More May Stuff

This was really an April event since it took me the whole month to read, but my book group met in May so it can still count. I thoroughly enjoyed reading John Adams by David McCullough. I read my dad's copy so instead of underlining quotes I enjoyed I marked the passages with scraps of paper. Indulge me as I share some of my favorite lines.

He wrote this in 1770 about government: "The preservation of liberty depends upon the intellectual and moral character of the people." (70)

In a letter to Abigail, which I find romantic: "Is there no way for two friendly souls to converse together, although the bodies are 400 miles off. Yes, by letter. But I want a better communication. I want to hear you think, or to see your thought." (107)

This cracked me up. After signing the Declaration of Independence he wrote: "The second day of July 1776 will be the most memorable ephoca in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the Day of Deliverance by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other from this time forward forever more." (130)

I loved this from Abigail defending her husband: "It needs great courage, sir, to engage in the cause of America. He is a good man. Would to heaven we had none but such in office. You know, my friend, that he is a man of principle, and that he will not violate the dictates of his conscience to ingratiate himself with a minister, or with your more respectable body. Yet it wounds me, sir. When he is wounded, I bleed." (262)

And about public education: "...a memorable change must be made in the system of education and knowledge must become so general as to raise the lower ranks of society nearer to the higher. The education of a nation instead of being confined to a few schools and universities for the instruction of the few, must become the national care and expense for the formation of the many." (364)

After finding out he had won the presidential election (by just 3 votes) he wrote to his daughter: "If the way to do good to my country were to render myself popular, I could easily do it. But extravagant popularity is not the road to public advantage." (471)

When he moved into the White House (called the Presidents House in Nov of 1800) he wrote to Abigail, "I pray heaven to bestow the best of blessings on this house and all that shall hereafter inhabit. May none but the honest and wise men ever rule under this roof." (551)

I love this it shows that the office of president didn't change him. The author writes, "His bedrock integrity, his spirit of independence, his devotion to country, his marriage, his humor, and a great underlying love of life were all still very much intact." (567)

And, when people praised John Quincy Adams, John attributed his son's success to Abigail, saying: "He had a mother."

Anyway, I'm so glad I read it and I recommend it to everyone.

I also wanted to record that on May 4th my dad spoke at the BYU devotional. He did a great job. He spoke about enjoying the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost and 4 ways we can have the Holy Spirit with us. He counseled to:
1. pray in faith continually,
2. search the scriptures daily,
3. keep the commandments always, and
4. serve others willingly.