MARSDEN, milreden. (1764.183S).
An Emdish missionary. lie was born at, llors forth, near Leeds. July 24. 1761; cducaled at the free grammar school al 111111. and began life as a tradesman at Leeds. Ile joined the Methodists, but, desiring, to obtain a collegiate education, entered the English Church; studied at Saint. John's College, Cambridge, and was ordained in 1793, and in 1794 sailed as chaplain to the penal colony at I'araniatta, near Sydney, Australia. Receiving a grant of land and 13 convicts to till it as part payment for his services, he made it the model farm in New South Wales, and devoted the profits from it to the support of schools and missions. A mutinous spirit showing itself among the convicts. Marsden sailed for England (1807), mainly for the purpose of obtaining per mission for the friends of the convicts to accom pany them to the penal colony. This was re fused. but his proposal that the convicts should be taught trades was well received. flaying had sonic intercourse with the Maoris of New Zea land, and found them to be superior to the Aus tralian natives, he endeavored, while in England, to obtain funds for the formation of a mis sion among them, and missionaries to accompany him. Two laymen, William Hall and John King,
consented to go as pioneers, and accompanied Marsden to Australia, August, 1809. They were soon followed by Thomas Kendall. He employed these teachers in laying the foundations of a Christian civilization, frequently visited them, and in his fourth visit took with him the Rev. Henry Williams, who afterwards became bishop of a Maori district. He procured reLMforeements for the mission from the English and Wesleyan churches, induced the natives to adopt a fixed form of government. provided for the preparation of a grammar and dictionary of the Maori lan guage, and lived to see the people Christianized. Ile died at Windsor, May 12, 1838. Consult his Life by .1. B. Marsden (London. 1859).