Global Chinese Ministries Newsletter - September 2007

by Tony Lambert, Director of OMF Director for China Research

The Young Morrison — China at Last!

On May 27, 1804 the young Robert Morrison wrote to the directors of the London Missionary Society offering himself for missionary service. The following day he appeared before the board, and the interview was so satisfactory that a second examination was not necessary. He was accepted at once and proceeded to the Missionary Academy at Gosport (near Portsmouth). He made his choice of field a matter of prolonged prayer—“that God would station him in that part of the missionary field where the difficulties were greatest and to all human appearances the most insurmountable.”

Soon after, as we have seen, he was appointed by the committee to China. Their aim was specific and limited: that the new missionary should go to China itself or an adjacent country, obtain a thorough knowledge of the language and begin a translation of the Bible. They also hoped to appoint Morrison two co-workers, but this came to nothing. This must have been very disappointing at the time, but it turned out to be part of God’s providential care. A group of missionaries would almost certainly have drawn the hostile attention of the Chinese imperial authorities and aborted the enterprise before it could begin.

In August 1805 Morrison left Gosport for London where he studied astronomy and medicine and started to study Chinese under one of the very few Chinese living in Britain, a Mr. Yang-Sam-Tak. This man was of a very proud spirit. On one occasion Morrison absentmindedly burned a piece of paper on which some Chinese characters had been written. His teacher was so furious—under the Qing dynasty an almost superstitious reverence was accorded the Chinese written script—that he stormed out for three days! But Morrison revealed his humility by deciding from that time on to write on a piece of tin from which he could erase the characters. The tutor eventually even joined Morrison in reading the Bible and attending family worship. During his few months in London, Morrison laboriously copied a rare manuscript of a Chinese translation of most of the New Testament which was made a century earlier by a Jesuit missionary in China, as well as a handwritten Latin/Chinese dictionary.

In July 1806 he paid a farewell visit to his family, preaching 13 times, and visited friends in London, Edinburgh and Glasgow. On December 23 he wrote to his brother Thomas: “You must understand that none of our missionaries can go out to India on an English vessel without the express leave of the East India Company. Their leave was solicited for the Baptist missionaries who are now at Serampore near Calcutta and they refused it. Our missionaries who are now in India went out in foreign neutral vessels. Our society never asked their leave but now think of doing it for me.” However, the East India Company again refused. This shows their general hostility to the cause of the gospel and gives the lie to the propaganda that Morrison and other missionaries were simply tools of western commercial imperialism.

On January 8, 1807 Morrison was ordained for his ministry at the Scotch Church in London. His letters to his family were full of warm and affectionate pleas to those yet unconverted to come to Jesus. On January 31 he boarded the ship Remittance and sailed to New York. In early February a tremendous storm raged which sank many vessels—the Remittance was the only one able to continue on its voyage. After a long, tedious voyage they arrived in New York on April 20. He went to Philadelphia to obtain from the United States government the interest and protection of the United States consul at Canton (Guangzhou). In addition, we received a letter from the secretary of state addressed to the consul requesting him to do all he could to further the design of the mission. It appears that Morrison hardly had any political backing from his own British government!

An American friend, at whose house Morrison stayed, tells the following revealing anecdote: “He was placed for the first night in our own chamber. By the side of his bed stood a crib, in which slept my little child. On awaking she expected to see her parents, but fixing her eyes steadily upon Morrison she inquired, ‘Man, do you pray to God?’ ‘Oh, yes, my dear,’ Mr Morrison replied, ‘every day. God is my best friend.’ Reassured, she fell fast asleep, and was a great favorite with him ever after.”

It was while making arrangements for the onward journey to Canton that the famous exchange took place between the devout missionary and the hardened ship owner. “And so, Mr. Morrison, you really expect that you will make an impression on the idolatry of the great Chinese empire?” “No, sir,” replied Morrison with more than usual sternness, “I expect God will!” An immortal incident, which reminds all would-be missionaries even today that all true mission is grounded in the eternal plan of a sovereign, God, not in the flawed and feeble programs of his sinful servants.

Morrison sailed on the Trident in mid-May and the arduous journey took nearly four months. On September 8, 1807 he finally arrived in Canton (Guangzhou).

He first went ashore at Macau, the Portuguese settlement 90 miles down river from Canton. Here he was told that the Chinese were prohibited from teaching foreigners the language under penalty of death—a far from encouraging start. However, he obtained the services of Abel Yun, a Roman Catholic convert from Peking (Beijing), and gave himself to study. He occupied rooms in a “go-down”—basically hot, airless rooms of what had been a warehouse. He studied, ate and slept, adopting the dress, food and habits of the local Chinese. He ate so little and studied so hard that his health began to fail. So he moved to better accommodation. He attempted to hold public worship for the resident Americans and British merchants but was disappointed by their indifference to the gospel. In June 1808 he moved to Macau for two months where his health much improved. It was here that he made the acquaintance of Miss Morton whom he married on February 20, 1809.

In spite of every discouragement and ill health, Morrison remained firm in faith and zealous in his love for the Savior. In a letter to the London Missionary Society written at this time he said:

“We shall not have to reproach ourselves for having published the truth of the gospel amongst ignorant, deluded, guilty men. The missionary of Jesus will have cause to reproach himself that he served his Lord not more fully, but not that he was a missionary. O Calvary, Calvary, when I view the blood of Jesus streaming down thy sides I am amazed at my coldness of affection towards the Lord, of my slothful performance of the duties which the authority of God, but shall I say, the love of Jesus more strongly imposes on me. Yes, Father, Thy love in sending Jesus, and O my Saviour, Thy love in giving Thyself for me, and Thine, O Holy Spirit, in applying the salvation of Jesus to my guilty conscience, unitedly overcome me and constrain me to live not to myself but to Thee.”

It is this spirit that sustained Morrison through all his trials and loneliness. And surely it is the same spirit that must inspire those who wish to follow his example two centuries later to serve the Lord and the Chinese people today.

IS IT WORTH IT?

OMF recently held a “Partnership for Asia” conference at Redwood City in the United States. Dr. Neil Thompson, missionary surgeon and current U.S. director for OMF, spoke of the cost for educated Christian professionals to serve in gospel work in China and other Asian countries. “It’s difficult to leave family, reputation and earning power!” In the various workshops, Christians with experience in medicine, agricultural engineering, information technology, business and teaching were unanimous in saying: “Yes! It’s worth it. Tell Christian professionals the price to pay. Be ready for the cross. There’s a cost. It takes great preparation. Be ready for the challenges of emotional and personal issues. But we have God’s own resources.”

There are many openings in China for dedicated Christian professionals. Contact your national OMF office if you feel God is calling you to service in China.

Copyright OMF 2007