Biography of William Chalmers Burns (audio) - Presented by Ian Hamilton

[Solparvus]

"In your travels in China, did you perchance meet a Scottish presbyterian called William Chalmers Burns?"

"Meet him? All China knows him. He's the holiest man alive."

William Chalmers Burns is a Scottish Presbyterian missionary to inland China, at a time when entering inland China was forbidden to foreigners. Ian Hamilton gave a spiritually-enriching biography of William Chalmers Burns at a missions conference held at Greenville Seminary earlier this year. Hamilton focuses on Chalmers' deep piety, his dependence on God through ceaseless prayer, and his rigorous preparation to minister effectively to the Chinese.

Point of interest: he crossed paths with Hudson Taylor, whose own example persuaded Chalmers that he must adopt Chinese dress, customs, and way of living so far as he could without sinning (a move which shocked his fellow countrymen at the time).

Audio here.

Be enriched.

 

[Dkshotwell]

"In your travels in China, did you perchance meet a Scottish presbyterian called William Chalmers Burns?"

"Meet him? All China knows him. He's the holiest man alive."

William Chalmers Burns is a Scottish Presbyterian missionary to inland China, at a time when entering inland China was forbidden to foreigners. Ian Hamilton gave a spiritually-enriching biography of William Chalmers Burns at a missions conference held at Greenville Seminary earlier this year. Hamilton focuses on Chalmers' deep piety, his dependence on God through ceaseless prayer, and his rigorous preparation to minister effectively to the Chinese.

Point of interest: he crossed paths with Hudson Taylor, whose own example persuaded Chalmers that he must adopt Chinese dress, customs, and way of living so far as he could without sinning (a move which shocked his fellow countrymen at the time).

Audio here.

Be enriched.

Taylor I know of, hearing an audio documentary about him and the story of the China inland mission was fascinating, if they mentioned Burns in it I don't recall, but now I have to hear this. A good heads up brother, I intend to give it a listen.

 

[Dkshotwell]

Just finished listening, i love the stories of the great missionaries such as Burns. I can just see him ducking into the ally out of eyesight because he was so overwhelmed by the emotions of sorrow and love for a mass of people he didn't even know! Then at missions end he must of felt some of the same sorrow because he didn't see the amount of fruit he probably hoped to see. China is tight lipped so who really knows how successful he and Taylor were, but I have heard of numbers ranging between 23-100 million Christian's there. I have an optimistic gut feeling it is more likely the higher number at least. And of course the testimony of this man ultimately redounds to the Glory of Christ, yet Burns had the honor of being His means. Enjoy your reward Mr. Burns, you did well.

 

[Solparvus]

Just finished listening, i love the stories of the great missionaries such as Burns. I can just see him ducking into the ally out of eyesight because he was so overwhelmed by the emotions of sorrow and love for a mass of people he didn't even know! Then at missions end he must of felt some of the same sorrow because he didn't see the amount of fruit he probably hoped to see. China is tight lipped so who really knows how successful he and Taylor were, but I have heard of numbers ranging between 23-100 million Christian's there. I have an optimistic gut feeling it is more likely the higher number at least. And of course the testimony of this man ultimately redounds to the Glory of Christ, yet Burns had the honor of being His means. Enjoy your reward Mr. Burns, you did well.

It seems the Lord will intensely burden some by the thought of the lost perishing, and use it to move them to their work. Amy Carmichael was moved by the thought of 50,000 dying each day, most without the Lord.

That number is now about 167,000.