Billy Graham Center
Archives

Papers of Elisabeth Howard Elliot - Collection 278

[Note: What follows is a description of the documents in this collection which are available for use at BGC Archives in Wheaton, Illinois, USA. The actual documents are not, in most cases, available online, only this description of them. Nor are they available for sale or rent. Some or all of this collection can be borrowed through interlibrary loan. ]

Table of Contents

Brief Description of This Collection

Title Page and Restrictions

Biography

An Essay on the Contents of the Collection (Scope and Content)

Lists of Audio Tapes and Photographs in This Collection (Location Records)
    Audio Tapes
    Photographs
    Videos
List of the Contents of Boxes of Paper Records in This Collection (Container List)


*****

Transcript 2


 Brief Description.
Correspondence, clippings, publicity releases, reviews, manuscripts and two tapes relating to Elliot's careers as a missionary in Ecuador and author; one recording is of an oral history interview about her childhood and college years.
Vol: 2 Boxes, 2 Audio Tapes, Photographs, 1 Video Tape

Collection 278
[September 1, 2004]
Elliot, Elisabeth Howard; 1926-
Papers; 1957-1983
2 Boxes (DC; 1.0 cubic feet), 2 Audio Tapes, Photos, 1 Video Tape


Restrictions

The copyrights to the manuscripts in this collection were retained by Elisabeth Elliot. Publication of any portion of the material in this collection requires the written permission of Elisabeth Elliot or, in the event of her death, her daughter, Valerie Shepard. This restriction applies until December 31, 2006.

Requests for permission should be directed to: Elisabeth Elliot Gren

Forms to be sent to the contact person should be obtained from the staff in the Reading Room.

THERE IS A TYPED TRANSCRIPT AVAILABLE FOR TAPE T2.


Biography

Elisabeth Howard was born December 21, 1926, in Brussels, Belgium, daughter of missionary parents, Philip E. Howard Jr. and Katherine Gillingham Howard, who were members of the Belgian Gospel Mission at the time of her birth. Elisabeth was one of a family of six. Other children were Philip, David, Virginia, Thomas, and James. The Howards returned to Philadelphia while Elisabeth was young and she grew up near Philadelphia where her father became editor of the Sunday School Times. She attended high school between 1940 and 1944 and applied to study at Wheaton in September, 1944. Her desire was to prepare to work as a translator of primitive languages.

While at the College, Elisabeth was involved in journalism as an editorial writer for the student paper, The Wheaton Record, and was a member of the staff of Tower, the yearbook. She was also a member of the debate team which became Northwest Champions in 1947 and was elected to Phi Kappa Delta, an honorary debate and forensic fraternity. This fraternity later honored her at its fiftieth anniversary in 1963. Her major was Greek, chosen to assist her desire to work on the mission field in linguistics. One of her fellow students was Jim Elliot, whom she later married, and who also had chosen Greek for the same reasons.

Elisabeth graduated in 1948 and enrolled that summer in the Summer Institute of Linguistics, Norman, OK, a training center under the auspices of the Wycliffe Bible Translators. She also attended Prairie Bible Institute, Three Hills, AB, Canada, as further preparation for mission work. During the summer of 1949, she worked in Canada with the Canadian Sunday School Mission, stopping to visit the Elliot family in Oregon after Jim Elliot's graduation that June.

In 1952, both Elisabeth and Jim left independently for Ecuador as mission workers. Elisabeth's assignment was with the Colorado Indians of the western jungle. Jim began work with the Quichua Indians of the eastern jungle area. When a flood necessitated rebuilding part of the station where Jim lived, he and Elisabeth decided to marry. The civil ceremony took place in Quito on October 8, 1953. Together they worked on the Quichua language and translation of the New Testament, under the sponsorship of Christian Missions in Many Lands. On February 27, 1955, their daughter Valerie was born.

