JayBeacham.com-A Voice as an Instrument

So Why Celebrate the 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence?
We are celebrating the Declaration of Independence not the American Revolution.
Abraham Lincoln said this:
“Think nothing of me-take no thought for the political fate of any man whomsoever-but come back to the truths that are in the Delaration of Independence.
You may do anything with me you chose, if you will but heed these sacred principles.”

In present day, David Barton explains more about what Lincoln meant.
The Declaration of Independence is not merely a political document but it is a statement of moral and legal principles originating from God who is the source of human rights.
The Constitution of our government is the means whereby those rights set forth by God are to be upheld.
He quoted George Mason, the father of the Bill of Rights, as saying:
“No free government, or the blessings of liberty, can be preserved to any people but by a…frequent recurrence to fundamental principles.”
“going back to core principles”.
“Times changes but principles don’t. they are immutable law that will not change.”
Those principles he spoke of are embodied in the Declaration of Independence.
It sets forth the principles and the Constitution sets forth the application of those principles.
Samuel Adams, father of the revolution said. “Before the formation of the Constitution, the Declaration was received and ratified by all the states in the Union and has never been dismantled.”
President John Quincy Adams: ” The Declaration of Independence was the platform upon which the Constitution of the United States has been erected.”
Barton sets forth six principles:

1. There is affixed moral laws that establish absolute truth.
   (The majority rules but doesn’t get to vote on inalienable rights or on moral rights and wrongs.)
2. There is a Divine Creator
3. Inalienable rights come from God.
4. Governments exist to protect inalienable rights
5. Government by the consent of the governed
6. Whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish government and to institute new government, laying its foundation on the above principles.
   The government that is out of control cannot make the changes, the people must.
   George Washington, Father of our country: “I will never abandon the Constitution.”
   Abraham Lincoln: “Don’t interfere with anything in the Constitution that must be maintained, for it is the only safeguard of our liberties.”
7. 
   The Constitution is the action arm of the Declaration of Independence.
8. 
   Barton also quoted Daniel Webster: “Hold on to the Constitution and the Republic for which it stands. Miracles do not cluster, and what has happened once in 6,000 years may not happen again. Hold on to the Constitution.”

This is why we celebrate 250 years.

Jay Beacham
May 2026

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250 years since 1776 Why Celebrate?

250 years ago, our forefathers proclaimed that they were a free people and not subject to governments of Kings and dictatorial leaders and that they had a say in how they were to be governed.
Then it took 8 years of war to make it a reality.
It took the colonists, indigenous inhabitants, and slaves fighting, with the help of the foreign power of France, to do it.
It seems strange to celebrate a revolution but that revolution was unlike any revolution before or since and led to the constitutional form of government that is enjoyed today in the United States of America.
Many had come to North America seeking freedom from the oppressive governments they left. Some came as free, some as indentured slaves, some as slaves. Indigenous peoples joined in the fight too.
They overcame the mightiest military power in the world.
Among the colonists, there were patriots and loyalists.
And though there were injustices perpetrated by both sides, still there wasn’t the wholesale slaughter of civilians who chose an opposing side like in other revelutions the world has seen.
God preserved and helped leaders and compatants and civilians of the American revolution.
A case in point is the life of George Washington.
As a young officer with the British forces during the French and Indian War, his life was protected.
In one battle, 2 horses were shot from under him and his coat had 4 bullet holes in it but he was untouched.
Chief Red Hawk reported that he shot 11 different times at Washington without hitting him, that his gun had never before missed it’s mark. He then ceased firing at Washington, being convinced that the Great Spirit protected Washington.
An Indian chief in 1770 said, “our rifles were leveled, rifles which knew not how to miss. It was all in vain” “a power mightier far than we shielded him.”
He said to Washington, “Seeing you were under the special guardianship of the Great Spirit, we immediately ceased to fire at you.”
“The Great Spirit protects that man, George Washington, and guides his destiny.” “I come to pay homeage to the man who is the particular favorite of heaven and can never die in battle.”
(from the Buttel Proof George Washington by David Burton 1990)
Later, the Reverant Samuel Davies said, “Providence has hither to preserved (Him)…for some important service to his country.”
During the war for independence in 1777, at the battle of Princeton, Washington rode his horse 30 yards away form the British firing at him and not being hit yelled to his men, “come parade with me my fine fellows, we will have them soon.
During Valley Forge, the patriot forces were saved through prayer and the assistance of the French.
Washington himself often referred to being preserved by divine providence.
US President Calvin Cooledge said this of Wahington:
“Washington was the directing spirit, without which there would have been no independence, no Union, no constitution, and no Republic…we cannot yet estimate him, we can only indicate a reverence for him and thank the divine providence which kept him to serve and inspire his fellowmen.”
June 8, 1783 in a circular letter to the States, Washington wrote:
“I now make it my earnest prayer, that God would…most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice, to love mercy and to demean ourselves, with that Charity, humility, and specific temper of mind, which were the characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed religion and without our humble imitation of whose example in these things, we can never hope to be a happy nation”
Many of the descendence of my Pilgrim ancestors, other European ancestors, and indigenous ancestors fought in that war for freedom. They were raised up to this very purpose, to secure our present enjoyed liberties. (D,& C. 101:80)
Western pioneer and colonizer Brigham Young said this:
“We believe that the Lord has been preparing that when he should bring forth his work, that, when the set time should fully come, there might be a place upon his footstool where sufficient liberty of conscience should exist, that his Saints might dwell in peace under a broad panoply of constitutional law and equal rights. (panopy means something that is a protective covering.)
In the view we consider that the men in the revolution were inspired by the Almighty, to throw off the shackles of the mother government, with her established religion.
For this cause were Adams, Jefferson, Franklin, Washington, and a host of others inspired to deeds of resistence to the acts of the King of Great Britain…in thus establishing a new government upon a principle of greater freedom, a basis of self government allowing the free exercise of religious worship.
It was the voice of the Lord inspiring all those worthy men who bore influence in those trying times, not only to go forth in battle but to exercise wisdom in council, fortitude, courage, and endurance in the tented field, as well as subsequently to form and adopt those wise and efficient measures which secured to themselves and suceeding generations, the blessings of a free and independent government.”
The freedoms many earlier had longed for and come to this land for, were finally secured.
Why should this matter so much to you and I?
Well many of those men were our ancestors and related to our ancestors.
Some of the prominent of the revolution are related to me and most likely to you too.
General George Washington is a 5th cousin 8 times removed
John Adams is a 3rd cousin 8 times removed
Samuel Adams is a 4th cousin 7 times removed
Benjamon franklin is a 2nd cousin 8 times removed
Thomas Jefferson is a 4th cousin 7 times removed
Major General Nathanael Greene is a 3rd cousin 7 times removed
John Hancock is a 7th cousin 7 times removed
Richard Henry Lee is a 5th cousin 6 times removed
You should look up how many of them and others are related to you.
So in this year of the celebration of 250 years since the Declaration of Independence was written, instead of just thinking of the fife player, the drummer and the flag bearer, why don’t you consider how close you are to those who made this republic possible.
Let us remember and honor those who offered their lives, liberty, fortunes, and honor so that we can enjoy the government they fought for and many died for.
by Jay Beacham
April 2026

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