Through Gates of Splendor

Highly recommended for home-schoolers, teenagers and today's youth in need of heroes.


For a love of lost souls, they gave their lives...   December 4, 2003
A. Reum (Montana, USA)
23 out of 25 found this review helpful

The accounts of the martyrs on the beach are inspiring to say the least. They will challenge the most stalwart believer to ask, " Am I willing to give everything?"

Often we label books like these as being too graphic and descriptive for children, but I would like to suggest that allowing our young people to read of these accounts will do wonders for the church. Nate Saint, Jim Elliot their compatriots, and family are heroes to modern Christendom, and therefore should be offered to our children as such. Our children will lead the body of Christ in the years to come and they should be inspired by men and women of faith and courage. Give your child a "hero" that cared about nothing more than spreading the truth of Jesus Christ.

The Fate of the Yellow Woodbee may be a suitable introduction for your pre adolescent child. It is written by Dave and Neta Jackson and published by Bethany House. As always read these books to determine whether or not they are appropriate for your child.

"I seek not a long life but a full one, like you, Lord Jesus"- Jim Elliot

I originally reviewd this book January 3, 2001, as Andy. I cannot access the old review to remove it and wanted to add it to our current user name.


A remarkable testimony of faith and courage .   August 27, 1999
22 out of 22 found this review helpful

I read this book twenty years ago when I lived in Ecuador for a short time. I attended a wonderful non-denominational church in Quito and one evening after the service a woman next to me introduced herself to me and we had a wonderful chat after church. Her name was Rachael Saint and she was the sister of Nate Saint. Needless to say I was honored to meet this woman dedicated not only to Christ but also committed to continuing the spreading of Chrisitanity to the Amazon Indians. Within a few days I got my hands on Elizabeth Elliot's book and could not put it down until I was done. It is a compelling account of these five missionaries and their dedication to spreading the gospel to the Amazon Indians. For the last few years I have been trying to find the title of this book and going through old correspondance was elated to find a reference noted "Through the Gates of Splendor". I plan to not only read this again but share with my high school bible class I teach and to also read the book "Jungle Pilot". I strongly encourage everyone to read this book. I think all readers will appreciate not only the courage these young men possessed but their devotion to the Lord and those they chose to bring to Christianiy. It might interest readers of this book that I was told by many, at our church in Quito, that Rachael Saint was one of the few white women that the Amazon tribes would allow into the jungles in the 60's and 70's. I can only assume that she was as committed to spreading the Gospel as her exceptional brother.


Through Gates of Splendor   May 27, 2003
Spencer C LeDoux (Austin, TX United States)
18 out of 18 found this review helpful

... This book completely changed my focus on missions and missiology. Elizabeth Elliot uses diaries, notes,and her own memories to walk you step by step through the lives of those 5 men who were martyred on a sandy beach in Ecuador. Throughout the book, my tension mounted as I followed Jim Elliot as he first learned of the Aucas' existence, and then felt and followed God's irresistible call through the jungles toward them. His passion and desire to see God glorified through the spreading of His word was empathetically and amazingly expressed through this book. These men understood that there was no such thing as a closed tribe or people group and they went fearlessly into the unknown. This book is focused on God and on what came from the murder of five of His servants. I wept while reading this book. It changed my view of serving God and it will certainly challenge yours!


Memorable   November 16, 2003
Vikke L. Harper (Hopkinsville, Kentucky United States)
18 out of 18 found this review helpful

I first read this book when I was just fourteen. I was so touched by these families' total devotion to their missionary work, and their sense of purpose. The stoicism the widows displayed after the tragedy was a life lesson for all of us who have suffered the loss of so vital a loved one. I recalled the book recently (on my beloved mothers' death, and reread it, 37 years after I originally read it, and it again warmed my heart to the beautiful human spirit.