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Lords of the Earth
Engulfed in the darkness of Irian Jaya's Snow Mountains live the Yali – naked cannibals who call themselves "lords of the earth." Yet in terror and bondage they serve women-hating, child-despising gods. Lords of the Earth is the story of Dale, his wife, his companions, and thousand of Yali tribesmen – all swept together in a maelstrom of agony and blood that climaxes in a dramatic, unexpected ending. Author Don Richardson is a missionary, filmmaker, teacher, translator, anthropologist, and builder. He and his wife Carol, have worked in evangelizing and preserving the culture of primitive tribes in Irian Jayan since 1962. This book includes a bound center black and white photo insert.
368 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1977
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2021 people want to read
About the author
Don Richardson
34 books88 followersDON RICHARDSON, author of Secrets of the Koran, Lords of the Earth and Eternity in Their Hearts, has been studying the Muslim world for more than 30 years.
He and his wife, Carol, spent 15 years among the Sawi, a Stone Age tribe of Irian Jaya. Don designed an alphabet suited to the Sawi language, authored 19 primers, taught the tribesmen to read in their native tongue and translated the entire New Testament. More than half of the Sawi accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Peace Child is the story of this mission.
All of Richardson's books focus on what he calls his "redemptive analogy" thesis: the idea that each culture has some story, ritual, or tradition that can be used to illustrate and apply the Christian gospel message.
Since 1977, Don has served as ambassador-at-large for World Team, a mission organization.
Don holds an honorary doctorate of literature from Biola University in La Mirada, California, is an ordained pastor and speaks at more than 40 church conferences each year.
He and his wife, Carol, spent 15 years among the Sawi, a Stone Age tribe of Irian Jaya. Don designed an alphabet suited to the Sawi language, authored 19 primers, taught the tribesmen to read in their native tongue and translated the entire New Testament. More than half of the Sawi accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Peace Child is the story of this mission.
All of Richardson's books focus on what he calls his "redemptive analogy" thesis: the idea that each culture has some story, ritual, or tradition that can be used to illustrate and apply the Christian gospel message.
Since 1977, Don has served as ambassador-at-large for World Team, a mission organization.
Don holds an honorary doctorate of literature from Biola University in La Mirada, California, is an ordained pastor and speaks at more than 40 church conferences each year.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews
October 4, 2016
I thought I wouldn't enjoy this one as much as Peace Child: An Unforgettable Story of Primitive Jungle Treachery in the 20th Century, but I was surprised when I actually liked it better. The beginning was much like Peace Child, making it at first a little difficult to get into, but after a the first part I was hooked. A few times I felt there were details that had been missed, although as a whole it didn't effect the story.
Everyone has different definitions of heroes. Of course, generically a hero is one who risks his life to save someone else or for the good of others. But what about missionary heroes? People like Jim Elliott and others have died because they wanted to win souls to Christ. That amazes and convicts me. Do I care enough about the souls of others to die for my beliefs?
I really appreciate Stan and the other missionaries strength as they faced the Yali tribes in New Guinea. I liked how Stan didn't try to use the tribes traditions and beliefs to coincide with the Bible. He said what they did was wrong and stood by that.
Oh, and the part with Paul Newman was just so sweet. I have to admit while reading this I had to remind myself it really did happen. It isn't a fictional story. It shows how God uses everything, even little things, for His good!
I don't think anyone can read this without feeling anything. Maybe others won't get as much out of it as I did, but it is a great missionary book to find and read. I would recommend to 16/17+ because of some of the tribal content.
Everyone has different definitions of heroes. Of course, generically a hero is one who risks his life to save someone else or for the good of others. But what about missionary heroes? People like Jim Elliott and others have died because they wanted to win souls to Christ. That amazes and convicts me. Do I care enough about the souls of others to die for my beliefs?
I really appreciate Stan and the other missionaries strength as they faced the Yali tribes in New Guinea. I liked how Stan didn't try to use the tribes traditions and beliefs to coincide with the Bible. He said what they did was wrong and stood by that.
Oh, and the part with Paul Newman was just so sweet. I have to admit while reading this I had to remind myself it really did happen. It isn't a fictional story. It shows how God uses everything, even little things, for His good!
I don't think anyone can read this without feeling anything. Maybe others won't get as much out of it as I did, but it is a great missionary book to find and read. I would recommend to 16/17+ because of some of the tribal content.
June 26, 2011
So yesterday I was going through my random stacks of books and bookshelves trying to find a book to blog about and I decided this one would spark some interest. I was given this book to me about a month ago by my history teacher. One of the reasons I find this book interesting is that not only does it talk about the lives of natives, called the Yali, of an island in Indonesia; but it talks about the missionary work of my history teacher's father (my history teacher was also born in Indonesia). Yep that's right, my history teacher's father is in this book along with some pictures of the tribes people and the missionaries with their families. Pretty cool, huh?
Onto the book, there is a preface, an intorduction, 4 parts, 20 chapters, a postscript, and a biblography. Part one is from the point of view of the Yali, while in part two we see alot about Stanley Dale. The last two parts are from the missionaries point of veiws. In the middle of the book we see the pictures.
