CHARIOTS OF FIRE

My wife and I just returned from a trip to Ireland and Scotland, and though it might be considered a pat phrase, “It was the trip of a lifetime.”

One of the most poignant ingredients of the tour was our visit to St. Andrews, Scotland. Poignant because the opening scene of “Chariots of Fire” was filmed here; (though in the film, it is characterized as England).

One of the two major real-life characters portrayed in the movie was Eric Liddell; winner of the 400 meter run at the 1924 French Olympics.

But to return to my train of thought.

As the movie begins, we see a group of twelve or fifteen white-clothed male athletes jogging in the surf along West Beach, St. Andrews, Scotland. Of course, the two major characters are included in the bunch; Harold Abrahams and Eric Liddell.

As the initial scene concludes, we notice the runners turn from the beach to the 18^th hole of St. Andrews Golf Course, jump over a three foot, white railed fence, and proceed towards a group of large archaic buildings in the background.

Of course, I could not leave St. Andrews without recreating the jogging scene. My wife remained on the promenade while I walked about 400 yards to an entrance road which slopped downward onto West Beach.

With this, I began to walk back along the beach towards my wife. When I was within fifty yards of my goal, I waved at Jean to begin filming, and I, subsequently, began to recreate the jogging scene; (as so many have done before me).

Pt. 2

Unfortunately, twenty minutes later she revealed the bad news to me. It seems it was impossible to see the red dot on her smart phone screen in the intense sunlight of the beach. She thought she had started the video, but, well, no. I was left with a couple of still photos of yours truly on the beach. Of course, I was disappointed since it’s doubtful I will ever return.

While I like the movie a great deal, I like one of the major characters, (to whom I have previously referred) a great deal more.

Eric Liddell was born in China to Scottish missionaries, and his brother and he attended Scottish schools in their absence. It seems he only saw his parents once during one extended period of eleven years.

Liddell was a devout Christian, and if you saw the movie, (or even if you didn’t), he traded his favored 100 meter sprint with another team member for the 400 meter race; simply because he would not run on a Sunday.

I have been watching a documentary related to the major characters in “Chariots of Fire.” One of the lesser actors from the movie hosts this bit of film footage. And interestingly enough, (at least to me) there are a large number of archival segments scattered throughout the documentary.

One especially interesting feature is the inclusion of several segments which depict the running styles of Abrahams and Liddell. Abrahams tended to move his left and right arms inward towards his waist as he ran; not generally thought of as the best way of doing things. Liddell was prone to spin his arms in forward circles, like a windmill, as he neared the finish line.

Pt. 3

In the movie, “Chariots of Fire,” Eric tells his sister, Jenny that he had something to do before he responded to his eventual calling.

“Jenny, God made me fast. And when I run I can sense His pleasure.”

As the documentary spins its way towards its conclusion, the host presents a short segment from Eric’s 400 meter gold winning race. As he crosses the finish line, and jogs to a halt, Eric stands almost like a Greek god; a self-assured contentedness about his countenance.

While I am especially enamored with Eric Liddell’s athletic abilities, (and they were impressive), I am even more transfixed with what the man went on to do, and become.

I have often thought that they who read the great authors and watch those ancient fading celluloid films are rather like the Old Testament prophets. These many years hence, we KNOW “the end from the beginning.” We know THEIR ends from their beginnings. We know the trials and triumphs which ultimately befell all of them.

The last full day I spent in Scotland, and just before flying home, I went off on my own in Edinburgh. And before our nearest star dipped beneath the Irish Sea that day, I walked a mile to the National Museum of Scotland, and took in literally thousands of exhibits; among its six floors and a million square feet of space.

However, one item stood out from all the rest.

A 1x1 foot silk square on which was painted a couple of fading flowers. It seems an accomplished Chinese artist did the painting, and presented it to Eric Liddell for having saved his life; the details of which I am unable to comment. And for whatever reason, Eric had affixed his signature below the flowers. Of course, I had to have a photograph.

Pt. 4

And with the foregoing bit of information, I have provided an implication of all the man went on to do, and become.

He was a great athlete, but it was the spiritual race Eric ran which really impressed me. Liddell went on to serve as a missionary in the same theater of operations as his parents before him.

China

When the Japanese occupation made their lives dangerous, Rev. Liddell sent his pregnant wife, Florence, and their two daughters to Canada. The Japanese military placed Eric in a primitive prison camp; without the benefit of running water or indoor bathrooms.

