A Retrospect
A Retrospect is the brief yet spiritually rich autobiographical account of James Hudson Taylor, the pioneering Protestant missionary who founded the China Inland Mission (CIM) in the mid-19th century. More devotional memoir than detailed autobiography, the work offers a deeply personal reflection on Taylor's formative years, his spiritual development, and the decisive moments that led to his lifelong dedication to missionary work in China. Written when Taylor was already a seasoned leader and global figure in evangelical circles, A Retrospect serves both as an inspiring narrative and as a theological testament to divine providence, obedience, and the power of faith.

Born in 1832 in Barnsley, England, into a devout Methodist family with strong missionary inclinations, Taylor's early life was marked by religious instruction, but also spiritual struggle. One of the most striking features of A Retrospect is Taylor's candor in recounting his youthful rebellion and later conversion. The story of his conversion—reading a gospel tract during a moment of idle curiosity and being overcome by an overwhelming sense of Christ's redemptive love—anchors the narrative and establishes Taylor's view that salvation is both sudden and transformative.

Taylor's early commitment to missionary work was, he believed, divinely appointed. He recounts how, shortly after his conversion, he dedicated himself to serving in China, a nation largely closed to Western missionaries at the time. A Retrospect traces the stages of his preparation for this calling: his study of medicine, his learning of the Chinese language, his embrace of a life of radical simplicity and dependence on prayer, and his early struggles in England with faith, finance, and personal sanctification. These early years of "testing" are presented not as mere preparation but as providential training grounds where Taylor learned to trust God in all circumstances.

Taylor's emphasis on "faith missions" — the idea that missionaries should rely solely on God for support rather than fundraising — is a central theme in the book. This conviction would later shape the structure and ethos of the China Inland Mission. His time at Drainside, a poor district in Hull where he served as an assistant to a medical doctor, is narrated as a key phase of this development. Here, Taylor experienced both poverty and dependence on divine provision. Such experiences reinforced his belief that missionary work must be grounded not only in theological knowledge and practical training but also in the crucible of lived faith.
1100288507
A Retrospect
A Retrospect is the brief yet spiritually rich autobiographical account of James Hudson Taylor, the pioneering Protestant missionary who founded the China Inland Mission (CIM) in the mid-19th century. More devotional memoir than detailed autobiography, the work offers a deeply personal reflection on Taylor's formative years, his spiritual development, and the decisive moments that led to his lifelong dedication to missionary work in China. Written when Taylor was already a seasoned leader and global figure in evangelical circles, A Retrospect serves both as an inspiring narrative and as a theological testament to divine providence, obedience, and the power of faith.

Born in 1832 in Barnsley, England, into a devout Methodist family with strong missionary inclinations, Taylor's early life was marked by religious instruction, but also spiritual struggle. One of the most striking features of A Retrospect is Taylor's candor in recounting his youthful rebellion and later conversion. The story of his conversion—reading a gospel tract during a moment of idle curiosity and being overcome by an overwhelming sense of Christ's redemptive love—anchors the narrative and establishes Taylor's view that salvation is both sudden and transformative.

Taylor's early commitment to missionary work was, he believed, divinely appointed. He recounts how, shortly after his conversion, he dedicated himself to serving in China, a nation largely closed to Western missionaries at the time. A Retrospect traces the stages of his preparation for this calling: his study of medicine, his learning of the Chinese language, his embrace of a life of radical simplicity and dependence on prayer, and his early struggles in England with faith, finance, and personal sanctification. These early years of "testing" are presented not as mere preparation but as providential training grounds where Taylor learned to trust God in all circumstances.

