D E Hoste. A Prince with God.

by Phyllis Thompson

D. E. Hoste was one of the “Cambridge Seven” who went to China as missionaries in 1885. In 1900 he succeeded Hudson Taylor as the general director of the China Inland Mission, now known as OMF. He was chosen to be the leader of the Mission because he had served the people of China and his fellow missionaries in a spirit of love, humility, and self-discipline. He was also a man of deep prayerfulness. He believed, like Hudson Taylor before him, that “it is possible to move men, through God, by prayer alone.” “Patient, persevering prayer,” wrote Mr. Hoste, “plays a more vital and practical part in the development of the Mission’s work than most people have any idea of.” Sample quotations from the How important for us so to be walking with God that the senses are exercised to discern between good and evil, and thus be preserved from the allurements that would turn us from the path of the divine will. May every child of God ever remember him who on the cross put us first, and now pleads that we should do the same for him, whether in respect of our means, our time, our strength, or the whole disposal of our lives! It is a commonplace to say that prayer and secret devotion are too often, however, we virtually contradict the words by adding that it is impossible to find time for them.

Genres: Biography

128 pages, Hardcover

Published December 1, 1965

About the author

Phyllis Thompson has a background in development education and Pastoral ministry in the UK. She is currently a member of the Church of God International General Board of Education, an Executive Council Member of the European Pentecostal Theological Association and a member of the leadership team of her local Church in Northampton, England. She has written on topics to do with Black Majority Churches, and women in Christian leadership. Recent publications include her contribution to Faith of our Fathers (Pathway Press 2009),Challenges of Black Pentecostal Leadership in the 21st Century (SPCK 2013) and Challenges of Pentecostal Theology in the 21st Century (SPCK 2020) the latter two for which she is the editor.

Reviews

[Andy Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read. The man who took over for Hudson Taylor. Dedicated, quiet, thoughtful and most of all prayerful. Great example in leadership how he heard all the options, sought opinions then prayed mightily for wisdom. We need to go and do likewise. One of his quotes:

A source of spiritual weakness and defeat may be found in failure jealously to guard our time of secret prayer and study of God's word. These are needed not only for our own soul's nourishment but as a part of our work and ministry on behalf of others. It is easy by negligence in these things to grieve and partially quench the Holy Spirit, the consequence being that without our knowing it, we are living and working on a lower plane of blessing and efficiency that we otherwise might do. D. E. Hoste.

[Carol Chen · Rating 4 out of 5]

His faithfulness and humbleness is so impressive and encouraging!

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dixon Edward Hoste grew up in a military family and began training for a military career. While stationed on the Isle of Wight, Hoste was home on leave when he went with his brother to hear evangelist D. L. Moody preach, and was saved. He was called to mission work, and even though he never went to Cambridge University, he went with the famous Cambridge Seven to China with the China Inland Mission, arriving in 1885. By 1900, Hudson Taylor asked Hoste to become the second General Director of the mission.

There were two things that particularly struck me about Hoste. The first was his humility. He was willing to let others take the lead and get the credit. The second, and most important, was his prayer life. He literally spent hours in prayer, on his knees, standing, walking around. Hoste was the general director of CIM for about 35 years, and could remember every missionary, their spouses, their children, and their needs, and prayed for all of them, and they knew it.

I strongly recommend this book.

[Ryan Denton · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best biographies I've read. Very very good.