the life of william carey-第28节

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ssaulted　on　their　way　home。　　Just　thirty　years　after；　in　Calcutta；　the　first　public　breach　of　caste　by　the　young　Brahman　students　of　Duff　raised　a　still　greater　commotion；　and　resulted　in　the　first　converts　there。　Krishna　Pal　and　his　wife；　his　wife's　sister　and　his　four　daughters；　Gokool；　his　wife；　and　a　widow　of　forty　who　lived　beside　them；　formed　the　first　group　of　Christian　Hindoos　of　caste　in　India　north　of　Madras。　　Two　years　after　Krishna　Pal　sent　to　the　Society　this　confession　of　his　faith。　　Literally　translated；　it　is　a　record　of　belief　such　as　Paul　himself　might　have　written；　illustrated　by　an　apostolic　life　of　twenty…two　years。　　The　carpenter's　confession　and　dedication　has；　in　the　original；　an　exquisite　tenderness；　reflected　also　in　the　hymn11　which　he　wrote　for　family　worship：

〃SERAMPORE；　12th　Oct。　1802。

〃To　the　brethren　of　the　church　of　our　Saviour　Jesus　Christ；　our　souls'　beloved；　my　affectionately　embracing　representation。　　The　love　of　God；　the　gospel　of　Jesus　Christ；　was　made　known　by　holy　brother　Thomas。　　In　that　day　our　minds　were　filled　with　joy。　　Then　judging；　we　understood　that　we　were　dwelling　in　darkness。　　Through　the　door　of　manifestation　we　came　to　know　that；　sin　confessing；　sin　forsaking；　Christ's　righteousness　embracing；　salvation　would　be　obtained。　　By　light　springing　up　in　the　heart；　we　knew　that　sinners　becoming　repentant；　through　the　sufferings　of　Christ；　obtain　salvation。　　In　this　rejoicing；　and　in　Christ's　love　believing；　I　obtained　mercy。　　Now　it　is　in　my　mind　continually　to　dwell　in　the　love　of　Christ：　this　is　the　desire　of　my　soul。　　Do　you；　holy　people；　pour　down　love　upon　us；　that　as　the　chatookee　we　may　be　satisfied。12　I　was　the　vilest　of　sinners：　He　hath　saved　me。　　Now　this　word　I　will　tell　to　the　world。　　Going　forth；　I　will　proclaim　the　love　of　Christ　with　rejoicing。　　To　sinners　I　will　say　this　word：　Here　sinner；　brother！　　Without　Christ　there　is　no　help。　　Christ；　the　world　to　save；　gave　his　own　soul！　　Such　love　was　never　heard：　for　enemies　Christ　gave　his　own　soul！　　Such　compassion；　where　shall　we　get？　　For　the　sake　of　saving　sinners　he　forsook　the　happiness　of　heaven。　　I　will　constantly　stay　near　him。　　Being　awakened　by　this　news；　I　will　constantly　dwell　in　the　town　of　joy。　　In　the　Holy　Spirit　I　will　live：　yet　in　Christ's　sorrow　I　will　be　sorrowful。　　I　will　dwell　along　with　happiness；　continually　meditating　on　this；Christ　will　save　the　world！　　In　Christ　not　taking　refuge；　there　is　no　other　way　of　life。　　I　was　indeed　a　sinner；　praise　not　knowing。This　is　the　representation　of　Christ's　servant；

〃KRISTNO。〃

Such　is　the　first　epistle　of　the　Church　of　India。　　Thus　the　first　medical　missionary　had　his　reward；　but　the　joy　proved　to　be　too　much　for　him。　　When　Carey　led　Krishna　and　his　own　son　Felix　down　into　the　water　of　baptism　the　ravings　of　Thomas　in　the　schoolhouse　on　the　one　side；　and　of　Mrs。　Carey　on　the　other；　mingled　with　the　strains　of　the　Bengali　hymn　of　praise。　　The　Mission　Journal；　written　by　Ward；　tells　with　graphic　simplicity　how　caste　as　well　as　idol…worship　was　overcome　not　only　by　the　men　but　the　women　representatives　of　a　race　whom；　thirty　years　after；　Macaulay　described　as　destitute　of　courage；　independence；　and　veracity；　and　bold　only　in　deceit。　Christ　is　changing　all　that。

