Sanders Jim - Answering the call: the doctor who made Africa his life: the remarkable story of Albert Schweitzer

Ken Gire: Through the Eyes of Others

Im just a writer; Ken is a real writer.

MAX LUCADO

If there is such a thing as the gift of writing, it is my opinion that Ken Gire has it. Creative, colorful, lucid, and easy to read, he has developed a firm grip on this elusive craft, much of which cannot be taught. In athletic terms, the mans a natural...

CHUCK SWINDOLL,

PASTOR, DTS CHANCELLOR

My words of respect for the writings of Ken Gire could fill a legal pad. But short of that, let me just say he is one of the finest authors I know.

LUCI SWINDOLL,

AUTHOR AND SPEAKER

Ken Gire is a man who walks with God. He listens to his life and to the voice of God through all his experiences. As a result, Kens gift of writing has had a profound impact on me and many others at our church. We reserve a special place on our bookshelves for the writings of Ken Gire, returning there often to be inspired by his powerful and honest use of story and image. When Ken has come to speak, his words have refreshed our souls, always providing us with a new way to look at the human condition and our quest to connect more deeply to God.

NANCY BEACH, PROGRAMMING DIRECTOR

AND TEACHING PASTOR, WILLOW CREEK

Ken Gires pen is full of heavens counsel. His writings always lead me to the Savior... lean in and learn.

PATSY CLAIRMONT,

AUTHOR AND SPEAKER

I eagerly await any book from the pen of Ken Gire.

H. NORMAN WRIGHT, AUTHOR

AND PASTORAL COUNSELING

ANSWERING the CALL

2013 by Ken Gire

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or otherexcept for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson. Thomas Nelson is a registered trademark of Thomas Nelson, Inc.

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Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Gire, Ken.

Answering the call : the doctor who made Africa his life : the remarkable story of Albert Schweitzer / Ken Gire.

pages cm

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN 978-1-59555-079-8

1. Schweitzer, Albert, 1875-1965. 2. Missionaries, Medical--Gabon--Lambarene (Moyen-Ogooue)--Biography. I. Title.

R722.32.S35G57 2013

610.69092--dc23

[B]

2012036113

Printed in the United States of America

13 14 15 16 17 RRD 6 5 4 3 2 1

[Jesus] comes to us as One unknown, without a name, as of old, by the lake-side. He came to those men who knew Him not. He speaks to us the same word: Follow thou me! and sets us to the tasks which He has to fulfill for our time. He commands. And to those who obey Him, whether they be wise or simple, He will reveal Himself in the toils, the conflicts, the sufferings which they shall pass through in His fellowship, and, as an ineffable mystery, they shall learn in their own experience Who He is.

ALBERT SCHWEITZER

Contents

A s you, the reader, make your way through this book, you will encounter a number of conversations between Albert Schweitzer and others, whose names you will become familiar with as you read. Unless otherwise indicated (with a numerical reference to a note), these conversations are for the most part surmised and assumed, based on research of Dr. Schweitzers life through biographical and autobiographical works.

A couple of characters have been invented, although the majority of characters are factual. I have taken artistic license on wording and dialogue to illuminate certain facts and bring depth to the characters. My hope and intention are that this creativity gives you, the reader, the opportunity to not only read a book but also travel through time and enter the world of Albert Schweitzer and those whose lives weaved into his own.

Where text or dialogue has been taken from a particular source, a note is provided so that you mayif your interest in Albert Schweitzer grows as you readdelve further into his books and the writings of others about his life and work.

1875Early Years

January 14, 1875. Albert Louis Philipp Schweitzer was born at Kaysersberg, Haute Alsace (then under German rule; today it is in the northeastern part of France on the German border), to Adele Schillinger Schweitzer and Louis Schweitzer, a Lutheran pastor.

188084. Educated at the local school in Gnsbach, the village where he lived.

188485. Educated at Realschule at Mnster, Upper Alsace.

188593. Educated at Gymnasium at Mulhausen, Upper Alsace.

October 1893. Went to Paris to study the organ with C. M. Widor, famous organist and writer on music.

November 1893. Began studies at the University of Strasbourg, where he studied theology, philosophy, and music theory.

April 1894. Entered the military in the 143rd Regiment. Service completed in April 1895.

1895Twentieth Year

1896. Made commitment to serve humanity beginning at the age of thirty.

189699. Studied at the Sorbonne and the University of Berlin; also studied organ in Paris and Berlin. Began giving organ concerts.

Fall 1897. Wrote his thesis for his degree in theology, The Idea of the Last Supper in Daniel Schleiermacher, Compared with the Ideas of Luther, Zwingli and Calvin.

May 6, 1898. Passed his oral and written exams before the faculty of theology. Subsequently, he received the Goll Scholarship in theology.

Summer 1898. Continued his studies in philosophy at the University of Strasbourg.

Fall 1898spring 1899. Studied at the Sorbonne in Paris where he continued being mentored musically by Widor. Here he studied the original texts of Kant in order to trace the evolution of his thought.

March 12, 1899. Returned to Gnsbach, where he worked on revising his manuscript on Kant.

AprilJuly 1899. Continued his philosophical studies in Berlin as well as his studies in the organ.

July 1899. Returned to Strasbourg, where he successfully completed his exam in philosophy, earning him a PhD.

December 1899. Hired by St. Nicholas church in Strasbourg, where he worked on his thesis in theology on the historical origin of the Last Supper. At the end of December, he published the book The Religious Philosophy of Kant from the Critique of Pure Reason to Religion within the bounds of Mere Reason.

July 15, 1900. Passed his second set of theological exams.

July 21, 1900. Graduated magna cum laude with a doctorate in theology.

September 23, 1900. Ordained as a minister at St. Nicholas church.

1902. Appointed privatdozent at the University of Strasbourg, where he gave lectures before the faculty on the structure of the gospel of John.

October 1, 1903. Received a permanent position as principal of the St. Thomas Theological Seminary.

1905Thirtieth Year

January 14, 1905. At age thirty he made the decision to study medicine and go to Africa.

1906. Began medical studies at the University of Strasbourg.

June 18, 1912. Married Hlne Bresslau.