The Baptist Magazine, Vol. 27, 1835

The Rev. Dr. Morrison was born at Morpeth, Jan. 5, 1782, but was early removed to Newcastle-upon-tyne. His parents, though in humble circumstances, were industrious and pious members of the Scottish church; and they educated their family in the fear of the Lord. When a boy, he was, with other young persons of the congregation, frequently catechised by the Minister; and this has inadvertently led to an erroneous report, that he was originally a Sunday School scholar. He was afterwards taught a mechanical trade, which he diligently followed till he left home. I believe he feared the Lord from his youth; and that the pious instructions of his father's house, and the faithful ministrations of his pastor, were so blessed to him, that at the age of sixteen he solemnly devoted himself to God. When engaged in his secular calling, his mind, thirsting for knowledge, sought its own improvement, first by general reading, and, after a few years, by diligently acquiring the rudiments of Latin. He used to steal hours from rest, and often to work with his book raised before him, so that his eye could cast a rapid glance on its pages, while his hands were actively employed at his daily labour. Thus he at once prepared his lesson for the Minister who kindly instructed him, and discovered the first indications of that diligence and talent for the acquisition of a foreign language, which laid the basis of his future fame.
At this time, in consequence of his manifest love of study, and his ardent desire for usefulness, his mother entertained many fears, that she should soon be deprived of the object of her affections, by his removal from her: but her fears, so far as she herself was concerned, were groundless; for she was called to her rest, the year before he left home for the
Academy. Thus she neither felt the pain of his anticipated absence, nor rejoiced in the participation of his subsequent honours.
On entering Hoxton Academy, January, 1803, I found that Mr. Morrison had arrived a few days before me; and as we both regularly attended, with our friends, the ministry of that eminent servant of God, the Rev. A. (afterwards Dr.) Waugh, we were very soon intimately acquainted with each other: the result was an indissoluble friendship of nearly thirty-two years, during the whole of which period, we frequently interchanged our joys and our sorrows, and reciprocated our congratulations and our sympathies; while fidelity and affection mutually tendered, when necessary, admonition and reproof. His character was even then distinguished by those qualities which subsequently rendered him so illustrious—the most ardent piety, indefatigable diligence, and devoted zeal. His natural disposition was grave and thoughtful; so that, as his mind was often the subject of anxious and desponding views, especially of himself and his attainments , he probably occasionally appeared to some as gloomy and melancholy. But those who knew him best were fully convinced, that most of his anxieties arose from his deep sense of the importance of the work for which he was preparing, of his own utter incompetency for its faithful discharge, and of the consequent obligation under which he was laid, to exert himself to the utmost, to secure the full benefit of every advantage placed within his reach. Hence he was a most exemplary student, and always aimed at distinction, even in some branches of study for which he appeared very little adapted. But his chief reliance to secure success, was not on any effort of his own , however diligently and constantly exerted—but on the divine blessing. Hence few ever entered more fully into the great Luther's favourite axiom, to pray well is to study well ; for of him it may be very justly said, that prayer was the element in which his soul delighted to breathe.