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Mrs Scarborough Memorial

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Gospel Defence League<br />

P O Box 36129 Glosderry 7702<br />

Cape Town South Africa<br />

Tel: 021 689 4480<br />

info@gospeldefenceleague.org www.gospeldefenceleague.org<br />

“...contend earnestly for the Faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.” Jude 3<br />

Dorothea Olivet<br />

was born on<br />

Valentine’s Day<br />

14 February<br />

1936. She was<br />

the eldest of<br />

5 children: her<br />

younger sisters:<br />

Madeleine and<br />

Wilhelma, her brothers Wolf<br />

Heinrich and Theo. Tragically<br />

her brother Wolf Heinrich died<br />

at age 8. Her father was a judge<br />

and the Receiver of Revenue. Her<br />

A Tribute to <strong>Mrs</strong> Dorothea <strong>Scarborough</strong><br />

Partly melted bells,<br />

St. Mary’s, Lübeck<br />

brother Theo was<br />

president of the<br />

Supreme Court.<br />

An uncle was<br />

Prime Minister of<br />

Hanover.<br />

Dorothea Olivet<br />

grew up in a<br />

Europe at war. Even though very<br />

young at the time, she remembered<br />

the trauma of the Allied Bombing<br />

Raids, starting on 28th March 1942,<br />

raining death and destruction upon<br />

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Bomber Harris<br />

Charles <strong>Scarborough</strong><br />

was an escape artist!<br />

Gilbert<br />

Islands<br />

Today part of Kiribati, but at one time<br />

the northern Gilberts were called the<br />

<strong>Scarborough</strong> Islands.<br />

Lübeck, her home in northern Germany. The bombers came in 3 waves, causing<br />

most of the destruction on Palm Sunday 29 March. The Wellington and Stirling<br />

bombers dropped over 400 tons of bombs including 25,000 incendiary devices. A<br />

number of 1.8 tonne blockbusters dropped in the first wave opened the brick and<br />

copper roofs of the buildings and the following incendiaries set them afire. This<br />

was the first firestorm bombing of any city.<br />

Lübeck was an historic cultural centre and the bombing of 28 and 29 March 1942 left<br />

25,000 people homeless. It also destroyed the historic Lübeck Cathedral, St Peters<br />

Church and St Mary’s. Because Lübeck consisted of many timbered medieval<br />

buildings, Officer Commanding Bomber Command, Arthur Harris, described<br />

Lübeck as “built more like a fire-lighter.” Harris wrote that Lübeck “went up<br />

in flames. It was a city of moderate size. It was not a vital target, but it seemed<br />

to me better to destroy a town of moderate importance than to fail to destroy a<br />

large industrial city.” Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin congratulated Churchill on the<br />

destruction of Lübeck, expressing his satisfaction at the “merciless bombing” and<br />

expressing the hope that such terror attacks would cause severe damage to German<br />

public morale. Actually the morale of the citizens in Lübeck held up remarkably<br />

well throughout the traumatic war. <strong>Mrs</strong> <strong>Scarborough</strong> recalled also seeing the sky<br />

red from the fires of the firebombings of nearby Hamburg and Kiel.<br />

Despite the devastation of her homeland, Dorothea Olivet grew to love the Lord<br />

Jesus Christ and to commit her life to following and serving Him.<br />

Charles <strong>Scarborough</strong> married Dorothea in the still bomb damaged Lutheran<br />

Cathedral of Lübeck, Germany, in 1958. She was the pastor’s wife in Cemetery<br />

Road Congregational Church, Sheffield, England. Then a missionary, along with<br />

her husband, Rev Charles <strong>Scarborough</strong>, with the London Missionary Society to<br />

the Gilbert Islands, on the equator, in the Pacific Ocean.<br />

In 1969, after serving four years with LMS, Dr Charles <strong>Scarborough</strong> accepted<br />

the call to pastor Sea Point Congregational Church which he did for 25 blessed<br />

and fruitful years. Charles and Dorothea <strong>Scarborough</strong> were in the forefront of<br />

launching the Evangelical Fellowship of Congregational Churches (EFCC). <strong>Mrs</strong><br />