〃Nov。　27。Krishna；　the　man　whose　arm　was　set；　overtook　Felix　and　me；　and　said　he　would　come　to　our　house　daily　for　instruction；　for　that　we　had　not　only　cured　his　arm；　but　brought　him　the　news　of　salvation。。。

〃Dec。　5。Yesterday　evening　Gokool　and　Krishna　prayed　in　my　room。　This　morning　Gokool　called　upon　us；　and　told　us　that　his　wife　and　two　or　three　more　of　his　family　had　left　him　on　account　of　the　gospel。　　He　had　eaten　of　Krishna's　rice；　who　being　of　another　caste；　Gokool　had　lost　his。　　Krishna　says　his　wife　and　family　are　all　desirous　of　becoming　Christians。　　They　declare　their　willingness　to　join　us；　and　obey　all　our　Saviour's　commands。　　Gokool　and　his　wife　had　a　long　talk；　but　she　continued　determined；　and　is　gone　to　her　relations。

〃Dec。　6。This　morning　brother　Carey　and　I　went　to　Krishna's　house。　Everything　was　made　very　clean。　　The　women　sat　within　the　house；　the　children　at　the　door；　and　Krishna　and　Gokool　with　brother　Carey　and　I　in　the　court。　　The　houses　of　the　poor　are　only　calculated　for　sleeping　in。　　Brother　Carey　talked；　and　the　women　appeared　to　have　learned　more　of　the　gospel　than　we　expected。　　They　declared　for　Christ　at　once。　　This　work　was　new；　even　to　brother　Carey。　　A　whole　family　desiring　to　hear　the　gospel；　and　declaring　in　favour　of　it！　Krishna's　wife　said　she　had　received　great　joy　from　it。

〃Lord's…day；　Dec。　7。This　morning　brother　Carey　went　to　Krishna's　house；　and　spoke　to　a　yard　full　of　people；　who　heard　with　great　attention　though　trembling　with　cold。　　Brother　Brunsdon　is　very　poorly。　　Krishna's　wife　and　her　sister　were　to　have　been　with　us　in　the　evening；　but　the　women　have　many　scruples　to　sitting　in　the　company　of　Europeans。　　Some　of　them　scarcely　ever　go　out　but　to　the　river；　and　if　they　meet　a　European　run　away。　　Sometimes　when　we　have　begun　to　speak　in　a　street；　some　one　desires　us　to　remove　to　a　little　distance；　for　the　women　dare　not　come　by　us　to　fill　their　jars　at　the　river。　　We　always　obey。。。

〃Dec。　11。Gokool；　Krishna；　and　family　continue　to　seek　after　the　Word；　and　profess　their　entire　willingness　to　join　us。　　The　women　seem　to　have　learnt　that　sin　is　a　dreadful　thing；　and　to　have　received　joy　in　hearing　of　Jesus　Christ。　　We　see　them　all　every　day　almost。　　They　live　but　half　a　mile　from　us。　　We　think　it　right　to　make　many　allowances　for　ignorance；　and　for　a　state　of　mind　produced　by　a　corrupt　superstition。　　We　therefore　cannot　think　of　demanding　from　them；　previous　to　baptism；　to　more　than　a　profession　of　dependence　on　Christ；　from　a　knowledge　of　their　need　of　Him；　and　submission　to　Him　in　all　things。　　We　now　begin　to　talk　of　baptism。　Yesterday　we　fixed　upon　the　spot；　before　our　gate；　in　the　river。　We　begin　to　talk　also　of　many　other　things　concerning　the　discipled　natives。　　This　evening　Felix　and　I　went　to　Gokool's　house。　　Krishna　and　his　wife　and　a　br鄊mh鄋　were　present。　　I　said　a　little。　　Felix　read　the　four　last　chapters　of　John　to　them；　and　spoke　also。　　We　sat　down　upon　a　piece　of　mat　in　the　front　of　the　house。　（No　chairs。）　It　was　very　pleasant。　　To　have　natives　who　feel　a　little　as　we　do　ourselves；　is　so　new　and　different。　　The　country　itself　seems　to　wear　a　new　aspect　to　me。。。