What I liked: I loved learning about the Yali's culture and reading about how brave the missionaries were including my teacher's dad. The story was very interesting and I liked how part of it was from the Yali's point of view and the other part of it was from the missionaries.
What I thought could have been different: There were some points where I skipped over because I wanted the story to get to the action. I understand telling of the people's life stories but it got long at times.
Overall: This was very good and I recommend it!
Onto the book, there is a preface, an intorduction, 4 parts, 20 chapters, a postscript, and a biblography. Part one is from the point of view of the Yali, while in part two we see alot about Stanley Dale. The last two parts are from the missionaries point of veiws. In the middle of the book we see the pictures.
What I liked: I loved learning about the Yali's culture and reading about how brave the missionaries were including my teacher's dad. The story was very interesting and I liked how part of it was from the Yali's point of view and the other part of it was from the missionaries.
What I thought could have been different: There were some points where I skipped over because I wanted the story to get to the action. I understand telling of the people's life stories but it got long at times.
Overall: This was very good and I recommend it!
October 10, 2023
Such a good, good true stoyr. I listened to a sermon series on Stanely Dale, and I knew I just had to read the book. Powerful! 💯 Such and incredible story of how God changed the Yali people. Stanley's courage and boldness is incredible. To be (spoiler) shot with nearly 100 arrows when normally one would cause a person to collapse, and to keep pulling them out and snapping them in half. Stanely died a remarkable death. 😭His endurance is astounding. It could only be from God.
The first part of this book escribes the Yali life, faith and culture in detail - their cannibalistic ways, their demonic religion. Several deaths happen at the end of the book, and they are pretty graphic. Suggested for 16+ or with careful parental guidance.
The first part of this book escribes the Yali life, faith and culture in detail - their cannibalistic ways, their demonic religion. Several deaths happen at the end of the book, and they are pretty graphic. Suggested for 16+ or with careful parental guidance.
August 26, 2024
This was such a convicting read. Definitely one of the best missionary biographies I've read to date. The story documents several cannibalistic tribes in Irian Jaya (modern day Papau), their culture, and their introduction to the Gospel through pioneering missionaries. Amazing story of God's working and expertly written.
February 24, 2024
It’s been years since my first reading of this book, and now, with a second reading, I think I can finally put into words just what troubled me about it. I completely forgot that Stan and Phil were martyred. All I remembered were the long graphic descriptions of the pagan lifestyle before they came, and the conflicts Stan had with others. Even the second time through, it felt that the dark demon tortured past was far more focused than the eventual freedom of the Gospel. That left the whole story feeling very dark. Not that it isn’t a glorious story of souls saved and lives transformed. There is great joy as the Gospel frees whole families from the terrifying bondage of servitude to the devil. But, as it moves from the long death-filled backstory to Stan’s conflict-riddled ministry, briefly rests on the conflicts and persecution suffered by the new believers, followed with a long description of the martyrdom, and then rushes through the conclusion barely touching on all the work in-between, it becomes increasingly less personal. Oh, there are spots here and there when the author stops and focuses again on an individual, but not for very long, and not really on their response to the Gospel, but rather, again, on their dark past.
That all may have been aggravated by the novelized style of the opening. The author fills in thoughts and dialogue making it flow smoothly in all its terror and sadness. It then rather abruptly switches to a less personal more scattered chronicle of events with much less detail and emotion. But those details don’t really share the Gospel along the way. It’s just an abrupt statement that people were coming to church, then they are being baptized or burning fetishes, etc. It made their glorious transformations seem to be missing a vital step.
So it’s worth reading if you can keep the end in sight, but it is a very heavy one to read.
That all may have been aggravated by the novelized style of the opening. The author fills in thoughts and dialogue making it flow smoothly in all its terror and sadness. It then rather abruptly switches to a less personal more scattered chronicle of events with much less detail and emotion. But those details don’t really share the Gospel along the way. It’s just an abrupt statement that people were coming to church, then they are being baptized or burning fetishes, etc. It made their glorious transformations seem to be missing a vital step.
So it’s worth reading if you can keep the end in sight, but it is a very heavy one to read.
August 22, 2023
Cultural anthropology. Respect. Adventure. Tragedy. Commitment. These are some of the words that come to mind after experiencing this book. The author somehow manages to give a delightful and respectful insight into the uniqueness of the Yali culture while also telling the riveting story of their evangelization.
November 25, 2025
God's so insanely amazing.
March 28, 2015
Lords of the Earth is a gripping account of Christian missionaries, Stanley Dale and Bruno de Leeuw, and their first contact with the Yali tribes-people of the high mountains of Irian Jaya (Dutch New Guinea). The Yali were a hard-edged warrior dominated society that eked out a primitive existence in the steep walled valleys that protected them from civilization. These occasional cannibals had their world and cosmology utter shaken by the appearance of the two RBMU (Regions Beyond Missionary Union) missionaries and native guides that trekked into their valleys in 1961. Over the next decade, these people saw their warring sectarianism replaced by a loving peace taught by the Christian gospel.
