From J. Hudson Taylor's Notes
Even Christians can get frustrated. Yes. It's true. Jesus had moments like these. I feel like turning over some money tables.
What is my problem? Well . . .
In my past letters to you, I mentioned the Chinese Evangelistic Society, my sending missionary agency, had not sent the agreed upon monthly support. They haven't since the day I first arrived in China. Sometimes I received one third the needed monthly funds, other times I received none. Promises unkept.
I am happy to go wherever God sends me, and live with what God gives me, whether I have plenty or little, but the mission made a commitment to send support for this work.
The postman handed me a letter from CES when I returned to Shanghai, yesterday. I had high hopes there would be money inside. I barely had enough to pay my bills and didn't have anything left for food. I looked inside the envelope and found a letter, no more. Once again I would have to lean on the gracious help from missionaries of other agencies to buy food.
The letter from the head of CES stated three more missionaries from the agency would arrive in China. Three more? The organization had to borrow funds to send the pittance for the missionaries already here. How could they promise to support three more missionaries?
I don't believe going in debt is wise, and I definitely don't believe CES should go into debt. God is not poor. If the mission did not receive enough funds to support the missionaries, then maybe God has a message. And the answer is not borrowing money.
This was the last straw in my mind. For three years I have lacked the promised funds to do the work CES sent me to do. God has given me a desire to travel deeper into China, where other missionaries have not been able to go. He has given me many ideas for evangelism, all I have not been able to do because of travel restrictions.
The time has come to break the bind between CES and myself. I will trust the God who owns cattle on a thousand hills, the one who will provide what I need to do the job He asks me to do. I went to my rented room, sat down at a desk, and penned a letter to CES.
I resign as a missionary from your organization. If you find it in your heart to send funds to me for my missionary work, I will consider them a gift from God.
I slid the letter into an envelope and took it to the post office. Later that afternoon, I had a chat with John, a fellow missionary who came to Shanghai with me from Ningbo. He, too, came to China as a missionary for CES. We talked about the letter I sent and the three new missionaries on their way.
John sat back in his chair and nodded. "I agree with you completely, Taylor. So much so I will draft my own letter telling CES. I resign, too. Let's start a new project."
We both received word back from CES weeks later. They agreed to release us from the agency and gave us God's blessings. We also were given access to those who gave our support. We planned to send them newsletters filled with information about the work.
I know my great God will provide.
I feel a great burden lifted. Now only God is in charge over my time here in China. John and I can move forward with plans to go deeper into China and tell men and women God loves them.
Please pray for us as we venture out on our own.
J. Hudson Taylor
Missionary to China
Blessed by God
Do you have any questions?
Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net
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. &and Mrs. Howard Taylor.
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