Hudson Taylor-Chinese Was Greek to Me

By Mary Vee

From J. Hudson Taylor's Notes

I felt so lost.


Last time I wrote about having to stay in a stranger's home. Fortunately he spoke English, was a missionary, and a surgeon. We had much in common.


I went with him through the streets of Shanghai and listened to him preach the Gospel to any person who would listen. He handed out tracts and tried his best.


Shanghai wasn't a normal city. There was a war going on at the time I wrote these words. Outside the city walls an army had the city under siege. That meant no food, water, or any other supplies could come in to the city. 


Inside, an army was poised to attack anything that came near the walls. The soldiers were nervous and struck anything that startled them.


Imagine yourself walking through a city like that. Would you stop and listen to a foreigner talking about their God? Right. Not many did.


Wounded were left in the laying in the streets unwilling to trust the foreign doctors. My new friend said about one injured man, "Unless he comes to the hospital, we can't help. Any bandaging or help we give will be torn off by his enemies." He walked away and made me go with him.


We went to the chapel, which fortunately was packed with men and women wanting to hear the Word of God. The chapel was small. Packed didn't really describe the number of people. We gave rice to everyone who came. Without food coming in to the city, many starved.


After the service we continued walking through the city telling people about Jesus. Many of the temples had been destroyed and the idols as well. I may not have been able to speak their language, but I could see their faces. The people of Shanghai didn't realize their broken idols couldn't help. They needed the Lord Jesus Christ, the living and true God.


I felt frustrated at not being able to speak the language. I needed to tell the aching souls about the God who loves them and gave His son to pay for their sins. He could comfort their aching hearts.


I still didn't have enough money to survive in China. I needed a tutor to teach me Mandarin. It didn't matter to me any longer if the tutor came from a university or had high recommendations. I needed anyone who knew both English and Mandarin and was willing to teach me. 


God showed me such a man. I woke early before sunrise and studied Mandarin at least five hours every day in addition to helping the missionary surgeon with his work. I simply had to learn how to speak with the Chinese people.


Pray for me that I learn this difficult language quickly.




J.Hudson Taylor


Do you have any questions for me?


photo courtesy of visualbiblealive.com