FACE

My Life Adventure – FACE

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Query from an ACH alumni January, 2013.

Hi Ben,

I’d been thinking about asking if you would – or had ever and I missed it – share some background about the history of restoring America’s Christian His-story!! I am always trying to share some of this history with people so any information from someone who was earlier in the chain than myself is much appreciated that I can share/forward to interested people!

Have you ever written down your entire story and all your memories of how God put the interest in your heart and crossed your path with Verna Hall and others and all your related reminisces?

Love,

Nancy

My response

Nancy –

Indeed you have recognized your place in the chain – “of Christianity moving westward”. I am working on a book based upon the PAG classes.

My personal history with “restoration” – a part of my life adventure. Miss Hall often remarked that history draws you deeper into origins – ultimately to God as “First Cause”.

“Conscience of A Conservative” (Goldwater) was the first touch of “civics” that caught my attention. At the time (1962), I thought I was a Christian (I went to church on most Sundays and was American!). I purchased a case of books and gave them out to the neighbors on our street in Connecticut. That lead to a Goldwater club in every town in Connecticut and me as grass roots organizer for Connecticut, when there weren’t mass mailings and grass roots.

Along the way, I learned practices from Strom Thurman, the JBS, and other trail-blazers. It wasn’t until moving to California in mud ’64 that we attended a “Conservative Baptist Church” and I realized I was a shining example of God’s grace and patience! I got saved and suddenly the Bible was “alive”. “Events” (actually the hand of God) moved us to Upland, CA (just east of LA) as new Christians.

It was there I met the “World’s most internationally unknown evangelist” – Winkie Pratney. He taught me to use my intellect outside the box. About that time the “Jesus Movement” hit southern CA and we were on the front row to watch it blossom. In the process I discovered YWAM & Teen Challenge.

When our Lord had taught me what I needed there, it was back to Morgan Hill where I was invited to write a weekly column (for pay!!!). By then I was excited about Christian things and politics. They were combined into my newspaper columns. YWAM leadership heard there were two ladies, Miss Hall and Miss Slater, founders of “Foundation for American Christian Education” (FACE), in SF, whom they needed to meet. I was asked by leadership to meet their flight and drive them to FACE HQ. Since I was the driver, I was included at the table.

As I observed and listened to the ladies, it became obvious to me they had something valuable. I had become active in a “theological-political” way. The ladies were approaching the same targets in a “socio-political” way. Each approach was based upon sound fundamentals. I believe it was around 1973 that we invited Miss Hall & Slater to a parlor meeting in our home. It was “providential” – they rarely did such meetings!

You have heard my story about their speaking to the YWAM group in San Diego, preparing the cross-country mule-drawn wagon train in 1976. I was impressed. We visited their HQ again.

Miss Slater encouraged us to homeschool. In those days few were doing that. Fran joined FACE volunteer staff. We sat under many hours of “class time” with the ladies. We met others with similar stories of their influence, Jim & Barbara Rose, Kathy Dang, Beth Ballenger, Ruth Smith, Marshall Foster, Charles Wolf, Russ Walton, Paul Jehle, Steven McDowell, Bobbie Ames, David Barton, Dennis Petersen, Desta Garrett, Jerry Nordskog and on and on.

Fran and I founded ACH Study Groups – teaching a combination of what we had learned from our 5 years around-the-world travels with YWAM and from our association with FACE. The rest is, as they say – “is history”.

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Stone Setting

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How to begin the first column of the year! Perhaps “setting a foundation” is the proper place.

The red-blooded, jump-right-in, American-patriotic way, is to ignore the context and get-right-down to the details!!!!

That is said in jest. No – The true American patriot never deals in details without building a context for them. i.e. Don’t plant your feet firmly in mid-air!

The Bible even starts, “In the beginning –“In the beginning – what? “In the beginning, God –“ In the beginning, God – what? “In the beginning, God created –“ It goes on to describe step-by-step how God created, “everything that was created.” Each word creates a context for what follows!

I call it the “mixing bowl” theory. Unless the bowls are properly nested, the drawer won’t close. Suppose God had created the cow, before He made a pasture. One confused cow!!!

My pointIf we are not to build upon sand, we must deal in history and fundamental principle. God does!!!!

I like Larry Wagner’s phrase about the Pilgrims, “A rock flung o’re the ocean, they were laid a cornerstone!

The Foundation for American Christian Education (FACE) was founded in the early 1960’s by Miss Verna Hall and Miss Rosalie Slater in San Francisco. Their gravesites are there on a slope facing westward. I was honored to be present at both of their memorials.

These ladies spent a lifetime collecting the documents that influenced those who founded America. It was a privilege to browse their library and discuss American history and government with them.

Mind you – In the early ‘60’s there were not many scholars and broadcasts documenting America’s unique foundation. Three radio networks dominated oral communication. Television was just beginning. Computers required a large, air-conditioned room, and were “spoken to” by a deck of keypunch cards! There was no internet. FACE was trail-blazing for the outstanding scholars and organizations that espouse the greatness of our nation today.

FACE is now headquartered in Chesapeake, VA. You will find a mountain of information in the internet. A library has been built to house their collection. Those of you who recognize the significance of my words will follow the link below and read the inspiring words of Dr. Carol Adams, president of FACE.

