William Whiting Borden

For other people named William Borden, see William Borden (disambiguation).

William Borden.

William Whiting Borden (November 1, 1887 – April 9, 1913) was a Christian missionary to Northern China and the heir to the Borden, Inc. family fortune.

Life and work

William Whiting Borden was born into affluence in Chicago, Illinois on November 1, 1887, the third child of William Borden and Mary Degama Whiting. His mother was born in Detroit on August 31, 1961 to John Talman Whiting & Mary Sophia Hill. His father, son of wealthy businessman Gail Borden, was born in August 1850, and his parents were married on December 28, 1882. Borden had three siblings: John (May 21, 1884 - July 18, 1944), Mary (May 15, 1886 - December 12, 1968), and Joyce (April 21, 1897 - October 15, 1971). The Borden family had made their millions producing milk and dairy products and in real estate.

After his mother converted to Christianity in 1894, she began taking him to Chicago Avenue Church (now The Moody Church). He soon responded to the gospel preaching of Dr. R. A. Torrey, turned to Christ and was baptized. From then on, prayer and Bible study became hallmarks of his life. After graduating from Chicago's prestigious Hill school at age 16, he traveled to Europe, Africa, and Asia. He entered Yale University in 1905.

Borden graduated from Yale in 1909 and later from Princeton Theological Seminary. He later decided to become a missionary to the Muslims of Northern China, but died of cerebral meningitis in Egypt during his training there at the age of 25. Samuel Marinus Zwemer conducted his funeral. He is buried in the American Cemetery in Cairo.

Borden bequeathed $1 million to the China Inland Mission and other Christian agencies. The Borden Memorial Hospital in Lanzhou, China was named after him.

After his death, Borden's Bible was found and given to his parents. In it they found in one place the words "No Reserve" and a date placing the note shortly after he renounced his fortune in favor of missions. At a later point, he had written "No Retreat", dated shortly after his father told him that he would never let him work in the company ever again. Shortly before he died in Egypt, he added the phrase "No Regrets."

See also

• Christianity in China
• List of China Inland Mission missionaries in China
• OMF International
• Mary Geraldine Guinness

References

• Campbell, Charles Soutter, William Whiting Borden: A Short Life Complete In Christ, 1909
• Borden of Yale '09: "The Life that Counts", Mrs. Howard Taylor; China Inland Mission, 1913
• Erdman, C. R. (Charles Rosenbury), An ideal missionary volunteer : a sketch of the life and character of William Whiting Borden, London: South Africa General Mission, (c.1913?)
• Hudson Taylor & China’s Open Century Volume Seven: It Is Not Death To Die; Alfred James Broomhall; Hodder and Stoughton and Overseas Missionary Fellowship, 1989

External links

• No Reserves. No Retreats. No Regrets—a short biographical article about Borden
• Wheaton College Billy Graham Center Archive on Borden
• Find a Grave biography
• Christian Union biography