IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) 5 ^ ^ // ^/ , f- ■§ ? IN « -ft 1 ROBERT MORRISON THE i^ionnv of Chinese ^lissions nv A WILLIAM JOHN TOWNSEND Crnerai Secretary of the Meihodnt Men. Conne.rion Mis.icar,. Socu-ty A.-TwoR OP "The Grrat Sckoolmen of thr MinoLB Agrs." Toronto: TORONTO WILLARD TRACT DEPOSITORY. A. G. WATSON, Manager. UNIFORM WITH "ROBERT MORRISON ' Cimvn 8vo., \G0 pares, viauy Jlliistratiom, cloth extra, \s, M. each. William Carey, the Shoemaker wholhecame a Missionary. By Kev. J. 15. MvRRs, Association .Secretary, liaptist Missionary Society. Robert Moffat, the Missionary Hero of Kuruman. l!y David j. Dbank, Author of "Martin Luther, the Reformer," "John WicHfTe, the Morning Star of the Reformation," etc. James Chalmers, Missionary and Explorer of Rarotonga and New Guinea. By William Rodson, of the London Missionary Society. Bishop Patteson, the Martyr of Melanesia. By Jesse Pagb. Griffith John, Founder of the Hankow Mission, Central China. By William Rohson, of the London Mi.ssionary Society. S. W. Partridgr & Co., 9, Paternostbr Row. flid ?MASa£B UfcUVERSlIX iXWiWL PI\EFAC£;. rriHE \viu".ly-extended interest now being manifested J- in the v^vangelisation of tlie Chinese Empire makes this a favourable opportunity for issuing a brief memoir of the first Protestant Missionary to th:i country, and of diffusing a knowledge of his noble life and character, especially amongst the young of our Churches and Sunday Schools. May his spirit of earnest devotion rest on the youth of this generation. The Author has been indebted for the materials of this volume to the following works : " A Memoir of the Life and Labours of Rev. E. Morrison, D.D.," compiled and published by his widow ; " A Retrospect of the First Ten Years of the Protestant Mission to China," by Dr. W. Milne, but chiefly compiled from a M.S. written by Dr. Morrison; "The Life and Opmions of Rev. W. Milne, D.D.," by Robert Philip ; VI PREFACE. and, " China, its State and Prospects," by Dr. W H. Medhurst. The Author also expresses his fervent thanks to his revered friend, the Eev. J. C. Bruce, D.D., for having kindly allowed him the use of several letters written by Dr. Morrison, which have not previously been published, and for having permitted him to extract a few facts of interest from an unpublished lecture on " Morrison and Chinese Missions," given by him in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1859. While Newcastle has not been backward in honour- ing the memory of several of its great townsmen, it IS astonishing that it has never erected a statue or even a tablet, or, better still, established a benevolent institution as a memorial of the name and character of Eobert Morrison. What citizen of the good old town has better deserved such honour? coKtbnts. -^ CHAP I. Introductory II. Childhood and Youth III. Preparation for the Great Work IV. Initial Life and Work in China . V. Persecution.— Dk. Milne VI. Visit to Pekin.— Malacca College . VII. Bible Comi'letb.— Death of Milne VIII. Work in England.— Return to China IX. Renewed Labour.- Closing Scenes X. What Hk was.— What He did page 9 14 22 37 69 77 00 112 130 155 ROBERT MORRISON. ■'=J=®=j<'-=— CHAPTER I. Introductory. ••-*- "It is Christ alone who can lead iu the gloiious dawn of the Chinese renaissance ; the new birth of a mighty nation to liberty and right- eousness, and an ever-exijanding civilisation,"— G. Johns. -^j«- OROCK, rock, when wilt thou open?" exclaimed the apostolic Xavier, as he lay burning with fever on an island off the coast of China in 1552. Similar ardent longings have stirred the souls of con- secrated Christian workers during many periods of the Church's history. But China remained a sealed rock to Christian effort until about the middle of the present century. No one can be surprised that it has attracted to itself a variety of interest, and especi- ally that it should enkindle the enthusiasm of the Christian missionary. The tenacious life which has prolonged itself for upwards of four thousand years, and has survived the tempests of time— which have 10 ROBERT MORRISON. carried down into utter destruction the great empii-es of antiquity, Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Eome— stamps the Chinese as a peculiar people, and invests them with a halo of romance well calcu- lated to fire the imagination of the adventurous spirit Their hoary systems of religion and philosophy, their attamments in various sciences, their skill and pro- ficiency in many arts and manufactures, and the mmeral wealth of their country, have all tended to attract the attention of the student, the merchant, and the statesman. But the enormous population,' long reckoned at the inconceivable number of four hundred millions, and recently ascertained to be about three hundred and ninety millions, in a low degraded moral condition, might well stimulate the benevolent impulses of the philanthropist, and rouse the enthusiasm of the Christian, whose soul vibrates m response to the command, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature." One insuperable difficulty prevented for centuries Christian efi^ort being put forth for the conversion of the empire of China. The nation has been rootedly andperseveringly opposed to intercourse with foreign- ers, especially with such as would attempt to pro- selytise from the accepted religions of the people. Therefore it has hermetically sealed itself at every point against the Christian propagandist. The result was that, up to the commencement of the present century, no evangelical teacher of truth had been able to enter the country; and, until the middle of the century, no real foothold for the Gospel had been obtained. It is true that upwards of a thousand years ago INTRODUCTORY. J J an attempt was made to enter China by Christian missionaries. The Nestorians, in the sixth or seventh century, sent out messengers to China; and an inte- resting relic of their labours remains in a monument at Se-ngan Fu. This monument contains a short history of the Nestorian sect from the year 630 to 781, and also an abstract of the Christian religion. Scarcely a trace remains of the work done through this movement. When Eoman Catholic missionaries entered the country in the fourteenth century, they found the Nestorians swaying considerable influence both amongst rich and poor; and it may be reasonably hoped that, through the eight centuries of their his- tory m this land, great numbers of the Chinese were brought under the sanctifying power of the Gospel. Ihe sect eventually lost its simplicity of faith and became extinct, any lingering remnant becommg absorbed in the Eomish Church. In the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries an ardent longing sprang up in the Eoman Catholic Church to draw China into its fold. John de Corvino a man of remarkable boldness and zeal, went to I'ekin m 1293. He was created an archbishop, and numerous bishops and priests were sent out to aid him. The enterprise was not successful. It was soon abandoned, and for two hundred years China and the western world were cut off from all intercourse with ^ each other. In 1652, Francis Xavier made an attempt to enter the country. He was smitten with fever, and died on the island of Sancian, within sight of the coast. But in 1581, Matteo Eicci, a Jesuit of great learnmg and acuteness-one who combined intense" zeal with prudent caution-reached Canton in the 12 IIOJJEIIT MOKlllSON. garb of ca Buddhist priest. He was successful in preserving a residence, and in IGOl made his way to Pekin, assuming the garb of a literary gentleman He acquired considerable influence amongst the learned orders and ruling powers; and, as th^ result of the labours of himself and his companions, many churches were established. Since that time Eoman Cathohcism has maintained an existence in China, in the face of much persecution and opposition. ^ One result of the great evangelical revival of the eighteenth century was the intense desire for the conversion of the heathen which possessed Pro- testant Christendom. As the result of that desire and through the agency of chosen instruments,' modern missionary societies arose, and the great evangelistic movement of the present century came into bemg. It was impossible that, in the urgent desire to scatter the Gospel amongst the nations still given up to superstition and idolatry, China could be overlooked, or that it should fail to absorb to Itself much prayerful attention. Its antiquity, its exclusiveness, its peculiar civiHsation, its overwhelm- ing population, made it at once the most interesting the most difficult, and the most extensive field opene'd out for conquest by the Church for the Lord Jesus Christ. The Apostles themselves had no grander or wider sphere opened before them, as they went out m faith to attack the strongholds of sin in the Eoman empire. The faith, zeal, and unction required by them m their great work, were also imperatively demanded of the men who should undertake the task of attackmg this hitherto invulnerable fastness of sin. INTRODUCTORY. 13 To briefly trace the career of the first modern apostle to China, who. witli indomitable and perse- vering zeal, went forth to tliis giant enterprise, is the object of these pages ; and it is earnestly hoped that the narration of this story will fire many hearts with a generous and Divine enthusiasm in aid of the great work for the conversion of this enormous nation comprismg one-fourth of the world's population. The motto of every Christian just now should be— China for Christ, and in this Generation. •j^^^^^S-- J 4 CHAPTER II. Childhood and Youth, -•^^ " J>'air boy ! the wanderings of thy way, ft iff not mine to trace, Throngli buoyant youth's exulting day, Or manhood's nobler race. " AA'hat discipline thine lieart may need. What clouds may veil thy sun, Ihe eye of God alone can read, And let His will be done." •^ EGBERT Morrison was born on January 5th 1782 at Buller's Green, ^ in the little VcturesnS town of Morpeth, Northumberland. His father Jam s Mornson, was a farm-labourer, who removed, when Robert was three years old, to Newcastle-upon-Tyne where be established a business as a last and boot-tree' rrn^"?"?' '^, *^' ^r^ ^^'^'^- T^^ P^^^e where he and his family resided was long called by the name of "Morrison's Close," in remembrance of his famous son Here he employed several workmen, earned a eight children m the fear of God. The house was in existence till loef van,. r\^ ■\t i -., . it was razed to the ground ^ "'''' ^^'''' ^^^^' :M CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH. IK He was a Scotchman by birth, his wife was a North- iimbrian and both of them were people of fervent and consistent piety. They became members of an old Presbyterian church in the High Bridge, the entrance to which was through a public-house yard. Mr Mor rison was held in high esteem by the church, and an old inhabitant, who knew him and his son Eobert we.l, and who was a member of the same church over which the Rev. J. G. Potter now presides, us d to tell her pastor that the father was a most worthy old man, highly respected, and that, though not an elder, yet no elder in the church was bo highTy esteemed, nor so worthy as he to be one Thl minister at that time was the Eev. John Hnffnn ! man faithfully devoted to the interests of h^th„r;h and one who exercised a healthful and powerfulTnflu: ence on the mmd of the subject of this Vemol Eobert was sent to a school kept by James Nichol Tnts" itT:' ""^^n^-- ^f respectable Sfn ments. Here he received a sound elementary edu cation. For some time he showed great slowness in learmng, and has been ranked amon^.f +L ;n f • dunces of history; but aftertrl h'el ^^^^^^^^^^^^ manifested great delight in his studies, and Se lanfd and satisfactory progress. ^"* He was also carefully trained in Scripture know ledge and re igious duties by his pastor, Mr HutZ" who frequently catechised him, both at ho^P «.] "' public, after the fashion long in vogue 'n^'n 'S and in the North of England THp Jf° • T °*^^"d r K) ROHEIIT MOUHrsON. to further test his memory, the pastor exercised him on different parts in various wayn, the boy passing through the ordeal without a single error. On leaving school at the age of fourteen, he was bound apprentice to his fatlicr, and wrought at his trade with great diligence and industry. I'or a brief period he seems to have been led into evil courses by careless companions ; but in 171)8 he relinquished his bad habits, separated himself from all friends that were evil or doubtful, and became soundly converted to the service of God. Tlie great change seems rather to have been the outcome of long previous training, and of healthful religious influences around himi than of any special instrumentality ; but he at once sought union with the Church, and joined a meeting for prayer which assembled in his father's workshop on Monday evenings. He also began a course of devotional reading, chiefly of the Scriptures ; drew out a plan for the regulation of his time, which he carefully observed; and even learnt a system of shorthand to facilitate his studies. He formed an intimacy with a young mn,n at Shields of kindred religious fervour, and they met almost daily for prayer and pious conversation. They also visited together the sick poor, and engaged in work for God in various ways as they had opportunity. Gradually his soul became more deeply engrossed with rehgious subjects. In 1800 he removed his bed into the workshop for the sake of greater privacy, and often till one or two o'clock in the morning was engaged reading Eomaine's "Life of Faith," or Hervey's " Meditations," or Marshall on " Sanctifica- tion," but most of all searching the treasures of Matthew Henry's incomparable "Commentary." This CHILDHOOD AND VoUTil. 17 workshop remained till lately in much the same con- chtion as It WHS in those days. In I85i) a lecture on China and Dr. Morrison was delivered in Newcastle-on- lyno, m reply to an address hy Hev. li I. AVilberlbrce ni which a rude attack had been made on Dr. Morri' «on It was given by the Hey. J. (j. ]^ruce D D and contains the following passage :— ' ' " v;«r"^l'?, '^''^' ''/'* P'''"'- "''^^^l^^^^ ^y ^ joiner. I visited the room last week in company with my friend ^^ John Fenw ck. The place is in a somewhat fraii state and its whole aspect is such as rather to depress than to excite any noble elevation of soul. My friend oil entering, felt himself carried back fifty years' He pointed to the bench where he had scores of times seen Morrison at his work, and told me that he generally ound him with a book lying open before Inn^"' r ^"''^^' ''''^^'^°i^ ^''^ °^ iNorthumber- land s greatest men must frequently have met- Kobert Morrison and George Stephenson. The fami- lies ol each were mutually acquainted. Mr. Stephen- son when a young man, filled up his spare time with makmg shoes. He made his own lasts, and boasted 12 P^^'^^^-^f ^^^f in this way. On one occasion Stephenson entered mto competition with a fellow, artist, and, in order to exclude the possibility of pre- ndre on the part of the umpire, obtained le'ave ducTion.'' """ " '®' ^^''' '*"^P *^ ^"« P^-o- Young Morrison also rented a little garden in Pan- vbU f' ^^1^^^-^ing suburb of Newcastle, but which has now disappeared beforp fho march of aS"^S ^nd commei-ce. Here he often repaired for quiet meditation and prayer ; and, even when at 18 JWBEllT MOllllISON. i vioiPV, the Bible or some oiiin' book was open bolbro him, in order that his heart and mind might be re- freshed while his hands were busily occupied. On the Sabbath he regularly attended the services of the church, and his soul became intently earnest in seek- ing the conversion of his kindred and friends. He appealed to one young relative — a sailor — with such pertinacity, imploring him to seek the Lord, that the young man said his words were never out of his ears, and he was led to come to Jesus. Thus from his earliest Christian life he manifested those profound convictions of duty, that intensity and fixedness of purpose, and that desire for the salvation of souls, which characterised all his future course. His early Christian life is very interestingly de- scribed in a letter he wrofu to the Committee of Hoxton Academy, when, in 1802, he ofi'ered himself for the work of the ministry. In it he states as follows : — "In the early part of my life, having enjoyed the inestimable privilege of godly parents (a blessing for which I ever desire to be thankful), I was habitu- ated to a constant and regular attendance on the preached Gospel. My father was ever careful to keep up the worship of God in our family, and e^l atod me in the principles of 'he Christian reJig. 'i> When farther advanced in life, I attended tl c \>\\hYu:, catechising of the Eev. John Hutton, from whose instructions I received much advantage. By these n '^jns (under the good hand of God) my conscience wa., '••aiowhat informed and enlightened, and I was kepi OLJ ri^aning Lo that excess of riot to which miuiv p:«?jiiB in a" unregenerate state do, though as vet 1 lived witLout Christ, without God, and I CHILDHOOD AND Yoini. nj witliout hope ill the world. I was a stnui-er to the plague ot my own heart ; and, notwithstanding that I often telt remorse and the upbraiding^ of coiiHciencc. yet r < .atered myself that somehow I should have peace though I walked in the ways of my own heart. It was about live years ago that I was much awakened to a sense of sin, though I cannot recollect any particular circumstances that led to it, unless it was that at that time I grew somewhat loose and pro aiie, and more than once, being drawn aside by wicked company (even at that early time of life) I became intoxicated. Reflection upon my conduct became a source of much uneasiness to me, and I was Inought to a serious concern about my soul. I felt tilt dread of eternal condemnation. The fear of death compassed me about, and 1 was led to cry nightly to God that He would pardon my sin, that He would grant me an interest in the Saviour, and that He would renew me in the spirit of my mind hill became a burden. It was then that I experienced a change of life, and, I trust, a change of heart too. 1 broke oft from my former careless company, and gave mysel to reading, to meditation, and to prayer. It pleased God to reveal His Son in me, and at that time I experienced much of ' the kindness of youth and the love of espousals ; ' and, though the first flash aftection wore oft', I trust my love to and knowledge 01 the Saviour have increased. Since that time (soon alter I joined in communion with the Church under the Eev. John Hutton, my present pastor, and like- wise became a member of a praying society) the Lord has been gradually pleased to humble and prove me • and, though I have often experienced much joy and peace in believing, I have likewise experienced much ■m, , 20 KOBERT MORRISON. opposition from the working of indwelling sin—' the flesh lusting against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh '—and these being contrary the one to the other, * I could not do the thing that I would.' I have gradually discovered more of the holiness, spirituality, and extent of the Divine law, and more of my own . vileness and unworthiness in the sight of God, and the freeness and richness of sovereign grace. I have sinned as I could ; it is ' by the grace of God I am what I am.'" In 1801 he began to entertain definite ideas as to entering the Christian ministry, and prepared to study systematically with this object before him. The fol- lowing passage from his diary indicates his state of feehng at this time : — " Friday, June 19.— This day I entered with Mr. Laidler^ to learn Latin. I paid ten shillings and sixpence (the entrance money), and am to pay one guinea per quarter. I know not what may be the end— God only knows. It is my desire, if He jjlease to spare me in the world, to serve the Gospel of Christ as He shall give me opportunity. Lord, my God, my whole hope is in Thee, and in Thee alone. God be merciful to me a sinner through Christ my Saviour, and grant Thy blessing with this attempt, if it please Thee. Amen." This extract plainly shows the direction of his thoughts, and he arranged all his movements ac- cordingly. He wrought at his trade from six to six, save that from nine to ten he waited on Mr. Laidler. He arranged his meals so as to facilitate his studies, and nightly he was at work with his books when the rest ' A minister resident in Newcastle. CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH. 21 Of the household had retired to sleep. So assidu- onsly did he cultivate knowledge that, eighteen months afterwards, when he entered Hoxton Academy as a student, he had not only a fair knowledge of Latin but had also acquired the rudiments of Greek and Hebrew. In 1802 he lost his excellent, pious mother. She Avas a woman of great strength of character and religious fervour, and, like many other great men, Itobert Morrison seems to have inherited many of the qualities which made him great from his mother. He showed her great filial devotion, and received her last blessing as he closed her eyes in death. CHAPTER III. Preparation for the Great Work. •^i^- " Great offices will have Great talents, and God gives to every man The virtues, temjier, understanding, taste. That lifts him into life and lets him fall Just in the niche he was designed to fi]l."_CowrKn. ^ A s Mr. Morrison laboured diligently in his prepara- XX tions, his purpose became more definite and settled The way into the ministry of the Presbyterian Church was not open, and his thoughts were directed to the Congregational Theological Institution, then known as Hoxton Academy, afterwards as Highbury College. The two following extracts indicate the yearnin^^'of his soul both as to progress in the Divine life, and a ministerial course : — " blessed Jesus, long have I sought for rest to my immortal soul, at one time in the gratification of ' the lusts of the flesh,' and at another ' of the mind.' When very young I was a companion of the drunkard, the Rabbath-breaker, the profane person ; but in these my heart smote me, I had no rest. Then I made PREPARATION FOR THE GREAT WORK. 23 learning and books my god ; but all, all, are vain. I come to Thee : ' Come unto Me, all ye that labour and^ are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.' Fatigued with unsuccessful pursuits after happiness, and burdened with a sense of guilt, Jesus, Thou Son of God, I come to Thee, that I may be refreshed and my burden removed. ' ' Jesus, my Lord ! Thou art possest Of all that fills the eternal God ! Oh ! l)ring my weary soul to rest, Remove my guilt, that ponderous load." On September 25th, 1802, he wrote thus :— " This day I wrote to desiring to know some things respecting the Hoxton Academy. What shall I say on this day now closing? Lord, pardon my sms, and make me Thine in that day when Thou raakest up Thy jewels ; in ' that day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ.' 