ACH Study Groups

Ben & Fran Gilmore – Cofounders

7659 Gingerblossom Drive

Citrus Heights, CA 95621

916-722-2501 histbuff@garlic.com

www.ACHStudyGroups.com

May 3, 2017

This is a letter to our friends –

Principles of American Government (PAG)

The next 3-month online course begins in just 6 weeks. Twenty-four 75 minute classes, Monday and Wednesday, at 6PM California time, starting on Monday, June 12th.

Join students online in a live virtual classroom using Skype. Classes are interactive, usually half adults and half teens. This is neither a civics class nor a Constitution course. Rather – This is a course in the history and reasoning that produced the concepts that became American liberty.

Students learn proven principles by which to evaluate alternative choices. They learn to reason from cause to effect. The final part of the course focuses upon how to use what they have learned in the marketplace of ideas.

Tuition is $195. Those with an interest should read the course syllabus and student comments in our web site (above).

Please contact me to register for the class (again above).

For His-story & Government

Ben Gilmore

These columns are archived since 12/10/09

See www.ACHStudyGroups.com

“Ben’s Blog”

ACH Study Groups

Ben & Fran Gilmore – Cofounders

7659 Gingerblossom Drive

Citrus Heights, CA 95621

916-722-2501 histbuff@garlic.com

www.ACHStudyGroups.com

April 26, 2017

This is a letter to our friends –

Help Honor the Vision

www.HonoringTheVision.weebly.com

A movement to restore knowledge of America’s wonderful Christian heritage began in the 1960’s. Many of the pioneer patriots of that movement have passed on. The rest are ageing. The “Honoring the Vision” event in Rocklin, California, a suburb of Sacramento, on Saturday, September 23rd is designed to honor those pioneers. (Patriot hero’s to many of us!)

In doing so, we hope to once again stimulate interest in learning what we don’t know that we don’t know.

“ For over one hundred years Americans have not known or learned of America’s Christian History. Five generations of Americans have produced a national ignorance concerning the Providential founding of this nation and of God’s hand in preserving, defending, and leading the Colonists to victory in 1775–1781—the seven long years of the American Christian Revolution. Today we have no proud heroes—no models of character, or leadership, to inspire our youth. We have no identity for courage, conscience or compassion, to cherish as part of the proud fabric which a people weaves into its character and tradition. The reason is not that we do not possess such a treasury of greatness and heroism. The reason is that we have allowed our treasury to be robbed and pillaged of its gold—the gold of Christian character. In so doing we have lost our vision of the destiny and purpose of God’s America.” [Rosalie Slater – 1973]

If you have not yet surfed the event’s web site I invite you to do so now (see above). We are featuring the faculty of the first pilot school using the Principle Approach to education. Everyone is invited to honor and learn from these master teachers.

Further – The whole event is to be video recorded in order to archive for future researchers the history of this part of the movement to restore our heritage. If you have studied under Principle Approach teachers, or have memories of the early days of the movement, we hope you will come to the event and add your comments to the video recording.

The organizing committee believes there will be two hundred or more attendees. We have many expenses – Speakers’ air fares and hotel as well as video and meal staff. To encourage early registration we have set a sliding scale: Registration is $50; After July 15th registration is $55; After August 31st registration is $60. Registration for those under 16 is $30. (Lunch and closing banquet are included.)

Over and above all that we must raise almost $10,000 from those willing to support this event and its purpose. If you know of such individuals or organizations please share this appeal. Make checks payable to, “Honoring the Vision”. Send them to P.O. Box 661975, Sacramento, California 95866. For information – HonoringTheVision or 916-722-2501.

Pray for America’s restoration.

These columns are archived since 12/10/09

See www.ACHStudyGroups.com

“Ben’s Blog”

ACH Study Groups

Ben & Fran Gilmore – Cofounders

7659 Gingerblossom Drive

Citrus Heights, CA 95621

916-722-2501 histbuff@garlic.com

www.ACHStudyGroups.com

April 24, 2017

This is a letter to our friends –

The nature of things

I know of only three human organizations that God created in the Bible: Family; Church; State. The family is the building block of every society, Christian and non-Christian. Every society has a vertical relationship with some sort of higher power. We call that relationship between families and God (or a god) Church. We call the horizontal relationship between families and families State.

Jesus Christ was asked about the most important commandment. “And he answering said, ‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself.’” [Luke 10:27]

Again – The vertical and the horizontal relationship. Throughout human history the quality of the vertical relationship in a society has always determined the quality of the horizontal relationship. Never the other way around. This holds true in families, churches and civil governments.

Family, church and state are governmental organizations. That is – They need direction regulation, control, and restraint. The best set of rules by which to govern families, churches, and civil governments are found in the Bible. I agree in advance to accept a better more proven and reliable set of rules when they are found. Not to do so would be foolish and absurd.

