By Norman Grubb

In the late 1800s C.T. Studd was a renowned cricket player in England – apparently cricket was a big sport then. He also came from a very wealthy family. Think of something like the home in Downtown Abbey. While a student at Cambridge, he surrenders his life fully to Christ and soon feels called to go to China as a missionary with China Inland Mission, founded by Hudson Taylor. Hudson Taylor was still alive at this time.

Studd, despite the protests of family and friends, goes to China as a missionary, along with six other Cambridge students. Together they were referred to as the Cambridge Seven and it caused quite a stir in Britain at that time.

Studd would have years of fruitful ministry in China, where he married and had several children. He and his wife needed to return because of healthy reasons. After a time in England, they end up planting a church in India, where they spend six years. Then again, after another season in England, he founds a mission called World Evangelisation Crusade. He goes into the heart of Africa, into Congo, where he spends the rest of his life. For health reasons, while he was in Africa his wife stayed behind in England, where she led the home mission work. C.T. Studd along with his wife were examples of lives fully surrendered to Christ. When Studd was only 25 years old he inherited a large fortune, which he proceeded to give away for Christian missions.

When he died in Congo, there were dozens of other missionaries working with him and thousands of believers in Congo who were avid followers of Jesus.

C.T. Studd lived a remarkable life. This is a solid, though not a great, biography.