the life of william carey-第8节

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〃SECONDLY；　As　to　their　uncivilised　and　barbarous　way　of　living；　this　can　be　no　objection　to　any；　except　those　whose　love　of　ease　renders　them　unwilling　to　expose　themselves　to　inconveniences　for　the　good　of　others。　　It　was　no　objection　to　the　apostles　and　their　successors；　who　went　among　the　barbarous　Germans　and　Gauls；　and　still　more　barbarous　Britons！　　They　did　not　wait　for　the　ancient　inhabitants　of　these　countries　to　be　civilised　before　they　could　be　christianised；　but　went　simply　with　the　doctrine　of　the　cross；　and　Tertullian　could　boast　that　'those　parts　of　Britain　which　were　proof　against　the　Roman　armies；　were　conquered　by　the　gospel　of　Christ。'　It　was　no　objection　to　an　Eliot　or　a　Brainerd；　in　later　times。　They　went　forth；　and　encountered　every　difficulty　of　the　kind；　and　found　that　a　cordial　reception　of　the　gospel　produced　those　happy　effects　which　the　longest　intercourse　with　Europeans　without　it　could　never　accomplish。　　It　is　no　objection　to　commercial　men。　　It　only　requires　that　we　should　have　as　much　love　to　the　souls　of　our　fellow…creatures；　and　fellow…sinners；　as　they　have　for　the　profits　arising　from　a　few　otter…skins；　and　all　these　difficulties　would　be　easily　surmounted。

〃After　all；　the　uncivilised　state　of　the　heathen；　instead　of　affording　an　objection　against　preaching　the　gospel　to　them；　ought　to　furnish　an　argument　for　it。　　Can　we　as　men；　or　as　Christians；　hear　that　a　great　part　of　our　fellow…creatures；　whose　souls　are　as　immortal　as　ours；　and　who　are　as　capable　as　ourselves　of　adorning　the　gospel　and　contributing　by　their　preachings；　writings；　or　practices　to　the　glory　of　our　Redeemer's　name　and　the　good　of　his　church；　are　enveloped　in　ignorance　and　barbarism？　　Can　we　hear　that　they　are　without　the　gospel；　without　government；　without　laws；　and　without　arts；　and　sciences；　and　not　exert　ourselves　to　introduce　among　them　the　sentiments　of　men；　and　of　Christians？　　Would　not　the　spread　of　the　gospel　be　the　most　effectual　mean　of　their　civilisation？　　Would　not　that　make　them　useful　members　of　society？　We　know　that　such　effects　did　in　a　measure　follow　the　afore…mentioned　efforts　of　Eliot；　Brainerd；　and　others　amongst　the　American　Indians；　and　if　similar　attempts　were　made　in　other　parts　of　the　world；　and　succeeded　with　a　divine　blessing　（which　we　have　every　reason　to　think　they　would）；　might　we　not　expect　to　see　able　divines；　or　read　well…conducted　treatises　in　defence　of　the　truth；　even　amongst　those　who　at　present　seem　to　be　scarcely　human？

〃THIRDLY；　In　respect　to　the　danger　of　being　killed　by　them；　it　is　true　that　whoever　does　go　must　put　his　life　in　his　hand；　and　not　consult　with　flesh　and　blood；　but　do　not　the　goodness　of　the　cause；　the　duties　incumbent　on　us　as　the　creatures　of　God　and　Christians；　and　the　perishing　state　of　our　fellow…men；　loudly　call　upon　us　to　venture　all；　and　use　every　warrantable　exertion　for　their　benefit？　Paul　and　Barnabas；　who　hazarded　their　lives　for　the　name　of　our　Lord　Jesus　Christ；　were　not　blamed　as　being　rash；　but　commended　for　so　doing；　while　John　Mark；　who　through　timidity　of　mind　deserted　them　in　their　perilous　undertaking；　was　branded　with　censure。　　After　all；　as　has　been　already　observed；　I　greatly　question　whether　most　of　the　barbarities　practised　by　the　savages　upon　those　who　have　visited　them；　have　not　originated　in　some　real　or　supposed　affront；　and　were　therefore；　more　properly；　acts　of　self…defence；　than　proofs　of　ferocious　dispositions。　　No　wonder　if　the　imprudence　of　sailors　should　prompt　them　to　offend　the　simple　savage；　and　the　offence　be　resented；　but　Eliot；　Brainerd；　and　the　Moravian　missionaries　have　been　very　seldom　molested。　　Nay；　in　general　the　heathen　have　showed　a　willingness　to　hear　the　word；　and　have　principally　expressed　their　hatred　of　Christianity　on　account　of　the　vices　of　nominal　Christians。

