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School House - Elliot
Jim Elliot, born 1927, was one of four children born to Fred and Clara Elliot in Portland, Oregon USA. The Elliots were rather conservative Christians who thought it quite right to take their children to all the church services from 6 weeks old. They balanced their godly teaching with fun, physical activities and education. By the time Jim was 6 years old he announced to his parents that Jesus could return again anytime now, because he was now saved.
Jim was an energetic, forthright type of child and by the time he reached high school, he witnessed boldly for his Lord. He thought nothing of carrying a Bible on top of his textbooks and took every opportunity to preach the gospel. He kept busy at home and willingly carried out the many necessary chores during the Depression. When World War II broke out, he was a conscientious objector because he felt this best followed the Lord's example.
In 1945 he entered Wheaton College committed entirely to obedience to God, knowing that obedience is the test of whether we really live 'in God' or not. The life of a man who professes to be in God must bear the stamp of Christ. God was drawing his heart strongly to mission work, in particular unreached peoples, and his choice of subjects, activities, sport, food and friendships throughout his college life were to prepare him for the rigours of missionary work and obedience to God. Many times these decisions were not popular ones but he wanted most of all to earn the title A.U.G. - Approved Unto God.
He met Betty Howard during college years, whose vision was similar to his own and they recognised something more than friendship, but both were committed to service to God and were prepared to wait patiently for His timing, if at all. Towards the end of his college life, he 'loosened' up a little from his strict discipline, but he never deviated from his devotion to God's Word and obedience to Christ.
After graduating from Wheaton College in 1949, Jim Elliot spent almost four years teaching, preaching, working with troubled young people and became heavily involved in missions. He undertook a linguistic course and found his vision narrowing to Latin America and then Equador. His relationship with Betty was still unsettled but both were prepared to commit it entirely to God.
During this time college friendships with Pete Fleming and Ed McCully became strong. Their lives were running almost parallel to his. Dr Tidmouth and his wife, missionaries in Equador, had a profound influence on Jim and the others and by the end of 1951 the Quincha peoples were the target for missionary work. Early in 1952 Jim Elliot was on his way to Equador. He was still single but waiting for God's timing.
The next 18 months was spent living with, learning from and loving the Indians. He married his beloved Betty in October 1953 and continued with the Flemings and McCullys to reach out to smaller tribal areas and one group in particular took their heart - the Aucas. For 2 years prayer and plans were made for friendship building excursions into the area. This met with some success via gifts and a few spoken Auca words learned from the only 'civilised' Auca known.
They now felt time had come for a face to face contact with the Aucas and five men were involved - Pete Fleming, Ed McCully, Nate Saint the pilot, Roger Youderian and Jim Elliot. On 3 January 1956 they landed on a river beach in Auca territory. The thrill of Jim's life came on Friday 6 January when he took the hand of one of the three Aucas who came out of the jungle to meet them. Two days later "the quiet waters of the Curaray River flowed over the bodies of the five comrades, slain by the men they had come to win for Christ" as their wives waited by the radio for news from their husbands of contact with the Aucas.
Within a few short years, the Auca tribe was reached and many people, including the killers, had their stone age savagery changed by the love of Jesus Christ.
Jim Elliot died at just 29 years of age but lived by his own credo written as a college student in 1949: "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose."
In 1950 he wrote: "I must not think it strange if God takes in youth those whom I would have kept on earth till they were older. God is peopling Eternity, and I must not restrict Him to old men and women."
