MORRISON, Robert

[s. 527] : Born at Morpeth, North umber land, England, January 15, 1782, of humble Scotch parentage. He was an apprentice learning to make lasts and he studied while at work. At the age of fifteen he joined the Scotch Church. As early as 1801 he began the study of Latin, Hebrew and theology with the minister of Newcastle, and after fourteen months’ study entered the Independent Theological Academy at Hoxton, to prepare for the ministry. Soon after his admi ion he decided to become a mi ionary to the heathen. In May, 1804, he was appointed the first mi ionary of the LMS to China, and he thus became the founder of Entering the Mis Protestant mi ions in China. sion College at Gosport, he spent two years not only in special preparatory studies, but also in acquiring Chinese. He sailed for China January 31, 1807, but the Chinese being hostile to the English on account of the opium difficulties, he was obliged to go via New York instead of going Reaching Canton Septemdirect from London. ber 7, he adopted the Chinese dre , diet, and habits, but soon resumed his usual mode of life. An edict being i ued about this time by the Chinese Government prohibiting the printing of religious books and the preaching of the Gospel, Mr. Morrison set himself at once to study the language and translate the Bible. His health having suffered from ince ant study and too rigid economy, he left Canton for Macao, where he remained a year in consequence of political troubles which made residence in Canton unsafe. In 1809 he was offered the position of translator to the East India Company s factory at Canton. This at last secured for him a permanent residence in China, ready acce to some of the people, and time for the translation of the Scriptures and He held preparation of his Chinese dictionary. twenty-five this office to the day of his death To the end he had the confidence of the years. East India Company, and they advanced lar^e sums at different times for the publication of his Tho much occupied with office various works. work, he found time for Bible translation and the In 1810 a preparation of religious books. revised and amended version of the Acts of the Apostles, based on his copy of the manuscript in the British Museum, was printed the first portion of the Scriptures in (Jhinese printed by any Protestant mi ionary. In 1812 the Gospel of Luke was printed. Early in 1814 the whole of the New Testament was ready, and the East India Company furnished a pre and materials, In also a printer, to superintend its printing. this year, seven years after his arrival in China, he baptized Tsai-A-Ko, the first Chinese convert to Protestant Christianity, a sincere believer, who continued stedfast in his faith till his death In 1815 a Chinese grammar of 300 in 1818. quarto pages, prepared in 1805, was printed at In 1817 he published A the Serampur pre . View of China for Philological Purposes. In this year the University of Glasgow conferred upon him the degree of doctor of divinity. In 1818 the translation of the entire Bible was completed, in part with the aid of Dr. Miine, and was printed in — — Morsl Motive 1821. This version is said to be too literal, and not idiomatic. But it was the first attempt, and the difficulties were enormous. He was convinced of the nece ity of a thorough revision, and hoped to be able to revise the work. The Old Testament formed 21 volumes 12mo. His most laborious literary work was the Chinese dictionary, published in 1821 by the East India Company at an expense of £15,000. Neither the value and importance of this work nor its stupendous difficulty in that stage of the mis In 1824, sionary enterprise can be overstated. for the purpose of recruiting his health and awakening an interest in the mi ion, he visited England, where he spent two years. Everywhere he was received with distinction by civil and religious bodies. He had an audience with George IV., to whom he presented a copy of the Sacred Scriptures in Chinese. In 1826 he returned to China. Tho not vigorous, he continued his public labors for nine years more, devoting himself more than ever to the mi ionary work, preaching, translating and distributing printed works among the Chinese. He conducted religious services on the Sabbath, both in English and Chinese. In 1832 he writes: “I have been 25 years in China, and am now beginning to see By the pre we have been the work prosper. He able to scatter knowledge far and wide.” accompanied Lord Napier to Canton as interpreter in negotiating a treaty with the Chinese Government, and died there August 1, 1834. Among the good works of his life was his work with Dr. Milne in founding the Anglo-Chinese College at Malacca (now at Hong kong). For the buildings of this college he subscribed £1,000 and for its maintenance £100 each year. Besides the works mentioned, he published Harm Sinicce, being translations from the popular literature of the Chinese, and Chinese Miscellany. 528