<strong>Scarborough</strong> served as Secretary of the EFCC. For many years <strong>Mrs</strong> <strong>Scarborough</strong><br />

also led the Women’s World Day of Prayer. She was the Editor of the International<br />

German language Vox Afrikana and UCANEWS. She also founded Gospel Defence<br />

League, which grew to a large readership with over 18,000 on the mailing list.<br />

Some of her publications had over 100,000 copies printed.<br />

It has been my privilege to know <strong>Mrs</strong> <strong>Scarborough</strong> for almost 40 years. After my<br />

first mission to Mozambique, in 1982, <strong>Mrs</strong> <strong>Scarborough</strong> invited me to speak at one<br />

of her women’s meetings and interviewed me for Vox Afrikana. Before Frontline<br />

Fellowship had an office or a photocopier, <strong>Mrs</strong> <strong>Scarborough</strong> invited me to use<br />

her office. So Gospel Defence League was where I would go on my motorbike to<br />

make copies of our Frontline Fellowship newsletters, or Bible study and lecture<br />

notes.<br />

Over the years <strong>Mrs</strong> <strong>Scarborough</strong> became one of my most trusted advisers and an<br />

invaluable member of the Board of Frontline Fellowship. There was many a time<br />

when <strong>Mrs</strong> <strong>Scarborough</strong> was my main and sometimes only encourager, supporting<br />

me in ventures and in the stands that most others sought to discourage me from<br />

taking. She understood the mission of Frontline Fellowship and was our most firm<br />

and faithful friend. Steadfast.<br />

up and speak out on our behalf. <strong>Mrs</strong> <strong>Scarborough</strong> was a Missionary Mother, Motivator<br />

and Mobiliser of prayer.<br />

Many were the projects, publications, outreaches, campaigns and events which we<br />

planned and worked on together, including SACEL 1985, The Archbishop and the<br />

Bible 1986, Kirchentag 1987. These were battles in the world war of worldviews,<br />

fighting the good fight of Faith, exposing and opposing false teaching, unBiblical<br />

heresies, Marxist liberation theology and other threats to the Christian Church.<br />

We were involved in debates with liberation theologians in townships, at church<br />

conferences and on university campuses. <strong>Mrs</strong> Dorothea <strong>Scarborough</strong> was faithful,<br />

dependable, courageous, principled, steadfast, fervent, dedicated and relentless.<br />

Dorothea <strong>Scarborough</strong> was a formidable defender of the Faith.<br />

<strong>Mrs</strong> <strong>Scarborough</strong> was also a founder member of the Reformation Society in 2005<br />

and of Livingstone Fellowship in 2006. For 15 years she attended the Thursday night<br />

Reformation Society meetings and Livingstone Fellowship services at Livingstone<br />

House. She was an enthusiastic supporter of our Reformation 500 movement and<br />

never missed a Reformation Day event at the Huguenot monument in Franschhoek.<br />

Even as her body grew older and weaker, her mind was sharp, her analysis incisive<br />

and her convictions like iron. <strong>Mrs</strong> <strong>Scarborough</strong> was gracious and friendly, but she had<br />

a doctrinal backbone of steel. She would not back down, she would not bow and she<br />

would not bend on any matter of Biblical faithfulness, truth and principle.<br />

The Scripture says that it is better to go to a funeral than to a party, because the living<br />

should always remind themselves that death awaits for us all (Ecclesiastes 7:2).<br />

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven; a time<br />

to be born and a time to die … ” Ecclesiastes 3:1–2<br />

“…it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.” Hebrews 9:27<br />

There is nothing more certain than death and nothing as uncertain as the time of dying.<br />

