INDPENDENCE! “Resolved, That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States….” Depending on which poll or website you believe, July 4th ranks as the second or fourth most popular holiday in the United States. Either way, it’s a huge celebration all over the country, with parades, barbecues, fireworks and so much more commemorating our nation’s independence from Great Britain over 200 years ago. Our second president, John Adams, would have approved. In a letter to his wife Abigail, he wrote: "I believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be celebrated by pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other..." So what do we celebrate on July 4? Of course we associate it with the Declaration of Independence and the end of our nation’s long-held ties with Great Britain, but there are a number of dates besides the 4th associated with the process: • In April of 1775, we started the American Revolution. • In June of 1776, Thomas Jefferson wrote the first draft of the Declaration of Independence. • On July 2, 1776, the Continental Congress decided to declare independence. • It was delivered to Great Britain in November of 1776. And July 4th? That was the day on which the Continental Congress approved the final wording of the Declaration. It had been a work in progress for several days; on that day it was finally accepted with all its edits and changes, and July 4 is the date included on the document. On that same day, the draft was signed by two men: Charles Thomson and John Hancock. The official parchment copy, which is now on display in the National Archives in Washington, D.C., was signed on August 2, 1776. Fifty-six men, led by the president of the Congress, John Hancock, wrote their names on this unique and ground-breaking document, possibly condemning themselves to death and setting in motion the creation of a nation that would change the world as they knew it. So who was this man, whose name has become synonymous with the word for “signature”? John Hancock was born on January 23, 1737, in Braintree, MA. His father died when he was young and his mother sent him to live with an aunt and uncle, who adopted him. His uncle, Thomas Hancock, owned a highly successful shipping business, which he left, along with his estate, to John upon his death. John had learned the business while working alongside his uncle and lived a lavish lifestyle, which earned him some criticism! However, he was also a major political figure of his time. Because of his own business, he was quite interested in avoiding British taxes, and spearheaded some acts of protest as well as allegedly indulging in smuggling goods aboard his ships. He chaired a committee which demanded the removal of British forces, which led to some improved relations with Britain, but the Tea Act led to Hancock helping organize further protests. As leader of the Massachusetts delegate and president of the second Continental Congress, John was an important figure in the Revolutionary War. He supported war efforts out of his own pockets and, of course, participated in the process of declaring independence and signing the Declaration. In 1788, Hancock became president of the Massachusetts convention, which convened in order to ratify the US Constitution. He was initially reserved but eventually pushed for approval of the document. He was also a candidate for the nation’s first president, but came in a distant third, with George Washington and John Adams taking first and second VOLUME 4, NUMBER 7/PAGE 1 “Equipping Followers of Christ” July 2019 THE BBC Library NEWS
Transcript
INDPENDENCE! “Resolved, That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to
be, free and independent States….”Depending on which poll or website you believe, July 4th ranks
as the second or fourth most popular holiday in the United States. Either way, it’s a huge celebration all over the country, with parades, barbecues, fireworks and so much more commemorating our nation’s independence from Great Britain over 200 years ago.
Our second president, John Adams, would have approved. In a letter to his wife Abigail, he wrote: "I believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be celebrated by pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other..."
So what do we celebrate on July 4? Of course we associate it with the Declaration of Independence and the end of our nation’s long-held ties with Great Britain, but there are a number of dates besides the 4th associated with the process:
• In April of 1775, we started the American Revolution.• In June of 1776, Thomas Jefferson wrote the first draft of
the Declaration of Independence.• On July 2, 1776, the Continental Congress decided to
declare independence.• It was delivered to Great Britain in November of 1776. And July 4th? That was the day on which the Continental
Congress approved the final wording of the Declaration. It had been a work in progress for several days; on that day it was finally accepted with all its edits and changes, and July 4 is the date included on the document.
On that same day, the draft was signed by two men: Charles Thomson and John Hancock.
The official parchment copy, which is now on display in the National Archives in Washington, D.C., was signed on August 2, 1776. Fifty-six men, led by the president of the Congress, John Hancock, wrote their names on this unique and
ground-breaking document, possibly condemning themselves to death and setting in motion the creation of a nation that would change the world as they knew it.
So who was this man, whose name has become synonymous with the word for “signature”?John Hancock was born on January 23, 1737, in Braintree, MA. His father died when he was young and
his mother sent him to live with an aunt and uncle, who adopted him. His uncle, Thomas Hancock, owned a highly successful shipping business, which he left, along with his estate, to John upon his death. John had learned the business while working alongside his uncle and lived a lavish lifestyle, which earned him some criticism! However, he was also a major political figure of his time.
