Experience the American dream with today’s Patriot of the Past interview. I’m your host, John Gillespie.
It’s December 19, 1775. I’m in the Newburyport Massachusetts Presbyterian Church. It houses the remains of the Great Awakening evangelist, George Whitefield. Aaron Burr and a number of American officers are opening the coffin. The body is little more than dust.
JG: “Mr. Burr, what are you doing?”
AB: “John, we’re taking small pieces of Reverend Whitefield’s clothing for good luck charms for our officers.”
Carrying their relics, the American forces suffered a horrible winter in 1776, chewing on soap and nibbling candles for food. But soon the Americans turned from worshipping God’s messenger, George Whitefield, to worshiping God Himself.
Read more about the American motto – “In God We Trust.”
John and Jan Gillespie are the founders of the Rawhide Boys’ Ranch; they have fostered 351 teenagers and wrote the book Our 351 Sons; they have also assisted numerous churches in developing youth programs and expanding their total church ministries. After running for U.S. Senate, John founded 1776 American Dream, which exists to demonstrate the vision of our founding fathers and help our generation of youth passionately embrace those values.
