Collection 479 Oral History Interview with William A. Stier

Collection

Identifier: CN 479

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Oral history interview with William Adam Stier (1912-2004), missionary with Africa Inland Mission in Tanzania from 1938 to 1978. Topics covered in the two sessions include his youth and conversion, marriage, Bible school education, call to missions, his work with the Sakuma and Tuzu peoples, his ministry as a teacher of African pastors; the transition from mission to indigenous church control in Tanzania, the policies and personnel of AIM, Emil Sywulka, political changes in Tanzania, polygamy and animism, church discipline, tribal relations, relations with other Christian missions, short-term vs. career missionaries issues, spiritual hardships of being a missionary. For more information, please see guide. The time period covered by the interviews is 1912 to 1993.

William Stier was interviewed by Paul Ericksen on January 19-20, 1993 at the Media Retirement Center in Clermont, Florida.

Dates

Created: 1993

Conditions Governing Access

There are no restrictions on the use of this collection.

Biographical Information

Full Name: William Adam Stier

Birth Date: November 13, 1912, in Cheltenham, Pennsylvania

Death Date: February 4, 2004

Family:

Parents: William A., Sr. and Martha Stier

Siblings: Two older sisters

Marital Status: Married Virginia Steitz in 1935

Conversion: Ca. 1918, through the efforts of the leader of his church youth group

Education:

1931-1935 - Philadelphia College of the Bible (Evening School)

ca. 1935-1936 - American Theological Seminary (Evening School)

1937-1938 - Christian Service Medical Course at the National Bible Institute in New York City

Career:

ca. 1938 William and Virginia Stier joined Africa Inland Mission

1938 - The Stiers, as missionaries of Africa Inland Mission, left for Africa in December

1939-1943 - General work in Tanganyika (now Tanzania)

1943-1946 - Trained lay leaders and pastors in Bible training schools in Tanganyika (now Tanzania)

1946-1964 - Started and taught at Katungulu Bible Training School on Lake Victoria

1964-1977 - Started and administered Majahida Bible Training School

1958-1964 - AIM's Field Director for Tanzania

1980 - The Stiers moved to the AIM's retirement center in Media, Florida

Other significant information: Grew up in the German Lutheran tradition; ordained to Christian work by Rev. George Palmer ca. 1938.

Extent

3.00 Audio Tapes

180 Minutes

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Accruals and Additions

The materials in this collection were given to the Billy Graham Center Archives by William Stier in January 1993.

Accession: 93-13

January 4, 2001

Robert Shuster