Citizens of Brooksville and Freed were startled on Sunday
afternoon by the appearance of a large balloon soaring among the clouds. Dr.
Wright and other men who were on Leading Creek got close enough to the balloon
to converse with the occupants. The name of the balloon was Miss Sophia, and the
occupants’ names were Afman and McCullough, both of St. Louis. They had started
in a race with another balloon from Indianapolis on Friday morning. They stopped
for the night at Solomon Haullp’s, near Lough. The balloon was shipped to
McFarlan from whence it was sent back to home on Monday.
Elmer Rhines had the misfortune of breaking his leg while
prospecting for coal on the farm of Daniel Huffman, about three miles above
here. He is improving and no doubt will soon be furnishing coal to citizens who
are not so fortunate to have gas for domestic purposes.
We in the United States have enjoyed religious freedom so long,
we sometimes take it for granted and fail to realize that religious liberty is
something that must be constantly guarded.
In the U.S., we traditionally believe in the God-given right of
religious liberty and in separation of church and state. We believe a man’s
right to worship as he pleases is indisputable, and that he shall not be
penalized for his convictions.
These rights include the right to worship, or not to worship,
and to carry on activities in behalf of his religion, so long as he does not
infringe upon the equal rights of his fellow citizens. We also believe that
legislation favoring any one church is not in the best interest of either that
church or the country, and therefore in the U.S. we have refrained from a
church-state alliance.
Separation of church and state, and real religious liberty, is
not something to be taken for granted. If the average American forgets the fight
his fore-fathers made for religious liberty and equality, and neglects to
protect these rights, there are those who will infringe upon them, or take them
away.