July 4, 2007
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July 4th
On this Fourth of July in 1826, fifty years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, two of our country’s former presidents died. Thomas Jefferson died in the afternoon at home in Monticello. John Adams died in the evening at home in Quincy.
John Adams’ words to his grandchildren as quoted in John Adams by David McCullough:
The Lord deliver us from all family pride.
No pride, John, no pride.
You are not singular in your suspicions that you know but little.
The longer I live,
the more I read,
the more patiently I think,
and the more anxiously I inquire,
the less I seem to know…
Do justly.
Love mercy.
Walk humbly.
This is enough….
So questions and so answers
your affectionate grandfather.
Comments (2)
I admire John Adams, after seeing the movie, “Amistad.” And your quote reminds me of the verse in Micah that says, “What does your God require of you but to love justice and walk humbly with Him?”
LimboLady, if you admired him for the Amistad event, you ought to read Arguing about Slavery by Miller–an under-appreciated era of history.