the life of william carey-第3章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


Christ；　as　it　influenced　Wesley　and　Whitefield；　Samuel　Johnson　and　Coleridge。　　George　Fox　was　only　nineteen　when；　after　eight　years'　service　with　a　shoemaker　in　Drayton；　Leicestershire；　not　far　from　Carey's　county；　he　heard　the　voice　from　heaven　which　sent　him　forth　in　1643　to　preach　righteousness；　temperance；　and　judgment　to　come；　till　Cromwell　sought　converse　with　him；　and　the　Friends　became　a　power　among　men。

Carlyle　has；　in　characteristic　style；　seized　on　the　true　meaning　that　was　in　the　man　when　he　made　to　himself　a　suit　of　leather　and　became　the　modern　hero　of　Sartor　Resartus。　　The　words　fit　William　Carey's　case　even　better　than　that　of　George　Fox：〃Sitting　in　his　stall；　working　on　tanned　hides；　amid　pincers；　paste…horns；　rosin；　swine…bristles；　and　a　nameless　flood　of　rubbish；　this　youth　had　nevertheless　a　Living　Spirit　belonging　to　him；　also　an　antique　Inspired　Volume；　through　which；　as　through　a　window；　it　could　look　upwards　and　discern　its　celestial　Home。〃　That　〃shoe…shop；　had　men　known　it；　was　a　holier　place　than　any　Vatican　or　Loretto…shrine。。。Stitch　away；　every　prick　of　that　little　instrument　is　pricking　into　the　heart　of　slavery。〃　　Thirty…six　years　after　Fox　had　begun　to　wear　his　leathern　doublet　he　directed　all　Friends　everywhere　that　had　Indians　or　blacks　to　preach　the　Gospel　to　them。

But　it　would　be　too　long　to　tell　the　list　of　workers　in　what　has　been　called　the　gentle　craft；　whom　the　cobbler's　stall；　with　its　peculiar　opportunities　for　rhythmic　meditation；　hard　thinking；　and　oft　harder　debating；　has　prepared　for　the　honours　of　literature　and　scholarship；　of　philanthropy　and　reform。　　To　mention　only　Carey's　contemporaries；　the　career　of　these　men　ran　parallel　at　home　with　his　abroadThomas　Shillitoe；　who　stood　before　magistrates；　bishops；　and　such　sovereigns　as　George　III。　and　IV。　and　the　Czar　Alexander　I。　in　the　interests　of　social　reform；　and　John　Pounds；　the　picture　of　whom　as　the　founder　of　ragged　schools　led　Thomas　Guthrie；　when　he　stumbled　on　it　in　an　inn　in　Anstruther；　to　do　the　same　Christlike　work　in　Scotland。　　Coleridge；　who　when　at　Christ's　Hospital　was　ambitious　to　be　a　shoemaker's　apprentice；　was　right　when　he　declared　that　shoemakers　had　given　to　the　world　a　larger　number　of　eminent　men　than　any　other　handicraft。　　Whittier's　own　early　experience　in　Massachusetts　fitted　him　to　be　the　poet…laureate　of　the　craft　which　for　some　years　he　adorned。　　His　Songs　of　Labour；　published　in　1850；　contain　the　best　English　lines　on　shoemakers　since　Shakspere　put　into　the　mouth　of　King　Henry　V。　the　address　on　the　eve　of　Agincourt；　which　begins：　〃This　day　is　called　the　feast　of　Crispin。〃　　But　Whittier；　Quaker；　philanthropist；　and　countryman　of　Judson　though　he　was；　might　have　found　a　place　for　Carey　when　he　sang　so　well　of　others：

〃Thy　songs；　Hans　Sachs；　are　living　yet；　　　　In　strong　and　hearty　German；　And　Bloomfield's　lay　and　Gifford's　wit　　　　And　patriot　fame　of　Sherman；

〃Still　from　his　book；　a　mystic　seer；　　　　The　soul　of　Behmen　teaches；　And　England's　priestcraft　shakes　to　hear　　　　Of　Fox's　leathern　breeches。〃

The　confessions　of　Carey；　made　in　the　spiritual　humility　and　self…examination　of　his　later　life；　form　a　parallel　to　the　Grace　Abounding　to　the　Chief　of　Sinners；　the　little　classic　of　John　Bunyan　second　only　to　his　Pilgrim's　Progress。　　The　young　Pharisee；　who　entered　Hackleton　with　such　hate　in　his　heart　to　dissenters　that　he　would　have　destroyed　their　meeting…place；　who　practised　〃lying；　swearing；　and　other　sins；〃　gradually　yielded　so　far　to　his　brother　apprentice's　importunity　as　to　leave　these　off；　to　try　to　pray　sometimes　when　alone；　to　attend　church　three　times　a　day；　and　to　visit　the　dissenting　prayer…meeting。　　Like　the　zealot　who　thought　to　do　God　service　by　keeping　the　whole　law；　Carey　lived　thus　for　a　time；　〃not　doubting　but　this　would　produce　ease　of　mind　and　make　me　acceptable　to　God。〃　What　revealed　him　to　himself　was　an　incident　which　he　tells　in　language　recalling　at　once　Augustine　and　one　of　the　subtlest　sketches　of　George　Eliot；　in　which　the　latter　uses　her　half…knowledge　of　evangelical　faith　to　stab　the　very　truth　that　delivered　Paul　and　Augustine；　Bunyan　and　Carey；　from　the　antinomianism　of　the　Pharisee：

