Robert Morrison, Pioneer of Missions to China

Robert Morrison (1782-1834) was a Presbyterian missionary to China. He is notable for his translation and subsequent widespread distribution of a Chinese Bible and for his Chinese Dictionary. He is often called the “Father of Anglo-Chinese Literature”. My thanks to Redcliffe College for providing a copy of this book for digitisation. This title is in the public domain.

William John Townsend [1835-1915], Robert Morrison, The Pioneer of Chinese Missions. London: Pickering & Inglis, [n.d.]. Hbk. pp.184. [Click to visit the download page]

Contents

• Preface

1. Introductory
2. Childhood and Youth
3. Preparation For the Great Work
4. Initial Life and Work in China
5. Persecution – Dr. Milne
6. Visit To Peking – Malacca College
7. Bible Completed – Death of Milne
8. Work in England – Return To China
9. Renewed Labour – Closing Scenes
10. What He Was – What He Did

Chapter 1: Introductory

“O rock, rock, when wilt thou open? ” exclaimed the apostolic Xavier, as he lay burning with fever on an island off the coast of China in 1552. Similar ardent longings have stirred the souls of consecrated Christian workers during many periods of the Church’s history. But China remained a sealed rock to Christian effort until about the middle of the last century. No one can be surprised that it has attracted to itself a variety of interest, and especially that it should enkindle the enthusiasm of the Christian missionary. The tenacious life which has prolonged itself for upwards of four thousand years, and has survived the tempests of time-which have carried down into utter destruction the great empires of antiquity, Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome-stamps the Chinese as a peculiar people, and invests them with a halo of romance well calculated to fire the imagination of the adventurous spirit….