the life of william carey-第25节
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l at the Police Office afterwards； and to inform the Master that we intended to stay at Serampore； till we had leave to go up the country。 Captain Wickes called at the office afterwards； and they seemed quite satisfied with our declaration by him。 In the afternoon we went to Serampore。
〃Oct。 19。I addressed a letter to the Governor to…day begging his acceptance of the last number of our Periodical Accounts； and informing him that we proposed having worship to…morrow in our own house； from which we did not wish to exclude any person。
〃Lord's…day； Oct。 20。This morning the Governor sent to inquire the hours of our worship。 About half…past ten he came to our house with a number of gentlemen and their retinue。 I preached from Acts xx。 24。 We had a very attentive congregation of Europeans： several appeared affected； among whom was the Governor。〃
The text was well chosen from Paul's words to the elders of Ephesus； as he turned his face towards the bonds and afflictions that awaited him〃But none of these things move me； neither count I my life dear unto myself； so that I might finish my course with joy； and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus； to testify the gospel of the grace of God。〃 It proved to be a history of the three men thenceforth best known as the Serampore Missionaries。 Ward； too； the literary member of the mission； composed the hymn which thus concluded：
〃Yes； we are safe beneath Thy shade； And shall be so 'midst India's heat： What should a missionary dread； For devils crouch at Jesus' feet。
〃There； sweetest Saviour！ let Thy cross Win many Hindoo hearts to Thee； This shall make up for every loss； While Thou art ours eternally。〃
In his first letter to a friend in Hull Ward used language which unconsciously predicted the future of the mission：〃With a Bible and a press posterity will see that a missionary will not labour in vain； even in India。〃 But one of their number； Grant； was meanwhile removed by death； and； while they waited for a month； Carey failed to obtain leave for them to settle as his assistants in British territory。 He had appealed to Mr。 Brown； and to Dr。 Roxburgh； his friend in charge of the Botanic Garden； to use his influence with the Government through Colebrooke； the Oriental scholar； then high in the service。 But it was in vain。 The police had seen with annoyance the missionaries slip from their grasp because of the liberality of the Governor…General of whom Carey had written to Ryland a year before： 〃At Calcutta； I saw much dissipation； but yet I think less than formerly。 Lord Mornington has set his face against sports； gaming； horse…racing； and working on the Lord's…day； in consequence of which these infamous practices are less common than formerly。〃 The missionaries； too； had at first been reported not as Baptist but as 〃Papist；〃 and the emissaries of France； believed to be everywhere； must be watched against。 The brave little Governor let it be understood that he would protect to the last the men who had been committed to his care by the Danish consul in London。 So Ward obtained a Danish passport to enable him to visit Dinapoor and consult with Carey。
It was Sunday morning when he approached the Mudnabati factory； 〃feeling very unusual sensations；〃 greatly excited。 〃At length I saw Carey！ He is less altered than I expected： has rather more flesh than when in England； and； blessed be God！ he is a young man still。〃 It was a wrench to sacrifice his own pioneer mission； property worth ？00； the school； the church； the inquirers； but he did not hesitate。 He thus stated the case on the other side：〃At Serampore we may settle as missionaries； which is not allow here； and the great ends of the mission； particularly the printing of the Scriptures； seem much more likely to be answered in that situation than in this。 There also brother Ward can have the inspection of the press； whereas here we should be deprived of his important assistance。 In that part of the country the inhabitants are far more numerous than in this； and other missionaries may there be permitted to join us； which here it seems they will not。〃 On the way down； during a visit to the Rajmahal Hills； round which the great Ganges sweeps； Carey and Ward made the first attempt to evangelise the Santal and other simple aboriginal tribes； whom the officials Brown and Cleveland had partly tamed。 The Paharis are described； at that time； as without caste； priests； or public religion； as living on Indian corn and by hunting； for which they carry bows and arrows。 〃Brother Carey was able to converse with them。〃 Again； Ward's comment on the Bengali services on the next Sunday； from the boats； is 〃the common sort wonder how brother Carey can know so much of the Shasters。〃 〃I long；〃 wrote Carey from the spot to his new colleagues； 〃to stay here and tell these social and untutored heathen the good news from heaven。 I have a strong persuasion that the doctrine of a dying Saviour would； under the Holy Spirit's influence； melt their hearts。〃 From Taljheri and Pokhuria； near that place； to Parisnath； Ranchi； and Orissa； thousands of Santals and Kols have since been gathered into the kingdom。
