Charles Thomas (C.T.) Studd (1860-1931) was an English missionary to China, India, and Africa. His motto was: "If Jesus Christ is God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him." C.T. is remembered for "his courage in any emergency, his determination never to give up, his conviction that he was in God's will, his faith that God would see him through, and his willingness to risk all for Christ."He was an outstanding cricket player in a wealthy Christian home. He was saved at age 18 and said, “The Bible that was so dry to me became everything.”
Eventually, he went through a backslidden state, but when his brother came down with a serious illness and when he heard D.L. Moody, the great evangelist, preach, God brought him back to serve Him faithfully.
C.T. Studd loved to tell everyone about Jesus, and tried to encourage others to share. He inherited a large fortune at age 25 and gave it all to Christ and mission works. Missionary George Muller was given a large sum of it towards his work. C.T. was married to a missionary and gave her the rest of the money. She, in turn, said that she wanted to give all of it to the Lord! So they did.
They served the Lord together in inland China through many perils and hardships until in 1894 after ten years, ill health forced the Studds to return to England, where they turned their property over to the China Inland Mission.
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.
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 still believing he was called 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.
C.T. bore much fruit for the Savior while in Africa as he endured weakness and sickness; losing most of his teeth and suffering several heart attacks, he endured hardness as a good soldier of the Lord Jesus Christ!
When C.T. Studd went home to be with His Lord whom he loved so dearly and served so faithfully, the last word he spoke was "Hallelujah"!
(See quotes and poem by C.T. Studd posted above!)
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