〃Dec。　13。This　evening　Felix　and　I　went　to　see　our　friends　Gokool　and　Krishna。　　The　latter　was　out。　　Gokool　gave　a　pleasing　account　of　the　state　of　his　mind；　and　also　of　that　of　Krishna　and　his　family。　While　we　were　there；　Gokool's　gooroo　（teacher）　came　for　the　first　time　since　his　losing　caste。　　Gokool　refused　to　prostrate　himself　at　his　feet　while　he　should　put　his　foot　on　his　head；　for　which　his　gooroo　was　displeased。。。

〃Dec。　22。This　day　Gokool　and　Krishna　came　to　eat　tiffin　（what　in　England　is　called　luncheon）　with　us；　and　thus　publicly　threw　away　their　caste。　　Brethren　Carey　and　Thomas　went　to　prayer　with　the　two　natives　before　they　proceeded　to　this　act。　　All　our　servants　were　astonished：　so　many　had　said　that　nobody　would　ever　mind　Christ　or　lose　caste。　　Brother　Thomas　has　waited　fifteen　years；　and　thrown　away　much　upon　deceitful　characters：　brother　Carey　has　waited　till　hope　of　his　own　success　has　almost　expired；　and　after　all；　God　has　done　it　with　perfect　ease！　　Thus　the　door　of　faith　is　open　to　the　gentiles；　who　shall　shut　it？　　The　chain　of　the　caste　is　broken；　who　shall　mend　it？〃

Carey　thus　describes　the　baptism：〃Dec。　29。Yesterday　was　a　day　of　great　joy。　　I　had　the　happiness　to　desecrate　the　Gunga；　by　baptising　the　first　Hindoo；　viz。　Krishna；　and　my　son　Felix：　some　circumstances　turned　up　to　delay　the　baptism　of　Gokool　and　the　two　women。　Krishna's　coming　forward　alone；　however；　gave　us　very　great　pleasure；　and　his　joy　at　both　ordinances　was　very　great。　　The　river　runs　just　before　our　gate；　in　front　of　the　house；　and；　I　think；　is　as　wide　as　the　Thames　at　Gravesend。　　We　intended　to　have　baptised　at　nine　in　the　morning；　but；　on　account　of　the　tide；　were　obliged　to　defer　it　till　nearly　one　o'clock；　and　it　was　administered　just　after　the　English　preaching。　　The　Governor　and　a　good　number　of　Europeans　were　present。　　Brother　Ward　preached　a　sermon　in　English；　from　John　v。　39'Search　the　Scriptures。'　　We　then　went　to　the　water…side；　where　I　addressed　the　people　in　Bengali；　after　having　sung　a　Bengali　translation　of　'Jesus；　and　shall　it　ever　be？'　and　engaging　in　prayer。　　After　the　address　I　administered　the　ordinance；　first　to　my　son；　then　to　Krishna。　　At　half…past　four　I　administered　the　Lord's　Supper；　and　a　time　of　real　refreshing　it　was。。。

〃Thus；　you　see；　God　is　making　way　for　us；　and　giving　success　to　the　word　of　His　grace！　　We　have　toiled　long；　and　have　met　with　many　discouragements；　but；　at　last；　the　Lord　has　appeared　for　us。　　May　we　have　the　true　spirit　of　nurses；　to　train　them　up　in　the　words　of　faith　and　sound　doctrine！　　I　have　no　fear　of　any　one；　however；　in　this　respect；　but　myself。　　I　feel　much　concerned　that　they　may　act　worthy　of　their　vocation；　and　also　that　they　may　be　able　to　teach　others。　　I　think　it　becomes　us　to　make　the　most　of　every　one　whom　th