On the 10th January 1800 Carey took up his residence at Serampore； on the 11th he was presented to the Governor； and 〃he went out and preached to the natives。〃 His apprenticeship was over； so began his full apostolate； instant in season and out of season； to end only with his life thirty…four years after。
Thus step by step； by a way that he knew not； the shoemaker ladwho had educated himself to carry the Gospel to Tahiti； had been sent to Bengal in spite of the Company which cast him out of their ship； had starved in Calcutta； had built him a wooden hut in the jungles of the Delta； had become indigo planter in the swamps of Dinapoor that he might preach Christ without interference； had been forced to think of seeking the protection of a Buddhist in the Himalaya morasswas driven to begin anew in the very heart of the most densely peopled part of the British Empire； under the jealous care of the foreign European power which had a century before sent missionaries to Tranquebar and taught Zinzendorf and the Moravians the divine law of the kingdom； encouraged by a Governor； Colonel Bie； who was himself a disciple of Schwartz。 To complete this catalogue of special providences we may add that； if Fuller had delayed only a little longer； even Serampore would have been found shut against the missionaries。 For the year after； when Napoleon's acts had driven us to war with Denmark； a detachment of British troops； under Lord Minto's son； took possession of Fredericksnagore； as Serampore was officially called； and of the Danish East India Company's ship there； without opposition。
The district or county of Hoogli and Howrah； opposite Calcutta and Barrackpore； of which Serampore is the central port； swarms with a population； chiefly Hindoo but partly Mussulman； unmatched for density in any other part of the world。 If； after years of a decimating fever； each of its 1701 square miles still supports nearly a thousand human beings or double the proportion of Belgium； we cannot believe that it was much less dense at the beginning of the century。 From Howrah； the Surrey side of Calcutta； up to Hoogli the county town； the high ridge of mud between the river and the old channel of the Ganges to the west； has attracted the wealthiest and most intellectually active of all the Bengalees。 Hence it was here that Portuguese and Dutch； French and English； and Danish planted their early factories。 The last to obtain a site of twenty acres from the moribund Mussulman Government at Moorshedabad was Denmark； two years before Plassey。 In the half century the hut of the first Governor sent from Tranquebar had grown into the 〃beautiful little town〃 which delighted the first Baptist missionaries。 Its inhabitants； under only British administration since 1845； now number 45；000。 Then they were much fewer； but then even more than now the town was a centre of the Vishnoo…worship of Jagganath； second only to that of Pooree in all India。 Not far off； and now connected with the port by railway； is the foul shrine of Tarakeswar； which attracts thousands of pilgrims； many of them widows； who measure the road with their prostrate bodies dripping from the bath。 Commercially Serampore sometimes distanced Calcutta itself； for all the foreign European trade was centred in it during the American and French wars； and the English civilians used its investments as the best means of remitting their savings home。 When the missionaries landed there was nothing but a Portuguese Catholic church in the settlement； and the Governor was raising subscriptions for that pretty building in which Carey preached till he died； and the spire of which the Governor…General is said to have erected to improve the view of the town from the windows of his summer palace at Barrackpore opposite。
Removed from the rural obscurity of a Bengali village； where the cost of housing； clothing； and living was small； to a town in the neighbourhood of the capital much frequented by Europeans； Carey at once adapted the practical details of his communistic brotherhood to the new circumstances。