〃FOURTHLY；　As　to　the　difficulty　of　procuring　the　necessaries　of　life；　this　would　not　be　so　great　as　may　appear　at　first　sight；　for；　though　we　could　not　procure　European　food；　yet　we　might　procure　such　as　the　natives　of　those　countries　which　we　visit；　subsist　upon　themselves。　　And　this　would　only　be　passing　through　what　we　have　virtually　engaged　in　by　entering　on　the　ministerial　office。　　A　Christian　minister　is　a　person　who　in　a　peculiar　sense　is　not　his　own；　he　is　the　servant　of　God；　and　therefore　ought　to　be　wholly　devoted　to　him。　　By　entering　on　that　sacred　office　he　solemnly　undertakes　to　be　always　engaged；　as　much　as　possible；　in　the　Lord's　work；　and　not　to　choose　his　own　pleasure；　or　employment；　or　pursue　the　ministry　as　a　something　that　is　to　subserve　his　own　ends；　or　interests；　or　as　a　kind　of　bye…work。　　He　engages　to　go　where　God　pleases；　and　to　do　or　endure　what　he　sees　fit　to　command；　or　call　him　to；　in　the　exercise　of　his　function。　　He　virtually　bids　farewell　to　friends；　pleasures；　and　comforts；　and　stands　in　readiness　to　endure　the　greatest　sufferings　in　the　work　of　his　Lord；　and　Master。　It　is　inconsistent　for　ministers　to　please　themselves　with　thoughts　of　a　numerous　auditory；　cordial　friends；　a　civilised　country；　legal　protection；　affluence；　splendour；　or　even　a　competency。　　The　slights；　and　hatred　of　men；　and　even　pretended　friends；　gloomy　prisons；　and　tortures；　the　society　of　barbarians　of　uncouth　speech；　miserable　accommodations　in　wretched　wildernesses；　hunger；　and　thirst；　nakedness；　weariness；　and　painfulness；　hard　work；　and　but　little　worldly　encouragement；　should　rather　be　the　objects　of　their　expectation。　　Thus　the　apostles　acted；　in　the　primitive　times；　and　endured　hardness；　as　good　soldiers　of　Jesus　Christ；　and　though　we；　living　in　a　civilised　country　where　Christianity　is　protected　by　law；　are　not　called　to　suffer　these　things　while　we　continue　here；　yet　I　question　whether　all　are　justified　in　staying　here；　while　so　many　are　perishing　without　means　of　grace　in　other　lands。　　Sure　I　am　that　it　is　entirely　contrary　to　the　spirit　of　the　gospel　for　its　ministers　to　enter　upon　it　from　interested　motives；　or　with　great　worldly　expectations。　　On　the　contrary；　the　commission　is　a　sufficient　call　to　them　to　venture　all；　and；　like　the　primitive　Christians；　go　everywhere　preaching　the　gospel。

〃It　might　be　necessary；　however；　for　two；　at　least；　to　go　together；　and　in　general　I　should　think　it　best　that　they　should　be　married　men；　and　to　prevent　their　time　from　being　employed　in　procuring　necessaries；　two；　or　more；　other　persons；　with　their　wives　and　families；　might　also　accompany　them；　who　should　be　wholly　employed　in　providing　for　them。　　In　most　countries　it　would　be　necessary　for　them　to　cultivate　a　little　spot　of　ground　just　for　their　support；　which　would　be　a　resource　to　them；　whenever　their　supplies　failed。　Not　to　mention　the　advantages　they　would　reap　from　each　other's　company；　it　would　take　off　the　enormous　expense　which　has　always　attended　undertakings　of　this　kind；　the　first　expense　being　the　whole；　for　though　a　large　colony　needs　support　for　a　considerable　time；　yet　so　small　a　number　would；　upon　receiving　the　first　crop；　maintain　themselves。　　They　would　have　the　advantage　of　choosing　their　situation；　their　wants　would　be　few；　the　women；　and　even　the　children；　would　be　necessary　for　domestic　purposes：　and　a　few　articles　of　stock；　as　a　cow　or　two；　and　a　bull；　and　a　few　other　cattle　of　both　sexes；　a　very　few　utensils　of　husbandry；　and　some　corn　to　sow　their　land；　would　be　sufficient。　　Those　who　attend　the　missionaries　should　understand　husbandry；　fishing；　fowling；　etc。；　and　be　provided　with　the　necessary　implements　for　these　purposes。　Indeed；　a　variety　of　methods　may　be　thought　of；　and　when　once　the　work　is　undertaken；　many　things　will　suggest　themselves　to　us；　of　which　we　at　present　can　form　no　idea。

〃FIFTHLY；　As　to　learning　their　languages；　the　same　means　would　be　found　necessary　here　as　in　trade　between　different　nations。　　In　some　cases　interpreters　might　be　obtained；　who　might　be　employed　for　a　time；　and　where　these　were　not　to　be　found；　the　missionaries　must　have　patience；　and　mingle　with　the　people；　till　they　have　learned　so　much　of　their　language　as　to　be　able　to　communicate　their　ideas　to　them　in　it。　　It　is　well　known　to　require　no　very　extraordinary　talents　to　learn；　in　the　space　of　a　year；　or　two　at　most；　the　language　of　any　people　upon　earth；　so　much　of　it　at　least　as　to　be　able　to　convey　any　sentiments　we　wish　to　their　understandings。

〃The　Missionaries　must　be　men　of　great　piety；　prudence；　courage；　and　forbearance；　of　undoubted　orthodoxy　in　their　sentiments；　and　must　enter　with　all　their　hearts　into　the　spirit　of　their　mission；　they　must　be　willing　to　leave　all　the　comforts　of　life　behind　them；　and　to　encounter　all　the　hardships　of　a　torrid　or　a　frigid　climate；　an　uncomfortable　manner　of　living；　and　every　other　inconvenience　that　can　attend　this　undertaking。　　Clothing；　a　few　knives；　powder　and　shot；　fishing…tackle；　and　the　articles　of　husbandry　above　mentioned；　must　be　provided　for　them；　and　when　arrived　at　the　place　of　their　destination；　their　first　business　must　be　to　gain　some　acquaintance　with　the　language　of　the　natives　（for　which　purpose　two　would　be　better　than　one）；　and　by　all　lawful　means　to　endeavour　to　cultivate　a　friendship　with　them；　and　as　soon　as　possible　let　them　know　the　errand　for　which　they　were　sent