Hudson Taylor-If Only Life Was Not Complicated

By Mary Vee

From J. Hudson Taylor's Notes

If only...if only. I wish the missionary life only meant go to places where people had not heard about God's love, telling them the Gospel, helping them with their needs, and growing a church. 

photo courtesy of visualbibleimages.com

Unfortunately, missionaries also have to work with mission boards, raising money, and oh, the paperwork for the people back home.

Yes, Dr. Parker and I still have not received the fund requested to set up a hospital, office, and school here in Shanghai. Our mission board decided not to fund works in port cities, only for inland work. 

To make matters worse, a magistrate from Jing Jiang reported to the British authorities that we had broken the law by venturing beyond the thirty mile restriction from treaty ports for foreigners. 

I continued to preach five to six times a day near Shanghai while living in the tiny house with two other families, Dr. Parker was one. All these problems and the return of summer sweltering heat wore on my body. I became quite ill. 

Still, the work must press on. I did not come here to lollygag. I rented a building near the south gate in Shanghai, and set up a school, chapel, and a place for Dr. Parker to provide medical services.

One evening, Dr. Parker sat with me in the kitchen. "My family and I will be leaving."

He paused. I hoped he didn't mean he was going back to England. He and his family had done well here in Shanghai. "Oh? Where will you go?"

"I have a letter from the merchants and citizens guaranteeing support to establish a hospital in Ningbo."

I must admit, I felt relief he wasn't giving up and going home. But on the other hand, I needed his help with the ministry in Shanghai. It was more than I could do alone with my poor health.

Without his rent money for the house I wouldn't be able to afford to stay there. The mission board wouldn't send the needed funds. The only thing I could do was to spend a long season of time in prayer.  God had closed another door. I needed to find where and what He wanted me to do next.

Please pray for me, that I will know His will. Oh, and if you could pray for my finances as well. I would like to plan my seventh missionary journey.

J. Hudson Taylor

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Photo courtesy of visualbiblealive.com

Research resources: J. Hudson Taylor, An Autobiography by J. Hudson Taylor; It is Not Death to Die, a new biography of Hudson Taylor by Jim Cromarty; Hudson Taylor Founder, China Inland Mission by Vance Christie; J. Hudson Taylor, A Man in Christ, by Roger Steer, and Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret by dr. & Mrs. Howard Taylor.