This article is from Issue 7, Called to be Filled With The Holy Spirit
Read Part 1, China, in Issue 5
Read Part 2, America and India, in Issue 6
CANNIBALS WANT MISSIONARIES
After six peaceful years pastoring a European church in India, the Studds returned to England in 1906 with no plans for the future. With no home of their own, they resumed British life with Charlie’s mother at her affluent Hyde Park home, who had always made them welcome.
Now back in England, openings and invitations abounded for C. T. Studd to share his testimony and call from God to leave the cricket pitch to join the mission field, and he was not short on compelling stories. For the next two years he stirred and encouraged would-be missionaries to take the gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth.
It was on a speaking tour in Liverpool that he saw a poster that gripped him, “Cannibals want Missionaries.” It was an advertisement for meetings held by Dr Karl Kumm, a German missionary who had literally walked across central Africa and had seen that the Muslims were working their way through whole people groups leading them into Islam.
Central Africa was opening up and had become more accessible in the age of science, exploration and trade, but where were the missionaries?
“Why have no Christians gone?” Charles asked The Lord as his heart stirred to the lost thousands who had yet to hear the name of Jesus. “Why don’t you go?” came the reply. “The doctors won’t permit it” said Charles, knowing that his poor health would never be officially approved. The Lord replied, “Am I not the Great Physician? Can I not take you through? Can I not keep you?”
Charles was now approaching fifty with no private funds, poor health and a weak bodied wife, and yet God was calling him to Africa. He had never said “No” to God before, and wasn’t about to start now.
A DIFFICULT START
A plan was formed with Dr Karl that together they would cross Africa planting mission stations to be occupied by reinforcements. This plan shocked and appalled Charlie’s family. Priscilla, who had thought they would remain together in England, was devastated.
She pleaded with Charles to stay. She had already experienced the loneliness and restrictions of living with her mother-in-law when Charlie spent almost two years working in America. She knew she couldn’t go to Africa, her poor health would make her a complete hinderance. Her body wasn’t fit for trekking in bug infested heat. Neither was Charlie’s, but God had reassured him of this.
This plan proved to be a false start, much to Priscilla’s relief, as Charlie became bed ridden with an attack of sever malaria shortly before his ship was to sail. It, and Dr Karl, left without him, but the vision of the unreached tribes remained close in his heart and mind.
In 1910, Charlie attended a World Missionary Conference in Edinburgh, where he heard Dr Karl and others speak again of the need. His heart was fixed, he would go to the Sudan, alone and without support if needs be.
As Charlie spoke of his intentions at meetings, a small band of interested business men came together to form a committee to finance and support Charlie’s mission to Southern Sudan, with the condition that he pass his medical examination.
Unsurprisingly, he failed, and the backing of a committee disappeared. Undeterred, he announced a sailing date, despite the disapproval and opposition of others, including his family and wife. It was not a popular notion that an aged ill man should set off on an independent lone mission.
ENLARGED BORDERS
Ignoring the negatives and trusting God alone to fulfil His plan, Charlie booked his passage on the strength of a £10 offering, and the rest quickly followed. Priscilla cried as Charles sailed away on December 15th 1910, unable to see the hand of God doing a new thing; her spiritual vision was blurred, and bitterness entered in.
Charles wrestled too with his own emotions as Priscilla disappear into the horizon, and then The Lord spoke. “This trip is not merely for the Sudan, it is for the whole unevangelised world.”
With no idea how this could come to pass, He took the vision and impressed it on others, including his wife. His letters home during his first passage to Africa did little to stir Priscilla at the time, but the precious seeds sown were to bare much fruit.
“I think and think, and all on the same line, a new crusade. God speaks to me every time I lie down that He is going to do a wonderful work. Darling Scilla, do you remember Shanghai? Well, those days are going to occur again, only on a magnificent scale. Scilla darling, I believe your health will be restored and you shall be a bigger firebrand than you have ever been.”
“Somehow God tells me all my life has been a preparation for the coming ten years or more, it has been a rough discipline! The asthma, a daily and nightly dying! The bodily weakness, being looked down upon by worldy folk, the poverty. Have I not been tempted to stop working for Christ? Though it is not I, but Christ carries me through. And He seems to be pouring health and strength into me, and a burning desire to live, to live for Christ and men.”
“Let us in our old age reconsecrate ourselves to Jesus. He has done so much for us. There is no other finish worthy of Jesus, the gospel, or ourselves; so you and I will do it, do it for Jesus, and others will rise up and follow. God bless you Darling.”
This was to be a fact finding trip, so on arrival in Khartoum, Charles gave himself to research and contact making, speaking at different missions/churches. Connections were made, and with the company of Bishop Gwynne of Khartoum and Archdeacon Shaw of the Church Mission Society, he made the 900 mile trek with numerous mules and helpers, through southern Sudan.
