1841.
Life of Dr. Morrison.
20
About the same time the following private record was also made by his own hand :
“O blessed Jesus, long have I sought for rest to my immortal soul, at one time in the gratification of the lusts of the flesh;' and at another of the mind.' When very young, I was a companion of the drunkard, the sabbath- breaker, the swearer, the profane person; but in these my heart smote me, 1 had no rest. Then I made learning and books my god; but all, all, are vain! I come to thee: Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest,'-Fatigued with unsuccessful pursuits after happiness, and burdened with a sense of guilt, Jesus, thou Son of God, I come to thee, that I may be refreshed, and my burden removed.
Jesus! my Lord, thou art possess'd
Of all that fills, th' eternal God!
Oh! bring my weary soul to rest,
Remove my guilt, that pond'rous load !”—Vol. I, p. 29. From the time (probably the early part of 1798) that such princi- ples laid firm hold upon his mind, the course of his thought and feeling was changed, and an ardent desire was kindled in his mind "to serve the gospel of Christ," and promote those views which had conduced to his own enlightenment. "At an early age he was ap- prenticed to his father, and learned the trade of a last and boot-tree maker, in which his industry was very commendable." But it was in a few years overruled by an invisible hand that that industry should be employed in a higher calling, and, after many exercises of mind he was induced to propose himself for admission into "Hoxton Aca- demy (now Highbury College);" one of the most valuable 'Institutions formed by Evangelical Dissenters,' for the purpose of affording an extended education to candidates for the holy ministry." This ap- plication was made in November of 1802, and in the following Janu- ary we find him commencing the regular curriculum of studies at that Institution. Meanwhile, as his mind developed, a field of labor seemed to offer itself to him among pagan nations. The record of his own views of this subject, and the whole correspondence with his friends respecting it, are peculiarly interesting; but we may not enter upon them. Having been recommended to the directors of the missionary society, generally known under the designation of “The London Missionary Society," his services were at once engaged by them, and he was shortly after appointed missionary to China, where it was designed he should lay the foundation of a Protestant mission. It was in the early part of the year 1807, that he embarked for Chi- na, when commenced a most interesting era of his life. That (ac- cording to the plan of the memoir which divides his life into five
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