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translator of the Bible, begin by this bias to prepare him to relish that holy but laborious task.

mined in the strength of the Lord to surrender himself to his service, was accepted by the London Missionary Society, and in 1804, at the age of twentytwo, was removed to their seminary at Gosport. There he continued under the instructions of that eminent man of God, the Rev. David Bogue, till January, 1807, when he was ordained as a missionary to China.

He united himself with the Scottish church in the year 1798. From this time he seems to have been constantly animated with that unconquerable spirit which raised him above a thousand early difficulties, and characterized his subsequent life. Hitherto he had followed the humble occupation of his father, that of a boot-tree maker in Newcastle upon Tyne. But about two years after his conversion to the Lord, prominent marks of the genuineness of that change began to appear. He felt springing up in his heart new and ardent desires to serve the Lord Jesus Christ, and promote the best interests of his fellow men. These desires he indulged till they became a part of his existence, ripening into a design so fixed, that neither the dissuasions of friends nor the impossibility of mark-scarcely avoid imagining them the fabled ing out any definite way of its accomplishment, could divert him from his purpose.

Many and many an age had the millions of this empire appeared on the stage of life, and groped their dark and cheerless way down to the gates of death, "having no hope, and without God in the world." Generation after generation here had risen, flourished, and passed away, quite unknown to the western world. Their exploits were recorded indeed, and their maxims treasured up, but in an unknown tongue. So distant and indistinct seemed they, that one could

inhabitants of another world, or of some fairy land. But the spirit of primitive missions was returning to the western churches, and enlightened Christians could not rest satisfied while the divine revelation was withheld from the first and the greatest of nations. The benevolent spirits of that day, who projected this mission, and most of whom now rest from their labors, did not suffer the general ignorance respecting China, nor the prevalent prejudices against missiona

till they succeeded in planting their agent in Canton. The following extract from his instructions, dated London, January 20th, 1807, will exhibit the leading object of the Missionary Society in this

To compass this design of being useful, he saw it was necessary first to get knowledge; but his resources were small, his days were spent in manual labor, and his first application for instruction was discouraged by the clergyman to whom he applied. About 1801, he placed himself under the private instruction of the Rev. Mr. Laidler, of Newcastle, to acquire the Latin language. To this pur-ries, to divert them from their purpose, suit he devoted his mornings before six o'clock, and his evenings after seven or eight; and this course he continued for fourteen months. In the beginning of 1803, his situation was changed so as to promise the attainment of his wishes-enterprise. he was received into the theological seminary at Hoxton on the north of London, where he spent a year and a half assiduously pursuing his studies. At this time, the first desire of his heart which had long been concealed from others and had scarcely been owned to himself, was declared; this was to become a missionary of the gospel. The thought ever dwelt on his mind; he endeavored to weigh every side of the question; proposed it to his friends, but they pressed him to stay with them; his father wept and prayed over him, unwilling to part with him, yet afraid lest he was doing This extract records the origin of the wrong in opposing his departure. Robert first British establishment in China for was his youngest child, the joy and re- religious and literary purposes; it was joicing of his heart, and he lived to see unofficial, voluntary, noiseless, devised him honored among the churches of and executed by a few pious and enterChrist. But after the death of his mother, prising individuals. On the 31st of JanRobert obtained his father's consent to uary, 1807, Mr. Morrison embarked for his wishes. Accordingly he now deter-China by way of America, where he

"We trust that no objection will be made to your continuing in Canton, till you have accomplished your great object of acquiring the language; when this is done, you may probably soon afterwards begin to turn this attainment into a direction which may be of extensive use to the world; perhaps you may have the honor of forming a Chinese dictionary, more comprehensive and correct than any preceding one; or the still greater honor of translating the sacred Scriptures into a language spoken by a third part of the human race."

