Watchman on the Wall

Southwest Radio Ministries: Welcome to Watchman on the Wall, a daily outreach of Southwest Radio Ministries and swrc.com. God is still on the throne and prayer changes things. Today, our guest, Von Schatzer, will continue sharing the fascinating and instructive history of education in America.

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Dr. Larry Spargimino: We're talking to Von Schatzer. Of course, we mentioned his book, *A History of American Education: From Harvard Scholars to Worker Bees of a New World Order*. This is a very helpful book that covers 400 years of American educational history. We have a lot of other things to offer you as well. Von, it's really great to have you back on the program.

Von Schatzer: Oh, thank you, Brother Larry. It's such a privilege and honor to be with you and your listeners and share our America's godly heritage from the Scriptures and where we're headed if we don't wake up and have revival. But I think today's program will just be as interesting as yesterday.

Dr. Larry Spargimino: Well, I know as I was thinking of some of the things we discussed in our previous program, George Washington and all of the founders realized that in order to have a democratic republic, you have to have a virtuous people. Without virtue, without that inner control, a love for God, and the activity of the Holy Spirit, then you need a dictatorship. People will be wild.

I think that's one of the reasons why we see this evil, especially sexual evil. I believe that the sexual evil, homosexuality, perversion, drag queens, and all that nonsense—it's vile. Why it's vile is because it destroys character. When you destroy character, you destroy virtue. When you have people who are not virtuous, they have to be controlled. That's exactly the direction we are going in.

So, let's talk about the name of the first teachers' union in America. Tell me, what did they believe?

Von Schatzer: We need to go clear back to 1892. This is America's first teachers' union. It was called the Kansas Teachers' Union. It prepared a book for the commemoration of the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus Day. The Kansas Teachers' Union made a decision to voluntarily turn elementary education over to the state. This is what they said about that.

"To propose and discuss further than to remark, if the study of the Bible is to be excluded from all state schools, if the inculcation of the principles of Christianity is to have no place in the daily program, if the worship of God is to form no part of the general exercises of these public elementary schools, then the good of the state would be better served by restoring all schools to church control."

So, Brother Larry, it was made very clear by the Kansas Teachers' Union that if the Bible, the principles of Christianity, and the worship of God were removed, the state should return all schools back to the church. Remember, this is 1892.

Dr. Larry Spargimino: That's late, too. I see how our founders and even up to 1892 realized that character and the Bible stories—so many of the stories are about the importance of character, truthfulness, and what happens when people sin. I mean, David and Bathsheba, for example, is one of the great tragedies. He was a godly man, but he got carried away.

Today, that's not considered sin. That's just having a meaningful relationship. Now we have all kinds of polyamory and all these weird things. People say, "Well, that's my right." No, it's not. When you break those moral values that have been created by God in the hearts of little children, when you start taking away this wall of modesty—even little kids know something's wrong, something's funny, even a four-year-old. When you take that away, it's tragic. The whole country falls apart like we're falling apart now.

Well, founding father Noah Webster, who helped author the U.S. Constitution, he authored another amazing school textbook titled *Webster's 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language*. Tell us about that.

Von Schatzer: This was truly an amazing dictionary of the English language for several reasons. First, it gave the definition of over 70,000 English words, and after many of the words were Bible verses so you would get the original intent of all words, including the words of the U.S. Constitution, Bill of Rights, and the Declaration of Independence.

There's so much confusion on what the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and the declarations really mean. Noah Webster cleared all that up. All you need to do is go to his dictionary. An example is the word "truth." Remember, in the Declaration of Independence, the second paragraph says, "We hold these truths to be self-evident," and it goes on about our God-given unalienable rights.

Listen to this. For "truth," first Webster gave the definition. It means "conformity to fact or reality." Then he gives about a half-dozen Bible verses after the word. I'll just give you two of them. "Thy word is truth," John chapter 17. You want to know what the word "truth" is in the Constitution and Bill of Rights? Go to the Bible and truth.

The second example he gives here is, "Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life," John chapter 14. Then he gives one more: "blood." He says, "This is the fluid that circulates through our arteries and veins of the human body." He quotes Matthew chapter 26: "This is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for the remission of sin." Then he goes on to Romans 5:9: "being now justified by His blood."

