Hudson Taylor was born at Barnsley, Yorkshire on May 21, 1832. He was a thoughtful little boy brought up by serious, devoted Christian parents. From an early age he heard the truths of the Gospel daily. Salvation and living for God were shown to be of utmost importance.
When he was five, after hearing about heathen lands, he said: "When I’m a man I shall be a missionary and go to China. At seven years of age he was very fond of going to Revival meetings, and his face glowed with joy when souls found peace in the Saviour. Schooldays followed with the continual good influence of a godly father and mother surrounding young Hudson continually. But when he was fifteen he went as clerk to Frudd’s Bank, Barnsley, where he found that he had need of a Saviour himself. In spite of his religious unbringing he found that he was skeptical and inwardly rebellious. The more he tried "to make himself a Christian” the further away he felt from salvation and was sure that, for some reason or other, he could not be saved.
He continued in this wretched state for two years and then in June 1849, looking for a book in his father's library and failing to find one to please him, he took a tract from a basket of pamphlets, determining to read the story and put it away when it became "dry”. But one great statement in that tract laid hold of Hudson Taylor "The finished work of Christ”. "If the whole work was finished and the whole debt paid, what is there left for me to do?" he asked himself. And then he answered his own question: "There is nothing in the world to be done but to fall down on one's knees and accept this Saviour and His salvation. Praise Him for evermore! He knelt down at once in the old warehouse and thanked God for His great gift.
Unknown to him his sister, Amelia, had long prayed for him. 80 miles away his mother was praying for her boy at the same time and, knowing that her prayer had been answered, she turned her prayer into praise. Ever afterwards Hudson Taylor felt “that the promises were very real, and that prayer was…..transacting business with God.” His whole soul now was filled with the desire to bring others to the Saviour, and he began leaving tracts in the neighbourhood and speaking when the opportunity arose, often with the help of his sister. But China in her darkness was ever before him. The little boy of five meant to go: the lad of seventeen yearned to do so, and to this he bent every effort. There was an opening in Hull for him as assistant in a doctor's surgery. Knowing how valuable all medical knowledge would be, he availed himself of this opportunity. The story of his self-discipline while there is very moving. From Hull he went to London, having made contact with the secretary of the Chinese Evangelization Society and, under their auspices, went through a period of training at the Hospital, at the same time occupying the post of assistant to Mr. Brown, a surgeon.
Because of the example of his wholesome lifestyle he was able to lead his cousin, Tom Hudson, to accept the Saviour. He also won another trophy for eternity by witnessing to one of Mr. Brown’s patients who was dying of gangrene. Hudson Taylor was brought to death's door through fever contracted in the dissecting room. The unbelieving surgeon who attended him was much impressed by his patient’s trust in God. “I would give all the world for a faith like yours”, he said; upon which Hudson Taylor told him it was to be obtained without money and without price. They never met again, the doctor dying of a stroke shortly after, but Hudson Taylor “could not but entertain the hope of meeting him in the Better Land. "
After many difficulties and much waiting upon God to know His will, Hudson Taylor sailed for China from Liverpool on the "Dumfries” on September 19, 1853. She was commanded by Captain A. Morris, a true Christian, and during the rough and stormy passage beginning with 12 days beating up and down the Irish Channel, they enjoyed much helpful fellowship. On March 1, 1854 when not quite 22 years old, he landed at Shanghai. Mr. & Mrs. Muirhead, LMS; Mr. & Mrs. Burdon, CMS; Dr. & Mrs. Lockhart and others, all living in the settlement, made him welcome and his missionary career had begun. With a heart burning with love for his Saviour and yearning for the souls of the heathen around, he surmounted one difficulty after another, bearing with gladness the many hardships which came his way. His friendship with Mr. W.C. Burns of the English Presbyterian Mission, was very beneficial to the ardent young missionary. Steadfast and fearless always, Mr. Burns seemed to understand with God-given wisdom the deep dangers in which they found themselves while travelling from place to place in the interior. "None of these things moved me” was his attitude of mind because he had such long experience of his Master 's care and power. Mr. Taylor’s companionship with this good man was unexpectedly ended when he was led to Ningpo, where he was later to found the CIM China inland Mission. There he found the greatest earthly treasure a man can find: a wife who was in every way fitted to be his perfect helper. Her name was Miss Maria Dyer. They passed through many trials because of cruel opposition to their love for each other but they were able to overcome all odds and were married on January 20, 1858. Six weeks later they were at work in Ningpo.
