“If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him.” - C.T. Studd
Charles Thomas Studd ("C.T. Studd") was born in
England in 1860, the son of wealthy Edward Studd, who had made a fortune in
India and had come back to England to spend it. Charles Studd liked sports just
like most young men. He had a passion for cricket because it was the most
popular sport in England at the time. His older brother Kynaston Studd, was a
member of the Cambridge cricket team and well known. C.T., however, wasn't a
great athlete but determined to master the sport. He would practice for hours, using
a mirror to help him adjust his swing. He kept away from any harmful habits
that may diminish his cricket ability. Soon he began to master the sport and
became the captain of his high school cricket team. In 1879, when Studd entered
Trinity College of Cambridge University, his popularity as a cricket star took
off. He became what others have referred to as "the Michael Jordan of
cricket," a household name throughout Great Britain. He soon became the
captain of the Cambridge cricket team, an idol to students and legend in his
time. and he had a particular passion for cricket, the most popular sport in
England at the time. Studd was claimed then, and today as the greatest player
to have ever played the game. But that is just a footnote compared to what has
really marked C.T. Studd's life in history.
C.T. was saved in 1878 at the age of 18 by the confrontation
of a pastor, who really questioned him as to his personal relationship with
Christ. Both his brothers gave their lives to Christ the same day that he did. However,
his passion for Christ diminished as his cricket career grew in college and
soon he was hardened to spiritual things. However, in November 1883, his
younger brother George got very sick and was dying. As C.T. watched in horror
and grief at the suffering of his brother, he reflected, "Now what is all
the popularity of the world to George? What is all the fame and flattering?
What is it worth to possess the riches of the world, when a man comes to face
Eternity?" With a surprising turn, God miraculously healed George and C.T.
was so dramatically changed through the event that he consecrated himself to
the Lord's work. The things of this world were not worthy of his life, Studd
would begin to invest himself in the eternal.
C.T. was part of a small group of Christian men at
Cambridge, mostly athletes, who were beginning to devote themselves to prayer
and the evangelization of the world. Starting at their campus they began
sharing their faith openly and telling all of the salvation found in Jesus
Christ. Many were being won because of Studd's influence among other
collegians. During this time, an influential missionary Hudson Taylor began to
challenge the students of England to join him in reaching the millions of lost
in China. His high calling and deep passion for China, captured the hearts of
these young men at Cambridge, and there was discussion of joining Hudson's
mission agency and pioneering to the unreached parts of China with the gospel.
Despite a promising career in cricket and the life of
comfort he had grown up in C.T. determined to follow God's heart for the world
and join Him in reaching China. Studd's decision to go to China influenced the
other seven men at Cambridge to live for God's glory and devote themselves to
China also. From the rowing team at Trinity, Stanley Smith, Montague Beauchamp,
and William Cassels joined. Two students, Dixon Hoste and Arthur
Polhill-Turner, were officers who also left a promising career in the military
to join Studd. And from C.T. Studd's own cricket team came Cecil
Polhill-Turner.
Studd faces opposition as well. His father, Edward passed
away, causing the family to pressure C.T. not to leave his widowed mother at
such a time. C. T. seeking to comfort his mother wrote: "Mother dear, I do
pray God to show you that it is such a privilege to give up a child to be used
of God to saving poor sinners who have never even heard of the name of
Jesus."
Before going to China, Hudson organized a tour of the
college campuses in England, allowing the "Cambridge Seven," as they
came to be known, to share their testimonies, and challenge students to
consecrate their lives to the glory of God. Through these months traveling and
speaking, God drew people to faith in Christ and awakened the church to His
global cause.
In the last meeting of the tour, C.T. Studd urged students
saying, "Are you living for the day or are you living for life eternal?
Are you going to care for the opinion of men here, or for the opinion of God?
The opinion of men won't avail us much when we get before the judgment throne.
But the opinion of God will. Had we not, then, better take His word and
implicitly obey it?"
