Missions Monday
Posted by Ashley Hoover
I wanted to highlight the lives of a few missionaries this year and decided to start with my personal favorite missionary, Hudson Taylor. Over the next several weeks I will share the story of his life as written by Florence Huntington Jensen. Since it is pretty long I've broken it up into 8 smaller parts and will post the next one each week. I hope you enjoy learning more about this missionary!
Hudson Taylor-Part 1
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| Hudson Taylor at age 21 |
"When I am a man, I mean to be a missionary and go to China," said a little boy many, many years ago. And that is exactly what came to pass.
This little boy was James Hudson Taylor, who was born in Barnsley, England, May 1, 1832. His father, James Taylor, was the son and the grandson of preachers, and was a local preacher himself. He loved God and served Him so faithfully that every one knew he was a Christian. And his wife, Amelia Hudson Taylor, was as good and as true to God as he was. No boy could have had better parents than little Hudson had.
As a baby, he was sweet and bright, but not very strong, and it would have been easy to spoil him. But his father and mother knew he must be taught obedience and self-control, and they agreed to teach him these lessons, even though he was a frail child.
When he was just a little fellow of two or three, he went with his father and mother to church. If he was good all through the long service, after the benediction was pronounced, they would hand him back to his grandfather, who sat in the pew behind them. This was something he remembered all through his life.
One of the things he enjoyed as a little boy was playing meeting with his little brother. When his little sister Amelia was big enough to walk, it was Hudson who taught her how to take the first little steps. When his two little brothers died, Hudson learned that sorrow, as well as joy, is a part of this life.
One day there was a fair in town, and the one great attraction for Hudson was a collection of stuffed birds and animals, for he loved the things of nature. To his dismay, he found that they were enclosed within a high board fence. In his hand was a hard-earned penny which he offered to the man at the entrance, only to be told that the admittance fee was "tuppence" [twopence]. "But I haven't got another penny, and don't you see that it would be better to have one penny than none at all?" he reasoned. The argument was logical, but the gate-keeper remained firm, and little Hudson went away to tell his troubles to his mother. She explained that it was the man's duty to charge two pennies for admission, and then she found a very satisfactory way of solving the problem. She said that he had been so good and worked so well in the past days that she would give him another penny for his work, and off he ran with a glad heart.
The Taylor children were taught that it was just as important to keep themselves neat, with hands and faces clean, shoes polished, and nails well kept, when at home as when in company.
Punctuality was another valuable lesson they learned. Each child was expected to be on time at meals and for every other appointment. Mr. Taylor said, "If there are five people, and they are kept waiting one minute, do you not see that five minutes are lost, which can never be found again?" He had not much to give his children in the way of wealth or worldly advantage, but he bequeathed to them something far better -- a simple strong faith in God and reverence for His Word.
Not being strong enough to go to school when he was small, Hudson's education was mostly gained at home; and from his sensible and wise parents he learned more valuable lessons than he would have learned at school.
Mr. Taylor was interested in foreign missionary work, and especially in China. The children shared his interest, and a little book: Peter Parley was read and reread. Both Hudson and his sister Amelia declared that they intended to go to that country some day...
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