Forgotten Giants of the Faith

I came to know Christ as my personal savior when I was a senior in high school in Clifton Colorado. I was led to Christ by a dear saint who still is alive and still lives in Clifton, now in a retirement home. During the summer of 1957 I went to summer camp to the adult camp and there my life was radically transformed. I gave up a promising career in engineering which included a full tuition scholarship to the Colorado School of Mines. Led by people like Seth Wilson of Ozark Bible College, Leah Moshier of Kulpuhar Children's Home in India, and Erskine Scates, I made the decision to enter the ministry. I really didn't know what I was doing, but I set my course. Today I want to focus on the Scates' family.

When I refer to this family as forgotten giants, I need only to turn to The Encyclopedia of the Stone-Campbell Movement and tell you that the editors never planned to have an article included about Erskine Scates. A dear friend of the family, Tamsen Murray, was asked to write an article about Intermountain Bible College and she submitted both that article and one about Erskine. Fortunately the committee had sense enough to include it.

The patriarch of the family was Erskine E. Scates. His oldest son would be named Erskine E. Scates, and we always referred to him as Erskine Jr. Erskine Scates was born in Oklahoma in 1909 and was raised by two aunts. During the years I worked with E. E. Scates, I met both of the aunts on several occasions. Aunt Merle lived in Durango Colorado and Aunt Nono in Denver and later in Fruita Colorado. They were wonderful women and you could see the influence they had on Erskine.

E. E. Scates attended Phillips University and graduated with a BD and MA degree. During his career he would support himself as an evangelist by working in the mines, farming, and school teaching. He epitomized the concept of a tentmaker ministry. Only in the later years of Intermountain Bible College did he allow himself to be fully funded by the church or organization he served.

Always having a heart for the intermountain west he began his career as a state evangelist for the Disciples of Christ. But doctrinal issues soon arose and he went out on his own no longer supported by the Disciples of Christ. During his career he was responsible for either reopening or starting many of the churches in Western Colorado. At one point he was serving five or six different churches much like a circuit preacher. It was that commitment that brought those churches to life.

Intermountain Bible College began in 1946 as one of his dreams. The school would continue until 1985 when it closed due to financial and accreditation issues. Two years ago we had another reunion of the people involved in the school and around 200 people were at the meeting. The school did not leave a big footprint, but it did leave its mark.

Erskine also led in the establishment of churches in Utah, New Mexico, and Wyoming. Many of those churches are still going. He also encouraged the churches to start youth camps, two of which are still in operation.

The legacy of E. E. Scates is found in the people he inspired to serve Christ. He was a humble man who led a simple life. His only vice was driving a bit fast, but he never had an accident. Those of us who knew him said he must have had a company of angels who watched over him.

The greatest legacy he left behind was his family. Three generations of his family are involved in ministry. One of his grandsons ministers in Tonganoxie, Kansas, about 100 miles from Manhattan.

What spurred this blog was a letter I received from one of Erskine's sons—Harry D. Scates, named after one of Erskine's professors at Phillips. Following is an excerpt from that letter. Harry and Elaine Scates were visiting their daughter Ann who lives in Sweden. The boy David is Ann's son.

"Today we went to David's school.  It was his last day before Christmas vacation.  The children received some recognition awards and then some sweets.  Several of the parents were there. Elaine and I were there with Bo and Ann.  One of the fathers present was a black man from Africa.  He is married to a Swedish woman.  I was introduced to him.  When I told him my name is Harry Scates his face lit up and asked if I knew David Scates.  I told him I was his brother. 

 
 

"We talked for some time.  He told how David would go to Uganda when no one else would go.  How he lived just like them.  "He went where we went and he ran with us when we had to run".  I was really touched.  He said that he taught them great lessons including going out to the small villages and starting churches which they are still doing.  He told me that David's ministry is still bearing fruit.  Julius led the choir that traveled around with the team to the churches.  Of course he knew about David's death.  He spoke of Sarah Sanyu who was like an adopted daughter.  She died but her daughter is alive.  Also, he spoke of Eric Stadell.  I remember David and Peggy speaking of him.  Julius said that Eric lives in Stockholm and he is going to try to get hold of him.  It might work out for us to see him.                     

 
 

"He is going to talk with his wife and I imagine that we will get together before we leave.  He would love to hear from any of you.  I can tell that David made a real mark on his life."

 

Harry and Elaine went to Brazil in the early sixties. Harry had a vision to go to Brazil, but the leadership of the Brazil Christian Mission told Harry he could not come until he was married. So we watched Harry as he feverously tried to find a wife. He dated a lovely young woman who was from the Friends' Church, but she could not give up her faith to join him in Brazil. And then along came Elaine fresh out of Moody Bible Institute. They hit it off and were married.

 

Going to Brazil Harry and Elaine decided to become Brazilian citizens which was a significant sacrifice. Later their children would have the opportunity to declare whether or not they wanted to be Brazilian or American citizens and they all chose to become Brazilians. Harry began a work in Uberlandia which has grown to several thousand. He no longer heads up the church but has trained others who are doing the job. Harry and Elaine now travel around the world encouraging and teaching believers.

 

My heart was deeply touched by the names in the letter—Eric Staddell, a Swede who came with his wife and some friends to serve on the Navajo Reservation for a while. Julius, the brother from Uganda. I'm sure I met Julius when I was in Uganda. But at the top of the list—David Scates. David marked many lives, including mine. I would go to the mission field in Kenya because of the influence of David Scates.

 

Harry noted that in Uganda David became one with the people. David died in 1993 of some bug he picked up in Uganda. I was in Ukraine on a missions' trip when he died, so I did attend his funeral. The family asked me to write a memorial message for him for Christian Standard. With many tears I wrote the memorial for this great man.

 

At David's funeral the Navajos asked Peggy his wife if they could be permitted to handle the services in a Navajo fashion. Peggy gladly agreed and David was accorded the honors of a Navajo elder. The Navajos conducted the entire service including the burial. They prepared the family dinner to which hundreds of Navajos came. When asked why they wanted to do all this, they responded, "He was one of us." I can tell you that this is the highest compliment that a missionary can receive. And David was one of them. He ate their food, slept in their hogans and lived with them day in and day out.

 

David and Peggy had a daughter who was much younger than the rest of the children—Jennifer. David would be out visiting among the Navajos and come home without Jennifer. Peggy would ask, "Where is Jennifer?" David would then remember that he had left her at some Navajo home. Nothing to do but to go and collect her. I have a picture that hangs in my home of Jennifer and her Navajo grandmother, Grandma Clark. Several years ago I met Jennifer in Colorado Springs. She was married and had a daughter of her own. That daughter was the exact image of the girl in my picture.

 

The Scates have no memorials built to them, but those of us who worked with them know that they were giants in the faith.