Sounding Forth the Trumpet Childrenªs Activity Book

Rating:
Summary: Highly recommended for all!
Review: "Sounding Forth the Trumpet" is an excellent book and has inspired me to study further into our American, and more importantly Christian, roots. Too many of us do not know where we have come from and certainly do not know where we are going. God does have a plan for us, we need to seek Him so we can know it!! I eagerly await the next volume in the series.

Rating:
Summary: Sorry, but I can't give. . .
Review: . . .the benefit of the doubt here.

The Concerned Parent has cautiously given the "benefit of the doubt" to Marshall and Manuel's previous two American history volumes. I cannot do so here.

The decades leading up to The War Between The States were filled with crisis and controversy on a wide number of levels. Slavery was not a direct cause of the war. The Abolitionists were not all the "good guys". Many exhibited religious and ethnic bigotry on an incredible scale -- a bigotry just as morally wrong as the slavery they were condemning. Nativism and anti-Catholicism ran rampant -- to the extent that an entire political party was incorporated (The American aka "No-Nothing" Party).

Many, MANY issues and principles were involved in the decades leading up to the war -- and that rather basic fact just doesn't come through in this book. The issues of State's Rights are not adequately discussed. The issues of the power of the Federal Government is not adequately discussed. The legal principles behind the concept of secession are not adequately discussed.

All these issues are important when considering the time period in question -- regardless of one's political, social, or religious position. In this respect, Marshall and Manuel have failed miserably.

No stars for a major disappointment.

Rating:
Summary: Sorry, but I can't give. . .
Review: . . .the benefit of the doubt here.

The Concerned Parent has cautiously given the "benefit of the doubt" to Marshall and Manuel's previous two American history volumes. I cannot do so here.

The decades leading up to The War Between The States were filled with crisis and controversy on a wide number of levels. Slavery was not a direct cause of the war. The Abolitionists were not all the "good guys". Many exhibited religious and ethnic bigotry on an incredible scale -- a bigotry just as morally wrong as the slavery they were condemning. Nativism and anti-Catholicism ran rampant -- to the extent that an entire political party was incorporated (The American aka "No-Nothing" Party).

Many, MANY issues and principles were involved in the decades leading up to the war -- and that rather basic fact just doesn't come through in this book. The issues of State's Rights are not adequately discussed. The issues of the power of the Federal Government is not adequately discussed. The legal principles behind the concept of secession are not adequately discussed.

All these issues are important when considering the time period in question -- regardless of one's political, social, or religious position. In this respect, Marshall and Manuel have failed miserably.

No stars for a major disappointment.

Rating:
Summary: Sorry, but I can't give. . .
Review: . . .the benefit of the doubt here.

The Concerned Parent has cautiously given the "benefit of the doubt" to Marshall and Manuel's previous two American history volumes. I cannot do so here.

The decades leading up to The War Between The States were filled with crisis and controversy on a wide number of levels. Slavery was not a direct cause of the war. The Abolitionists were not all the "good guys". Many exhibited religious and ethnic bigotry on an incredible scale -- a bigotry just as morally wrong as the slavery they were condemning. Nativism and anti-Catholicism ran rampant -- to the extent that an entire political party was incorporated (The American aka "No-Nothing" Party).

Many, MANY issues and principles were involved in the decades leading up to the war -- and that rather basic fact just doesn't come through in this book. The issues of State's Rights are not adequately discussed. The issues of the power of the Federal Government is not adequately discussed. The legal principles behind the concept of secession are not adequately discussed.

All these issues are important when considering the time period in question -- regardless of one's political, social, or religious position. In this respect, Marshall and Manuel have failed miserably.

No stars for a major disappointment.

Rating:
Summary: A well-written and interesting approach. . .
Review: . . .to American history. However, he is just plain wrong!

Don't get me wrong, I have a tremendous respect for Peter Marshall as a person. However, as with my reviews of his previous two books in this series, I find many flaws.

Item: (And this is technically not a flaw) The authors, in order to move the flow of the book along, do so by means of dialogue. This DOES have the advantage of making history come alive -- but the reader has to be alert that not all of the dialogue is historical, but rather based on what is known of the characters. This is especially important for homeschooling parents (and I am one) so their children will understand the difference.

Item: The authors tend to view American history filtered through their Calvinist theology. Unfortunately, if one is not using a Calvinist lens, their conclusions are far less convincing. It is quite true that many, many religious Americans in the 18th and 19th century WERE Calvinists; and it is equally true that many aspects of American civilization were highly influenced by Calvinist thought -- but there were other major influences as well, and these tend to be minimized. With Calvinists no longer having nearly the prominent influence in American society as they did 150 years ago, the average reader will have difficulty making the paradigm shift necessary to fully understand the author's perspective.

Item: One element which was NOT covered in this volume concerns the hideous persecution of Catholics in the United States -- by Calvinists, especially in the North. The ideas of religious freedom which were part of the founding documents in our land were seriously compromised during the time period under consideration. It is one thing to exercise one's right to criticize another belief system -- but many, MANY Calvinist clergy of that era crossed the line into outright hate-speech and deceit. (The Beechers, for example). In fact, the American Party (otherwise known as the "No-Nothing" Party) was a hotbed of anti-Catholic, anti-immigration American nativism.

Item: This is the most serious. The authors devote virtually all of the discussion of the causes of the Civil War to the single issue of slavery. That is just not historically accurate. (And I'm a conservative northerner!) While slavery was AN issue, and certainly a "hot button" issue, it was BY NO MEANS the ONLY issue -- or even the FIRST issue. The most significant issue concerned state's rights and the balance of power between the several states and the federal government. Another issue was one of economics, and the radically different economic views held by the North as opposed to the South. To play up the issue of slavery as THE issue just doesn't fly.