'Have faith m Jehovah with thy whole mind; but lean not to thme own understanding. In all thy ways acknow- ledge Him, and He will direct thy paths.' ' Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy mind, and with all thy thought. This is the first and great commandment.'" On November 24th, he made formal application for admission to the Academy. His letter deals at great length with his early religious impressions and his conversion to God, and then proceeds in the following sentences to refer to his doctrinal sentiments and his call to the ministry : — "As the compass of one letter will not suffer me to enlarge with respect to my principles, it will perhaps be sufficient to observe that being educated in the doctrmes of the Church of Scotland, as contained in I m I3i 24 ROBERT MORRISON. the Westminster Confession of Faith, so far as I have been enabled to examine them as yet, I liave espoused them from pnnciple. Hence also my views with re- spect to the ordinance of baptism will be known. " As to the motives that induce me to wish to be a mmister, they are these, viz. :— An earnest desire of bemg mstrumental (under the good hand of God) in turnmg sinners from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God-of being instrumental in biuldnig up the Church-being zealous of spiritual gitts, I seek that I may excel to the edifying of the Church. I covet to prophesy, for he that prophesieth speaketh to men to edification, to exhortation and to comfort ; and I would moreover observe that these passages not only express my motives, but also con- tarn what I considered a warrant for my present undertaking, as they come from the apostle to the Church of Corinth in the form of an exhortation, beek that ye may excel.' ' Covet to prophesy,' "However, I would willingly resign myself to the direction of my heavenly Father. He knows best, and will choose and use what instruments He seeth meet His will be done." He was immediately accepted by the Committee and summoned to London, where he arrived on January Gth, 1803. Hoxton Academy was then under the care of the Eevs. Dr. Simpson andW. Atkinson, and amongst the students he found congenial spirits in men known aftemirds as Eevs. H. F. Burder, D.D., of Hackney, J. Llume, LL.D., of Manchester. J. Fletcher DD of Stepney, and G. Payne, LL.D., of Exeter, with ail of whom ho maintained a firm friendship, and with the two former a close intimacy until his death, : - i ial i W^ PREPARATION FOR THE GREAT WOPK. 25 If He had scarcely settled at the College before a trial came which deeply moved his spirit. His father's health had been feeble for some time, and the business had been largely dependent on the exertions of Robert. His father grew worse, and an urgent and affectionate summons came for his son to return home and resume his former position. His heart was too fixed and his enthusiasm for his new calling too imperative to permit him to do so, and he wrote a reply which, whilst brimming with tenderness and filial piety, yet expressed his unalterable purpose to pursue his sacred calling. ^ February 5, 1803. 'Honoured father, brother and sisters, "I received your letter on the 19th ult. The account of my father's leg growing worse and worse concerns me ; but what can I do ? I look to my God and my father's God. ' He doeth all things well*' and He will make all things work together for good to those that love Him. My father, my brother, my sisters, I resign you all and myself to His care, who I trust careth for us. Are not our days few? Yet I desire if the Lord will, that He may grant you wherewithal to provide things honest in the sight of all men during the few days of your pilgrimage. I trust He will; and may the Lord bless you with rich communications of saving grace and knowledge. You advise me to return home. I thank you for your kind intentions : may the Lord bless you for them. But I have no inclination to do so ; having set mv hand to the plough, I would not look back. It hath pleased the Lord to prosper me so far, and grant me favour m the eyes of this people." His family were still not satisfied with his decis ion, ! i i i p 20 ROP.ERT MORIUSON. and it was a painful subject for him to write about ; l)ut he never swerved for a moment from wliat ha firmly believed to be a sacred duty, and both his father and brother and sisters lived long enough to recognize that he had been led by Divine Providence in his chosen path. He had not been 1-ng in the Metropolis before he presented himself to Eev. Dr. Waugh, a minister of fervent piety and affectionate spirit, who then presided over a large church in Wells Street, Oxford Street. He was received into membership, and shortly after- wards preached his first sermon in St. Luke's Work- house, and from that time he became a frequent preacher in the villages around London. He also found many opportunities to visit the poor and sick, after the habit he had formed at Newcastle. He pursued his studies at Hoxton with untiring assiduity, and his fellow students above referred to have left glowing testimonies as to his fervid pursuit both of mental and spiritual attainments. Dr. Clunie suras up a very full description of his student life in these words : " Others possessed more brilliant talents, a richer imagination, a more attractive delivery, or more graceful manners,— but I trust I may be per- mitted to say that there was no one who more happily concentrated in himself the three elements of moral greatness,— the most ardent piety, indefatigable diH- gence, and devoted zeal in the best of all causes." After he had been a f^hort time at College a desire for foreign Missionary work, which had occasionally arisen within him at home, became a definite and ruling purpose of his soul. He made this known to the tutors and treasurer of the Institution. They represented to him the arduous nature of the work ■.■■iAj,jt^^-^^,^\-~^-._:.-tMls^.-.~,*^f^ PREPARATION FOR THE GREAT WORK. 27 and the special opportunities he had for great iisc- fiihiGss in the home field, and offered him the privi- lege of a training at one of the Scotch Universities. They advised him to carefully pray and think ahout the matter. This advice he readily adopted, with the result that his purpose became greatlv strengthened ; and on May 27, 1804, he wrote to the Directors of the London Missionary Society, offering himself for labour in a foreign sphere. His letter has been often referred to as a model one. It briefly records the facts of his conversion, of his desire to enter the ministry, and of his growing interest in mission work. He says :— " My first wish was to engage as a missionary. " This was tha burden of my prayer. I avowed this design to my friends. I frankly own it was the wish of my heart when I came to Hoxton ; and had the question been asked of me I should have professed it. I had no design to conceal it ; but I then considered myself unfit, and believed learning necessary. I knew nothing of a missionary academy. I still cherished the desire of being a missionary, but thought it premature to come to a determination, and therefore entered upon the foundation at Hoxton." In coming to this decision he had a painful struggle with his home relatives, who were strongly opposed to it. He pleaded the case most tenderly and affection- ately with his father, offering to desist from his purpose, " If my father or other friends can give such reasons why I should not take this step as will satisfy my mind on a dying bed." No such reasons were forthcoming; but the struggle of mind he endured may be imagined from these words, extracted from, a letter he addressed to his very intimate companion Cuthbert Henderson : "My brother Thomas has sent 28 ROnERT MORRISON. a letter which grieves me very much. Ho represents the situation of my father's affairs in sucli a distress- ing hglit . . . and then charges me with wilfulness that I can help them, and won't. Shall I see my father's house thus thrown into confusion ? I myself, my dear hrother, wander from day to day, mournin^' an ahsent Lord. I M'ander under the hidings of my Father's countenance, under a sense of my own ignor- ance and weakness. What can I do? For years past I liave desired and prayed and lahoured night nnd day for that whicli the Lord has heen pleased to hnng ahout ; and now when my wishes are gratified, my prayers are answered, shall I turn hack ? my God, I lift my soul to Thee. How shall I stand before Jesus in the day of judgment, should I now forsake Him and His work when a difficulty arises ? my friend, pray that the Lord may remove all my sins, that He may make my way plain before me, that He may be near to my precious and immortal soul ; pray for my brother and father, I entreat thee, my good iriend, go often to see them ; and may the Lord bless thee and keep thee througl^ faith unto eternal salvation." On Monday, May 28th, he appeared before the Missionary Board. The interview was so satisfactory that the usual cusfom of a second examination was dispensed with. He was accepted at once, and ordered to proceed to the Missionary Academy at Gosport then presided over by the venerable Dr. Bogue. He prepared to obey the order at once. His fellow students affectionately commended him to " the special grace of God," in a meeting for united prayer ; and on the Wednesday following his acceptance, he proceeded to Gosport, where he received a warm welcome from PllEl'AUATlON FOU THE GREAT WolUv. '29 the Governor of the Institution. His stay there was but a short one ; his fitness and preparedness for the work being soon demonstrated; and arrangements were quickly made for his appointment to a spliere of labour. For some time he was in uncertahity as to his destination, and writing to his friend Mr. Clunie, on July 31st, he says : — "My future destination is altogether unknown to me. It is in agitation to send a mission to China. Mr. Bogue seems quite fond of it. I have had some thoughts of going into the interior of Africa, to Tim- buctoo. I give up my concerns to the Lord. I hope He will open a door of useful missionary labour in some part of the world, and give me souls for my hire." At the same time al^'o he wrote to his sister Hannah : "It is in agitation to send me on a mis- sion to China ; however, it is altogether uncertain as yet. I have thought of going to Timbuctoo, in Africa. I hope the Lord will carry me out to some situation where He will make me abundantly useful to the souls of men." The references to Timbuctoo may be ex^jlained by the tact that the brave but unfortunate traveller, Mungo Park, was at this time contemplating the formation of an English settlement there. It was in deliberation to send a medical gentleman, Mr. Ander- son, to Africa, and a clerical missionary with him. Mr. Morrison seems to have been anxious to go ; but the Committee of the Society designed him for other work, and at first were disposed to send him to Prince of "Wales' Island, in the Malacca Straits. ^ He was not left long in uncertainty as to his des- tination, but was appointed to China, and directed to turn his attention to gaining an elementary know- Ill II 80 IfoUKUT MOlUtlSOX. lodge of the Chinese language, with the object of (inahfynig himself to .translate the Bible into that tongue. Mr. Morrison ever firmly b Ueved that the appointment to China was providential. He had made his appointment a matter of special and prolonged prayer, and had even poured out a supplication that lor^ lofty ^ self-forgetfulness was truly apostolic— viz., " That God would station him in that part of the missionary field where the difficulties were the greatest, and, to all human appearance, the most insurmountable." The sequel seems to show that this prayer was certainly answered. _ The idea which was in the mind of the Committee in making the appointment was that the a^ent selected should proceed to China, either seekin- a residence in the country itself, or finding a r- fnge^'on one of the adjacent islands, and should there obtain a knowledge of the language, and proceed with a translation of the Bible. More than this was not contemplated just then; when it was accomplished, the next step was to be considered. The design of the Committee also included the appointment of two or three others to accompany Mr Morrison ; and a son of the celebrated Eev. Dr. John Brown, of Haddington, was actually selected, but he declmed the invitation. Then Dr. Vanderkemp was requested to leave Africa, and proceed to China to supermtend the mission. This also came to nothing. Evidently Providence was directing the movements of the bociety by unrecognisable means. As we look backwards from our standpoint to-day, it seems quite evident that if a company of agents had gone to Caina, they ^^ould have drawn towards themselves the virulent opposition of the ruling powers, and I \' rilEPAHATlOX Fun THE GUEAT WOHK. i]l ' S rendered all efforts to obtain an introduction for the Gospel unavailing. The appointment of Mr. I^Iorrison tlierefore remained, no companion bc'ng found to share with him the trials and responsibilities of the enterprise. In August, IbOr, he left Gosport, and proceeded to London, that he might gain some useful knowledge in astronomy and medicine, and also th, t he might gather up as much knowledge of the Chinese lan- guage as was there practicable. He walked St. Bar- tholomew's Hospital, and attended a course of lectures on medicine given by Dr. Blair. He went to Greenwich, and studied astronomy under Dr. Hutton. He resided in Bishopsgate Street, and M'alked to and from Greenwich, carrying his various mathematical and other instruments, and reading the whole of the way. He also engaged the services of a Chinese teacher then residing in London, called Yang-Sam-Tak. This man was possessed of some learning, but was of a most impetuous, passionate, and proud spirit. Mr. Morrison was greatly tried by his fierce and domineering temper ; but he bore with him with marvellous patience, for the sake of attain- ing his great object, and also for the sake ot the man himself, whose spiritual welfare he greatly coveted. On one occasion Mr. Morrison burnt a piece of paper on which Sam had written some characters. He had committed them to memory, and had no more use for them ; but such was his teacher's indignation, that for three days he refused to continue his instruc- tions ; and to avoid similar offence, his pupil after- wards wrote on a piece of tin, from which he could rub out the characters whc len they needed. It is gratifving to know that S no longer am was so far 32 UoltEUT MOUUIsOiV. >l \von by the kiiulness anil patienco of liis pupil, as to jom lum in reading tlu; Hcriptures, and also to unite in the worship of the hoiisehold-a thing he had pre- viously regarded with seorn. He afterwards obtained through Mr. JMorrison's inlluence an excellent situa- tion HI the warehouse of a merchant at Hong Kong. In the Uritish Museum a manuscript had been dis- covered by the llev. W. Moseley, Congregational mnnster ot Long liuckby, Northamptonshire, which contained the principal portion of the New Testa- ment translated into the Chinese language. It was a loho volume, and by mistake had been lettered, Eviitujdia Qnatuor Sinicc. On a blank leaf at the begnnnng of the volume is this note :— " This tran- script was made at Canton m 17^7 and 1738, by order of Mr. Hodgson, who says it has been collated with great care, and found very correct. Given to him by Sir Hans Sloane, Bart., in 1731)." Mr. Mose- ley was incited by this discovery to publish a treatise on " the importance and practicability of translatino- and publishing the Holy Scriptures in the Chinese language." After Mr. Morrison had acquired some lamilianty with Chinese cliaracters, he commenced to transcribe this MS., and also a MS. Latin and Chinese Dictionary, which was possessed and lent to him by the Royal Society. By extraordinary appHcation, he copied these MSS. m the few months of his residence in London, besides pursuing with ardour the other studies previously mentioned, and engaging in many works of practical benevolence. Speaking of these endeavours to prepare himself for his work. Dr. Milne says : " What was acquired of the language proved afterwards of trifling utility. The Dictionary and the Harmony of the Gospels were more useful. These I'llKrAUATIOS I-Oll TIIH fl IlKAT WdltK. 83 were oriRhmlly the work of sorao of the Romish rais Bjonancs .n China. Ijy ,vl„u i„,livi,|„„l„, „r at what time thcHo wcijis wore compiloil lian not been asccr- tinned ; hut Providenco ha» prcsem!,! thorn to bo ««o ul and tho j„.st raorit of thoii- authors will doubtless one day bo reckoned to thorn " Dnrius this period of preparation, his mind was deeply conoernod for tho salvation of his hrotirer and ,.ster», and their ohildren. He wrote mZ otters thorn ovorflowins with affection and dos re for then- >velfaro. He paid a farewell visit to hem 'L"l'- ,"'■' "■"'"'"^ «""'«■«' '-o^nd him, and man" fosted such > acbment to him as greatly to try h , esolufon, although without in any degree shakta^ t Ho spent a fortn ght amongst them, preaching thn-teon tnnes, and visiting all his friends and a" quamtances, gomg down also to Edinburgh and filn, gow Then he returned to London, and !« fo IS departure. On October 23rd, ho wrote to hi ather : I met the Directors on Tuesday last, who t was agreed by tl,e Committee that I should proceed hy ho first conveyance to Madras, thence pass on to Malacca there leave my luggage, and pay^^. visS to Canton, o see whether or not I can settle there If I can, I will send to Malacca for my hooks • and if n„t I shall return and take up my re'idon ^11 lace ' wdiero there are a few thousands of Chinese and where I shall endeavour to learn the language an ' also as soon as I can preach the Gospel to the Mal'ays ' Agam, on December 23rd, he wrote to his brXr ;™rnn.theirt-;t^^rf:s;dT^-^^^^^^^^ have been so ; but owing to the indisposition of "-n 34 ROBERT MORRISON. Messrs. Hardcastle and Cowie, the necessary steps were delayed. You must understand that none of our missionaries can go out to India in an English vessel, without the express leave of the East India Company. Their leave was solicited for the Baptist missionaries, who are now at Serampore, near Calcutta, and they refused it. Our missionaries who are now in India went out in foreign neutral vessels. Our Society never asked their leave, but now think of doing it for me." The permission, however, could not be obtained. A passage was secured for him and two fellow students —Messrs. Gordon and Lee— who, with their wives, were about to proceed to other portions of the mission field, in the good ship Remittance to New York, whence he would proceed to Canton direct or by way of India, as might seem most fitting on his arrival in America. His feelings at the near prospect of bidding fare- well to home and fatherland may be judged by the following words from his journal under date January 2nd, 1807 :— " This is one of the most important periods of my life. Lord ! * except Thy presence go with me, carry me not up hence.' May the blessing of God Almighty accompany me. May the angel of His pre- sence go before me. I feel not much cast down. I endeavoured this evening to recollect some of the pro- mises on which I hope. • Fear not, for I am with thee,' came into my mind ; and again, ' Fear not, thou worm Jacob.' I hope to be enabled to lean always and only on the arm of God ; none else can hold me up." He was ordained and consecrated to his sacred and apostoUc work on January 8th, 1807, in the Scotch Church, Swallow Street, in company with the two missionaries above named. Prayer, reading of the PREPARATION FOR THE GREAT WORK. 35 Scriptures, and exhortation, were conducted by the Kev.^ T. Townsend ; questions were proposed to the missionaries by the Eev. G. Burder, D.D. ; the band of missionaries made a confession of the solemn truths they thei;eby undertook to teach the heathen, and then a dedicatory prayer was offered by the venerable and venerated pastor of Mr. Morrison, the Eev Dr Waugh, accompanied by the laying on of hands ; then the Eev Dr Nicol delivered an affecting charge from Acts XX. 17, 27, and the Eev. C. Buck concluded with prayer. It was a deeply touching and impressive service and was long remembered by those present, not only because of the memorable addresses and prayers of the venerable brethren, but even more bv the simple and natural statement by Mr. Morrison of his experience and faith. His letters to his father, his brothers, and sisters, on bidding farewell to England, overflow with affec- tionate feeling, especially regarding those who had not become Christians. Thus he wrote to his sister Hannah : My dear, dear Hannah, do think of your soul now, set heaven and hell and a dying Saviour before you My brotherly love to your dear partner ; tell him these thmgs from me. Bow down together, and call upon God with tears, and for the sake of Jesus ask for mercy. I hope to go to-morrow, or Wednesday mormng at the latest, to Gravesend, to embark for New York. I am in good health, and am no depressed ; I sorrow to leave you all, but I do hope aiid pray (oh, God grant it !) that we shall in a httle time be brought to glory everlasting. But, dear sister Hannah, I stand m doubt of you lest you should be in an unconverted state. Forgive me, forgive me ; it is not m harshness but in love for your precious soul li i u. u 3G BOBEIIT MORRISON. that I speak. Come to Jesus ; come to Jesus. There is nothmg worth attendmg to till that be done." The i'ltensity of this pleading shows the spirit of a true evangelist and missionary'. In his farewell letter to his father he gives the following particulars as to the arrangements made for his voyage and settlement : " I have letters of intro- duction to a great many Christian friends in New York who will endeavour to obtain for me a residence in the American Factory in Canton. The Society puts into my hand i;l50 in dollars, which I am to keep untouched till I arrive in China, as I have my passage paid. I have, moreover, ,i'20 for current expenses. They give me likewise letters of credit to the amount of .i'200 on persons in Canton, Malacca, and Prince of Wales' Island. I am instructed to act very much as circumstances may arise, and to provide either in whole or part for myself if I possibly can. Thus you see that there is not any care wanting, but every pre- caution that can be is taken." Mr. Morrison proceeded to Gravesend, and em- barked in the ship which was to convey him across the Atlantic. His feelings were profoundly stirred. He wrote : " I am alone ; to go alone. Oh, that I may not be alone ; but that the good hand of my God may be upon me, and the angel of His presence go before me. What is my object in leaving friends and country ? My object was at first, and I trust still is, the glory of God in the salvation of poor sinners. Oh, for faith in God ! Oh, for strong confidence in the great and precious promises ! " On Saturday, January 31st, he went on board, and sailed out'of the river on his way to his chosen sphere and calling. .a^i.'SSir^. 1. There e." The if a true ;ives the made for of mtro- in New •esidence iety puts to keep ' passage ixpenses. amount ?rmce of much as dther m 'hus you 'ery pre- md em- n across stirred, it I may lod maj' ;o before ountry ? glory of faith in eat and ird. and 1 sphere \ CHAPTER IV. Initial Life and Work in China, ■•^- " There i. no «ub.tiiute fur thorough-going, ardent and sincere earnestness. '— Dickens. ••^le- A FTER leavmg Gravesend, the ship Remittance, con- ■Ly. tammg Mr. Morrison and his fellow-missionaries, who were bound for the mission-field in India, was detamed in the Downs waiting for a fair wind. On February 7th, 1807, a tremendous storm raged, which occasioned great destruction of shipping, so that a number of vessels were sunk, and many driven on the shore Out of a large fleet which was anchored in the Downs, the Remittance was the only one that was able to pursue the voyage. Ifc was indeed a serious time. Mr. Morrison wrote as follows concerning it on the 19th : — " God has preserved us. Yesterday morning I hoped to have sent this letter on shore by the pilot l>at the gale came on so suddenly that he could not 88 KOBERT MORIUSON. %■ !