〃A　circumstance　which　I　always　reflect　on　with　a　mixture　of　horror　and　gratitude　occurred　about　this　time；　which；　though　greatly　to　my　dishonour；　I　must　relate。　　It　being　customary　in　that　part　of　the　country　for　apprentices　to　collect　Christmas　boxes　＇donations＇　from　the　tradesmen　with　whom　their　masters　have　dealings；　I　was　permitted　to　collect　these　little　sums。　　When　I　applied　to　an　ironmonger；　he　gave　me　the　choice　of　a　shilling　or　a　sixpence；　I　of　course　chose　the　shilling；　and　putting　it　in　my　pocket；　went　away。　　When　I　had　got　a　few　shillings　my　next　care　was　to　purchase　some　little　articles　for　myself；　I　have　forgotten　what。　　But　then；　to　my　sorrow；　I　found　that　my　shilling　was　a　brass　one。　　I　paid　for　the　things　which　I　bought　by　using　a　shilling　of　my　master's。　　I　now　found　that　I　had　exceeded　my　stock　by　a　few　pence。　　I　expected　severe　reproaches　from　my　master；　and　therefore　came　to　the　resolution　to　declare　strenuously　that　the　bad　money　was　his。　　I　well　remember　the　struggles　of　mind　which　I　had　on　this　occasion；　and　that　I　made　this　deliberate　sin　a　matter　of　prayer　to　God　as　I　passed　over　the　fields　towards　home！　　I　there　promised　that；　if　God　would　but　get　me　clearly　over　this；　or；　in　other　words；　help　me　through　with　the　theft；　I　would　certainly　for　the　future　leave　off　all　evil　practices；　but　this　theft　and　consequent　lying　appeared　to　me　so　necessary；　that　they　could　not　be　dispensed　with。

〃A　gracious　God　did　not　get　me　safe　through。　　My　master　sent　the　other　apprentice　to　investigate　the　matter。　　The　ironmonger　acknowledged　the　giving　me　the　shilling；　and　I　was　therefore　exposed　to　shame；　reproach；　and　inward　remorse；　which　preyed　upon　my　mind　for　a　considerable　time。　　I　at　this　time　sought　the　Lord；　perhaps　much　more　earnestly　than　ever；　but　with　shame　and　fear。　　I　was　quite　ashamed　to　go　out；　and　never；　till　I　was　assured　that　my　conduct　was　not　spread　over　the　town；　did　I　attend　a　place　of　worship。

〃I　trust　that；　under　these　circumstances；　I　was　led　to　see　much　more　of　myself　than　I　had　ever　done　before；　and　to　seek　for　mercy　with　greater　earnestness。　　I　attended　prayer…meetings　only；　however；　till　February　10；　1779；　which　being　appointed　a　day　of　fasting　and　prayer；　I　attended　worship　on　that　day。　　Mr。　Chater　＇congregationalist＇　of　Olney　preached；　but　from　what　text　I　have　forgotten。　　He　insisted　much　on　following　Christ　entirely；　and　enforced　his　exhortation　with　that　passage；　'Let　us　therefore　go　out　unto　him　without　the　camp；　bearing　his　reproach。'Heb。　xiii。　13。　　I　think　I　had　a　desire　to　follow　Christ；　but　one　idea　occurred　to　my　mind　on　hearing　those　words　which　broke　me　off　from　the　Church　of　England。　　The　idea　was　certainly　very　crude；　but　useful　in　bringing　me　from　attending　a　lifeless；　carnal　ministry　to　one　more　evangelical。　　I　concluded　that　the　Church　of　England；　as　established　by　law；　was　the　camp　in　which　all　were　protected　from　the　scandal　of　the　cross；　and　that　I　ought　to　bear　the　reproach　of　Christ　among　the　dissenters；　and　accordingly　I　always　afterwards　attended　divine　worship　among　them。〃

