Saturday
Jan242009
A Fresh Challenge from 'Behind the Ranges'
Bernie Anderson
One of the things that I am trying to do more of this year is read more books. I specify books, because I already do more than my share of reading on the computer. I get most of my news and reviews from the Internet and various blogs. However, there is a pert of me that feels a bankruptcy in the virtural world that makes reading an actual book with paper and ink feel richer somehow. (I say that while at the same time hoping you’ll read our spot on the world-wide-web often!)
In anycase, while we were in the States I re-read a biography written by Mrs. Howard Taylor (Grand-daughter of J. Hudson Taylor) about J.O. Fraser called “Behind the Ranges”. Those who know me, know that the life of Hudson Taylor has had tremendous influence on my thinking about Christianity, missions and spirituality. His biography (also written by his grandaughter) is second only to the Bible as to the impact it’s had on my life.
That said, I must also highly recommend this little volume about another of the great men of faith who labored with the China Inland Mission, if you can get your hands on it (it’s out of print). There is something quiet and powerful about the life of this man, who labored among the Lhisu people without visible fruit for years. He was a man of faith and a man of prayer ... and it was the insight into his prayer life that was most powerful to me in this book. The chapter entitled “The Prayer of Faith” (which was also released as a small book on prayer several years ago - but also out of print) may be one of the most important treatise on prayer written in modern times. Here are several quotations from the book which I found helpful, and my prayer is that you might find them helpful, as well.
Concerning Language Study:
Concerning Prayer:
Concerning opposition:
Also concerning opposition:
Concerning pragmatism:
Concerning Spiritual Power:
Again, concerning prayer (and opposition):
I found these quotes coupled with the story of his life challenging, as well as encouraging. I commend this book to all of our readers, if you can get your hands on a copy.
Also you might check out the docu-drama on the life of Fraser put out by the good folks at OMF. I haven't seen it, but think it looks intriguing!
In anycase, while we were in the States I re-read a biography written by Mrs. Howard Taylor (Grand-daughter of J. Hudson Taylor) about J.O. Fraser called “Behind the Ranges”. Those who know me, know that the life of Hudson Taylor has had tremendous influence on my thinking about Christianity, missions and spirituality. His biography (also written by his grandaughter) is second only to the Bible as to the impact it’s had on my life.
That said, I must also highly recommend this little volume about another of the great men of faith who labored with the China Inland Mission, if you can get your hands on it (it’s out of print). There is something quiet and powerful about the life of this man, who labored among the Lhisu people without visible fruit for years. He was a man of faith and a man of prayer ... and it was the insight into his prayer life that was most powerful to me in this book. The chapter entitled “The Prayer of Faith” (which was also released as a small book on prayer several years ago - but also out of print) may be one of the most important treatise on prayer written in modern times. Here are several quotations from the book which I found helpful, and my prayer is that you might find them helpful, as well.
Concerning Language Study:
The temptaion is is to be content to use words which nearly express your meaning, but not quite.
Concerning Prayer:
(Our) work does not exist in curio exhibitions, lantern lectures, interesting reports, and so on. Good as they may be, these are only the fringe, not the root of the matter. Solid, lasting missionary work is done on our knees.
Concerning opposition:
I know enough about Satan to realize that he will have all his weapons ready for determined opposition. He would be a missionary simpleton who expected plain sailing in any work of God.
Also concerning opposition:
I have given way to discouragement, dark discouragement, far too much in the past. Now I know rather better, and thoroughly agree with the assertion ‘all discouragement is of the devil’. Discouragement is to be resisted just like sin.
Concerning pragmatism:
Do we spend much time waiting on God to know his will before attempting to embark on His promise?
Concerning Spiritual Power:
Every time you take the earth standpoint - think as men think, talk as men talk, look as men look - you take a place below the powers of darkness. The mastery of them depends upon your spirit abiding in a plane above them, and the place above them means knowing God’s outlook, God’s view, God’s thought, God’s plan, God’s ways - by abiding with Christ in God.
Again, concerning prayer (and opposition):
The aim of Satanic power is to cut off communicaiton with God.
I found these quotes coupled with the story of his life challenging, as well as encouraging. I commend this book to all of our readers, if you can get your hands on a copy.
Also you might check out the docu-drama on the life of Fraser put out by the good folks at OMF. I haven't seen it, but think it looks intriguing!
Reader Comments (3)
I just read 'Mountain Rain', the biography on Fraser by Eileen Crossman. Fraser left us, my opinion, some sort of grammer for life. Tell me, how life works. Tell me, what i can expect. That would make a difference anyhow! If I read on James Fraser's life, i might learn something. A life without humbug, no double agenda, genuine, going straight. Not without defeat, not without depressions, but fighting on. Enduring physical and mental attacks from those, to whom he longed to bring the Gospel. We see Fraser pressing on, spiritually, mentally fighting, coping with deseases, loneliness, trekking alone through unknown wilderness of China in order to bring the Gospel to the Lisu-tribes. Seeking for consolation from Christ. God blessed him with a pretty woman, when the man was some 40 years old. Roxie gave him two children. Remarkably James was called home in 1938. He was 52 years old. I understood, that a kind of bacterial brain infection swept him from this earth, suddenly and unexpected, within 4 days. To my opinion, James Fraser was a hero.
If you desire, send me an email. I could not find the email form on your blog site. I found your site because of my interest in central Asian missions, faith, and a search on James Fraser. I've read Mountain Rain.
I need to get back to the area. I've been to Nepal. God Bless you!!!
I am also on Twitter at HopeFaithPrayer
Wow! Thank you, brother, for your posting here on one of my all-time heroes, J.O.Frazer (you gotta love "Outram":) Am doing a small seminar in our church here in Tacoma on prayer and was looking fast and hard for a "compilation" of the book and your quotes are perfect. Will be sharing them tonight and encouraging the folks in the great prayer vision. Thank you with expectation for future blessing! In Calvary,
Respectfully,
Scott