A Dream Cut Short

A Dream Cut Short

His accomplishments were great, but his time was short.

BORN IN 1887, William Whiting Borden grew up in a wealthy Chicago family that was heir to the Borden Dairy fortune. Bill was a precocious and mature boy for his age. When he was six, his mother had Bill and a number of his cousins write down what they wanted to be when they grew up and then sealed their responses in envelopes. Ten years later they were opened, and Bill’s read, “I want to be an honest man when I grow up, a true and loving and kind and faithful man.”

When Bill was about seven, his mother had a conversion experience that dramatically changed her life and deeply affected him. She became a joyful committed Christian. After the family transferred to Moody Memorial Church in Chicago, Bill flourished under the ministry of pastor Reuben A. Torrey. In a service when Bill was quite young, Dr. Torrey asked all who wished to dedicate their lives to Christian service to rise for prayer. Bill, in a little blue sailor suit, stood resolutely and never wavered from that point forward in his dedication to the service of Christ.

Bill became focused on world missions when he was seventeen and on a journey around the world following his high school graduation. Spending the year traveling through parts of the Orient, Europe, and the Middle East, he saw firsthand the spiritual needs of the people in these countries. His heart especially went out to the Chinese, and he returned home determined to bring the news of his Savior to the people of China.

After his trip he entered Yale University. While there he became involved in the Student Volunteer Movement. At one of its conventions, he sat under the teaching of Dr. Samuel Zwemer, who was fervent about reaching Muslims for Christ. Bill learned that there were fifteen million Muslims in northwest China, yet not a single missionary had been sent to reach them. He was astounded that there were more Muslims in China than in Egypt, Persia, or even Arabia, and yet no one was sharing the gospel with them. That night Borden dedicated his life to reaching Chinese Muslims. He never wavered from his passionate pursuit of this goal.

After graduating from Yale, he went to Princeton Seminary. He was extremely busy with his rigorous studies, volunteer ministries, and management of his family’s financial interests. In addition, he had many responsibilities outside of Princeton. He had recently been made a trustee of Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, a member of the North American Council of the China Inland Mission (CIM), a delegate to the Edinburgh Missionary Conference for the CIM, a director of the National Bible Institute of New York City, and a member of the American Committee of the Nile Mission Press. He truly was a young man spiritually mature beyond his years!

Borden joined the China Inland Mission and set sail for Cairo to study Arabic before going to China. He had his heart set on evangelizing the Kansu people of China. Upon his arrival in Cairo in 1913, he immediately threw himself into his studies and community service. He was quickly beloved by many.

Unfortunately, he soon contracted cerebral meningitis and became seriously ill. Suffering greatly for a few weeks, he died on April 9, 1913, at the age of just twenty-five. He never made it to China. He left his fortune of almost one million dollars to various home and foreign missions agencies. After his death, friends found a paper under his pillow scrawled with the words “No Reserve! No Retreat! No Regrets!”

Young Bill Borden’s death was covered by many newspapers throughout the world as a testimony to Christ. Memorial services were held for him in many parts of the world: Princeton, Yale, New York, Chicago, Cairo, Japan, Korea, India, and South Africa. Although Bill Borden’s financial legacy was substantial, it was his spiritual legacy of total dedication and self-sacrifice that had a lasting effect on people around the world.

Reflection

According to the world’s standards, many see Borden’s life and untimely death as a tragic “waste.” How do you see it?

He enjoyed a close relationship with God throughout his life. Then suddenly . . . God took him.

Genesis 5:24