As a family, we recently read a biography of William Carey, who is known as the father of modern missions. He was a brilliant man who translated the Bible into over 40 different Indian languages. His name, along with the names of Hudson Taylor, Amy Carmichael and Jim Elliot, may be familiar to you. A name that may not be is Allen Gardiner.
This past weekend, I heard of him for the first time and was challenged by hearing his story. I thought you might like to hear it also.
Allen Gardiner was born into a Christian home in England on June 28, 1794. His parents were devout Christians who read the Bible daily to their son.
Despite his Christian heritage and his mother’s prayers, Allen turned his back on God. He joined the Navy and lived a worldly life. He was so opposed to Christianity that if he saw people reading the Bible or discussing Christianity, he would ask them why they were engaging in such senseless conduct.
After his mother’s death, Allen was so troubled that he actually bought a Bible. By reading God’s Word; he was saved and radically transformed. Sadly, his mother never had the joy of seeing her son a changed man.
A heart for the lost developed in Allen Gardiner, which led him to pursue missionary work. He spent some time in South Africa among the Zulus where he experienced many close calls. On one occasion, he had to be rescued by a British ship when the tribal people mistreated him and his companions, stealing everything they had except the clothes on their backs.
Gardiner’s final missionary journey was to Tierra del Fuego, an area in South America known as Patagonia, He was able to round up six men to accompany him on this journey. On arrival, they walked for a month up to their knees in mud and bog. He wrote at the end. “Surely the Lord has been our help and our shield, and His fatherly care over us has been conspicuous. May His goodness be had in continual remembrance.”
Things went from bad to worse when the men were again robbed of food and supplies. They were harshly treated by the Patagonians and it soon became apparent that unless supplies arrived from abroad, they would not survive.
One by one the men became ill and died until Gardiner alone remained. Finally, he too died.
Weeks later, help finally arrived, but it was too late. When Allen Gardiner’s body was found, a journal was found next to him. His final journal entry says this.
“Great and marvellous are the loving-kindnesses
of my gracious God unto me.”
What a beautiful example of unflinching faith and trust in God amidst adversity. Allen Gardiner was mistreated, deprived of the necessities of life, and ultimately starved to death, yet praise and thanks to God never left his lips. He had so little and thanked so much. We have so much and thank so little. I am inspired and challenged by his example. His is a story worth telling.
