Chaplain's Corner July 2025
As most people know, the 4th of July holiday commemorates the ratification of the Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress on July 4th, 1776, which established the United States.
What is not widely known however is that one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, Benjamin Franklin, (the oldest signer at age 70), is also credited with founding the Union Fire Company 40 years earlier in Philadelphia (1736), which was the first volunteer company of its kind in the U.S.. This led to the founding of local volunteer fire companies throughout the colonies.
The freedom and independence we celebrate, at least in the minds of the original authors and signers of the Declaration of Independence, ultimately comes from God. They shared the belief that: “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.”
These founders came from a variety of religious backgrounds, such as “Deism” which is a belief in a creator who made an orderly world governed by physics then left it to run on its own, like a clock. Deists believe that the existence of God is nothing mystical or mysterious, but instead can be discerned through human reason, not supernatural events, scriptural authority, or ritual.
As you enjoy and celebrate your freedoms this month, you may recognize they come from a Creator who made the world and whose existence is obvious just by using human reason. You may have some other type of spiritual belief, or no spiritual beliefs at all, and that’s ok too! Regardless of how you celebrate your freedoms or where you believe they ultimately come from, we can all agree that it is a great privilege to enjoy “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”, in peace and safety.
Don’t forget to celebrate the role you and your fellow members of the department play in keeping our community safe and responding when things aren’t safe, just like our forefather Benjamin Franklin!
Stay safe, I’m here when you need me,
Chaplain Sean Gartland
Seangartland2009@yahoo.com (262) 352-9805