Item: The issue of Lincoln's attitude toward slavery is problematic. Yes, Lincoln was opposed to slavery. Yes, he was opposed to the expansion of slavery. However, his NUMBER ONE CONCERN, as is evidenced in his own writings, was the preservation of an intact Union, REGARDLESS of how the slavery issue turned out. This can easily be verified merely by reading the various citations on the first floor of the Lincoln Memorial.

So there it is: This is one conservative, northerner, Christian clergyman, homeschooling father who does NOT recommend this book as a primary text -- and frankly, I'm undecided on its value even as a secondary text.

Rating:
Summary: A well-written and interesting approach. . .
Review: . . .to American history. However, he is just plain wrong!

Don't get me wrong, I have a tremendous respect for Peter Marshall as a person. However, as with my reviews of his previous two books in this series, I find many flaws.

Item: (And this is technically not a flaw) The authors, in order to move the flow of the book along, do so by means of dialogue. This DOES have the advantage of making history come alive -- but the reader has to be alert that not all of the dialogue is historical, but rather based on what is known of the characters. This is especially important for homeschooling parents (and I am one) so their children will understand the difference.

Item: The authors tend to view American history filtered through their Calvinist theology. Unfortunately, if one is not using a Calvinist lens, their conclusions are far less convincing. It is quite true that many, many religious Americans in the 18th and 19th century WERE Calvinists; and it is equally true that many aspects of American civilization were highly influenced by Calvinist thought -- but there were other major influences as well, and these tend to be minimized. With Calvinists no longer having nearly the prominent influence in American society as they did 150 years ago, the average reader will have difficulty making the paradigm shift necessary to fully understand the author's perspective.

Item: One element which was NOT covered in this volume concerns the hideous persecution of Catholics in the United States -- by Calvinists, especially in the North. The ideas of religious freedom which were part of the founding documents in our land were seriously compromised during the time period under consideration. It is one thing to exercise one's right to criticize another belief system -- but many, MANY Calvinist clergy of that era crossed the line into outright hate-speech and deceit. (The Beechers, for example). In fact, the American Party (otherwise known as the "No-Nothing" Party) was a hotbed of anti-Catholic, anti-immigration American nativism.

Item: This is the most serious. The authors devote virtually all of the discussion of the causes of the Civil War to the single issue of slavery. That is just not historically accurate. (And I'm a conservative northerner!) While slavery was AN issue, and certainly a "hot button" issue, it was BY NO MEANS the ONLY issue -- or even the FIRST issue. The most significant issue concerned state's rights and the balance of power between the several states and the federal government. Another issue was one of economics, and the radically different economic views held by the North as opposed to the South. To play up the issue of slavery as THE issue just doesn't fly.

Item: The issue of Lincoln's attitude toward slavery is problematic. Yes, Lincoln was opposed to slavery. Yes, he was opposed to the expansion of slavery. However, his NUMBER ONE CONCERN, as is evidenced in his own writings, was the preservation of an intact Union, REGARDLESS of how the slavery issue turned out. This can easily be verified merely by reading the various citations on the first floor of the Lincoln Memorial.

So there it is: This is one conservative, northerner, Christian clergyman, homeschooling father who does NOT recommend this book as a primary text -- and frankly, I'm undecided on its value even as a secondary text.

Rating:
Summary: Readable and fiercely inspiring!
Review: A very good historical look of the history in the USA between the years 1836 -1860. What I found interesting was that it tells of people and events that are not known to most Americans. Who were Presidents James Polk or Zachery Taylor? This book talks about any strengthes or weaknesses that they may have had. The authors go into details about what happened during the war with Mexico. The struggles of how new states would be added to the republic, either free or slaves. All of this with a Christian perspective that does not cram religion down one's throat. I would recommend all three volume of theirs.

Rating:
Summary: Sounding Forth the Trumpet
Review: A very good historical look of the history in the USA between the years 1836 -1860. What I found interesting was that it tells of people and events that are not known to most Americans. Who were Presidents James Polk or Zachery Taylor? This book talks about any strengthes or weaknesses that they may have had. The authors go into details about what happened during the war with Mexico. The struggles of how new states would be added to the republic, either free or slaves. All of this with a Christian perspective that does not cram religion down one's throat. I would recommend all three volume of theirs.

Rating:
Summary: Readable and fiercely inspiring!
Review: I think that this is the best volume in Marshall and Manuel's "providential history" series. The material on the prayer revival of 1857-59 is easily worth the price of this book for any American believer.

A word about this series as a whole:

While I slightly prefer the treatment of the same subject in William P. Grady's WHAT HATH GOD WROUGHT to the ongoing history presented in this series, I will say that M & M's treatment of Lincoln and the spiritual causes of the civil war were, to me, far superior. I would still, however, recommend that you read both this series AND Grady's wilder, more hardcore fundamentalist approach. Between the two you will have much to consider.

All in all, a great read. AL

Rating:
Summary: a rebuttal to the first review
Review: Onesimus was a brother because he became a christian not because Paul adopted him. Paul was speaking spritually. Thats why Paul was sending Onesimus back to his master or Paul would have kept him with himself if he was an adopted child. Onesimus was a runaway slave and had to go back to his master but Paul didn't want his master to be mean to him so he said accept him as you would me. I just wanted to correct the first review on this issue. Thank you for your time.