But what rules governed before the Bible? They are called, “The laws of nature.” Things were “good” or “bad” long before the books of the Bible were written. Further – something is not good or bad because the Bible says so. The Bible says something is good or bad because it has always been so.

The founding fathers understood that, when they referred to “the laws of Nature and of Nature’s God” in our Declaration of Independence. The laws of nature are called, “Natural Law”. The laws of nature’s God are called, “Revealed Law” and are found only in the Holy Scriptures.

Natural laws are discovered by observation and reason. “Even a dumb dog don’t kiss a hot stove twice!” Revealed law is learned by study and prayer. Natural and Revealed Law will never be in conflict because they were both created by God. However, Revealed Law is infinitely more authoritative than Natural Law. Revealed law was “dictated” by revelation by God. Natural Law is discovered by human observation and human reason, both of which are imperfect.

Natural Law predated Revealed Law by thousands of years. Sir William Blackstone speculated that because man was too dumb (my words) to reason it out, God in His benevolence gave us the Bible to help us understand how to love Him and love one another.

It is so simple it becomes profound – Our whole purpose is to learn to love God and to love one another. God even took the form of a man, Jesus Christ, to demonstrate how it is done. Then He came again as the Holy Spirit to guide us.

Think about it. The infinite first cause of everything wants to teach you to love Him and others. He has done and continues doing everything possible, short of violating your will, to get your attention.

These columns are archived since 12/10/09

See www.ACHStudyGroups.com

“Ben’s Blog”

ACH Study Groups

Ben & Fran Gilmore – Cofounders

7659 Gingerblossom Drive

Citrus Heights, CA 95621

916-722-2501 histbuff@garlic.com

www.ACHStudyGroups.com

March 25, 2017

This is a letter to our friends –

OOPS!

My previous post said Noah Webster’s 1828 dictionary was 1928! Please correct my mistake.

Ben Gilmore

These columns are archived since 12/10/09

See www.ACHStudyGroups.com

“Ben’s Blog”

ACH Study Groups

Ben & Fran Gilmore – Cofounders

7659 Gingerblossom Drive

Citrus Heights, CA 95621

916-722-2501 histbuff@garlic.com

www.ACHStudyGroups.com

March 25, 2017

This is a letter to our friends –

Honoring the Vision – Web Launch

www.HonoringTheVision.weebly.com

Please help this web site find its way to thousands of cyber screens. We want to celebrate our wonderful heritage. For generations the hand of God in the affairs of men has been largely ignored or misreported.

The true history of events is available to anyone who wishes to dig back to original documents rather than accept what one “historian” quotes from another “historian.” For instance – Noah Webster’s original 1928 “American Dictionary of the English Language” is in many homeschool libraries. Its definitions offer word meanings at the time of America’s founding. Overnight this dictionary became the standard of excellence for the English speaking world. Old world scholars could not believe such scholarship could come from the “back woods” of America!

The Foundation for American Christian Education (FACE) pioneered, from the early 1960’s, in researching and publishing early documents, like the 1828 dictionary. It is the FACE founders Verna Hall and Rosalie Slater, as well as the pioneer seeds they planted, that the “Honoring the Vision” event is celebrating.

Our organizing committee believes we can gather more than 200 people to join us in this exciting event. We want to document the movement to restore our wonderful heritage for future historians, parents, and teachers.

If you have memories of those early days, we want you to come and share. If you have studied from FACE publications, we want you to come and share. If you are interested in learning of our true American Christian history, we want you to come and be inspired. We want everyone who attends to be encouraged to take up the torch and help restore our American Christian Republic to her proper course.

Please help by forwarding this, or your own message, far and wide. Post it in social media. Forward it to your mailing list(s). Tell your friends. Our committee cannot do it alone. Together we can make this the historical event it deserves to be.

These columns are archived since 12/10/09

See www.ACHStudyGroups.com

“Ben’s Blog”

ACH Study Groups

Ben & Fran Gilmore – Cofounders

7659 Gingerblossom Drive

Citrus Heights, CA 95621

916-722-2501 histbuff@garlic.com

www.ACHStudyGroups.com

March 24, 2017

This is a letter to our friends –

Repeal and Replace

During the first part of the last Presidential campaign, conservative candidates raised cheers with, “We are going to repeal Obamacare!” Establishment politicians recognized the popularity of the issue. In order to preserve the power (and perhaps graft they received) they needed a subtle way of sidetracking the issue.

It only took a word and most of the nation took the bate – “Repeal & Replace.” Today, we hear little discussion of the American culture before and without Obamacare. Once “Replace” became part of the issue, the establishment was back in charge. Unlike initiation of Obamacare, “Replace” was the source of endless debate. “Repeal” was doomed so long as it was linked to “Replace”.

