ROBERT MORRISON

Robert Morrison came to faith in Christ at the age of 15.  He had little formal education but was a brilliant boy.  He was apprenticed as a shoe last maker.

Early in life he felt the call of the Lord to China. He had prayed that "God would station him in that part of the field where the difficulties were the greatest and to all human appearances the most insurmountable."  God answered that prayer. 

He left for China in 1807 as the first Protestant missionary to that great land.  He was not welcomed by either the Chinese officials or those of the East India Company who controlled trade in that part of the world.  In secret, he learned that difficult language and in due time accomplished the monumental task of translating the entire Bible into Chinese.

In 37 years of service he took one furlough.  It was seven years before he saw his first convert.  At the time of his death he knew of only three believers in all of China. He could have been discouraged and quit.  But, instead he went, stayed, and died in China.  Where are those who possess that same kind of dedication?

JAD