William Whiting Borden (November 1, 1887 – April 9, 1913), Christian missionary to Egypt with Samuel Zwemer was the heir to the Borden, Inc. family fortune and graduate of Yale University in 1909 and of Princeton Theological Seminary. William Borden, also known as "Borden of Yale". Borden was converted to Christianity under the ministry of Dwight L. Moody. His dream of working in China was derailed, however, when he contracted spinal meningitus in Cairo on March 21 and died on April 9, 1913, never completing the journey he had begun. Borden's legacy, however, extended beyond his life and example as he bequeathed $1 million to Christian missions, including to China Inland Mission which he was joining, Moody Bible Institute and Moody Church, Princeton Theological Seminary, several Presbyterian mission boards and other agencies. CIM established and dedicated Borden Memorial Hospital to ministry in Lanzhou, Gansu Province in northwest China, an area populated with Muslims like those Borden hoped to serve. No Reserves. No Retreats. No Regrets. is a website about William Borden's life.
One day, he told his family "I'm going to give my life to prepare for the mission field." One friend expressed surprise that he was "throwing himself away as a missionary." In response, Bill wrote two words in the back of his Bible: "No reserves." Very quickly, however, Borden's classmates noticed something unusual about him and it wasn't his money. One of them wrote: "He came to college far ahead, spiritually, of any of us. He had already given his heart in full surrender to Christ and had really done it. We who were his classmates learned to lean on him and find in him a strength that was solid as a rock, just because of this settled purpose and consecration." When news William Whiting Borden's death was cabled back to the U.S., the story was carried by nearly every American newspaper. "A wave of sorrow went round the world . . . Borden not only gave (away) his wealth, but himself, in a way so joyous and natural that it (seemed) a privilege rather than a sacrifice" wrote Mary Taylor in her introduction to his biography.
Was Borden's untimly death a waste? Not in God's plan. Prior to his death, Borden had written two more words in his Bible. Underneath the words "No reserves" and "No retreats," he had written: "No regrets."This man is worthy to be part of my Hall of Faith.
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His death may have been untimely but he served as an inspiration to many. That is no small thing.
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