Cambridge Seven
British missionaries to China in 1885 From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
British missionaries to China in 1885 From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Cambridge Seven were six students from Cambridge University and one from the Royal Military Academy, who in 1885, decided to become missionaries to China through the China Inland Mission. The seven were:[1][2]
During the Victorian era (1837–1901) a growing number of students at the University of Cambridge became interested in serving overseas as missionaries, clergyman, educators, physicians, and linguists. In 1881 the Cambridge Centre for Christianity Worldwide (then named the Henry Martyn Hall) was formed to help members of the university learn about overseas missionary service.[3] When the British missionary Hudson Taylor came to Cambridge in 1885, seven students of the university volunteered to serve with the China Inland Mission. Before leaving the seven held a farewell tour to spread the message across the country – it was during this tour that someone dubbed them "The Cambridge Seven."
For the next month, the seven toured the University campuses of England and Scotland, holding meetings for the students. Queen Victoria was pleased to receive their booklet containing The Cambridge Seven's testimonies. The record of their departure is recorded in "The Evangelisation of the World: A Missionary Band". It became a national bestseller. Their influence extended to America where it led to the formation of Robert Wilder's Student Volunteer Movement.
All seven had become born-again Christians and were moved by their beliefs to go to China in 1885 to spread these beliefs and to help the local population; most remained in or connected to missionary work for the rest of their lives. They were greatly influenced by Taylor's book China's Spiritual Need and Claims. After their acceptance into the China Inland Mission, the seven toured England and Scotland, preaching and appealing to their listeners to follow their example and follow Christ. Charles Studd's brother Kynaston helped the seven in their preparations for departure.[4]
The conversion and example of the seven was one of the grand gestures of 19th-century missions, making them religious celebrities; as a result, their story was published as "The Evangelisation of the World" and was distributed to every YMCA and YWCA throughout the British Empire and the United States.
Though their time together was brief, they helped catapult the China Inland Mission from obscurity to "almost embarrassing prominence", and their work helped to inspire many recruits for the CIM and other mission societies. In 1885, when the Seven first arrived in China, the CIM had 163 missionaries; this had doubled by 1890 and reached some 800 by 1900, which represented one-third of the entire Protestant missionary force.
The Cambridge Seven arrived in Shanghai on 18 March 1885 and engaged in a variety of ministries throughout China:[5]
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