HUDSON TAYLOR The man who believed God by Marshall Broomhall

42 THE MAN WHO BELIEVED GOD
soon found himself in a new and worldly atmosphere.
The light and frivolous distractions of London, after his
quiet life in the North, grieved and tried his spirit; and
when he found the Honorary Secretary of the Chinese
Evangelization Society too busy to see him, and learned
from his clerk of the various formalities which_must precede
even an interview with the Committee, his eager
and expectant spirit received a rather rude shock.
Had he possessed a substantial balance in the bank
it would have been comparatively easy to wait, but with
only a very light purse in his pocket it was another
matter. Though prepared to exercise the utmost frugality,
it was a serious thing with him to contemplate
detention in that busy city with nothing decisive
arranged. But though his faith was tried he was not
wanting in manly independence. Since he feared the
Society was in danger of too much red tape and unnecessary
formalities, he was quite prepared to stand
alone with God, and wrote to his mother: "Thank God, I
am quite as willing to lose as to gain by their assistance".
It was at this trying juncture that he received from
his father an offer of a partnership in the business at
Barnsley if he would come home. But, though suspense
is one of life's keenest tests, he wavered not through
unbelief. He was learning to walk alone with God, and
enjoyed God's blessing in so doing.
His cousin, whose attic he shared, had at first been
scornful of Hudson Taylor's faith, and did not fail to
suggest that these delays proved that faith was fruitless.
But when Tom Hodson saw his cousin's faith unshaken
by adversity, he was deeply impressed, and ere long
yielded himself to God's almighty love. With such encouragement
Hudson Taylor felt he could afford to
stand and bide God's time.