Stan Dale is the main protagonist of this hard-to-believe true story. Starting from very humble beginnings in Australia, he fought his way into becoming a smart, strong, but often equally brash soldier. His conversion to Christianity was followed shortly by a call to the mission fields of Papua New Guinea. However, his sternness and treatment of others led him to being let go from not one but two different missionary societies. But when in his third stint on the island he went to the Yali people, he finally found the field God had prepared him for.
This account is filled with some absolutely cringe-filled moments as Stan charges into situations that he had no understanding of the underlying context. The greatest lesson this book imparts is that God can use anyone and their foibles for His work. Richardson’s portrayal of him – drawn from many firsthand accounts and his own acquaintance – paint a fair picture of the man. Sometimes this is to his detriment, but also the reader sees how he was uniquely suited for this challenging assignment. His supporting cast of missionaries and native tribesmen are impressive in their resolve to break the power of spirit worship. I don’t want to spoil the story, but it truly is amazing from where it starts to where it ends.
The thing I loved most was the view into this primitive people’s lives. Their beliefs, their thoughts, the way the villages are arranged appeal deeply to my anthropological curiosities. These black pygmy cliff dwellers reveal their humanity even in the most uncivilized ways. The reader feels drawn to them in the same way the missionaries were.
The book on a whole isn’t as strong as Richardson’s autobiographical account in his book Peace Child, but those who love to read compelling stories of Christ’s work will enjoy this. The events in this story are barely fifty years old. They should be an inspiration to many.
7 stars out of 10
Red Eagle's Legacy
Stan Dale is the main protagonist of this hard-to-believe true story. Starting from very humble beginnings in Australia, he fought his way into becoming a smart, strong, but often equally brash soldier. His conversion to Christianity was followed shortly by a call to the mission fields of Papua New Guinea. However, his sternness and treatment of others led him to being let go from not one but two different missionary societies. But when in his third stint on the island he went to the Yali people, he finally found the field God had prepared him for.
This account is filled with some absolutely cringe-filled moments as Stan charges into situations that he had no understanding of the underlying context. The greatest lesson this book imparts is that God can use anyone and their foibles for His work. Richardson’s portrayal of him – drawn from many firsthand accounts and his own acquaintance – paint a fair picture of the man. Sometimes this is to his detriment, but also the reader sees how he was uniquely suited for this challenging assignment. His supporting cast of missionaries and native tribesmen are impressive in their resolve to break the power of spirit worship. I don’t want to spoil the story, but it truly is amazing from where it starts to where it ends.
The thing I loved most was the view into this primitive people’s lives. Their beliefs, their thoughts, the way the villages are arranged appeal deeply to my anthropological curiosities. These black pygmy cliff dwellers reveal their humanity even in the most uncivilized ways. The reader feels drawn to them in the same way the missionaries were.
The book on a whole isn’t as strong as Richardson’s autobiographical account in his book Peace Child, but those who love to read compelling stories of Christ’s work will enjoy this. The events in this story are barely fifty years old. They should be an inspiration to many.
7 stars out of 10
Red Eagle's Legacy
October 7, 2014
Mission trips have a tendency to be romanticized; going abroad somewhere new, leaving all your daily humdrum tasks behind, and embarking on an adventure are false appeals to some who think about the mission field. Many people, of course, are aware that mission means lying down your own comfort and life to glorify and bring honor to God, all by sharing the gospel with people who have yet heard it in hopes that they too would come to know Christ. Don Richardson wrote this biography to tell the story of his friend and colleague, Stan, and others who helped him embark on the unchartered territory in attempt to reach the Yali warriors, a cannibalistic people who were trapped, stifled, and enslaved by the spirits they served.
By learning about Stan and Phil’s life, along with Bruno’s sacrifice, we share in remembering what devote soldiers they were, along with their wives, in a war a lot of people are unaware of or choose not to think about, the spiritual war. In death, there was life, the life of Christ in those who Stan, Bruce, and later Phil set out to reach. May those who lost their life then, and continue to do so, rest in peace with their Savior.
By learning about Stan and Phil’s life, along with Bruno’s sacrifice, we share in remembering what devote soldiers they were, along with their wives, in a war a lot of people are unaware of or choose not to think about, the spiritual war. In death, there was life, the life of Christ in those who Stan, Bruce, and later Phil set out to reach. May those who lost their life then, and continue to do so, rest in peace with their Savior.
June 3, 2021
Love or cannibalism
I found this a hard book to read simply because cannibalism itself is so ghastly. On the other hand, how beautiful to see people choose freely to abandon cannibalism and embrace a God and lifestyle of love, including a love of enemies. How refreshing to see people choose peace and harmony with God and others over rage and hatred. Isn’t this a lesson for North America? Including a lesson to the religious of all stripes? Can’t we have a God of love and peace again who values everyone? Can we have a Jesus back who really has a heart for every single person? The courage of the messengers in this story is a magnificent testimony of giving yourself for others even if it means giving your all. I’m humbled by their sacrifice. And love.