Towards the end of 1859 Mr. Taylor received from Dr. Parker entire charge of the Ningpo Mission Hospital. Dr. Parker had lost his wife and was obliged to take his motherless children to England. The hospital, formerly supported largely by his own fees from private patients, now had to be managed in the sole dependence on God for funds. As a result of this the patients learnt of the faithfulness of Hudson Taylor's God. For instance, what would the honorable teacher do when supplies were getting low and they had reached the last bag of rice? Months ago that need had been provided for! On the same day in which the cook announced that the last bag was fast disappearing a cheque arrived for £50 from Mr. Berger, East Grinstead, a fact joyfully announced by the honourable teacher. "Where is the idol that can do anything like that?” asked one patient of another. "Have they ever delivered us in trouble, or answered after this sort?" “True, true, they are certainly not much use" was the great admission. Thus was Hudson Taylor's God exalted.
In 1860 they set sail for England and between that year and 1866 the CIM was formed. Number 30 Coburn St., Bow, became a busy centre both for enquirers and candidates for CIM, as well as for translation of the Scriptures into the Ningpo dialect for printing in Roman, not Chinese, characters. His pamphlet, "China’s Needs and Spiritual Claims" brought missionaries and money to the CIM. This help came without an appeal: it was totally voluntary.
This new stronghold of the Gospel prospered despite the formidable weapons used by the enemy of souls against it and a party of 22 consecrated people sailed in the "Lammermuir” on May 26, 1866. When the ship arrived at Shanghai it was nearly a wreck but no one was missing, and many souls were saved during the voyage. The assaults of the enemy were still great, using as his instruments some of God's own servants in the Mission field. But opposition is to be expected in any true work for God. As years went on Mission stations were placed at strategic points in the interior. As a result, evil was so stirred up that life was often in imminent danger through the rioting.
On July 23, 1870 Mr. Taylor's beloved wife was called Home, 16 days after the birth of her fifth son who only lived for a week. The other children, in charge of Miss Blatcheley, had just reached Mr. & Mrs. Berger's England. Hudson Taylor dedicated himself afresh to the work which he and his wife had shared for 12 ½ years. In 1872 he was called to take charge of CIM Headquarters in London on the retirement of Mr. & Mrs. Berger, his faithful friends and helpers. Eventually a Council was formed of which Miss Blatcheley was secretary and helper-in-chief until ill health intervened and her Home-call came.
At that time Mr. Taylor had returned to China and was settling 70 more missionaries in the interior. The Womens’ Work was making great progress and Mr. Taylor's second wife, Miss Faulding, who had worked in China for years, took the lead in this. The wisdom of the first Mrs. Taylor in desiring her husband to marry again was obvious. But these two, each living for the work, endured long separations: he in England and she in China, and vice versa. The millions of perishing souls in China called them, and their true happiness lay in winning these for the Saviour.
"Satan is simply raging”, he wrote to her in February 1889. "He sees his kingdom attacked over all the land; the conflict is awful.” Nevertheless, there were conversions everywhere and native teachers and churches increased. During the Boxer riots he and his wife were at Davos where he almost died. The worst news had to be kept from him as far as possible. Mrs. Taylor, though they did not know it, was dying of cancer and passed away in July 1904.
Mr. Taylor, now 73 years of age, paid his last visit to China in company with his son and daughter-in-law, Mr. & Mrs. Howard Taylor. On every hand he received loving greetings and tender care from all. He also took some meetings but his frail body, worn out with labours for those millions, could not bear it. On June 3rd, 1905 suddenly, quietly, peacefully, his spirit took its flight to that Land where all is joy. He looked into the face of that Lord whom he had served so long and faithfully, and he was "satisfied”.
Taken from THE WAY OF LIFE POSTAL BIBLE SCHOOL Magazine October 1966