■ !i !' leave the ship. Before daylight our anchor snapped m two, our mizen and fore sails split, and we scudded down the Channel under bare poles. The sea ran mountains high, and the atmosphere was so thick with snow that we could not see the length of the ship around us. In the midst of our extremity, an alarm was raised that the ship was on fire owing to the bursting of sorje bottles of vitriol. The pilot and one of the men leaped into the mizen-chains in order to jump overboard— which was to cast themselves mto the arms of death— as they preferred death in that form to being burnt to death. Happily, however, the other men had courage enough to seize the bottles and push them overboard. My mind, in the midst of this, was only exercised in casting my burden upon the Lord." ^ After a long, tedious, and trying voyage, Mr. Mor- rison at length reached New York on April 20th, and at once took steps to secure a passage to Canton. He obtained intercourse with several of the leading Chris- tian ministers and laity of the city, and then pro- ceeded to Philadelphia, in order to obtain, if possible, from the Government the interest and protection of the United States Consul at Canton. There he found friends, who used their utmost influence at Washing- ton, and succeeded in obtaining a letter from Mr. Maddison, then Secretary of State, addressed to Mr! Carrmgton, the Consul at Canton, requesting him to do all he could, consistently with the interests he represented, to further the designs of the mission. The gentleman at whose house Mr. Morrison was entertained in New York communicated, many years afterwardR, a paper to the Observer, which narrated many interesting particulars in reference to this v'isit. INITIAL LIFE AND WORK IN CHINA. 39 A few extracts from this paper will throw further light on the character of Mr. Morrison, and the spirit in which he anticipated entering upon his work. The writer says : — "I shall never forget the evening on which the missionary company was brought to my house by Dr. Mason. The appearance of a missionary of the cross then was a lare thing, and that of a company of missionaries still more so. The countenance of Mor- rison bore the impress of the effect of grace on a mind and temperament naturally firm and somewhat haughty. His manner was civil rather than affable, serious and thoughtful, breathing a devoted piety. The interview was solemn, but pleasant In a day or two after Mr. Morrison was seized with sudden indisposition. As I sat by his bed, he took my hand, and, adverting to the uncertain issue of the attack, expressed, in language which told of a mind at ease and prepared for every event, his resignation to the Divine will. After urging me to greater devotedness to the cause of Christ's glory, he closed with these ^yords, which, I afterwards found, were ever on his lips, • Dear brother, look up, look up ! ' "As the notice had been very short, he was placed for the first night in our own chamber. By the side of his bed stood a crib, in which slept my little child. On awaking in the morning, she turned, as usual, to talk to her mother. Seeing a stranger where she ex- pected to have found her parents, she roused herself with a look of alarm ; but, fixing her eyes steadily upon his face, she inquired, ' Man, do you pray to God?' 'Oh, yes, my dear,' Mr. Morrison replied. ' every day. God is my best friend.' At once reas- sured, the little girl laid her head contentedly on her i t i 40 llOBERT JIORRISON. h 'I ! ■ r If pillow and fell fast asleep. She was a great favourite with him ever after. ''There was nothing of pretence about Morrison. An unfriendly critic might have said he was too proud to be vam; a Christian would more willingly have said he was too pious to be proud. Nothing could be more plain, simple, and unceremonious than his manners. His fellow-missionaries looked up to him as a father, resorted to his room for prayer, and took his advice in all their movements. He exhibited less ot the tenderness of the Christian than they did; his piety had the bark on, theirs was still in the green shoot. His mind stood fom, erect, self-determined ; theirs clung to it for support, and gathered under its shadow for safety .... I will only add a brief notice ot the partmg scene as he left us for his destination. On the morning he sailed, his missionary companions assembled in his room, and there had a most solemn mterview-their last in this world. Poor Gordon was completely overwhelmed. Morrison was <-mposed and dignified. He reproved the excessive grief of his brother, and conducted their parting devotions with great firmness and self-possession. We then set out together to the counting-house of the shipowner, pre- vious to his embarkation. I cannot forget the air of suppressed ridicule which lurked in the merchant's features and in his speech and manner towards Morri- son, whom he appeared to pity as a deluded enthusiast, while he could not but secretly respect his self-denial, devotion, courage, and enterprise. When all business matters were arranged, he turned about from his desk, and, with a sardonic grin, addressing Morrison, whose countenance was a book wherein men might read strange things, said, 'And so, Mr. Morris°on, you \ INITIAL LIFK AND WOlUv IN fJUTNA. 41 really expect that you will make an impression on the idolatry of the great Chinese empire ? ' « No sir ' said Morrison, with more than usual sternness ; ' I expec God will.' We soon left the man of money and descending to the wharf, took our last farewell of the future apostle of the Chinese, as he stepped into the stern-sheets of a hoat that was to carry him to the ship that lay off in the hay. He said little, he MACAO, moved less ; his in.,>osing figure and solemn counte- nance were motionless as a statue. His mind was evidently full, too full for speech: his thoughts were ^^lth (rod and he seemed regardless of all around nm. By the return of the pilot I received an affec- tionate note." He sailed for his destination in the Trident about he middle of May, and arrived at Canton on Sep- tember 8th, 1807. Many difficulties surrounded liii He first went ashore at Macao, an island on the Chinese coast, about ninety miles from Canton, then 1 '•U iui 1 I f 42 ROBERT MORRISOX. under the Portuguese Government. Here the East India Company had a Factory, and on landing he was surprised to find there Sir George Thomas Staunton, the President of the Select Committee of the East India Company. He also met Mr. Chalmers, chief of the Factory at Macao, and presented to him a letter of in- troduction he had brought from Mr. Cowie, one of tlie Directors of the Missionary Society. Mr. Chalmers welcomed him heartily, and wished him success, but said, " The people of Europe have no idea of the diffi- culty of residing here or of obtaining masters to teach." He told Mr. Morrison that the Chinese were pro- hibited from teaching the language under penalty of death. He also promised to talk the matter over with Sir George and Mr. Eoberts, the chief of the English Factory at Canton. Then Mr. Morrison waited on Sir George, and presented a letter of intro- duction from Sir Joseph Banks, the President of the Eoyal Society. Sir George also spoke seriously as to the difficulties of the enterprise, stating that the East India Company forbade anyone to stay there, save on account of trade; but' eventually he promised that he would do all hi his power to promote the object Mr. Morrison had at heart. Sir George was supposed to be the only Englishman living who had a proficient acquaintance with the Chinese language. He was a gentleman of noble spirit, and this intro- duction ripened into a life-long and ardent friendship between hit i and the missionary. On his arrival at Canton, Mr. Morrison sought an interview with Mr. Carrington, the United States Consul, and presented Mr. Maddison's letter. He receiveu a cordial WGlcomc, and was offered a room iii the Consul's house, which he gratefully accepted. INITIAL LIFE AND WOJtK IN CHINA. 43 But as this house was thronged with visitors, he soon removed to another, occupied by Mr. Mihior, where he was more retired and able also to live at less expense. This house was part of the old French l^aciory at Canton, then in charge of Mr. Milnor and his partner Mr. Bull, as super-cargoes. He received great kmdness from these gentlemen, and as an American citizen he remahicd under their protection. As an Englishman he dared not be known From Canton he wrote to Sir George Staunton, as loilows :— Sir George is most respectfully informed • 7^ ^^f'T'' *^'^^ ^^ ^^'^^ ""^ l^^e^ent an apartment in the old French Factory at Canton. If Sir George thmks any particular line of conduct necessary for Mr Morrison to pursue, in order to his being per- mitted quietly to reside in Canton, to communicate It will be rendermg Mr. Morrison an essential service. Mr. Morrison will wait the arrival of Sir George at Canton, before any attempt be made to procure assistance m learning the language." When Sir George came to clnton, he at once in- troduced Mr. Morrison to Mr. Roberts, the chief of the English Factory, and also obtained for him a teacher. This was Al I Yun, a Roman Catholic Chinese from Peldn; and from this time he devoted himself with extreme diligence to learning the Ian- guage. It is scarcely possible for us to realize the cautious prudence required from Mr. Morrison at this point in his career. One false step must have pre- cipitately closed his career in China, but the difficulties which gathered round him only seemed to fire his zeal and develop the resources of his nature In writing to the Society, he detailed his various move- ments at great length, and gave utterance to the deep 41 KOIJEUT MOHHISON. Icelin^r within his breast, in words us follows : " It is a hazjirdous hut not a doul)tful enterprise on which we enter, doubtful, I moan, whether we be right or wrong. We shall not have to reproach ourselves for having pul)lished the truth of the Gospel amongst ignorant, deluded, guilty men. The missionary "of Jesus will have cause to reproach himself that he served not his Lord more fully, but not that he was a missionary. Calvary, Calvary, when 1 view the blood of Jesus streaming down thy sides, I am amazed at my coldness of affection towards the Lord, of my slothful performance of the duties which the authority of God, but shall I say, which the love of Jesus moro strongly imposes upon ^ne. Yes, Father, Thy love in sending J.jsus, and my Savio-r, Thy love in giving Thyself for me, and Thine, Holy Spnit, in applying the salvation of Jesus to my guilty conscience, unitedly overcome me, and con-'rain me to live not to myself but to Thee." He gives also an account of the opportunity opened to him of le irning the language, a work that must necessarily precede any other step in the direction of the accomplishment of his great task. " There are two Chinese who will, I hope, be useful to me ; at present, however, they are so. The name of one is Le Heensang. He possesses considerable knowledge of Chinese, writes an excellent hand, and havmg obtained one degree as a man of letters, is not so afraid as sbme of the tradespeople are. The other person, Abel Yun, was sent to me by Sir George. Abel is here the agent of the liomish missionaries at Pekin, a native of Shan-si, wdiere the Mandarin language is generally spoken. A great part of his life (he is about thirty years of age) has been spent \ w n H O PI W r. > H o IS or of V I '! I 4(5 R0DF:RT MORRISON. with the missionaries at Pekin. They have taught him the Latin language, wliich he speaks fluently. He came to me to-day, accompanied by another Christian. Being the Lord's Day I could not receive instruction from him. The Vulgate translation of the Scriptures was lying on my table. On his looking at it we entered into conversation respecting its contents. 1 turned to the fourth Commandment in Exodus, and to the closing verse of the 58th of Isaiah. He read them, explained them to his Chinese friend, and if I understood him rightly, said he had hitherto erred respecting the Sabbath. He alluded with readiness to the discourse of our Lord respecting the Sabbath, when some said that He profaned it by healing on that day." Mr. Morrison's position was a trying one, because of its isolation and uncertainty. He knew that at any moment he might l)e ordered to leave the country, and his expenses were very great. His rooms in the Factory cost him 850 dollars a year. His board 400 more. He had to keep [i boy, which cost 100 dollars. Then he had the expense of . i teacher, candles, furniture, books, and other necessaries, besides which he on several occasions became a prey to the merci- less and deceitful covetonsness of the natives. He employed a Chinese to buy him a few books in the city, and this person bribed the boy to aid him in defrauding his master, which he succeeded in doing to the amount of thirty dollars. His early impres- sions of Chinese superstition and idolatry he wrote to bis friend Cuthbert Henderson, at Nevcastle, thus : " By the Lord's good hand upon mo 1 am preserved in health amidst very close application to the Chinese language, s. iiavi; Bome oppoiiunities of saying a few things concerning Jesus in private conversation, but I I INITIAL LIFE AND WORK IN CHINA. 47 cannot make myself understood for want of words. I find much difficulty in speaking of God, for the Chinese have no proper idea of one livinp; and true God, and , ■„ fi .'Ml I. 'I'll . ' ; '' h'' -ij _«] It. ., itflirJl CHINESE WORSHIP. consequenlly have no words to express such an idea. Your heart, dear Cuthbert, would be grieved to see thciu falhng down prostrate, or on their kn. cs, touching the earth with their foreheads, before large figures in the 'ij 48 HOHERT MORRISON. mn I form of men. Sometimes, instead of a graven image, they have a painting of a man. The person worship- ping kneels, and on his knees, keeps the body erect a short time, then bends forward, and placing his hands on the floor to support his body, brings the forehead into contact with the stones or earth, of one or the other of which their floors generally are. He again raises his body erect, and again bends forward three times. He then stands up for a short time, after which he kneels and goes over the same number of prostrations a second and a third time. To what a low state has sin reduced man ! Why this external adoration of a lifeless image ? Blessed book the Bible, which reveals to man the true God, and which reveals man to himself. Blessed Jesus, who was in the bosom of the Father, and who has declared Him to us." The rooms which Mr. Morrison occupied were called in Canton *' a go down." They were, in fact, simply a basement story, and had been commonly used as warehouse rooms. In these he studied, ate, and slept. In order that he might attract less attention, he adopted the dress, food, and habits of the natives. He wore a pig-tail and loose dress, he ate with chop- sticks, he allowed his nails to grow long. So closely did he devote himself to study, and so little did he oat, that in a short time his health failed, and his life was in serious peril. Without questioning the excellence of his intentions, the wisdom of some of these steps he himself afterwards doubted, as the following lines from Dr. Milne's Betrospcct of the First Ten Years of the Chinese Mission,^ which was mainly prepared from an account written by Mr. Morrison himself, will show : — 1 Pages G4-5. INITIAL LIFE AND WORK IN CHINA. 49 " At first he supposed it would greatly facilitate his object to live in the manner of the natives ; and under this idea he supplied himself with such articles as are commonly used by the Chinese in dress and at meals ; but he shortly perceived that the idea was erroneous. To make himself remarkable in external appearance would have been proclaimi-q to the Chinese that he was not in circumstances • nilar to those of other foreigners at Canton, and thu- he had objects different from those of commerce, which is the only one sanc- tioned by the local and general authorities. Again, as religion does not consist in the form or colour of one's dress, he not only declined assuming a native dress, but also did not make a point of being always dressed in black ; the white jacket and straw hat were worn, as other Europeans do in warm climates. What- ever may be becoming in other countries, in those places where the Governments are averse to the dif- fusion of Christianity, all external distinctions of this kind had much better be laid aside by missionaries ; let piety towards God and benevolence towards men be the characteristics which distinguish them. " At first, as above observed, he ate in the Chinese manner, and dined with the person who taught him the language. His mode of living was rigidly eco- nomical. A lamp made of earthenware supplied him with light ; and a folio volume of Matthew Henry's Commentary, set up on its edge, afforded a shade to prevent the wind from blowing out the light. He did not find, however, that dining with a native increased his knowledge of the language ; in the time of taking a hasty meal little advantage was gained. The same reason which led him to pare his nails, cut off his hair, and give away his Chinese dress, induced!^ E '•ill 50 ROBERT MORRISON. him to desist from being singular in his manner of eating also. His nails were at first suffered to grow that they might be like those of the Chinese. He had a tail (i.e., a tress of hair) of some length, and became an adept in the use of chop-sticks. He walked about the Hong with a Chinese frock on, and with thick Chinese shoes. In this he meant well ; but, as he has frequently remarked, was soon con- vinced that he had judged ill." EATING WITH CHOP-STICKS. Soon after his settlement in Canton he attempted to hold public worship in his rooms, and invited a few American and English gentlemen to attend. He had much discouragement and disappointment in the effort. In order to conciliate some who were members of the Church of England, he made use of the ^Liturgy; but ho found to his sorrow that residence in a heathen land too often fostered indifference to li » INITIAL LIFE AND WORK IN CHINA. 61 Divine worship, rather than imparted a greater desire As Mr. Morrison became more accustomed to his position, he removed from the small and unhealthy u^'TL' ''^''^ ^' °^^"Pi^^' ^^^^ ^-ented a building called "The Factory," which had been occupied by the Irench, but which was offered to him by Mr Parry. He had here more room and convenience' and here he resided till he was obliged to leave Canton by reason of failing health. His character and pursuits began to draw towards himself the attcition and friendship of the lead- ing foreign a Canton. Mr. Roberts, the chief 01 the E .%... Factory, showed increasing dis- position to further both his literary studies and missionary aims ; Mr. Ball, another leading employe of the East India Company, also offered him con- siderable sympathy; the Hon. J. Elphinstone sent him a present of a Latin-Chinese Dictionary, valued at ^50 ; and Dr. Pearson, the medical attendant of the Company, offered to him and his family the most ethcient and considerate attention for twenty-five years. Above all. Sir George Staunton showed himself a friend indeed, and in every need, as long as he hved The anxieties of his situation, and his unremitting, apphcation to study without sufficient air and exercise" so told upon his strength that he was unable to walk across the room. His physician advised a change of air, and by the agency of the gentlemen just referred to, a residence was obtained for him at Macao, where he removed on June 1, in a condition of great mental depression. There is no doubt that his desire to economise the funds of the Society led him to exercise a measure of self-denial that must have been (•I iA i i i.-i ;:. ^ 52 ROBERT MORRISON. injurious o the strongest constitution. But as to his mission he maintained a firm spirit, and ** bated not one jot of heart or hope, but still held on most bravely." He remained at Macao till the end of August, 1808, studying with his Chinese assistants, and his health improved so much that he was able to return to Canton. In November political difficulties arose, which led to all Englishmen being commanded to leave the city. He remained for a brief period on board shiri, and then returned to Macao, where he took up his residence in his old quarters. A few days afterwards Low Heen, one of his teachers, ventured also to Macao, but he was in great peril from his countrymen, who were strongly opposed to any Chinese residing with foreigners. A few days after Mr. Morrison's arrival at Macao, a young gentleman called upon him to say that his father. Dr. IVIorton, had a letter for him from the Eev. Mr. Loveless, a" e-'ent which had a very serious in- fluence upon his luture. He invited Mrs. Morton and family to come to his house, and unite with him in social prayer. On the following Sabbath the whole family spent the day with him, and united in Divine worship. The young man, William Morton, mani- fested great desire for the salvation of his soul, and Mr. Morrison entertained hopes that he might be induced to give himself to missionary work altogether. The loneliness of his position was greatly relieved by intercourse with this Christian family, and between Miss Morton and himself there soon sprang up a warm attachment, which, by-and-bye, culminated in their marriage. She was led by Mr. Morrison to give herself entirely to God's service, and he thus became the instrument of her salvation. I i ll INITIAL LIFE AND WORK IN CHINA. 68 Meantime difficulties as to his continued residence as a missionary at Macao, or in any part of China, mcreased around him so seriously that he resolved to leave his residence and proceed to Penang, and there continue his study of the language until his way to re-enter China was open. He made preparations for his departure, when Providence interfered to arrest his flight. The opposition arose from the jealousy of the Chinese and the enmity of the Eoman Catholic missionaries combined, and in addition to this decided opposition was displayed by some of the chief em- ployes of the Factories. What, therefore, must have been his surprise when, on the very day of his mar- riage to Miss Morton, February 20th, 1809, he received a request to become the official Translator of Chinese for the East India Company, at a salary of ^'500 per annum. If any fact could testify to his proficiency in the language and to the prudence and consistency of his character, this does so in the most ample way. This offer decided his destiny, and to a great extent the future of Christian missions in China. There was no need now to embark for Penang ; Macao or Canton were both open to him for residence and for pursuing the great enterprise of his life. Mr. Morrison had so far succeeded in obtaininc^ a knowledge of the language, that he had prepared a Chinese Vocabulary, made considerable progress with his Anglo-Chiiiese Grammar and Dictionary, besides havmg given much attention to the translation of the JNew Testament, which he was slowly preparing. He was, however, greatly troubled by the capriciousness and ill-temper of his Chinese assistants. One of them, when Mr. Morrison was alone one evening, tore his coat from his back, and was proceeding to assault ■m i^i K It > i •m I . ij ■!