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A SELECTED "NORTHERN
LIGHTS" MAGAZINE ARTICLE
(from Issue #490)
Athur Tarry with the Lord
NCEM cofounder and veteran missionary Arthur Tarry passed
away on November 20 from heart failure. He was 87 years of age.
 Art and his wife, Martha, began their lifetime of service
among Canada's First Nations in 1944 when they moved to Buffalo Narrows,
northwestern Saskatchewan. Along with Stan and Evelyn Collie, they
initiated the beginnings and the official organizing of the Northern
Canada Evangelical Mission in 1946.
The Tarrys gave over 40 years of full-time service to the
Lord with NCEM, with Art serving in a variety of leadership roles. Besides
Buffalo Narrows, their locations of ministry also included Meadow Lake
(SK), Burns Lake (BC), Wetaskiwin (AB) and Prince Albert. They retired to
Wetaskiwin in the mid-1980s.
Art is survived by Martha, his wife of 63 years, seven
children and their families. He was predeceased by three infant daughters.
Determined
Servant
To say that Art Tarry gave his life in missionary service
"with" NCEM is far from sufficient. The Mission has been so much
a part of their lives, and the Tarrys have been so much a part of the
Mission, that it's really impossible to separate the two.
Art and Martha were there at the beginning. And they stayed
-- through all the personal sacrifices and the challenges of ministry.
Art Tarry was a missionary, an administrator, a leader -- only eternity
will reveal how much our Mission owes to him. In short, we needed
him. Past General Director, Bud Elford, called him "Mr. NCEM."
There at the Beginning
Those of us who have become part of this Mission in later
years have also had to step out in faith. But for most, it's not near as
big a step. For the Collies and the Tarrys, there were no experienced
northern missionaries to give assistance, advice or example. They just
stepped out and went!
In 1944 the Tarrys moved from a pastorate to Buffalo
Narrows with not much else but a burden to reach Native people for Christ.
With two young children they first traveled west by train, then north on
the back of a truck on a 150-mile "road" (more a trail), then by
water on an open scow carrying building supplies for their house.
Stepping Out Further
After two years associated with the Canadian Sunday School
Mission, the Tarrys stepped out further to form a new ministry
specifically to Canada's Native peoples. They did it not knowing if many
Christians in the south would get behind the idea -- but with a strong
vision to reach lost people to whom no one else was going.
Challenges that would make most want to quit seemed to
strengthen Art and Martha's resolve to stay. There were the personal
sacrifices of living in isolation, and being far from medical help. Today
most overseas missionaries travel to and from their fields much easier
than our early missionaries traveled in and out of the North.
There were times of low financial support. For awhile NCEM
"pooled" its monthly support to workers. As Mission treasurer,
Art not only felt the lack for his own family's needs, but for all the
missionaries. He was the one to tell them that little would be coming.
A Servant Leader
Leading a ministry is not often easy, and Art Tarry spent
his entire missionary career leading. Never General Director, though the
opportunity was presented, he served in a variety of other administrative
roles: Secretary-Treasurer, Assistant General Director, and overseeing
various ministry departments. Sharing the load of Mission administration,
Art diligently planned outreaches, cared for workers, and communicated
with the Mission's prayer and financial supporters.
At his memorial service, honorary missionary Dave Anderson
remarked not only about Art Tarry's burden for the spiritually lost, but
also of his forward thinking ... "always looking for new and better
ways to spread the Gospel." He was an innovator, right to the end in
his senior years.
In the 1940s, he had a printing press shipped up to
Buffalo Narrows (which neither he nor the rest of the staff previously
knew how to operate). He promoted broadcasting the Gospel to First Nations
by radio, and later by television. He initiated our "Minute-Man"
program, through which donors share financially in specific ministry
needs. In the early 1980s, when certain technologies weren't yet trusted
by some, it was Mr. Tarry who looked into how computers could help our
mailing and finance departments.
In 1970, when "short-term" outreach was still
not common on Native fields, Art initiated "NMTC," our summer
missions program. He saw potential in young people experiencing
cross-cultural ministry in northern Canada. Eight years ago, when giving a
history of NMTC, he spent almost his entire time telling of former
trainees by name. Some had some "rough edges," he remembered,
but he rejoiced in how the Lord had worked in their lives, and through
them.
Some day in heaven we will meet many First Nations people
who came to saving faith in Christ directly or indirectly through Art
Tarry's determination to serve his Lord.
Determined
For some of us in NCEM, Art Tarry is special because it
was he who personally influenced us to join this ministry.
After college I remember the extra effort Mr. Tarry made
to look me up one evening. I had other career plans, which I told him
about. He wasn't pushy but, in retrospect, neither did he give up
easily.
A few months later he contacted me by phone. In the days
following I realized that this is what the Lord wanted me to do. I'm
personally thankful for Art Tarry's determination.
-- Rollie Hodgman (ed.)
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