A survey was made of mission stations and their effectiveness, which gave a clear picture of the needs, and how to proceed. The trek took several months, and though it was tough, his health was sustained until he arrived back at Khartoum where he was hit with a severe attack of malaria again.
In weakness, he returned to Priscilla having being away for six months, with a full report and a passion for this new work that could only be carried out by people who had a single eye for Christ and His goals. As soon as he was fit enough, he was up and down the country in search of those whom God would call to join him on this new venture.
Priscilla also was to have her own borders enlarged when the desire of heart was granted. A financial loan that turned into a gift was given to buy their own home, 17 Highland Rd in Norwood London, and it was quickly furnished by further surprises from The Lord. The couple were delighted.
Fed from her husband’s enthusiasm, Priscilla began to embrace this new mission, and slowly took the vision for Africa and beyond to heart, though it all looked rather far fetched considering their weak health conditions.
SMALL BEGINNINGS
Putting pen to paper, Charles wrote stirring booklets to awaken young adults from their own plans and securities. “The Chocolate Soldier” and “The Shame of Christ” were among the titles that delivered a message that following Jesus is supposed to be radical.
His efforts caused twenty four to volunteer, out of which four set sail with him, but only one was to remain as his co-worker, who would become his son-in-law. Alfred Buxton, aged just twenty one, left his medical training and fiancé (Charlie’s daughter Edith) to go with him to Africa. He had prayed in earnest over this, and despite his family’s petitions to complete his education, he was convicted that God’s timing for him to go was now.
Also, the destination changed from the Sudan to the very heart of Africa. After discussions with various missionary committees already working in Africa, it was agreed that Charlie would make his base in an unreached area called Dungu, in the Congo.
In mid April 1913, with thirty years between them, and a long journey over seas and land, Charles and Alfred arrived at a small mission station in Uganda where they trekked to Lake Albert, and crossed into Belgium Congo to reach a tribal people with an dark past.
THE WILDERNESS
Before a new work begins, there is often a time of testing. The two men thought they had proved themselves determined and were eager to get to work, but The Lord had other plans. A delay in the arrival of their trunks and a team of porters meant a miserable three month wait camping with a few basic items. Before battling the darkness together, these men would need to love and trust each other.
The conditions were harsh with heavy rains, wild winds, mosquitos and flies. Alfred received another plea from his father urging him to quit this “wildcat scheme” and come home. Charlie was widely considered independent and impulsive, but Alfred saw it as faithfulness and obedience to God. Violent tales of barbaric tribal activity had reached the west, so it was not without reason that this letter was desperate and compelling.
Also, Charlie was often bedridden with fever. It didn’t look a good start. Opposition abounded, they were at a stand still and were few in number, the leader was vulnerable to sickness and the student was completely inexperienced in life on the mission field. As Jesus in the wilderness set His face as flint to do only His Father’s will, Alfred too did the same. He sent a cable home.
“Must go on. Fear nothing. Psalm 105: 12-15.”
When they were few in number, Indeed very few, and strangers in it. When they went from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another people, He permitted no one to do them wrong; Yes, He rebuked kings for their sakes, Saying, “Do not touch My anointed ones, and do My prophets no harm.”
THE HEART OF AFRICA MISSION
With the trial cementing their partnership, seventy three porters arrived along with their trunks. After a six week journey on foot and bicycle through challenging and diverse terrain, they reached Dungu where they were shocked to find four other missionaries there already applying for land to begin building. Charlie felt betrayed and angered, and made his views known in his frank untactile way.
The Lord closed the door and showed another. They pressed on further into the true heart of Africa by canoe to Niangara. Their initial disappointment turned into a great blessing as Niangara was beautiful and well inhabited compared to the dreary miles of grassland and the sparce population of Dungu. They were thankful for God’s intervention!
Nine months after leaving England they were finally at their God given post and wasted no time in searching out suitable areas to build. Within two years, land was obtained and four mission stations were built in different regions, and they were ready to receive missionaries to join them in the work.
The people of Congo had a very violent past, but they were not threatened by the old man and his young companion who came with a hand of friendship, wanting only to love. They responded to the ploughing and sowing of God’s word, and welcomed the couple into their communities with no hostility.
Things had not been quite so progressive back in England. The small band of supporters had dwindled for various reasons, and Priscilla had deteriorated to the point of spending most of her days reclining. The doctors pronounced her an invalid, yet it was from this position of weakness that she pushed on to promote the mission.
Feeling the responsibility to keep things going on the home side, she organised prayer meetings, wrote dozens of letters each day, and produced a monthly magazine based on letters and photos she received from Charles to promote the “Heart of Africa Mission.”
A fresh group of supporters came together but wanted to adjust the financial policy. Charles was adamant that money should never be asked for, appeals never made, and offerings never taken up. It was God’s work, He would provide without advertisement. Others found this difficult to accept. He needed to come home and settle these issues.
