the life of william carey-第21章

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ries　which　he　was　building　on　his　own　account。　　Each　received　a　salary　equivalent　to　？50　a　year；　with　the　prospect　of　a　commission　on　the　out…turn；　and　even　a　proprietary　share。　　Carey's　remark　in　his　journal　on　the　day　he　received　the　offer　was：〃This　appearing　to　be　a　remarkable　opening　in　divine　providence　for　our　comfortable　support；　I　accepted　it。。。I　shall　likewise　be　joined　with　my　colleague　again；　and　we　shall　unitedly　engage　in　our　work。〃　　Again：〃The　conversion　of　the　heathen　is　the　object　which　above　all　others　I　wish　to　pursue。　　If　my　situation　at　Malda　should　be　tolerable；　I　most　certainly　will　publish　the　Bible　in　numbers。〃　　On　receiving　the　rejoinder　to　his　acceptance　of　the　offer　he　set　this　down：〃I　am　resolved　to　write　to　the　Society　that　my　circumstances　are　such　that　I　do　not　need　future　help　from　them；　and　to　devote　a　sum　monthly　for　the　printing　of　the　Bengali　Bible。〃　This　he　did；　adding　that　it　would　be　his　glory　and　joy　to　stand　in　the　same　relation　to　the　Society　as　if　he　needed　support　from　them。　He　hoped　they　would　be　the　sooner　able　to　send　another　mission　somewhereto　Sumatra　or　some　of　the　Indian　Islands。　　From　the　first　he　lived　with　such　simplicity　that　he　gave　from　one…fourth　to　one…third　of　his　little　income　to　his　own　mission　at　Mudnabati。

Carey　thus　sums　up　his　first　year's　experience　before　leaving　his　jungle　home　on　a　three　weeks'　voyage　up　the　Ganges；　and　records　his　first　deliberate　and　regular　attempt　to　preach　in　Bengali　on　the　way。

〃8th　April　1794。All　my　hope　is　in；　and　all　my　comfort　arises　from；　God；　without　His　power　no　European　could　possibly　be　converted；　and　His　power　can　convert　any　Indian；　and　when　I　reflect　that　He　has　stirred　me　up　to　the　work；　and　wrought　wonders　to　prepare　the　way；　I　can　hope　in　His　promises；　and　am　encouraged　and　strengthened。。。

〃19th　April。O　how　glorious　are　the　ways　of　God！　'My　soul　longeth　and　fainteth　for　God；　for　the　living　God；　to　see　His　glory　and　beauty　as　I　have　seen　them　in　the　sanctuary。'　　When　I　first　left　England；　my　hope　of　the　conversion　of　the　heathen　was　very　strong；　but；　among　so　many　obstacles；　it　would　entirely　die　away　unless　upheld　by　God。　Nothing　to　exercise　it；　but　plenty　to　obstruct　it；　for　now　a　year　and　nineteen　days；　which　is　the　space　since　I　left　my　dear　charge　at　Leicester。　　Since　that　I　have　had　hurrying　up　and　down；　a　five　months'　imprisonment　with　carnal　men　on　board　the　ship；　five　more　learning　the　language；　my　moonshi　not　understanding　English　sufficiently　to　interpret　my　preaching；　my　colleague　separated　from　me；　long　delays　and　few　opportunities　for　social　worship；　no　woods　to　retire　to；　like　Brainerd；　for　fear　of　tigers　（no　less　than　twenty　men　in　the　department　of　Deharta；　where　I　am；　have　been　carried　away　by　them　this　season　from　the　salt…works）；　no　earthly　thing　to　depend　upon；　or　earthly　comfort；　except　food　and　raiment。　　Well；　I　have　God；　and　His　Word　is　sure；　and　though　the　superstitions　of　the　heathen　were　a　million　times　worse　than　they　are；　if　I　were　deserted　by　all；　and　persecuted　by　all；　yet　my　hope；　fixed　on　that　sure　Word；　will　rise　superior　to　all　obstructions；　and　triumph　over　all　trials。　　God's　cause　will　triumph；　and　I　shall　come　out　of　all　trials　as　gold　purified　by　fire。　　I　was　much　humbled　to…day　by　reading　Brainerd。　　O　what　a　disparity　betwixt　me　and　him；　he　always　constant；　I　as　inconstant　as　the　wind！

〃22nd　April。Bless　God　for　a　continuance　of　the　happy　frame　of　yesterday。　　I　think　the　hope　of　soon　acquiring　the　language　puts　fresh　life　into　my　soul；　for　a　long　time　my　mouth　has　been　shut；　and　my　days　have　been　beclouded　with　heaviness；　but　now　I　begin　to　be　something　like　a　traveller　who　has　been　almost　beaten　out　in　a　violent　storm；　and　who；　with　all　his　clothes　about　him　dripping　wet；　sees　the　sky　begin　to　clear：　so　I；　with　only　the　prospect　of　a　more　pleasant　season　at　hand；　scarcely　feel　the　sorrows　of　the　present。

