“CT Studd Cricketer and Pioneer” by Norman P Grubb (son-in-law of C.T.Studd) was a book I read in my youth and it had a profound effect on me. So profound in fact that a lot of the angst I experience in the years between then and now was due to my not following the example this amazing man had left us.

According to Wikipedia: “Charles Thomas Studd, often known as C. T. Studd (2 December 1860 – 16 July 1931), was a British missionary, a contributor to The Fundamentals, and a cricketer. As a British Anglican Christian missionary to China he was part of the Cambridge Seven, and later responsible for setting up the Heart of Africa Mission which became the Worldwide Evangelisation Crusade (now WEC International). As a cricketer, he played for England in the 1882 match won by Australia, which was the origins of The Ashes. A poem he wrote, “Only One Life, ‘Twill Soon Be Past”, has become famous to many who are unaware of its author. Studd was a son of retired merchant Edward Studd. Edward became a Christian during a Moody and Sankey campaign in England, and a visiting preacher to the Studd home, Tedworth House in Wiltshire, converted C.T. and two of his brothers to the faith while they were students at Eton. According to his conversion narrative, the preacher asked him if he believed God’s promises to give believers eternal life, and as Charles would only go so far as to profess he believed Jesus Christ died, the guest pressed the point, and Charles then believed on the Lord Jesus for salvation. Charles later recalled the moment … On 16 July 1931, still labouring for the Lord at Ibambi at the age of seventy, Charles Studd died from untreated gallstones.”

It happened that in my latest book “Priests of the Bible” (see here) I quoted from C.T.Studd’s writings as this was pertinent to what I wrote. Then it happened that I came across the book titled: “No Sacrifice Too Great – CT Studd, From Cricket Field to Mission Field” by Gordon Pettie, who I first came across a few years back as being one of the leading lights in that really helpful resource, Revelation TV (see here). I later recalled that nearly three years ago I read and reviewed (see here) his book “Do It Again Lord – Thoughts On Revival“, which I also found helpful. I didn’t know at the time who left the Studd book in the church but was grateful he/she did. (With permission) I took the book home to read, which I did (from cover to cover and couldn’t put it down – a less regular occurrence now that I find myself in my dotage).

As folk who know me well, I am a keen cricket fan. I would not be exaggerating if I said that C.T.Studd matched, in terms of achievements on the cricket field and status off it, those of two English all-rounder cricketing heroes of recent years, Ian Botham and Ben Stokes! Yet he gave all that up, as well as his privileged background that encompass much that people aspire to (wealth, fame and power), all in order to uncompromisingly take up the cause of Christ. Which brings me to the dilemma I have faced for much of my Christian life – the necessity of giving my all for Christ as nothing else will do. After some early set-backs, when Studd realised he had not given his all to follow Christ, Studd then decided he had to do so, including giving away all he had (which was a lot) and upsetting, sometimes foolishly, other sincere Christians and seeming to neglect his own family carrying out pioneer missionary endeavours. He did so in believing it was the claim Christ had on his life and in doing so the Lord will provide all his needs.

As I was to discover, “out and out” Christians, like C.T. was, would often prove to be an embarrassment to more staid, “sensible” Christians and my wanting to follow the Studd school of discipleship often came a cropper through failure to do/be what was needed, leading to depression etc. Other than reminding me of Studd’s achievements, which were (and continue to prove to be so) phenomenal, and inspiring me to do likewise despite now being in my dotage and unable to trek across three of the great mission fields in Studd’s day: China, India and Africa (and still very significant), I will refrain from doing a detailed review of what was fascinating detail concerning this great man’s life, which is an inspiration to all believing in the importance of missionary endeavour and interested in the history of missions, but instead I will recommend to folk who are reading this to get hold of and read the aforementioned book and/or watch the helpful 48 minute YouTube video going over C.T’s life, titled: “C.T. Studd: Gifted Athlete and Pioneering Missionary (2018) | Full Movie | John Holden”.  

C.T.Studd (centre) flanked by his two brothers (dressed in cricketing garb)

Studd was a member of a group of Cambridge University Christians who went to China as missionaries – known as the Cambridge Seven.

As for a final thought, it seems obvious. C.T. Studd was not perfect (like many a “driven” person with authoritarian tendencies) and I can imagine that I would have fallen out with him over some of the things he said and did, but he was a fantastic example of someone doing what Jesus said true followers of Him ought to be doing.

 

Update 16/09/24

I have continued my studies concerning the life, legacy etc. of CT, including re-reading “No Sacrifice Too Great” and more stuff found on the Internet, including a helpful slide presentation, titled: “Cricketer for Christ-C.T. Studd” (see here). I was also able to do my own talk on the chap at my own church (see here).