On July 4th we commemorate the Declaration of Independence here in the United States. It’s a time of remembering, appreciating and celebrating that this country was made free and independent of outside rule.
Referring to the founding fathers, Ezra Taft Benson said,
“I pay tribute to their faithful deeds, their noble lives, and their lasting lessons of faith in God, courage, industry, self-reliance, and integrity.
“We stand today as beneficiaries of their priceless heritage to us, a heritage based on the truth that righteousness brings forth the blessings of God.
“The Declaration of Independence to which these great men affixed their signatures is much more than a political document. It constitutes a spiritual manifesto—revelation, if you will—declaring not for this nation only, but for all nations, the source of man’s rights.
“The Declaration of Independence was to set forth the moral justification of a rebellion against a long-recognized political tradition—the divine right of kings.
“At issue was the fundamental question of whether men’s rights were God-given or whether these rights were to be dispensed by governments to their subjects. This document proclaimed that all men have certain inalienable rights. In other words, these rights came from God.
“Therefore, the colonists were not rebels against political authority, but a free people only exercising their rights before an offending, usurping power. They were thus morally justified to do what they did.
“Finally, the document concludes with this pledge.
‘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.’” “Our Priceless Heritage” October 1976 Ensign Ezra Taft Benson
And thus, they did, that we might live in freedom.
As you celebrate this holiday with family and friends, I remind you to give thanks for the sacrifices made in your behalf.
Happy Fourth of July to one and all!
With love,
