the life of william carey-第73节
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it should hurt his modesty。 Good old Mr。 Newton says： 'Mr。 Carey has favoured me with a letter； which； indeed； I accept as a favour； and I mean to thank him for it。 I trust my heart as cordially unites with him as though I were a brother Baptist myself。 I look to such a man with reverence。 He is more to me than bishop or archbishop； he is an apostle。 May the Lord make all who undertake missions like…minded with Brother Carey！'〃 As the home administrator； no less than as the theological controversialist； Andrew Fuller stands only second to William Carey； the founder of Modern English Missions。
Fuller's last letter to Carey forms the best introduction to the little which it is here necessary to record of the action of the Baptist Missionary Society when under the secretaryship of the Rev。 John Dyer。 Mr。 John Marshman； C。S。I。； has written the detailed history of that controversy not only with filial duty； but with a forgiving charity which excites our admiration for one who suffered more from it than all his predecessors in the Brotherhood； of which he was the last representative。 The Society has long since ceased to approve of that period。 Its opinion has become that of Mr。 Marshman； to which a careful perusal of all the documents both in Serampore and England has led us〃Had it been possible to create a dozen establishments like that of Serampore； each raising and managing its own funds； and connected with the Society as the centre of unity in a common cause； it ought to have been a subject of congratulation and not of regret。〃 The whole policy of every missionary church and society is now and has long been directed to creating self…supporting and self…propagating missions； like Serampore； that the regions beyond may be evangelisedwhether these be colleges of catechumens and inquirers； like those of Duff and Wilson； Hislop and Dr。 Miller in India； and of Govan and Dr。 Stewart in Lovedale； Kafraria； or the indigenous churches of the West Indies； West Africa； the Pacific Ocean； and Burma。 To us the long and bitter dispute is now of value only in so far as it brings out in Christ…like relief the personality of William Carey。
At the close of 1814 Dr。 Carey had asked Fuller to pay ？0 a year to his father； then in his eightieth year； and ？0 to his （step） mother if she survived the old man。 Protesting that an engraving of his portrait had been published in violation of the agreement which he had made with the artist； he agreed to the wish of each of his relatives for a copy。 To these requests Fuller had replied：〃You should not insist on these things being charged to you； nor yet your father's ？0； nor the books； nor anything necessary to make you comfortable； unless it be to be paid out of what you would otherwise give to the mission。 To insist on their being paid out of your private property seems to be dictated by resentment。 It is thus we express our indignation when we have an avaricious man to deal with。〃
The first act of the Committee； after Fuller's funeral； led Dr。 Ryland to express to Carey his unbounded fears for the future。 There were two difficulties。 The new men raised the first question； in what sense the Serampore property belonged to the Society？ They then proceeded to show how they would answer it； by appointing the son of Samuel Pearce to Serampore as Mr。 Ward's assistant。 On both sides of their independence； as trustees of the property which they had created and gifted to the Society on this condition； and as a self…supporting； self…elective brotherhood； it became necessary； for the unbroken peace of the mission and the success of their work； that they should vindicate their moral and legal position。 The correspondence fell chiefly to Dr。 Marshman。 Ward and he successively visited England； to which the controversy was transferred； with occasional references to Dr。 Carey in Serampore。 All Scotland； led by Christopher Anderson； Chalmers； and the Haldanesall England； except the Dyer faction and Robert Hall for a time； among the Baptists； and nearly all America； held with the Serampore men； but their ever…extending operations were checked by the uncertainty； and their hearts were nearly broken。 The junior missionaries in India formed a separate union and congregation by themselves in Calcutta； paid by the Society； though professing to carry out the organisation of the Serampore Brotherhood in other respects。 The Committee's controversy lasted sixteen years； and was closed in 1830； after Ward's death； by Carey and Marshman drawing up a new trust…deed； in which； having vindicated their position； the old men made over properties which had cost them ？800 to eleven trustees in England； stipulating only that they should occupy them rent free till death； and that their colleagueswho were John Marshman and John Mack； of Edinburgh Universitymight continue in them for three years thereafter； paying rent to the Society。 Such self…sacrifice would be pronounced heroic； but it was only the outcome of a life of self…devotion； marked by the spirit of Him who spake the Sermon on the Mount； and said to the first missionaries He sent forth：〃Be wise as serpents； harmless as doves。〃 The story is completed by the fact that John Marshman； on his father's death； again paid the price of as much of the property as the Hoogli had not swallowed up when the Committee were about to put it in the market。
Such was Dr。 Carey's position in the Christian world that the Dyer party considered it important for their interest to separate him from his colleagues； and if not to claim his influence for their side； at least to neutralise it。 By trying to hold up Dr。 Marshman to odium； they roused the righteous indignation of Carey； while outraging his sense of justice by their blows at the independence of the Brotherhood。 Dr。 Marshman； when in England； met this course by frankly printing the whole private correspondence of Carey on the subject of the property； or thirty…two letters ranging from the year 1815 to 1828。 One of the earliest of these is to Mr。 Dyer； who had so far forgotten himself as to ask Dr。 Carey to write home； alone； his opinion of his 〃elder brethren；〃 and particularly of Dr。 Marshman。 The answer； covering eleven octavo pages of small type； is a model for all controversialists； and especially for any whom duty compels to rebuke the minister who has failed to learn the charity which envieth not。 We reproduce the principal passages； and the later letters to Christopher Anderson and his son Jabez； revealing the nobleness of Carey and the inner life of the Brotherhood：
〃SERAMPORE； 15th July 1819。
〃MY DEAR BROTHERI am sorry you addressed your letter of January the 9th to me alone； because it places me in a most awkward situation； as it respects my elder brethren； with whom I have acted in concert for the last nineteen years； with as great a share of satisfaction and pleasure as could reasonably be expected from a connection with imperfect creatures； and whom I am thereby called to condemn contrary to my convictions； or to justify at the expense of their accusers。 It also places me in a disagreeable situation as it respects my younger brethren； whom I highly respect as Christians； but whose whole conduct； as it respects the late unhappy differences； has been such as makes it impossible for me to do otherwise than condemn it。。。
〃You ask； 'Is there no ground for the charges of profusion； etc。； preferred against Brother Marshman？' Brother Marshman has always been ardently engaged in promoting the cause of God in India； and； being of a very active mind； has generally been chosen by us to draw up our Reports； to write many of our public letters； to draw up plans for promoting the objects of the mission； founding and managing schools； raising subscriptions； and other things of a like nature； so that he has taken a more active part than Brother Ward or myself in these public acts of the mission。 These things placed him in the foreground； and it has been no uncommon thing for him to bear the blame of those acts which equally belong to Brother Ward and myself； merely because he was the instrument employed in performing them。
〃The charge of profusion brought against Dr。 Marshman is more extensive than you have stated in your letter。 He is charged with having his house superbly furnished； with keeping several vehicles for the use of his family； and with labouring to aggrandise and bring them into public notice to a culpable extent。 The whole business of furniture； internal economy； etc。； of the Serampore station； must exclusively belong to ourselves； and I confess I think the question about it an unlovely one。 Some person； we know not whom； told some one； we know not whom； 'that he had been often at Lord Hastings's table； but that Brother Marshman's table far exceeded his。' I have also often been at Lord Hastings's table （I mean his private table）； and I do therefore most positively deny the truth of the assertion； though I confess there is much domestic plainness at the table of the Governor…General of India （though nothing of meanness； on the contrary； everything is marked with a dignified simplicity）。 I suspect the informant never was at Lord Hastings's table； or he could have not been guilty of such misrepresen