• 54 ROBERT MORRISON. him, when his master called some gentlemen in the neighbourhood to his assistance. Yang-Sam-Tak, who had come out to China, and had been engaged to teach him, sent away his other two helpers, and gave him intense distress by his violent temper and his high- handed doings. Still he did not venture to resent this ill-treatment, or he might have been left without a teacher altogether. On the contrary, he bore with them, prayed with them, expounded the Word of Life to them, and yearned night and day for their salva- tion. Then his house was a miserable one. The roof fell in ; but he would still have clung to it, only the landlord raised the rent by one-third, because his house, he said, had been turned into a chapel. There- fore Mr. Morrison had to seek another residence. So afraid was he of being noticed by the people of Macao that he never walked out, much to the injury of his health. The first time he ventured to walk into the fields, skirting the town, was on a moonlight night, in company with his two teachers. Indeed, his standing in Macao was so precarious that he was strained with continual anxiety lest by any step he should bring about his dismissal. This severe mental tension occasioned a renewal of tortuiing headaches, to which he was constitutionally prone, and subjected him to other attacks of illness. His marriage with Miss Morton also added to his other trials, as her health began to fail shortly after their union, and she became a permanent invalid. One more disappointment also tried him. His brother-in-law, William Morton, was obliged to relinquish his studies, give up the calling of a missionary, and seek a more favourable climate by reason of his delicate health. The offer which came to him from the Ea. '. India I P. J { INITIAL LIFE AND WORK IN CHINA. 65 Company was undoubtedly a great relief to his mind. In accepting it he had the full approval of the Directors of the London Missionary Society. There are some who have blamed him for accepting an office of a civil character, and the functions of which were outside of his sacred calling as a missionary of the Cross. But •^uch do not seem to thoroughly grasp the difficulties of his situation. In eDf..ring on these duties Mr. Morrison saw at once that he would have new facili-" ties afforded him of becoming familiarized with the language, that he would be able to remain in the country, and that he would not be burdensome to the Society; whilst he would be able to discharge fully his duties to the Company, and still give the major portion of his time to the work of his life. The course of events fully ju;^ tilled tlie step taken. By becoming an employe of a great wealthy company, he would be protected at once from the hostility of the natives and the Eomish emissaries. The steps he took to make known the Gospel to the Chinese were necessarily of the most quiet and limited character. Indeed, to preach publicly had never been the purpose of the Society until the conditions of things should entirely alter in China. Still Mr. Morrison could not rest without doing something to make known the way of salvation to the heathen around him. His own teachers and servants were his first hearers. On the Sabbath, the Harmony of the Gospel in Chinese, which he had taken out with him, was read. The enormous difficulties to an English- man of learning the language, made it for a long time impossible for him to give any fair view of Chris- tianity, or to argue with the Chinese as to their false systems. But the effort was made; one or two, ..' I' 1' i '1^ m h 56 ROBERT MORRISON. sometimes from four up to ten Chinese would be gathered in an inner apartment and the door securely ocked; then the opportunity would be afforded to the missionary of declaring his message. For a long time this was done without any cheering result to encourage or reward his faith. At the end of 1810, he wrote to his friend the Rev follows^"''' ''"''"^"'^ ^'^' l'''°Si-es. and position as " I have experienced since I wrote to you a con- siderable snare of affliction ; not indeed in my own person, but in the person of my dear Mary A nervous disease strongly agitates body and mind ; she IS, 1 thank the Lord, now somewhat better, and I hope will recover her former health and peace. Affliction m a foreign land lies doubly heavy, no kind relatives to assist, no Christian friend to cheer. The mind in perfect peace will, I know, sustain any deprivation, or merely bodily calamity, but a wounded spirit who can hear ? My daily occupations are the same as when I ast wrote to you in the beginning of this year. I believe I was then in Canton. I continued there till March, carrymg on a discussion with the Chinese government respecting the alleged murder of a China- • man I obtained great Mat by the public exnmination ot the witnesses ; everybody was astonished that in two years I should be able to write the language and converse m the Mandarin and vulgar dialects. In consequence of that, three of the Company's servants determmed to begm the study of the Chinese language and I have during the summer been a regular Chinese tutor. In addition to these three, a gentleman who has been twenty years in the country attended ; these remained two hours every day, and my fifth pupil ;< IXITIAL LIFE AND WORK IN CHINA. 57 a Dutch youth, remained all the day. Through the summer I have had much translation to do for the t^ompany, and frequent conferences with the Man- darms ; neither the one nor the ot ier, I am sorry to say, was amicable. The Mandarins are extremely haughty, overbearing and clamorous, sometimes three or our of them will speak at the same time, and as loud as if they were all scolding. My tutor Ko Seen- sang yet continues with me, and also my assistant Low Heen I employed him to get 1000 copies of the Acts of the Apostles printed in Chinese, and he connived at my being charged twenty-five or thirty pounds more than the proper price. He told me so this evemng, and confessed his fault. It grieves me very much, as I cannot now trust him. It is very desirable to have persons in whom we can place entire confidence, but that is not the case with the Chinese A want of truth is a prevailing feature in their charac- ter ; hence mutual distrust, low cunning, and deceit." It was shortly after this that the translation of the Acts of the Apostles just referred to was published. Une thousand copies were printed. The charge for printing was exorbitant, amounting to about half a dollar per copy, the price at which the whole of the New Testament was afterwards printed. But, as it was considered to be a prohibited book, some risk was in- curred by the printers, and they expected to be propor- tionate y compensated, besidesthatthe Chinese thought themselves at liberty to impose .1 any way open to hem upon the foreigner. Three ambassadors from the islands of Lekyo, who had come with tribute to China had copies presented to them, on their landing, and the book was cautiously circulated at every opportunity. Mr. Morrison next prepared a tract, called Shin- in* !| ■ '1'"' «( Mi* I . *'• ■ -fill 68 ROBERT MORRISON. taou, or the Divino doctrine concerning the Redemp- tion of the World. This was printed, and 1000 copies issued. Then he translated the Gospel of St. Luke, which was also printed. He also composed a Catechism to put into the hands of inquirers. At this time the authorities of China evidently bt;gan to be disturbed at the promulgation of other religious views than those long established in the empiro, and an imperial edict was issued prohibiting the teaching of Chris- tianity, and four Roman Catholics were expelled from Pekin. These steps rendered Mr. Morrison addi- tionally cautious as to his next movements. ^ His Chinese Grammar had been ready for some time, but he found it dilficult to obtain its publication. He submitted it to Sir George Staunton, who wrote his most cordial approval of it in these words :— "I return you the Chinese grammar with many thanks for the perusal. I am happy to congratulate you on a work which will prove both in regard to its plan and its execution a most valuable acquisition to the student of the Chinese language. He will no longer be under the hard necessity of working his way through the ponderous volumes of Fourmont, Boyer and others; and which, after all, are often very inaccurate and defective. I hope therefore you will soon proceed to the press." The Grammar was sent by Mr. Roberts to Lord Minto, the Governor- General of India, in order that it might be printed. For some reason, never explained, it was kept back nearly three years ; then it was printed at the Serampore press, in 1815, at the expense of the East India Company, and was of signal service to many who hitherto had found the acquisi- tion of the language a task too difficult for them. m CHAPTER V. Persecutio'n.-a Fellow-Labourer, — «- — " He holds no parley with unmanly fears ; Where duty bids, he confidently nteera, Faces a thousand dangers at, her call, ' And, trusting in his God, surmounts them all." ^^j, COWPER. Qevebal important events in relation to Mr Mor- U rison's domestic and family affairs transpired in the year 1812. His good and pious father died ; two of his brothers also passed away ; and he was cheered by the birth of a daughter, and the prospect of im- proved health to his afflicted partner. As Sir George Staunton had been withdrawn from Chma, Mr. Morrison's official duties becnme much more responsible, and his salary was increased to a thousand pounds per year, with allowances for teachers, a place at the public table, and other privi- leges. His services were represented as being of the highest valup, inrl f,ho TTr>r>nn""i-i- P ^ -e-r^- when asked to sanction the appointment which had been made by the Select Committee, gave "a kind of ■ffi ill ,^M ii;,i 4 ;; I ; n 60 ROBERT MORRISON. consent to it." Tlie meaning of this apimrontly tardy cor ent was that the Directors of the East India Company, both in England and in China, considered it a visionary enterprise to attempt the conversion of the Chinese to Christianity, and also feared that such efforts might be opposed to the commercial interests of the Company. But the prudent and unostenta- ^tious, though invaluable labours of Mr. Morrison, Von their esteem and admiration, and led them to treat him with great confidence. He now gave himself with renewed enthusiasm to the preparation of the Anglo-Chinese Dictionary— a formidable undertaking, which involved an acquaint- ance with Chinese classical literature such as no Englishman or European had ever possessed. Three copies of his translation of the Acts of the Apostles, which he forwarded to England, aroused the deepest interest in the minds of the lovers of missions. The Directors of the London Missionary Society presented one copy to the British and Foreign Bible Society, which liberally voted £500 towards the printing of the whole Bible in Chinese, when the translation should be complete ; another copy was unstitched, and its leaves distributed amongst the friends of the Society in various parts of the United Kingdom. It seemed to them to be the first demon- strated step towards the eventual conquest by the Gospel of the whole heathen empire, and they re- joiced accordingly. In the same letter that told him of the welcome reception of his translation, the glad tidings were communicated that at last, in response to his frequent and earnest pleadings, a helper had been appointed to come and share his labours. This was Mr. William Milne, a young man of most devoted PERSECUTION— A FELLOW-LABuUHEU. 61 piety, and of perfect fitness for the work to which he was designated. Mr. Morrison's apprehensions were now painfully excited by an edict against Christianity issued by the Emperor. The following extract from his letter to the Society, dated April 2nd, 1812. will hIiow at once his danger and his calm resolutf ui :— "By the last fleet, which Dailed al -ut a month ago, I wrote and enclosed you a royy of i. y translation of the Gospel by Luke, and a Gb^r^fim Lract on the Way of Salvation, which I hoped svould reach you in safety. I now enclose you a translation of a Chinese edict by which you will see that to print books on the Chris- tian religion in Chinese is rendered a capital crime. I must go forward, however, trusting in the Lord. We will scrupulously obey governments so far as their de- crees do not oppose what is required by the Almighty. I will be careful not to invite the notice of Govern- ment. I am, though sensible of my weakness, not discouraged, but thankful that my own most sanguine hopes have been more than realised. In the midst of discouragement, the practicability of acquiring the language in no very great length of time, of trans- lating the Scriptures, and of having them printed hi China, has been demonstrated. I am grateful to the Divme Being for having employed me in this gooa work ; and should I die soon, it will afford me pleasure in my last moments." Mr. Morrison was working with great diligence at his work of translating the Scriptures and compiling his Dictionary. He had printed most of the Epistles and also thp Gnsnpl nf Sf T n1'- .1.."-^,-- - T . ' , , , . -~~- ~-~r- ---. i-iUixc aiiuady rererred to: but he found the preparation of the Dictionary a task which severely tested his patience and his resources. Ml ''11 li"" 1' if ii > < 62 ROBEKT MORRISON. To the Grammar, which still lay in the hands of the Company, waiting for their decision as to printing, he added a volume of Dialogues. He was also painfully anxious to see some visible result of his efforts to affect the hearts of those natives to whom he had access, and was greatly cheered by being informed that the life of one per- son, a Chinese police orderly in Canton, had been reformed through reading the tract published by him on the Way of Salvation, which tract this orderly had taken up by chance from the table of a relative. He h.id been a notoriously bad man— too bad in the esti- mation of the person who had distributed the tracts to receive one. The reform in his life was marked by many, but did not result m his becoming a Christian. Mr. Morrison regularly held service m his room, with a number of boys and his Chinese helpers and attendants. One man, A-Fo, cheered him by apparent earnestness in his inquiries after Scripture doctrine. Ko Seen-sang manifested growing interest in sacred subjects ; but the young boys gave him most pleasure and encouragement. One day A-Fo brought him some idols to look at. He desired that his country- men might not be told he had brought them, because they would be extremely angrj if they knew of it. They were greatly opposed to selling or parting with thoir idols, lest they should be insulted. " For my part," said A-Fo, "I believe in Yay-soo (Jesus), and hearken to what you say of the vanity of worshipping wooden, clay, and other images." On November the 8th, 1812, A-Fo inquired about baptism, and declared his willhigness tc be baptized if his brother might not know of it. Mr. Morrison endeavoured to explain a I PERSECUTION— A FELLOW-LABOURER. 63 to him that if his motive was a prudential one, in order to avoid drawing the attention of the civil authorities to himself, it was allowable ; but if he was ashamed to be known as a Christian, it was not. He remained with the missionary after the others had gone for further instruction. The Eoman Cathohc Bishop at Macao issued an anathema against any who had intercourse with Mr. Morrison, or received his books, or suppHed him with Cliinese books; but it had no appreciable effect ni his work. He reports as to his efforts for the conversion of the natives thus : ** I have endeavoured to communi- cate to a few, by oral instruction, the knowledge of the truth. (Here follow the names of eleven persons.) These have attended with the utmost seriousness and the utmost decorum. In Macao every Sabbath day I conducted worship with the above persons. I began by prayer, next read a portion of the Scriptures, some part of that which I have already printed, or some portion translated for the occasion. These I endea- voured to explam and enforce, and then concluded by prayer and singing a psalm or hymn." Mr. Morrison's time was now spent about equally at Macao and Canton. His wife and baby resided at the former place, and he was under the painful neces- sity of being separated from them half of the year. Her health was much worse when she was in Canton, and improved by residence in Macao. It is impossible to adequately realise the delight of Mr. and Mrs. Morrison when, on July 4th, 1813, being the Sabbath, and just as they were sitting down at the Lord's table, a note arrived with the news that Mr. Milne, the brother missionary, long promised and expected, had arrived with his wife at Macao. A more : I', m m iii- ' i: V Mi 'III ■■ '*! 64 ROBERT MORRISON. Ik welcome or admirable fellow-labourer never entered he mission field. It may be convenient at this po n L vt '" ' 'ri ''°''""'=' ^°°'^"™g concerning S eaily days and training for the great work. TTif IT ''Tl" t^^"^"^"^^"^-^' i" Scotland, in 1785. His father died when he was six years old and his mother gave him ouch education as was common to boys m humble life. Soon after his father's death he was put under the guardianship of a relative who neglected his morals, until he' became no orionsly wicked, especially as a profane swearer. But he was not long to be given up to sin. In his early years h' attended aSabbath evening-school, which waftaugW m the neighbourhood of his residence. Here his knowledge of evangelical truth increased, and its value was impressed upon his mind. Sometimes he Liked home from the school alone, about a mile over the brow of a hill, praying all the way. At this time he began to conduct family worship in his mZi^s house ; and he also held meetings for prayer wtth hi sisters and other children in a barn that belonged to the premises. ^ ''" When removed from his home, he was placed in a situation near a very poor man who was rich in f^th and hohness. He often went to his house at the W for fami y prayer, and united in the worship. Afte • readmg the Scripturo., this man was in the habi of expoundmg them for the instruction of the childi^n and ns remarks deeply interested young Milne and greatly helped to increase his affecfion L the BiWe Religion was presented to him in this household in such an attmctive manner, that he was led to make a full and ddiberate choice of Christ as his Saviour and Friend. The family in which he lived were not on"y 1 I \ r a c S: M*. ,1 n. alls ^^ I] ' clAAjiaa^ ^ ■ -^ PERSECUTION— A FET.LOW-LABOURER. 05 irreligious themselves, but derided the youth for his piety, making his position most uncomfortable. The only place obtainable for meditation or prayer was a sheep-cote where the flock was kept in the winter, and here, surrounded by animals, he often knelt m prayer, on a piece of turf kept for that purpose. Many hours were thus spent on winter evenings, and here he often had sweet refreshment while the members of his master's household were contriving some fresh morti- fication for his spirit. He read some books at this time which greatly influenced him, especially The Cloud of Witnesses, and Boston's Fourfold State. He became a member of the Congregational Church at Huntly, saying on his reception, " What a wonder am I to myself! Surely the Lord hath magnified His grace to me above any of the fallen race." Hours were spent by him every day in prayer for the con- version of the world to Christ ; but it was not till he was twenty years old that he consecrated himself for mission work, and then he had many obstacles in his path. ^ He spent five years in hard labour to make provision for his widowed mother and sisters; and when this object was accomplished he at ' on'-o offered himself to the local Committee of the London Missionary Society. On his appearance before the Committee at Aberdeen, he seemed so rustic and unpromising that a cautious member took Dr. Philip aside and expressed his doubts whether he had the necessary qualificatioLs for a missionary, but he added that he would have no objection to recommend him as a servant to a mission- ary, provided he would bo willing t<^ engage in that capacity. " At the suggestion of my worthy friend," says Dr. Philip, " I desired to speak with him alone. B 'Hi - 1 ■f ■ .!- I 11 Wi i hi II [l i r 66 ROr.EHT M()ni!lS(lN. Having stated to him the objection which had been made, and asked liim if he would consent to the pro- posal, he replied ^Yithout hesitation, and with the most signilicft'it and animated expression of countenance, * Yes, sir, most certainly ; I am willing to be anything, so that I am in the work. To be a hewer of wood and a drawer of water is too great an honour for me when the Lord's House is buildina.' " He was then accepted by the Committee, and directed to Gosport, where he went through a regular course of training under Dr. Bogue. In July, 1812, he was ordained to the work of the ministry, and dedicated to the service of Christ among the heathen. Shortly afterwards he married Miss Cowie, daughter of Charles Cowie, Esq., of Aberdeen. She wa^. an eminently pious and prudent woman, and contributed greatly to his happiness and usefulness unti^ her death, in 1819. A month after his ordination, they embark, a at Portsmouth for China, and having touched at the Cape of Good Hope and the Isle of France, were warmly welcomed at Macao by Mr. and Mrs. Morrison. Mr. Morrison says : " I went down immediately to the tavern, about ten minutes walk from our residence. On the way I lifted up my heart in prayer to God for His blessing and direction in all things. After we recognised each other, Mrs. Milne was sent home in a palanquin, and brother Milne and I called on the Minister and Governor according to. the custom of the place. They both received us with civility, - ^\ offered no objection to Mr. Milne at the moment. " The next day I called on Mr. to state il. _i Mr. Milne had arrived, and asked his pcrmi;si;ion to allow him to remain. He demurred for soiae time, S( ,%■ I her PKllSECUTrOX-A FEU,OW-I.ABOUnEll. 07 alleging that no person is allowed to como hero-thii ho object of the English hero had been Mty „tate. be pure y morcantile-that the Chinese wonld chs allow a rcl,g,ous establishment, etc. He finally con- isa MR. AM) MKS. MILNE. Tmt^° A°-'""« '"''^'y- He would consider Ml. Afilno a Chmcse student." The following prayer was entered in Mr Morrison', Journai.-..l,„, far (blessed be the s^ui:^: Mm •it i ',■■• If 68 ROBERT AfORRISON, :»?'