That's just two words, Brother Larry. All the words are in there with Bible verses, plus it had his personal testimony of how he and his daughter were saved in an old-fashioned revival camp meeting and they walked what was called the sawdust trail and gave their hearts to Jesus Christ. That was all in the original Webster's 1828 dictionary. Today, the version you see or you buy in the stores, you ought to take them this fall and winter when it gets cold and tear the pages out and use them to start your woodstove fire because all the Bible verses have been taken out. All the words have been changed and the definitions, and there's no personal testimonies, Brother Larry.

Dr. Larry Spargimino: So many times when those who are woke and quote "progressive" look at the Constitution, they try to soup it up and it becomes like silly putty. You could make it say anything you want. But with Webster, you can know what those words meant. I think the original intent of a document of the U.S. Constitution is so important.

A lot of times people say, "Well, the words have changed, the meaning of words have changed, we don't know what they mean." We sure do. We know now and original intent is clear. I've seen some theologians take some Bible verses and they give them a weird, weird meaning. That's not what it means. That's not what Paul meant. That's not what Jesus meant.

But we're so smart, we think that we can change the Bible. In fact, that's exactly what the communists in China are doing. They are changing the Bible. They're sinicizing the Bible. They're modernizing the Bible. We're doing the same thing in our country with the Bible, with the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and no wonder kids are confused.

In the church I pastor, we have a godly psychiatrist who is a lady, and she is so alarmed at the number of suicidal teenagers that come. Sometimes on Friday night or Saturday night, she gets a call and she has to leave and counsel somebody. Our society cannot stand if we continue in our own evil downward course. It's really tragic.

We're talking with Von Schatzer. He's our guest. We're offering several things. We've mentioned his book—it's really important—*The History of American Education*, plus the *Blue-Back Speller*, the *New England Primer*, *Webster's 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language*, and also *Blackstone's Commentary on the Law*. Call 1-800-652-1144.

We talk about being salt and light. We've got parents out there who want to be on the school board. You need to be on the school board. When they come up with these wacko ideas, you need to stand up and talk. Don't let them talk you down. You've got the facts. You've got all this information that you can use, and you can ask them, "What is happening to our country?" and wait for their answer. "Well, I don't know, it's kind of mysterious, I can't figure it out." Nonsense. You know what the problem is. You've ripped the guts of morality and sweetness out of the hearts of kids, and when they grow up, they're killers. Pardon me for being so passionate, but that's exactly it.

So, here's a question, Von. How did America's premier educational system of the world go down the slippery slope of dumbing down education? What happened? Show us, tell us, so we can avoid continuing.

Von Schatzer: This is an interesting, very sad story. In 1870, a man by the name of Christopher Columbus Langdell became the dean of Harvard and the Harvard Law School. Sadly, Langdell was a student of Charles Darwin. Both were atheists and believed in the Big Bang theory and the lie of evolution. As dean of Harvard, Langdell taught a brand-new method of law called case law. That's very important. Case law has no absolutes or morals or no rights or wrongs; everything is relative. Langdell believed as man evolved from evolution, that men and women of the Supreme Court and judges and lawyers should now guide the evolution of our Constitution and discard the archaic commandments and laws of the Bible.

By the early 1900s, Brother Larry, Blackstone's law books with Bible verses for law were thrown out of the university and no longer used. So, our law students and all the Harvard, Yale, and Princeton students went the same way. The students were now becoming worker bees of a new world order and the great reset of the World Economic Forum.

Dr. Larry Spargimino: That's exactly it. A tremendous illustration and explanation. What about President Thomas Jefferson? Did he have anything to do with school education in Washington, D.C.?

Von Schatzer: Yes, he did. He had quite a bit to do. Thomas Jefferson became the chairman of the school board of the District of Columbia on July 17, 1805, all on the congressional records. He wrote the first plan of education adopted by the city of Washington, D.C. The two principal school textbooks used for the curriculum were the Bible and Watts' Hymnal. That's correct, the Bible and Watts' Hymnal.