Proximity of the remote Huaorani people (or as called by their neighbors Auca or savage)had previously stimulated Jim Elliot's determination to attempt contact and evangelization. In 1955, plans were made for contacting the Huaoranis. These plans included aerial reconnaissance flights with Nate Saint, Mission Aviation pilot, and bucket "drops" with gifts for the Huaoranis. Rudiments of the Huaorani language were studied and broadcast from the plane during these contacts. The language had been translated by Rachel Saint, sister of Nate, through her work with Dayuma, a refugee girl from the Huaorani tribe whose family had been killed by tribesmen.

On January 2, 1956, Saint and Elliot, with Pete Fleming, Roger Youderian and Ed McCully, landed on Curaray Beach and established a camp. After an apparently friendly visit from two women and a man from the Huaorani tribe, the five men were killed with wooden spears on January 8, 1956. The international attention focused on their deaths resulted in a request to write their story. Through Gates of Splendor was published in 1957, authored by Elisabeth. It was followed a year later by Shadow of the Almighty, a biography of Jim Elliot. His personal journals were edited by Elisabeth as The Journals of Jim Elliot and published in 1978.

Following her husband's death, Elisabeth decided to remain, with Valerie, and continue the work with the Quichua Indians in Ecuador. During the next two years, further contacts were made with the Huaorani tribes and in February 1959, Rachel Saint, Elisabeth and Valerie were able to move in with the tribe and live with the family group which had killed the men. There they studied the language and worked on translations. Their experiences were recorded in Elisabeth's book, The Savage My Kinsman. Jim Elliot's killers and other members of the tribe were later converted to Christianity. They explained to the women that the Huaorani man who had first contacted the white men had reported that their intent was to eat the Huaoranis.

In 1961, Elisabeth left the Huaorani tribe and returned to work with the Quichua Indians. She and Valerie came back to the United States in 1963, where Elisabeth subsequently became the wife of Addison H. Leitch, then professor of Philosophy and Religion at Tarkio College, MO. Author of five theological books, he later became professor at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, MA. Elisabeth was widowed once again when Leitch died September 18, 1973. The following year she was appointed Adjunct Professor at Gordon-Conwell and remained in that post until 1976. She returned to the Seminary once again in 1979.

Elisabeth contributed to many magazines, lectured, taught, and authored twelve other books. Among them are Who Shall Ascend, These Strange Ashes, Mark of a Man, Discipline, Passion and Purity, and Let Me Be a Woman. On December 21, 1977, she married Lars Gren, who had given up a career as a salesman and entered seminary. He became a hospital chaplain and later her agent. In 1981, Elisabeth Gren was appointed Writer-In-Residence at Gordon College, Wenham, MA.

Scope and Content


[NOTE: In the Scope and Content description, the notation "folder 2-5" means box 2, folder 5.]

This collection consists of two audio tapes, a few photographs, clippings, and manuscripts. The bulk of the material is a group of manuscripts of five of Elisabeth Elliot's books. Her first, Through Gates of Splendor, is not included. The Savage My Kinsman tells the story of Elliot's entrance into the Huaorani tribe with Valerie, her daughter, to live with them and study the language. It describes her experiences and the customs of the Indians. These Strange Ashes relates the story of the Colorado Indians of Ecuador, the tribe with which she worked as a translator before marrying Jim Elliot. Mark of a Man explores male-female similarities, differences, and relationships. The obedience required for discipleship, discerning calling and guidance, and the dimensions of discipleship are explored in Discipline. Passion and Purity deals with Christian love between a man and a woman, a book which drew on her personal love story before the two years of her marriage to Jim Elliot. These manuscripts are a valuable record not only for the events and content, but also for an insight into the creative writing and editing process (folders 2-1 through 2-8).

Different types of publicity for Elliot's first book, Through Gates of Splendor, include reviews and some Spanish language clippings (folder 1-3). Of particular interest is the copy of a sermon preached by Harold Ockenga at Park Street Church, Boston, MA, in 1957. In it, he retells the story of the five men who were killed and addresses the criticism of those who charged fanaticism (folder 1-9). Critical reactions to the books Shadow of the Almighty and Who Shall Ascend are in folders 1-10 and 1-11.

