Book Summary
Through Gates of Splendor
Through Gates of Splendor is an amazing book about the life of five missionaries that gave all for the cause of Christ. Nate Saint, Roger Youderian, Ed McCully, Pete Fleming, Jim Elliot and their wives are fantastic illustrations of Christians who saw past the temporal and saw the eternal. This book is a great picture of what selfless Christianity looks like.
Through Gates of Splendor tells the story of a group of individuals who teamed up to reach Indians in South America. The beginning of the book gives us a glimpse into the lives of these men. The interesting thing about these individuals is that they could have been “successful” in many earthly ambitions. All five of the men involved in the mission to the Aucas were gifted individuals. These men chose to use their talents and abilities for more than just wealth or popularity. The book describes how each one of them dedicated their lives to bring honor and glory to God.
Another intriguing thing that is noted in the book, is how these men had a burden to share the gospel with unreached people. They pursued people groups that most people would have deemed unreachable or unnecessarily difficult. They had to learn unwritten languages and share the gospel with people who had never heard the name of Jesus. These men worked hard to figure out ways to communicate the love of Christ in anyway possible. As the book unfolds and you read of how these men figured out ways to communicate with the Aucas, Nate Saint, the pilot, worked on amazing ways to use his plane to distribute gifts and communicate with the people around him. These men and their wives gave their lives to sitting by radios, making meals, clearing trees, and flying planes in order to reach savage Indians. Sometimes we think of missionary life as 24/7 preaching and soul-winning, but we learn through the pages of this book that these missionaries lives were consumed by doing practical tasks for the purpose of reaching the South American Indians for Christ. It’s amazing to see all the hard work and daily dedication of winning indians to Christ. There is no greater display of this burden than in Nate Saints own writing.“May we who know Christ hear the cry of the damned as they hurtle headlong into the Christless night without ever a chance. May we be moved with compassion as our Lord was. May we shed tears of repentance for these we have failed to bring out of darkness. Beyond the smiling scenes of Bethlehem may we see the crushing agony of Golgotha. May God give us a new vision of His will concerning the lost and our responsibility.”
The conclusion of the book is probably the most familiar part of the story. Most people know of how these five inspiring missionaries were killed. The part that jumps off the pages though is the grace of God exhibited in their lives and their deaths. As you read through, you can feel their excitement as they make contact with the Aucas, but even through that excitement you can sense the caution in their writings. As the news came in about the murders of the men on the missionary team, you can see the peace of God that passeth all understanding in the behavior of the missionary wives. These women lost their family members but still made huge strides to reach the Aucas.
I would recommend this book to any Christian desiring to see an illustration of selfless Christianity. These families demonstrate a love for God and a dedication for his service that is not usually seen in modern Christianity.
Character Sketch
Jim Elliot
Jim Elliot is a very intriguing individual. He and his fellow missionaries highlight the necessity for living with eternity in mind. Colossians 3:2 asserts “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” Every Christian is challenged by the Word of God to live a life that is focused on eternity. This is a trait that most of us lack. As I read this book, I was confronted by my lack of eternal vision. One of my favorite quotes by Jim Elliot in this book is in his response to those who would compel him to stay in America. Jim Elliot said, “I dare not stay home while Quichuas perish. What if the well-filled church in the homeland needs stirring? They have the Scriptures, Moses, and the prophets, and a whole lot more. Their condemnation is written on their bank books and in the dust on their Bible covers.” I think his observation of modern Christianity is very true. We fail to see the eternal needs while we chase the things of the world. I am guilty of this many times myself. Our hearts should echo the sentiments of Nate Saint. "When life's flight is over, and we unload our cargo at the other end, the fellow who got rid of unnecessary weight will have the most valuable cargo to present to the Lord.” “Through Gates of Splendor” leaves us with an example of imperfect people that have given themselves wholly to the eternal work of God. From an earthly standpoint the loss of five talented men seems like a waste, but as we look at the eternal we see five men who have laid up there treasures in heaven. After reading this book, I fully believe these men would accept the challenge again, even if they knew it would cost them their lives. This is how I would like my life to be characterized.