The Huguenots or the French Reformed Church

You think times are bad? You think Christians are increasingly persecuted? You certainly are right. But read “The Huguenots or the Reformed French Church” by William Henry Foote (1794-1869) to put things in perspective and to realize what persecutions have preceded our times, what the issues where, and who the persecutors were. The time-frame that this book covers begins in 1494 with the birth of Francis I of France, who became a great persecutor of the reformed church, and ends with the death of Louis XVI in 1793 who was led to the guillotine during the French Revolution. Thus the story goes from persecuting to being persecuted and covers about 300 years. The “glory” of the French monarchy can only be described in terms of debauchery and materialism with the blessings, support, and protection of the Pope in Rome, his cardinals, and bishops in France who handsomely pocketed their share of the loot. The Huguenots made up the church of the Reformation in France. But they were also a political party calling for reforms in church and in politics. Their leaders were men like Admiral Coligny, Du Plessis Mornay and others. In the story you meet prominent historical reformers like John Calvin, who himself fled his homeland France during the reign of Francis I, Theodore Beza, William Farel, and Lefevre, who was one of the earliest reformers in France. There opponents were such luminaries as Catherine D’Medici, Cardinals like Loraine, Richlieu, and Mazarin, as well as the French kings and queens. While “Du Plessis Mornay and Coligny founded their statesmanship on truth and justice, between man and man, man and his king, man and his God”, the French kings would boast in their own perceived divinity and promote themselves by declaring “I am the State”. But great reformed women also take the stage. Without the patronage of bold women like the sister of Francis I, Marguerite Queen of Navarre, Jeanne d'Albret, Renee of Ferrara and others, the cause of the reformation would likely not have seen the light of day in France. Yet, the Huguenots suffered great setbacks in the Bartholomew’s massacre and the treacherous taking of Saumur. The Edict of Nantes made life tolerable for a time but the revocation about 90 years later under Louis XIV dealt a terrible deathblow to the reformation in France. The Huguenots fled France, if they could make it, and went to many European countries where they were welcomed and prospered. Thousands made their way, empty-handed, to the New Land and became settlers in the various colonies of North America, in particular Virginia, and the Carolinas. Their influence made a deep and lasting impression on this country. Reprint by Sprinkle Publications, 2002, Hardcover, Retail $45, OUR PRICE $36 --Hanno

My Escape from the Auto De Fe at Valladolid

Most of us are more familiar with the events of the reformation in Germany and England than in France or Spain. Do you remember a Reformation Day fair that your local church put on? It probably featured the nailing of the 95 Theses by Luther in his monkish robe to the church door in Wittenberg. You may also remember that Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor, had ordered Luther to appear before the Diet in Worms to answer for his “heretical” views. Now Charles V was actually a Spaniard and not a German. Spain had been in league with the Pope in Rome for a long time and persecuted any and all who gave the Lutheran “heresies” an ear. That is the backdrop of the historical novel “My Escape from the Auto De Fe at Valladolid”. The Auto De Fe is an arm or the Spanish Inquisition from which there was no deliverance and no escape. That is about where this incredible story begins. The names of the hero and the immediate antagonists may be fictional but the account itself, the times and the places are not. Liberty, freedom of religion, and the rights of conscience have been won by the reformers and countless “heretics” who paid the standard price for these inalienable rights: persecution, torture, and death. Jesus said “For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake shall find it.” (Mat. 16:25) My family and I couldn’t put the book down. It will forever be an unforgettable reading experience for all of us. Paperback, 138 pages, $11.95 available at the Homeschool Hangout Bookstore --Hanno

The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris by David McCullough

David McCullough covers the quest for a greater education or career of many well-known and some lesser-known Americans in Paris. Some returned for good, others made the voyage numerous times, a few stayed, but all were changed forever. The challenges they faced were not just personal in nature but were the severe trials of a metropolitan center in Europe with wars, revolutions, and diseases on one side of the balance and world fairs, inventions, and monumental accomplishments in science, medicine and the arts on the other side. A fascinating read, from the first to the last page.
-Hanno

Courageous (Movie)