stayed twenty days, and then re-embark- to sir G. T. Staunton, to whom he had ed alone in the American ship Trident been introduced by a letter from sir Jofor Canton. During that brief stay, he seph Banks. This arrangement secured made the acquaintance of some active for him a permanent residence in China, Christian friends; which, together with contributed to his own pecuniary sup his subsequent correspondence, contri-port, and enabled him to devise liberal buted to that lively interest ever felt for him in America. He received from Mr. Madison, then secretary of state, a letter of introduction to Mr. Carrington, American consul at Canton, requesting for hiin all convenient aid in his literary pursuits. On the 4th of September he reached Macao, but had no sooner landed than he was ordered away by the Portuguese, through the jealousy of the Roman Catholics. Compelled to come to Canton at once, the letter alluded to procured him attentions from Mr. C. and several other gentlemen; and he was received into the factory of Messrs. Milner and Bull of New York. His first appearance in Canton, though not cited for imitation, cannot be uninteresting to all who knew him. At first he ate in the Chinese fashion, became an adept with the chopsticks, dining with his native teacher. He imitated the native dress also, let his nails grow long, cultivated a cue, and walked about the hong in a Chinese frock and thick shoes. His mode of living too, was rigidly economical; he lived in a go-down, which was his study, and dining and sleeping room; an earthen lamp gave him light, and a folio volume of Henry's Commentary set on end, screened this lamp from the wind. Here he studied day and night at the language, but, having little help from teacher or books, with success not proportionate to his toil. His Chinese habits were soon laid aside; for though he meant well, yet as he often afterwards said, he judged ill. At the close of 1808, with all the British he was obliged to go to Macao, in consequence of the arrival of troops from Bengal. Here he was so unwilling to expose himself to public notice, that he never walked out; in consequence of which his health began to suffer. The first time he ventured into the fields was by moonlight, under the escort of two Chinese. Yet during all this time he was silently studying the language: and so anxious was he to acquire it, that his secret prayers to the Almighty were offered in broken Chinese.

things for charitable objects, and public institutions. Henceforward his life and actions have been so public that little remains unknown, and withal so even and || uniform as scarcely to leave any other tnarks of the lapse of time than those made by some domestic occurrence, or the publication of some new work.

From the commencement of 1809, his circumstances were materially changed; on the 20th of February he was married to Miss Mary Morton, eldest daughter of John Morton, Esq. The same day he accepted the appointment of translator to the East India Company, as assistant

The vicissitudes of domestic joy and sorrow fell to the lot of Dr. Morrison. With a heart eminently fitted to find happiness in the bosom of his family, he was for months annually separated from them, it being often necessary for him to be in Canton, while his family remained at Macao. Death early entered his family; and in 1811, he buried his first-born child on the day of its birth. He had to dig the grave with his own hands on a hill on the north of Macao, in doing which he was at first forcibly interrupted by the Chinese. In 1815, Mrs. Morrison was driven by lingering disease to seek a cooler climate, and leaving her husband in China she sailed with her two children for England. After an absence of five years she returned with health improved, but as it appeared, returned but to die in her husband's arms; for the next year she was suddenly taken from the world. Her two orphan children returned to England, whither the father followed them in 1824, having completed the dictionary of the Chinese language and the version of the Scriptures. He here enjoyed a grateful relief from his incessant labors, in the solaces of friendship and Christian communion. While in England he was married to Miss Eliza Armstrong, daughter of W. Armstrong, Esq., with whom he re-embarked in 1826 for China, which he was to leave no more. With his own health declining, he was obliged by Mrs. M.'s continued debility to part once more and for the last time with his family. In December last, Mrs. M. and six children embarked for England, leaving his eldest son with him in China.

In his public capacity as connected with the East India Company, he ever sustained the character of an able and faithful translator. The duties were at first extremely oppressive, owing to his own imperfect knowledge of the language, and his want of confidence in the native assistants. The perplexing hours spent in his new duties were not relieved

till further acquaintance with the language taught him that their intercourse was mutually intelligible. He was early the only translator, and during twentyfive years till the late expiration of the company's charter, he held this station. Twenty-three years he was in actual service, in which time, amidst the occurrence of innumerable difficulties and collisions, he has sometimes been the only means of communication with the Chinese government, when property and life were at stake. In the embassy of Lord Amherst to Peking in 1816, Mr. Morrison was attached to the suite as one of the translators, in which duties he bore the principal part. And on the recent arrival of lord Napier in China as chief British superintendent, he accepted the appointment of Chinese secretary and interpreter under his lordship. It was in the discharge of those new duties that he came to Canton, to die on the spot which had been the scene of his most important labors.

In the department of letters, the name of Morrison is extensively known. From the time when, in his youth, he sat down in the British Museum to copy a "Harmony of the gospels" in Chinese, till the day of his death, it may almost literally be said, the study of the language was his prime object. In the study or on a journey, on land or water, he hardly remitted this attention. While we stood looking on his just breathless body, next to personal grief for the loss of a revered friend, arose an insuppressible regret, that such long accumulating knowledge was to be of no more avail to the world. But we thank God that it is not all lost. He has left to us, in his dictionary, the results of many years of toil; and to the Chinese, a more imperishable memoria! in the version of the Holy Scriptures. When Dr. M. began to study this language it is said there was but one Englishman who understood it. Many men doubted the possibility of acquiring it, and its capacity for expressing the truths of the Christian religion. Having no grammar, and but a partial copy of a manuscript Latin dictionary, he commenced the task, with the samne spirit which had sustained him in mastering the Latin, during the hours due to repose and recreation. Experience of the want of aids in learning the Chinese, doubtless confirmed him in the design speedily to prepare facilities for future students. His great work in this department is his a and Chinese dictionary; not inspecimen of perfect lexicoan astonishing proof of abil

