Envision 1790 simply put is a Rural Life Preservation; to preserve a period in time when our Founding Fathers laid the Christian foundations that built the greatest nation on earth all in God’s name. This Envision is a unique concept of using the rustic 1790 settings to develop a multi-functional property that allows visitors a chance to see how important God was and is in all of our lives.
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Abel's Landing
An area of Springfield long forgotten and now overgrown with weeds is along the Natalbany River. It once stood as a mile long pier and shipping docks know as Abel’s Landing. Efforts are underway to recreate some of these boardwalks along the Natalbany River, and would connect the proposed Springfield Heritage Park to Envision 1790 Rural Life Museum. This nature trail would introduce visitors to the history of Springfield’s waterfront. History like the old 1800’s Spanish Fort that once stood in the area, or the importance of the Florida Parishes revolt against this fort. Other interesting facts about this spot along the Natalbany River is how it is long believed to be the beginnings of the Natchez Trace where boatmen, after traveling down the Mississippi River delivering their goods, journeyed back north along this famous path. Other attractions could include a swamp tour, a Civil War gunboat, or a replica of the Mayflower docking at this pier.
Springfield Heritage Park
A proposed park called Springfield Heritage Park, to be built near the Natalbany River bridge and highway 22, would host many family picnics and reunions along with school groups on class field trips.
The Livingston Parish Museum
Still standing after more than 180 years. This building on 2nd Street in Springfield was originally built as a bank in 1832 and then served as the parish courthouse from 1835-1872, being the perfect place to showcase the parish’s history as The Livingston Parish Museum.
Monthly Topics:
(Dec 2014) Envision 1790 Rural Life Museum. Envision 1790 Rural Life Museum is a proposed historical town dedicated to the preservation of our Founding Fathers way of life. The mission of Envision 1790 is to recreate a town as it looked in the early days of this nation for the purpose of reminding visitors of our Judeo-Christian Foundations laid by our Forefathers. Special attention will be place on catering to area schools for fieldtrips with historically correct information.
(Jan 2015) Springfield Heritage Preservation. One proposed site for Envision 1790 Rural Life Museum is Springfield Louisiana, as part of an overall historical preservation of the town of Springfield. This project would include several major components, all interconnecting. Envision 1790 Rural Life Museum would be built between 2nd Street and the Natalbany River. Secondly, to recreate Abel's Landing, a pier and boardwalk that once stood along the riverfront and was the center of commerce in Springfield many years ago. Thirdly, reopen the old 1832 Courthouse in Springfield as The Livingston Parish Museum. The fourth proposed project is Forefather’s Gift Shop. While the fifth component would include A Children’s Museum dedicated to introducing today’s youth to toys andgames of Colonial America. And the final project is to develop the wooded area off Highway 22 at the Natalbany River Bridge into Pardue Park and picnic area.
(Feb 2015) Envision’s Message. Envision 1790 is the vehicle to help deliver a deep life changing message. Each month of this calendar builds upon the overall theme of Envision which is help understand man’s heart and then to help facilitate an atmosphere in which the Holy Spirit can speak into man’s heart leading to this life changing experience with the Living God. To see our moral decline by first comparing ourselves to a more Godly time period like the 1790’s.
(March 2015) The John 3:19 Effect. We have all heard of John 3:16 “for God so loved the world that He gave His only Son…” But to read farther is to begin to understand man’s heart and therefore man’s motives. John 3:19-21 reads “and this is the condemnation…men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone that doeth evil hateth the light (Christ)”. So man likes sin and hides in the dark to enjoy his sinful life. This action causes a reaction as man does not want anyone to judge what is called sin. The John 3:19 effect is man building a wall of protection around his sinful life and lashing out at Christianity because it makes him feel guilty of his sin. Hence, the slow decline of morality in our culture is cause by man pulling society in the darkness in order to enjoy a sinful life style.
(April 2015) Envision 1790 is a Parable. Christ spoke in parables because it helps people become part of His stories, which then opens the door for the Holy Spirit to give “instant understanding” to the message. Man has built walls of protection to hide sin; any direct condemnation of that sin causes man to retract and therefore the message falls on death’s ear. Envision 1790 is parable; one design to help create the atmosphere for the Holy Spirit to get around man’s defenses and truly see just how far from Christ we as individuals and we as a nation have strayed from God. This quite comparison is done without any spoken words, only spotlighting the history of our Forefather’s way of life.
(May 2015) The Emotional Man. Man has surface emotions that are easy to manipulate. Man has deeper emotions that should override surface emotions. God is the center of all emotion therefore God should override all societal manipulations of emotions. Envision is to understand that society clashes with our Christian faith and that today’s society uses surface emotion manipulation to win arguments.
(June 2015) God Stands at the Doorway of Eternity. Death is a very deep emotion for mankind. Sermons at funerals often touch deep within all of us. It’s a time when we consider our relationship with God and where we will spend eternity. To envision history is to envision your place in eternity, therefore history can evoke those same emotions within man. So Envision 1790 is a look back into history which helps create the atmosphere for the Holy Spirit to touch that deep life changing emotion within man.
(July 2015) Envision thru God’s eyes. To envision history is to envision eternity is to envision death is to envision thru God’s eyes. What will history say about our lives; more importantly what will God say about our lives? To Envision thru God’s eyes is to consider that moment at the end of life standing next to God and looking back over life. What would we have done differently? Now begin looking at each day until that day when we all meet Jesus and begin now envisioning thru God’s eyes.
(Aug 2015) All Men are allowing God to Decrease. Man likes sin and man hides his sin in the darkness (John 3:19). The boldness of today’s society against our Christian Heritage stems from the desire not to be judged. If man likes the darkness than less God means less light shining upon our sin, therefore we all are allowing God to decrease. One test to this statement is to ask if a Pastor could ever get elected to run this country; most likely not. But consider the 1790’s when the majority of the signers of the Declaration of Independence were Ordain Ministers. Our current government is a representation of the dark side of our hearts; therefore we collectively are allowing God to decrease.
(Sept 2015) Envision’s Deeper Message. Envision’s message is to first understand man’s heart and then prepare it for revival. Man likes sin and man has built a wall of protection around his sinful life. Any direct challenge of man’s sin will be meet with rebellion. But, Envision 1790 is a parable that uses history to touch man’s deeper emotion of God and eternity. By comparing our lives to that of our Forefathers will bring conviction upon our lives and then true revival can begin.
(Oct 2015) Brush Arbor Revival. Back in May of 2013, Envision 1790 hosted the first 1790’s style Brush Arbor Revival. The message was to compare our lives to another more Godly standard like the 1790’s and the examples that our Founding Fathers gave. By creating a rustic atmosphere like the brush arbor stage, surrounded by covered wagons, worshipers briefly forgot about today’s standard of morality and envision themselves back in time. With God’s help more of these Brush Arbor Revivals will take place. Envision 1790 Rural Life Museum is the outreach while these Brush Arbor Revivals are the main ministry side of this Envision.
(Nov 2015) Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is a good representation of combining history with a religious holiday. This year join in celebrating the earliest of our Christian Foundations laid by our Forefathers the Pilgrims. Envision yourself back in the fall of 1621 and how much faith everyone shared as they gave thanks to the Lord God Almighty on this first Thanksgiving Day.
(Dec 2015) Christmas. Christmas Season is the most joyful time of the year as we Christians celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. Even so, some find offense with the child savior because He represents judgment one day. So if you encounter a Scrooge this year try envisioning thru God’s eyes and understand Christ’s forgiveness is free. You will be blessed if you return the Scrooge’s remarks with a heartfelt “Merry Christmas” and “God Bless”.
