HudsonTaylor-I saved the Concertina

By Mary Vee

From J. Hudson Taylor's Notes

My twelfth missionary journey continues. William Burns and I have stayed in Swatow. We found God's hidden protection. It took some time for me to notice. For this I am thankful, but also sorry I did not see sooner.

Hohner D40 Concertina 

While Burns and I continued to share God's love to the people in the villages we learned that a wealthy man had been captured by the local people. He was taken to the center of the city and beaten. The attackers wanted his family to pay a ransom. Since he didn't tell them where his money was or give names of family members to pay the ransom they beat him, smashing his ankles until he finally gave them the money.

Burns and I could have been kidnapped at any time. But our loving Father protected us, guided our steps away from those who would have captured and harmed us. I am so very thankful to Him.

One day the mandarin from Swatow became severely ill. He had heard about the medical services I gave local people and chose to summon me. Under the medical treatment, the mandarin became well. He was so pleased he asked Burns and I to set up a hospital. He helped us lease an entire building. Something quite impossible for a foreigner to do.

Burns and I lived in Swatow for five months. During that time I came down with a terrible case of dysentery. I hardly knew what to do with myself I became so terribly ill. 

In July, we ran out of supplies. William and I prayed for God's leading. God spoke to our hearts and directed me to return returned to Shanghai, to my former home, to rest and get well and to get supplies. Burns continued the ministry in Swatow

When the ship docked in Shanghai, I learned all the medicines and most of the equipment had been destroyed in a fire. This ended my twelfth missionary journey. Returning to Swatow was not possible at this time.

I could not and would not give up on the calling God had given me to be a missionary in China and to use my medical knowledge to provide medical help to those in need. I had one hope. I packed all of my belongings which had been in Shanghai, my bed, a watch, a camera, surgical equipment, a concertina, and a few expensive Chinese language books on a ship. 

I decided to visit my old friend and roommate, Dr. Parker, missionary in the norther city of Ningpo, to see if I could purchase equipment from him cheaper than I would have to pay in Shanghai. 

And so my thirteenth missionary began.

Please pray that God will completely heal me from the dysentery, and that I can show the love of God to those I meet.

In His Service,
J. Hudson Taylor

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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.