ity and industry, and as all later students know, eminently useful. This extensive work was published at the expense of the East India company, reserving for themselves one hundred copies;-an expense of £12,000. It consists of three parts, comprising six large quarto volumes, and 4,595 pages. The Chinese and English part contains about 40,000 words. The first volume was issued at Macao in 1816, and the whole was completed in 1823.

Besides the dictionary, Dr. Morrison published several minor philological works. His grammar of the Chinese language was finished as early as 1811, and was also published under the patronage of the East India Company. There is also a volume of Chinese and English dialogues; View of China for philological purposes; with several minor works; and lastly, in 1828, a Vocabulary of the Canton dialect, in two volumes. These various works procured him the esteem of learned men, and the reputation of a benefactor of mankind. The University of Glasgow in 1817 gratuitously conferred upon him the degree of doctor in divinity. He was also a fellow of the Royal Society, member of the Royal | Asiatic Society, etc.

Since

The Anglo-chinese college at Malacca owes its origin to Dr. Morrison, who at first devoted £1,000 to it, and gave £100 annually for the first five years from its commencement. He was subsequently a liberal contributor to its funds. laying the foundation stone in 1818, the institution has found generous patrons in southeastern Asia, England, and elsewhere. Its chief object is the cultivation of Chinese and English literature, and the diffusion of Christianity in this part of the world. Dr. Morrison being then resident in China, it was the part of his beloved colleague, Dr. Milne, to superintend the erection of the college, and to carry into effect their mutual plans regarding its establishment. From the beginning of its operations till his death in 1822, Milne was principal of the institution, and its increasing success justified the cherished hopes of its departed founders. By his early death, the college sustained a loss at that time irreparable; though its usefulness, if not extended, has continued. But the present prospects are more favorable than ever, and we cannot but indulge the hope, that under the present experienced principal, the Rev. John Evans, this institution will exceed in usefulness the hopes of its benevolent founder. Dr. Morrison held the office of president

of the college from its commencement them; that by the union of Christian eftill his death. fort, glory to God and the salvation of men are promoted."

to that alone. From first to last he maintained in his own house on the Sabbath, divine worship in the Chinese language. Long before the arrival of the company's chaplain in China, he performed one service in English, and two in Chinese on each Lord's day: the latter he never omitted, but the former has been more limited and occasional during late years. Preaching in Chinese has ever called for caution, more perhaps in past years than at present: but he was able to continue it during the violent measures adopted by the Chinese government against Roman catholics in 1814. On the last Sabbath before his death, he was peculiarly animated and solemn in his exhortations to his native audience, that they should give heed to the repeated instructions they had enjoyed, as if, and as it proved, they were to enjoy them no more. In singing, his favorite devotional exercise, he sung with them the hymn, which he had prepared and translated during the present summer, beginning with

But besides all these, there was another work in the completion of which Though the press was his chief inour revered friend had more heartfelt de-strument for diffusing the knowledge of light than in all others; that is, the trans-Christianity, yet he has not been limited lation of the Bible into the Chinese language. Compared with this he regarded those only as subsidiary and preparatory; but this was connected with the dearest and best interests of men in this world and the next. Having early been blessed with an extraordinary relish for these holy oracles, and resting on them as his own and only hopes for eternity, he justly regarded the opening of divine revelation to the millions of the Chinese language nations, as a high honor to himself. Dr. Morrison brought with him to China, a Harmony of the gospel, and some other portions of the New Testament which had been translated into Chinese, probably by some Roman catholic missionary; the Acts of the Apostles he first revised and published in Canton. From these he proceeded through the whole New Testament, and revised it so early as 1813. His complete success in printing the Scriptures in China gladdened his heart; and the thrill of joy which he felt in his own bosom was immediately caught by thousands of Christians, who were praying for the good of China. In the translation of the Old Testament he bore the chief part, but his colleague, Dr. Milne, Thus have we glanced at the leadwho ardently desired it, shared in this good work. In 1823 the whole Bible in ing events and labors in the life of one who lived for the benefit of mankind. Chinese, was printed at the mission-press "I have a few," so he wrote to a friend at Malacca;-a work which all the Nesa few days before his death, "I have torians, and the hundreds of Catholic a few, and but a few seniors in service missionaries in China, during 240 years, had not accomplished. If it has the im- throughout the whole extent of Asia; perfections of a first attempt, yet expe- Carey and Marshman are the only ones I know." But alas! the venerable Carience proves it to be mainly intelligible; and God has honored it in communicat-rey, father of the protestant mission in ing the saving knowledge of salvation to some for whom it was destined. Many editions of portions, and two editions of the whole Bible have been printed and distributed, through the liberality of private friends, and of the Bible Societies of England and America. In a letter dated a few days before his death, referring to a donation from the American Bible Society, he thus wrote: "I should wish the fact conveyed to the Bible Society, that their liberality in multiplying copies of the Scriptures in Chinese, affords great joy to one who labored late and early many years in translating

