Collection 250 Oral History Interview with Robert Savage

Collection

Identifier: CN 250

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Oral history interview with Robert Carlton Savage (1914-1987) in which he discusses his work as a missionary evangelist in Colombia (1942-1944) and his work in Ecuador for missionary radio station HCJB and Youth for Christ (1944-1969). Topics discussed include: his call to mission work and service in Colombia and Ecuador with the Evangelical Alliance Mission (TEAM), radio station HCJB, Youth for Christ, and various other mission-related topics. The time period covered by the interview is 1942-1969.

Robert Savage was interviewed by Robert Shuster on June 1 and July 3, 1983 at the Billy Graham Center Archives at Wheaton College. Technical difficulties during recording rendered the first interview completely inaudible, and the tape of the interview has therefore been disposed of. The second interview is numbered T1.

Dates

Created: 1983

Conditions Governing Access

There are no restrictions on the use of this collection.

Biographical Information

Robert Carlton Savage was born in Barron, Wisconsin on April 30, 1914, the son of a Baptist minister. He attended Wheaton College, from which he graduated in 1938, majoring in Bible. While a student at Wheaton, he met his future wife, Wilda Johnson. They were married in September, 1938. Following their marriage, Savage worked as assistant pastor of the Metropolitan Baptist Church in Washington, D. C.; he then became pastor of First Baptist Church in Romeo, Michigan, and then founded the First Baptist Church of Washington, Michigan.

The Savages went to Colombia with The Evangelical Alliance Mission (TEAM) in 1942, first in Pamplona for a period of language study, then serving as an evangelistic missionary at a mission station in Chinacota. In 1944, frustrated by the lack of progress in the work in Colombia, Savage moved to Quito, Ecuador to work for radio station HCJB as Program Director. He later went on to become a member of the board of directors, Field Director, and eventually the Vice President. Savage was named Director of Youth For Christ in Ecuador in 1945, and he later became Vice President of Youth For Christ in Latin America. He held these positions simultaneously with his work at HCJB. Between 1954 and 1966, he served as Vice President of World Radio Missionary Fellowship.

Following his retirement from HCJB in 1969, he returned to the United States where he became the pastor of the Dalton Baptist Church in Muskegon, Michigan, remaining for eight years, after which he served in several other Baptist churches. He passed away in November 1987.

Extent

1.00 Audio Tape

125 Minutes

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Accruals and Additions

The materials in this collection were given to the Billy Graham Center Archives from Robert Savage in June 1983.

Accession 83-61, 83-64

October 27, 1989

Lannae Graham

P. Ericksen

S. Feeck

J. Nasgowitz

Revised January 17, 1990

L. Beloz