I found this a hard book to read simply because cannibalism itself is so ghastly. On the other hand, how beautiful to see people choose freely to abandon cannibalism and embrace a God and lifestyle of love, including a love of enemies. How refreshing to see people choose peace and harmony with God and others over rage and hatred. Isn’t this a lesson for North America? Including a lesson to the religious of all stripes? Can’t we have a God of love and peace again who values everyone? Can we have a Jesus back who really has a heart for every single person? The courage of the messengers in this story is a magnificent testimony of giving yourself for others even if it means giving your all. I’m humbled by their sacrifice. And love.
August 24, 2012
Sebenarnya yang saya baca bukan versi Inggris, tapi Indonesia. Saya cantumkan yang berbahasa Inggris, karena tidak berhasil menemukan versi Indonesia di Goodreads.
Penguasa-Penguasa Bumi, Don Richardson ( versi Indonesia).
Sejujurnya saya kewalahan membaca pada halaman-halaman awal. Salah satunya karena istilah-istilah Yali yang dipakai Don. Tiba-tiba ada kembu-vam, dokwi-vam, kembu, yogwa, osuwa, homia, domil-mil. Padahal, di sisi lain, saya belum juga berhasil menghafal nama-nama tokoh yang seakan-akan berebut tempat dalam satu halaman. Selain itu, saya merasa cerita kian mencekam, bahkan sebelum mencapai halaman 90-an dari 444. Semakin kewalahan.
Tapi seperti ada yang mendorong saya untuk terus membaca, meski pelan-pelan. Cerita yang bagi saya “cukup gelap” itu mulai meluntur pada bagian dua: Di Balik Pegunungan. Lalu muncul sanjak Rudyard Kipling yang membuat perasaan campur-aduk ketika membaca baris-barisnya untuk pertama kali. Beberapa kali bahkan seperti sedang menjadi Stanley Albert Dale (Stan Dale), tokoh utama yang hari-harinya mirip dengan baris-baris dalam sanjak Kipling. Sanjak “Seandainya”. If.
“..Seandainya engkau dapat berpikir, tetapi tidak mengukuhi pikiran sebagai sasaran
Seandainya engkau dapat tenang menghadapi kemenangan ataupun kehancuran
Dan memperlakukan kedua penipu itu sama saja;
Seandainya engkau dapat tahan mendengar kebenaran yang telah kauucapkan
Diputarbalikkan oleh orang-orang jahat untuk dijadikan perangkap bagi orang-orang bodoh;
Atau melihat apa yang kaukasihi dengan segenap jiwamu dipatahkan orang,
Lalu engkau membungkuk untuk memungut dan memperbaikinya dengan alat-alat yang sudah usang;
…”
Stan adalah mantan Anggota angkatan Darat Australia yang kemudian, hingga akhir hidupnya, setia melayani kebutuhan rohani suku Yali di Distrik Ninia, Lembah Heluk, dataran tinggi Papua. Waktunya pada 1961 hingga menjelang 1970.
Ia terbang jauh dari Sydney untuk membuka mata suku Yali, bahwa ada kekuatan yang jauh lebih besar dan baik dibandingkan segala jimat dalam yogwa-yogwa (rumah tempat pria Yali biasa beraktivitas dan menyimpan senjata) mereka. Ia ingin suku Yali merasakan Tuhan, bukan roh-roh Kembu.
Namun, tentu saja, usaha Stan tidak berjalan lancar. Tapi ia tak pernah menyerah. Ia naik turun lembah, masuk keluar desa, berhari-hari, dengan hanya berbekal ubi. Kalau boleh saya bilang, tidak banyak orang pada masa sekarang yang bisa melakukan apa yang diperbuatnya.
Ada beberapa kalimat Don –yang bagi saya- telah mempermudah bayangan pembaca terhadap sosok dan kehidupan para misonaris (khususnya Stan) di Lembah Heluk. Kalimat itu berupa beberapa bagian sanjak Seandainya, juga yang saya temukan pada halaman 353:
“Orang yang hidup seperti Stan dan Phil (Phil Masters, rekan Stan) tidak mempunyai “daging lebih” pada tubuhnya.”
Stan dan Phil meninggal dunia di dekat suatu air terjun di Desa Seng. Napas mereka habis sepenuhnya, setelah dihujani puluhan anak panah yang dilepaskan para tokoh perang Desa Seng. Tragis. Sangat menyedihkan. Buku baik. Cerita nyata yang… gila… luar biasa.
Salam hormat untuk orang-orang dari negeri jauh yang rela menanggalkan banyak hal demi kebaikan di tanah kami.
Penguasa-Penguasa Bumi, Don Richardson ( versi Indonesia).
Sejujurnya saya kewalahan membaca pada halaman-halaman awal. Salah satunya karena istilah-istilah Yali yang dipakai Don. Tiba-tiba ada kembu-vam, dokwi-vam, kembu, yogwa, osuwa, homia, domil-mil. Padahal, di sisi lain, saya belum juga berhasil menghafal nama-nama tokoh yang seakan-akan berebut tempat dalam satu halaman. Selain itu, saya merasa cerita kian mencekam, bahkan sebelum mencapai halaman 90-an dari 444. Semakin kewalahan.