I was deeply impressed with the movie "Courageous", a Kendrick Brothers Production, the makers of FIREPROOF. A great cast of actors and a beautiful score of music present a very timely theme courageously. Men are stepping up to be courageous not only in the workplace but also in the home. The challenges that you are being confronted with in the movie are exactly the moments when we men tend to fail. Be it at the time when we loose our job, or when our daughters want us to be spontaneous and public in our affections. Or it can be, that when we need courage to talk to our sons, or stand up for Jesus in the workplace, when, more often than not, courage fails us and we prove to be cowards. These moments can have eternal consequences and be of a very weighty matter. Most of the time we know what is the right thing to do, but we lack the courage to do it. One of the keys to courageously choosing the right path, must be to be prepared and informed. Watching football games and spending more hours at work will not prepare us to meet the challenges. Rather, spending time with our family, allowing ourselves to be held accountable, and knowing God's ways from His word are essential steps to acting courageously when it counts most. Go get the movie and listen carefully! You may meet the man, that you see daily in the mirror. --Hanno
PS: My children loved the movie, too. It is rated PG13, though, and I tend to agree with it. Movie and Book are available at the Homeschool Hangout Bookstore

Homepreschool and Beyond

Homepreschool and Beyond
A Comprehensive Guide to Early Home Education
By Susan Lemons
Liberty Books
2010
Paperback, 294 pages

With schools pressured to push little ones to perform, our homes can offer the opposite – a loving shelter from the storm – and that is precisely what Susan teaches us in her valuable book “Homepreschool and Beyond”. She is not out to sell you products but to show you how to best incorporate meaningful material. There are ideas galore on how to serve a “tasty meal” of reading, writing, and arithmetic laced with living books, physical development, history, music, and more. This is a treasure chest waiting to be explored by any parent willing to learn. She shows you how to reach reasonable academic goals with a healthy balance between books, skill-building, and play. A thirty page Appendix delivers a rich smorgasbord of resources, thought-provoking questions to discuss with your spouse, helps to build a spiritual foundation for education in the home, and valuable links from the worldwide web. We recommend the book highly to get you off to a great start.
Happy Homepreschooling! –Peggy Berg

The First American: The Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin

The First American by H.W. Brands was a very rewarding study and enjoyable book to read. I shared so much of the book with my family that they feel like they have read the book. That happens to me often when I am really involved in my study and read delightful character descriptions, make connections that I had not seen before, or finally understand where some popular sayings come from like some of Ben Franklin's sayings which are from his famous Poor Richard's Almanac. Ben Franklin is often said to be one of the least "religious" founding fathers. Even Atheists like to claim him as their own. However, I observed in the reading of this account that Ben Franklin, the older he got, the more he held Christian beliefs. In many respects he was quite orthodox in his understanding of Christianity. But he was unsure about the deity of Jesus Christ, something he admittedly had never studied in more detail. Living in a predominantly Christian culture, he adopted biblical truths as his own. Here is an excerpt from the book that was to the point: "Here is my creed. I believe in one God, creator of the universe. That he governs it by his providence. That he ought to be worshipped. That the most acceptable service we render to him is doing good to his other children. That the soul of man is immortal, and will be treated with justice in another life respecting its conduct in this. These I take to be the fundamental principles of all sound religion, and I regard them as you do [Stiles shared Franklin's tolerance] in whatever sect I meet with them. As to Jesus of Nazareth, my opinion of whom you particularly desire, I think the system of morals and his religion, as he left them to us, the best the world ever saw or is likely to see; but I apprehend it has received various corrupting changes, and I have, with most of the present Dissenters in England, some doubts as to his divinity; though it is a question I do not dogmatize upon, having never studied it, and think it needless to busy myself with it now, when I expect soon an opportunity of knowing the truth with less trouble. I see no harm, however, in its being believed, if that belief has the good consequence, as it probably has, of making his doctrines more respected and better observed, especially as I do not perceive that the Supreme takes it amiss, by distinguishing the unbelievers in his government of the world with any peculiar marks of his displeasure. I shall only add, respecting myself, that having experienced the goodness of that Being in conducting me prosperously through a long life, I have no doubt of its continuance in the next, though without she smallest conceit of meriting such goodness." (pg. 707)


