and respected citizens. And the an is
0‘! them are most unusual!
Wistfu] as a Stranger
. Pause: at the Portal
» Ever and anon there comes to pause
at the portals a wistful stranger. The
years have left their heavv mark!
upon him, yet there will alwaxs b0
some who. seeing through the camou-
fiage that Time has put about him.
recognize the boy, and, before he W3}
izes it he'is once more a rollicking
youngster with the rest of them All"
it is good to be there, to feel again
i the puking of youthful imp ““95 and
feelings, to be in the (tie woman?
on earth where a man 11: 3‘ 133' aside
the mask that he has found news-
sax-y 101' salt-protection in the strug.
Glee of life. Here masks are use ‘ess:
all knew each other too Well in those
on daYs when we were young and
natural. ‘
‘ And now some one will open the
piano and presently the old familiar
songs get us all going. Here I am
constrained to drop the impemonal'h}:
voices may not be quite as they used
.fo be; but the spirit is all there and
i'é are' no caustic critics present-
50 who cares? There is no set pro-
gram for the first night-we need
none. _We sing when we feel like it.
but the main delight of these first
hours are the heart to heart talks be-
tween men who were boys together
and who since have adventumd SO
much and so variously in this wide.
wide world. Youseewecan tell uncan-
other things that would be simply in-
communicabletoanyoneelse. InthO
meantime. let me not forget.
have cupped informally togetbfif- and
the later evening passes all too quickly
-—uul mindful of the fact Mm
Insane—is 031‘ d
dmicflo ”gm“, for us. all
Win one or the college dm‘
Holmium “1“!"
firefli‘ttmu’m
wewm.
Norwalk Chronicler