James Hudson Taylor (1832 – 1905)
Christian missionary to China in the Methodist tradition, and founder of the China Inland Mission (renamed as Overseas Missionary Fellowship, OMF International in 1964).
Fruit-bearing involves cross-bearing. We know how the Lord Jesus became fruitful – not by bearing His Cross merely, but by dying on it. Do we know much of fellowship with Him in this?
At home you can never know what it is to be alone – absolutely alone, amidst thousands, as you can in a Chinese city, without one friend, one companion, everyone looking on you with curiosity, with contempt, with suspicion or with dislike. Thus to learn what it is to be despised and rejected of men – of those you wish to benefit, your motives not understood . . . and then to have the love of Jesus applied to your heart by the Holy Spirit . . . this is worth coming for.
Power with God will be the gauge of real power with men.
We have so often been disappointed that we must not be too sure of anything, save of God’s help and presence which He will never withhold.
Christ is either Lord of all, or is not Lord at all.
Consider six or eight hours a day sacred to the Lord and His work, and let nothing hinder your giving this time (to language study and practice) till you can preach fluently and intelligibly.
There is great danger of not, in happiness, finding our delight in the Lord.
I am in great straits for funds. I am happy about it. The Lord may take away all our troublesome people through it and give us true-hearted ones instead.
What I have to watch against is impatience at waiting His time.
It is not lost time to wait upon God!
I have found that there are three stages in every great work of God: first, it is impossible, then it is difficult, then it is done.
Real trust in God cannot be confounded.
The sin of neglected communion may be forgiven, and yet the effect remains permanently.
My work is a very peculiar [unique] one; in many respects it has, and can have no precedent. It may be called an experiment; to a certain extent it is so. And by God’s help it shall be, as it is being, faithfully made.
Not infrequently our GOD brings His people into difficulties on purpose that they may come to know Him as they could not otherwise do.
I wish sometimes that I had twenty bodies, that at twenty places at once I might publish the saving name of Jesus.
One difficulty follows another very fast – but God reigns, not chance.
For our Master’s sake, may He make us willing to do or suffer all His will.
We are taking our four little children, and I never need anyone to remind me that they need their breakfast . . . dinner . . . supper. And I cannot imagine that our heavenly Father is less able or less willing to remember His children’s needs, when He sends them forth to the end of the earth about His business.
Nearness to GOD calls for tenderness of conscience, thoughtfulness in service, and implicit obedience.