"Jesus, lover of my soul,

Let me to thy bosom fly," etc.

Bengal, had already gone. We would live to praise them. But how changed not eulogize these men, for their works their scenes of labor since they first became actors in them. In the one case, Christianity has risen above the prejudices which then enveloped her glory, and has assumed the attitude of blessing the many thousands of India. In the other, even in China, one of the strongest of the strong holds of the great adversary, a stand has been taken, a work commenced, which though but commenced, will yet lead surely on to victory.

American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions.

Singapore.

EXTRACTS FROM THE JOURNAL OF MR. TRACY.

[Continued from p. 183.]

THE facilities enjoyed at Singapore for a large printing establishment, and for circulating books and tracts extensively in all the

countries of southeastern Asia and the islands in that quarter, were brought into view in the last number.

September 1, 18:34. Went early to my room, praying that the new week and month might witness new zeal, serious earnestness, and love in my conversation with the people, and new effects of divine truth on their minds. About ten o'clock a man, who acts as a physician among the Chinese, and who formerly received some instruction at Macao and Malacca, came and requested instruction respecting the way of salvation for his soul by Jesus Christ, and that I would baptise him. He appeared serious and sincere. He has not worshipped images,|| he says, for several years. It is noticeable that his parents, though not Christians, sent him to Malacca to learn the English language, "and how his soul could be saved." I conversed with him some time, promised to comply with his request for instruction, and if I should find him a true believer in Jesus Christ, to baptise him. I then gave him a few tracts, and he left me. My teacher having occasion to pass his house soon after, saw eight or nine persons there, reading the books which he had received from me. Afternoon went out to procure subscribers for the Chinese Magazine, and increased the number to twenty-three. The Lord make it the means of leading them to think of something besides self and selfish pleasures and interest.

2. Began my monthly distribution of tracts again; met with nothing peculiar; aim at more serious conversation with the people than I had last month, and endeavor to make them think of their souls. The Chinese doctor came to attend morning worship with us, and at evening a young friend of my boy.

3. In the morning went on board two Portuguese vessels-left a Bible for the captain, and several New Testaments for the Portuguese officers and crew of

each. On board the second were twenty or thirty Chinese, who soon took up the little bundle of books we had for them, containing twenty or thirty small volumes; rather unusually eager for them. Went then on board a native vessel from Borneo, near the river Sambas, on the western coast. I sat down among the people, asked about their cargo, etc., then inquired whether they could read and desired books. Six or eight readers were found, and a few tracts and two New Testaments gladly received. One of them remarked that their vessels were not good, far inferior to the English. I inquired what was the reason of this; they had good timber and iron, every thing necessary; why do not they build vessels like the English? He replied that they were very poor. I told them that was because they did not know how to gain property like the English. The latter are constantly reading and learning from their childhood; and the knowledge they acquire enables them to become rich. This is part of an idea which I think it important to keep before their minds-Europeans owe their superiority to their knowledge and religion.-I left them and went on board another vessel which I found came from the same neighborhood. After some conversation, and giving them a few tracts, I asked whether they would like to have a man go and live with them and teach them this religion and other useful things. They replied, as on board the other, to the same question, that they should be glad to have one. The supercargo then added, that the rajah is very much in favor of this religion, and would be glad to have such a man come and live with him. I gave him a New Testament to present to the rajah in my name, and requested that he would inform him, that I hoped some friend from America would come and live with and teach him and his people within two or three years. He wrote my name in the New Testament very carefully, that he might not fail to make a correct report of the matter to his master. I gave them several tracts for themselves and a small parcel to carry to their friends, and was going to take away the rest, when a man extended his hand and asked for a tract. I gave him one, and immediately another hand was extended, and another, and another, till I had not a book left. I re

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