James Hudson Taylor III died on March 20 at his home in Hong Kong. Like his great-grandfather he loved Christ and the Chinese and served them to the end. Some of his last words were, ‘God is good’. He was a great example of a godly man and a warm friend and colleague.
James was born in China to missionary parents who resolved to stay in the country to serve the Christian believers as the war with Japan developed. He was interned with other children and staff of the CIM Chefoo school. His grandfather, Herbert, was in the same camp and he got to know him well and thus had a direct personal link with Hudson Taylor himself!
After the war and education in the States, he returned to Asia in 1955 with his wife Leone to serve with his parents at the Holy Light Bible School in Taiwan. He was later Principal of the school for ten years before moving to set up the China Evangelical Seminary which trained for Christian ministry those who had already graduated in other fields. In 1979 he handed over the Principal’s job to Dr. Timothy Lin, and the school has continued its strategic ministry under Chinese leadership ever since.
