the life of william carey-第35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！


s　to　Mary；　to　whom　give　my　love。〃

〃CALCUTTA；　1st　November　1809。Yesterday　was　the　day　for　the　Chinese　examination；　at　which　Jabez　acquitted　himself　with　much　honour。　　I　wish　his　heart　were　truly　set　on　God。　One　of　the　greatest　blessings　which　I　am　now　anxious　to　see　before　my　death　is　the　conversion　of　him　and　Jonathan；　and　their　being　employed　in　the　work　of　the　Lord。

〃Now；　dear　William；　what　do　we　live　for　but　to　promote　the　cause　of　our　dear　Redeemer　in　the　world？　　If　that　be　carried　on　we　need　not　wish　for　anything　more；　and　if　our　poor　labours　are　at　all　blessed　to　the　promotion　of　that　desirable　end；　our　lives　will　not　be　in　vain。　　Let　this；　therefore；　be　the　great　object　of　your　life；　and　if　you　should　be　made　the　instrument　of　turning　only　one　soul　from　darkness　to　marvellous　light；　who　can　say　how　many　more　may　be　converted　by　his　instrumentality；　and　what　a　tribute　of　glory　may　arise　to　God　from　that　one　conversion。　　Indeed；　were　you　never　to　be　blessed　to　the　conversion　of　one　soul；　still　the　pleasure　of　labouring　in　the　work　of　the　Lord　is　greater　than　that　of　any　other　undertaking　in　the　world；　and　is　of　itself　sufficient　to　make　it　the　work　of　our　choice。　　I　hope　Sebuk　Ram　is　arrived　before　now；　and　that　you　will　find　him　to　be　a　blessing　to　you　in　your　work。　　Try　your　utmost　to　make　him　well　acquainted　with　the　Bible；　labour　to　correct　his　mistakes；　and　to　establish　him　in　the　knowledge　of　the　truth。

〃You　may　always　enclose　a　pinch　of　seeds　in　a　letter。〃

〃17th　January　1810。Felix　went　with　Captain　Canning；　the　English　ambassador　to　the　Burman　Empire；　to　the　city　of　Pegu。　On　his　way　thither　he　observed　to　Captain　Canning　that　he　should　be　greatly　gratified　in　accompanying　the　Minister　to　the　mountains　of　Martaban　and　the　country　beyond　them。　　Captain　Canning　at　his　next　interview　with　the　Minister　mentioned　this　to　him；　which　he　was　much　pleased　with；　and　immediately　ordered　several　buffalo…carts　to　be　made　ready；　and　gave　him　a　war…boat　to　return　to　Rangoon　to　bring　his　baggage；　medicines；　etc。　　He　had　no　time　to　consult　Brother　Chater　before　he　determined　on　the　journey；　and　wrote　to　me　when　at　Rangoon；　where　he　stayed　only　one　night；　and　returned　to　Pegu　the　next　morning。　　He　says　the　Minister　has　now　nearly　the　whole　dominion　over　the　Empire；　and　is　going　to　war。　　He　will　accompany　the　army　to　Martaban；　when　he　expects　to　stay　with　the　Minister　there。　　He　goes　in　great　spirits　to　explore　those　countries　where　no　European　has　been　before　him；　and　where　he　goes　with　advantages　and　accommodations　such　as　a　traveller　seldom　can　obtain。　　Brother　and　Sister　Chater　do　not　approve　of　his　undertaking；　perhaps　through　fear　for　his　safety。　　I　feel　as　much　for　that　as　any　one　can　do；　yet　I；　and　indeed　Brethren　Marshman；　Ward；　and　Rowe；　rejoice　that　he　has　undertaken　the　journey。　　It　will　assist　him　in　acquiring　the　language；　it　will　gratify　the　Minister；　it　will　serve　the　interests　of　literature；　and　perhaps　answer　many　other　important　purposes；　as　it　respects　the　mission；　and　as　much　of　the　way　will　be　through　uninhabited　forests；　it　could　not　have　been　safely　undertaken　except　with　an　army。　　He　expects　to　be　absent　three　months。　　I　shall　feel　a　great　desire　to　hear　from　him　when　he　returns；　and　I　doubt　not　but　you　will　join　me　in　prayer　for　his　safety　both　of　mind　and　body。。。