My point – Words mean things. Be careful of nice sounding phrases. Do not let false presuppositions go un-challenged else you may be building a house of cards.

These columns are archived since 12/10/09

See www.ACHStudyGroups.com

“Ben’s Blog”

ACH Study Groups

Ben & Fran Gilmore – Cofounders

7659 Gingerblossom Drive

Citrus Heights, CA 95621

916-722-2501 histbuff@garlic.com

www.ACHStudyGroups.com

March 20, 2017

This is a letter to our friends –

Are we ready?

All of human history demonstrates that there is a desire for individual liberty within every heart. It comes with the “human nature” package – “back off – give me my space.”

But there is no such thing as total liberty. Nothing and no one exists without laws that govern. To govern is to direct, regulate, control, or restrain.

Inert things, like rocks and dirt are governed by cause and effect. Most plants are governed by photosynthesis. Animals are governed by instinct. Only man (generic) is governed by choice.

I believe the sum total of every choice we make in a lifetime is the ultimate definition of who we are. Our choice is exclusively our own creation. Each of us alone is responsible for that pile of choices. It is our very own creation. We made it! We can’t blame it on anyone else – not even God!

Which brings us back to the question – Are we ready?

We all want liberty, but liberty is not license, i.e. free will. Something or someone is still in control. The difference between law and advice – ignoring a law has consequences!

It all comes down to two choices: God’s law of liberty; or slavery. Slavery also boils down to another two choices: Submission to none but my own will and appetite; or submission to the will of someone else. In either case, rule by a tyrant!

If you choose to live within the laws of nature and the laws of nature’s God you will find peace and growth. Why? Because you were designed to live that way. Stepping outside God’s law of liberty always produces chaos. The choice – each and every choice – is yours!

As it is with individuals so it is with societies. As individuals within a society gather within God’s laws, liberty grows. It does not require a majority to influence a society, but it does require a dedicated and growing minority. Freedom is not free!

If the righteous minority is not dedicated and growing “Liberty” cannot be sustained. Thus the question – Are we ready as a society, to sustain the increase in liberty that President Trump and his team are battling so hard to win for us? Answering, “No” I believe is not an option! The alternative is a continued drift into slavery. Ultimately, each of us must stand or yield. It will only get harder!

Our part of this battle begins by concluding that the Creator God exists and is knowable by studying His creation (observation and reason). In His love for each individual, because our observation and reason are imperfect, He inspired (“dictated” to -) numerous writers the Holy Scriptures (the Bible) which is infinitely more trustworthy than human observation and human reason.

That much is a beginning. God’s law of liberty is learned by study and prayer. [Prayer is a conversation between two individuals that love one another!] Study what? The Bible is the best way to learn how to be what you were designed to be.

So there is the answer. Submit to peace and growth and become part of the movement toward greater liberty. Or – Rebel against commonsense and join those dragging our society into greater and greater turmoil.

“Where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty.”

[2^nd Corinthians 3:17]

These columns are archived since 12/10/09

See www.ACHStudyGroups.com

“Ben’s Blog”

ACH Study Groups

Ben & Fran Gilmore – Cofounders

7659 Gingerblossom Drive

Citrus Heights, CA 95621

916-722-2501 histbuff@garlic.com

www.ACHStudyGroups.com

March 9, 2017

This is a letter to our friends –

Honoring the vision – update

Foundation for American Christian Education (FACE)

The vision of Verna Hall & Rosalie Slater

The faculty of the 1st pilot school

Those who have studied the “Red Books”

What an exciting event! In the early 1960’s these two ladies (above) co-founded FACE. Their goal was to discover and document America’s wonderful heritage of Christian history. They wanted to face down rampant efforts to rewrite history by leaving God and sound principle out of our society and schools.

These ladies were pioneers! FACE publications spread across the nation. This revelation of our Christian heritage inspired the founding of hundreds of independent, self-governed organizations, schools, and home-schools. Together they became a movement dedicated to restoring and enhancing American liberty and exceptionalism. A movement that continues today. How significant that their vision, 50 years ago, is so vital in today’s culture!

It is that vision we are honoring with the –

“Honoring the Vision” event

Saturday, September 23rd from 10 AM to 8PM

Destiny Christian Church

3600 Destiny Drive, Rocklin (Sacramento area), CA 95677

For information please call 916-722-2501

We are preparing a web site where you can print a registration form to be mailed with your check ($50 includes lunch and dinner banquet – Under 16, $30).

Discounted Hotel reservations:

Courtyard by Marriott

1920 Taylor Road, Roseville, CA 95661

916-772-5555

Ask for “Honoring the Vision” discount.

