Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1854-09-03

)f come interested in him, the little Morrison ,vo
soon sent to day school, where his improvement
e gave great delight to the instructors. and NOR
than justified the favorable impressions which ha
: been INDUCED in regard TO him.
0 In what manner his mind FIRST became seriOusl
impressed by the truths of religion, have neve
heard; but think it probable that the instruction
he received in the Sabbath School had sunk deel
into soil remarkably retentive, and receiving up
on them the dews and rain of the Spirits sacret
influence, had gradually. perhaps insensby, STRUCK
their spreading roots, till they reached and got
possession OF his heart. In due time he made a
public profession of Christianity and devoted him.
self to the work of the gospel ministry, entering
as theological student into the seminary then un-
der the care of the Rev. Dr. Bogue, of the Burg
her Synod, Scotland
He had not been long in this Institution before
his thoughts became specially directed toward the
work of missions in the heather world, work to
which the church of Christ began, though late, at
length to wake up. After due reflection and ear
nest prayer he concluded to devote his future life
to missionary labor but in what particular field,
was point reserved for future consideration
directed his choice to the far distant and then most
unpromising field of China, am not able to state;
but, from my knowledge of the man, should not
wonder If it the very difficulties that surroun-
| ded such en- enterprise, which decided him TO at
/ tempt it. The difficulties were of a formidable
! aspect. The language was known to be both ex-
tensive and hard Of Interpretation, even by the
natives themselves. Few ofeven their learned men
were said to have mastered it. The characters
which seemed TO be almost nnumerabIe. were sup
posed to be perfectly arbitrary. unconnectel, and
| without system. The people were proverbialy
jealous of strangers the government utterly op-
| posed to their admission into the empire and in
special manner, opposed to the christian religion
their slight but dcasterOus knowledge of which
had been derived from the Enprincipled grasping
| and ambitious Jesuits. Then the voyage was
long and every expensive. and there was, at that
early day, no missionary fund to which to look TO
| for support. But none of these things moved him.
The more he thoughl of the extent of that ancient
empire the uncOunted millions Of its inhabitants,
and their deep rooted and gross tlolatry, the more
did his intrepid spirit long encounter and con
quer the obstacles that lay in the way of his en-
lightenment.
While his mind was pondering on these things,
he was walking along street in London which
ran near the water side, his head inclined, his
hands behind him, lost in thought. when, suddenly
raising his eyes, he observed man some distance
before him. dressed in sailors clothes with foreign
air and of singular physiOgmy. Morrison. (promp-
ted doubtless. by a sacred impulse from heayen)
resolved to aecost him, and find out whence he
came. The man, in no wise offended by the saluta-
tOn or inquiry, replied in broken English that he
was from China. From China and do YOU
speak the language" Yes. | am a Chinaman
Z" Indeed and can you write the Chinese charac-
ter p "Oh yes; me one schoo!master in my eoun-
try. Morrison overwhelmed. A providence
like this had been beyond his utmost hopes A
Chinese schoolmaster in London streets brought
led, as it were by the hand, to be meet young
missionary, seldevOted to the study ofthe Chinese
tongue, was one Of those wonderful condolences |
that lay far out of the horizon of all human pro-
liability. Yet here he stood. One other point on
ly remained: Are you willing to teach me -
The man with grim smile, answered, YES, oh
yes, if you pay" A bargain was struck; and so
eager was the delighted student with the newly
found treasure, that he took the man straight home
with him, and that very day commenced his studies
in Chinese. If his application had been great be-
FORE it was now redoubled. The schoolmaster set
daily lessons, Just such as he had been accustomed
to set to the young Celestals sent to him at home
and having plenty Of their bamboo paper, and
store of reed pens and India ink, he taught his
British pupil (who learned 'iwith will') to trace
with accuracy and despatch the most complex Of
the Chinese characters. He learned to copy them,
but of their meaning he as yet profoundly
ignorant.
Think of the toll of aboriousIy and patiently
copying whole books Of the symbols of an un-
known tongue!
Morrison had been cheered Ond streng g!hened by
one remarkable providence he was destined soon
to meet another.
When he had been ploddng on from day TO day.
for long while, increasing his acquaintance with
the strange writing of this unique and isolated
people, there discovered / think, in the Bod
leian library stout Ms. volume, marked with
Chinese characters, aud what seemed TO be a
translation, in Latin, written in alternate columns.
On farther investigation, second was found-and
they proved to be, the first vocabulary of words
with their meanings, and the other u sort Of Har-
mony Of the Gospels, both the work of Jesuit
missionaries. Here was another treasure and SD /
fully did our ardent student appreciate both the
treasure and the grace that had revealed it to him.
that falling down on his knees and thanking his
divine Patron and Guide, he addressed himself at
once to the task of copying both MSS. verbatim
from end to end. But as they belonged to the ID
brary, and might not be removed from it. he had 10
obtain permission to make his copy on the spot
There was at that time no fire in the Bodleian but
cold or not cold there sat Morrison, a stout warm
cap his head, and gloves upon his hands deving
away in this new and precious mine OF unhOped for
lore. In all probability he was the first man who
disturbed the dust that covered these writings since
they had been placed upon the shelves bat now
they were in their place, and an appointed part
Of the machinery of heaven, ministcrng toward
that grand movement whose results were to open
the gates of life to more than three hundred mill
ions of the human race.
/ have seen and handled the two bound folio
volumes containing his copy of these works and
heir neatness, uniformity, and accuracy form a
noble monument of his untiring zeal