It was not easy finding willing missionaries either who would go forth by faith, especially as it was now 1914 and England was at war, but The Lord gathered five young men who would go to war for in Africa Him for souls.
The arrival of these new recruits signalled God’s timing for Charlie to take what would be his last visit back to England. Alfred had grasped the language and was able to teach the new missionaries, and Charlie was happy to go knowing that the new work was in capable hands.
FRUIT AT LAST
Charles came home to his wife to find a bustling headquarters established in their home, with daughters Edith and Pauline helping with the many tasks involved. Their lives were absorbed with informing others of this new mission and looking for Godly men and women who would go to the Congo to teach.
Word came from Alfred six months later that their first baptismal service for twelve native believers had been held, all ex-cannibals and murderers from their youth now turning to Christ for new life. News of this precious fruit from their labours gave some much needed credence for unconvinced onlookers.
Despite constant attacks of fever, Charlie went around Britain one last time with his fiery messages that were often criticised; he had never been a man pleaser. Charlie went back to Africa with eight more workers including his daughter Edith, who hadn’t seen her fiancé, Alfred, for four years. They were greeted by not twelve, but sixty baptised Africans full of zeal and passion for Jesus.
AN OPEN DOOR
The Congo was seeing the hand of God bring light into the darkness, and now the touch from God’s hand was to be felt in England. Priscilla had thus far carried out the home side of the work from her sick bed, but that was to come to a swift end.
The day following Charlie’s return to Africa in 1916, Priscilla rose from her day couch by faith, never to return to it. Later, Charlie wrote, “Surely God was waiting for some simple act of faith to send down His cyclone of blessing. That cyclone hit my wife the very day after I left, and she was never the same woman again.”
In her weakness from a sickbed, she had carried out the role of secretary for over five years. Though hesitant at first she had since become a passionate and dedicated pioneer to this work that had gone through great turbulence. She knew the dealings of the finances, the correspondence, the publishing, the prayer meetings; she was the manager and the steam of the home office, and she excelled both in dedication and skill.
Her divinely restored health opened a whole new door, and she was no longer confined to the home. Some perhaps wondered why she didn’t join Charlie in Africa to live out the remainder of their years working side by side as any “normal” husband and wife would. But both Priscilla and Charlie were in agreement, he would continue expanding in Congo and she would rally the troopers. Priscilla herself was now to be the voice of the mission, speaking up and down the country as Charlie once had.
W. E. C
Just a couple of years later, the focus on “The Heart of Africa” was to make a shift as The Lord brought another son in law to the work. This time, it would be Priscilla who would benefit, as Gilbert became her greatest helper as the mission spread it’s tent pegs.
A new title for the work was adopted, “Worldwide Evangelisation Crusade,” with each country having a sub-title. Not only was it time for the mission to expand beyond Africa, it was also time for supporters to be found beyond England. With Gilbert’s help, Priscilla spent the last ten years of her life travelling all over the world promoting this ministry, laying the foundations and establishing offices around the globe.
Every step was taken by faith with limited funds and man power, but The Lord had set the pattern. In 1913 two men united in faith and conviction arrived in the heart of Africa to begin a new work, and by 1931 there were forty missionaries covering hundreds of miles of territory reaching many tribes of differing languages.
The rest of the unevangelised world was to be no different. In 1923, the “Heart of the Amazon” began with three Australian men. The “Heart of Asia” was next, with two men going to Little Tibet, then men were found for Arabia, then West Africa. Little by little the gospel went forth to unreached groups, mission stations were built and more evangelists sent.
In 2022, W. E. C. is still a church planting mission, and operates in ninety countries with just short of two thousand missionaries.
FINISHING THE RACE
Charlie had heard the Lord tell him on his very first journey to Africa, that the trip was not for Sudan only, but for the whole unevangelised world. While he carried the vision and thrust it on others, he himself would spend the rest of his years in Congo, where he became loving known as Bwana Mukubwa, meaning Great White Chief.
The last two decades of their lives, Charlie and Priscilla were united in vision yet saw very little of each other. It was not easy, and sometimes they didn’t always see eye to eye on how to go about things.
In 1928, aged sixty-four, Priscilla finally visited Charlie in the Congo for what would be their last time together, and seeing how frail Charlie looked, she urged him to come home with her, but he refused. He would die in Africa. Priscilla went to glory the following year after suddenly becoming unwell, and Charlie joined her two and a half years later, passing on the baton to a dedicated team including family, to go into all the world to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. This couple who began in China where they met, had carried on the race to the end.
Part 1 in Issue 5
Part 2 in Issue 6
Taken from Life On The Altar Publication
Issue 7 Winter 2022/2023
LIFE ON THE ALTAR 