Hudson Taylor-A Missionary Plan Divised

By Mary Vee
Year: 1859 
Hudson Taylor: age 27

From J. Hudson Taylor's Notes

With the signing of the treaty, missionaries had the freedom to share the love of God to inland China. They packed their bags and set out to the villages far away.

John, my co-laborer, and I felt differently.

Of course I have always had a burning in my soul to take the message of God's love to the people living in the high regions and far away valleys away from the ports. I didn't think it was right to have every missionary abandon the work in the port cities, however.

Since Dr. Parker returned to Scotland with his children, his help has been missed. I've written letters to family and friends asking if they know anyone filled with a burning heart to serve God in China. So far, no one has responded.

Until the Lord sends missionaries to help, John and I met nightly devising a plan to combine our projects. Our plan: 

Share God's love with the people in Ningbo.

Baptise those who accept Christ's gift of salvation

Teach the Scriptures to those who have been baptized

Train those who have been taught to be national missionaries

Raise up a trained group of workers to take over the Ningbo church.

John and I worked long hours, he mostly at the mission, I at the hospital. Before the year ended, several Chinese committed their lives to Christ and were baptized.

One elderly man who placed his faith in Christ grew terribly ill from bronchitis. Every time he spoke, it took a great effort. He whispered to me, "I want to go see Jesus."

I put my hand on his frail shoulder. "You can go when you are ready. God loves you and doesn't want you to suffer. Your patience will show your love for God. Can you do this?"

He strained to take another breath. "I want to be near him."

"He is always with you, my friend. Try to rest."

He closed his eyes and said, "Yes, I know he is with me."

The next day was Sunday. Since the elderly man couldn't go to church, we gathered at his bedside and held services. I read Psalm 23 to him.

One of the Christian nationals stood by the elderly man's bed and asked, "What do you want, Elder Brother?"

The sick man said, "I want to see Jesus." And with those words he fell asleep and never woke again. 

Sickness grew rampant in Ningbo. Cholera, Typhoid, hepatitis took many lives. As the year drew to an end, I too became horribly ill.

Please pray that the Lord will send missionaries to help with the work so I may take a rest and heal. 

J. Hudson Taylor

Missionary to China

Blessed by God

Do you have any questions?

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. &and Mrs. Howard Taylor.