MemorialStones

“And these stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel

forever.”Joshua 4:7c

July 4th is a time to

remember!

God commanded Israel to establish

a memorial of stones!

July 4th is a time to

remember!

God commanded Israel to establish

a memorial of stones!

Joshua 4: 1-9

“And it came to pass, when all the people had

completely crossed over the Jordan, that the Lord

spoke to Joshua, saying: 2 “Take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from every tribe, 3

and command them, saying, ‘Take for yourselves

twelve stones from…

…here, out of the midst of the Jordan, from the place

where the priests’ feet stood firm. You shall carry them over with you and

leave them in the lodging place where you lodge

tonight.’” 4 Then Joshua called the twelve men

whom he had appointed from the children of Israel, one man from every tribe; 5 and Joshua said to them:

“Cross over before the ark of the Lord your God into

the midst of the Jordan, and each one of you take up a

stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, 6 that this may be a sign among you when your

children ask in time to come, saying, ‘What do

these stones mean to you?’ 7 Then you shall answer

them…

…that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it crossed

over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. And these stones shall be

for a memorial to the children of Israel forever.” 8

And the children of Israel did so, just as Joshua

commanded, and took up twelve stones from the

midst…

…of the Jordan, as the Lord had spoken to Joshua,

according to the number of the tribes of the children of

Israel, and carried them over with them to the place where they lodged, and laid

them down there. 9 Then Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests who bore the ark of the covenant stood;

…and they are there to this day.”

Joshua 4:1-9

Enos Hitchcock,A 1767 graduate of Harvard

College, Hitchcock was a minister in Beverly, Massachusetts, and

Providence, Rhode Island. He saw extensive action as

chaplain during the Revolution. He spent much of

1778 with his brigade at Valley Forge. He received an M.A. from Yale and a D. D. from Brown University in

1788

Enos Hitchcock,A 1767 graduate of Harvard

College, Hitchcock was a minister in Beverly, Massachusetts, and

Providence, Rhode Island. He saw extensive action as

chaplain during the Revolution. He spent much of

1778 with his brigade at Valley Forge. He received an M.A. from Yale and a D. D. from Brown University in

1788

July 4, 1793

Enos Hitchcock,a

Congregationalist minister preaching in a Baptist house

of worship

July 4, 1793

Enos Hitchcock,a

Congregationalist minister preaching in a Baptist house

of worship

“May we ever show ourselves worthy of the

blessings we enjoy, and never tarnish the bright lustre of this

day, by any unbecoming excesses. Americans! think of the many privileges which

distinguish your condition.

Be grateful for your lot; and let your virtue secure what your

valour, under God, hath obtained; and transmit to latest

posterity the glorious inheritance. May the

political edifice erected on the theatre of this new world, afford a

practical…

…lesson of liberty to mankind, and become in an eminent degree

the model of that glorious temple of

universal liberty which is about to be

established over the civilized world.”

Enos Hitchcock (1745-1803)

As Israel crossed over the Jordan

River to establish itself as a Nation in Covenant with

God they established a memorial of

stones……to remember!

As Israel crossed over the Jordan

River to establish itself as a Nation in Covenant with

God they established a memorial of

stones……to remember!

What do these stones mean to

you?

A Memorial…forever!

On this July 4th, 2013, here are a

few stones to remember as a

Nation!

On this July 4th, 2013, here are a

few stones to remember as a

Nation!

The Declaration of Independence!

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that

all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their

Creator with certain unalienable Rights,

that…

…among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among

Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That

whenever any Form of Government…

…becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new

Government, laying its foundation on such

principles and organizing its powers

in such form, as to them shall seem

most…

…likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”

–

Thomas Jefferson,‘The Declaration of

Independence’

Memorial Stones

A Sense of the Holy

“...that they are endowed by their

Creator with certain unalienable Rights...”

Memorial Stones

A Sense of the Holy

“...that they are endowed by their

Creator with certain unalienable Rights...”

Diverse Group of Belief

“Almighty God hath created the mind free. No man shall be compelled to frequent or

support any religious worship or ministry or shall otherwise suffer on account of his religious opinions or belief, but all men shall be

free to profess and by argument to maintain, their

opinions in matters of religion.” -- Thomas Jefferson

Memorial StonesA Healthy

Suspicion of Power“...that to secure these

rights, Governments are instituted among Men,

deriving their just powers from the consent of the

governed...”

Memorial StonesA Healthy

Suspicion of Power“...that to secure these

rights, Governments are instituted among Men,

deriving their just powers from the consent of the

governed...”

Protestants inGeneral and

Baptistsin Particular are

Suspicious of Power!

Memorial StonesA Right to

Respond to Tyranny“...that whenever any Form

of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to

alter or toabolish it...”

Memorial StonesA Right to

Respond to Tyranny“...that whenever any Form

of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to

alter or toabolish it...”

“God who gave us life gave us liberty.

Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have

removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift

of God?” -- Thomas Jefferson

A Nation Truly Blessed!

We do not worship our Country, its

Leaders or even its Form, but we

worship a God who has given us such

Liberty!

A Nation Truly Blessed!

We do not worship our Country, its

Leaders or even its Form, but we

worship a God who has given us such

Liberty!

Through….

…His Word!…His Son, Jesus!

…His Grace & Mercy…His Providence!