William Borden
November 1, 1887 – April 9, 1913
Missionary
No reserves. No retreats. No regrets. — died at 25 pursuing missions
Biography
Heir to the Borden dairy fortune who gave away his wealth to pursue missionary work among Muslims in China. After graduating from Yale and Princeton Seminary, he sailed for Egypt to study Arabic en route to China. He contracted spinal meningitis in Cairo and died at age 25, never reaching the mission field.
Faith & Testimony
Borden wrote in his Bible three phrases that summarized his life: 'No reserves. No retreats. No regrets.' He gave away hundreds of thousands of dollars to Christian causes while at Yale. His short life became a rallying cry for missionary sacrifice. His biography 'Borden of Yale' inspired thousands of young people to consider missions.