FACE_Fundraising_Letter_(Nov.pdf

BTW – ACH “Principles of American Government” online classes begin Monday, January 7. $195 tuition is less important than planting the precious seeds. Join the class and pay what you can, when you can. First step – phone me 916-722-2501.

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More Words of “Wisdom”

–By Ben Gilmore

“The fear (reverence) of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom….” [ Psalm 111:10 ]

If that be so, does it not follow that — An irreverent teacher cannot produce a “wise” student? The public school system in America has been made “irreverent” by law!

I praise the Lord for the reverent teachers struggling under the yoke of an irreverent master (the dictates and restrictions of the Public School system). It remains true, the system has done an efficient job of separating America’s children from the principles of their parents, grand parents and great grandparents!

ONLY the removal of national, state, and county education bureaucracies AND a return to neighborhood schools, answerable only to neighborhood voters will save our public school system.

But God is faithful! We have a large body of home-school parents who choose not to place the responsibility of “raising up their child” in irreverent hands. These home-school teachers are predominantly reverent. From whence will the Lord find wise leaders in the next generation?

A word about Noah Webster (1758 – 1843)

His life work was the “American Dictionary if the English Language” published in 1828.

“In my view the Christian religion is the most important and one of the first things in which all children, under a free government, ought to be instructed. … No truth is more evident in my mind than that the Christian religion must be the basis of any government intended to secure the rights and privileges of a free people. …” [Noah Webster]

“Today when the biblical basis for education is under systematic attack we need to capitalize upon the availability of the first American dictionary — the only dictionary in the world to, ‘draw water from the wells of salvation‘ — to utilize God’s written word as a key to the meaning of words. Historically it documents the degree to which the Bible was America’s basic text book in all fields.” [Rosalie Slater 1967, cofounder Foundation for American Christian Education (FACE)]

Upon its publication, Webster’s 1828 became the standard of excellence in the English speaking world. People in the mother country were amazed that such scholarship could originate in the “rustic back woods” of colonial America!

[The following is copied and pasted from Webster’s 1828 [high lights are mine]]

WISDOM, n. s as z. [G. See Wise.]

1. The right use or exercise of knowledge; the choice of laudable ends, and of the best means to accomplish them. This is wisdom in act, effect, or practice. If wisdom is to be considered as a faculty of the mind, it is the faculty of discerning or judging what is most just, proper and useful, and if it is to be considered as an acquirement, it is the knowledge and use of what is best, most just, most proper, most conducive to prosperity or happiness. Wisdom in the first sense, or practical wisdom, is nearly synonymous with discretion. I differs somewhat from prudence, in this respect; prudence is the exercise of sound judgment in avoiding evils; wisdom is the exercise of sound judgment either in avoiding evils or attempting good. Prudence then is a species, of which wisdom is the genus.
Wisdom gained by experience, is of inestimable value.
It is hoped that our rulers will act with dignity and wisdom; that they will yield every thing to reason, and refuse every thing to force.

2. In Scripture, human learning; erudition; knowledge of arts and sciences.
Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. Acts 7.

3. Quickness of intellect; readiness of apprehension; dexterity in execution; as the wisdom of Bezel and Aholiab. Exodus 31.

4. Natural instinct and sagacity. Job 39.

5. In Scripture theology, wisdom is true religion; godliness; piety; the knowledge and fear of God, and sincere and uniform obedience to his commands. This is the wisdom which is from above. Psalm 90. Job 28.

6. Profitable words or doctrine. Psalm 37.
The wisdom of this world, mere human erudition; or the carnal policy of men, their craft and artifices in promoting their temporal interests; called also fleshly wisdom. 1 Corinthians 2. 2 Corinthians 1.

The wisdom of words, artificial or affected eloquence; or learning displayed in teaching. 1 Corinthians 1 and 2.

Did you ever enjoy sitting up in bed of an evening and reading a dictionary! I have, with Noah Webster’s 1828! This important book has been republished by FACE. Their web site is easily searched out. www.FACE.net.

Here is an interesting project. Suppose you were assigned to study something, say “mathematics”. Begin with Webster’s 1828 definition. Underline the key words. List and look up their definitions. In each case, underline the key words. After a few cycles you will have the vocabulary of your subject! In this case, the vocabulary is in three categories: quantities, operations, measures. Next, use a Strong’s or other exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Look up the key words in your subject’s vocabulary. This will give you the biblical basis for your subject. (Often, I have found the first and last biblical references to be the most significant!)

Another significance of such an authoritative dictionary — When studying our founding documents, we have definitions contemporary with their meaning at the time they were written. Languages change over time.

Suppose “Jane” and “Sally” are college room mates. Jane receives a letter from “Mr. It”. She opens if with trembling fingers. “Sally” is impatient, “Well! What did he say?” “Jane” presses the letter to her heart, “He loves me!”

In truth, “Mr. It” wrote her about his football practice, but “Jane” read into it what she wanted it to say. She might as well have written the letter to herself. It has no value unless it is read for the meaning of the one that wrote it! Study our founding documents with an 1828 by your side! Our laws have no value unless interpreted by the meaning of those who wrote them!

For His-story & Government!!!

Ben Gilmore
ACH Study Groups

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Ben Gilmore 1929-2023

On March 30, 2023 Ben Gilmore, the co-founder of ACHStudyGroups (co-founded with his wife Fran), went to be with the Lord in Glory.

A Memorial: https://www.mykeeper.com/profile/BenGilmore/