*■'■ of events) the door has bi;en opened. Oh, that the. Lord's servant may be spared in health, may soon acquire tlie language of the heathen, and be a faith- ful missionary of Jesus Chri, I." When the news circulated as to Mr. and Mrs. Milne's arrival, there was excitement both amonpat tiie Eng- lisli and Portuguese. Hostility at once broke forth. The Roman Ct»' holies appealed to the Governor, the Senate met, arid il was decreed in full council " that Mr. Milne shonld \iot remain." In a few days a messenger from slia Governor waited on Mr. Mori 'son with a message, ior him to go up to his hoase. When the missionary arrived, he was coolly receir-d. The following conversation took place. "Does rhe Padre," said the Governor, "at your house purpose to remain here ? " " Please your Excellency for the present, if you please," was the answer. " It is," said the Governor, " absolutely impossible, he must leave in eight days." Mr. Morrison entreated him on one knee not to persist in this order, but to at least extend the term. The Governor said his orders were not to allow people to remain, that the Senate and the Roman Catholic Bishop had required him to act, that he had been appealed to against Mr. Morrison for pub- lishing books in Chinese at Macao, but from motives of friendship he had forborne to act. Finally, he extended his permission for Mr. Milne to remain eighteen days. All further efforts in the same direc- tion proved fruitless. On July 20th, Mr. Milne left Macao in a Chin; -n fast boat. He could get no legal conveyance, i(i,-i therefore had to p:. -^eed by stealth to WTpm' ,, thence taking ship t i ,nton. This treatmer ; :m :,'.ie part of the authorities at Macao greatly grit, \, • Mr. 4 PHISECUTION— A FELLOW-LAUOtrUEU, 69 f tf Ik M u ^ §1 5c .6 ^■{t; ^ m n 4 H //f Morrison, the more so as an intimation was given him that he ought to surrender his mission work and devote himself exclusively to the affairs of the Company. But they had not properly understood the man if they thought such a thing possible. Mr. Morrison was a missionary first and essentially ; he was a servant of the East India Company for its conveni- ence and his own. A few days later he went to Canton, where he found Mr. Milne well, busily engaged with his studies, but in very uncom- fortable quarters. Thence he returned to Macao; and on September 30th, again arrived at Canton, having just finished the translation of the New Testament in Chinese. Ho now devoted himself increasingly to the Anglo-Chinese Dictionary, which severely taxed his powers and resources. In the midst of these labours, his position was rendered the more trying by the death of Mr. Roberts, the chief of the English Factory, who had proved a warm friend to him since his arrival in China. The year 1814 opened with fresh opposition from ^ 7f M to mm ^ THR lord's PRAYRR IN CHINESE. I , nil 1 1 ^3 Ji'* -;■ "I • i Jj i ' H ; Ml 70 ROBEllT MOKIUSON. tl e Chinese aii honties. The Viceroy had reported Mr. Morrison to the Government as becoming fully ac- quainted with the language and customs of the country and as being the translator of all English official dociu ments which were received by the Government. The tVZ'ZT^ f^^* ^ ^^°^"^^^^'"* denouncing in harsh eims all ^yho were concerned in imparting to l"m a^^:^ ^^^P "^ the composition of official des- patches, and the Viceroy issued an order for their jipprehension. Ko Seeng-sang and his son were herefore dismissed and sent to a place of safety. But on the other hand, the New Testament was printed and ready for circulation, so that there was the prospect of good being done through its finding a way into the homes of many of the people. Two housand copies were frst printed, which were taken fi-om wooden blocks. From these blocks one hundred thousand copies might have been printed without material damage being done to them. Mr Morrison also issued simultaneously ten thousand copies ot a tract containing an outline of the Christian system, and five thousand copies of a Catechism. It was soon found that Mr. Milne would not be permitted to remain at Canton, and that he must look out for a residence elsewhere. The earnest attention of both missionaries was directed to the hnding of a place which might be considered the head-quarters of the Mission, where means could be taken for extending the work, and which might be, It needful, a resting-place for the agents of the bociety in declining years. It was therefore settled tha Mr. Milne should go through the chief Chinese settlements in the Malay Archipelago with the fol- lowmg objects in view : first, to circulate the New I PKUSECUTION— A FELLOW-LABOUKEK. 71 ' I fc' Testament and tracts just published amongst the tens of thousands of Chinese who lived in those islands; secondly, to seek a quiet and peaceful retreat, where the chief seat of the Chinese mission could be fixed and its lal)Ours pursued without the harassing persecution of a bigoted and exclusive Government; thirdly, to gather up such informa- tion as to populations, etc., as might afford good grounds for deciding as to the best means of pur- suing mission work among them ; and fourthly, to ascertain what opportunities there were of printing a volume of dialogues in Chinese and English to assist other t.rrents in the acquisition of the language. With the purposes of his voyage thus defined, Mr. Milne proceeded to visit Java, Malacca, Penang, and other places. During Mr. Milne's absence Mr. Morrison proceeded with his work of publication. He issued in Chinese a pamphlet in which he traced a concise outline of Old Testament history, chiefly relating to the Creation, Deluge, Exodus, giving of the Law, and principal events of the kingdom of Israel. He also translated and printed a selection of Hymns to be used in Divine warship; consisting mainly of psalms rendered frojn the Scotch version, and tlie hymns of Watts, Cowper, and Newton, in most general use at home. So many copies of the New Testament had been required by Mr. Milne for distribution on his travels that a new edition was quickly called for. The book had been prin;".;. in large octavo form, and Mr. Morrison decidi . to print it in duodecimo, as being more generally convenient. Besides, inthg critical condition of the Mission, it was of importance to ill ii. i ^1 72 i'obua' ututRisoN. have two sets ofMocks, to be kept in different places, o lie 1 might be m reserve. New woocD.locks were ^!:^"I"T1' u \'''' '' ' ^ ^^^--^ Spanish dollais besides half-a-doHar each copy for pointing ott. But this cost was -reatly increased by the dist ^Z t^' ''-''-'' ^^^- ^^ ^^-^-ris^i con?." •^''^^';^^""''' ^i^tionary now approached comp taon. Immense labour had been spent upon It, and fcs pubhcation became a matter of extreme anxie y o Mr Morrison. It wouki have been com- paiatively useless to have remaine 1 in manuscript. The expense of transcribing it for the use of other missionaries or the employes of the Con.pany w u d ha e been immense. To copy the Dictionary pre- paiet previously by Eomisli missionaries had cost wo hundred Spanish dollars, and it was only one sixth the size of this prepared by Mr. Morrison, iho expenses mcurrcd already in gathering un ma enals for its composition had 1 .en very freat and the cost of its p.Micati n was .like beyond the means of the author and of the Missionar/society It was, therefore, with thnnkfulness and a sen.n of gracious relief that Mr. Morrison, after much nego- tmtion obtamed from the Company a promise to imt It at Its expense. At once the Sel :i Committee made arrangements, and shortly ^terwards Mr. P 1 . Thoms was sent out from En; ad China, with presses types, and all requisite, for the work, to supovmtend its publication. The translation of the Old Testeni.ent was then in " progress, and Mr. Morrison finished the Book of > Theu valued at five sliillings per dollar. I'lilKBUWION-A ratLOW-LAlloUlitU. 7a Genesis, which was printed separately at the be- gmmng of 1815. ' In the moautime Mr. Milne returned from his travels. He liad visited Java, and received mudi en couragement and help in his enterprise from tl"o enhglitened and truly Christian Governor, Z- T card tt n"- ^''"l "^"'■"' ">"'- "'-» ^0 laiiuhai, tlc.Ec.sK.ent and Commandant, with -reat he :"\ ^]"f, «'""-»» showed much interest in " n ;r >, " ™'-'o"™-. a-t proved a warm fuend to hem m tlu ,r future operations. On Mr H.lne s return to Canton, it was deci.led blveo a .Ir. Morr,son and himself that Malaca sho he nmv t "' 1"'' "'*"'™"'' '""' ''^ ""^ "^-^ of a new mission. The reasons for this choice were seve. and very weighty. Mala, .a was nea o Det«eeu it all the islands in the Eastern \rchi. pe ago, where the Chinese resided in large nnmhers • . lay convenient to Cochin-China, Siam, and Prnang ■ It was .„ ro„tc between India and Canton, and ships' No I'll 'r'" ""■".'t"^ ""1«™"^ exiled thtf No other place pres nted such advantages for mter- va"heai; "'"r'""'" °' l-oo'-- etc. She clSiate desh^l P ^'-f ''/ '"''"'°" '''"«°" it«ouIdbea deuable residence for any agents who were ill or m fai Img health. Then it was a ndet place th^ anthorit ies were friendly. Colonel Farquhaf eo dia^ ^0, and here could he established a missionary sett e^ ment where children could be . ducated, nativ. ag nts ni'^.v?. Piepar- ana pabiished, the languages 1^ t. "T ,*' ^i^-°"--^« coming out^to L ^voik, and, m the largeness of Mr. Morrison's soul, m 1 -^ -: - 71 ItoHKUT MoltHKSON. I I 'I tho Idea was tosterod. Jiat hero might bo maintained a retreat for aged and disabled missionaries or their widows and also an institution for the education of then- children. This was a large programme. How much of it lAfr Morrison and his faithful coadjutor were able to carry out, we shall see hereafter. The year 1814 brought to Mr. Morrison what was the greatest joy he had hitherto experienced in his arduous work. For seven years he had hoped, prayed, scat ered the seed of the kingdom, yearning that it might lall into good ground and bear fruit ; but time seemed to pass by only to try his faith and patience moi-e severely. But at length he was to be refreshed by having one convert to his prolonged ministry. Ihis was Isae-Ako, one of his early teachers, and bro her ot A-IIeen, still employed by him, who now made application for baptism, giving the following confession of faith :— ^ " Jesus making atonement for us is the blessed sound Language and thought are both inadequate to exhaust the gracious and admirable goodness of the intention of Jesus. I now believe in Jesus, and rely on His merits to obtain the remission of sin I have sms and defects, and without faith in Jesus for the remission of sins should be eternally miserable. Now that we have heard of the forgiveness of sins through Jesus, we ought, with all our hearts, to rely on His merits. He who does not do so is not a good man. I by no means rely on my own goodness. When Jfii!'^'''''^ '^''''^^^" '^^''^^^■' ^ perceive that from chi dhood until now I have had no strength, no merit, no learnmg. Till tliis, my twenty-seventh yeai I have done nothmg to answer to the goodness of ^od in PEHSECUTION-A raLl.,>W-LAli„i;K,i«. 75 1 have not rcccmponaoa the kindness of my friend" ay parents, my relations. Shall I repine? Sim 11 S •• """ °'' '" "°"''"' "'""' '"° ""'Holy corfvtt'to n" f r",> ■*''•• "°'"»''" °f "- «-' n" "A, f,^^ ''•'"'''»"' ■"''«''°»'' i» """■■est- 1; f • 7,'''" ,'"■ ™'' 'wenty.one, he eame to my ouse and heard „,e talk o( Jesus, but says he Z not understand well what I meant. That was my "pctkitt':'"?' n""^ ^■^"'•^ ""-•' «he"T:„"j speak better and eould write, he understood better • Z ^,"'"8 ?7'°y«l by his brother in superh.tendi, g the l\ew Testament for the press he savs th«t S s^rall m"" *""n"'^ "^'-"^^^ ''^ "- »" "His natural temper is not good. He often dis agreed with his brother and other domestie and I thought. t better that he should retire from my " L- vice. He however, eontmued, whenever he was withu, a few mdes, to eome to worship on the Sabbatirdav He prayed earnestly morning and evening, and S av, rr T "'.r''^'^^ '" *'"' Catechism. He tuends he saw h.s great and manifold errors, that his he' "d Z Jmn^'iT^V""' ''''' ™J-'' -""^ or o b»rt,;n Fi^'lf^V- '" "-^-'■•''■oth--. hmU^7i\ , i!- • "'o«'««g«. of course, is very hm ted, and his views perhaps obsenrej but I hope that lus farth m Jesus is sincere. I took for my guide II • 1 ,1 '4' (, 76 ROBERT MORRISON. I 1 what Philip said to the eimuch— ' If thou beHevest with all thine heart, thou mayest be baptized.' Oh, that at the great day he may prove to be a brand phicked from the burning ! May God be gloritied in his eternal salvation ! " In his journal, under date July 16th, 1814, Mr. Morrison thus recorded the baptism :— "At a spring of water issuing from the foot of a lofty hill by the seaside, away from human observa- tion, I baptized, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the person whose name and character have been given above. Oh, that the Lord may cleanse him from all sin by the blood of Jesus, and purify his heart by the influences of the Holy Spirit ! May he be the firstfruits of a great harvest— one of millions who shall come and be saved." Tsae-Ako adhered to his profession of the Gospel until his death, which took place from consumption in 1819. Mr. Morrison was not with him at his death ; but he never doubted as to his faith in the Lord Jesus in the last moment. / CHAPTER VI. Visit to Pekin.-College at Malacca, •*- " Every great and commanding movement in the world is the triumph of enthusiasm." — Emerson. * rriHE apprehensions which Mr. Morrison had felt as X to the firmness of his position were fully justified by the reception of a letter from the Select Committee of the East India Company, dated October 14th, 1815, which contained the following paragraphs :— ^ ^ We feel it necessary to acquaint you that the Hon. Court of Directors, having been informed that you have printed and published in China the New Testament, to- gether with several tracts translated into the Chinese language, and having further understood that the cir- culation of these translations has been effected in defi- ance of ah edict of the Emperor of China, rendering the publisher of such works liable to capital punish- ment, are apprehensive that serious mischief may possibly arise to the British trade in China from these translations, and have in consequence directed that your present connection with the Honourable Company ^nt^ ■^f I'l 78 ROBERT MORRISON. i ! should be discontinued. The Honourable Court re- mark at the same time that they nevertheless enter- tani a very higli respect for your talents, conduct, and character, and are fully sensible of the benefits derived from your services ; in consideration of which they have dn-ected us to present you with four thousand dollars on the occasion of carrying the orders into eiiect. "Notwithstanding the tenour of these orders, which we have implicitly communicated to you, we are under so strong an nnpression of the importance of your services to the affairs of our honourable employers and so well assured, from our personal knowledge and past experience of your prudence and discretion in orbearing to place yourself in a situation which may be calculated to implicate the national interests through your connection with the Factory, that we have resolved to postpone giving effect to any part ot the above instructions until we receive further orders upon the subject." Explanation and vindication on Mr. Morrison's part were offered by him in a voluminous correspondence, m wiiich It became apparent that the local officials of the Company were loath to carry out the decision of the Chief Board ; and in a few weeks such complica- tions arose between the Chinese Government and the Company, that an embassy, headed by Lord Amherst as Ambassador Extraordinary, was despatched from England to the Court at Pekin to accommodate and arrange the matters in dispute. Mr. Morrison's ser- vices as secretary and translator to such an embassy could not be dispensed with, and he was requested to accompany the Ambassador to Pekfn. For a considerable time Mrs. Morrison's health had ill VISIT TO PEKIN. 79 caused her husband and friends much anxiety, and her medical adviser strongly urged that she should try a sea voyage and change of climate as means to benefit her. Her husband's presence in China at the par- ticular juncture of circumstances was deemed too important to be dispensed with, and therefore without him, but with her two children, Mrs. Morrison em- barked for England, on -January 21st, 1815. One more trial was in store for Mr. Morrison during this year. The spirit of religious intolerance was so fully aroused that the type-cutters engaged in prepar- ing the blocks for the Dictionary were arrested, and, in alarm, the blocks which had just been completed for the fresh edition of the New Testament and the Book of Genesis were destroyed by the printers to prevent discovery. This was a deep disappointment to the indefatigable and dauntless labourer ; but he at once took heart of grace, and set about the preparation of new types. Very soon the intelligence reached him that the British and Foreign Bible Society had made a grant, as liberal as it was timely, of one thousand pounds, which enabled him to have blocks cut, not only for the duodecimo edition of the Testament, but tor the Book of Psalms, the translation of which was J ust complete. In writing to inform him of this grant the Eev. J. Owen, secretary of the Bible Society, said — ! , .1?'°"^^ y^^^' translation be on the whole a taithtul image of the sacred original, and the under- standing of the Chinese be opened by its Divine Author to understand and admire it, what an honour ^vl be conferred on your labours, and what blessing will you have been called upon to inherit ! Desirous of participating in that honour and that blessing the British and Foreign Bible Society has furnished' you |! ;il » % :'} •1 1 80 ROBERT MORRISON. 'i from time to time with contributions of pecuniary aid, and you may assure yourself that it will continue to assist you in the prosecution of an undertaking so congenial with the object of its appointment and'the wishes of its conductors." It may bo mentioned here that a short time before this an English merchant had died in China, and had left Mr. Morrison one thousand pounds for the purposes of his mission, which sum had been devoted to the printmg of the New Testament and other Christian books. Lord Amherst and his attendant officials arrived at Canton in the Alceste on July 13th, 1816, and took on board Sir George Staunton and Mr. Morrison ; then the vessel proceeded on its way, till, on July 28th it anchored at the mouth of the river Peiho. On August 13th they were entertained in the city of Tien-tsin at a great banquet given by two Imperial Commissioners m the name of the Emperor. Mr. Morrison gives an mterestmg description of the reception and entertain- ment. The Imperial Commissioners and the English Ambassadors and Commissioners sat on very low cushions raised about six inches from the ground while the suite of the Emperor sat on the ground, on which a red cloth had been placed. On August 20th they all arrived at Tung-chow a day s journey from Pekin. Here eight days were spent in disputing a question of ceremony. It was required of the English Ambassador that, on bein^ brought before the Emperor, he should perform what is called m China '' The Ceremony," or San Kwci Keiv Row, rendered in English, " Three kneelings and nine knocks of the head." The mode of performing 18 that the person introduced to the Empero - kneels VISIT TO PEKIN. 81 on the ground, places his hands when bowing forwards on the floor, and strikes his forehead against the earth thrice ; then the person rises, and, again kneel- mg down, repeats the performance; and then, rising once more, repeats the whole a third time. Thus it is the Chinese worship their gods— some by three knocks, others by six, and others by nine, according to the veneration in which they are held. Lord Amherst was not very likely to go through such a foolish and degrtiding ceremony, and, after prolonged disputes, the Chinese nobleman professed to waive the require- ment. On the 29th the company arrived at the Imperial Palace. The hour appointed by the Em- peror for giving audience had arrived. The Ambas- sador and his suite had travelled all night, were unwashed and unrefreshed, and ill-prepared for the interview with royalty. His lordship therefore pleaded with the nobleman who received him that the fatigues of the night had been so great that he must beg His Majesty to defer the reception until the following morning. To effect this the messengers went into the ] :- iperor and told him the Ambassador was so ill that he could not stir a step. The Emperor graciously permitted him to retire to his lodging, and sent his physician to attend him. The physician did not find Lord Amherst ill, and no doubt made a representation to the Emperor that did untold harm. His Majesty thought he had been imposed upon. A special meet- ing of the Cabinet was called. No one dared to explain the real facts of the case, and an order was issued that the Ambassador should depart immedi- ately. The order was obeyed. The whole party left Pekin the Ramc afternoon, and, after incurring a" journey of 50,000 miles there and back. Lord Amherst i ii Hi. » ft m 82 ROBERT MORRISON. [ :i had to report a reBult of nothhr,/ The Emperor afterwards chscovered the real facts of the case and degraded froin office those who could have placed them before him ; but his false pride would not permit him to offer any explanation, or retract hi treatment of the Ambassador. Although_ the object of the Embassy had thus iailed, the journey gave Mr. Morrison a few months of relaxation which his health greatly craved He was able to extend his knowledge of the country and the people, and especially he was able to gather un some knowledge of the various dialects of the pro- vinces through which he passed, which was of g -eat service to him afterwards. During his absence a ^olume of Dialogues in Chinese and English, which he had prepared, had been carried through the press ::JSStiS^tcior'^^^^ Mr. Milne and his family had left China and taken up their residence m Malacca, to carry out the great sclieme so long a day-dream with Mr. Morrison? bu which was now about to become, in great part i reality by the agency of his faithful fellow-labourer M. Milne had collected Chinese books, printing Ze' and other needful materials, secured a teachei ofThe \f.fT' u"^""^'"^ ^vorkmen, and sailed on April 17th 1815, for his new home. On the voyage his famil^ was increased by twins ; and, after thirty-five days' sail,^ he i^ached^ his destination, and was cordially receivecl by Major Farquhar, who proved himseff to be a friend indeed. The scheme indicated previously in regard to the mission at Malacca had been carefully formulated bv Messrs. Morrison and Milne, presented to the London a w r > n B O >i3 o r. 1 ona 1/^ m I , Ifi i 84 ROBERT MORRISON. If Missionary Society, and fully.approved and sanctioned by it. The programme was an ambitions one, and whilst successful to a degree which fully justified the outlay of its founders, it did not realise all that their faith and enterprise merited. According to the plan sketched out, a portion of land was to be pur- chased, on which buildings could be erected suitable tor the purposes contemplated and intended. A free school was to be established as a preparation for a more advanced seminary, in which native minipiers might be trained and educated. A monthly magazine m Chmese was to be issued. A printing-press was to be set up, and kept at work, for the purpose of issuing the Scriptures in Chinese and for the diffusion of Chris- tian hterature generally. An English periodical was to be issued also, with the view of promoting unity and co-operation among Missionary Societies in the East Divine services were to be held, and places of worship to be erected as quickly as practicable. The whole scheme was to be called " The Ultra-Ganges Mission " as denominating the scene or area of the enterprise ' Mr. Milne quickly began the attempt to realise the scheme A small house in the British compound, which had formerly been used as a stable, was fitted up as a school. Notices in Chinese were posted up in the town, announcing the commencement of a school for the children of the poor. Great unwillingness was at first shown by the people to send their children and when the school opened on August 5th, only five scholars had been obtained ; but, by sedulous effort and wise caution, the number increased, until by the end of the first year the number in daily attendance was fourteen, who receivfid the ordi"""" -i ^^- - Chinese education. By-and-by the Catechism pre- ■ 1 ■ I I ■ i COLLEGE AT MALACCA. 