the life of william carey-第21章
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here be permitted to join us； which here it seems they will not。〃 On the way down； during a visit to the Rajmahal Hills； round which the great Ganges sweeps； Carey and Ward made the first attempt to evangelise the Santal and other simple aboriginal tribes； whom the officials Brown and Cleveland had partly tamed。 The Paharis are described； at that time； as without caste； priests； or public religion； as living on Indian corn and by hunting； for which they carry bows and arrows。 〃Brother Carey was able to converse with them。〃 Again； Ward's comment on the Bengali services on the next Sunday； from the boats； is 〃the common sort wonder how brother Carey can know so much of the Shasters。〃 〃I long；〃 wrote Carey from the spot to his new colleagues； 〃to stay here and tell these social and untutored heathen the good news from heaven。 I have a strong persuasion that the doctrine of a dying Saviour would； under the Holy Spirit's influence； melt their hearts。〃 From Taljheri and Pokhuria； near that place； to Parisnath； Ranchi； and Orissa； thousands of Santals and Kols have since been gathered into the kingdom。
On the 10th January 1800 Carey took up his residence at Serampore； on the 11th he was presented to the Governor； and 〃he went out and preached to the natives。〃 His apprenticeship was over； so began his full apostolate； instant in season and out of season； to end only with his life thirty…four years after。
Thus step by step； by a way that he knew not； the shoemaker ladwho had educated himself to carry the Gospel to Tahiti； had been sent to Bengal in spite of the Company which cast him out of their ship； had starved in Calcutta； had built him a wooden hut in the jungles of the Delta； had become indigo planter in the swamps of Dinapoor that he might preach Christ without interference； had been forced to think of seeking the protection of a Buddhist in the Himalaya morasswas driven to begin anew in the very heart of the most densely peopled part of the British Empire； under the jealous care of the foreign European power which had a century before sent missionaries to Tranquebar and taught Zinzendorf and the Moravians the divine law of the kingdom； encouraged by a Governor； Colonel Bie； who was himself a disciple of Schwartz。 To complete this catalogue of special providences we may add that； if Fuller had delayed only a little longer； even Serampore would have been found shut against the missionaries。 For the year after； when Napoleon's acts had driven us to war with Denmark； a detachment of British troops； under Lord Minto's son； took possession of Fredericksnagore； as Serampore was officially called； and of the Danish East India Company's ship there； without opposition。
The district or county of Hoogli and Howrah； opposite Calcutta and Barrackpore； of which Serampore is the central port； swarms with a population； chiefly Hindoo but partly Mussulman； unmatched for density in any other part of the world。 If； after years of a decimating fever； each of its 1701 square miles still supports nearly a thousand human beings or double the proportion of Belgium； we cannot believe that it was much less dense at the beginning of the century。 From Howrah； the Surrey side of Calcutta； up to Hoogli the county town； the high ridge of mud between the river and the old channel of the Ganges to the west； has attracted the wealthiest and most intellectually active of all the Bengalees。 Hence it was here that Portuguese and Dutch； French and English； and Danish planted their early factories。 The last to obtain a site of twenty acres from the moribund Mussulman Government at Moorshedabad was Denmark； two years before Plassey。 In the half century the hut of the first Governor sent from Tranquebar had grown into the 〃beautiful little town〃 which delighted the first Baptist missionaries。 Its inhabitants； under only British administration since 1845； now number 45；000。 Then they were much fewer； but then even more than now the town was a centre of the Vishnoo…worship of Jagganath； second only to that of Pooree in all India。 Not far off； and now connected with the port by railway； is the foul shrine of Tarakeswar； which attracts thousands of pilgrims； many of them widows； who measure the road with their prostrate bodies dripping from the bath。 Commercially Serampore sometimes distanced Calcutta itself； for all the foreign European trade was centred in it during the American and French wars； and the English civilians used its investments as the best means of remitting their savings home。 When the missionaries landed there was nothing but a Portuguese Catholic church in the settlement； and the Governor was raising subscriptions for that pretty building in which Carey preached till he died； and the spire of which the Governor…General is said to have erected to improve the view of the town from the windows of his summer palace at Barrackpore opposite。
Removed from the rural obscurity of a Bengali village； where the cost of housing； clothing； and living was small； to a town in the neighbourhood of the capital much frequented by Europeans； Carey at once adapted the practical details of his communistic brotherhood to the new circumstances。 With such wisdom was he aided in this by the business experience of Marshman and Ward； that a settlement was formed which admitted of easy development in correspondence with the rapid growth of the mission。 At first the community consisted of ten adults and nine children。 Grant had been carried off in a fever caused by the dampness of their first quarters。 The promising Brunsdon was soon after removed by liver complaint caught from standing on an unmatted floor in the printing…office。 Fountain； who at first continued the mission at Dinapoor； soon died there a happy death。 Thomas had settled at Beerbhoom； but joined the Serampore brethren in time to do good though brief service before he too was cut off。 But； fortunately as it proved for the future； Carey had to arrange for five families at the first； and this is how it was done as described by Ward：
