Hudson Taylor (1832–1905) was beyond doubt the greatest missionary in China's history. During his 51 years of service his mission, the China Inland Mission, brought 849 missionaries to the field, they began 125 schools which directly resulted in 18,000 Christian conversions, as well as establishing more than 300 missionary stations with more than 1000 Chinese workers in all eighteen provinces which led to a Chinese church of more than 125,000 people.
This was a work built on faith and prayer alone. In June 1865 while working in England he officially formed the CIM with a bank account of only £10. Taylor followed George Mueller’s pattern of not making known his financial needs to man but trusting God alone. This also extended to praying in faith for labourers. He asked the Lord in prayer to give him 24 labourers to initiate this great work in reaching China with the Gospel. By the end of 1867 he had 34 full time missionaries on the field in eight separate mission stations.
Labourers kept volunteering and funds kept coming all in answer to faith-filled, persevering prayer. In 1878 he asked for 30 workers and he got them. In 1883 he asked in faith for another 70 labourers and by the following year more than 70 had gone out to China. In 1885 the ‘Cambridge Seven’ made up of some of England's greatest sportsmen and aristocrats heard the call of God to go to China. This sent shock waves through the younger generation in Britain. In 1887 he asked God for another 100 missionaries. By the following year the 100 were on their way to the mission field. By 1891 they had almost 500 labourers in China. By 1905 he had 849 missionaries.
All of this came out of prayers of faith built upon God's character revealed in the written Word of God. But such faith pays a high price as well. His wife Maria died at age 33, and four of his eight children died before they reached the age of 10. When the Boxer Rebellion broke out in China in 1900 there were 80 CIM missionaries killed and multiplied tens of thousands of Chinese Christians.
This was a work built on faith and prayer alone. In June 1865 while working in England he officially formed the CIM with a bank account of only £10. Taylor followed George Mueller’s pattern of not making known his financial needs to man but trusting God alone. This also extended to praying in faith for labourers. He asked the Lord in prayer to give him 24 labourers to initiate this great work in reaching China with the Gospel. By the end of 1867 he had 34 full time missionaries on the field in eight separate mission stations.
Labourers kept volunteering and funds kept coming all in answer to faith-filled, persevering prayer. In 1878 he asked for 30 workers and he got them. In 1883 he asked in faith for another 70 labourers and by the following year more than 70 had gone out to China. In 1885 the ‘Cambridge Seven’ made up of some of England's greatest sportsmen and aristocrats heard the call of God to go to China. This sent shock waves through the younger generation in Britain. In 1887 he asked God for another 100 missionaries. By the following year the 100 were on their way to the mission field. By 1891 they had almost 500 labourers in China. By 1905 he had 849 missionaries.
All of this came out of prayers of faith built upon God's character revealed in the written Word of God. But such faith pays a high price as well. His wife Maria died at age 33, and four of his eight children died before they reached the age of 10. When the Boxer Rebellion broke out in China in 1900 there were 80 CIM missionaries killed and multiplied tens of thousands of Chinese Christians.
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