〃One　or　two　words　about　natural　history。　　Can　you　not　get　me　a　male　and　female　khokoraI　mean　the　great　bird　like　a　kite；　which　makes　so　great　a　noise；　and　often　carries　off　a　duck　or　a　kid？　　I　believe　it　is　an　eagle；　and　want　to　examine　it。　　Send　me　also　all　the　sorts　of　ducks　and　waterfowls　you　can　get；　and；　in　short；　every　sort　of　bird　you　can　obtain　which　is　not　common　here。　　Send　their　Bengali　names。　　Collect　me　all　the　sorts　of　insects；　and　serpents；　and　lizards　you　can　get　which　are　not　common　here。　　Put　all　the　insects　together　into　a　bottle　of　rum；　except　butterflies；　which　you　may　dry　between　two　papers；　and　the　serpents　and　lizards　the　same。　　I　will　send　you　a　small　quantity　of　rum　for　that　purpose。　　Send　all　the　country　names。　　Let　me　have　the　birds　alive；　and　when　you　have　got　a　good　boat…load　send　a　small　boat　down　with　them　under　charge　of　a　careful　person；　and　I　will　pay　the　expenses。　　Spare　no　pains　to　get　me　seeds　and　roots；　and　get　Brother　Robinson　to　procure　what　he　can　from　Bhootan　or　other　parts。

〃Remember　me　affectionately　to　Sebuk　Ram　and　his　wife；　and　to　all　the　native　brethren　and　sisters。〃

〃5th　February　1810。Were　you　hunting　the　buffalo；　or　did　it　charge　you　without　provocation？　　I　advise　you　to　abstain　from　hunting　buffaloes　or　other　animals；　because；　though　I　think　it　lawful　to　kill　noxious　animals；　or　to　kill　animals　for　food；　yet　the　unnecessary　killing　of　animals；　and　especially　the　spending　much　time　in　the　pursuit　of　them；　is　wrong；　and　your　life　is　too　valuable　to　be　thrown　away　by　exposing　it　to　such　furious　animals　as　buffaloes　and　tigers。　　If　you　can　kill　them　without　running　any　risk　'tis　very　well；　but　it　is　wrong　to　expose　yourself　to　danger　for　an　end　so　much　below　that　to　which　you　are　devoted。。。

〃I　believe　the　cause　of　our　Redeemer　increases　in　the　earth；　and　look　forward　to　more　decided　appearances　of　divine　power。　　The　destruction　of　the　temporal　power　of　the　Pope　is　a　glorious　circumstance；　and　an　answer　to　the　prayers　of　the　Church　for　centuries　past。。。

〃I　send　you　a　small　cask　of　rum　to　preserve　curiosities　in；　and　a　few　bottles；　but　your　best　way　will　be　to　draw　off　a　couple　of　gallons　of　the　rum；　which　you　may　keep　for　your　own　use；　and　then　put　the　snakes；　frogs；　toads；　lizards；　etc。；　into　the　cask；　and　send　them　down。　　I　can　easily　put　them　into　proper　bottles；　etc。；　afterwards。　　You　may；　however；　send　one　or　two　of　the　bottles　filled　with　beetles；　grasshoppers；　and　other　insects。〃

In　the　absence　of　Mr。　Fernandez；　the　pastor；　William　had　excluded　two　members　of　the　Church。

〃4th　April　1810。A　very　little　knowledge　of　human　nature　will　convince　you　that　this　would　have　been　thought　an　affront　in　five　instances　out　of　six。　　You　would　have　done　better　to　have　advised　them；　or　even　to　have　required　them　to　have　kept　from　the　Lord's　table　till　Mr。　Fernandez's　return；　and　to　have　left　it　to　him　to　preside　over　the　discipline　of　the　church。　　You；　no　doubt；　did　it　without　thinking　of　the　consequences；　and　in　the　simplicity　of　your　heart；　and　I　think　Mr。　Fernandez　is　wrong　in　treating　you　with　coolness；　when　a　little　conversation　might　have　put　everything　to　rights。　　Of　that；　however；　I　shall　say　no　more　to　you；　but　one　of　us　shall　write　to　him　upon　the　subject　as　soon　as　we　can。

〃The　great　thing　to　be　done　now　is　the　effecting　of　a　reconciliation　between　you；　and　whether　you　leave　Sadamahal；　or　stay　there；　this　is　absolutely　necessary。　　In　order　to　this　you　both　must　be　willing　to　make　some　sacrifice　of　your　feelings；　and　as　those　feelings；　which　prevent　either　of　you　from　making　concessions　where　you　have　acted　amiss；　are　wrong；　the　sooner　they　are　sacrificed　the　better。　　I　advise　you　to　write　to　Mr。　Fernandez　immediately；　and　acknowledge　that　you　did　wrong　in　proceeding　to　the　exclusion　of　the　members　without　having　first　consulted　with　him；　and　state　that　you　had　no　intention　of　hurting　his　feelings；　but　acted　from　what　you　thought　the　urgency　of　the　case；　and　request　of　him　a　cordial　reconciliation。　　I　should　like　much　to　see　a　copy　of　the　letter　you　send　to　him。　　I　have　no　object　in　view　but　the　good　of　the　Church；　and　would　therefore　rather　see　you　stoop　as　low　as　you　can　to　effect　a　reconciliation；　than　avoid　it　through　any　little　punctilio　of　honour　or　feeling　of　pride。　　You　will　never　repent　of　having　humbled　yourself　to　the　dust　that　peace　may　be　restored；　nothing　will　be　a　more　instructive　example　to　the　heathen　around　you；　nothing　will　so　completely　subdue　Brother　Fernandez's　dissatisfaction；　and　nothing　will　make　you　more　respected　in　the　Church　of　God。

