the life of william carey-第13节

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　of　spiritual　service　to　Charles　Grant；　Mr。　George　Udny；　and　the　Bengal　civilian　circle　at　Malda；　and　had　been　supported　by　Mr。　Grant　as　a　missionary　for　a　time　until　his　eccentricities　and　debts　outraged　his　friends　and　drove　him　home　at　the　time　of　the　Kettering　meetings。　　Full　justice　has　been　done　to　a　character　and　a　career　somewhat　resembling　those　of　John　Newton；　by　his　patient　and　able　biographer　the　Rev。　C。　B。　Lewis。　　John　Thomas　has　the　merit　of　being　the　first　medical　missionary；　at　a　time　when　no　other　Englishman　cared　for　either　the　bodies　or　souls　of　our　recently　acquired　subjects　in　North　India；　outside　of　Charles　Grant's　circle。　　He　has　more；　he　was　used　by　God　to　direct　Carey　to　the　dense　Hindoo　population　of　Bengalto　the　people　and　to　the　centre；　that　is；　where　Brahmanism　had　its　seat；　and　whence　Buddhism　had　been　carried　by　thousands　of　missionaries　all　over　Southern；　Eastern；　and　Central　Asia。　But　there　our　ascription　of　merit　to　Thomas　must　stop。　However　well　he　might　speak　the　uncultured　Bengali；　he　never　could　write　the　language　or　translate　the　Bible　into　a　literary　style　so　that　it　could　be　understood　by　the　people　or　influence　their　leaders。　　His　temper　kept　Charles　Grant　back　from　helping　the　infant　mission；　though　anxious　to　see　Mr。　Carey　and　to　aid　him　and　any　other　companion。　　The　debts　of　Thomas　caused　him　and　Carey　to　be　excluded　from　the　Oxford；　in　which　his　friend　the　commander　had　agreed　to　take　them　and　their　party　without　a　licence；　clouded　the　early　years　of　the　enterprise　with　their　shadow；　and　formed　the　heaviest　of　the　many　burdens　Carey　had　to　bear　at　starting。　　If；　afterwards；　the　old　association　of　Thomas　with　Mr。　Udny　at　Malda　gave　Carey　a　home　during　his　Indian　apprenticeship；　this　was　a　small　atonement　for　the　loss　of　the　direct　help　of　Mr。　Grant。　　If　Carey　proved　to　be　the　John　among　the　men　who　began　to　make　Serampore　illustrious；　Thomas　was　the　Peter；　so　far　as　we　know　Peter　in　the　Gospels　only。

Just　before　being　ejected　from　the　Oxford；　as　he　had　been　deprived　of　the　effectual　help　of　Charles　Grant　through　his　unhappy　companion；　when　with　only　his　eldest　son　Felix　beside　him；　how　did　Carey　view　his　God…given　mission？　　The　very　different　nature　of　his　wife；　who　had　announced　to　him　the　birth　of　a　child；　clung　anew　to　the　hope　that　this　might　cause　him　to　turn　back。　　Writing　from　Ryde　on　the　6th　May　he　thus　replied　with　sweet　delicacy　of　human　affection；　but　with　true　loyalty　to　his　Master's　call：

