the life of william carey-第31节
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im as a suitable and all…sufficient Saviour； put his trust in him； and died full of tranquil hope。 After begging them to consider their own state； we prayed； sung Moorad's hymn； and distributed papers。 The concourse of people was great； perhaps 500： they seemed much struck with the novelty of the scene； and with the love and regard Christians manifest to each other； even in death； so different from their throwing their friends； half dead and half living； into the river； or burning their body； with perhaps a solitary attendant。〃
Preaching； teaching； and Bible translating were from the first Carey's three missionary methods； and in all he led the missionaries who have till the present followed him with a success which he never hesitated to expect； as one of the 〃great things〃 from God。 His work for the education of the people of India； especially in their own vernacular and classical languages； was second only to that which gave them a literature sacred and pure。 Up to 1794； when at Mudnabati he opened the first primary school worthy of the name in all India at his own cost； and daily superintended it； there had been only one attempt to improve upon the indigenous schools； which taught the children of the trading castes only to keep rude accounts； or upon the tols in which the Brahmans instructed their disciples for one…half the year； while for the other half they lived by begging。 That attempt was made by Schwartz at Combaconum； the priestly Oxford of South India； where the wars with Tipoo soon put an end to a scheme supported by both the Raja of Tanjore and the British Government。 When Carey moved to Serampore and found associated with him teachers so accomplished and enthusiastic as Marshman and his wife； education was not long in taking its place in the crusade which was then fully organised for the conversion of Southern and Eastern Asia。 At Madras； too； Bell had stumbled upon the system of 〃mutual instruction〃 which he had learned from the easy methods of the indigenous schoolmaster； and which he and Lancaster taught England to apply to the clamant wants of the country； and to improve into the monitorial； pupil…teacher and grant…in…aid systems。 Carey had all the native schools of the mission 〃conducted upon Lancaster's plan。〃
In Serampore； and in every new station as it was formed； a free school was opened。 We have seen how the first educated convert； Petumber； was made schoolmaster。 So early as October 1800 we find Carey writing home：〃The children in our Bengali free school； about fifty； are mostly very young。 Yet we are endeavouring to instil into their minds Divine truth； as fast as their understandings ripen。 Some natives have complained that we are poisoning the minds even of their very children。〃 The first attempt to induce the boys to write out the catechism in Bengali resulted； as did Duff's to get them to read aloud the Sermon on the Mount thirty years after； in a protest that their caste was in danger。 But the true principles of toleration and discipline were at once explained〃that the children will never be compelled to do anything that will make them lose caste； that though we abhor the caste we do not wish any to lose it but by their own choice。 After this we shall insist on the children doing what they have been ordered。〃 A few of the oldest boys withdrew for a time； declaring that they feared they would be sent on board ship to England； and the baptism of each of the earlier converts caused a panic。 But instruction on honest methods soon worked out the true remedy。 Two years after we find this report：〃The first class； consisting of catechumens； are now learning in Bengali the first principles of Christianity； and will hereafter be instructed in the rudiments of history； geography； astronomy； etc。 The second class； under two other masters； learn to read and write Bengali and English。 The third class； consisting of the children of natives who have not lost caste； learn only Bengali。 This school is in a promising state； and is liberally supported by the subscriptions of Europeans in this country。〃
Carey's early success led Mr。 Creighton of Malda to open at Goamalty several Bengali free schools； and to draw up a scheme for extending such Christian nurseries all over the country at a cost of ？0 for the education of fifty children。 Only by the year 1806 was such a scheme practicable； because Carey had translated the Scriptures； and； as Creighton noted； 〃a variety of introductory and explanatory tracts and catechisms in the Bengali and Hindostani tongues have already been circulated in some parts of the country； and any number may be had gratis from the Mission House； Serampore。〃 As only a few of the Brahman and writer castes could read； and not one woman； 〃a general perusal of the Scriptures amongst natives will be impracticable till they are taught to read。〃 But nothing was done； save by the missionaries； till 1835； when Lord William Bentinck received Adam's report on the educational destitution of Bengal。
Referring to Creighton's scheme； Mr。 Ward's journal thus chronicles the opening of the first Sunday school in India in July 1803 by Carey's sons：
〃Last Lord's day a kind of Sunday school was opened； which will be superintended principally by our young friends Felix and William Carey； and John Fernandez。 It will chiefly be confined to teaching catechisms in Bengali and English； as the children learn to read and write every day。 I have received a letter from a gentleman up the country； who writes very warmly respecting the general establishment of Christian schools all over Bengal。〃
Not many years had passed since Raikes had begun Sunday schools in England。 Their use seems to have passed away with the three Serampore missionaries for a time； and to have been again extended by the American missionaries about 1870。 There are now above 200；000 boys and girls at such schools in India； and three…fourths of these are non…Christians。
As from the first Carey drew converts from all classes； the Armenians； the Portuguese； and the Eurasians； as well as the natives of India； he and Mr。 and Mrs。 Marshman especially took care to provide schools for their children。 The necessity； indeed； of this was forced upon them by the facts that the brotherhood began with nine children； and that boarding…schools for these classes would form an honourable source of revenue to the mission。 Hence this advertisement； which appeared in March 1800：〃Mission； House； Serampore。On Thursday； the 1st of May 1800； a school will be opened at this house； which stands in a very healthy and pleasant situation by the side of the river。 Letters add to Mr。 Carey will be immediately attended to。〃 The cost of boarding and fees varied from ？5 to ？0 a year； according as 〃Latin； Greek； Hebrew； Persian； or Sanskrit〃 lessons were included。 〃Particular attention will be paid to the correct pronunciation of the English language〃 was added for reasons which the mixed parentage of the pupils explains。 Such was the first sign of a care for the Eurasians not connected with the army； which； as developed by Marshman and Mack； began in 1823 to take the form of the Doveton College。 The boys' school was soon followed by a girls' school； through which a stream of Christian light radiated forth over resident Christian society； and from which many a missionary came。
Carey's description of the mixed community is the best we have of its origin as well as of the state of European society in India； alike when the Portuguese were dominant； and at the beginning of the nineteenth century when the East India Company were most afraid of Christianity：〃The Portuguese are a people who； in the estimation of both Europeans and natives； are sunk below the Hindoos or Mussulmans。 However； I am of opinion that they are rated much too low。 They are chiefly descendants of the slaves of the Portuguese who first landed here； or of the children of those Portuguese by their female slaves； and being born in their house； were made Christians in their infancy by what is called baptism； and had Portuguese names given them。 It is no wonder that these people； despised as they are by Europeans； and being consigned to the teachings of very ignorant Popish priests； should be sunk into such a state of degradation。 So gross； indeed； are their superstitions； that I have seen a Hindoo image…maker carrying home an image of Christ on the cross between two thieves； to the house of a Portuguese。 Many of them； however； can read and write English well and understand Portuguese。。。
〃Besides these； there are many who are the children of Europeans by native women； several of whom are well educated； and nearly all of them Protestants by profession。 These； whether children of English； French； Dutch； or Danes； by native women； are called Portuguese。 Concubinage here is so common； that few unmarried Europeans are without a native woman； with whom they live as if married； and I believe there are but few instances of separation； except in case of marriage with European women； in which case the native woman is dismissed with an allowance： but the children of these marriages are never admitted to table with company； and are universally treated by the English as an inferior species o