--Hanno

The Johnstown Flood by David McCullough

David McCullough writes engaging history. All his books that I have read so far have some epic, overarching theme to them. “John Adams” is the colossal of independence, “Truman” is a controversial figure because of the atomic bomb incident but looms really as a giant among the American presidents, “The Johnstown Flood” recounts the most devastating catastrophe of the South Fork Dam break in Pennsylvania on May 31, 1889, and the resulting flood that cost over 2,000 lives. The Great Bridge tells of the building, or shall we say miracle, of the Brooklyn Bridge and, of course, “1776” tells of the most pivotal year in American history and how, if it wouldn’t have been for the faith and courage of Washington, all would have been lost.


All of McCullough’s books are worth your time. They are available in hardcover, paperback, or on audio CDs. Each one of his stories goes way beyond what the title indicates. “John Adams”, for example, tells almost as much of Thomas Jefferson as it does of John Adams. I highly recommend David McCullough’s books.

--Hanno

Sea Star by Marguerite Henry

Very sweet story and exciting to read. It's funny, too.

--Jenny (9)

Genesis in space and time: The flow of biblical history

Francis A. Schaeffer

Copyright 1972, ISBN 08778846367

I have been a fan of Francis Schaeffer for many, many years. Peggy and I visited his L’Abri in Holland in the late 1980s. His Christian Manifesto is a classic and I highly recommend it for any high school student. Now, this book “Genesis in Space and Time” was also for most part a good book. While Dr. Schaeffer shows clearly how Genesis is a history book and shares great insides on the epic events of history recorded in Genesis, the book has one serious flaw in stating that Genesis is a book of “Genealogies not Chronologies”. I was disappointed. I have been wondering if with all our creation science research over the last thirty years Dr. Schaeffer would have held a different view had he be born a generation later? The chronologies that we find in Genesis and elsewhere in the Scriptures are certainly there for a reason and that is, believe it or not, to give us a reliable chronology of history. Why else would God have bothered to give us the exact dates of epic events like the flood of Noah’s days? Or why would God have gone through all the trouble keeping a precise record of when so-and-so begat so-and-so? Why do we have all the life times of the great patriarchs in Genesis? Certainly to aid us in putting together not only a genealogy but also a chronology of history!

--Hanno

The Prince's Poison Cup by R. C. Sproul

I like the book "The Prince's Poison Cup" written by R. C. Sproul. I like it so much because the Grandpa tells a story and doesn't just tell the girl "Drink the medicine!"

--Jenny (9)

Minute Boys Series

Need an entertaining, exciting and adventure-full book or two for those “hard-to-find-a-book-for” boys? Well, I would have to say, Minute Boys of Lexington and Minute Boys of Bunker Hill are great picks! Minute Boys of Lexington begins the short series and starts the reader out back in the year 1775, and Minute Boys of Bunker Hill takes them through 1777.
Following the rousing exploits of Roger Morse and his friends, your little readers will learn true History and at the same time the importance of such virtues as, the love of liberty, courage in the face of danger, fierce determination, honesty, loyalty, integrity and much more. Follow those young men as they run right into the face of battle, fight hand-to-hand with the British, rescue their friends, save the day and get into the next exciting and dangerous predicament.
This two-part series also includes a Built-In Vocabulary Glossary of some 650+ words and definitions for those knowledge-bound homeschoolers. Each word is cross-referenced to its page number so that the kids can see how it is used in the paragraph or sentence.

Excerpt from Minute Boys of Lexington:

Roger’s heart almost stopped beating…. What was this the British officers were saying? They were going to capture Samuel Adams and John Hancock and place them under military arrest! The two greatest men, politically, the colonies at that time knew!
“It must not be,” thought the boy. “I must tell Captain Parker, - everybody. Somebody must know where Mr. Adams and Mr. Hancock are stopping tonight, and warn them to seek a place of safety. And the militia and minutemen must be on guard, too, against the troop General Gage is going to send from Boston. That surprise must not be all on one side!”
With bated breath he was on the point of slipping back into the kitchen, when he felt a cold, bony hand on his collar. Wheeling about, he found himself face to face with a soldier.