〃Received　yours；　giving　me　an　account　of　your　safe　delivery。　　This　is　pleasant　news　indeed　to　me；　surely　goodness　and　mercy　follow　me　all　my　days。　　My　stay　here　was　very　painful　and　unpleasant；　but　now　I　see　the　goodness　of　God　in　it。　　It　was　that　I　might　hear　the　most　pleasing　accounts　that　I　possibly　could　hear　respecting　earthly　things。　　You　wish　to　know　in　what　state　my　mind　is。　　I　answer；　it　is　much　as　when　I　left　you。　　If　I　had　all　the　world；　I　would　freely　give　it　all　to　have　you　and　my　dear　children　with　me；　but　the　sense　of　duty　is　so　strong　as　to　overpower　all　other　considerations；　I　could　not　turn　back　without　guilt　on　my　soul。　　I　find　a　longing　desire　to　enjoy　more　of　God；　but；　now　I　am　among　the　people　of　the　world；　I　think　I　see　more　beauties　in　godliness　than　ever；　and；　I　hope；　enjoy　more　of　God　in　retirement　than　I　have　done　for　some　time　past。。。You　want　to　know　what　Mrs。　Thomas　thinks；　and　how　she　likes　the　voyage。。。She　would　rather　stay　in　England　than　go　to　India；　but　thinks　it　right　to　go　with　her　husband。。。Tell　my　dear　children　I　love　them　dearly；　and　pray　for　them　constantly。　　Felix　sends　his　love。　　I　look　upon　this　mercy　as　an　answer　to　prayer　indeed。　　Trust　in　God。　Love　to　Kitty；　brothers；　sisters；　etc。　　Be　assured　I　love　you　most　affectionately。　　Let　me　know　my　dear　little　child's　name。I　am；　for　ever；　your　faithful　and　affectionate　husband；

〃WILLIAM　CAREY。

〃My　health　never　was　so　well。　　I　believe　the　sea　makes　Felix　and　me　both　as　hungry　as　hunters。　　I　can　eat　a　monstrous　meat　supper；　and　drink　a　couple　of　glasses　of　wine　after　it；　without　hurting　me　at　all。　　Farewell。〃

She　was　woman　and　wife　enough；　in　the　end；　to　do　as　Mrs。　Thomas　had　done；　but　she　stipulated　that　her　sister　should　accompany　her。

By　a　series　of　specially　providential　events；　as　it　seemed；　such　as　marked　the　whole　early　history　of　this　first　missionary　enterprise　of　modern　England；　Carey　and　Thomas　secured　a　passage　on　board　the　Danish　Indiaman　Kron　Princessa　Maria；　bound　from　Copenhagen　to　Serampore。　　At　Dover；　where　they　had　been　waiting　for　days；　the　eight　were　roused　from　sleep　by　the　news　that　the　ship　was　off　the　harbour。　　Sunrise　on　the　13th　June　saw　them　on　board。　　Carey　had　had　other　troubles　besides　his　colleague　and　his　wife。　　His　father；　then　fifty…eight　years　old；　had　not　given　him　up　without　a　struggle。　〃Is　William　mad？〃　he　had　said　when　he　received　the　letter　in　which　his　son　thus　offered　himself　up　on　the　missionary　altar。　　His　mother　had　died　six　years　before：

〃LEICESTER；　Jan。　17th；　1793。

〃DEAR　AND　HONOURED　FATHER；The　importance　of　spending　our　time　for　God　alone；　is　the　principal　theme　of　the　gospel。　　I　beseech　you；　brethren；　says　Paul；　by　the　mercies　of　God；　that　you　present　your　bodies　a　living　sacrifice；　holy　and　acceptable；　which　is　your　reasonable　service。　　To　be　devoted　like　a　sacrifice　to　holy　uses；　is　the　great　business　of　a　christian；　pursuant　to　these　requisitions。　I　consider　myself　as　devoted　to　the　service　of　God　alone；　and　now　I　am　to　realise　my　professions。　　I　am　appointed　to　go　to　Bengal；　in　the　East　Indies；　a　missionary　to　the　Hindoos。　　I　shall　have　a　colleague　who　has　been　there　five　or　six　years　already；　and　who　understands　their　language。　　They　are　the　most　mild　and　inoffensive　people　in　all　the　world；　but　are　enveloped　in　the　greatest　superstition；　and　in　the　grossest　ignorance。。。I　hope；　dear　father；　you　may　be　enabled　to　surrender　me　up　to　the　Lord　for　the　most　arduous；　honourable；　and　important　work　that　ever　any　of　the　sons　of　men　were　called　to　engage　in。　　I　have　many　sacrifices　to　make。　　I　must　part　with　a　beloved　family；　and　a　number　of　most　affectionate　friends。　　Never　did　I　see　such　sorrow　manifested　as　reigned　through　our　place　of　worship　last　Lord's…day。　　But　I　have　set　my　hand　to　the　plough。I　remain；　your　dutiful　son；