Because of his own business, he was quite interested in avoiding British taxes, and spearheaded some acts of protest as well as allegedly indulging in smuggling goods aboard his ships. He chaired a committee which demanded the removal of British forces, which led to some improved relations with Britain, but the Tea Act led to Hancock helping organize further protests.
As leader of the Massachusetts delegate and president of the second Continental Congress, John was an important figure in the Revolutionary War. He supported war efforts out of his own pockets and, of course, participated in the process of declaring independence and signing the Declaration.
In 1788, Hancock became president of the Massachusetts convention, which convened in order to ratify the US Constitution. He was initially reserved but eventually pushed for approval of the document.
He was also a candidate for the nation’s first president, but came in a distant third, with George Washington and John Adams taking first and second
VOLUME 4, NUMBER 7/PAGE �1
“Equipping Followers of Christ”
July 2019
THE BBC Library NEWS
place, and hence becoming President and Vice President.John Hancock died in October of 1793, while serving as the
governor of Massachusetts.His legacy lives on as many thousands witness his famous
signature in Washington D.C. every year, and as people are sometimes requested to “give us your John Hancock right here, please!”
Happy Fourth of July!~DD
Sources:www.constitutionfacts.comwww.ushistory.orgUnited States History: Heritage of Freedom, Abeka BooksWords That Built A Nation, Marilyn Miller
“You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4th, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and
soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw
Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten”
~Erma Bombeck
Sam Blumenfeld wrote an article in 2006 about the benefits of reading biographies.
He was referring to young people, but I think his comments apply to us all:
"The reason why young people should read biographies, autobiographies, memoirs, and diaries is because they provide the most valuable lessons in life. People who write their autobiographies usually have an interesting story to tell about the trials and tribulations of their own lives. Every life has a beginning, middle, and an end, and how one has lived one's life should be of great interest to those who are still at the beginning."
He goes on to talk about how the famous and not so famous handled crises, pursued their lives, and learned the lessons of life that might offer insights to others.
Particularly helpful are biographies, where people demonstrated their faith in God through blessings, tragedies, hopeless moments, and triumphant ones.
Our library has a large selection of biographies by men and women who have demonstrated that God made a difference in
their lives, and they want to share it with the world. There is something for every age. If you are interested in learning about their lives, please look at our shelves labeled #92.
Here is just a sampling of some titles that you might want to consider. We have over 200 titles so please don't hesitate to check them out.
Happy Reading! ~DR
GoodBye is Not Forever by Amy George
All Creatures Great and Small by
James Herriot
All My Road Before Me: The Diary of C.S. Lewis by C.S. Lewis
Amazing Grace: William Wilberforce by Eric Metaxas
Borden of Yale ’09 by Mrs. Howard Taylor Be Myself, Memoirs of a Bridgebuilder by Warren WiersbeCreated for Commitment: the Remarkable Story of the Founding of the Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) by A.
Wetherell Johnson Seven Men/Seven Women: And the Secret of Their Greatness (two volumes) by Eric MetaxasNote: Seven Men is also available in DVD.
“We on this continent should never forget that men first crossed the Atlantic
not to find soil for their ploughs but to secure liberty for their souls.”
Robert J. McCracken
“In the truest sense, freedom cannot be bestowed; it must be achieved.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt
VOLUME 4, NUMBER 7/PAGE �2
CONSIDER … CONSIDER…CONSIDER…
Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy: Discovering the Grace of Lament by Mark Vroegop
Lament is defined as the processing of profound grief, sorrow, or loss. It is from “a Greek verb meaning to ‘cry aloud.’” In Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy, Mark Vroegop shares in application-filled teaching what it means to walk through the hardest of moments, by turning and eventually yielding to God. In part one, he talks about how to Lament as you turn to God, sharing your complaints, asking boldly what is on your heart, and finally trusting Him with it all. Mark uses several Psalms in this section. In part two, he teaches what we can learn from Lament. Using the book of Lamentation, he discusses a broken world, a holy God, hope, idols, and grace.
What I appreciate about Mark’s writing is that it is full of application while being concise. I appreciate an author who does not ramble or share so many heart-wrenching stories that I can’t move past the pain for the cure. While Mark is vulnerable about what happened in his family, he does not stay there for long but launches us expertly into how to grieve, hope, and trust. Moving on from the hardest moments of our lives takes time. It is not easy, and while Mark is sensitive to this, he shares how we can all benefit from the deep mercy that God pours on us through the dark clouds if we turn to him.