In China, separated from his family, Eric lived several years in Weihsien Internment Camp; before dying at age forty-three of a brain tumor. (In 1944, a year before Eric died, Winston Churchill approved a prisoner exchange. As a famous athlete, Eric was granted freedom to return home. Instead, he gave his spot to a pregnant woman; a good indication of the character of the man).

Margaret Holder, a 13 year old resident of the camp, shared a story that illustrates Liddell’s Christlike character. In the camp, the children played basketball, and hockey, and “Uncle Eric” served as their ref­eree. Not surprisingly, even here he refused to referee on Sundays. But in his absence on the field on Sunday, the children fought. Liddell struggled with this. He felt he shouldn’t prevent the children from play­ing, because they so sorely needed the diversion in this place.

Finally, Liddell decided to referee the games on Sundays. This made a deep impression on Margaret. She understood that this world famous athlete, well-known for sacrificing success for principle was, however, not a legalist. When it came to his own glory, Liddell would surrender everything, rather than run on Sunday. But when it came to the welfare of children in a prison camp, he would do what he had to do.

Pt. 5

Mary Taylor Previte, imprisoned at Weihsien as a child, referred to this extraordinary missionary as, "Jesus in running shoes." 

Dr. David J. Mitchell, who was also one of the children in the camp, said Rev. Liddell taught the children his favorite hymn:

By still, my soul, the Lord is on thy side;
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change He faithful will remain
Be still, my soul, thy best, thy heavenly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Dr. Mitchell also testified that, (paraphrased)

“Eric Liddell often taught on the passages in I Corinthians 13 and Matthew 5. These chapters from the New Testament characterize the secret of his selfless and humble life. Only on rare occasions, and only when requested, would Rev. Liddell refer to his refusal to run on the Sunday and his Olympic gold medal.

Not only did our missionary organize sports in the camp, but while there he helped many people through his teaching and tutoring. He gave special care to the elderly, the weak, and the infirmed; to whom the conditions in camp were very challenging. He was consistently involved in Christian meetings and church services which were an integral part of camp life.

Despite the squalor of open cesspools, rodents, insects and disease in the crowded camp, life took on a very normal routine; though without the faithful and cheerful support of Eric Liddell, many people would never have been able to hold up.”

Pt. 6

He continued.

“None of us will ever forget this man who was totally committed to putting God first; a courageous role model whose humble life combined muscular Christianity with radiant godliness.”

The friendship Eric established with His Lord and Savior meant absolutely everything to him. Early each morning, by the flickering light of a peanut-oil lamp, he and a roommate in their cramped dormitory studied the Bible, and talked with God for an hour every day of the week.

Marcy Ditmanson, a Lutheran missionary imprisoned with Eric, said that Liddell spoke with a characteristic Scottish brogue, and more than anyone she had ever known typified the joyful Christian life.

“He had a marvelous sense of humor, was full of laughter and practical jokes, but always in good taste. His voice was nothing special, but how he loved to sing, particularly the grand old hymns of the faith. Two of his favorites were ‘God Who Touches Earth with Beauty’ and ‘There's a Wideness in God's Mercy.’ He was no great orator by any means, but he had a way of riveting his listeners with those marvelous, clear blue eyes of his. Yes, that's what I remember most about him as he spoke; those wonderful eyes and how they would twinkle.”

Though he had become an “uncle” and father figure to countless children, Eric Liddell never saw his own wife and daughters again. After having written a letter to Florence from his bed in the infirmary, he told his friend and colleague, “It’s full surrender,” and slipped into a coma. Suffering from a brain tumor, the humble missionary died in 1945.

Outside his own family, no one mourned like the inhabitants of the camp. Five months later the children of Weihsien Internment Camp were rescued by American paratroopers and reunited with their families; and many of the stories they told were about Uncle Eric.

Liddell’s imprisonment separated him from his family, but for years, almost to the war’s end, God used him to impact hundreds of children and adults.

Afterward:

One camp survivor shared something Eric imparted to him; before he went on to glory.

“When you speak of me, give the glory to my Master, Jesus Christ,”

And went on to say of this encounter,

“Eric was an humble man, and would not want us to think solely of him. He wished us to see the Christ whom he served.”

The movie, to which I have so often referred in this reminiscence, concludes as the following wording appears on the screen.

“Eric Liddell, Olympic Gold Medal winner and missionary to China, died in Weihsien Internment Camp in China in 1945. All of Scotland mourned.”

Given all of these things, is it any wonder that I refer to Eric, (yes, I call him ‘Eric’) as my mentor?

I think I could choose no better.

*Allusions and Quotations from "The Little Known Story of Olympian Eric Liddell's Final Years." Randy Alcorn

by William McDonald, PhD. Copyright pending. 

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