Tapi seperti ada yang mendorong saya untuk terus membaca, meski pelan-pelan. Cerita yang bagi saya “cukup gelap” itu mulai meluntur pada bagian dua: Di Balik Pegunungan. Lalu muncul sanjak Rudyard Kipling yang membuat perasaan campur-aduk ketika membaca baris-barisnya untuk pertama kali. Beberapa kali bahkan seperti sedang menjadi Stanley Albert Dale (Stan Dale), tokoh utama yang hari-harinya mirip dengan baris-baris dalam sanjak Kipling. Sanjak “Seandainya”. If.
“..Seandainya engkau dapat berpikir, tetapi tidak mengukuhi pikiran sebagai sasaran
Seandainya engkau dapat tenang menghadapi kemenangan ataupun kehancuran
Dan memperlakukan kedua penipu itu sama saja;
Seandainya engkau dapat tahan mendengar kebenaran yang telah kauucapkan
Diputarbalikkan oleh orang-orang jahat untuk dijadikan perangkap bagi orang-orang bodoh;
Atau melihat apa yang kaukasihi dengan segenap jiwamu dipatahkan orang,
Lalu engkau membungkuk untuk memungut dan memperbaikinya dengan alat-alat yang sudah usang;
…”
Stan adalah mantan Anggota angkatan Darat Australia yang kemudian, hingga akhir hidupnya, setia melayani kebutuhan rohani suku Yali di Distrik Ninia, Lembah Heluk, dataran tinggi Papua. Waktunya pada 1961 hingga menjelang 1970.
Ia terbang jauh dari Sydney untuk membuka mata suku Yali, bahwa ada kekuatan yang jauh lebih besar dan baik dibandingkan segala jimat dalam yogwa-yogwa (rumah tempat pria Yali biasa beraktivitas dan menyimpan senjata) mereka. Ia ingin suku Yali merasakan Tuhan, bukan roh-roh Kembu.
Namun, tentu saja, usaha Stan tidak berjalan lancar. Tapi ia tak pernah menyerah. Ia naik turun lembah, masuk keluar desa, berhari-hari, dengan hanya berbekal ubi. Kalau boleh saya bilang, tidak banyak orang pada masa sekarang yang bisa melakukan apa yang diperbuatnya.
Ada beberapa kalimat Don –yang bagi saya- telah mempermudah bayangan pembaca terhadap sosok dan kehidupan para misonaris (khususnya Stan) di Lembah Heluk. Kalimat itu berupa beberapa bagian sanjak Seandainya, juga yang saya temukan pada halaman 353:
“Orang yang hidup seperti Stan dan Phil (Phil Masters, rekan Stan) tidak mempunyai “daging lebih” pada tubuhnya.”
Stan dan Phil meninggal dunia di dekat suatu air terjun di Desa Seng. Napas mereka habis sepenuhnya, setelah dihujani puluhan anak panah yang dilepaskan para tokoh perang Desa Seng. Tragis. Sangat menyedihkan. Buku baik. Cerita nyata yang… gila… luar biasa.
Salam hormat untuk orang-orang dari negeri jauh yang rela menanggalkan banyak hal demi kebaikan di tanah kami.
August 15, 2016
What glorious stories our Author tells!
I read (and loved) a couple other Don Richardson books decades ago, but missed this one. I'm glad I finally found it. Stan Dale probably wouldn't make it past the review boards of most mission sending agencies these days, and there'd be good reason for their skepticism, but he was God's man for the Yali people.
Before he encountered Christ, Dale's life was profoundly shaped by Kipling's poem "If." The poem was quoted in the book, and I've just reread it, and I think it might have served our hero better had it included a stanza about being a little more gracious toward those who are weaker or have different convictions. IOW, Dale was a bit of a jerk at times. But still...he was exactly how God designed him for the calling He gave him. The rough edges were a byproduct of the uncompromising toughness and faithfulness he exemplified. He was exactly the right character for the story.
But then, the story flips on its head.
I'd especially recommend this book for boys...with fatherly guidance. It would yield many fruitful discussions about true (and false) masculinity.
The audiobook reader was good.
I read (and loved) a couple other Don Richardson books decades ago, but missed this one. I'm glad I finally found it. Stan Dale probably wouldn't make it past the review boards of most mission sending agencies these days, and there'd be good reason for their skepticism, but he was God's man for the Yali people.
Before he encountered Christ, Dale's life was profoundly shaped by Kipling's poem "If." The poem was quoted in the book, and I've just reread it, and I think it might have served our hero better had it included a stanza about being a little more gracious toward those who are weaker or have different convictions. IOW, Dale was a bit of a jerk at times. But still...he was exactly how God designed him for the calling He gave him. The rough edges were a byproduct of the uncompromising toughness and faithfulness he exemplified. He was exactly the right character for the story.
But then, the story flips on its head.
