Dawson Trotman & His Navigators
Produced by The King’s Business in cooperation with Betty Skinner of the Navigators
T he death of Dawson Trotman, president of the Navigators, has stunned the Christian world. When Evangelist Billy Gra ham heard the news his first re action was, “ I can’t believe it.” Then in a quiet, even voice he re peated several times, “ 0 God, I want to rededicate my life.” Anyone knowing Dawson Trot man would fully understand why Billy Graham should be so greatly moved. At 50, Dawson Trotman had perhaps the most unusual and far-reaching ministry of any man of his generation. His followers have a dedication and precision that would make the Hitler Youth Movement look like a disorganized band of gypsies. His magnetic per sonality drew around him a hard, disciplined core of followers who, using his austerely simple tech niques, have literally revolution ized evangelism. Death came to Dawson Trotman on the afternoon of June 18. He and eight others were riding with Evangelist Jack Wyrtzen in a speed boat on Schroon Lake, N.Y., during the Navigators’ East Coast confer ence. When the boat struck a wave Dawson and Allene Beck, a camper, were thrown overboard. Having been reminded that Allene couldn’t swim, Dawson had moved to a seat next to her. After both went under he pulled her up and held her up, treading water until the boat cir cled back to the scene. Two swim mers dived out of the boat, and a rope and a life buoy were thrown to Dawson. Just as the girl let go and clung to one of the swimmers Dawson, having apparently lost consciousness, slipped under the water. The lake was dredged all afternoon and for the next two days. On the third day the body
That fall she encouraged him to quit his job and attend the Bible Institute of Los Angeles. It was her financial help that made it possible. He graduated in 1931 and two years later launched the world wide work of the Navigators. The organ iza tion was built around what Dawson considered the four basics for a healthy Chris tian life: the Word, prayer, wit nessing, obedience. From the first it was a man-to-man presentation using the pattern which Paul gave to Timothy: “ And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also” (2 Tim. 2:2). He felt it was not enough to introduce a friend to Christ but that he must teach him the things concerning Christian growth, that he in turn might teach another. At first Dawson worked only with sailors. Dawson’s first zealous convert to his system was Lester Spencer of the battleship West Vir ginia (Spencer is now with the American Sunday School Union). When Spencer saw Dawson’s rapid- fire familiarity with the Word he told him, “ I’d give my right arm to be able to witness like you.” “No, you wouldn’t,” Trotman said. Spencer’s Scotch-Irish jaw thrust forward. “ I said I would.” For the next three months Trotman coached Spencer as he learned to study his Bible, memorize Scrip ture, counsel his buddies concern ing Christianity and live a life aboard ship that would be an ex ample for any sailor to follow. Spencer began to train a friend in the same way of life, then the sec ond helped another. The method has been working to this day. By Pearl Harbor Trotman’s Nav-
was recovered from 50 feet of wa ter by Alfred Popp, a skin diver who had heard radio reports of the tragedy. Dawson was an excellent swimmer and had been water ski ing earlier in the day. For several years he had had a heart condition but an autopsy showed he died from drowning. Dawson Trotman was born in Bisbee, Ariz. in 1906. The son of an English immigrant who came to America to be a cowboy (he realized his dream after breaking two legs in riding rugged cow ponies), Dawson grew to love ad venture, a trait which characterized him all of his life. From the min ing town of Bisbee, the family moved to California. There Daw son grew up in the little town of Lomita, near Los Angeles. One of his favorite stunts during high school days was to drive dowrf' the streets of Lomita with the throttle of his old car wide open, steering from the back seat with his feet. After school he got a job in a lum beryard. (For more on these early days see the account by his high school friend, Graham Tinning.) In later years Dawson recalled that one of the greatest influences in his early life was Miss Irene Mills. She was his general science teacher in grammar school and la ter leader of the youth group in the Presbyterian church Dawson at tended. Before he was a Christian, Daws was the winner of a Bible memory contest held by Miss Mills. She says only the recording angel knows when Daws accepted the Lord but one day in 1929 herCame close to having a bad accident while riding his motorcycle and then and there he knelt by the roadside and recalling John 5:24 got right with the Lord.
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