Page 13 - GFA – A Different Drumbeat
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GFA – A Different Drumbeat 13
escape from big city stress. But the YMCA offered something unique for its time. The
organization’s drive to meet social need in the community was compelling, and its
openness to members crossed the rigid lines separating English social classes. Its
educational programme soon went beyond Bible study to lectures from speakers who would
explain to the young men the services their organizations were providing. Amongst the
organizations to send speakers to the local Manchester YMCA 36 years later was the China
Inland Mission
"I first became acquainted with the work of the China Inland Mission when I was a member
of the YMCA” George explained and, by the time he was 23 he had identified a call from
God to go to China. “The call came to me in 1880 and I said, 'Here am I Lord. Send me'."
Things moved fast after that. He joined two other China Inland Mission candidates, and,
apart from some basic training for the mission field, they spent a hectic few weeks speaking
at meetings in many churches in and around London. A large farewell meeting was held at
the YMCA in London on 23 December 1880 and, by 15 January 1881 they were on their
way to China
On the 18 February they arrived in Shanghai. George was 23 and they were met by Mr.
Hudson Taylor, the founder of the Mission. He took George by the hand and expressed his
thankfulness to God for bringing him to China. He gave him one piece of advice:
“Remember that the work of the Lord is the Lord's work”, He then went on to emphasize
that George should not be occupied with the thought of what he would do for the Lord, but
rather with what the Lord would do through him." This advice he would recall throughout
his life. George treasured his friendship with Hudson Taylor, and Hudson Taylor’s trust in
him. Nor was the General Director's trust in him misplaced, for he served God in China for
the next 49 years.
Jessie Findlay and George had met in Manchester where they both lived. They were
engaged and she went out to China in 1882, leaving London on 15 February and arriving in
Shanghai on 3 April. From there she went to Language School to do the required months of
study before she would be allowed to marry her fiancé. George and Jessie were married in
the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Shanghai on 6 October 1883, and soon after were on
their way to the far west of inland China. They were given the task of escorting a party of
ladies to their assigned fields of work.
They arrived safely in Chungking the capital of Szechuan Province, and were eventually
allocated to relieve at a mission station 130 miles to the south in the town of Kweiyang in
the neighbouring Province of Kweichow. George and Jessie were at Kweiyang for the rest
of 1884 except for two months at the end of the year when they returned to Chungking for
the birth of their first child “Esther" named after George's mother. She was born on 14
November 1884 and was the first English child to be registered at the British consulate in
escape from big city stress. But the YMCA offered something unique for its time. The
organization’s drive to meet social need in the community was compelling, and its
openness to members crossed the rigid lines separating English social classes. Its
educational programme soon went beyond Bible study to lectures from speakers who would
explain to the young men the services their organizations were providing. Amongst the
organizations to send speakers to the local Manchester YMCA 36 years later was the China
Inland Mission
"I first became acquainted with the work of the China Inland Mission when I was a member
of the YMCA” George explained and, by the time he was 23 he had identified a call from
God to go to China. “The call came to me in 1880 and I said, 'Here am I Lord. Send me'."
Things moved fast after that. He joined two other China Inland Mission candidates, and,
apart from some basic training for the mission field, they spent a hectic few weeks speaking
at meetings in many churches in and around London. A large farewell meeting was held at
the YMCA in London on 23 December 1880 and, by 15 January 1881 they were on their
way to China
On the 18 February they arrived in Shanghai. George was 23 and they were met by Mr.
Hudson Taylor, the founder of the Mission. He took George by the hand and expressed his
thankfulness to God for bringing him to China. He gave him one piece of advice:
“Remember that the work of the Lord is the Lord's work”, He then went on to emphasize
that George should not be occupied with the thought of what he would do for the Lord, but
rather with what the Lord would do through him." This advice he would recall throughout
his life. George treasured his friendship with Hudson Taylor, and Hudson Taylor’s trust in
him. Nor was the General Director's trust in him misplaced, for he served God in China for
the next 49 years.
Jessie Findlay and George had met in Manchester where they both lived. They were
engaged and she went out to China in 1882, leaving London on 15 February and arriving in
Shanghai on 3 April. From there she went to Language School to do the required months of
study before she would be allowed to marry her fiancé. George and Jessie were married in
the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Shanghai on 6 October 1883, and soon after were on
their way to the far west of inland China. They were given the task of escorting a party of
ladies to their assigned fields of work.
They arrived safely in Chungking the capital of Szechuan Province, and were eventually
allocated to relieve at a mission station 130 miles to the south in the town of Kweiyang in
the neighbouring Province of Kweichow. George and Jessie were at Kweiyang for the rest
of 1884 except for two months at the end of the year when they returned to Chungking for
the birth of their first child “Esther" named after George's mother. She was born on 14
November 1884 and was the first English child to be registered at the British consulate in
