We are deeply saddened by the passing of our beloved Harry Scism, longtime missionary to India and former General Director of Foreign Missions for the UPCI. We dearly loved this great Christian and apostolic leader. Our families were related and closely connected throughout the years, and I have so many fond childhood memories from the Pacific Northwest.
Harry returned from India as a teenage Missionary Kid (MK) to finish High School and attend the Bible college my father led in Portland. Upon graduating, he and Audrene returned to India as missionaries. He, along with dad, E. L. Freeman, and Hulon Myre, became the first regional directors for Global Missions in the early 1970s, overseeing Asia, Africa, Europe/Middle East, and Latin America, respectively. (See photo.) Later, Bro. Scism and dad worked side by side for years in the Foreign Missions Division in St. Louis.
While Erma and I were serving in the Youth Division at headquarters in the 1980s, we were blessed to have Bro. Scism accompany our International Youth Corps mission to India. He served as our tour guide during this unforgettable two-week trip. Of the dozens of overseas tours we participated in, this was undoubtedly the ultimate experience—truly the trip of a lifetime—mainly because of Bro. Scism’s participation and leadership.
We ministered throughout the entire country, and Bro. Scism arranged access to places our official guide was reluctant to take us, including Mother Teresa’s House of the Dying in Calcutta and the Burning Ghats on the Ganges River in Varanasi. It took only a few minutes for our bus guide to realize that Bro. Scism was far more knowledgeable and experienced than she was. Recognizing his expertise, she quickly acquiesced to him and asked him to take charge.
His passion for lost souls was evident in the crusade he organized in Calcutta, where our team ministered to a crowd of 10,000 standing in a field, with hundreds receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit. I still remember Bro. Scism telling me before I preached, that most in attendance had never even heard the Name of Jesus. After the service, he informed me—much to my surprise—that the location was in a dangerous area and that, believe it or not, communists had been arranged to provide security for our group.
Bro. Scism was quite the shopper, and it was always an adventure to explore marketplaces with him—especially in Hong Kong. He knew exactly where to find the best tailors and the shops for electronic gadgets. Shopping with him wasn’t just about making purchases; it was an experience filled with laughter and his characteristic charm.
While we mourn the loss of this great soldier of the cross, we also celebrate a life well-lived and rejoice in his homegoing. Our thoughts and prayers remain with Helen and the entire family.