86 pared by Mr. Morrison was introduced, and the chil- dren were familiarised with the leading words of religious character, such as God, Creation, Soul, ]:>cath, and many others. Then the teacher and children were drawn to attend divine worship. Great prudence was required here. First, a few domestics brought from Canton were drawn to attend and then the school teacher and his pupils were in' duccd to follow them. Thus very slowly had Mr Milne to take step after step towards the attainment of his great object. A email church of Dutch Chris- tians in Malacca was at this time without a pastor and they invited Mr. Milne to occupy the vacant place. This he declined, on the ground that he was commissioned for another purpose ; but he undertook to conduct divine service for their benefit once a week For about a year no land was obtained for the erection of the meditated buildings; but at the beginning of 1816 Mr. Milne obtained a grant of land from the l^nghsh Governor at Penang, subject to approval from the Dutch authorities. This was a considerable distance from the town, and not suitable for the pur- poses of the mission. It was therefore exchanged for a smaller piece near the city gates, a sum of about two hundred pounds being paid as a further recom- pense to the vendor. Thus was a site obtained in a most eligible situation. It has been mentioned that workmen as printers had accompanied Mr. Milne from China. He now procured a printing-press, founts of English and Malay types, and all neces- sary apparatus for setting to work. In order to keep f if ?, -7^-^'""' ^^ ^'''''^^^ '^^^^ edition in English of Doddridge's Eise and Progress of ReUyion in the bold, and Bogue's Essay on the Truth of the Christian 13 thA I: |.f| -i M 86 KOBERT MORRISON, pS'T' ^-^r'. ''''' r^'^ '' ^^«*"buteci amongst the i^nghsh residents and a.lventurors in Ch.iia, India and in the wide Archipelago of the East. On Mr MorriHon resuming his work at Canton, he was qu.Hdy tried by fresh difficulties which beset him. A quarrel broico out among his workmen at the press • TJ 7^;^^' *° .'"^^^"S^ himself on others, took a sheet of the Dictionary to the Tso-tang, a district magistrate. This official was only too 'glad of an occurrence which seemed to aiibrd an opportunity of extortmg money, and sent his police runners to seize the prmtmg materials, and the natives who were en- nrfnMr n" "^'f '""'^ '^ "^^^^^^"^ ^^^eigners to punt the Chinese anguage. Sir Theophilus Metcalf, the Enghsh Chief of the Factory, interfered with great iirmness, mvl prevented the presses and types bemg impound( ..L The Viceroy of Canton issued prompt ordei-, ihut no natives should aid foreigners m prmtmg the Chinese character; the names of Mr. Morrison s teachers and transcribers were recorded lor arrest ; Ivo Seen-sang al)sconded, while Sam-Tak, A-J^o and A-Heen were in great apprehension. The result was that Portuguese workmen had to be in- structed to cut the Chinese characters on wood blocks tor the printing of the Dictionary. Besides his incessant labours on the Dictionary usually occupying six or eight hours a day, Mr. Morrison translated and published the morning and evening prayers, as they stand in tiie Book of Com- mon Prayer also Hor^ Siniccc, a series of transla- tions from Chinese classics, and a Chinese Primer, all of which, with other works already recorded, prove a zeal and diligence of application that must have tried the most patient mind and tested the strongest con- COLLEGE AT MALACCA. 87 stitutioh, The progress the translation of the Bible was making is indicated in the following letter to the Bible Society, under date Novemher 24th, 1817 :— '' During the ensuing ycur Mr. Milne and I* hope to hnish a translation of the ^vhole Bible, 't- has completed Deuteronomy and Joshua. Th< ,k of Genesis has been printed some time. I have inade a irst draught of the Br )k of Exodus and the Book of Ituth. The Psalms I have finished, and they are now in the press. -The Book of Isaiah is about one-half translated. Several type-cutters are engaged to go down to Malacca for the purpose of printing Deutero- nomy, Joshua, and an edition of the Psalms in duo- decimo ; that which I am perfecting here is smaller than our duodecimo New Testament." A letter from America at this time informed Mr. Morrison that a young Chinaman, about twenty-six years of age, from Macao, who had settled in New York, had been led, through the reading of the Chinese New_ Icstament, to profess faith in Christ, and was manilesting the utmost earnestness and consistency. ' ihese tidings, amidst the dry, monotonous grind of translation work, were peculiarly refreshing to his soul. Mr. Morrison's labours now began to excite atten- tion and interest in all parts of Great Britain, and also m many parts of Europe and America. He received letters from some of the most learned pro- lessors in Germany and France, most warmly recog- nismg his eminent attainments and services. Dr Vater, Professor of Konigsberg University, and M. Bemnsat, Professor of Chinese, etc., in the Eoyal College of France, one of the most erudite men in Europe, with others, frankly and cordially congratu- lated him upon the thorough and varied knowledge he n . > .1 . 1 1 I' ''Ill ^^1 IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1 r // e- A 3 f/. & ^ 1.0 I.I u Uli 12.2 IL25 II 1.4 2.0 m 11.6 PhotDgraphic Sdences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 \ N"^ ^ o ,%> ,v <^ <; fe ^ n a I 88 IIOBEIIT MORRISON. vei-ri V of n!^ ^™'""' ^-""demicus of the Uni- tlie Ji^nghsh merchants, years of sevprp «.,^ J £;,rsi7.=zf. Sis - rpRiilfa nf +u^ X KtrengtU. And certamlv the me luture. Aa amiJe knowledge of the mo,t AM,.„u anguage a^d the most obscure litoratureW be! «" tamed. Large plaoit of prmt>n,,o,re,oe. tv",-- 5" Mocks, and other material, had been acrJSdTone" Hi COLLEGE AT MALACCA. 89 large edition of the New Testament in Chinese had been printed and circulated ; another edition of 9000 copies was nearly pnnted off ; a Chinese grammar, a volume of tianslations from Chinese classics, a psalter, a book of prayers, several small publications on Christian doc tune and histoiy, had also been issued as the result the Ol^T T 'f'T' "'* *" ^i^^^k «f *i^^ ^«oks of hpl fi''^''' .^^''^^^ translated, and some of them printed, awaiting the completion of the whole before passing into circulation. Besides this must be taken into account the help given to Mr. Milne in his acquisition of the language, and the establishment o the_ mission in Malacca. All this was accomplished, besides the invaluable services rendered by Mr Morrison to the East India Company as its official translator and secretary. Nor had the ten years been utterly fruitless as to the mam work of the Christian missionary-the con- version of souls to God. Two persons at least had given up Idolatry and professed faith in Christ; one of tTandtr^^^^^^^ sion, and the other was givmg promise , f such growth in Chritian knowledge and piety as to warrant his recep^ Ztl P'' T ""f"'' '''''' ^^^ -P---es of other to T M '^"''^ missionaries had been far different dan^ ;« r^''" '• ^^'^ ^'^ ^^''^ g^-^-t^r risks and dangers from savages and barbarians, they had passed Wad'f "1 adventures and romanti'c trlr: they had also been cheered and inspired by great successes; and it may be doubted whether any of fh m lad shown greater calmness in presence of dange^ hei^ismmoregrand.ordeterminationmoreunwaverfig m spite of repeated disappointments, than had be n manifested by Robert Morrison during this period , ; .1 1 il t ''« I, 'f li 3R ss . Jj < If ' i II CHAPTER VII. Chinese Bible Completed, -Dr. Milne's Death. -^• "Great men Btaml like .solitary towens in the City of God, and secret pa««ages, running deep beneath external nature, give the r Zu 'hi tliem, and of ^Much the labourers on the surface do not even dream." _ LOiVGKELLOW. •-*-■ • An November 10th, 1818, the foundation-stone of \J the Anglo-Chinese College at Malacca was laid Tcf'riTi ^' ^^y^^^^^^-' i^ the presence of the Hon. J. S T. Thyson (the Governor), Hon. J. J. Erskine (Judge of Penang), the members of the College of Justice, and many other distinguished persons. Mr. Mih,e represented Dr. Morrison, and delivered a suit- able address. The object was announced as the reci- procal cultivation of Chinese and European literature • aiid tjie machinery was to comprise a library fui lished with books treating on the language, history, science, etc., of European and Oriental nations. European m--^ ;|; hi f> in k ■ *i \i\m m i ;ii i . f ! fl t1 92 ROBERT MORRISON. '• professors of tlic Chinese language, aided by native Chinese tutors, were to impart knowledge; a printing- press was to be made use of in divers manners, and it was also mtended soon to form a botanic garden, so as to have in one focus the plants of the Eastern Archi- pelago. To the advantages of the institution Euro- peans were to be admitted, to be fitted and prepared for missionary, commercial, scientific, or official pur- suits in the East, and also youths from Chinese- speaking countries, who desired to be trained for ser- vice under Europeans or in the Christian Church Dr. Morrison contributed one thousand pounds to- wards the establishment, and promised a hundred pounds a year for five years towards its maintenance, ile otherwise, especially in respect of the library, con- tributed largely towards . ac College. Another gentle- man gave the sum of four thousand Spanish dollars t. wards the building, the London Missionary Society gave five hundred pounds, and European residents in Canton five hundred pounds. One friend wrote : *;i confess that the plan far outstrips my expectations. It IS benevolent and liberal to a degree ; it is extensive also, and so ought our donations therefore to be I shall be obliged to you to draw on me at any time you hke for 420 dollars, that being equal to 100 guineas. " ' In faith and hope the world will disagree, But all mankind's concern is charity : Thus God and nature linked the gen-.^ial frame, And bade self-love and social be the same.'" No words can describe the bright visions of useful- ness which Dr. Morrison entertained as to the results of this institution. Malacca was to be not the Athens only, but the Jerusalem of the East. Streams of knowledge and spiritual grace were to flow from •JHINESE niRLE COMPLETED. 93 thence until the Chinese world was sanctified thereby For some time there was great disappointment in the mmds ot the promoters, as the natives refused to send their children, until Mr. Milne was obliged to offer a small weekly payment to each child to induce Its attendance. As the natives became familiarised to the presence of the College, and understood better' the spirit of Its conductors, they became more trust- tul, and the school prospered. Pupils and students were trained, during Mr. Milne's life, varying in num- ber from twenty up to sixty at one time ; and of these several were converted and became consistent Chris- tians. Books-some of them of great importance- were poured forth from the press, periodicals were main- tained, aid vigorous methods taken to make Malacca the centre of Christian propagandism on a large scale. Several volumes of the Dictionary were now com- pleted and issued, but any estimate of it must be reserved until its completion shall be recorded. Ifc was the unutterable pleasure of Dr. Morrison to be able to write to the Directors of the London Mis- sionary Society, on November 25th, 1819, conveying the information that the whole of the Bible had been translated into Chinese. He, of course, had by far the larger share of the great work ; but Mr. Milne had given most effective and willing service since his acquamtance with the language had enabled him to t r*. ^^\,^^°.l^ «^ the New Testament was the woi-k of Dr. Morrison, the Chinese MS. found in the ,1^ n^.r^^^"""^ ^^'""^ ^ ^^^'^ foi* a part of it ; and of the Old Testament he had done, the whole, with the exception of the Books of Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges Samuel, Kings, Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Job, which had been translated by Mr. Milne. In I! '':'h 4^ in ill 94 ROBERT MORRISON. his letter to the Society, Dr. Morrison expressly dis- owns any claim to perfect correctness, and only professes to have laid a foundation for other and more perfect translations in after years. A few extracts from the letter will be interesting. He says : If Morrison and Milne's Bible shall in Chma at some subsequent period hold such a place in refer- ence to a better translation as Wickliff's or Tyndale's now holds in reference to our present English version. Tlf ''^V'iV''^^' ^'^''' ^^^^ ^^^- *h^ attempt; and neither the Missionary Society nor the Bible Society will ever regret the funds they have, or shall yet expend, m aid of the object. " It is not yet 500 years since Wickliff's bones were dug up and burnt, chiefly because he translated the bcriptures ; and it is not yet 300 years since Tyndale was strangled by the hands of the common hangman and then burnt, for the same cause. The alleged inaccuracy of Wickliff's and of Tyndale's translations was the ground of cavil with all those who were adverse to any translations of the sacred Scriptures ; and It IS but 277 years since the English Parliament decreed that all manner of books of the Old and New Testaments, of the crafty, false, and untrue transla- tions of Tyndale, be forthwith aboliohed and forbidden to be used and kept.' If such things occurred so recently, more modern translators need not be sur- prised if their works are censured and condemned. King James' translators were fifty-four in num- ber, and rendered into their modern tongue in their native country under the patronage of their prince. Our version IS the work of two persons, or at most of three (mcludmg the author of the MS.), performer! in a remote country, and into a foreign and newly- CHINESE BIBLE COMPLETED. 9o idge acquired language, one of the most difficult in the and the least cultivated in Europe. The candid luci of men s works will not forget these circumstances. ^ m my translations I have studied fidehty, per- «picuity, and simplicity. I have preferred common woids to rare and classical ones. I have avoided technical erms which occur in the pagan philosophy Inf "JT- i' ^'"'^ ^^^^^^ ^« deemed'inelegant than hard o be understood. In difficult passages I have taken the sense given by the general consent of ^hnTri'T'^ ^'''''' '"^^ ^'^'^ ^^«^^*™ divines to wnom 1 had access. ''To the task I have brought patient endurance of long labour and seclusion from society; a calm and unprejudiced judgment, not enamourecfof noveUy and eccentricity, nor yet tenacious of an opinion merely ratTmnd "" ^^ '}']'. '^^'^.'^^^e, somewhat of an accu- late mode of thmking, with a reverential sense of the awful responsibility of misinterpreting God's word. Such qualifications are, perhaps, as indispensable as theTbt' "^ ^ translating such a book as rJ'-? ^^^^.Mose^' David, and the Prophets, Jesus Christ and His apostles, using their own words, and thereby declaring to the inhabitants of this land the wonderfu works of God, indicates, I hope, the speedy mtroduction of a happier era in these parts of Ihe world, and I trust that the gloomy darkness of pagan scepticism will be dispelled by the Dayspring from on high and that the gilded idols of Buddha, and the numberless images which fill the land, will one dav assuredly fall to the ground before the force of God% word, as the idol Dagon fell before the ark. " Tyndale, while he was being tied to the stake ^M -t^:- 3 'I M I 96 ROBERT MOTIRIRON. ■ ! said, with a fervent and loud voice, in reference to Henry VIIL, 'Lord, open the King of England's eyes ; ' and his prayer seems to have been heard and answered. Let us bo as fervent in a similar petition in reference to the Sovereign of this Empire. '' In the Apostle's words I conclude this letter :— ' Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified, even as it is with you.' " The joy entertained by the friends of Christian mis- sions throughout Europe and America on the accom- plishment of this great work was intense. Congratula- tions to Messrs. Morrison and Milne poured upon them from many quarters, the University of Glasgow con- ferred the degree of D.D. on Mr. Milne, and fervent gratitude was expressed to the bsneficent Providence which had presided over their labours. The Rev. G. Burder, D.D., secretary to the London Missionary Society, wrote : •' The herculean task is at length completed. To Him alone who gave the power to effect this great work, and who alone can render it effectual for its intended purpose— the illumination and renovation of human minds— to Him alone be the glory now and evermore. But, my dear friend, we ought not, we will not, we do not, forget the laborious agents whom He has been pleased to employ for this great end. We thank Him for you and for your helper, Mr. Milne. We bless God, who has continued your lives in a sultry climate, maintained your mental and cor- poral powers, and spared you to see the completion of your great labour Never mind what opponents say. The work is done, and God will bless it ; nor will He forget this work of faith and labour of love when W- u ) H CHINESE BIBLE COMPLETED. 97 ) He shall render to every man according to his works Blese God. my dear sir. that ever you were bor^lnd born again, and enabled to effect this great work You have hved to good purpose in havinglived o jtbhsh a Chmese B.ble Thank God, and take courage." The Committee of the British and Foreign Bible Society wrote m a similar strain of thanksgiving and oongratula ,on. and granted a fresh sum of one thou sand pounds m aid of the multiplication and circula- tionof copies of the translation. The Committee of the American Bible Society presented Dr. UoZm with a copy of the best edition in octavo of the Kble in splendid binding, as an expression of its elteem and approbation, and the American Beard of Commis- sioners or Foreign Missions wrote offering their most cordial thanks and congratulations. Befides thes Sir George S aunton and many other eminent schola.^ wrote m similar strain, giving proof of the intend^ of interes felt throughout the Christian world in the great achievement. Dr. Morrison pursued his labours with unwearied assidmty. The Eev. Dr. Baud, principal of Ata' deen UiCTersity. had written to hi. .eeWng informa- tion as to the poor of China. Ihis lecl him .„ connection with Dr. Livingstone, the surgeon of the East India Company m Canton, to give attention to the normous numbers of destitute poorand sick people who mfest all Chmese towns afld cities. The blind the ame the leprous, often filled the highways, and 'their condition excited little concern or compassion Th" melancho^. condition of these sufferers was onlv equalled by the gross ignorance that prevailed as o luedicaJ science. In the public streets and markets might be seen here and there a stall on which dried H W I M 98 llOUKUT MOURISON. vegetable substances were exposed for sale, these being sold for any, and some for every, complaint, without an attempt at discrimination. To meet this crying evil. Dr. Morrison opened a dispensary for supplying the poor with advice and medicines, super- intending it himself for one or two hours daily, and being assisted in its management by Dr. Livingstone. Ho also purchased a Chinese medical library, consist- ing of upwards of 800 volumes, with a complete assortment of Chinese medicines, and engaged a respectable Chinese physician and apothecary, with the occasional attendance of a herbalist (whose com- plete stock he purchased for Dr. Livingstone's analysis), to explain the properties of the various herbs he collected and sold. The afflicted Chinese of Canton and the adjacent districts crowded to this dispensary, and in a few months thousands of cases had been under treatment with^ gratifying success. This institution must be considered as the forerunner of a crowd of similar institutions, which have been established in connection with Christian missions in the East, and which are increasingly vindicating their claim to be considered an integral part of Christian propagandist enterprises. On April 23rd, 1820, Mrs. Morrison, in much im- proved health, embarked with her two children in the Marchioness of Ely, to rejoin her husband in China. On August 23rd he had the great happiness of receiving them at Macao, and of spending a few weeks of blessed home enjoyment in their society. Then he had to leave them, to undertake again his official duties in Canton. In the following spring he returned again to IVfacao, and he o-lyes a "lo\vin«^ pic- ture of the holy family life he enjoyed : "My beloved Ic, those »mplaint, neet thin isary for 8, super- lily, and iigHtonc. consist- 3ompleto gaged a ry, with 3se com igstone's various adjacent n a few eatment nust be similar inection tiich are isidered jrprises. [ich im- dren in jand in ;ppine88 g a few society. ;ain his ring he ;ng pic- beloved CHLVESK ltfII[,K COMI'I.KTKI). 09 Mary, horn the last time of her arrival in China enjoyed remarkably good health, seldom re^uh^g medical aid. We were pleasantly situated, and h d a piece of ground before our house by the easkle Macao, where we and the children walked h^'pi^ together every evening. We then, after family prayers sa down round a table, all occupied in somcSrg useful or amusing. My Mary was occupied inno ccntly and pleasantly in making clothi orTr expected babe, and got all her house in order mo comfortably; yet amidst this she never wen o onsTi ^^ '''''r' '''''''^ considerable por- lons of her Bible, and since she came out to China he read, believe, the whole of Milner's Church Z Mas suddenly taken lii, and notwithstanding that doctor, husband and friends did all that human skill 01 affection could devise, she died in her husband's arms on bunday evening, the 10th. Dr. Morrison wished to bury her by the side of her little son but the Chmese would not suffer the grave to be re opened The lioman Catholics refused to aUow^^o fw f %^^'^J,^^^'^"^ t° i-epose in their cemetery, and therefore the Committee of the English Factory pur- chased a piece of ground, worth about a thousand pounds, as a Protestant burying-place, and here the remams of Mrs. Morrison were reverently placed. _ Ihe blow was so sudden and afflictive to Dr. Mor- rison, and the desolation was so awful, that he spiiits suffered for a considerable time ; and while he dihgently fulfilled his official duties, aiid wrong with undiminished ardour for the completion of h s \ ''-anslated pamph- He had th. h ' ^"'' '•''8'"''''-'y P^^^^ed the Word Lean.' Aft !!rr''' °' '"'P"^»'8 'h" "ative tntor Manlrt :;ro; 1,"""^ ^""'^ ""'■■""•™<' »- Ch.I' his wo k in We „ tl' ? ''?