THE LATE REV. DOCTOR MORRISON,

FIRST PROTESTANT MISSIONARY IN CHINA.

BY THE REV. DR. HENRY FORSTER Burder.

ROBERT MORRISON was born at Morpeth on the 5th of January, 1782. His parents soon after removed to Newcastle, where he received the rudiments of education, previously to his employment in his father's business. In early life, his mind displayed indications of activity and habits of reflection. The blessing of God appeared to descend both upon the instructions he received from his pious parents, and the ministrations of the sanctuary, on which he deemed it his privilege regularly to attend. Decision of character and force of principle soon became apparent, and were speedily associated with a desire to devote his life to the promotion of the best interests of his fellowThis appears from a document of no ordinary interest in missionary annals,—his application to the London Missionary Society to be received under their patronage, with a view to the service of the heathen. It was written in his twenty-third year, when engaged in a course of theological studies at Hoxton Academy.

men.

"About seven years ago," (he writes in that letter,) after alarming convictions of sin, and dread of wrath to come, I was brought to rest my soul on Jesus Christ, for eternal salvation. About two years after, I was filled with an ardent desire to serve the Lord Jesus, and the spiritual interests of fellow-men. It was then I formed the design of engaging as a Missionary

B

--though I saw no probability of ever having it fulfilled. The crying necessity for Missionaries dwelt upon my mind. I prayed to the Lord to dispose me to that which was wellpleasing in his sight; and, if agreeable to his will, to fulfil the desires of my heart. I conceived that nothing was to be done without learning. I therefore saved a little money from what my father gave me, to pay a teacher of Latin, which I learned in the morning before six o'clock, and in the evening after seven, or eight."

Thus did this extraordinary young man begin to display the vigorous, determined, and persevering assiduity, by which he afterwards mastered the difficulties of the Chinese language, and became a model of missionary enterprise and achievement. Had he been aware of the facilities afforded to missionary students in the seminary at Gosport, he would, in the first instance, gladly have become a candidate for admission. Without, however, any abandonment of his favourite object, he obtained an entrance into the Theological Seminary at Hoxton, where, for about two years, he pursued his studies with exemplary diligence; and conciliated, by his spirit of ardent piety and devotedness, the confidence and attachment both of his patrons and his associates. There it was that a friendship commenced between the subject and the writer of this sketch, which was cemented by an uninterrupted correspondence through life, and which, it is humbly hoped, will, through sovereign grace, be renewed in that world where " they die no more."

After enjoying, for about a year, the advantages of the tuition of the able and venerable Dr. Bogue, at Gosport, Mr. Morrison spent some time in London, in the acquisition of such scientific and medical knowledge as was supposed to be most important, in the prospect of engaging in a mission to China-a destination, with all its formidable difficulties, in full accordance with the noble daring and genuine heroism of his devoted heart.

Having received ordination in London, according to the usages of the Presbyterian church, in which he had been educated, he embarked for China on the 31st of January, 1807, and proceeding by way of America, he landed at Macao on the 4th of September, and soon afterwards reached Canton. Within one month after his arrival, he favoured the writer of this paper with a letter, from which the following is an extract :

Since you

"From China, dear Henry, I now address you. heard of me, I have changed my situation half the circumference of the globe. The good hand of God has preserved me in all the varied climes through which he has led me. Our God, unlike the gods of this and other heathen nations, is the God of the whole earth. To tell you, dear brother, that I have, in passing through the mighty waters, been sometimes in fearthat I have sometimes been depressed, and again have experienced the joy of God's salvation-would be telling you nothing but what, my circumstances considered, you would naturally suppose. However, I bless the Lord, that in every varied situation, and in every varied frame of mind, he has been a present help; and the work of our Lord Jesus Christ has been the rejoicing of my heart.

"I now live with American gentlemen at Canton. I have two rooms-I am quite retired. I have a Chinese boy, and from him I endeavour to learn phrases in the common spoken language of Canton. As to my great design, the idolatrous rites of every passing day strongly prove its necessity; and, whatever outward appearances may be, the promises of our God furnish the greatest possible encouragement. Remember at the throne of grace him who is, through Jesus Christ, yours most affectionately,

"R. MORRISON."

A letter written two years after his arrival contains passages which cannot be read without deep interest. It is dated November 16, 1809.

"I have much reason, dear brother, to be thankful to the Lord, who, since the day I left you, has continued to watch over me with paternal care. He has graciously sustained me in the midst of trials from without, and evil propensities from my own corrupt heart. When I have fallen, he has raised me up again. If I have been devoted to my great object, to God our Saviour be all the praise. It was a fixed principle with me, that to overcome the difficulties in acquiring the Chinese language, the utmost attention was requisite. The Lord granted me a considerable portion of health, and gave success to my labours. I can now converse in Chinese a little, both in the vulgar and in the Mandarin tongue, and can translate from the language, and into it, in an imperfect manner. I do not apologize for saying these things, my brother, or suppose, for a moment, that it is " trespassing on your time," as you mention fear you will be doing. My time, and yours also, is precious; but time that is spent in reading, or in filling up christian correspondence, I do not consider lost time. I have not the privilege of christian society, and if Christians at home do but seem to forget me, you will readily believe, that it is not grateful to my feelings. It is not so; but if it should, why complain? The Lord remembers me!

66

you

'My labours furnish nothing of interesting anecdote. I si from morning to night, reading the books of Kung-fu-tsi, (Confucius,) or drawing the multiform character of the Chinese The history of one day is that of the past year.

66

My beloved Mary took part with me in this dry and irksome task, till a late indisposition laid her aside from study. Her success was considerable. She could write with the Chi

nese pencil much better than could be expected for the time; and, moreover, she attended to the tuition of a heathen boy. But the Lord laid upon us the rod of affliction, which has interrupted the comfort and labours of my beloved Mary. She has no mother, or sister, or friend, within thousands and thousands of miles. She forsook them all!

I have been attending, as health and other avocations would permit, to my dictionary and grammar of the Chinese language. When they will be finished, I cannot say. I sometimes translate from the book of Genesis into Chinese. Out of Chinese I have translated part of the four books of Kung-fu-tsi. I have had a great number of official papers to translate for the Company since I have filled the office of Chinese Translator. I have none yet, who, from amongst the heathen, are turned from Satan to God. Pray that the Holy Spirit may effect this great change on the hearts of many. Continue to write to me, and believe me most affectionately yours in the faith of our Lord Jesus, and in the hope of eternal life through him.”

In the history of the acquisition of difficult languages, few facts can be found more memorable than those which appear on the face of these familiar letters. In less than a year and a half from his arrival at Canton, although destitute, in a very great degree, of the ordinary facilities of attaining a language, this indefatigable man, not from predilection for the study, but from the force of christian principle, so successfully grappled with appalling difficulties, that "he appears to have been considered, at that early period, as the most correct Chinese scholar in the factories;" and on that account he received an appointment from the East India Company's supra-cargoes, as their "Secretary and Interpreter." This took place on the day after he had entered on the happiness of his married life,