I'd especially recommend this book for boys...with fatherly guidance. It would yield many fruitful discussions about true (and false) masculinity.
The audiobook reader was good.
May 5, 2014
Lords of The Earth is a true story that tells the captivating story about the daring missionaries, Stan Dale and Bruno deLeeuw, as they trekked into the mysterious Snowy Mountains to reach the Yali people and share the gospel to them.Along the way, they faced opposition from the kembu priests, trials in building an airstrip, and faced countless near death experiences. However, through it all, their faith in God never wavered nor did their vision for this lost valley was ever forgotten. I really enjoyed reading Lords of the Earth. I was inspired and challenged by Stan Dale's perseverance through trials. This book also opened my eyes to how rough the early missionaries had it. My dad visited the Yali people group and this was what inspired my Dad to be involved in missions. So the book hit close to home for me. Lords of the Earth includes a lot of action and has its suspenseful moments. In addition, Lords of the Earth takes place in Irian Jaya which is just across the border from Papua New Guinea and it was interesting to see how the Yali people's culture was like compared to the culture here in Papua New Guinea. A highlight in the book for me was seeing the change in the Yali people when they moved out of their dark world and believed and accepted Christ into their hearts. I would highly recommend this book to anyone because it is a good reminder to us all the the Bible is worth dieing for.
August 4, 2008
Wow, what an eye-opener. The first-hand accounts in this book show you how dark and oppressive life is without the truth of the Gospel and how wonderful that transforming truth is! The Yali tribes are trapped in a merciless, violent culture with no way of escape. Stan Dale is a rough, tough missionary who is willing to trek into the heart of the jungle to share the truth of the gospel with these isolated cannibals. Just as his courage will inspire you, the effect of his sacrifice will remind you just how powerful the message of the Gospel really is.
October 30, 2009
Somewhat of a sequel to Peace Child, Mr. Richardson again captures the reader with his vivid retelling of the missionary work among the Yali tribal people of Irian Jaya. The story this time centers on the work of missionary Stan Dale. It is at different times heart-wrenching, jaw-dropping, and awe-inspiring. Books like this do a great deal to help broaden my perspective and understanding of God’s work throughout the whole world.
October 25, 2008
If you liked "End of the Spear" you'll love this book. God is so big, and he uses the most awful tragedies to open the heart one tribal man, and open the door to revivial. This book is not for the faint-of-heart!
January 7, 2012
A great blessing. This book is a little more intense than Peace Child. The blood of martyrs was the price of admission to the Seng valley. It is sobering to think on these events taking place a little more than forty years ago. We did this as a family read-aloud and I highly recommend it.
March 12, 2009
God can move mountains to reach the lost of this world if His people will only go forth.
November 30, 2011
A truly amazing story
May 12, 2011
This book was awesome. I have never read a book like this one before. It was very inspiring to read how God works through the people in this book.
February 18, 2012
This is the book that explains the martyrdom of Crissie's dad, Phil Masters. We know that some parts are not totally accurate, but it's still a story worth reading.
May 22, 2023
Gripping story. First few chapters of the book were hard to understand with the layout. However once the narrator starts talking about Stan and Bruno, the first few chapters make sense later on. Highly recommend this book.
One quote that stood out from this book: " When Christian proclamation does not adapt to culture but requires total change, it makes the decision very hard. Sometimes entailing martyrdom. The result is that belief becomes deep rooted and deviation is less when winds of social change come along later." This quote was said in conversation when the missionaries were deciding on what to do with the existing religion in the tribes. One thought was to try to adapt into the witchcraft culture. But the missionaries were quick to realize this was a watered down version of Christianity that they would be presenting. This quote says that the more an initial cost of Christianity is, the stronger ones faith will be later. Not if there is social change, but when there is social change. Social change is guaranteed.
One quote that stood out from this book: " When Christian proclamation does not adapt to culture but requires total change, it makes the decision very hard. Sometimes entailing martyrdom. The result is that belief becomes deep rooted and deviation is less when winds of social change come along later." This quote was said in conversation when the missionaries were deciding on what to do with the existing religion in the tribes. One thought was to try to adapt into the witchcraft culture. But the missionaries were quick to realize this was a watered down version of Christianity that they would be presenting. This quote says that the more an initial cost of Christianity is, the stronger ones faith will be later. Not if there is social change, but when there is social change. Social change is guaranteed.
January 16, 2026
I finally know the whole story of Stan and Phil’s martyrdom.
Dry at times, irritating at others, what is a biography if it does not portray a person’s life authentically? Stan Dale had to have been an Enneagram 8. The glory of God is on full display in the development of the broader story of this book. It focuses on Stan’s life as the main character, and expands as needed to other characters, with a hearty postlude on how God used the tragedy to great effect. Written approximately 9 years after the killings.
I would recommend!
Dry at times, irritating at others, what is a biography if it does not portray a person’s life authentically? Stan Dale had to have been an Enneagram 8. The glory of God is on full display in the development of the broader story of this book. It focuses on Stan’s life as the main character, and expands as needed to other characters, with a hearty postlude on how God used the tragedy to great effect. Written approximately 9 years after the killings.
