I’d like to introduce you to April 25, 2023. It’s a fine day with a 24-hour life span. Soon it will be gone. I’m sure it will provide some surprises if you look for them. It goes by a few different names: DNA Day, East Meets West Day, Hairstylists Appreciation Day, International Financial Independence Awareness Day, National Crayola Day, National Plumber’s Day, National Zucchini Bread Day and Red Hat Society Day. On this day in the year 1644 the last Ming Emperor, Chongzhen, hung himself from a tree on Jing Mountain, Beijing rather than being captured. On this day in 1684 the thimble was patented. This is the day in 1719 that “Robinson Crusoe”, regarded as the 1st English novel, was published by Daniel Defoe. This is the day in 1792 that the guillotine was first used in France. The person who lost his head was a highwayman named Nicolas Pelletier. On this day in 1862 Union forces capture New Orleans LA without a battle. On this day in 1876 the Chicago Cubs played their first baseball game, beating Louisville 4-0. On this day in 1881, 250,000 Germans signed petitions to bar foreign Jews from entering Germany. On this day in 1901 New York becomes the 1st state requiring automobile license plants ($1 fee). On this day in 1945 Soviet forces complete their encirclement of Berlin and raised the Soviet flag over the Reichstag. This is the day in 1967 that abortion became legal in Colorado. Today’s quotes come form the English novelist Anna Sewell who wrote “Black Beauty”, which was her only published work. Anna said, “My doctrine is this, that if we see cruelty or wrong that we have the power to stop, and do nothing, we make ourselves sharers in the guilt.” “We call them dumb animals, and so they are, for they cannot tell us how they feel, but they do not suffer less because they have no words.” “I don’t believe in religion, for I don’t see that your religious people are any better than the rest.” That is sufficient for April 25th. Abide.