--
Lydia

Paper back, both volumes in-stock, $14.95 each
Fiction/Youth/Historical Fiction

From Jamestown To Jubilee: A Faith and Freedom Tour

From Jamestown To Jubilee (a 9-CD set) takes you on a wonderful "tour" through Jamestown Virginia with Vision Forum's President, Doug Philips and Historian William (Bill) Potter. You are transported from Jamestown Island, to Williamsburg, to Monticello and beyond. Learn about Captain John Smith, Pocahontas, George Washington, Patrick Henry, Stonewall Jackson, and many more great men. Visit famous gravesites, churches, and battlefields. Take your mind back to the time of the Great Awakening and learn about our godly ancestors and the legacy of faith, courage, and perseverance they left behind for the generations to come. Live what they lived, learn what they learned, and most of all, be inspired and encouraged and know that this country was founded on Biblical principles and we still have a Christian heritage, no matter how hard some try to deny it!
--Lydia
9-CD set, $45.00

Genesis by Nancy Ganz

One of the best books I have read to my family in our family Bible study. This book was engaging for all. The book of Genesis in the Bible is so foundational and historical, that we all need to be experts in it. Mrs. Ganz treats the book of Genesis as historical narrative and builds bridges to the NT throughout the story as they relate to Jesus in the NT. Here is how it reads: "BY FAITH, AN ARK! This is the account of Noah: The earth was corrupt in God's sight, but Noah found favour in the eyes of the LORD. So God spoke to Noah. How gracious is the LORD, that He still spoke to men, though all but one had corrupted their ways. The LORD told Noah that He was going to destroy the world! Imagine how Noah must have felt when he heard this terrifying news."(more ...)
I highly recommend this book and her series (Herein is Love Series) (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers are available)
--Hanno

F.A.C.E. Christian History Library CD

A remarkable library of American history resources including the famous 1828 Noah Webster's Dictionary of the English Language. All resources are offered in the Libronix software, which is one of the best library programs available today and has been a popular interface for the Logos Bible software. If you own a Logos Bible software package already this collection will fit right in with the rest. The Wallbuilders History Collection that i introduced here before is in the same Libronix format. These resources are easy to read, search, copy & past, highlight, and inter-linked with the KJ Bible or other resources that are part of your particular library. This collection includes 11 resources:
1) Webster's 1828 Dictionary
2) The Bible and the Constitution
3) Consider and Ponder
4) The Christian History of the Constitution: Christian Self-Government, Vol. 1
5) The Christian History of the Constitution: Christian Self-Government with Union, Vol. 2
6) George Washington: The Character and Influence of One Man
7) The Noah Plan' Self-Directed Study in the Principle Approach'
8) Rudiments of America's Christian History and Government
9) Teaching and Learning America's Christian History: The Principle Approach
10) King James Bible
11) A Republic If You Can Keep It.
FACE Christian History Library CD
--Hanno

Struggling Upward by Horatio Alger, Jr.

Disinclined to give us an allowance, my dad chose instead to offer his children an incentive to read: a penny per page. I remember a short phase in which finances primarily dictated my interest in reading, but I also remember the point at which inspiration took over as the motivation. It coincided with my discovery of the authors Horatio Alger Jr. and Oliver Optic. The first book I discovered, written by the former, was “Struggling Upward.” It told the story of Luke Larkin, a boy of 16 with modest means but great character. Wrongfully fired from his job and arrested under false accusations, he is redeemed by the appearance of a mysterious stranger and his own hard work and dependability. Luke Larkin inspired me, as he did thousands of young men in the mid-nineteenth century, to work hard and let honesty characterize my actions. In an age dominated by Harry Potter, I believe your young men will be inspired by the real heroes portrayed in the Alger and Optic books.
--Lukas
Note: The Oliver Optic and Horatio Alger books were re-printed and published by Mantle Ministries. Target Audience are young men, ages 10-16. We have currently one copy of Struggling Upward (paperback) from Dover in stock. Otherwise, that book is out of print (I wonder who will read this blog and get the last copy for $6.95) We still have some hardcover books by Oliver Optic in stock. We also have a paper back edition of "Hope and Have" published by Applewood Books. Hope and Have introduces us to a young orphan who undergoes a miraculous transformation. Ther first part of the story tells how Fanny, through trials, triumphs, and her faith in God, has a change of heart. The second part of the story follows Fanny's adventures during the terrible Indian massacre of 1862. The gripping story of how Fanny and a young man named Ethan French escape makes this a captivating book.