〃The renting of a house； or houses； would ruin us。 We hoped therefore to have been able to purchase land； and build mat houses upon it； but we can get none properly situated。 We have in consequence purchased of the Governor's nephew a large house in the middle of the town for Rs。6000； or about ？00； the rent in four years would have amounted to the purchase。 It consists of a spacious verandah （portico） and hall； with two rooms on each side。 Rather more to the front are two other rooms separate； and on one side is a storehouse； separate also； which will make a printing…office。 It stands by the river…side upon a pretty large piece of ground； walled round； with a garden at the bottom； and in the middle a fine tank or pool of water。 The price alarmed us； but we had no alternative； and we hope this will form a comfortable missionary settlement。 Being near to Calcutta； it is of the utmost importance to our school； our press； and our connection with England。〃
〃From hence may the Gospel issue and pervade all India；〃 they wrote to Fuller。 〃We intend to teach a school； and make what we can of our press。 The paper is all arrived； and the press； with the types； etc。； complete。 The Bible is wholly translated； except a few chapters； so that we intend to begin printing immediately； first the New and then the Old Testament。 We love our work； and will do all we can to lighten your expenses。〃
This house…chapel； with two acres of garden land and separate rooms on either side； continued till 1875 to be the nucleus of the settlement afterwards celebrated all over South Asia and Christendom。 The chapel is still sacred to the worship of God。 The separate rooms to the left； fronting the Hoogli； became enlarged into the stately residence of Mr。 John Marshman； C。S。I。； and his two successors in the Friend of India； while beyond were the girl's school； now removed； the residence of Dr。 Joshua Marshman before his death； and the boys' school presented to the mission by the King of Denmark。 The separate rooms to the right grew into the press； farther down the river was the house of the Lady Rumohr who became Carey's second wife； with the great paper…mill behind； and； still farther； the second park in which the Serampore College was built； with the principal's house in which Carey died； and a hostel for the Native Christian students behind。 The whole settlement finally formed a block of at least five acres； with almost palatial buildings； on the right bank of the Hoogli； which； with a breadth of half a mile when in flood； rolls between it and the Governor…General's summer house and English…like park of Barrackpore。 The original two acres became Carey's Botanic Garden； the houses he surrounded and connected by mahogany trees； which grew to be of umbrageous beauty。 His favourite promenade between the chapel and the mill； and ultimately the college； was under an avenue of his own planting； long known as 〃Carey's Walk。〃
The new colleagues who were to live with him in loving brotherhood till death removed the last in 1837 were not long in attracting him。 The two were worthy to be associated with him； and so admirably supplemented his own deficiencies that the brotherhood became the most potent and permanent force in India。 He thus wrote to Fuller his first impressions of them； with a loving self…depreciation：〃Brother Ward is the very man we wanted： he enters into the work with his whole soul。 I have much pleasure in him； and expect much from him。 Brother Marshman is a prodigy of diligence and prudence； as is also his wife in the latter： learning the language is mere play to him； he has already acquired as much as I did in double the time。〃 After eight months of study and evangelising work they are thus described：〃Our brother Marshman； who is a true missionary； is able to talk a little； he goes out frequently； nay almost every day； and assaults the fortress of Satan。 Brother Brunsdon can talk a little； though not like Marshman。 Brother Ward is a great prize； he does not learn the language so quickly； but he is so holy； so spiritual a man； and so useful among the children。〃
Thus early did Carey note the value of Hannah Marshman； the first woman missionary to India。 Granddaughter of the Baptist minister of Crockerton in Wiltshire； she proved to be for forty…six years at once a loving wife； and the equal of the three missionaries of Christ and of civilisation whom she aided in the common home； in the schools； in the congregation； in the Native Christian families； and even； at that early time； in purely Hindoo circles。 Without her the mission must have been one…sided indeed。 It gives us a pathetic interest to turn to her household books； where we find entered with loving care and thoughtful thrift all the daily details which at once form a valuable contribution to the history of prices； and show how her 〃prudence〃 combined with the heroic self…denial of all to make the Serampore mission the light of India。 Ward's journal supplies this first sketch of the brotherhood； who realised； more than probably any in Protestant； Romanist； or Greek hagiology； the life of the apostolic community in Jerusalem：
〃January 18； 1800。This week we have adopted a set of rules for the government of