We all know about the Bible. What about Watts' Hymnal? The author, Dr. Isaac Watts, was a theologian, a poet, and a famous writer. He composed over 600 hymns, such as "Joy to the World" and "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross." All these. That's not all. Thomas Jefferson also hired clergymen to be the teachers. He personally contributed $200. On October 27, 1806, Jefferson granted two lots of government land for the first two D.C. schoolhouses.

The schools were led by clergy and also used for church worship as well. In 1817, he founded the University of Virginia. The official motto of the university were the words of Jesus Christ, John 8:32: "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free." That Scripture was inscribed on the rotunda. Then later, in 1898, 72 years after his death, the university put those verses, John 8:32, on Cabell Hall in Greek: "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free."

Brother Larry, I drove the whole way down there and took a picture of that to make sure that was true. So, he had established the teachings of Christian history. He also asked James Madison to compile a list of Christian theological books to be included in the university, and there's where they taught Blackstone's commentaries on laws with Bible verses for all the laws.

Dr. Larry Spargimino: This kind of teaching is devastating our young people. You've got a couple of horror stories that have come out of our public school system. Maybe one or two, share those with our listening audience. I know we spoke about this before. They're shockers, but now that I think of what's going on, I can see how this can happen. Give us two stories.

Von Schatzer: Yes, these are two shockers. Our schools and our government spend millions of dollars on safe sex. Here's a safe sex horror story. A 14-year-old girl in New York was raped in a public school classroom by three teenage classmates while a fourth classmate held her down. Two of the rapists stopped by the school counseling center to pick up condoms prior to raping the girl. So much for safe sex.

The other horror story is a murder story. This is a story of an unwed teenage girl from New Jersey. While attending the high school prom, she gave birth to her baby in a bathroom stall. She dropped and threw the baby in the trash can, where it suffocated to death. She then returned to the dance floor, requesting the disc jockey to play her favorite song, "The Unforgiven," by the heavy metal band Metallica. Dear God, help us.

Dr. Larry Spargimino: Amen. Amen. Before we run out of time, what can we as Christians do to reframe our godly education heritage and to have a nationwide revival? That's what we need.

Von Schatzer: That's an excellent question again. First, we need to become informed and we need to know biblical truth about America's godly Christian educational history. Hosea 4:6 says, "My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge." We need to learn the apologetics of the Bible and education.

Second, we need to get involved. The Bible commands us to be salt and light in a wicked and perverse generation. We need to run, maybe to get on the local school board, go to all the PTA meetings, and voice your opinion. All these things.

Third, and probably most important, is prayer. Pray for a heaven-sent revival according to 2 Chronicles 7:14: "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will heal their land, and forgive their sin." We will not have revival in the schoolhouse until we have revival in the church house.

Dr. Larry Spargimino: Amen. I would agree so much with that. I think a lot of the problems that we're talking about right now is because so many of the churches have gotten so wishy-washy on so-called political issues. But political issues are not like in some other realm; they're moral issues. Just look at the big ones: same-sex marriage, abortion. Those are all moral issues. You cannot divorce these political issues, which are really moral issues, from the responsibility of the pulpit and of the deacons and the elders to support the pastors who preach on these things.

So many churches say, "Well, that's political, preacher, you better not get into that." Nonsense. It's the moral heart of reality. I know there are some pastors who do preach politics, which is really morality, and they get a lot of flak. Part of the problem is the elders and the deacons; they're not really worthy of being an elder or a deacon because they're just so wishy-washy. They want to hear John 3:16. John 3:16 is a great verse, but if we don't build a wall around that, we will not even be able to preach John 3:16. That's the truth.

Well, Von, thank you so much for these two programs. It's always a delight. You are a great man of God. We've known each other for many years, and I really appreciate you. I appreciate your books, the material that you have, and the way you deliver it. You deliver it with a passion, and that's what we need—a passion for God and a passion for souls.

Southwest Radio Ministries: Friends, if you're concerned about the direction of education in America and want to understand how we arrived at this point, I encourage you to order the History of American Education collection featuring Von Schatzer.