The Librarian Who Measured the Earth

I love reading children's books to my children and, I have to confess, I enjoy them myself. Oftentimes they explain difficult concepts in an understandable way that more scholarly books just can't. A great read aloud for your 5 - 10 year-old. It is well illustrated and explains how Eratosthenes calculated the circumference of the earth over 2000 years ago. It also takes care of a very persistent myth which is that the people of the ancient times even up through the Middle Ages believed that the earth was flat. That simply is not true and before you know it, this book will lead you into an interesting discussion and further studies with your children when Mrs. Lasky closes with this intriguing thought in the Afterword: "When Columbus finally did set sail west from Spain to the Indies, he should have paid more attention to Eratosthenes' calculations. Instead he looked at maps done by Greek geographers after Eratosthenes. These geographers made some serious mistakes and showed an earth that was not so big around. Columbus thought it would be a quick trip to the Indies. He was wrong. But perhaps if he had believed Eratosthenes' measurements, in which the oceans of the world looked so huge and the distances between land so far, he would have never even tried!"
--Hanno
The Librarian Who Measured the Earth, hardcover, $17.99

Coffin's Story of Liberty

A great history book written for younger children with many exciting illustrations. Our son Oliver (10) read the book this year. Now, he is reading the second book in the series called "Sweet Land of Liberty". The Story of Liberty covers medieval history in Europe through the Reformation right up to 1620 when the Pilgrims journeyed to the New Land. I personally read the book and found it fascinating. However, it is not an easy book to read and though liberty prevails, the Story of Liberty is a hard-hitting account of what it cost men, women and children to achieved and finally establish liberty on this American continent. The book is definitely not a "politically correct" account. For that reason, however, I think it's all the more worth your and your students time. Our children not only need to understand true liberty but also know what the enemies of liberty look like and act like. I highly recommend the book for a student with good reading abilities and an interest in history. I also think any parent will profit from the book in preparation for teaching this time period to your children.
--Hanno
The Story of Liberty, large paperback, $14.95. A study guide is available for $9.95
This is the first book in a series of three published by Maranatha Publications. The second book is called "Sweet Land of Liberty" and the third is called "The Boys of '76"

Astronomy by Jeannie Fulbright

In science I am introducing Oliver (10) and Jenny (7) to astronomy. We are using Jeannie Fulbright’s book “Astronomy” published by Apologia Ministries. The book covers our solar system with the sun, the planets, moons, comets, asteroids, meteoroids and the like. The last two chapters are covering stars and galaxies and space travel, which we haven’t covered yet. Physical realities like light, matter, space, time and the like are well explained for the younger children. Simple experiments and writing assignments are easy to follow and can be done by any parent. We enjoyed the simple experiments about rotation and revolutions, the making of craters, and the “Earth For Sale” writing assignment. They were fun. The book is well illustrated with full color pictures, graphs and diagrams.

I have to make a confession here: I love children’s books and the simple way they explain things. I enjoy these books and learn a lot myself. To be honest, I can really get excited about the things I study with my children. I have picked up another little book by Werner Gitt called “Stars and Their Purpose” and find it fascinating. Since we are approaching Christmas, let me mention that Werner Gitt covers the “Star of Bethlehem” and what it may have been. He discusses several interpretations and let’s you know what he thinks is the most plausible one. Otherwise, the book is very readable and shot full of fascinating facts about heavenly bodies and physical parameters. I have never paid much attention to appendixes but in this book it is definitely a part you don’t want to skip. A strong gospel message is included for free.
--Hanno

"Exploring Creation with Astronomy" Retail $35.00 our in-store price $29.65
“Stars and Their Purpose” only $4.99

Is our civil government going to take our free speech away?

