HTSS: Chapter 5b
November 12, 2008 – 5:46 pm
Chapter 5b: Faith Tried and Strengthened
Summary
The post covering chapter 5a left off with Hudson patiently waiting for direction before he chose to either continue his medical studies or sail immediately for a war-torn China. The next section answers the question with the matter-of-fact opening sentence: “China in 1854, when after a perilous voyage of five months Hudson Taylor first reached its shores, was even more of a problem to the evangelist than it is today…” He set sail for the land ravaged by civil war and political unrest. But remember, “[Taylor] never made a sacrifice.” [see "HTSS: Chapter 4"]
Dr. Taylor points out that, years later, Hudson Taylor looked back on the unstable, unnerving circumstances of his first few months in China as necessary elements in his preparation to be the leader of the missions movement into the inland. The son writes “as iron is tempered to steel, his heart must be stronger and more patient than others, through having loved and suffered more. He who was to encourage thousands in a life of childlike trust, must himself learn yet deeper lessons of a Father’s loving care.”
Three main types of trials emerged: war, personal discomfort, lack of support.
War
China was in turmoil. The Foreign Settlement, where he was temporarily dwelling, was surrounded by opposition troops and had to be protected by “the foreign militia” on several occasions. Due to the war conditions, the city was packed, making accommodations scarce; thankfully he had a contact with the London Mission who was able to house him for a while. “Sharp fighting was to be seen from his windows, and he was unable to walk in any direction without witnessing such as he had never dreamed of before.” He wrote, concerning his first Sunday in China,
You have never seen a city in a state of siege. . . . God grant you never may! We walked some distance round the wall, and sad it was to see the wreck of rows upon rows of houses. Burnt down, blown down, battered to pieces-in all stages of ruin they were! And the misery of those who once occupied them and now, at this inclement season, are driven from home and shelter is terrible to think of. . . .
Personal Discomfort
Due to the severe cold and the extraordinarily high price of coal, it was impossible for Hudson to maintain even moderate warmth in his dwelling. He wrote, shortly after his arrival, “It is so cold that I can hardly think or hold the pen…. Jesus will guide me aright….I love the Chinese more than ever. Oh, to be useful among them!” He also was met with financial strains. “Living with others who were receiving three or four times his salary, he was obliged to board as they did, and saw his small resources melt away with alarming rapidity.” His integrity to use the missionary funds given to him is reflected in statements such as “missionary money was to hi9m a sacred trust, and to have to use it so freely caused him real distress.” Due to the circumstances he was forced “to exceed his salary for the necessities of life” and use a letter of credit. “It was a painful situation for one so conscientious in money matters, and cost him many a wakeful night.”
Lack of Support
This last trial came in two forms: lack of financial support and lack of communication from his Mission, the Committee in London. He wrote often to the Committee (”mostly busy men, absorbed in their own affairs”), but “with the best intentions and a real desire to forward the work of God they were unable to visualize a situation so different from anything they had ever known.” Despite efforts to clearly inform them about his present predicament, particularly regarding finances, no solution came from the home front. Rather, more difficult tasks fell on Hudson’s lap.
Hudson learned that “the Scotch physician [Dr. and Mrs. Parker] who was to be his colleague had already sailed from England with wife and children. No instructions had reached him as to providing accommodation for the family, and as the weeks went by he realized that unless he took steps in the matter they would be left without a roof over their heads.” He searched all over the city, in the blazing sun, to find housing for the new family. Shanghai friends said that the only solution was to buy land and build a house for them. Hudson did not have funding for this, but did not tell them because of the high level of criticism against his Mission already. He kept the troubling matters to himself and cast these burdens upon the Lord. God did provide a home for the Parkers, and Hudson learned, by the fire of difficult circumstances, to trust his God all the more.
The miscommunication with his Mission continued after the Parkers arrived. A letter of credit was to be mailed to their new residence before they left for China, but months later it still had not arrived. Though they persevered, despite having meager funds, Taylor learned many valuable lessons about “how not to deal with those who, on the human side, are dependent on one’s care.” Though he loved and respected many of the men who were members of the Committee in London, “something somehow was wanting, and just what it was the young missionary had to discover, that he might be practical as well as spiritual in his leadership in days to come.”
The key to Hudson Taylor’s perseverance, in a letter penned to his sister and dearest correspondent:
I take them to the Lord. Since writing the above, I have been reading my evening portion - Psalms 72 to 74. Read them and see how applicable they are. I don’t know how it is, but I can seldom read Scripture now without tears of joy and gratitude….
I see that to be as I am and have been since my arrival has really been more conducive to improvement and progress than any other position would have been, though in many respects it has been painful and far from what I should myself have chosen. Oh, for more implicit reliance on the wisdom and love of God!
106 years ago this November, J. Hudson Taylor resigned as Director of the China Inland Mission. He left behind a legacy to all believers, particularly those involved in missions works in mainland China. Missions Mandate will highlight Taylor’s life and ministry during the month of November.
Each work day of the month of November I will post a summary of one chapter of Dr. and Mrs. Howard Taylor’s classic book Hudson Taylor’s Spiritual Secret. Dr. Howard Taylor was the second son of J. Hudson Taylor, and followed in his father’s footsteps as a pioneer missionary, speaker and author.
