Hudson Taylor-God Asked Jennie to Go by Herself

By Mary Vee

Year: April 1878 

Hudson Taylor: age 45

From J. Hudson Taylor's Notes

Photo Courtesy

Jennie, my wife, will be telling the story this time.

"Hudson told me the news about the starving women and children in northern, China. Many tried to flee the area and needed homes and food. 

I wanted to set sail right away!

But Hudson was right. I needed to ask God if He wanted me to go. I can't help but think this bubbly feeling in my heart is His message saying I should go. 

I spent hours on my knees, and every other available moment seeking God's will. A few ladies told me they thought I should stay here. They said I had an obligation to take care of my children. 

They were right. I do have this obligation. But for this short time, I believe God has raised someone else to watch them while I go to China. Hudson said a woman missionary needed to do this work. The Chinese women wouldn't trust a foreign man who came to help them.

It seemed God had placed in my heart to ask him for a sign, kind of like Gideon did in the Bible. I thought for a few minutes what would be best to ask for the sign and decided I needed a set of clothes and money to help those in need. Fifty was a lot of money to ask God for, but it would be a good amount to share with quite a few Chinese.

So, I asked God for the new set of clothes and the fifty pounds. 

The next day, a friend called and said she wanted to give me a gift for my trip. I didn't know if God wanted me to go or not. Still, I invited her in. She gave me the exact amount of money to buy new clothes. 

My heart pattered like I had run five miles. Now I needed the answer to the second part of my prayer. Would God send fifty pounds? I prayed every day for five days. I began to wonder if maybe God wanted me to stay in England. 

There had been a stack of envelopes on the table. I looked through the pile to see if anyone had sent funds for the mission. It didn't look like it. I did see an envelope from Hudson's father. I opened it and found a check addressed to me for fifty pounds. 

I waved the check in the air and laughed. God said yes! God wants me to go to China.

I ran with the check to Hudson and told him this story. Just as I expected, a twinkle came to his eye. 'Just as I thought.' He said. 'Just as I thought.'

Ten days later, on May 2, I boarded a ship with seven other missionaries, three women, and four men. I waved good bye for now to my darling children and my treasured husband.

I can't wait to see what God has for me in China. 

"Dear Jesus, please take good care of Hudson and the children. Amen."


Praise God for His blessings.

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