Book Review: A Retrospect by James Hudson Taylor

James Hudson Taylor's life has had a profound impact on me. Having read the two volume definitive biography several years ago, I have been thinking it was probably time to read it again. It's that important. And as has been well documented in the Antbed, I am a slow learner. It helps for me to review things the Lord teaches me. Regularly. 


While searching the book lists for free Kindle downloads, I saw this title actually written by Taylor. 


In it, he "hits the highlights." It was so wonderful to find several of the key stories from his life collected in a smaller volume. These stories tell how the Spirit molded him into the servant that God used to change a nation. It is only 154 pages and I highly recommend it. You can download the Kindle reading app for your computer and have access to all the free Kindle downloads on your computer. (Disclaimer: Amazon has NO IDEA who I am, except that I love books because I order from them regularly).


One of my favorite stories from the big biography was recounted here and it will give you an idea of what the Lord asked of him. 


Before he ever left for China, there were many foundational lessons the Lord taught him as preparation for the life he would be asked to live there. During his schooling, he learned the importance of tithing from the first fruits of all his increase. Taylor believed this included even his room and board, because the government would definitely have counted that when figuring his income taxes. He had been offered a comfortable place in the home of a family where he would want for nothing. But when he counted the monetary value of that blessing, he realized his meager income while attending medical school would not allow him enough to tithe. 


He decided to find a more humble abode that would allow him to tithe the full amount. Having read the full biography, I noticed that this volume written by Taylor himself left out many of the details of this new lodging. It was in the desperately poor section of the city that had an open sewer in the middle of the street. His new situation afforded him much more freedom to spend even more than his tithe in service to the Lord. 


During this time, he was convicted by the Spirit that he needed to learn to depend on God alone to supply all his needs, knowing that he would be relying solely on the Lord while in China. So he purposed to never make his needs known to another person. His employer had asked him to remind him when it was payday for Hudson, because he often forgot. Hudson decided that He would ask the Lord to remind his employer instead. 


A crisis of faith was reached when his employer forgot to pay him, his rent was due, and all he had left was a half a crown. He spent his evenings in ministry and one evening he was asked to come pray for a dying woman. The husband had no money, the children were starving, and the newborn babe was wasting away. The woman was almost to the point of death. Hudson Taylor wrestled mightily because all of his remaining money was in that one coin. He kept telling himself he would have gladly parted with the larger share of it had it only been in multiple coins. The Spirit convicted him that his faith was not in God alone, but in that coin in his pocket.


When he finally came to the point of obedience and surrendered his last visible means of support, his spirit was filled with Peace and Joy. He went to bed not knowing where his meals would come from the next day, but that didn't matter. The woman's life was saved and Taylor said his was also saved. 

"Not only was the poor woman's life saved, but I realised that my life was saved too! It might have been a wreck--would have been a wreck probably, as a Christian life--had not grace at that time conquered, and the striving of God's Spirit been obeyed. I well remember how that night, as I went home to my lodgings, my heart was as light as my pocket. The lonely, deserted streets resounded with a hymn of praise which I could not restrain. When I took my basin of gruel before retiring, I would not have exchanged it for a prince's feast. I reminded the Lord as I knelt at my bedside of His own Word, that he who giveth to the poor lendeth to the Lord: I asked Him not to let my loan be a long one, or I should have no dinner next day; and with peace within and peace without, I spent a happy, restful night." 

First thing the next morning, an unexpected envelope arrived. The handwriting was unrecognizable on the envelope and the postmark smeared. There was nothing written inside, but folded in a blank piece of paper was a pair of kid gloves. As Taylor opened them, a half-a-sovereign fell to the ground. "Praise the Lord! 400 percent for twelve hours investment; that is good interest." He then goes on to say this, 

"I then and there determined that a bank which could not break should have my savings or earnings as the case might be--a determination I have not yet learned to regret.

I cannot tell you how often my mind has recurred to this incident, or all the help it has been to me in circumstances of difficulty in after-life. If we are faithful to God in little things, we shall gain experience and strength that will be helpful to us in the more serious trials of life."

"More serious trials" like being caught in the middle of a war zone, or being robbed and beaten and arrested. Because of his obedience to trust in the Lord, he was able to walk through severe trials and hardships with Peace and Joy. What an incredible testimony to the Lord's Faithfulness. 

If you really want to be challenged to walk by Faith, not by sight, read the biography of Hudson Taylor. Or this shorter version. It will bless you.


The entire text is available online. Volume I: The Growth of A Soul, Volume II: The Growth of a Work of God

This is #29 in the 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge.

http://www.read52booksin52weeks.com