Taylor's emphasis on "faith missions" — the idea that missionaries should rely solely on God for support rather than fundraising — is a central theme in the book. This conviction would later shape the structure and ethos of the China Inland Mission. His time at Drainside, a poor district in Hull where he served as an assistant to a medical doctor, is narrated as a key phase of this development. Here, Taylor experienced both poverty and dependence on divine provision. Such experiences reinforced his belief that missionary work must be grounded not only in theological knowledge and practical training but also in the crucible of lived faith.
0.99 In Stock
A Retrospect

A Retrospect

by James Taylor
A Retrospect

A Retrospect

by James Taylor

eBook

$0.99 

Available on Compatible NOOK devices, the free NOOK App and in My Digital Library.
WANT A NOOK?  Explore Now

Related collections and offers

LEND ME® See Details

Overview

A Retrospect is the brief yet spiritually rich autobiographical account of James Hudson Taylor, the pioneering Protestant missionary who founded the China Inland Mission (CIM) in the mid-19th century. More devotional memoir than detailed autobiography, the work offers a deeply personal reflection on Taylor's formative years, his spiritual development, and the decisive moments that led to his lifelong dedication to missionary work in China. Written when Taylor was already a seasoned leader and global figure in evangelical circles, A Retrospect serves both as an inspiring narrative and as a theological testament to divine providence, obedience, and the power of faith.

Born in 1832 in Barnsley, England, into a devout Methodist family with strong missionary inclinations, Taylor's early life was marked by religious instruction, but also spiritual struggle. One of the most striking features of A Retrospect is Taylor's candor in recounting his youthful rebellion and later conversion. The story of his conversion—reading a gospel tract during a moment of idle curiosity and being overcome by an overwhelming sense of Christ's redemptive love—anchors the narrative and establishes Taylor's view that salvation is both sudden and transformative.

Taylor's early commitment to missionary work was, he believed, divinely appointed. He recounts how, shortly after his conversion, he dedicated himself to serving in China, a nation largely closed to Western missionaries at the time. A Retrospect traces the stages of his preparation for this calling: his study of medicine, his learning of the Chinese language, his embrace of a life of radical simplicity and dependence on prayer, and his early struggles in England with faith, finance, and personal sanctification. These early years of "testing" are presented not as mere preparation but as providential training grounds where Taylor learned to trust God in all circumstances.

Taylor's emphasis on "faith missions" — the idea that missionaries should rely solely on God for support rather than fundraising — is a central theme in the book. This conviction would later shape the structure and ethos of the China Inland Mission. His time at Drainside, a poor district in Hull where he served as an assistant to a medical doctor, is narrated as a key phase of this development. Here, Taylor experienced both poverty and dependence on divine provision. Such experiences reinforced his belief that missionary work must be grounded not only in theological knowledge and practical training but also in the crucible of lived faith.

Product Details

BN ID: 2940184695655
Publisher: James Hudson Taylor
Publication date: 06/19/2025
Sold by: Barnes & Noble
Format: eBook
File size: 2 MB

About the Author

James Hudson Taylor was one of the most influential Protestant missionaries of the 19th century, best known as the founder of the China Inland Mission (CIM), now known as OMF International. Born on May 21, 1832, in Barnsley, Yorkshire, England, into a devout Methodist family, Taylor’s life was marked from an early age by a deep sense of spiritual calling. His parents prayed even before his birth that he would one day serve as a missionary in China—a prayer he would come to fulfill in extraordinary ways.

Taylor underwent a profound conversion experience as a teenager, which sparked an intense commitment to the Christian faith. Determined to serve in China, he began studying medicine and theology while living a life of voluntary poverty to strengthen his faith and dependence on God. He first sailed for China in 1853 under the auspices of the Chinese Evangelization Society, enduring physical hardship, illness, and cultural dislocation.

Dissatisfied with the limitations of existing missionary efforts that concentrated along China’s coastal treaty ports, Taylor envisioned a radical expansion of Christian missions into the vast, unreached interior provinces. In 1865, while back in England, he founded the China Inland Mission, a non-denominational organization devoted to placing missionaries in all regions of China. Unlike most Western missionaries of the time, Taylor insisted that his workers adopt Chinese dress, customs, and language—an approach both controversial and ahead of its time.

Taylor’s model of “faith missions”—living without guaranteed financial support and depending solely on prayer—became a defining principle of CIM and a powerful influence on future mission organizations. Under his leadership, the CIM grew to include hundreds of missionaries, many of whom suffered persecution and martyrdom, especially during the Boxer Rebellion of 1900.
From the B&N Reads Blog

Customer Reviews