Story of Neng Kuei the basket-maker Pt. 1

Neng Kuei the basket-maker in Ning Po.

By PowerPointParadise 07/10

In the year 1858, Hudson Taylor’s mission in China was beginning to reach some of the Chinese people with the gospel. There was Neng-kuei the basket-maker, Wang the farmer and Tsui the teacher.

One evening, a Mr. Ni passed by the open door where the bell was being rung to announce the time for Bible services to begin. Mr. Ni had never heard the gospel, but he had searched all his life for the truth. He had studied Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism and had found no rest.

He stepped in to hear the religious message. As he listened to the message taken from John 3:14-17 about how Christ became sin for all, he understood many things for the first time.

At the close of the service, he arose and announced that he had finally found the peace he had long sought for and that from henceforth he would be a believer in Jesus. He proved true to his word and became one of the most faithful workers in the mission.

One day, he asked Hudson Taylor, “How long have you had the Glad Tidings in your country?” The missionary reluctantly told him, “Some hundreds of years.” “What!” replied Mr. Ni, “My father sought the Truth and died without finding it. Oh, why did you not come sooner?”



Ad. from Hudson Taylor’s Spiritual Secret by Dr. & Mrs. Howard Taylor.
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“As a poor helpless sinner,” Hudson Taylor wrote, Neng-kuei cast himself upon God’s forgiving mercy, and found peace in believing. His love for the Bible was great, and he spent every available moment over its pages. Perhaps it was this that made his Christian life so restful. Wherever he went he carried a blessing with him and many a woman on a back street first heard the message of redeeming love from his lips.

Neng-kuei, too, from the very first was a soul-winner. Not unlike Peter in his fervent, devoted spirit, he also was used to bring the message of salvation to seeking souls whose prayers were known to God alone. One such was daily traversing the streets of Ning-po at this time, in search of a religion of which he knew nothing save that it would bring him peace; and but for a great trial coming into Neng-kuei’s life, he might have been long without finding it.

It was the busy season for basket-makers, and Neng kuei’s master insisted that he must work on Sunday. It was no use reminding him of his agreement, or suggesting that he should call in additional help. No, this idea of resting one day in seven was all very well for foreigners. but, now there was work to be done, Neng-kuei must be broken of it.

“Come to-morrow, or not at all,” was his ultimatum. And the Christian basket-maker knew himself dismissed.

Nor was this the worst of it. For on Monday morning, when he set about seeking other employment, every door was closed. No one wanted workmen, busy season though it was, and Neng-kuei tramped the city in vain.

“The devil is having hard at me,” thought he at last; “but I must and will resist him. If he will not let me have other employment, I will give my time to plucking souls from his kingdom.”

And this he did by spending the rest of the day in distributing tracts, and talking in the streets amid tea-shops with all who were inclined to listen.

Far away from Ning-po, in the beautiful valley of the Feng-hwa river, lay the farming district from which Neng kuei himself had come. There he had learned his trade and married the young wife from whom he had been parted in little more than a year. Her death had been terrible— a death in the dark, like so many thousands, alas, in China every year! Poor Neng-kuei could speak no word of comfort as she was passing from him in anguish and fear. And still there was no voice to tell among all those hills and valleys of Jesus and His redeeming love.




Angel Magazine TFI