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


The Government with mere eTcuse) looked Ni.s.
alarm at the probate consequences Of exciting NE
iears of their heathen subjects the score Of thei
reiigion' and so serious were these apprehensions
'iS' prohIoitory order was issued BY the Direc
torS oil The Company, forbblding the entrance a
CnrItlan missionaries into their Hiudoo domir
) IONS. Hence the friends OF Mr.. Morrison. and n
} china, had no other alternative than 10 nrocnr.
him passage to the United States. and thence =.
China in an American bottom.
IL was in the prosecution Of this plan that h.
landed in New York in 1917, bringing letter.
from DR.. BOgue TO Rev. DIR. Mason. By this
eminent divine he was introduced to me. and es-
joyed the signal honor of receiving under my roo.
and into the bosom of my family man thus e-ai-
nently owned and blessed of the Most High, and
destined in his providence to accomplish the great
eat work ever achieved for the Asiatic world.
found him man every way fitted for the en-
| terprise before him. Grave and solemn in LOOK
and manner plain, direct, unceremonous, some
what blunt, in conversation and address; reserved
and silent rather than loquaeiOus. even commsn-
cative; never speaking of himself ever ready 10
! speak OF Christ; man of prayer and addicted to
IL
| of heart, cheerful, and somewhat given to quiet
humor. That he was a man Of strong faith is not
only evident from the fact Of his engaging in such
an enterprise but will appear still more eminenly
in the fact that when he left these shores it was ia
eutire and absolute uncertainty how he was to sub
sst on his arrival at Canton. So utter was this
uncertainty that he gladly accepted the gift Of
pentegraph, hoping he might make il available ia
taking profles lat which he was skilfuD as one
means toward his personal support in foreign
land.
He was accompanied in his voyage from Eng
land by two British missionaries and their wives,
destined to stations in Hindostan The name Of
the one was the Rev. Shepard Gordon, the otses,
Rev. j. Lee. They tarried in New York some
months, waiting the result Of an ehJrt in tie
British Parliment to have the interdct on mission
aries taken off bat that prohibition had moth
ing to do with China, Morrison was embarrassed
by no such delay, and he accordingly parted with
these his beloved companions in travel TO meet no
more till these heavens shall be dissolved IL was
an affecting scene. The large ship which was to
take him out to Canton lay in the stream, with
loosened topsais waiting for the boat that was to
bring him on board. l went with him to the
counting house of the merchant who owned the yes
SELL and who, though earnestly solicited had refused
to abate dOit from the utteFmOst cent demanded
for the passage money out. Never shall | forget
that interview Tlie man Of gain sat perebed up
on a high stool before his desk, on which lay his
open ledger One Of the directors OF the mission
airy society brought him his price and took a re
ceipt for the money When this transaction was
completed, he turned with pert, seli satisfied and
somewhat supercilious air, TO the missionary. who
stood. with full heart, gazing on the bay whe.e
rode that frai bark that was to bear hi1l away
into the land of strangers, never to return Wen
sir, said the merchant, and so YOU think yoq
can induce the Chinese people to change their Te-
ligion do your ?" No sir" replied the sepulchrat
voice of Morrison, " but | believe that God CAB
The grin went off The features of the nan OF DOL
lars. he seemed to shrink into nothing before tbs
majestic messenger Of heaven. and felt As neTsi
had felt before, How awful goodness IS Nj
last sight of him was, while standing hetEsen hIs
weeping companions. | beheld his form in the
stern of the boat essening under our eve, til be
reached the ship, which Immediately threw her
canvass to the wind and put to SEA.
need not tell his subsequent history 1T is the
glory of the church, the admiration of the world
By his solitary. unpretending. unfagging iudefat-
gable industry, the mystery Of the Chinese tongue
was conquered, dictionary formed and the way
opened to all subseqent students and missionaries
who, drinking into the same spirit should after
ward follow his footsteps TO that long forgotten
land; and though great Improvements have since
been made, and the facilities Ofacquiring that dih
cult tongue have been greatly augmented, and tho
numbers have since followed, and multitHdes more
will yet follow in the track he chose the glory of
going up as the breaker Of the way, of breast;ng
the toll and all the dangers Of an untried enter
prise, heretofore deemed hopeless the triumph Of
his adventurous faith and the uniading reward OF
bis lifelong labor, must forever belong unshared
to the name of William Morrison
And now | feel persuaded that my young
brethren who have honOred me so far as to request
this paper at my hands, will forgive an old man Il
he adds, the close Of this hearty wish and pray
Pr that sach an illustrious example NAV not Be
without its effects ali their Minds ami aHsoaz
he footprints which shall hereafter marx the
anne pathway to glory in which be trod Will be
ound some OF those which now tread these classic
lOors.
" W,SuYxarnx Julc 2ist 1871