〃WILLIAM　CAREY。〃

When　in　London　Carey　had　asked　John　Newton；　〃What　if　the　Company　should　send　us　home　on　our　arrival　in　Bengal？〃　〃Then　conclude；〃　was　the　reply；　〃that　your　Lord　has　nothing　there　for　you　to　accomplish。　But　if　He　have；　no　power　on　earth　can　hinder　you。〃　　By　Act　of　Parliament　not　ten　years　old；　every　subject　of　the　King　going　to　or　found　in　the　East　Indies　without　a　licence　from　the　Company；　was　guilty　of　a　high　crime　and　misdemeanour；　and　liable　to　fine　and　imprisonment。　　Only　four　years　previously　a　regulation　had　compelled　every　commander　to　deliver　to　the　Hoogli　pilot　a　return　of　the　passengers　on　board　that　the　Act　might　be　enforced。　　The　Danish　nationality　of　the　ship　and　crew　saved　the　missionary　party。　　So　grievously　do　unjust　laws　demoralise　contemporary　opinion；　that　Fuller　was　constrained　to　meet　the　objections　of　many　to　the　〃illegality〃　of　the　missionaries'　action　by　reasoning；　unanswerable　indeed；　but　not　now　required：　〃The　apostles　and　primitive　ministers　were　commanded　to　go　into　all　the　world；　and　preach　the　gospel　to　every　creature；　nor　were　they　to　stop　for　the　permission　of　any　power　upon　earth；　but　to　go；　and　take　the　consequences。　　If　a　man　of　God；　conscious　of　having　nothing　in　his　heart　unfriendly　to　any　civil　government　whatever；　but　determined　in　all　civil　matters　to　obey　and　teach　obedience　to　the　powers　that　are；　put　his　life　in　his　hand；　saying；　I　will　go；　and　if　I　am　persecuted　in　one　city　I　will　flee　to　another'。。。whatever　the　wisdom　of　this　world　may　decide　upon　his　conduct；　he　will　assuredly　be　acquitted；　and　more　than　acquitted；　at　a　higher　tribunal。〃

Carey's　journal　of　the　voyage　begins　with　an　allusion　to　〃the　abominable　East　Indian　monopoly；〃　which　he　was　to　do　more　than　any　other　man　to　break　down　by　weapons　not　of　man's　warfare。　　The　second　week　found　him　at　Bengali；　and　for　his　companion　the　poems　of　Cowper。　　Of　the　four　fellow…passengers　one　was　a　French　deist；　with　whom　he　had　many　a　debate。

〃Aug。　2。I　feel　myself　to　be　much　declined；　upon　the　whole；　in　the　more　spiritual　exercises　of　religion；　yet　have　had　some　pleasant　exercises　of　soul；　and　feel　my　heart　set　upon　the　great　work　upon　which　I　am　going。　　Sometimes　I　am　quite　dejected　when　I　see　the　impenetrability　of　the　hearts　of　those　with　us。　　They　hear　us　preach　on　the　Lord's…day；　but　we　are　forced　to　witness　their　disregard　to　God　all　the　week。　　O　may　God　give　us　greater　success　among　the　heathen。　　I　am　very　desirous　that　my　children　may　pursue　the　same　work；　and　now　intend　to　bring　up　one　in　the　study　of　Sanskrit；　and　another　of　Persian。　　O　may　God　give　them　grace　to　fit　them　for　the　work！　　I　have　been　much　concerned　for　fear　the　power　of　the　Company　should　oppose　us。。。

〃Aug。　20。I　have　reason　to　lament　over　a　barrenness　of　soul；　and　am　sometimes　much　discouraged；　for　if　I　am　so　dead　and　stupid；　how　can　I　expect　to　be　of　any　use　among　the　heathen？　　Yet　I　have　of　late　felt　some　very　lively　desires