I would recommend!
October 16, 2024
One of the better missionary biographies that I've read. I really enjoyed this one and best of all it kept the nations on the forefront of my mind.
August 6, 2022
Gripping! I don’t want to spoil the story, so I will just say that I found this book to be incredibly moving. What a testimony to the power of the Gospel!
February 28, 2023
Wow. I’ve read so many stories of missionaries and the people groups they ministered to, but I don’t know of any that have impacted me quite like this. I had a hard time putting this book down. Well written, Richardson’s novel chronicles the Yali people’s journey to the gospel through the boldness of Stan Dale. This story can evoke a rollercoaster of emotions. Although I recommend this book, I don’t know if someone more sensitive would make it to the end or even through the first few chapters. I will say it is a graphic book, which could be upsetting to some readers.
June 1, 2025
I’m not sure why it took me so long to read this book, as it has been recommended to me many times!! It was so well done and I love how it opened from the perspective of the tribal people, as it “humanized” them. I love learning about imperfect missionaries and the way the Lord uses people despite their flaws. This story was miraculous and the author did a phenomenal job telling it!!
December 6, 2018
That moment when I realise I'm not that brave and I haven't made much of a difference.
So humbled.
Don Richardson is an incredibly gifted story teller. In this book he honours the stories of Yali - "the lord's of the earth" as well as Stanley Dale and many brave & daring missionaries.
"Rallying tattered shreds of his spirit, Stan fought off unconsciousness and forced himself to walk. Holding his hands, his Yali friends guided him."
So humbled.
Don Richardson is an incredibly gifted story teller. In this book he honours the stories of Yali - "the lord's of the earth" as well as Stanley Dale and many brave & daring missionaries.
"Rallying tattered shreds of his spirit, Stan fought off unconsciousness and forced himself to walk. Holding his hands, his Yali friends guided him."
July 14, 2014
Stanley Dale grew up as a short, timid, skinny boy growing up. He struggled with with lots of insecurities. God used a poem he read in school to give him confidence ['If' by Rudyard Kipling]. Surely Kipling must have used Christ as model for his ideal man (91-92)!
As he came to Christ, he wanted to share the Gospel with those who had never heard. An opportunity came up to reach the Yabi tribe in what is now known as Papua New Guinea [formerly ‘Dutch New Guinea’ or ‘Irian Jaya.’]. Previously, their beliefs were contained in the wene melalek [‘the ancient words’ given by Kembu—the spirits from mankind’s origin]. Since then, each generation recited the wene melalek to its children at the time of putting-them-into-Kembu [their coming-of-age ritual for males only—women were excluded from these commandments]. Right around the time when these ancient rituals were challenged, Dale and some other missionaries arrived on the scene.
These Yabis were cannibals and often would just kill others on the other side of the river. But when Stan showed up, he walked with a boldness that caused everyone to think he was one of their gods. His skin shined off the sun. He immediately went to work to build a runway for supplies to be sent to further the mission. There was a LOT of work to do. The elders kept their distance, but a few few of the youth came to his aid--and also became the first disciples. They were HIGH up in the Snow Mountains where no Christians had been before [Though there we some German missionaries and anthropologists who were researching people a bit further north].
Dale was a military man. He had discipline and a never-give-up-attitude. The building of the runway took several months and was grueling work. As time went on he tried to share the Gospel with more and more people in more and more villages. Most were very favorable receptions. It helped he brought some of his runway workers to help translate and give him favor as he traveled.
The story has lots of twists and turns, but it is remarkable to see how one of his first disciples (who later became the first martyr), after Stan was shot with 5 arrows at one point, told him to not give up as it wasn't his time to die. Then, on what he thought might be his deathbed, the Lord spoke Psalm 118:17, "You shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord!' Then he marched up 1,500 feet uphill to safety.
Numerous disciples were made, but some groups despised him. The book culminates with some interactions between each other that are quite memorable. If we just offer ourselves to God, we will be AMAZED at what he decides to do in and through us. A truly remarkable story about the Great Commission taking another step towards being fulfilled!
As he came to Christ, he wanted to share the Gospel with those who had never heard. An opportunity came up to reach the Yabi tribe in what is now known as Papua New Guinea [formerly ‘Dutch New Guinea’ or ‘Irian Jaya.’]. Previously, their beliefs were contained in the wene melalek [‘the ancient words’ given by Kembu—the spirits from mankind’s origin]. Since then, each generation recited the wene melalek to its children at the time of putting-them-into-Kembu [their coming-of-age ritual for males only—women were excluded from these commandments]. Right around the time when these ancient rituals were challenged, Dale and some other missionaries arrived on the scene.
These Yabis were cannibals and often would just kill others on the other side of the river. But when Stan showed up, he walked with a boldness that caused everyone to think he was one of their gods. His skin shined off the sun. He immediately went to work to build a runway for supplies to be sent to further the mission. There was a LOT of work to do. The elders kept their distance, but a few few of the youth came to his aid--and also became the first disciples. They were HIGH up in the Snow Mountains where no Christians had been before [Though there we some German missionaries and anthropologists who were researching people a bit further north].
