HUDSON TAYLOR The man who believed God by Marshall Broomhall

38 THE MAN WHO BELIEVED GOD
"If you still wish me to come home for two years I will
do so willingly, nay with pleasure, as it will give me an
opportunity of showing the sincerity of my repentance.
Then afterwards, if the Lord will, I shall hope to engage in
His work in China."
In this letter he was offering up his Isaac, his Godgiven
ambition, and it was accepted but not required.
The opportunity was given back to him, as by a resurrection
from the dead, to be more sacred than ever.
But his residence at Hull was not characterised by
trial only, for it was during those months that he was
enriched by many a helpful fellowship and influence.
By a combination of circumstances he was brought into
touch with the Plymouth Brethren and other undenominational
movements, which prepared him for his
future interdenominational activities. Shortly before
leaving Barnsley he had joined the Wesleyan Reformers
when they separated themselves from the parent body
in 1849, since, to quote his own words, he had not been
"able to reconcile the late proceedings with the doctrines
and precepts of Holy Scripture". This had made him
more ready to study Church history and Church government,
and prepared him for fellowship with other believers,
and at Hull he found great spiritual help from the
ministry of Mr. Andrew Jukes, who, though previously
in Anglican Orders, had become a distinguished teacher
among the Brethren. And through the Hull meeting he
was brought into touch with George Millier of Bristol,
and with other work of a similar nature.
At this time he also learned of the visit of the German
missionary Lobscheid to London, and in his zeal to
learn all he could about China he and his sister Amelia
paid what was to them a memorable visit to the great
metropolis.