the life of william carey-第58章
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on the advantage of access to the sacred fountain of divine truth。 He thought a Christian governor could not have done less； and he knew that a British governor ought not to do more。〃
Carey's letters to Fuller in 1810…12 are filled with importunate appeals to agitate； so that the new charter might legalise Christian mission work in India。 Fuller worked outside of the House as hard as Wilberforce。 In eight weeks of the session no fewer than nine hundred petitions were presented； in twenties and thirties； night after night； till Lord Castlereagh exclaimed； 〃This is enough； Mr。 Fuller。〃 There was more reason for Carey's urgency than he knew at the time he was pressing Fuller。 The persecution of the missionaries in Bengal； excused by the Vellore mutiny； which had driven Judson to Burma and several other missionaries elsewhere； was renewed by the Indian Government's secretaries and police。 The Ministry had informed the Court of Directors that they had resolved to permit Europeans to settle in India； yet after five weeks' vacillation the Governor…General yielded to his subordinates so far as to issue an order on 5th March 1812； for the expulsion of three missionaries； an order which was so executed that one of them was conducted like a felon through the streets and lodged in the native jail for two hours。 Carey thus wrote to Ryland on the persecution：
〃CALCUTTA； 14th April 1813。Before this reaches you it is probable that you will have heard of the resolution of Government respecting our brethren Johns； Lawson； and Robinson； and will perhaps have even seen Brother Johns； who was by that cruel order sent home on the Castlereagh。 Government have agreed that Brother Lawson shall stay till the pleasure of the Court of Directors is known； to whom a reference will be made。 Brother Robinson was gone down the river； and was on board a ship bound to Java when the order was issued； he therefore got out without hearing of it； but I understand it will be sent thither after him。 Jehovah reigneth！
〃Since Brother Johns's departure I have tried to ascertain the cause of the severity in Government。 I had a long conversation with H。 T。 Colebrooke； Esq。； who has been out of Council but a few months； upon the matter。 I cannot learn that Government has any specific dislike to us； but find that ever since the year 1807 the orders of the Court of Directors to send home all Europeans not in the service of Her Majesty or the Company； and who come out without leave of the Directors； have been so peremptory and express that Government cannot now overlook any circumstance which brings such persons to notice。 Notwithstanding the general way in which the Court of Directors have worded their orders； I cannot help putting several circumstances together； which make me fear that our Mission was the cause of the enforcement of that general law which forbids Europeans to remain in India without the leave of the Court of Directors。
〃Whether Twining's pamphlet excited the alarm； or was only an echo of the minds of a number of men hostile to religion； I cannot say； but if I recollect dates aright the orders of the Court of Directors came as soon as possible after that pamphlet was published； and as it would have been too barefaced to have given a specific order to send home missionaries； they founded their orders on an unjust and wicked clause in the charter； and so enforced it that it should effectually operate on missionaries。
〃I hope the friends of religion will persevere in the use of all peaceful and lawful means to prevail on the legislature to expunge that clause； or so to modify it that ministers of the Gospel may have leave to preach； form and visit churches； and perform the various duties of their office without molestation； and that they may have a right to settle in and travel over any part of India for that purpose。 Nothing can be more just than this wish； and nothing would be more politic than for it to be granted； for every one converted from among the heathen is from that time a staunch friend of the English Government。 Our necks have； however； been more or less under the yoke ever since that year； and preaching the Gospel stands in much the same political light as committing an act of felony。 Witness what has been done to Mr。 Thompson； the five American brethren； and our three brethren。 Mr。 Thomason； the clergyman； has likewise hard work to stand his ground。
〃I trust； however； it is too late to eradicate the Gospel from Bengal。 The number of those born in the country who preach the Word is now very considerable。 Fifteen of this description preach constantly； and seven or eight more occasionally exhort their countrymen； besides our European brethren。 The Gospel is stationed at eighteen or twenty stations belonging to our Mission alone； and at several of them there are churches。 The Bible is either translated or under translation into twenty…four of the languages of the East； eighteen of which we are employed about； besides printing most of the others。 Thirteen out of these eighteen are now in the press； including a third edition of the Bengali New Testament。 Indeed； so great is the demand for Bibles that though we have eight presses constantly at work I fear we shall not have a Bengali New Testament to sell or give away for the next twelve months； the old edition being entirely out of print。 We shall be in almost the same predicament with the Hindostani。 We are going to set up two more presses； which we can get made in Calcutta； and are going to send another to Rangoon。 In short； though the publishing of the Word of God is a political crime； there never was a time when it was so successful。 'Not by might； nor by power； but by my Spirit； saith the Lord。'