〃It　is　highly　probable　that　you　will　some　time　or　other　be　removed　to　another　situation；　but　it　cannot　be　done　till　you　are　perfectly　reconciled　to　each　other；　nor　can　it　possibly　be　done　till　some　time　after　your　reconciliation；　as　such　a　step　would　be　considered　by　all　as　an　effect　of　resentment　or　dissatisfaction；　and　would　be　condemned　by　every　thinking　person。　　We　shall　keep　our　minds　steadily　on　the　object；　and　look　out　for　a　proper　station；　but　both　we　and　you　must　act　with　great　caution　and　tenderness　in　this　affair。　　For　this　reason　also　I　entreat　you　not　to　withdraw　yourself　from　the　church；　or　from　any　part　of　your　labours；　but　go　on　steadily　in　the　path　of　duty；　suppress　and　pray　against　every　feeling　of　resentment；　and　bear　anything　rather　than　be　accessory　to　a　misunderstanding；　or　the　perpetuating　of　one。　'Let　that　mind　be　in　you　which　was　also　in　Christ；　who　made　himself　of　no　reputation。'　　I　hope　what　I　have　said　will　induce　you　to　set　in　earnest　about　a　reconciliation　with　Brother　Fernandez；　and　to　spare　no　pains　or　concession　（consistent　with　truth）　to　effect　it。〃

William　had　applied　to　be　transferred　to　Serampore。

〃3rd　August　1811。The　necessities　of　the　mission　must　be　consulted　before　every　other　consideration。　　Native　brethren　can　itinerate；　but　Europeans　must　be　employed　to　open　new　missions　and　found　new　stations。　　For　were　we　to　go　upon　the　plan　of　sending　Europeans　where　natives　could　possibly　be　employed；　no　subscriptions　or　profits　could　support　them。　　We　intend　to　commence　a　new　station　at　Dacca；　and　if　you　prefer　that　to　Cutwa　you　may　go　thither。　　One　of　the　first　things　to　be　done　there　will　be　to　open　a　charity　school；　and　to　overlook　it。　　Dacca　itself　is　a　very　large　place；　where　you　may　often　communicate　religious　instructions　without　leaving　the　town。　　There　are　also　a　number　of　Europeans　there；　so　that　Mary　would　not　be　so　much　alone；　and　at　any　rate　help　would　be　near。　　We　can　obtain　the　permission　of　Government　for　you　to　settle　there。

〃I　ought；　however；　to　say　that　I　think　there　is　much　guilt　in　your　fears。　　You　and　Mary　will　be　a　thousand　times　more　safe　in　committing　yourselves　to　God　in　the　way　of　duty　than　in　neglecting　obvious　duty　to　take　care　of　yourselves。　　You　see　what　hardships　and　dangers　a　soldier　meets　in　the　wicked　trade　of　war。　　They　are　forced　to　leave　home　and　expose　themselves　to　a　thousand　dangers；　yet　they　never　think　of　objecting；　and　in　this　the　officers　are　in　the　same　situation　as　the　men。　　I　will　engage　to　say　that　no　military　officer　would　ever　refuse　to　go　any　whither　on　service　because　his　family　must　be　exposed　to　danger　in　his　absence；　and　yet　I　doubt　not　but　many　of　them　are　men　who　have　great　tenderness　for　their　wives　and　families。　　However；　they　must　be　men　and　their　wives　must　be　women。　Your　undertaking　is　infinitely　superior　to　theirs　in　importance。　They　go　to　kill　men；　you　to　save　them。　　If　they　leave　their　families　to　chance　for　the　sake　of　war；　surely　you　can　leave　yours　to　the　God　of　providence　while　you　go　about　His　work。　　I　speak　thus　because　I　am　much　distressed　to　see　you　thus　waste　away　the　flower　of　your　life　in　inactivity；　and　only　plead　for　it　what　would　not　excuse　a　child。　　Were　you　in　any　secular　employment　you　must　go　out　quite　as　much　as　we　expect　you　to　do　in　the　Mission。　　I　did　so　when　at　Mudnabati；　which　was　as　lonesome　a　plac