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(c) Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, Deerfield MA. All rights reserved.
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Samuel Willard (1776-1859) was ordained as minister in Deerfield, Massachusetts, in 1807. His increasingly Unitarian philosophy eventually caused the orthodox members of the church to leave and form their own congregation in 1835. The hymn he composed for the country's birthday celebration on July 4, 1826, unites the themes of patriotism and religion to advance the world to peace.

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