Authenticity marked the power of the message of these seven
that were on their way to the unreached. C.T. Studd admitted, "Had I cared
for the comments of people, I should never have been a missionary." After
calling students to obey the Great Commission, the Cambridge Seven, left for
China, arriving in Shanghai on March 18, 1885.
It was while in China that C. T. reached the age (25 years
old) in which according to his father's will he was to inherit a large sum of
money. Through reading God's Word and much prayer, C. T. felt led to give his
entire fortune to Christ! Before knowing the exact amount of his inheritance,
C.T. sent £5000 to Mr. Moody, another £5000 to George Müller (£4000 to be used
on missionary work and £1000 among the orphans); as well as £15,000 pounds to
support other worthy ministries. In a few months, he was able to discover the
exact amount of his inheritance and he gave some additional thousands away,
leaving about £3400 pounds in his possession.
Three years after arriving in China, C. T. married a young
Irish missionary from Ulster named Priscilla Livingstone Stewart. Just before
the wedding he presented his bride with the remaining money (£3400) from his
inheritance. She, not to be outdone, said, "Charlie, what did the Lord
tell the rich young man to do?" "Sell all." "Well then, we
will start clear with the Lord at our wedding." And they proceeded to give
the rest of the money away for the Lord's work.
They served the Lord together in inland China through many
perils and hardships until in 1894 after ten years in China, ill health forced
the Studds to return to England, where they turned their property over to the
China Inland Mission.
From 1896-1897, C. T. toured American universities on behalf
of the newly formed Student Volunteer Movement, challenging students to give
their lives to the Great Commission. During the beginnings of the Student
Volunteer Movement, in 1896 -1897, his brother J.E.K. Studd spoke at Cornell
University, having a deep impact on the future point man for the SVM, John R.
Mott. Mott walked in late for the meeting and heard J.K. Studd quote,
"Young man, are you seeking great things for yourself? Seek them not! Seek
first the Kingdom of God!" Mott gathered the courage to meet with him the
next day and later said that the meeting with Studd was the "decisive hour
of his life". Mott went on to become one of the greatest missions
mobilizers in world history.
In 1900, the Studd family went to South India where C. T.
served as a pastor of a church in Ootacamund for six years. From the time of
his conversion, C. T. had felt the responsibility upon their family to take the
Gospel to India.
China, then India, and later the heart of Africa. After
their return home to England in 1906, C. T. was stirred by the need for
missionary pioneer work in Central Africa. But again the path was not without
obstacles. Penniless, turned down by the doctor, dropped by a Committee of
businessmen who had agreed to support him, yet told by God to go, once more C.
T. staked all on obedience to God. As a young man he staked his career, in
China he staked his fortune, now he staked his life. His answer to the Committee
was; "Gentlemen, God has called me to go, and I will go. I will blaze the
trail, though my grave may only become a stepping stone that younger men may
follow." Leaving his wife and four daughters in England, C. T. sailed,
contrary to medical advice, for the heart of Africa in 1910, where he continued
to work until his death in 1931.
C. T. bore much fruit for the Saviour while in Africa as he
endured weakness and sickness; loosing most of his teeth and suffering several
heart attacks; but he endured hardness as a good soldier of the Lord Jesus
Christ!
In a letter home, during the last days of his life, C. T.
gave a last backward look at the outstanding events of his life, saying,
"As I believe I am now nearing my departure from this world, I have but a
few things to rejoice in; they are these:
- That
God called me to China and I went in spite of utmost opposition from all
my loved ones.
- That I
joyfully acted as Christ told that rich young man to act.
- That I
deliberately at the call of God, when alone on the Bibby liner in 1910,
gave up my life for this work, which was to be henceforth not for the
Sudan only, but for the whole unevangelized World.
My only joys therefore are that when God has given me a work
to do, I have not refused it."
One night in July,1931, C. T.
Studd went home to be with his Lord whom he had loved so dearly and served so
faithfully! The last word he spoke was "Hallelujah"!
Sources: https://www.thetravelingteam.org/articles/ct-studd; https://www.wholesomewords.org/missions/biostudd.html
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