the life of william carey-第18节
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he weary man to dine with him。 Houseless； with his maddened wife； and her sister and two of his four children down with dysentery； due to the bad food and exposure of six weeks in the interor； Carey found a friend； appropriately enough； in a Bengali money…lender。9 Nelu Dutt； a banker who had lent money to Thomas； offered the destitute family his garden house in the north…eastern quarter of Manicktolla until they could do better。 The place was mean enough； but Carey never forgot the deed； and he had it in his power long after to help Nelu Dutt when in poverty。 Such； on the other hand； was the dislike of the Rev。 David Brown to Thomas； that when Carey had walked five miles in the heat of the sun to visit the comparatively prosperous evangelical preacher； 〃I left him without his having so much as asked me to take any refreshment。〃
Carey would not have been allowed to live in Calcutta as a missionary。 Forty years were to pass before that could be possible without a Company's passport。 But no one was aware of the existence of the obscure vagrant； as he seemed； although he was hard at work。 All around him was a Mohammedan community whom he addressed with the greatest freedom； and with whom he discussed the relative merits of the Koran and the Bible in a kindly spirit； 〃to recommend the Gospel and the way of life by Christ。〃 He had helped Thomas with a translation of the book of Genesis during the voyage； and now we find this in his journal two months and a half after he had landed：
〃Through the delays of my companion I have spent another month； and done scarcely anything； except that I have added to my knowledge of the language； and had opportunity of seeing much more of the genius and disposition of the natives than I otherwise could have known。 This day finished the correction of the first chapter of Genesis； which moonshi says is rendered into very good Bengali。 Just as we had finished it； a pundit and another man from Nuddea came to see me。 I showed it to them； and the pundit seemed much pleased with the account of the creation； only they have an imaginary place somewhere beneath the earth； and he thought that should have been mentioned likewise。。。
〃Was very weary； having walked in the sun about fifteen or sixteen miles； yet had the satisfaction of discoursing with some money…changers at Calcutta； who could speak English； about the importance and absolute necessity of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ。 One of them was a very crafty man； and tried much to entangle me with hard questions； but at last； finding himself entangled； he desisted； and went to his old occupation of money…changing again。 If once God would by his Spirit convince them of sin； a Saviour would be a blessing indeed to them： but human nature is the same all the world over； and all conviction fails except it is produced by the effectual working of the Holy Spirit。〃
Ram Basu was himself in debt； was indeed all along a self…interested inquirer。 But the next gleam of hope came from him； that the Carey family should move to the waste jungles of the Soondarbans； the tiger…haunted swamps south…east of Calcutta； and there cultivate a grant of land。 With a sum of ？6 borrowed from a native at twelve per cent。 by Mr。 Thomas； a boat was hired； and on the fourth day； when only one more meal remained； the miserable family and their stout…hearted father saw an English…built house。 As they walked up to it the owner met them； and with Anglo…Indian hospitality invited them all to become his guests。 He proved to be Mr。 Charles Short； in charge of the Company's salt manufacture there。 As a deist he had no sympathy with Carey's enterprise； but he helped the missionary none the less； and the reward came to him in due time in the opening of his heart to the love of Christ。 He afterwards married Mrs。 Carey's sister； and in England the two survived the great missionary； to tell this and much more regarding him。 Here； at the place appropriately named Hasnabad； or the 〃smiling spot；〃 Carey took a few acres on the Jamoona arm of the united Ganges and Brahmapootra； and built him a bamboo house； forty miles east of Calcutta。 Knowing that the sahib's gun would keep off the tigers； natives squatted around to the number of three or four thousand。 Such was the faith； the industry； and the modesty of the brave little man that； after just three months； he wrote thus：〃When I know the language well enough to preach in it； I have no doubt of having a stated congregation； and I much hope to send you pleasing accounts。 I can so far converse in the language as to be understood in most things belonging to eating and drinking； buying and selling； etc。 My ear is somewhat familiarised to the Bengali sounds。 It is a language of a very singular construction； having no plural except for pronouns； and not a single preposition in it： but the cases of nouns and pronouns are almost endless； all the words answering to our prepositions being put after the word； and forming a new case。 Except these singularities； I find it an easy language。 I feel myself happy in my present undertaking； for； though I never felt the loss of social religion so much as now； yet a consciousness of having given up all for God is a support； and the work； with all its attendant inconveniences； is to me a rich reward。 I think the Society would do well to keep their eye towards Africa or Asia； countries which are not like the wilds of America； where long labour will scarcely collect sixty people to hear the Word： for here it is almost impossible to get out of the way of hundreds； and preachers are wanted a thousand times more than people to preach to。 Within India are the Maratha country and the northern parts to Cashmere； in which； as far as I can learn； there is not one soul that thinks of God aright。。。My health was never better。 The climate； though hot； is tolerable； but； attended as I am with difficulties； I would not renounce my undertaking for all the world。〃
It was at this time that he drew his strength often from the experience of the first missionary； described by Isaiah； in all his solitude：〃Look unto Abraham your father； for I called him alone and blessed him and increased him。 For the Lord shall comfort Zion； He will comfort all her waste places。〃 The sun of His comfort shone forth at last。
Carey's original intention to begin his mission near Malda was now to be carried out。 In the opening week of 1794 the small English community in Bengal were saddened by the news that； when crossing the Hoogli at Calcutta； a boat containing three of its principal merchants and the wife of one of them； had been upset； and all had been drowned。 It turned out that two of the men recovered； but Mr。 R。 Udny and his young wife perished。 His aged mother had been one of the godly circle in the Residency at Malda to whom Thomas had ministered； and Mr。 G。 Udny； her other son； was still the Company's commercial Resident there。 A letter of sympathy which Thomas sent to them restored the old relations； and resulted in Mr。 G。 Udny inviting first the writer and then Carey to become his assistants in charge of new indigo factories which he was building on his own account。 Each received a salary equivalent to ？50 a year； with the prospect of a commission on the out…turn； and even a proprietary share。 Carey's remark in his journal on the day he received the offer was：〃This appearing to be a remarkable opening in divine providence for our comfortable support； I accepted it。。。I shall likewise be joined with my colleague again； and we shall unitedly engage in our work。〃 Again：〃The conversion of the heathen is the object which above all others I wish to pursue。 If my situation at Malda should be tolerable； I most certainly will publish the Bible in numbers。〃 On receiving the rejoinder to his acceptance of the offer he set this down：〃I am resolved to write to the Society that my circumstances are such that I do not need future help from them； and to devote a sum monthly for the printing of the Bengali Bible。〃 This he did； adding that it would be his glory and joy to stand in the same relation to the Society as if he needed support from them。 He hoped they would be the sooner able to send another mission somewhereto Sumatra or some of the Indian Islands。 From the first he lived with such simplicity that he gave from one…fourth to one…third of his little income to his own mission at Mudnabati。
Carey thus sums up his first year's experience before leaving his jungle home on a three weeks' voyage up the Ganges； and records his first deliberate and regular attempt to preach in Bengali on the way。
〃8th April 1794。All my hope is in； and all my comfort arises from； God； without His power no European could possibly be converted； and His power can convert any Indian； and when I reflect that He has stirred me up to the work； and wrought wonders to prepare the way； I can hope in His promises； and am encouraged and strengthened。。。
〃19th April。O how glorious are the ways of God！ 'My soul longeth and fainteth for God； for the living God； to see His glory and beauty as I have seen them in the sanctuary。' When I first left England； my hope of the conversion of the heathen was very strong； but； among so many obstacles； it would entirely die