This valuable collection includes the *History of American Education* book and DVD, where Von traces the major people, ideas, and philosophical changes that reshaped America's schools. You'll also receive the book *Webster's Blue-Back Speller with New England Primer*, highlighting two historic resources that helped educate generations of early Americans. You'll also receive a convenient pocket copy of the United States Constitution.

Together, these four resources provide a revealing look at America's educational heritage, its biblical foundations, and the principles that once shaped both the classroom and the nation. Whether you're a parent, grandparent, teacher, homeschooler, or simply concerned about America's future, this collection is an eye-opening and important resource. Order the History of American Education collection today. Call 1-800-652-1144 or visit swrc.com.

As we continue to celebrate the 250th anniversary of our nation, we've asked author and teacher Josh Davis to share some of his thoughts on this historic occasion.

Josh Davis: God is still on the throne and prayer changes things. That's not just a motto here at Southwest Radio Ministries. It was true during the formation of the United States of America. You don't believe me? Well, let's travel back in time and explore this. But first, let's think about the pivotal role that prayer played in the establishment of the United States of America.

You see, many founding fathers walked with the Lord. They understood how essential Almighty God was in the formation of this new nation. This was a country that was founded not by geography but sparked by an idea, an idea of liberty. This is very unique in the world: an idea sparked a new nation—not geography, but liberty and freedom.

Unmoored liberty creates chaos. In other words, if there's no tethering to liberty, if it's not connected to some moral standard, then you open the door for freedom to run amok, and anything would go. It would be anarchy; it would be total lawless chaos. America's founders knew that biblical virtues were essential to maintaining the freedoms that they were establishing. Many of our founding fathers also understood that if this nation could be born, it would require the aid from the Almighty God. So, it was a daunting task that frequently drove the Christian citizens of the colonies to their knees in prayer.

If you don't believe me, well, let's travel back in time to some days before America's birthday. Let's go back to May 24, 1774. This is even before the Continental Congress was formed. Historian and author Bill Federer, a frequent guest here on Watchman on the Wall, has described how a call for prayer led to the formation of the Continental Congress in his book *Prayers and Presidents*. Did you realize that it was a call for prayer that became the impetus to form the Continental Congress? It was the Continental Congress that gave us the Declaration of Independence. You see the dots being connected, dear friends.

So, Bill Federer writes about that day that Thomas Jefferson drafted a resolution for a day of fasting, humiliation, and prayer to be observed as the British blockaded Boston's harbor. Now, this resolution was introduced in the Virginia House of Burgesses and, with the support of Patrick Henry, Richard Henry Lee, and George Mason, it passed unanimously.

This resolution that they adopted, it called for a day of fasting, humiliation, and prayer to be observed on June 1, 1774. The purpose of this prayer, according to the resolution, was "to devoutly implore the divine interposition for averting the heavy calamity which threatens destruction to our civil rights." To that end, the resolution ordered "that the members of this house do attend with the speaker and the mace to the church in this city for the purposes aforesaid, that the Reverend Mr. Price be appointed to read prayers and the Reverend Mr. Gwatkin to preach a sermon."

On July 12, 1775, John Adams wrote to his wife, "We have appointed a continental fast. Millions will be upon their knees at once before the Great Creator, imploring His forgiveness and blessing, His smiles on American council and arms." And God answered those prayers, although it took several years of intense fighting and suffering to form the United States of America. Do you see what a pivotal role prayer played in the formation of this new nation?

Southwest Radio Ministries: Are you concerned about the direction of education in America? The History of American Education collection featuring Von Schatzer helps explain how we got here. This four-item collection includes the *History of American Education* book and DVD, *Webster's Blue-Back Speller with the New England Primer*, and a pocket copy of the U.S. Constitution. Discover America's educational roots, its biblical foundations, and the ideas that transformed our schools. Order your collection today at swrc.com or call 1-800-652-1144. Tomorrow, Josh Davis will have the latest headlines from the end times. So be sure to tune in by downloading our free SWRC mobile app or by subscribing to our daily Watchman on the Wall podcast. Watchman on the Wall is a production of Southwest Radio Ministries and is supported by faithful listeners like you. Visit swrc.com.