COMMENTS BY CHRISTIAN LEADERS
was go to Daws and apologize for my treatment of him and ask his forgiveness. I couldn’t have had a warmer reception from anyone. Dr. S. H. Sutherland, President of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles, Inc. I have known Dawson Trot man since 1929. Through the years we at B io l a have seen the evidence of the value of his Navigators’ work. He directed many of the servicemen to this school for their training. The Navigators have al ways stood out among their fellow students because of their knowledge of the Word of God, their zeal in personal work and their over-all spiritual alertness. We here at B io l a have had in mind to confer an honorary degree (doctor of di vinity) upon Dawson within the near future. But that is not neces sary now for he has entered in his inheritance and a crown of right eousness has been presented to him —an honor which would make any human honor fade into utter and complete insignificance. ing. His meetings which he lead in Christian Endeavor were com pletely thought out and probably over the heads of some of his lis teners. The whole gang came, how ever, when Daws was leading as they could expect some good laughs and Dawson would certainly bring up some amazing ideas. Everywhere that Daws went he talked about Christ and what exper iences he was having as a believer. He went from extreme disbelief to strong aggressive belief. Even in those days Daws was a dominant figure in any group. His language was not always the King’s English but everyone knew Dawson and what he thought and why. We can look back now and see what an organizer he was then only to real ize how he was practicing for the years in which he built up Navi gators not as an organization to glorify Daws or any human being but as an organization with only one purpose, that of presenting Christ and the way of salvation.
and right now we have nearly a quarter of a million taking the courses. When I was at B io l a I remember Dawson coming in on his motorcycle from the beach every day. He would pull into B i o l a memorizing verses of Scrip ture. And I remember two or three times he challenged my own life by saying to me, “Are you hiding God’s Word away in your heart?” Evangelist Jim Vaus. About 20 years ago when I was a student at B io l a I was invited to speak with a team in the home Daws had in Long Beach. After I finished my address he called me over to one corner and he said, “ You’re noth ing but a phony.” And he proceed ed to tell me how he detected this in my life and that I really didn’t know Christ. He said that I had better get squared away with Christ. I bore a real grudge against Daws for many years after that. Years later I was saved in the Billy Graham campaign in Los Angeles and one of the first things I did All during this time Dad Tin ning, Irene Mills and Laura Thom as used to have conferences with Daws when he was around. And he was always willing to talk and argue as long as they could stand up. Even in those days he was very thorough. He could remember ar guments brought up by the long shoremen on the docks as they ate their lunches. And Satan certainly was working to win but how glori ously the Holy Spirit dealt with Dawson. Somewhere along here Dad Tinning prevailed upon the elders to allow a “ Fishermen’s Club to be organized” and held in the church edifice. Dawson had begun to grow in things of the Spirit as was manifest by his use then (think of it) of small cards on which he listed verses that impressed him. He carried them with him every where and he told everyone at chùrch and at Patten Blinn and Fishermen’s Club what he was do
William G. Nyman, Secretary-trea surer, Wycliffe Bible Translators, Inc. Shortly after our incorporation in 1942 we asked Dawson to serve as a member of our board of direc tors. His advice in screening candi dates for Wycliffe membership was invaluable, e sp e cia lly when we were considering so called “ border line cases.” A large segment of Wycliffe’s 593 Bible translators are the result of Dawson’s personal in terest in helping Christian young people find an outlet of service. Dr. Bob Pierce, President of World Vision, Inc. People in America have very little conception of what a contribution Dawson Trotman and the Navigators have made to the cause of missions world-wide. This outreach of Dawson Trotman has already blessed every one of the missionaries in Korea. Dr. Dick Hillis, Director of Orient Crusades. We are using the Navi gator memory system and the Bible study course throughout the Orient
Dawson Trotman by Graham Tinning, 'Executive Director, Forest Home Christian Conference Center said. Frequently he would bring up parts of dad’s sermon. Remem ber, he was very much “ anti church” in those days and came to criticize and to see the girls and other fellows. He’d not bring up the simple questions but would get started on such issues like “ Is man a free moral agent and if so why does he need God?” or “How can you call yourself a Christian— you’re no different than anyone else,” or what is “ this thing called propitiation?” That was rough be cause I could hardly pronounce the word and my own theology was a bit sketchy at that time. two of us might be up to) and the townspeople came each year.
Daws used to work with me when we kids in the high school Christian Endeavor society put on an Easter sunrise service each year. Somehow we wrote our own pub licity and actually got it in the Lomita, San Pedro, Wilmington and Long Beach papers. We got speakers and choirs, even police (part of the reason two officers came was to see just what one or
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