the life of william carey-第26章
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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 of beings。 Hence they are often shame…faced yet proud and conceited； and endeavour to assume that honour to themselves which is denied them by others。 This class may be regarded as forming a connecting link between Europeans and natives。 The Armenians are few in number； but chiefly rich。 I have several times conversed with them about religion： they hear with patience； and wonder that any Englishman should make that a subject of conversation。〃
While the Marshmans gave their time from seven in the morning till three in the afternoon to these boarding…schools started by Carey in 1800 for the higher education of the Eurasians； Carey himself； in Calcutta； early began to care for the destitute。 His efforts resulted in the establishment of the 〃Benevolent Institution for the Instruction of Indigent Children；〃 which the contemporary Bengal civilian； Charles Lushington； in his History extols as one of the monuments of active and indefatigable benevolence due to Serampore。 Here； on the Lancaster system； and superintended by Carey； Mr。 and Mrs。 Penney had as many as 300 boys and 100 girls under Christian instruction of all ages up to twenty…four； and of every race：〃Europeans； native Portuguese； Armenians； Mugs； Chinese； Hindoos； Mussulmans； natives of Sumatra； Mozambik； and Abyssinia。〃 This official reporter states that thus more than a thousand youths had been rescued from vice and ignorance and advanced in usefulness to society； in a degree of opulence and respectability。 The origin of this noble charity is thus told to Dr。 Ryland by Carey himself in a letter which unconsciously reveals his own busy life； records the missionary influence of the higher schools； and reports the existence of the mission over a wide area。 He writes from Calcutta on 24th May 1811：
〃A year ago we opened a free school in Calcutta。 This year we added to it a school for girls。 There are now in it about 140 boys and near 40 girls。 One of our deacons； Mr。 Leonard； a most valuable and active man； superintends the boys； and a very pious woman； a member of the church； is over the girls。 The Institution meets with considerable encouragement； and is conducted upon Lancaster's plan。 We meditate another for instruction of Hindoo youths in the Sanskrit language； designing； however； to introduce the study of the Sanskrit Bible into it； indeed it is as good as begun； it will be in Calcutta。 By brother and sister Marshman's encouragement there are two schools in our own premises at Serampore for the gratuitous instruction of youth of both sexes； supported and managed wholly by the male and female scholars in our own school。 These young persons appear to enter with pleasure into the plan； contribute their money to its support； and give instruction in turns to the children of these free schools。 I trust we shall be able to enlarge this plan； and to spread its influence far about the country。 Our brethren in the Isles of France and Bourbon seem to be doing good； some of them are gone to Madagascar； and； as if to show that Divine Providence watches over them； the ship on which they went was wrecked soon after they had landed from it。 A number of our members are now gone to Java； I trust their going thither will not be in vain。 Brother Chamberlain is； ere this； arrived at Agra。。。We preach every week in the Fort and in the public prison； both in English and Bengali。〃
Carey had not been six months at Serampore when he saw the importance of using the English language as a missionary weapon； and he proposed this to Andrew Fuller。 The other pressing duties of a pioneer mission to the people of Bengal led him to postpone immediate action in this direction； we shall have occasion to trace the English influence of the press and the college hereafter。 But meanwhile the vernacular schools； which soon numbered a hundred altogether； were most popular； and then as now proved most valuable feeders of the infant Church。 Without them； wrote the three missionaries to the Society； 〃the whole plan must have been nipped in the bud； since； if the natives had not cheerfully sent their children； everything else would have been useless。 But the earnestness with which they have sought these schools exceeds everything we had previously expected。 We are still constantly importuned for more schools； although we have long gone beyond the extent of our funds。〃 It was well that thus early； in schools； in books and tracts； and in providing the literary form and apparatus of the vernacular languages； Carey laid the foundation of the new national or imperial civilisation。 When the time for English came； the foundations were at least above the ground。 Laid deep and strong in the very nature of the people； the structure has thus far promised to be national rather than foreign； though raised by foreign hands； while marked by the truth and the purity of its Western architects。
The manifestation of Christ to the Bengalees could not be made without rousing the hate and the opposition of the vested interests of Brahmanism。 So long as Carey was an indigo planter as well as a proselytiser in Dinapoor and Malda he met with no opposition； for he had no direct success。 But when； from Serampore； he and the others； by voice； by press； by school； by healing the sick and visiting the poor； carried on the crusade day by day with the gentle persistency of a law of nature； the cry began。 And when； by the breaking of caste and the denial of Krishna's Christian daughter Golook to the Hindoo to whom she had been betrothed from infancy； the Brahmans began dimly to apprehend that not only their craft but the whole structure of society was menaced； the cry became louder； and； as in Ephesus of old； an appeal was made to the magistrates against the men who were turning the world upside down。 At first the very boys taunted the missionaries in the streets with the name of Jesus Christ。 Then； after Krishna and his family had broken caste； they were seized by a mob and hurried before the Danish magistrate； who at first refused to hand over a Christian girl to a heathen； and gave her father a guard to prevent her from being murdered； until the Calcutta magistrate decided that she must join her husband but would be protected in the exercise of her new faith。 The commotion spread over the whole densely…peopled district。 But the people were not with the Brahmans； and the excitement sent many a sin…laden inquirer to Serampore from a great distance。 〃The fire is now already kindled for which our Redeemer expressed his strong desire；〃 wrote Carey to Ryland in March 1801。 A year later he used this language to his old friend Morris at Clipstone village：〃I think there is such a fermentation raised in Bengal by the little leaven； that there is a hope of the whole lump by degrees being leavened。 God is carrying on his work； and though it goes forward； yet no one can say who is the instrument。 Doubtless； various means contribute towards it； but of late the printing and dispersing of New Testaments and small tracts seem to have the greatest eff