«'"'' P"-«evered in and i»,n;iri' nt hL ; rthefl T''.'^' ^f "'«'"«' evangelist, and ™ ^pWd' by the Z' >''Tr fi onary Sociefv rj,.f n ^K , ^ ^ London Mis- |^i;.:trsrh::^SdertJ;trtet Chinese or English not less thir fiff.->. / 7 inff frnm f «« ? ' i " nitCL-n tracts, vary- mg fiom ten to seventy Jeaves each, besides a Ml I '1 1 m -M til III 1 it 106 ROBERT MORRISON. 1 t '' commentary on the Epistle to the Ephesians, and an elaborate work in two volumes, called Essay on the Soul. Some of his tracts published in Chinese are unequalled for their acceptability and their adapta- tion to particular cases. Amidst his manifold labours his health failed ; he had many premonitions of danger, followed by partial recovery. Profuse spit- ting of blood indicated disease of the lungs ; but it was afterwards ascertained that the liver was the seat of his complaint. He took a voyage to Penang hoping thereby to recruit his health ; but deriving no benefit from the change, he returned, utterly worn out, to Malacca, only anxious to die at his post. Then he passed peacefully to his rest and reward, being thus re-united to his faithful partner, and eavmg four children utterly orphaned and cast desti- tute on the Fatherhood of God. He had written to his recently-widowed friend. Dr. Morrison, from Penang, and on June 3, 1822, the following reply was penned: "I have received your letter from Penang and deeply regret the afflicting news which it con- tarns Oh that God may spare your life and restore your health ! I am going on mourning all the day— an unprofitable servant ; Lord, pity me ! " Aheen has written to me from Canton, saying that he is convmced of sin, and desiring to be washed therefrom by the Saviour of the world, in token of which he asks if he may be baptized. The lad Asam the younger, seems to understand the outline of the Gospel, and says he believes it. I really hope Aheen ''•f TT~^' ^^« ^IWB too proud, as well as a con- ceited Tuh-shoo-jm (a literary person), to say now that he was convinced of sin and wanted salvation, if It had not some reality in it. He is a man of few DEATH OF MILNR. 107 words and naturally cold-hearted. If indeed be now looks to the Saviour, God be praised for givin- to worthless me some fruit of my feeble labours ! Alas ' I write this fearing you are already beyond the reach of letters. He was indeed beyond the reach of letters ; on June 2nd, he had been called to the eternal home. His character was summed up by Dr. Morrison in these fittmg words: "Dr. Milne appears to have possessed .naturally a very ardent, impetuous, deter- mined mmd, yet softened by mildness of manner • and after it was converted, turned from Satan to God' it retained its natural ardour and impetuosity, but directed to new and very different objects from what it previously was. He was now fully convinced that the cause of missions was the cause of heaven, and neither lire nor water could impede his onward course. He served with courage and fidelity ten years^ and then wn out by useful toils and hard service, died at his post." Dr. Morrison was at this time meditating a journey to England in order to visit old friends and kindred, and to enjoy a well-earned furlough. But on the news of Dr. Milne's death, he gave up for the present all thought of a holiday, and resolved to repair to Malacca to arrange for the future working of the Mission and the College. With characteristic bene- vo ence also he resolved to adopt as his own son, httle Robert Milne, named after himself, and to pro- vide for his maintenance and education with his own children. In November of this year, a fire broke out on the west side of Canton, about a mile north of the European Factories. It raged furiously for several ! II "51 u I u 11 108 ROBERT MORRISON. clays, and burnt every building westward frr a mile and a half, and indeed did not cease to burn till no buikhngs were left. Thousands of Chinese shops and houses were destroyed, and millions of pounds worth of property was lost. The East India Company's loss was estimated at one million ; and the loss of life through the fire, terror, trampling to death, and attacks of cruel banditti was awful and horrible. This was an additional trial to Dr. Morrison, as he lost much property by the fire, and especially a hundred pounds worth of paper he was about to send to Malacca for a fresh edition of the New Testament. On January 17th, 1823, Dr. Morrison left Canton for Malacca, and on the 29th of the same month landed at Singapore, then a newly-formed English settlement in the Malayan Archipelago. He°was received by the Lieutenant Governor, Sir T. Stamford Eafiies, with great friendliness. They were men of sympathetic feeling ; and earnest conference on several subjects for promoting the welfare of the colony and the Malays occupied the period of the visit. The result of the interview was the resolve to establish at Singapore an institution similar to that at Malacca and as the latter settlement was under the Dutch Government, to unite both under one management with .he title of - The Singapore Institution." A meetmg of the principal inhabitants of the settlement was summoned, and the proposal laid before them. It was decided to adopt the scheme : the College at Malacca to be carried on as at present with its special departments, and the new institution to take up branches of knowledge and science which the older one had not been ^hh to embrace. A liberal subscription followed ; Dr. Morrison was appointed Vice-President "r a mile rn till no shops and ids worth my's loss ss of life d attacks ^s was an st much i pounds lacca for Canton ) month English He was tamford men of several my and . The blish at falacca, Dutch (ement, n." A element em. It lege at special i.ke up ier one ription sident, HIS ANGLO-CHINESE DICTIONARY. 109 and subscribed upwards of fifteen hundred dollars, besides spending much more in the clearing of a site of land which he obtained as a grant from the Govern- ment. On February Ist, he arrived at Malacca. He found everything in a healthy and hopeful condition. He says : " The College and the native students gave me great satisfaction. The Chinese youths sang the hundredth Psalm to Luther's tune. It was composed in Chinese by my former assistant, Ko-Seen-sang. Finding the good use which had been made by my dear William of my books in Chinese, and of my funds, and the freedom of worshipping God without Man- darin interference, altogether produced on my mind a most pleasing effect. Oh! how grateful should I be." He filled up the vacant post of principal of the College by the appointment of the Eev. David Collie, who had been sent out by the London Missionary Society in 1822, and who had shown remarkable aptness in gaining acquaintanceship with the Chinese language. Mr. Collie fulfilled the duties of the office with great ability up to the time of his death in 1828. The year 1823 was a memorable one in the life of Dr. Morrison, owing to the publication of the Anglo- Chinese Dictionary, which must be considered as the great work of his life. He had been engaged upon it sixteen years, and in connection with its composition he had accumulated a library of about ten thousand Chinese volumes. It was now issued at a cost of twelve thousand pounds by the East India Company. It filled six large quarto volumes, each equalling in size a family Bible ; it contained four thousand five hundred and ninety-five pages, and recorded forty thousand words expressed by the Chinese character. Having accomplished so marvellous a work, it was not *ii M 110 ROUERT MORllLSON. wonderfu that his name became universally famous Tes monies as to the value and importan'^.e oToie publication came from all sides. Di- Montucci of Dresden, an erudite Oriental scholar, said " 'am ree to assert that Dr. Morrison within these ten ve™ has published volumes by far more usefulo tTm enturt •• M ^ °"«™™"'i^ i" the course of the last century. M. Eemusat, o. :r',-,,r;s, said : " The Ando- Chmese Dictionary by Dr. Morrison is incomparabi: superior to every other." The book is indeed^ as much an encyclopaedia as a dictionary; biORi-aphies histor.es, and notices „f national custom , cefZnfes and systems abound, makuig it a reporter; of infant tion on aU matters touching Chinese life and htera ur . 18?.f: =^Xr°",,"'"' "'"''^'' ^^^' November 10th uiZi Afa, whom our dear Milne baptized has led his wife to embrace Christianity, and proposes to brn« w/ott "Trdav?' "tr"-" ^'"''^^ ^Otli h? wiote. To-day Leang Afa, our Chinese fellow discinle brought his son Leang-tsin-trh (entering on v iS' and had hun baptized in the name of God the Fathe ' mav'belb "'"'■ ") ' "'^' "™ small Christian famS; The time had now come when Dr. Morrison felt he might gratify his long-deferred desire of visaing his native land and associating once more for a brie period with his beloved distant friends. He therefore wrote to the Select Committee of the East Ind a Company: "Having spent sixteen years hi CWnl subjected to sedentary occupation, in translatZ' writing the Chinese Dipimn»n' -n-" -'V ,^*''"S: now feelmg indications of my constitnMon beil^g HIS VISIT TO ENGLAND. Ill aflected by the want of bodily exercise, I have deter- mined to avail myself of the liberal permission granted l>y the Honourable the Court of Directors to visit England, with certain allowances. I intend going in the Wateiiuo, with Captain Alsager. Thus I shall leave China in the end of December, 1823. In the close of December, 1824, I purpose to quit England and return to China, via Bengal ; by which means I hope to resume my duties in the Factory in August, 1825. " For the benefit of Chinese literature in England, I purpose taking thither and leaving there my Chinese library, consisting of several thousand volumes, to ship which on board the Waterloo I request the Committee's permission. And if the Committee can authorize me to draw such part of my allowance during absence as they may see fit, in England, on my arrival there, it will be a great accommodation to mc, and will be considered a favour." The Select Committee willingly granted all he desired. He sailed in the Company's ship Waterloo early in December, 1823, and arrived in England in March, 1824, accompanied by a Chinese servant who had lived with him for several years, and had made a consistent profession of Christianity. One deep regret he had in leaving China, that he was unable to leave behind him a missionary to continue his work in Canton or Macao. He had urgently besought the Societies of England and America to appoint a helper, who might be his successor in the event of his death, but no provision had yet been made. He therefore ordained Leang Afa to the office of Evangehst. He had maintained a good confession for eight years, and he was now commissioned to carry on spiritual work amongst his countrymen in Canton as opportunities allowed. f . CHAPTER VIII. WORK IN EngLAND.-RetURN TO CHINA. •• The true a,„l,iHou there Hl,.nere«i,le., ^V .CMC ju.uce vindicate. „„,Uvis.k.a guides. Where,,uUiebWug.. ,.uh,ic,,,.ai^la^:^• Where glo.^- iH our .notive, not ..ur end B^ave .en .ou,d aeUhough .and^ t:;l:^;r;:,,,, -«-. T"i.7^"l'"" r'"* "'■• '^^'"■"■«°" had won for him J- belt, tor his devotion as n r^i,v,-c+- . . and his erudition as a Airio^it" ^^^d kZT7' arnva in EnLrlnnJ o x •. • ^^^"^®" "ini, on his persons o all rS Lfl^'"'^ ""^"«°" <">^ and learned so ie ies ClT ""T^ Phila^Uhropio ever, attended hi. 'J^-H-al rt f e„S J^ ""' ''°"- Clnnese library he had brougl tTt him TIT' to lea-mg China ho hnri ci T i . -^^^^evious authoritief his otjeet" i:;^^ ^^ ," ,f^, British :' fhior:* ■" '^r ' "/° -™ p«-^«c°ns1«!S' cdleotionof ,;. mI^T'^'^' ."™» a valuable D-. . J-tonj "f ..cui had been Obtained 4P«» WOIIK IN ENGLAND. ug rr™ '-: T-^p-^^-at reel.";: Dr. .vioi rison had been upwards of f wn n , anZv 1"T '""''' "1'™ ""^ occui-ronce it seem" » paltry method of treatijig a liberal offpr w T pnbhc good,.o insist on a°tax, sti'y btant tt benevolenee is the act of „„ individif ratW til an association of individuals unde'Tl'o'^' ^ f.^ ^ZeTZZlu" "'"Z™"' ''' Geo '«: Stafnt; t^re dTposited i?°^^ were allowed to pass free, and were aeposited m a room on the premispq nf ih^ London Missionary Society until they eouM be L toorUy disposed of. This matter settled, no le str' honour was to be offered to Dr. Morrison fbl T T veyea tne news to him "> ^b- — ^ *'__ has very handsomely -agreed trpr;:nr;o'u htasTt'o the King on Wednesday, and to consult wtth Mr. Petl T ilU li 114 ROBERT MORRISON. I 1 about the best mode of laying before His Majesty your translation of the Scriptures, Under these cir- cumstances it might not be necessary for me to go ; but as you are a stranger, Mr. Wynn wishes me to accompany you in order to ensure your finding him, and putting you at the proper moment into his hands, and this I shall be happy to do, and shall therefore as before settled, call for you in Berners Street, on Wednesday, at half past one." At the appointed time, Dr. Morrison accompanied Sir George Staunton to the Levee ; and on being presented to the King, His Majesty recognised him in a manner which showed he was well acquainted with his merits and the value of his public services. He very graciously accepted a copy of the translation of the Bible and a map of Pekin, which were acknow- ledged in the following letters, the first from the Et. Hon. Sir E. Peel, then Home Secretary, and after- wards Prime Minister, and the other from Dr. Sumner, afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury ; — " To Sir George Staunton, Bart., etc., etc. "Whitehall, April 12th, 1824. *' My dear Sir, — In laying before His Majesty the Chinese Biolc> I have not failed to mention to His Majesty the very singular and meritorious exertions which have been made by Dr. Morrison to promote religion and literature in the East. " His Majesty has commanded me to convey through you to Dr. Morrison, the exj)ression of his marked approbation of that gentleman's distinguished and useful labours. '* I have the honour to bo, my dear Sir, "Your most faithful and obedient servant, "EoBERT Peel." WORK IN ENGLAND. 115 I Majesty these cir- e to go ; es me to ling him, is hands, therefore street, on Dmpanied on being id him in ited with ices. He slation of acknow- Prom the md after- rom Dr. ■T ;— 1824. jesty the n to His exertions promote r through marked hed and iir, irvant, c Peel." " To the Eev. E. Morrison, D.D., etc. "Carlton Palace, April 14ih, 1824. " Sir,— I have received His Majesty's commands to convey to you His Majesty's acknowledgments, and to express his sense of your attention in presenting through Mr. Peel, a copy of your Chinese Bible. "His Majesty has been pleased to direct me to take it into my particular care, as an important and valuable addition to his library. " I have the honour to be, Sir, " Your obedient and faithful servant, " Charles E. Sumner, Librarian." The Select Committee of the East India Company also introduced Mr. Morrison to the Court of Directors in the following flattering words, showing how ground- less had been all the fears entertained that his official connection with the Company would be inimical to its commercial interests : — " Dec. 5th, 1823. We cannot permit Dr. Morrison to depart from the situation he has held for sixteen years in this establishment, with eminent advantage to the interests of the Honourable Company, without expressing the strong sense we entertain of the im- portance of his services, and of the perfect satisfaction we have derived from his abilities and general de- portment during his residence in this country. We trust, therefore, we may be permitted to introduce Dr. Morrison to the notice of your Honourable Court as a gentleman meriting your best attentions." This was signed by all the members of the Select Commit^^^ee, and consequently from the Directors as a body, and from many of them personally he received attentive courtesy. The Court allowed him half his income while on furlough, and he was invited to a ^ I 116 ROBERT MORRISON. public dinner given in his honour by the Directors, where he formed acquaintance with some of the most distinguished persons of the time. Public engage- ments crowded upon him, leaving him no opportunity for rest, or for enjoying private fellowship with his friends. As soon as he could tear himself from pressing engagements in London he went down to his native county, Northumberland, and in Newcastle found himself again amongst many friends and relatives, who accorded him an enthusiastic reception. He arrived on the 18th of April, and on the Sabbath preached to crowded congregations, hundreds being unable to gain admission. He proceeded, on the 23rd, to Edinburgh, to visit his daughter, and ac- companied by her, returned to Newcastle, en route to Manchester, in order to take with him to London his son, to be present at the meetings of the various benevolent and religious Societies in May. He was waited upon by the civil authorities, and invited to a public dinner given in honour of his visit. One gentleman still survives who recollects, with great distinctness, this visit to Newcastle. The venerable and much-esteemed Hev. J. C. Bruce, D.D., LL.D., etc., etc., remembers ])r. Morrison paying a visit to his father's house, and says of his appearance : "As I remembor him, he was a well-formed man about middle size, with dark and rather curly hair." Dr. Bruce also possesses a copy of his translation of the Bible and the Anglo-Chinese Dictionary. In reference to this visit he wrote to Sir G. Staunton : «' My reception in this town is as kind as I could possibly wish. It is interesting to rac to revisit the streets and fields where I lived happily as a poor bashful boy, thirty years ago." His experiences WORK IN ENGLAND. 117 Directors, the most ! engage - portunity with his elf from ivn to his Newcastle nds and eception. Sabbath ds being on the and ae- ro?/ fe to iidon his various He was ited to a t. One h great 3nerable LL.D., visit to e : "As n about ■•" Dr. i/tion of Sir G. kind as > me to opily as jriences in revisiting old haunts, he afterwards described in writing to his niece on his return to China : " I felt deep interest in travelling over again the walks of my boyhood ; St. John's Church, the Forth, Maiden Lane, the riverside, once so lovely to me ; noWj the dirty new coal shaft has disfigured all the high bank healthy walks, with the river between and the windmill hills opposite. At four or five in the morning, winter and summer, have I sallied forth to the walks I have now alluded to— but ah ! how changed the circumstances. Holy Scripture, prayer, the Sabbath and the assembly of God's people, were then my delight, days never to return. But there is a better country, Hannah, and in China, I am as near to it as in England." He was overwhelmed with solicitations from all parts of England, to preach and speak on behalf of various Missionary and other Societies, and he was obliged to appeal to his friends to be more considerate of his strength and ability. Wherever he went his presence was hailed with overflowing and devout enthusiasm, and the claims of China to the Gospel more fully acknowledged. He attended the May Meetings of several of the leading religious Societies, especially those of the London Missionary, the British and Foreign Bible, the Eeligious Tract, the Prayer Book and Homily, and the Port of London Societies, with all of which he had become closely associated by his work in China, and which bonds were drawn the closer the longer he lived. In all these meetings the references to Dr. Morrison and his work were so eloquent, and were received with such enthusiastic applause that his retiring modesty was very much tried. One interesting incident was afterwards re- corded by the Rev. T. S. Grimshaw, in relation to the Ik 'I m n r il^ 118 ROBERT MORRISON. Anniversary Meeting of the Bible Society. He says : •' The day had been signalised by Dr. Morrison having presented to Lord Teignmouth, the President, before a crowded and distinguished auditory, the Chinese version of the Bible, executed jointly by himself and the late Dr. Milne. The undertaking was said to have been the result of nearly twenty years' laborious toil and study, and justly considered to be an extraor- dinary monument of Christian piety and perseverance Never shall I forget the deep interest of that im- pressive occasion. Dr. Morrison appeared in the front of the platform, holding the precious volume in his hand. Beside him stood his youthful son, brought forward as it were, like another Hannibal, not indeed to stand pledged against his country's foes, but to be consecrated, on the altar of the Bible Society, against those of his Eedeemer, and to share with his father m the honour of extending His everlasting kingdom. ...... Mr. Butterworth stated the following fact ; • It is now many years ago, that in visiting the library of the British Museum, I frequently saw a young man, who appeared to be deeply occupied in his studies. The book he was reading was in a language and character totally unknown to me. My curiosity was awakened, and apologising to him for the liberty I was taking, I ventured to ask what was the language that engaged so much of his attention.' * The Chinese,' he modestly replied. 'And do you understand the language?' I said. 'I am trying to understand it,' he replied, ' but it is attended with singular difficulty.' 'And what may be your object,' asked Mr. B., 'in studying a language so proverbially difficult of attain- ment, and considered to be even insuperable to European talent and industry?' 'I can scarcely He says : on having nt, before i Chinese mself and s said to laborious 1 extraor- everance. that im- i in the ohime in , brought ot indeed 3ut to be •, against is father b'ngdom. ing fact; e hbrary a young i in his language curiosity e Hberty anguage Chinese,' ;and the tand it,' fficulty.' B., 'in f attain- able to scarcely WORK IN ENGLAND. 