Cricketer turned Pioneer Missionary in China, India and Central Africa
Imagine what it would be like if Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff, current hero of English cricket, suddenly turned his back on the game in order to take the gospel of Jesus Christ to the unevangelised parts of the world. This is the kind of change that occurred when C.T. Studd gave up his place in the English cricket team in order to go to China as a missionary.
Charles Thomas Studd was born in England in 1860, and grew up with his two brothers in a comfortable and wealthy family, his father having made a fortune in India. By the time C.T. was 16, he had become an accomplished cricket player and at 19 was captain of his team at Eton College. While at Eton, a year after his father converted to Christ through the preaching of D.L. Moody in 1877, CT and his two brothers were saved when a visiting preacher stayed with the family during the summer holidays. However, the following six years were to be spent in a backslidden state, as CT kept his faith to himself and found his love for Christ gradually being replaced by a love for the things in the world.
Career Challenge CT continued to receive a privileged education at Trinity College, Cambridge where he was also recognised as an outstanding cricketer. At 20, he was selected to play in the England team in 1882 which lost the match to Australia which originated the tradition of the "Ashes" between the two countries. The following winter he toured Australia with the England team that recovered the trophy but in 1884 his brother George was taken seriously ill and this caused CT to really question what he was living for in the light of eternity. After taking stock of his life and his priorities, he concluded, "I know that cricket would not last, and honour would not last, and nothing in this world would last, but it was worth while living for the world to come."
After hearing D.L. Moody, the Lord not only restored the joy of his salvation but CT began to share his faith with his friends and fellow players. He also helped his brother Kynaston organise an outreach amongst the university students. He later testified, "I cannot tell you what joy it gave me to bring the first soul to the Lord Jesus Christ. I have tasted almost all the pleasures that this world can give...but those pleasures were nothing compared to the joy that the saving of that one soul gave me."
CT enjoyed evangelising his own circle of friends until after hearing a missionary speaking about the needs for workers in China, he became increasingly convicted by Christ's call to take the gospel to those who had never even heard of the name of Jesus. Although friends and relatives tried to dissuade him, CT knew God was calling him to overseas mission and his decision inspired six others to join him in offering their services to Hudson Taylor for missionary work in the China Inland Mission. Members of the "Cambridge Seven" (as they become known) spoke at meetings throughout the country with remarkable results. In addition to numerous conversions, a great wave of missionary zeal swept through the students at Cambridge, Oxford, London and Edinburgh universities. This was to have a profound effects throughout the world in later years.
Money Challenge Three years after arriving in China, CT married a young Irish missionary called Priscilla. Together, CT and Priscilla served the Lord in China for a total of ten years until in 1894, after suffering many hardships, ill health forced them to return to England. While in China, CT also gave away a large family inheritance to help the work of George Muller, D.L. Moody, Dr Barnado and other worthwhile ministries. Over the years more than a fortune returned to the Studd family and continues to flow into the mission he founded.
On returning to England, CT was invited by his brother Kynaston to visit American universities on behalf of the newly formed Student Volunteer Movement. The spiritual life in many colleges and churches was radically impacted as a result and many students responded to the call to overseas missions.
After 5 years of ministry in the UK and the USA, in 1900, CT and his family moved to South India where for six years CT served as a pastor of a church in Ootacamund. For a long time CT had felt a responsibility to take the gospel to India. Although a very different situation to the pioneer missionary work in China, his ministry was marked by numerous conversations amongst the British officials and the local community.
No Sacrifice too Great Having spent 15 years in China and 6 years in India, CT was now convicted by God's heart for the large parts of central Africa that had never been reached with the gospel. However, there were many challenges to overcome in order to get there. He had no money, his doctor had refused to give his medical consent, and a group of businessmen who had previously agreed to support him changed their minds and backed out. To CT, it was a question of obedience to God's call so leaving his wife and four daughters in England, CT sailed for the Sudan in the heart of Africa in 1910, aged 48. CT established the Heart of Africa Mission and when challenged about why he was prepared to live a life of inevitable hardship, his (now well-known) response was, "If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him."
In 1913 CT ventured into the Belgian Congo and established four mission stations in an area inhabited by eight different tribes. A serious illness to his wife required his return to England but after her recovery CT returned again to the Congo in 1916 to expand the mission into the World Evangelisation Crusade (WEC), with workers not only in Africa, but also in South America, Central Asia and the Middle East. With Priscilla's help in England, an extensive missionary outreach was built up. CT only met his wife one other time when Priscilla made a brief visit to the Congo in 1928, before she died the following year. Two years later at the age of 70, CT died, but his vision for China, India and Africa had expanded to reach the whole unevangelised world.
Further reading: C.T. Studd: Cricketer & Pioneer, by Norman P. Grubb (The Lutterworth Press, 2003) No Sacrifice Too Great, by Eileen Vincent (WEC/OM, 1992)