Dale was a military man. He had discipline and a never-give-up-attitude. The building of the runway took several months and was grueling work. As time went on he tried to share the Gospel with more and more people in more and more villages. Most were very favorable receptions. It helped he brought some of his runway workers to help translate and give him favor as he traveled.
The story has lots of twists and turns, but it is remarkable to see how one of his first disciples (who later became the first martyr), after Stan was shot with 5 arrows at one point, told him to not give up as it wasn't his time to die. Then, on what he thought might be his deathbed, the Lord spoke Psalm 118:17, "You shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord!' Then he marched up 1,500 feet uphill to safety.
Numerous disciples were made, but some groups despised him. The book culminates with some interactions between each other that are quite memorable. If we just offer ourselves to God, we will be AMAZED at what he decides to do in and through us. A truly remarkable story about the Great Commission taking another step towards being fulfilled!
January 1, 2013
An excerpt:
"Look,Stan!" Bruno pointed at the slopes below Yabi's ridgetop position. Armed Yali men were streaming down.
"Here's more coming from this side," Stan added, pointing to an equally well-armed host of Kobak men descending from the southeast.
"And here come the Balinga men led by Suwi," offered a Dani in his own tongue.
"Our peace move better work, Bruno," Stan said calmly, "or there's going to be one terrible battle fought right where we're standing."
"Lords of the Earth" is Don Richardson's nonfiction account of Stanley Dale, an audacious Australian missionary, and his colleagues bringing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a tribe in the 1960s. The people are the Yali, a stone-age, violent, sometimes cannibalistic tribe in the Snow Mountains of what was known as Dutch New Guinea when the book begins and became known as Irian Jaya after the Indonesian government took over.
It's now better known as Papua Indonesia, a gorgeous part of the world I had the privilege of visiting for a couple of weeks in 2011. My friends there brought the Gospel to the Moi, another previously unreached group, in the early 2000s, a work that's still in progress. Comparing what little I know of the Moi with the great deal Richardson tells about the Yali was one of the fascinating aspects of this book for me.
Although Stanley Dale is the central figure in the book, we don't meet him until the seventh chapter. Richardson uses the first six chapters to introduce us to the Yali people, so we really feel like we know them by the time Dale arrives on the scene. We learn that they are deeply religious, but it is a religion based entirely on fear. Richardson doesn't tell us this, he shows it to us. He expertly tells his story in narrative form, making it spellbinding.
I like that Richardson doesn't gloss over the conflicts among missionaries. Although Dale was fearless, resourceful and passionate in reaching the lost, he wasn't the easiest person to work with. He had been dismissed by two previous missionary agency before a third accepted him for the work in Irian Jaya. Perhaps he was most effective at establishing a beachhead. From the text, it seemed like more actual progress was made when he was away.
"Lords of the Earth," illustrated with grainy, black-and-white pictures and maps that are hard to understand, is a great adventure story. It's a hard book to put down.
"Look,Stan!" Bruno pointed at the slopes below Yabi's ridgetop position. Armed Yali men were streaming down.
"Here's more coming from this side," Stan added, pointing to an equally well-armed host of Kobak men descending from the southeast.
"And here come the Balinga men led by Suwi," offered a Dani in his own tongue.
"Our peace move better work, Bruno," Stan said calmly, "or there's going to be one terrible battle fought right where we're standing."
"Lords of the Earth" is Don Richardson's nonfiction account of Stanley Dale, an audacious Australian missionary, and his colleagues bringing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a tribe in the 1960s. The people are the Yali, a stone-age, violent, sometimes cannibalistic tribe in the Snow Mountains of what was known as Dutch New Guinea when the book begins and became known as Irian Jaya after the Indonesian government took over.
It's now better known as Papua Indonesia, a gorgeous part of the world I had the privilege of visiting for a couple of weeks in 2011. My friends there brought the Gospel to the Moi, another previously unreached group, in the early 2000s, a work that's still in progress. Comparing what little I know of the Moi with the great deal Richardson tells about the Yali was one of the fascinating aspects of this book for me.
Although Stanley Dale is the central figure in the book, we don't meet him until the seventh chapter. Richardson uses the first six chapters to introduce us to the Yali people, so we really feel like we know them by the time Dale arrives on the scene. We learn that they are deeply religious, but it is a religion based entirely on fear. Richardson doesn't tell us this, he shows it to us. He expertly tells his story in narrative form, making it spellbinding.
I like that Richardson doesn't gloss over the conflicts among missionaries. Although Dale was fearless, resourceful and passionate in reaching the lost, he wasn't the easiest person to work with. He had been dismissed by two previous missionary agency before a third accepted him for the work in Irian Jaya. Perhaps he was most effective at establishing a beachhead. From the text, it seemed like more actual progress was made when he was away.
"Lords of the Earth," illustrated with grainy, black-and-white pictures and maps that are hard to understand, is a great adventure story. It's a hard book to put down.
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