119 define my motives,' he remarked; ' all that I know is that my mind is powerfully wrought upon by some strong and indescribable impulse ; and if the language be capable of being surmounted by human zeal and perseverance I mean to make the experiment. What may be the final result, time only can develope. I have as yet no determinate object in contemplation, beyond the acquisition of the language itself.' ' Little did I think,' said Mr. B., * that I then beheld the germ as it were of this undertaking, the completion of which we have witnessed this day, that such small beginnings would lead to such mighty results, and that I saw before me the honoured instrument, raised up by the Providence of God, for enlightening so large a portion of the human race, and bringing them under the dominion of the truths of the Gospel.' " The remainder of the year was spent in visits to France, Ireland, Scotland, and all parts of England, with a view to excite deeper interest in tlie spiritual con- dition of China and other Oriental nations. With an entire disregard of his own ease. Dr. Morrison power- fully advocated the claims of the heathen, urging the various Christian churches to renewed efforts to evangelise the far-distant and ancient countries of the East. In crossing over to Calais, he met with Lord William and Lady Bentinck, who offered him great attentions, taking him to their own hotel, and pro- curing for him the services of an agreeable guide and interpreter while he was in Paris. Lady Bentinck entered most sympathetically into his views for the enlightenment of the lands of the East, and when after- wards her husband was Governor-General of India, she fervently strove to use her influence in encouraging efforts for the diffusion of knowledge and religion. i I 120 ROBEliT MdlllllSON. In Paris, ho hail interviews with, and received mnM, courtesy from Baron Humboldt M. «em„Tat M lUaproth, Baron ,Ie Stael, M. de Sac another of !.e leadmg literary men of France. He was n he ht T,L Y "'""""^ '" ^"Sland satisfied that he had produced a deep impression on many minds farouraWe to efforts for the moral elevation oHhe eTs] Jle7T:^" i""' ''\ "™'"»8 tour in S oUa'd he went to Aberdeen, for the purpose of seeinc the orphan eh,ldren of Dr. Milne, in whom he toot an affectionate interest, and earnestly enjoined upon Z ownohildi^n toeherish towards thema fratei™ relrf Scotland, lie Paris and Dublin, which he hadaS ™s ™;r""f °"' '""'"^^ "*"'- of admS'ttn fo^ Ins voik; and amongst many invitations from distu, gmshed persons, was one from Sir WalterTcott 1 questing him to visit him at Abbotsford. This courtesv' liowover, with many others, he was-obliged o deeS' He was ^-eatly encouraged by a gift of fifteen Tun SoSteCoT ^'"•Vr^''"''"«" '-'"^» 'he of ? 1 1 , ^ '^Se, and also three hundred volumes of valuable books for the library of the Colle™ S George Staunton also contributed two hundred pounds institution The British and Foreign Bible Society vo^ed a further ™m of a thousand pounds to aid hTmn the circulation of the Scriptures, and authorised him o to them, to be usefully engaged in such work. Much other encouragement and help was volunteered for tte of h s vast ?r'"f ? ''°™"' "' '° "'^ destination 01 his vast accumulation of Chinese books, which lay WORK IN ENGLAND. 121 in the meantime in the premises of the London Mis- sionary Society. He had hoped to have induced one ot the great national Universities toestabhsh a Chinese 1 rofessorship, and to have accepted the library in connection therewith. This hope was not to be realised or at least two generations. The learned and religious mind of England was as yet but little prepared to adopt or embody the broad views of the large heart "\\^hinese missionary as to the future of China, and the disposition of the Hbrary became a difficult problem. Ultimately it was presented to the Council of University College, London, and called " The Mon-ison Library," on the condition that it might be used by students of any denomination free of charge _ Another arduous and well-meant effort by Dr Mor- rison to promote the evangelisation of the East, but which, like some other grand projects, was before Its time was the establishment of what was called, rhe Language Institution." The object of this effort was .^ated as a plan -for a more extensive diffusion of Divine truth, by means of a Society which should promote the cultivation of all the languages of mankind, and afford to those benevolent persons who leave their native country with a view of im- parting to the heathen the knowledge of Christianity, every degree of assistance before they quit their native county He was urged to write an appeal on this project by the London, the Church, the Baptist, and the Wesleyan Missionary Societies, and the Society was launched under the high patronage of Earl Roden, Loi-ds ^althorpe and Bexley, Sir George Staunton, W. VVilberforce, and many other distinguished philan- thropists. A suitable building was taken in Holborn ^ ii 122 llOBERT MORRlSOxV. and the business of the Society set on foot. Dr Morrison granted the Society the use of his hbrary and museum and opened the Chinese department by a course o lectures extending over three months, rhnteen students attentively followed him through this course, lour of whom were dedicated as Christian missionaries m Malacca and the Indian Archipelago. Dr. Morrison s services M'ere so eagerly sought, and were deemed so important, that he was induced to piolong his stay m England for another year, a-id he formed classes of young men and women, to ^-hom he gave instruction on subjects relating to mission hfe among the heathen. He entertained the strongest conviction that women could never be elevated Ind sanctified m eastern countries, except largely through the agency of Christian women. ^ This institution did not long continue after his return o Chma; but through its instrumentality during Its brief existence, till 1828, several eminen missionaries were partially prepared and fitted for their great work. The Eev. Samuel Dyer, for sixteen S -fi \ fw u ^"^ ^"'^^e^^f"! missionary in Penang, iectuies of such advantage, that they were able to converse wih tlie people in six or seven weeks aft r then arrival, and that Mr. Dyer then preached in the language so as to be understood In consequence of Dr. Morrison's determination to emam a longer period in England, he removed to a quiet house m Hackney, attending however thrice a week to lecture at the Institution, and on the other three days teachmg a class of ladies at his own house, who were studying the language with a view of .nine; into the mission-field. He also fulfilled many publ7c en- en- WOIIK IN ENGLAND. i23 was muclJty'Tll Tl- u"'""?? ""'"'^ apprehensions Z hU heZ h" '"'"'', "'T" sidence, was the longest interval of Zf f^f , .tr,,"" £'"'«• ':;■= ?'■" ~'t o ;:- MMVUbe.- force andtoEev. C. Simeonf at C m It^ 1826, he prepared to return with her and his children s" crsso^s TcT' '" f r ^"- "-'- ™^ " hS successors in China. Letters of farewell and bene diction poured upon him from distinguished schoar and philanthropists, and benevolent Societieshed ztv^:rr'. ■^^ '° «°^. »d°:rx. ' m the Wtr„f ?,*tr'"' S°'"'-"'"- 0™ "'"'■■act from the letter of Dr Adam Clarke, the Commentator muS he Xf- ' Commentary on the Holy S.riptures, ■I <-; I I H' 124 ROBERT MOHIUSON. i( One thing you must indulge will iiut mo to pain. I mo in, otherwise you , , - ^'^^' Hoi"o time I have purposed to beg your acceptance of a copy of this woi:: for your own ibrary. I am sorry it is not a la,yc paper copy but there ,s not one of them left, they have lonr, been out o prmt. I present this, out of high respect for your labours, and affection for your person. I have ordered It m good hoaHs, for it could not (a few parts excepted) be bound without being spoiled ; as the ink ot the latter parts, not being sulhciently dried, would set-off. ^ Your prayer for me, at the conclusion of your note, IS worth a thousand copies of my work I re turn you mine, in your own words : 'May the power Christ ,r.^ upon your person, your family, and your t'il fi ''?r-' ''"^ ^^"^ '''' ''^'^'y ^^^^'-' J hmk the finest I ever saw. I have carried them on mv knees, kissed them often, and have borne them in my arms. It is many years since I saw them, and thev can have no remembrance of me : please to tell them however, that they have an old man's blessing and bis heartiest prayers. When you sail, may His presence go with you, and give you rest. Amen " According to usual etiquette. Dr. Morrison notiiied to the Court of Directors of the East India Company his mtention of returning to China, requesting that he might be permitted to resume his duties at the Factory, and that his family might be allowed to accompany him. He waited before making final ar- rangements for the voyage, until he received an official answer o his application, not, however, anticipating any hesitation m granting his request. He was, there- lore, much surprised on being informed that he was permitted to return in the CompnnVo cc>.vice "for the term of three years," but that his two children WORK IN ENGLAND. 125 were not permitted to return with him. Dr. Morrison submitted witli as much grace as possible to this ungracious refusal, contenting himself with sending a memorial to tlie Directors, recalHng the services he had rendered to the Company in China for sixteen years, and expressing his disappointment that so small a lavour had been refused. A valedictory service, held in Hoxton Chapel, and attended by many eminent ministers, the venerable ^r. Waugh amongst them, was profoundly affecting. Dr Morrison gave a powerful address, concluding with the words : " Let us look to Christ-to Christ in all His love and mercy and mediatorial work. Let this over dwell in our hearts. So shall we be cheered in every bereavement, and find ourselves at home in every clime. Farewell ! " On April the 21st, 1820, he and his partner and little baby, accompanied by a party of friends, went down to Gravesend. He intended to sail by the Orwell a ship m poor repute with seamen, on account of its inferior accommodation ; but the captain was a re- hgious man, and Dr. Morrison preferred congenial company to creature comforts. His friends gathered round him for parting prayer, and left him. The vesse , however, was detained at Gravesend until May 1st As he was waiting to sail, he was greatly pleased receive from his tried and proved friend, bir G. btaunton, the present of a beautiful and valu- able inkstand, which he acknowledged in these words • 1 have received the beautiful inkstand which you have sent me, and done me the honour to inscribe with your own name. In China a,nd in England you havefor twenty years condescended, I may say (con- sidering my humble circumstances), to favour me i'^ '! ; ^^^ ROBERT MOUUISON. With .your iriendshii). Tli's last token of voiir kfnrl w you, goodncs , to mo. Accept, dcai Kir Goorw nf .«y smceroly grateful tl,„„I« o- all your Wu Ino," and for your substantial aid to the cauL of 2 Mv «li«.o„, through ,„c. its humble servant! indlcce^ my best thanks for this parting expressio" of yet God our' S "■'™"!'""- '"'^ ">■= l*'™" W-'i'g t-od our Saviour rest upon you ' " On July 24th, as the ship pursued its cnnr.. o «er.„us mutiny occurred on board. Tit mo, ™ le ge d they had been treated with harshness a^ yranny and some bold spirits had enticed their co,nSns to swear an oath on the Jjible to stand by eacho ,er A plot was laid to resist the officers, a,,d'^ont.e first L ^"ie *'-'=lishing. The Language Institution was dissolved in England for want of an enthusiastic spirit to keep it alive. But indeed it was before its time by fifty years. Then the Singapore Institution also failed entirely through the mismanagement of persons who were entrusted with the carrying out of the project. Thus the bene- volent intentions of Dr. Morrison, who had spent about six thousand dollars upon it, and of Sir Stamford Eafiles were frustrated. On the other hand, he was cheered by the success of the Anglo- Chinese College at Malacca ; and the Select Committee of the East India Company drew up a memorial to the Honourable Court of Directors in Ensland. settin0 forth vpw nlooriTr the good it was doing, and the excellent influence it was likely to exercise on the interchange of commerce RENEWED LABOUR. 135 between the nations, by facilitating intercourse with China and extending to Europeans the knowledge of the Chinese language. The memorial, which was signed by Sir W. Fraser, the chief of the Factory, and the other members of the Committee, adds : " It is but justice to Dr. Morrison to state, that (,he College en- tirely owes its origin to him, and its continuation to his exertions ; and he has thus added to pre-eminent success in Chinese literature his unremitting exer- tions for the diifusion of useful knowledge." A few weeks later, he had the sorrow of losing by death, a firm friend in Sir W. Fraser. He was buried in the cemetery at Canton, the service being read by Dr. Morrison. So carefully was he observed by the Eoman Catholics on the one hand, and Chinese officials on the other, that he was entirely shut out from preaching or teach- ing the Gospel to any, save the few Chinese in his own employ, and occasionally one or two who might be induced to join them. He was therefore compelled, almost exclusively, to make attempts to reach the heathen through the press, and for this purpose he laboured incessantly and devotedly. He persevered in the preparation of his Chinese Commentary ; and, in order to train native inquirers into clearer views of Divine truth, he prepared a system of reference to each book, chapter, and ver3e of the Bible, with chronological, historical, and literary notices. He also commenced a Dictionary of the provincial dialect of Canton, which was then coming into use almost equally with the Mandarin dialect. He employed many means of disseminating the Bible and religious tracts, and succeeded in sending large quantities to Gorea, Cochin China, Siam, the Islands of the Archi- i 1.30 KOUERT MORRISON. pelago, and by means of traders, into the very heart of the mterior of China. ^ The native teacher, Leang Afa, meantime laboured assiduousy for the benefit of his countrymen a opportunity permitted. He went up the X'.trv his or^amif "^t "^^"-"^^"^^^ ^ ^- ^"^^^ " The people are all deceived and sunk in Btupiditv specljng va.n idols. Although I take the tn,"h ani Ion th?R,m-/ '"''™'' '""""8 *e seventh oTti; t^r^ k" t"'"'"^ "'" P'^°l"^ ^ythe rites ot the Yu Ian shmg hwuy. Every family, without exe tri;"r''V'r' '' '^ "'^^"'"'^'■^ nec;ssay exeit the r utmost strength in burning multitudes of paper before the tablets of their ancestors, and also burn some m the streets, that destitute gl^st com? ng a,K gomg, as well as the spirits of their ancestors o we, ' T^ ''"""'" "'''° *'""«''• ^"'1 l"^ve elothes o wear and money to spend in the other world If these thmgs be not done, the hearts of the pool are anclT;- "°' 'V'° " '^ ^°"^'"-«' - ™" pie y and affection and virtue. When I look on such stun d nonsense I am exceedingly grieved, and at a loss S to do. I can only meditate and attend to my own onduct night and day; carefully and firmly adheri™ the truth, and look up and pray to the Lord on high to convert the hearts of men, and turn theh fee ato the straight road which will lead th m f™, everhistmg misery." A curious testimony as to the vahie of Dr. Morrison's iterary labours occurred at this tim. bein- rofbTL less than the translation of his enorm^urDic W? RRNEWED LABOUR. 137 into Japanese. He was also informed that the pre- vaihng fashion in Japanese fans, was to have them covered with extracts from the Dictionary, arranged alphabetically and written with extraordinaiy neatness. IIUDDHIST PRIESTS IN CHINA. At the close of the year 1828, he was called to attend two young officers on the ship Orwell, by which he had come out from England after his visit, and i.\i r ^11 138 RORERT MORRISON. |i ■« in if. the most tender an, were all, save one, murdered hy a n„mbe" of Chinese, whose cupidity had been excited by the timsure on board. The survivor supported himself on a plank when he was taken up by a fishin" boa and brought to Macao. He deposed to tto awft l' crime before the Portuguese authorities, and info mation was forwarded to .he Chinese officials ai he'tkenl:. 'thr'"' *^' '"""'P' measures sh^u ue taken foi the apprehension of the murderers They were traced, captured, tortured, tried aid condemned to be executed ; but before b inVso thev Piinnoi of the murdered crew, The ceremony took ^vod them ! was re- estimony :lio naniG of their ferred to ce. Dr. Eiiy 1st, room at ill coun- nirution n called he had putated of an itioner. I vessel e from lumber by the limself j-boat, awful infor- ils at ihould erers. and they [i the toolv *■• If ^l J-f A CHrXEHE COURT OF JUSTICF.. liO M IJOIlKnT MORHISOX. I I'lnco in tlio Ifoiif; Mcvliai.K' 7r„ii i i'y many f„,.„i«„„".„, a .X-tl "'■"'«:" """'"'"' pied a front position TL^.^ »f"m.son oecu- ftiid on nnpli no«> . "*''^^'^' ^cgs, and wrists offend r a, thf .'T '"'""'"'^ "'« '»'»« of the onoman ,va, bron°Tf °V'"™' "'"' '""'of all attention He wa an T"1-''''? ""™'^'^'' Senera fifty year, of age a"d thn '"^"'°p'''"« ""»"' '^''°»' was on the ca^c He i !™ T'w' fr-'""'«-<''"'o.., ^«t was nnabfe io ^tS ^^^Z'T'^'H his own countrymen nrn«nnf « i ''. ^^'^'^ood. Isone of ho .spoke tI,o fS afee" vMm '7^"' 'f ''»»' »» the Canton. Dr. Crhon r °™ ""''''y ''■"»' and conver,sed wi 1, 1,,?' !"■" ™" f°"™'-•• was engr;vod at t elpe'se of":r; "1f"'^' ">'* Factory, in testimony'of that esteomtT °' ""^ impressions of the picture „L,,, " ■""■ ™'' of the Coll».e a "1- » ' '^°'' ">' ''™oflt "-„e at .Ua.acca (see JmnlispieeeJ. i attended isoii OCCll- diHplayed ot 8it up. ikI wrists, e of the m. The !ast of all • general n> about g-chaou, JO court, None of ' Jiim, as 3ly from forward lie was of any •sed the he was tituted, 'l)eared • grati- 3sident shman one of J then 3f Dr. which )f the , and eneiit UKNEWED LAllOUH. 141 a wicked superstition, and seeking to sell iTs coun "v to foreigners. He was obli<.ed therlrn T !/ refuge at Macao with Dr. Mor^^on."'' '' *''^" The duties of Dr. Morrison at the Factory now became more ardnn7i« n^^A te • -^ acioi} now always been unconge™:.,'" t tZ^,J!7 ''^^ '«' AmbLsador of East S r?"-,^''"?- '^^^^'" •"'"'"^- "f '1- i^-ast India Council strongly urged upon him and his smte to secure the valuable services of Dr. Morrison ^ter'^l ft '""' T*"'^ '° "'<' ^»'«'«^y- But after all the worse than coolness which had been manifested by the English Government towS Zr b " '^T^T' ™'"""y 'hat a niJoZZ should be employed by it for the transaction of business so important and delicate as must attach to tntilthe" T; ,N° "^'-'"'"'y «o„ld be attained until the arrival of Lord Napier and his attendants. . On May Is , 1834, Dr. Morrison wrote this entiy n his journal: "On the 28th of this month, U is Mr. Hardcastle's countmg-house, at the end of the old London Bridge. Eowland HUl was there and asked me if I looked upon the heathen as angts'^ ? As I did not know the mind of angels, of course I could not say ' Yes.' " b . oi course i 1 "^"/"'^ ^^"^ '"' ™°'o fro™ Macao : " Lord Nanier anded yesterday about 8 p.m. The frigate S a Salute when he left the ship, and the Portuguese fired "- when he reached the shore. I went d^wn to the CLOSING SCENES. 151 Chinese custom-house, where he landed, and handed one of his daughters from the boat to my chair, in which she went up to D's. I introduced myself to him in going upstairs. He took me oy the hand, and said he was glad to make my acquaintance. He was dressed in naval uniform. Lady Napier rose from her chair and walked towards me to shake hands, with a smiling countenance and civil speech, saying she seemed to have been long acquainted with me, being so familiar with my name. "At noon to-day a meeting of all the Factory people was summoned at Lord Napier's to hear the King's commission read. That which concerns you^ and our beloved children I will tell first. I am to be styled 'Chinese Secretary and Interpreter,' and to have £1,300 a year, without any allowances whatever for domine, house-rent, or anything else. I am to wear a vice-consul's coat with King's buttons, when I can get one. Government will pay one hundred dollars a month to the College, instead of the Company. His lordship asked whether I accepted of the appoint- ment or not. I told him at once that I did. He then said he would forthwith make out my commission. . . Pray for me that I may be faithful to my blessed Saviour in the new place I have to occupy. It is rather an anomalous one for a missionary. A vice- consul's uniform instead of the preaching gown." On July 20th, Lady Napier wished him to preach in the Company's chapel at Macao, and he prepared to preach a sermon he had just composed from the words, *' In My Father's house are many .mansions," John xiv. 2 ; but an objection was raised by Some narrow-minded sectarian, and no service at all w«s ^ Addressed to his wife. 152 KOJJEHT MOHIUSOX. considered better than one conducted bv a minister who was not propcrlij ordained. On the 23rd he accompanied Lord Napier to Canton his presence being necessary in any interview between the Ambassador and the Chinese Government officials. He suffered frightfully on the voyage. He quitted the irigate at the Bogue, and remained all night in an open boat exposed to the extreme heat and a storm ot rani. He was, therefore, utterly spent when he h-mded and had the prospect of exciting and anxious negotiations before him. On the 25th he writes • " In wa lung through the hot sun to-day from this house to the Company's, where Lord Napier is, I was like to (h-op m the streets, and have been groaning on my couch ever since, being now past eight in the even"- T^\ .u ''^''^ '^""^ ^'^ attended the Council from ten to three, occupied in the work of translating letters On Sunday, the 27th, he conducted service with the Chinese, having, perhaps, the largest congregation he had been privileged to see, and he was cheered l)y old Le who had long transcribed for him, telling him that he had been led to believe in Christ Jesus. The day before, his name had been published with those of the officers of the King's Commission, being placed above those of the surgeons, chaplains, and private secretai-y. On the following day he dragged himself his official duties, and had a wearisome time, with tlie squabbles between the native and English officers and then his earthly labours were over. He spent a wretched night on the Tuesday, and on Wednesday a surgeon was sent for. Everything that doctors or his son or attendants could do was attempted, but a fever raged withm him that apparently nothing could assuage. Leave of absence from Canton was ^iven Ill CLOSING SCENES. 163 • liim, but he was too feeble to be removed. On I^riday evening the doctors in attendance tried other means for his relief ; but he was rapidly sinking, and at about DR. MORRISON'S TOMl! AT MACAO. (Krum 11 ilniwiiiK by CiUHNEnv.) ten o'clock in the evening he closed his eyes and slept. It was the sleep of the righteous, from which he awoke m glory. He passed thus quietly into the mansion in the Father's house, prepared for him by the Saviour, 154 ROBFniT MORRISON. and concpining which, as if prophetically, he had pre- pared his last discourhe. He wns buried by the side of his first wife, in the resting-place for the dond at Macao. His remains weio attended from the house to the place of em- barkation by Lord Napier, and all the Europeans, Americans, and Asiatic British subjects then in Can- ton. Several gentlemen accompanied them to Macao and the service was read by the Eev. E. Stevens! Seamen s Chaplain at Canton. The following inscription was placed upon his tomb : (Satrtb to iht memorg xif ROBERT MORRISON, D. D., THK FIRST PROTESTANT MISSIONARY TO CHINA, Where aftn- a service of twcnty-seven year» chetrfnlb, spent in cxtendhn tkek.n,d o thousand five hundred and six communicants, and eleven thousand three hundred and seventy-five pupils in schools. Every mail brings reports from China, informing the churches that openings for successful uission work are occurring there on every hand, and that from all parts of the country is heard the Macedonian cry (( Come ovex anb Ipelp us." LONDON ; KN'IGHT, fRINTBR, MIDDLE STREET, ALDERSGATE, EX. 4 npire for com that 3n vigor - anothel• ntil the eighteen appiness ous field Aqb, and it work, by four i ; three hundred ng with nty-five, 3 China, ty-thrr-:' bundre ty-eig}- its, and e pupils L China, Lccessful nd, and ird the i : ^