HUDSON TAYLOR The man who believed God by Marshall Broomhall

A MEMORABLE FRIENDSHIP 73
For the next three months these two travelled together
in the neighbourhood of Shanghai, availing
themselves of the many waterways of Kiangsu, and
living on boats. Each had his own boat for the sake of
privacy, but they journeyed in company, preaching the
Gospel in the cities, towns, ahd busy market-places
during the day, and retiring to their boats at night for
rest and refreshment. Thus they enjoyed constant
fellowship in the work of the Gospel, and in the things
of the spirit.
"A good boat," wrote Hudson Taylor, "costing about
two shillings a day, gives me a nice room to myself, one in
front for my servant to sleep in, used in the day time for
receiving guests, and a cabin behind for my teacher, as well
as a place for cooking, storing books, etc. My tiny room has
an oyster-shell window that gives light while it prevents
people peeping, a table at which I write and take meals ...
a locker on which my bed is spread at night ... and a seat
round the remaining space, so that two visitors, or even
three, can be accommodated. For family worship we open
the doors in front and behind my cabin, and then the boat
people, teachers, servants, and Mr. Bums can join in the
service."
William Bums was a man who said that "God's
presence or absence alone distinguishes places to me".
Life with such a man of God was just what Hudson
Taylor desired and needed, and to be able to discuss
with him the practical problems of the evangelization of
China, not as academic questions, but as living and
everyday issues, was a liberal education.
The three months together in Mid-China were followed
by four months together in South China, at
Swatow. This was a big change to Hudson Taylor, and
entailed the learning of a new dialect. But a Christian
captain had so powerfully represented the spiritual