〃Through divine mercy we are all well； and live in peace and love。 A small cloud which threatened at the time Brother Johns left us has mercifully blown over； and we are now in the utmost harmony。 I will； if possible； write to my nephew Eustace by these ships； but I am so pressed for time that I can never promise to write a letter。 The Lord has so blessed us that we are now printing in more languages than we could do before the fire took place。
〃Give my love to Eustace； also to all who recollect or think of me。 I am now near fifty…two years of age； yet through mercy I am well and am enabled to keep close to work twelve or fourteen hours a day。 I hope to see the Bible printed in most of the languages in which it is begun。I am； very affectionately yours； WM。 CAREY。〃
Carey had previously written thus to Fuller：〃The fault lies in the clause which gives the Company power thus to send home interlopers； and is just as reasonable as one which should forbid all the people in Englanda select few exceptedto look at the moon。 I hope this clause will be modified or expunged in the new charter。 The prohibition is wrong； and nothing that is morally wrong can be politically right。〃
It was left to the charter of 1853 fully to liberalise the Company； but each step was taken too late to save it from the nemesis of 1857 and extinction in 1858。 〃Let no man think；〃 Wilberforce had said to the House of Commons in 1813； 〃that the petitions which have loaded our table have been produced by a burst of momentary enthusiasm。 While the sun and moon continue to shine in the firmament so long will this object be pursued with unabated ardour until the great work be accomplished。〃
The opposition of Anglo…Indian officials and lawyers； which vainly used no better weapons than such as Mr。 Prendergast and his 〃tub〃 fabrication； had been anticipated and encouraged by the Edinburgh Review。 That periodical was at the height of its influence in 1808； the year before John Murray's Quarterly was first published。 The Rev。 Sydney Smith； as the literary and professional representative of what he delighted to call 〃the cause of rational religion；〃 was the foe of every form of earnest Christianity； which he joined the mob in stigmatising as 〃Methodism。〃 He was not unacquainted with Indian politics； for his equally clever brother； known as Bobus Smith； was long Advocate…General in Calcutta； and left a very considerable fortune made there to enrich the last six years of the Canon's life。 Casting about for a subject on which to exercise at once his animosity and his fun； he found it in the Periodical Accounts； wherein Fuller had undoubtedly too often published letters and passages of journals written only for the eye of the private friend。 Carey frequently remonstrated against the publicity given to some of his communications； and the fear of this checked his correspondence。 In truth； the new…born enthusiasm was such that； at first； the Committee kept nothing back。 It was easy for a litterateur like Sydney Smith in those days to extract passages and to give them such headings as 〃Brother Carey's Piety at Sea；〃 〃Hatred of the Natives to the Gospel。〃 Smith produced an article which； as republished in his collected essays； has a historical value as a test of the bitterness of the hate which the missionary enterprise had to meet in secular literature till the death of Livingstone； Wilson； and Duff opened the eyes of journalism to the facts。 In itself it must be read in the light of its author's own criticism of his articles； thus expressed in a letter to Francis Jeffrey； and of the regret that he had written it which； Jeffrey told Dr。 Marshman； he lived to utter：〃Never mind； let them〃 （his articles） 〃go away with their absurdity unadulterated and pure。 If I please； the object for which I write is attained； if I do not； the laughter which follows my error is the only thing which can make me cautious and tremble。〃 But for that picture by himself we should have pronounced Carlyle's drawing of him to be almost as malicious as his own of the Serampore missonaries〃A mass of fat and muscularity； with massive Roman nose； piercing hazel eyes； shrewdness and funnot humour or even witseemingly without soul altogether。〃
The attack called forth a reply by Mr。 Styles so severe that Sydney Smith wrote a rejoinder which began by claiming credit for 〃rooting out a nest of consecrated cobblers。〃 Sir James Mackintosh； then in Bombay； wrote of a similar assault by Mr。 Thomas Twining on the Bible Societies； that it 〃must excite general indignation。 The only measure which he could consistently propose would be the infliction of capital punishment on the crime of preaching or embracing Christianity in India； for almost every inferior degree of persecution is already practised by European or native anti…christians。 But it fell to Southey； in the very first number of the Quarterly Review； in April 1809； to deal with the Rev。 Sydney Smith； and to defend Carey and the Brotherhood as both deserved。 The layman's defence was the more effective for its immediate purpose that he started from the same prejudice as that of the reverend Whig rationalist〃the Wesleyans； the Orthodox dissenters of every description； and the Evangelical churchmen may all be comprehended under the generic name of Methodists。 The religion which they preach is not the religion of our fathers； and what they have altered they have made worse。〃 But Southey had himself faith as well as a literary canon higher than that of his opponent who wrote only to 〃please〃 hi
