1841.
Morrison Education Society.
567
education, let us here record our grateful acknowledgments for the success vouchsafed to this Society through Divine Providence.
Since its organization in 1836, only two annual meetings have been held-one in September 1837, and the other in October 1838. The reports which were read at those meetings, with a paper pre- viously published containing the particulars of the formation of the Institution, give a full account both of its design and of its proceed- ings to the date of the second report.
On the day for the annual meeting in 1839, the whole of the Brit- ish community, having left Canton and Macao, was afloat on board their ships, at Hongkong or in this vicinity. In 1840, such was the disturbed state of public affairs, that it was still deemed inexpedient to attempt to convene a general meeting of its members.
The trustees, from time to time, have held meetings, and as fre- quently as business and circumstances required or allowed; and they have now to submit a succinct account of what has been done in furtherance of the object of the Morrison Education Society, since its members and friends were last assembled, October 3d, 1838.
In the second report, which was then read, hope was expressed of the speedy arrival in China of a tutor to engage in the Society's ope- rations. This hope was well founded. On or near the day of our last meeting, the Society's committee in New Haven, in accordance with a request from the trustees, made choice of the Rev. Samuel R. Brown to become the pioneer in carrying on the education of those here placed under its auspices.
On the 17th of October, Mr. Brown, with his lady, embarked in the ship Morrison-the owners of that vessel having generously of- fered them a free passage to China,—and arrived here February 23d, 1839. The next day they landed at Macao. Mr. Brown, hav- ing made the necessary arrangements for a home, proceeded at once to Canton, where the trustees, and many of the other members of the Society, had the pleasure of welcoming him, and of making his acquaintance.
Of the many honorable testimonials, with which Mr. and Mrs. Brown were furnished by their friends in America, one will be am- ply sufficient to show in what estimation the bearer of it was held by those who knew him best. The paper is from Dr. Day, the vene, rable president of Yale College, at which place it is dated October 12th, 1838, and is here given entire. He writes thus:,
Having been informed that Samuel R. Brown, a. m. a graduate of this college, has been selected as a proper person to be employed as an instructor