Men's Sunday School Teacher: Dennis Porter
Summer of Change
Do you recognize these names? George Read, Lewis Morris, John Hart, William Hooper - These are not the names we normally think of when considering a group of traitors, terrorists, and other rebels against the government.
If, on the other hand, I ask the same question about Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, John Hancock, and John Adams, you know immediately who these people are. These men were also traitors, terrorists, and rebels against the government.
Two hundred forty-eight years ago a young nation was being born. It was so young they didn’t know what to call it, but it eventually became known as the United States of America. The above listed eight men, along with forty-eight others from all thirteen colonies came to Philadelphia, Pa. to draft the document and declaration that would declare independence for this young nation from the domineering government of the King of England. This summer in Philadelphia changed the scope of the world.
These men were considered traitors, terrorists, and rebels by the government of England, but let me tell you some things about these fifty-six men, twenty were judges or lawyers, eleven were merchants, nine were farmers and large plantation owners. All were well educated and had some wealth. These were the native-born sons of America; they were born and bred in the colonies. This was their homeland, and it was being abused. Five of the fifty-six were captured by the British, listed as traitors, tortured then executed. Twelve had their homes ransacked, then burned to the ground. Two lost sons in the Revolutionary War and nine of the fifty-six died from wounds or hardships of the war.
These were the signers of the Declaration of Independence. A committee of five men was selected to compose the document. Thomas Jefferson drafted the document between June 11 and June 28, 1776. A copy was read to the group on June 28, 1776. It was debated and revised from July 1 to July 4, 1776, and on July 4, 1776, Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence. The last line of the Declaration says, “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.” May God continue to bless the United States of America.
In Truth and Love, Dennis