Tape T1 is the audio section of the television program "This is Your Life," hosted by Ralph Edwards, based on the life of Rachel Saint, including her work in Ecuador with languages and evangelizing through Dayuma, one of the Huaorani refugees who led both Elliot and Saint back into the Huaorani tribe two years after the deaths (see index of tape T1 below).

Tape T2 is an interview with Elliot by Robert Shuster made at the Billy Graham Center Archives. On it Elliot discusses her childhood and family, spiritual growth, and her years spent at Wheaton College where she met Jim Elliot (see index of tape T2 below).

Video V1 is an interview with Elliot by Andrea Veres made for Wheaton College's cable program, The Clip, in January 1992, on the Wheaton campus. During the interview Elliot discusses becoming an author and speaker, her years at Wheaton College, her life with Jim Elliot and living with the Huaorani tribe after the deaths.

A few photographs used in Through Gates of Splendor are in the photo file of that title, listed separately in another part of this guide. A small amount of correspondence (folder 1-2) deals primarily with publishing and publicity arrangements for Elliot's books. Please see the Container List of this guide for a detailed, dated list of the contents of each folder.

These records do not document entirely Elisabeth Elliot's two careers as missionary translator and author. However, they do include a spiritual and pragmatic perspective which her writing reflects as the result of her experiences. They are valuable for insights into missionary methods, challenges, frustrations, and successes as well as for the expression of her abilities as an author.

The following index is of an audio tape made during the television program This Is Your Life, hosted by Ralph Edwards. It took place on June 15, 1957, and covers the story of the life of Rachel Saint, missionary for Wycliffe Bible Translators, and her work with Huaorani Indians. Time elapsed in minutes and seconds is recorded to the left of the topics discussed on this tape. This index is keyed to the cassette copy and not to the reel-to-reel original. Although often referred to as Aucas on the audio tape, the Huaoranis are correctly titled in the tape index.

Tape T1 - side 1
00:00 Beginning of tape
00:05 Introduction of Rachel Saint, Dayuma, and description of reasons for their being brought to the U.S.A.
01:45 Saint's description of the work of Wycliffe
02:45 Description of Huaorani tribe, Ecuadorian cities, and massacre of Saint's brother, Nate Saint, with five other missionaries
03:45 Break in tape with voice explaining time out for commercials
04:15 Questions directed to Dayuma regarding the plane trip, ocean view
05:30 Introduction of Lawrence Saint, her father, and his reminiscences of her youth and helpfulness around the house
07:45 Introduction of Captain Samuel Saint, her oldest brother and an airline pilot
08:30 Introduction of close friend Pearl Walsh Alcott (Mrs. Woodrow) fellow student at Philadelphia School of the Bible
09:30 Introduction of Dr. Addison Rawd (?), director of Kesick Colony rehabilitation of alcoholics; episode of a fire in the building
11:00 Saint's work at the University of Oklahoma, Summer Institute of Linguistics
11:30 Training for jungle work; fear of insects and snakes
12:00 Desire to be sent to Peru to work with headhunting tribe; introduction of Loretta Anderson, fellow missionary to the Shopra Indians
13:30 Life among the Shopra Indians; description of making a food drink when chief's wife was sick; friendship of the chief and tribal members
15:30 Introduction of Don Burns, Director of Ecuador's Summer Institute of Lin guistics. Saint's assignment to work with four Huaorani tribe members to learn the language; concentration on Dayuma
17:15 Introduction of host of hacienda where Huaorani members were living, Senor Don Carlos Sevilla, with translations by Don Burns; Dayuma's desire to avenge deaths of her family
30:45 Conversion of chief Hadidi (?) and his wife; introduction of the chief, his wife and daughter (Loretta Anderson as interpreter); description of fear of evil spirits and chief's reaction to hearing the Gospel in his own language
32:45 Gifts to Saint, itinerary in the United States; gifts to Dayuma, chief, and check to build house in Ecuador
34:45 End of tape


Elisabeth Elliot was interviewed by Robert Shuster at the Billy Graham Center on March 26, 1985. The dates covered by the interview are between the early 1920s and 1948. Time elapsed in minutes and seconds is recorded to the left of the topics discussed in the interview. The index is keyed to the cassette copy and not to the reel-to-reel original. Although often referred to as Aucas on the audio tape, the Huaoranis are correctly titled in the tape index.

