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Collection 391 Papers of Robert C. Schneider

 Collection
Identifier: CN 391

Scope and Contents

Oral history interviews, oversize materials, and a photograph, relating to the ministry of Robert C. Schneider, missionary in Spain and Morocco with Gospel Missionary Union.

Series: Audio Tapes

Two oral history interviews with Robert C. Schneider in which he describes his childhood, education, evangelistic work, the beginnings of Youth for Christ; attendance at Moody Bible Institute, marriage to Doris Gould, missionary work in Morocco and Spain under Gospel Missionary Union from 1947 to 1982 (as an evangelist, camp counselor, director of Bible correspondence courses, Bible teacher), missionary outreach to Arab and Berber Muslims, the Koran, Islam in Morocco, co-workers John Barcus, Maude Cary, and Ila Davis, reactions of the Arabs and Berbers to Christianity; his management of a Bible school, a correspondence course, a summer camp for children, and a prayer conference; the work of fellow missionary Maude Cary; political and social events in Morocco; observations about Moroccan society and culture, and other mission-related subjects. The time period covered by the interviews is 1928 to 1982.

Robert Schneider was interviewed by Robert Shuster on April 28 and July 29, 1988 at Schneider’s home in Elgin, Illinois.

Series: Oversize Materials

Youth for Christ Poster for "Rally Under the Stars / Elgin Youth for Christ." Rally featuring Ranger the Gospel Horse, Cliff Barrows, and the Ulfeng String Trio. Poster includes portrait of Barrows. Printed in black and red.

Series: Photographs

1 color Gospel Missionary Union missionary prayer card with photograph of Doris and Robert Schneider; undated.

Dates

  • Created: 1988

Conditions Governing Access

There are no access restrictions on this collection.

Biographical Information

Robert Schneider was one of seven children born to Bill and Edith Dalby [?] Schneider. His father owned and trained a horse named "Ranger the Gospel Horse" and together they took part in Youth for Christ and other youth meetings. Schneider accepted Christ in 1940 and served as song leader for evangelist Ernest Cober [?]. He attended Moody Bible Institute and graduated in 1946. While there, he felt God's call to missions, particularly in the Muslim world.

Schneider married Doris Gould in 1946 and together they attended candidate school for the Gospel Missionary Union in Kansas City, Kansas. They began working in Morocco, North Africa, in April 1947. They were first in Meknes for language study and then moved to Khemisset in 1951.

Mr. and Mrs. Schneider served twenty years in Morocco. In Morocco, they were involved in evangelism, summer camp work, Bible correspondence courses, and Bible Conferences. Due to the difficult political situation, it was necessary to move their operations to Malaga, Spain, where they spent fifteen years. In Spain, working on Bible correspondence courses, operating a print shop, and overseeing a radio ministry. Early in his missionary career, Schneider also directed a small Bible institute. In 1958 he became founder and director of the Arabic "Search the Scriptures" Bible correspondence courses based in Spain. These ministries were carried out in the Arabic and Berber languages and targeted North Africa and North African communities in Europe.

After their return to the United States in 1982, the Schneiders were appointed as representatives of the Gospel Missionary Union's ministry to Muslims. The Schneider's had three children, twin boys, David and Daniel, and a girl, Susan [?]. In 1988, they resided in Elgin, Illinois. He died in Topeka, Kansas April 5, 2013.

Extent

4 Audio Tapes

1 Oversize File

1 Photograph File

Language of Materials

English

Accruals and Additions

The material in this collection was given to the Billy Graham Center Archives by Robert Schneider in April and July 1988.

Accession 88-44, 88-84

March 7, 1995

Janyce H. Nasgowitz

K. Cox

Related Materials

The following item has been returned to the donor; a copy is in the Missions and Evangelism Collection, Buswell Library:

Stenbock, Evelyn. Miss Terri! The Story of Maude Cary, Pioneer GMU Missionary in Morocco. Smithville, MO: Gospel Missionary Union, 1970.

Title
Collection 391 Papers of Robert C. Schneider
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Roman Script

Repository Details

Part of the Evangelism & Missions Archives Repository

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