Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1836-10-25
From the New. York Observer.
"REMINISCENCES OF DIR. MORRISON.

His countenance bore the impress OF the
effect of grace on q mind and temperament
naturally firm, and somewhat naughty
There was mixture Of dry sub-acid hu-
NOR which lurked beneath the almost satur-
nine exterior, and which was easily walked
up BY any thing ludicrous, and at the same
time contemplate. He spoke with the ac-
cent of the west of England. His manner
was civil rather than atfable; serious and
thoughtful, breathing devoted piety. Cor
don was a diminutivc man, OF obsequlous
manners and feeble mind. Lee was dark
and forbldding, with sinister cast OF one
eye; his wife, pious woman, from rather
low life; Mrs. Gordon was in every sense
a lady, tall and beautiful, Of an elevated and
polished mind, though not possessed of as
much of the missionary spirit as her less
gifted companion. The interview was
solemn but pleasant. Strangers, born on
different sides of the Atlantic, there was but
one bond between us; yet the divine nature
Of that one "my site tie" was speedily recog-
nized, as communion unlocked the hidden
treasure ofthe heart; and when, at the close,
we bowed our kness in social prayer, the
tears which fell on every side were witnesses
of that strange affection to an unseen Being
and to all who love Him, which knows MOTH
ng of oceans, ior separating mountains
nothing of distance, or of time.
In q day or two DR.. Morrison was seized
with sudden indisposition. AS 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 case and
prepared for every event, his resignation to
the divine will. Afer urging me to greater
devotedness to the cause of Christ's glory
he closed with these words, which AFTER
wards found were ever on his lips, "Dcar
brother, LOOK UP-LooK on"
As the notice had been very short, he
was placed, for the first night, in our own
chamber. By the side of his head stood a
crib, in which slept my little child. On
awaking, in the morning, she turned, as
usual, to talk 10 her mother. Seeing a
stranger, where she expectedto have found
her parents, she reused hersefwith a look
ofalarm, but fixing her eyes sadly upon his
face, she inquired, "Nlan, do you pray to
God!a "Oh yes my dear, said Mr.. Morri:
son. every day. God is my best friend"
At once reassured, the little girl laid her
head contentedly upon her pillow, and fell
fast asleep. She was ever aiicr great ia.
voritc with him.
He did not seem very lavorably impress
sed with America. Though avoiding any
offensive comments, he would occasionally
drop word to his companions which sca!d-
ed as it fell. | do not wonder he was not
much in love with the ministers: for so dit
ferent was the feeling then entertained to-
ward missionaries, that during the whole
time ofhis stay, which was several weeks,
he was asked, think, but once, possibly
twice, to preach for any Of them. lie said
little Of this neglect, but he felt it deeply.
On unpacking his books, to air them, al
ter the voyage, he showed me two folio
volumes in manuscript, written with his own
hand. They were in the Chinese charac.
ter, and consisted of laborious copies Of
two MSS. which had been discovered, |
think, in the Bodleian library in England,
one Harmony of the gospels prepared i'll
Chinese, by one of the Jesuits, the other
vocabulary. On inquiring of him how he
learned to write the character, he related to
me the following very striking fact. Some
time after he had devoted himself to the
work of missions, and had fixed upon China
as the field ofhis future labors, he was walk
ing the streets Of London, and observed
approaching, in an opposite direction, a man
in the garb ola sailor, but who had very
peculiar countenance and air. Struck by
his strange outlandish appearance. DR.. NJ.
accosted him, and enquired who and whence
he was; when, to his great surprise, he found
the man was Chinese. He asked him
whether he was acquainted with the lam
guagc. The stranger smiled and said it
was his native tongue. "And would you
be willing to teach 1t, IT properly compen-
sated?" "Oh yes: me love catch good
profit" "And can YOU teach me to write
the character! Do you write it YOURSELF"
Aha! me schoolmaster in Chinese country" :"
Here is wonder for the christian to con-
template. A Chinese schoolmaster, con-
Quoted by the invisible hand of Providence
from Canton to the streets of London, there
to meet missionary of the cross and the
future translator of the Bible into Chinese.
Let infdels enjoy their cherries creed which
shuts out God from his own world and at
tributes all events to blind fortuity; but
give me the blessed faith
-" that sees God employed
In all the good and i'll which chequer life"
Itis needless to say that he engaged the
man upon the spot, and at once put himself
under course oftuition. The mode adops
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