Tape T2 - Side 1 (Click to link to the transcript of this tape)
00:00 Beginning of tape
00:05 Introduction
00:30 Family background; parents and grandparents
02:00 Family anecdotes of years in Belgium where parents worked with Belgian Gospel Mission
05:15 Strict discipline and efficiency of home life
07:00 Family devotions; times and content
09:15 Backgrounds of mother and father
12:15 Mother's "switches" and effect on children
14:45 Influence and personalities of grandparents
16:00 Entertaining of missionaries in Howard home
16:45 Impact of Betty Scott Stam's death and prayer; Dr. Charles P. Scott, Mr. Vans teenberghe (Belgian Gospel Mission), Dr. L. L. Legters (one of founders of Wycliffe Bible Translators)
18:15 Elisabeth's spiritual development; response to calls for service on the mission field
20:00 Amy Carmichael's writing style, content of her books and their lifetime influence on Elisabeth
21:30 Expectations of mission work in the jungles; first date with Jim Elliot
22:45 Intellectual development and its encouragement from family reading, use of dictionary
25:45 Father's humility, influence of Wheaton trustee; daily routine; book of his editorials
29:30 Father's love of and skills in bird-watching; family members' private bird-calls
31:30 Churches attended briefly by Howard family; Plymouth Brethren as Elisabeth's choice after Wheaton College years
32:30 Reminiscences of Carl McIntyre
33:00 Personal reactions to early Sunday School and church experiences and teachers; parents' response to complaints
35:15 Reasons for choice of Wheaton College
35:45 Arrival at Wheaton; campus male-female ratio during war years
37:30 Rationing and dining hall food; veterans on campus
38:00 Dislike of freshman orientation activities; attendance at Youth for Christ rally in Chicago; singing in choir and Torrey Johnson's preaching
40:15 Dates in Chicago, one with Jim Elliot
40:45 Choir activities; recruiting at Wheaton College for YFC rally
41:30 Lack of dating while at Wheaton
42:30 Foreign Missions Fellowship at Wheaton; chapel speakers Harry Ironside, Stephen Olford and the spiritual journals begun by Elisabeth and Jim after his visit; Ruth Stull, Peruvian missionary; Dr. Joseph Macaulay, Wheaton Bible Church pastor
44:00 Friendship with Sunday School teacher, Catherine Cumming; her example of the cost of discipleship
46:00 End of side 1

Tape T2 - side 2
00:00 Beginning of side 2
00:05 Overlap from side 1
01:45 Friends on campus; Marsha Bell; Eleanor Vanderbort, Dr. Brooks; Corinne Smith
05:30 Dr. and Mrs. Tiffany
05:45 Dr. Clyde Kilby's personality and influence as a professor
07:45 Greek Major; Dr. Stone, Mrs. Ludwigson as Greek professors
09:15 Reasons for choice of Greek as a major
09:45 Extra-curricular activities at Wheaton in journalism
10:45 Literary society; debate team; Northwest championship in debating with col league
11:30 Subjects of debate; trips; Dr. Nystrom and Dr. Barker as speech coaches
14:45 Dr. Nystrom's reactions to student performances on debate teams
15:45 Housework for the Edman family
16:45 Reaction to Dr. Edman's chapel talks and his reaction to the Huaorani incident
17:45 Gold Star chapels as memorials to death of Wheaton College students in World War II
18:30 Plymouth Brethren; temporary building preceding Bethany Chapel in Wheaton; attendance at mid-week services; regular attendance at Wheaton Bible Church
19:30 Reasons for choice of membership with Plymouth Brethren; influence of Jim Elliot; New Testament church as model for the Brethren and biblical knowledge of members
20:45 Summary of influences of Wheaton College and friendships; awareness of intel lectual development and new relationship with Elisabeth's father
23:30 Assessment of Wheaton's preparation toward goal as a missionary; daily influ ence of Christian professors
25:00 End of tape