At　eighteen　Carey　was　thus　emptied　of　self　and　there　was　room　for　Christ。　　In　a　neighbouring　village　he　consorted　much　for　a　time　with　some　followers　of　William　Law；　who　had　not　long　before　passed　away　in　a　village　in　the　neighbourhood；　and　select　passages　from　whose　writings　the　Moravian　minister；　Francis　Okely；　of　Northampton；　had　versified。　　These　completed　the　negative　process。　〃I　felt　ruined　and　helpless。〃　　Then　to　his　spiritual　eyes；　purged　of　self；　there　appeared　the　Crucified　One；　and　to　his　spiritual　intelligence　there　was　given　the　Word　of　God。　The　change　was　that　wrought　on　Paul　by　a　Living　Person。　　It　converted　the　hypocritical　Pharisee　into　the　evangelical　preacher；　it　turned　the　vicious　peasant　into　the　most　self…denying　saint；　it　sent　the　village　shoemaker　far　off　to　the　Hindoos。

But　the　process　was　slow；　it　had　been　so　even　in　Paul's　case。　　Carey　found　encouragement　in　intercourse　with　some　old　Christians　in　Hackleton；　and　he　united　with　a　few　of　them；　including　his　fellow…apprentice；　in　forming　a　congregational　church。　　The　state　of　the　parish　may　be　imagined　from　its　recent　history。　　Hackleton　is　part　of　Piddington；　and　the　squire　had　long　appropriated　the　living　of　？00　a　year；　the　parsonage；　the　glebe；　and　all　tithes；　sending　his　house　minister　〃at　times〃　to　do　duty。　　A　Certificate　from　Northamptonshire；　against　the　pluralities　and　other　such　scandals；　published　in　1641；　declared　that　not　a　child　or　servant　in　Hackleton　or　Piddington　could　say　the　Lord's　Prayer。　　Carey　sought　the　preaching　of　Doddridge's　successor　at　Northampton；　of　a　Baptist　minister　at　Road；　and　of　Scott　the　commentator；　then　at　Ravenstone。　He　had　found　peace；　but　was　theologically　〃inquisitive　and　unsatisfied。〃　　Fortunately；　like　Luther；　he　〃was　obliged　to　draw　all　from　the　Bible　alone。〃

When；　at　twenty　years　of　age；　Carey　was　slowly　piecing　together　〃the　doctrines　in　the　Word　of　God〃　into　something　like　a　system　which　would　at　once　satisfy　his　own　spiritual　and　intellectual　needs；　and　help　him　to　preach　to　others；　a　little　volume　was　published；　of　which　he　wrote：〃I　do　not　remember　ever　to　have　read　any　book　with　such　raptures。〃　　It　was　Help　to　Zion's　Travellers；　being　an　attempt　to　remove　various　Stumbling…Blocks　out　of　the　Way；　relating　to　Doctrinal；　Experimental；　and　Practical　Religion；　by　Robert　Hall。　The　writer　was　the　father　of　the　greater　Robert　Hall；　a　venerable　man；　who；　in　his　village　church　of　Arnsby；　near　Leicester；　had　already　taught　Carey　how　to　preach。　　The　book　is　described　as　an　〃attempt　to　relieve　discouraged　Christians〃　in　a　day　of　gloominess　and　perplexity；　that　they　might　devote　themselves　to　Christ　through　life　as　well　as　be　found　in　Him　in　death。　　Carey　made　a　careful　synopsis　of　it　in　an　exquisitely　neat　hand　on　the　margin　of　each　page。　　The　worm…eaten　copy；　which　he　treasured　even　in　India；　is　now　deposited　in　Bristol　College。

A　Calvinist　of　the　broad　missionary　type　of　Paul；　Carey　somewhat　suddenly；　according　to　his　own　account；　became　a　Baptist。　〃I　do　not　recollect　having　read　anything　on　the　subject　till　I　applied　to　Mr。　Ryland；　senior；　to　baptise　me。　　He　lent　me　a　pamphlet；　and　turned　me　over　to　his　son；〃　who　thus　told　the　story　when　the　Baptist　Missionary　Society　held　its　first　public　meeting　in　London：〃October　5th；　1783：　I　baptised　in　the　river　Nen；　a　little　beyond　Dr。　Doddridge's　meeting…house　at　Northampton；　a　poor　journeyman　shoemaker；　little　thinking　that　before　nine　years　had　elapsed；　he　would　prove　the　first　instrument　of　forming　a　society　for　sending　missionaries　from　England　to　preach　the　gospel　to　the　heathen。　　Such；　however；　as　the　event　has　proved；　was　the　purpose　of　the　Most　High；　who　selected　for　this　work　not　the　son　of　one　of　our　most　learned　ministers；　nor　of　one　of　the　most　opulent　of　our　dissenting　gentlemen；　but　the　son　of　a　parish　clerk。〃

The　spot　may　still　be　visited　at　the　foot　of　the　hill；　where　the　Nen　fed　the　moat　of　the　old　castle；　in　which　many　a　Parliament　sat　from　the　days　of　King　John。　The　text　of　th