By Mary Vee
Year: February 1872
Hudson Taylor: age 40
From J. Hudson Taylor's Notes
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| Photo Courtesy |
Ning waited until his wife was busy. He went to his room alone and picked up the New Testament that he'd left resting on his desk. He turned if over and laughed. "How could an intelligent person believe that a few words spoken to an unknown Being, who might or might not exist, could turn a boring book into an interesting one? He laughed. How could the words in this little book expect to change anyone's outlook on life?
He set the book down and paced in his room. The conversation with John floated through his mind again. "If you earnestly ask the God of Heaven to give you His Holy Spirit to understand, this book will become a new book to you and will soon mean more than any other book in the whole world."
Ning picked up the book again and whispered. "O God, if there be a God, save my soul, if I have a soul. Give me your Holy Spirit, and help me understand this book."
He sat on his reading mat and opened to the first page. He read the words and soon found himself intrigued by message found on the pages. He had no idea of the time, nor did he care. His mind hungered to read more.
He heard the door to the room open more than once and knew his wife must have come to check on him. One time she said, "The hour is late. Aren't you coming to bed?"
"Do not wait for me. I have important things to do here."
He kept reading long into the night and even after going to sleep he felt his heart drawn to the read more of the special words. He became aware of the Holy Spirit working in his soul, drawing him closer to an understanding of the words.
He didn't want to tell anyone about the book and how the words changed his life. He knew Christians were despised and forced to leave their relatives. As he walked the streets the next days, his thoughts reviewed the words from the New Testament. He never thought it would be possible, but God's Words became real to him.
Could he trust anyone with his secret? His family could starve if others found out.
Next week, we'll see what Ning decides to do.
J. Hudson Taylor
Missionary to China--Inland China!
So Very Blessed by God
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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