Firkin (unit) Firkin (unit) A firkin is a unit of volume or mass used in several situations. Its etymology is likely to be from the Middle English "ferdekyn", probably from the Middle Dutch diminutive of vierde ‘fourth’ (a firkin originally contained a quarter of a barrel). A firkin is an American unit of dry measure. 1 firkin = 9 US gallons = 34 litres. A firkin was a British unit for the sale of butter and cheese. 1 firkin = 56 pounds = 25 kilograms A firkin is also a British unit for the sale of beer. It is one quarter of
There are no atheists in foxholes There are no atheists in foxholes The statement "There are no atheists in foxholes" is an aphorism used to argue that in times of extreme stress or fear, such as during war ("in foxholes"), all people will believe in, or hope for, a higher power (and there are therefore no atheists). The origin of the quotation is uncertain. The US military chaplain William Thomas Cummings may have said it in a field sermon during the Battle of Bataan in 1942, though scholars have been unable to find a firsthand witness to the sermon. Other sources credit Lieutenant Colonel Warren J.