〃23rd。With　all　the　cares　of　life；　and　all　its　sorrows；　yet　I　find　that　a　life　of　communion　with　God　is　sufficient　to　yield　consolation　in　the　midst　of　all；　and　even　to　produce　a　holy　joy　in　the　soul；　which　shall　make　it　to　triumph　over　all　affliction。　　I　have　never　yet　repented　of　any　sacrifice　that　I　have　made　for　the　Gospel；　but　find　that　consolation　of　mind　which　can　come　from　God　alone。

〃26th　May。This　day　kept　Sabbath　at　Chandureea；　had　a　pleasant　day。　In　the　morning　and　afternoon　addressed　my　family；　and　in　the　evening　began　my　work　of　publishing　the　Word　of　God　to　the　heathen。　Though　imperfect　in　the　knowledge　of　the　language；　yet；　with　the　help　of　moonshi；　I　conversed　with　two　Brahmans　in　the　presence　of　about　two　hundred　people；　about　the　things　of　God。　I　had　been　to　see　a　temple；　in　which　were　the　images　of　Dukkinroy；　the　god　of　the　woods；　riding　on　a　tiger；　Sheetulla；　goddess　of　the　smallpox；　without　a　head；　riding　on　a　horse　without　a　head；　Punchanon；　with　large　ears；　and　Colloroy；　riding　on　a　horse。　　In　another　apartment　was　Seeb；　which　was　only　a　smooth　post　of　wood；　with　two　or　three　mouldings　in　it；　like　the　base　of　a　Tuscan　pillar。　　I　therefore　discoursed　with　them　upon　the　vanity　of　idols；　the　folly　and　wickedness　of　idolatry；　the　nature　and　attributes　of　God；　and　the　way　of　salvation　by　Christ。　　One　Brahman　was　quite　confounded；　and　a　number　of　people　were　all　at　once　crying　out　to　him；　'Why　do　you　not　answer　him？　　Why　do　you　not　answer　him？'　　He　replied；　'I　have　no　words。'　　Just　at　this　time　a　very　learned　Brahman　came　up；　who　was　desired　to　talk　with　me；　which　he　did；　and　so　acceded　to　what　I　said；　that　he　at　last　said　images　had　been　used　of　late　years；　but　not　from　the　beginning。　　I　inquired　what　I　must　do　to　be　saved；　he　said　I　must　repeat　the　name　of　God　a　great　many　times。　　I　replied；　would　you；　if　your　son　had　offended　you；　be　so　pleased　with　him　as　to　forgive　him　if　he　were　to　repeat　the　word　'father'　a　thousand　times？　　This　might　please　children　or　fools；　but　God　is　wise。　　He　told　me　that　I　must　get　faith；　I　asked　what　faith　was；　to　which　he　gave　me　no　intelligible　reply；　but　said　I　must　obey　God。　I　answered；　what　are　His　commands？　what　is　His　will？　　They　said　God　was　a　great　light；　and　as　no　one　could　see　him；　he　became　incarnate；　under　the　threefold　character　of　Brhumma；　Bishno；　and　Seeb；　and　that　either　of　them　must　be　worshipped　in　order　to　life。　　I　told　them　of　the　sure　Word　of　the　Gospel；　and　the　way　of　life　by　Christ；　and；　night　coming　on；　left　them。　　I　cannot　tell　what　effect　it　may　have；　as　I　may　never　see　them　again。〃

At　the　beginning　of　the　great　rains　in　the　middle　of　June　Carey　joined　Mr。　Udny　and　his　mother　at　the　chief　factory。　　On　each　of　the　next　two　Sabbaths　he　preached　twice　in　the　hall　of　the　Residency　of　the　Company；　which　excluded　all　Christian　missionaries　by　Act　of　Parliament。　　As　an　indigo　planter　he　received　the　Company's　licence　to　reside　for　at　least　five　years。　　So　on　26th　June　he　began　his　secular　duties　by　completing　for　the　season　of　indigo　manufacture　the　buildings　at　Mudnabati；　and　making　the　acquaintance　of　the　ninety　natives　under　his　charge。　　Both　Mr。　Udny　and　he　knew　well　that　he　was　above　all　things　a　Christian　missionary。　〃These　will　furnish　a　congregation　immediately；　and；　added　to　the　extensive　engagements　which　I　must　necessarily　have　with　the　natives；　will　open　a　very　wide　door　for　activity。　　God　grant　that　it　may　not　only　be　large　but　effectual。〃

These　were　the　days；　which　continued　till　the　next　charter；　when　the　East　India　Company　was　still　not　only　a　body　of　merchants　but　of　manufacturers。　　Of　all　the　old　monopolies　only　the　most　evil　one　is　left；　that　of　the　growth；　manufacture；　and　sale　of　opium。　　The　civil　servants；　who　were　termed　Residents；　had　not　political　duties　with　tributary　sovereigns　as　now；　but　from　great　factory…like　palaces；　and　on　large　salaries；　made　advances　of　money　to　contractors；　native　and　European；　who　induced　the　ryots　to　weave　cloth；　to　breed　and　feed　the　silkworm；　and　to　grow　and　make　the　blue　dye　to　which　India　had　long　given　the　name　of　〃indigo。〃　　Mr。　Carey　was　already　familiar　with　the　system　of　advances　for　salt；　and　the　opium　monopoly　was　then　in　its　infancy。　　The　European　contractors　were　〃interlopers；〃　who　introduced　the　most　valuable　cultivation　and　processes