New looming legislation has as its goal to thought police us and take away our right of free speech. Albert Einstein left Germany for America in 1933 when Adolf Hitler came to power in Germany and free speech became a thing of the past in the Third Reich. Read for yourself what he had to say about those who seek tyranny rather than freedom and see if you can't see the parallels to what's going on in America's congress today:

Einstein’s love for free speech and free thoughts:

When he [Einstein] first arrived in Princeton [1933], Einstein had been impressed that America was, or could be, a land free of the rigid class hierarchies and servility in Europe. But what grew to impress him more—and what made him fundamentally such a good American but also a controversial one—was the country’s tolerance of free thought, free speech, and nonconformist beliefs. That had been a touchstone of his science, any now it was a touchstone of his citizenship. He had forsaken Nazi Germany with the pubic pronouncement that he would not live in a country where people were denied the freedom to hold and express their own thoughts. ”At that time, I did not understand how right I was in my choice of America as such a place,” he wrote in an unpublished essay just after becoming a citizen. “On every side I hear men and women expressing their opinion on candidates for office and the issues of the day without fear of consequences.” The beauty of America, he said, was that this tolerance of each person’s ideas existed without the “brute force and fear” that had arisen in Europe. “From what I have seen of Americans, I think that life would not be worth living to them without this freedom of self expression.” The depth of his appreciation for America’s core value would help explain Einstein’s cold public anger and dissent when, during the McCarthy era a few years later, the nation lapsed into a period marked by the intimidation of those with unpopular views.
Pg. 479-480

Despite his criticisms of untrammeled capitalism, what repelled him more—and had repelled him his entire life—was repression of free thought and individuality. “Any government is evil if it carries within it the tendency to deteriorate into tyranny,” he warned the Russian scientists. “The danger of such deterioration is more acute in a country in which the government has authority not only over the armed forces but also over every channel of education and information as well as over the existence of every single citizen.”
Pg. 497

Excerpts taken from: Isaacson, Walter. Einstein: His Life and Universe. Simon & Schuster, New York, NY. C 2007 by Walter Isaacson. Hardcover. ISBN 0743264738

R.M. Ballantyne Christian Adventure Library (10 Vols.)

R.M. Ballantyne's books are exciting, knee-knocking, complete thrillers for those boys hankering for adventure stories! Those who need inspiration,too? Give them Ballantyne! Their noses will be so busy finding excitement among those wonderful pages, you'll need not worry about what mischief they might be getting into otherwise.;)
My younger brother started out reading them and after hearing him rave about them non-stop (while trying to imitate the adventures he was trying to tell me about), I myself got interested in them and decided I'd at least read one...(I picked the shortest, naturally)...Pretty soon I found myself in the same place he was and couldn't wait to get back to reading about those travels and adventures, spanning from Africa to India, Canada to the US.
Ballantye himself "was perhaps the most influential writer of boys’ literature of his generation. He was also a devout Christian of the Scottish Covenanter kind and the only outspoken advocate for Christian boyhood to have a monument paid for and dedicated in his honor by grateful children...he changed the lives of hundreds of thousands of boys for the better with his globe-trekking adventure stories that emphasized Christian character in the face of adversity." (Doug Philips, President of Vision Forum)
In his own words, he wrote to inspire boys and also to build them up to become real men - "Boys [should be] inured from childhood to trifling risks and slight dangers of every possible description, such as tumbling into ponds and off of trees, etc., in order to strengthen their nervous system.... They ought to practice leaping off heights into deep water. They ought never to hesitate to cross a stream over a narrow unsafe plank for fear of a ducking. They ought never to decline to climb up a tree, to pull fruit merely because there is a possibility of their falling off and breaking their necks. I firmly believe that boys were intended to encounter all kinds of risks, in order to prepare them to meet and grapple with risks and dangers incident to man’s career with cool, cautious self-possession.... —R.M. Ballantyne, The Gorilla Hunters

In other words, these books are treasures!
--Lydia
Hardcover, $22.00 a piece, collectors additions