Confirmed speakers are the President of FACE, Carole Adams, Marshall Foster, James Rose, Beth Ballenger, Kathy Dang, Ruth Smith, Ben Gilmore (Master American history teachers all). We hope you will join us to honor the vision of these pioneers and our American heritage.

There will be video recording to document the beginnings of the movement. You will be encouraged to add your memories to that documentation. Watch this column for further updates and the coming web site.

P.S. We hope many of you will help inform folks of this event by forwarding this to your mailing lists and posting it on your social media nets. Then send a second notice when the web site is opened.

These columns are archived since 12/10/09

See www.ACHStudyGroups.com

“Ben’s Blog”

ACH Study Groups

Ben & Fran Gilmore – Cofounders

7659 Gingerblossom Drive

Citrus Heights, CA 95621

916-722-2501 histbuff@garlic.com

www.ACHStudyGroups.com

March 5, 2017

This is a letter to our friends –

Water from the rock

Each morning, before anything else, Fran and I sit by the window and chat a moment over coffee, then we read a few chapters aloud from our one year Bible. After that, each of us prays aloud.

This morning we read from the book of Numbers about Moses being told to get water in the wilderness for the people by speaking to a rock. It is a sad story because Moses was frustrated with the people and struck the rock with his staff in anger rather than speaking to it in faith as God had directed him to do.

The story taught me to be patient with disappointments and not to get out ahead of where God is directing me. God was often frustrated with the same folks that frustrated Moses, but that was God’s choice not one for Moses.

Then, as we finished reading, we prayed. This morning as I prayed aloud, the words seemed to be delivered to me as I spoke. “The ‘rock’ represents California. Speak to it in faith (Not anger and frustration). I want the people to see the power of the ‘word’ spoken in faith.”

I take that to mean there is going to be a tsunami of spiritual outpouring from within California. Truth, righteousness, repentance, and faith will gush forth from families, churches, homes, businesses, communities. California will be shaken to its core! The aftershocks will shake our nation and the world!

Perhaps our, “Honoring the Vision” event on Saturday, September 23rd, at Destiny Church in Rocklin, honoring the pioneers of the “Foundation for American Christian Education” who have been teaching about God’s hand in human history for fifty-seven years will be a part of that awakening.

These columns are archived since 12/10/09

See www.ACHStudyGroups.com

“Ben’s Blog”

ACH Study Groups

Ben & Fran Gilmore – Cofounders

7659 Gingerblossom Drive

Citrus Heights, CA 95621

916-722-2501 histbuff@garlic.com

www.ACHStudyGroups.com

February 28, 2017

This is a letter to our friends –

Again – Solving the Obamacare dilemma

This column first appeared on January 16th. I believe it deserves to be read again.

How do you solve problems created by bad choices? I have found a four step method that seems to work well. The steps are: Admit; Commit; Stop; Go.

Admit that you have made an unwise commitment. Human nature makes this the hardest step! We often make a mistake then defend it to the bitter end!

Commit to keeping your unwise commitment. That is – Do not make a promise and not keep it. This too is a hard step. Breaking promises only compounds problems.

Stop making similar unwise commitments. Gather all those to whom you are committed. Make no similar commitments to others. At this point there is an end in sight – if you can survive the unwise commitment.

Go to those holding your commitment and ask if there are terms that will help you survive. Those holding your commitment have a vested interest in your survival. Half a loaf is better than none!

Let us apply these steps to the problems created by government involvement in individual healthcare. (By the way – I found these steps in the Bible.)

First – The national government in Washington, D.C. has to authority outside that specified in the Constitution. All other authority is reserved to the states and the people. Individual healthcare is not mentioned in the Constitution. Government is to be our protector, not our nanny-provider.

When you accept government’s role in individual healthcare, government has authority in your lifestyle, your insurance choices, even your lifespan! Is that the sort of liberty “We the people” created the government to protect?

OK then – What do we do now?

We admit that national government has no legitimate authority in individual healthcare and needs to unravel this complex web that grips our liberty.

Then we commit to keeping our commitment to those who have accepted government healthcare assistance. If we rip it out the patient will die on the table!

Next we stop making any further government involvement in individual healthcare. The dependency cancer is spreading everywhere. Stop includes eliminating laws and regulations that distort the free market exchange between individuals and groups with the healthcare industry. Competition encourages efficiency and lowers prices.

Finally – Once free of government control, I believe the healthcare industry will go running to offer far less expensive, far more efficient healthcare alternatives! Over-simplification? Perhaps! On the other hand, perhaps we need to learn to trust “doing what is right because it is right” and letting the results take care of themselves.

Sometimes solutions are so simple they become profound!

These columns are archived since 12/10/09

See www.ACHStudyGroups.com

“Ben’s Blog”