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Provenance

This material was received at the Center from Elizabeth Elliot Gren in August, 1982, July, 1983, March, 1984, and March 1985. Accession 92-20 was received from Kirk Hawthorne on behalf of the Wheaton College cable program, The Clip, in February 1992, with the approval of Elizabeth Elliot Gren.

Accession: 82-119, 83-83, 84-40, 85-48
April 3, 1985
Frances L. Brocker
J. Nasgowitz

Accession: 92-20
September 1, 2004, updated
Christian Sawyer

LOCATION RECORD
Accession: 82-119, 85-48
Type of Material: Audio Tapes
The items listed below are located in the AUDIO TAPE FILE:

 #

R/C

speed

length

Sides

Contents

Dates

T1

R

7-1/2

34 min.

1

Recording of This Is Your Life television program. Ralph Edwards hosts the story of the life of Rachel Saint, with guest Dayuma, Huaorani Indian Christian.

June 15, 1957

T2

R

3-3/4

70 min.

1

Interview with Elisabeth Elliot by Robert Shuster. Discussion of family life and years at Wheaton College.

March 26, 1985

*****

 LOCATION RECORD
Accession: 82-119
Type of Material: Photographs
The items listed below are located in the PHOTO FILE; request by the Folder titles at the beginning of each entry below.

THROUGH GATES OF SPLENDOR. Marjorie Saint, and son Philip; Nate Saint with Roger Youderian and an Huaorani male; Cover of Through Gates of Splendor. 4 b&w.

*****

 LOCATION RECORD
Accession: 92-20
Type of Material: Videos
The Archives has one copy of each video, unless otherwise noted. The following items are in the VIDEO FILE:

#

Type

b&w/c

Length

Title

Description

Date

V1

vhs

c

11 min.

Interview with Elisabeth Elliot

Interviewed by Andrea Veres, camera by Kirk Hawthorne, for Wheaton College cable program, The Clip. Topics include life at Wheaton College, becoming an author and speaker, attraction to Jim Elliot at Wheaton, learning an unwritten language, living among the Huaorani after husband was martyred, original plans to make contact with the Huaorani, and Elliot’s Spring 1992 chapel series at Wheaton.

January 1992

CONTAINER LIST
Box Folder Item
1 1 Clippings, notes; 1957-1960, n.d.
1 2 Correspondence: Elliot, Elisabeth, 1957-1984, n.d.
Through Gates of Splendor
1 3 Clippings, Spanish; 1957, n.d.
1 4 Magazine Clippings; l957
1 5 Magazine Clippings; 1958-1965, .d.
1 6 Newspaper Clippings; 1957-1965, n.d.
1 7 Promotional Releases; n.d.
1 8 Publicity; 1957-1958, n.d.
1 9 Sermon: Ockenga, Harold; May 15, 1957
1 10 Shadow of the Almighty: Clippings; 1958-1964
1 11 Who Shall Ascend: Clippings; 1968-1970
Manuscripts
2 1 The Savage My Kinsman, Elliot, Elisabeth; 1959-1960
2 2 These Strange Ashes, Elliot, Elisabeth; 1974
Mark of a Man
2 3 Elliot, Elisabeth; Chapters 1-24; 1980
2 4 Elliot, Elisabeth; Chapters 25-44; 1980
Discipline
2 5 Elliot, Elisabeth; Chapters 1-8; January 1982
2 6 Elliot, Elisabeth; Chapters 9-13; January 1982
Passion and Purity
2 7 Elliot, Elisabeth; Chapters 1-16, 1983
2 8 Elliot, Elisabeth; Chapters 17-41, 1983

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Last Revised: 9/8/04
Expiration: indefinite