Mark Vroegop grew up at Berean, and his parents were instrumental in ministry here for a number of years. While Mark and his family have not been a part of our church for many years now, it is still an added blessing to have one of our own continuing to develop followers of Christ.
AUTHOR! AUTHOR!!This month we celebrate the freedom of America and
what it cost for us to be free. The Revolutionary war and all that took place during that time was a significant challenge. We celebrate the victory we have as a nation as a result of their tenacity and courage, and so I thought it would be good to recommend authors who have titles in this area of interest. Most of our titles are included in a timeline series. This means you will get a title or two that are included in a larger historical series typically spanning from the Mayflower to WW2 or later.
This month we have a selection of authors and titles for both young and old.
JoAnn Grote JoAnn was born, raised and still lives in Minnesota which is the setting for
most of her stories. where she sets most of her stories. She writes with the goal of addressing the deeper meanings of life and faith. She writes for the children and adults.
•Kate and the Spies #6 the Sisters in Time series. •The American Revolution #11 The American Adventure Series.
Susan Martins Miller Susan had no picture online and very little
information that was helpful, but she has written several titles in the Sisters in Time series as well as the American Adventure Series.
Lizzie and the Redcoat: Stirrings of Revolution in the American Colonies #4 Sisters in Time series.Lydia the Patriot: The Boston Massacre #5, Sisters in Time series.
Boston Revolts #9 The American Adventure Series The Boston Massacre #11 The American Adventure Series
Sally Laity Sally was born in 1941 and considers it a joy that her stories touch the hearts and lives of her readers. Freedom’s Holy Light is a six-book series covering the Revolutionary years. Sally is described
as an excellent storyteller who leaves you wanting more.
• The Gathering Dawn #1
• The Kindled Flame #2
• The Tempering Blaze #3
• The Fires of Freedom #4
• The Embers of Hope #5
• The Torch of Triumph #6
VOLUME 4, NUMBER 7/PAGE �3
NEW BOOKS THIS MONTH!Children'sOne Boy, One Stone, One God by Michelle AdamsJoseph: Jacob's Favorite Son by Eric BohnetJesus Calms the Storm by Jean CookJesus and the Family Trip by Sarah FletcherThe Shepherd and the 100 Sheep by Michal HudakSolomon Builds the Temple by Martha JanderBooks by Phil Smouse
• Pete, Feet and Fish to Eat • Why, Oh Why, Oh Me, Oh My • I Love Ruthie
The Everything Kids' Bible Trivia Book by Kathi Wagner
Books by Jane Yolen• How Do Dinosaurs Learn Their Colors? • How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? • How Do Dinosaurs Go To School?
God's Fire For Elijah by Giles Zimmer
Non-FictionFinishing Well to the Glory of God by John DunlopSuffering is Never For Nothing by Elisabeth ElliotThe Next Right Thing by Emily FreemanOdd(ly) Enough by Carolanne MiljavacPraying the Bible by Donald WhitneyThe Imperfect Disciple by Jared WilsonDark Clouds, Deep Mercy by Mark Vroegop
FictionOf Fire and Lions by Mesu AndrewsThe General's Notorious Widow by Stephen BlyThe Rogue by Lee BrainardThe Birthright by T. Davis Bunn/Janette OkeMark of the Raven by Morgan BusseSecrets at Cedar Cabin by Colleen CobleWhose Waves Are These by Amanda DykesMadman by Tracy GrootThe Cost of Betrayal by Dee HendersonA Hero For Miss Hatherleigh by Carolyn Miller
Video:Faith Of Our FathersKen Davis UnearthedThe Nature of God series: • Fins, Foliage and Shoreline Fun• Sand, Snakes and Screeching BirdsReturn to the Hiding Place
My country, ‘tis of thee, sweet land of liberty,
of thee I sing; Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim’s pride,
from every mountainside let freedom ring!
My native country, thee, land of the noble free,
thy name I loge;I love thy rocks and rills,
thy woods and templed hills; my heart with rapture thrills like that above.
Let music swell the breeze and ring from all the trees sweet freedom’s song;
let mortal tongues awake, let all that breathe partake; let rocks their silence break,
the sound prolong.
Our fathers’, God, to Thee, Author of liberty, to Thee we sing;
Long may our land be bright with freedom’s holy light;Protect us by Thy might,
