The Flying Scotsman Depicted in Chariots of Fire

He is an Olympic race gold medalist? Yes. He is a preacher who spreads the gospel? Yes. He is a prisoner of a Shandong concentration camp set up by the Japanese? Yes. He is a Christian extending love of Christ to surrounding patients, children and even the enemies?  Certainly he is. Who is he? He is the one hailed as "the Flying Scotsman"- Eric Liddell!

In July 1924, when the Olympic Games has finally arrived, Liddell and his teammates arrived in Paris, France. As the British 100-meter sprint champion, he gave up a row in Sunday's 100-meter race. Friday is the 400-meter race. That day there were six contestants. Liddell was placed in the outermost runway, which was very detrimental to him as he could not see the situation at the starting line of the other five opponents, but he was not worried becuase all he would do was to mainly do his best to run for the God. Liddell reach first at the finish line, and he won the race. He not only obtained the 400 meters gold medal, but also broke the world's record at 47.6 seconds!

On July 18, 1925, Eric came to his birthplace China to teach at the New School of Commerce in Tianjin, and to participate in the ministry of Christian UCO Hall. Ordained in Scotland in 1932, he returned to China to continue his teaching. In 1936 China first organized a team to compete at the Berlin Olimpic Games, and Eric was invited to be the head coach. The war burned more intensely, and in March 1943 the Japanese forced those foreigners of opposing countries in Tianjin to a concentration camp in Weihsien of Shangdong. At the concentration camp, he was responsible for the kitchen's 500 people three meals a day, act as a science teacher for the students, playground coach for the youths and evening entertainment program instructor, as well as a chapel speaker. When the opportunity for an exchange of prisoners came, Eric Liddell swapped his place with a pregnant woman (see Peter "Blog of Light and Salt"). On February 21, 1945, when he was talking with others about how to completely yield to God, Eric cramped and suddenly lost his consciousness, and died at 9 that evening. Later it was confirmed that he died of brain tumor.

His life was put in a movie Chariots of Fire in 1981, which won four Oscar prizes and an Academy Award for Best Original Score.

苏格兰飞人— 埃里克·利德尔

(Eric Liddell, 1902-1945)

他是一名奥林匹克赛跑金牌得主吗? 是的。他是一名传扬福音的传道人吗? 是的。他是一名被日本人关进中国山东集中营的囚犯吗? 是的。他是一名以基督的爱来爱周围病患、孩童甚至敌人的基督徒吗? 他肯定是。他是谁呢? 他就是被喻为“苏格兰飞人”(The Flying Scotsman) 的埃里克·利德尔!

1924年7月, 奥林匹克运动会终于来临，利德尔与队友抵达法国的巴黎。作为英国100米短跑冠军，他放弃了排在主日的100米赛跑。星期五是400米赛跑。当天, 有6位参赛者. 利德尔被安排在最外面的跑道, 这对他非常不利, 因为他无法看到其他5位对手在起跑时的情况. 但他并不担心. 他所要做的, 就是为主尽全力地跑. 赛跑中利德尔抢先到达终点! 他获胜了! 他不单获得400米金牌, 还以47.6秒打破了世界记录!

一九二五年七月十八日，李岱尔来到他的出生地中国，在天津新学书院任教，并参与基督教合众会堂的事奉。一九三二年在苏格兰按立为牧师，然后他回中国继续任教。1936年柏林奥运会中国首次组团参加，聘请了李爱锐做总教官。战火越烧越烈，1943年3月日本人又强迫这些外国人到山东潍县的集中营。集中营里，他负责厨房500人的一日三餐，做學生們的科學教員，操場上的教練，青年人行為和晚上消遣节目的导师，以及礼拜堂里的讲员。当交换犯人的机会来临的时候，艾瑞克·里德尔毅然把本来可以交换出集中营的机会，让给了一位孕妇（参见Peter“光和盐的博客”）。一九四五年二月二十一日，李岱尔和人正在谈完全降伏上帝时，突然抽筋失去知觉，晚上九点多便过世了，后来证实死于脑瘤。

他的一生被编入1981年电影《烈火战车》，并获得4项奥斯卡奖和英国电影学院最佳影片奖。