Frank Gaebelein
Arno's Son Comes Clean
The Man Behind Scofield
Frank Ely Gaebelein (1899-1983)  was Arno's  youngest son. He was two
years old  when  his father met Scofield and  ten when the Scofield Bible
was  published.  Frank's  childhood   memories of his father and his home
life  were  taped in a series of interviews  by researcher David Rausch at
his  home  near Arlington, Virginia in 1979.
 
The  interview provides key insights  into the history of the Scofield Bible
because  young  Frank  was  running  around  the house  while his father
typed the famous notes. He was an eyewitness.

The Gaebelein's  lived  in Mt. Vernon,  New York known  today  as  upper
Harlem.  At  the  time  it  was  heavily   populated  by  Yiddish  speaking
German  and  Russian  Jewish  immigrants.  The  Jews had largely moved 
out  of  this  section by 1920.  
 
Frank remembers his father would  leave  early each morning to take the
train to  grand Central Station and walk to the 2nd Street  headquarters
of  his  magazine  Our Hope.  His large  one  room  office was  filled with 
books, magazines  and  desks for him and his secretary. [6]
 
At  home his  father  spent  most  of  his  time  on  the  typewriter in his
study. He was absorbed with his work and his  mother avoided disturbing
him. Scofield   was  a  frequent  visitor and  there was a family joke that
Scofield  liked  to go  to theaters. Yiddish  matinees were popular  at the
turn of the century. [7]

The author  of  the  Scofield Bible  was  listed  as Dr. C.I. Scofield, D.D.,
however,  Frank stated  that Scofield  never attended  a  university or a 
seminary. [8]  His  father  wrote  A History of the Scofield Bible  in  1939
which  led   the  reader  to  believe  that  Scofield  worked  closely with
seven editors in the preparation of the book. [9]
 
But, Frank later wrote in  A History of the Scofield Bible  (1959) that the
reference  bible was largely the  work  of  one man. The implication  was 
that  the  "one man"  was  Scofield. [10]    However,   in  the  interview  
with Rausch  in  1979  he  stated that  his  father  had  "definitely" been 
responsible for  the  prophetic  portion  of the reference bible. [11]  Now
the truth came out, the "one man" was his father. [12]

 Frank's  confession  came   shortly  before  he died.  He  had  nothing to
lose and  was  proud  of what his  father  had accomplished. Since  then
researchers have confirmed his story. The seven  editors with impressive
credentials had nothing  to do with the writing or editing  of the Scofield
Bible.  Scofield  was  incapable  of  doing  it  himself. Arno Gaebelein had
done the notes. King James did the bible.
 
This revelation opens a Pandora's box of new mysteries. Why did two of
the most  respected  Christians  of the 20th  century  create the illusion
that a  man  of  dubious  character, and spurious credentials wrote their
profoundly influential reference bible?

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