An introduction to Hudson Taylor

Hudson Taylor has been described as ‘God’s Man in China’, and the ‘founder of modern mission’. Born in May 1832 in Barnsley, England, James Hudson Taylor was the eldest child to godly parents who dedicated him to the Lord in order that he might serve their Saviour! Even as a 4 year old, he would say ‘When I am a man, I mean to be a missionary and go to China!’. Converted at the age of 17, when he understood ‘the finished work of Christ’, he trained in medicine. He realized that he could not leave England for some foreign land if he had not learned to trust God at home! And how he trusted God – for finances, health, food…

Hudson Taylor was a man who dared to believe the Word of God and, by faith, carried the gospel to inland China, and saw God work wonders! On Sept 19, 1853, Taylor left the comforts of England and set sail for China (even on the ship he witnessed to Christ). He had no particular denominational convictions, he simply set about doing medical work and preaching the gospel. In 1865, he founded the China Inland Mission. A turning point in his life came in 1869, when he received a letter from John McCarthy about the new freedom he’d found. To quote ‘Not a striving to have faith, but a looking off to the Faithful One seems all we need, a resting in the Loved One entirely, for time and for eternity’. Taylor said ‘As I read, I saw it all. I looked to Jesus and when I saw – oh, how joy flowed!’ His friends describe how he had a new power in ministry and new poise in facing the problems of the mission. ‘He cast everything on God in a new way, and gave more time to prayer’.

I could write about his unique was of assimilating into the culture of China (his dress, his hair, his eating habits) in order to share the gospel; his perseverance under suffering; his commitment to reach all people groups in China; his trust in God to supply his every need; his conviction that earthly treasures are meaningless. I could write about the people he influenced and inspired – DL Moody, George Muller, F.B. Meyer, to name a few. I could write about the impact he has had on modern day mission (for example, our Church Missionary Society). But you can read all about those things in one of plethera of books written about this extraordinary man of God (I would recommend beginning with ‘Hudson Taylor’s Spiritual Secret’ (by his son, Howard Taylor), or read Steer’s biography ‘Hudson Taylor’. But in order to give you a taste of this man, I simply share some of his own words.

- ‘All God’s giants have been weak men, who did great things for God because they reckoned on His being with them’
- ‘Want of trust is at the root of almost all our sins and all our weaknesses, and how shall we escape it but by looking to Him and observing His faithfulness’
- ‘Before God works through us, he works in us, because the work that we do is the outgrowth of the life that we live’...‘God is prepares us for what he is preparing for us’
- ‘God’s work done in God’s way will never lack God’s supplies’
- ‘We do not need to say much about CIM. Let people see God working, let God be glorified, let believers be made holier, happier, brought near to Him and they will not need to be asked to help!’ (regarding his principle to promote missions and not simply the work of his mission alone!)
- ‘[With regard to trials] we might be lifted up, perhaps, or lose spiritual life and power, if success were unaccompanied by discipline’
- When introduced at a conference as ‘our illustrious speaker’, Hudson’s first sentence was ‘Dear friends, I am the little servant of an illustrious Master’

As one writer said ‘I suggest you get to know Hudson Taylor intimately, for when you do, if you are open to God’s truth, the Holy Spirit will do something fresh and lasting in your heart. For the Christian seeking faith in troubled times, for the servant thirsting for fresh power, for the worker longing to know how to build for God, the life of James Hudson Taylor can point the way to Christ – the final answer to every need’

For the glory of our Lord Jesus!
Paul Dale (Senior Pastor)