We should therefore be ready at all times for that which may come at any time. “For<br />

we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, that each one may receive<br />

what is due to him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”<br />

2 Corinthians 5:10<br />

“I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to<br />

his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve.” Jeremiah 17:10<br />

“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself<br />

strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.” 2 Chronicles 16:9<br />

Dorothea <strong>Scarborough</strong>’s heart proved loyal to our Lord Jesus Christ and the Lord<br />

strengthened her.<br />

We do not know when, or under what circumstances, our lives will come to an end.<br />

But we do know that when we die we will stand before Almighty God — our Creator<br />

and Eternal Judge — and we will have to give an account of our lives — to Him. “Do<br />

not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear<br />

His voice and come out—those who have done good will rise to live and those who<br />

have done evil will rise to be condemned.” John 5:28–29<br />

“And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were<br />

opened. Another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. The dead were judged<br />

After the death of my mother in 2001, <strong>Mrs</strong> <strong>Scarborough</strong> became like a mother to according to what they had done as recorded in the books. If anyone’s name was not<br />

me, correcting and rebuking me, urging me to take time to rest and recuperate, found written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”<br />

encouraging me to ignore malicious backbiting and attacks by antagonists,<br />

Revelation 20:12–15<br />

motivating greater efforts to advance the Kingdom of God. She was quick to stand<br />

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Many religions believe in an after-life. But what is unique to Christianity is the<br />

distinctive belief in the resurrection of the body. Christ’s Resurrection guarantees<br />

that those who die believing in Him, shall one day be raised in His likeness to be<br />

with Him forever. Through Christ, death has lost its sting. We can face death in the<br />

sure knowledge that Christ has delivered us from the coming wrath and from eternal<br />

Judgement. We praise God that Dorothea <strong>Scarborough</strong> knew the love and salvation<br />

of our Lord Jesus Christ and that she served God so faithfully throughout her life<br />

on earth. Who can calculate how many lives she impacted by her faith and writings.<br />

We grieve, but we do not grieve as those who have no hope. “For to me to live is<br />

Christ and to die is gain!” Philippians 1:21<br />

Dying Christ destroyed our death. Rising Christ restored our life.<br />

“Jesus said: ‘Whoever hears My Word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal<br />

life and will not be condemned. He has crossed over from death to life.’”<br />

John 5:24<br />

Death for the Christian is not fatal. Death for the Christian is not final.<br />

We serve a Risen Saviour. Jesus Christ is the Resurrection and the Life.<br />

“Jesus said to her: ‘I am the Resurrection and the Life. He who believes in Me<br />

will live, even though he dies.’” John 11:25<br />

Where are we going to spend eternity? Some of us have already made that choice<br />

and can say: I have decided to follow Jesus. No turning back. Praise the Lord! No<br />

turning back. Others of us may not want to think about our eternity right now. But,<br />

in time, death will come to us all. As we gather at this funeral we should soberly<br />

consider our immortal soul and the day when we will stand before our eternal<br />

Creator and give an account of our life. At that point our choice will be final. What<br />

will God say to me on that great Day of Judgment. Will you hear: “Well done! Good<br />

and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Lord”?<br />

“Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament and those<br />

who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever.” Daniel 12:3<br />

<strong>Mrs</strong> <strong>Scarborough</strong> was wise and she turned many to righteousness by faithfully<br />

standing up for Jesus, contending for the Faith once delivered to the saints (Jude 3).<br />

Ecclesia Reformata Reformanda est. Semper Reformanda! The Church, being<br />

reformed, must continue to be Reformed. A Mighty Fortress is our God!<br />

Dorothea <strong>Scarborough</strong> can truly say at the end of her long and productive life on earth:<br />

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the Faith.”<br />

2 Timothy 4:7<br />

Dr. Peter Hammond<br />

Gospel Defence League<br />

PO Box 36129 Glosderry 7702 Cape Town South Africa<br />

info@gospeldefenceleague.org | www.GospelDefenceLeague.org<br />

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