the life of william carey-第7章

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them　in　their　perilous　undertaking；　was　branded　with　censure。　　After　all；　as　has　been　already　observed；　I　greatly　question　whether　most　of　the　barbarities　practised　by　the　savages　upon　those　who　have　visited　them；　have　not　originated　in　some　real　or　supposed　affront；　and　were　therefore；　more　properly；　acts　of　self…defence；　than　proofs　of　ferocious　dispositions。　　No　wonder　if　the　imprudence　of　sailors　should　prompt　them　to　offend　the　simple　savage；　and　the　offence　be　resented；　but　Eliot；　Brainerd；　and　the　Moravian　missionaries　have　been　very　seldom　molested。　　Nay；　in　general　the　heathen　have　showed　a　willingness　to　hear　the　word；　and　have　principally　expressed　their　hatred　of　Christianity　on　account　of　the　vices　of　nominal　Christians。

〃FOURTHLY；　As　to　the　difficulty　of　procuring　the　necessaries　of　life；　this　would　not　be　so　great　as　may　appear　at　first　sight；　for；　though　we　could　not　procure　European　food；　yet　we　might　procure　such　as　the　natives　of　those　countries　which　we　visit；　subsist　upon　themselves。　　And　this　would　only　be　passing　through　what　we　have　virtually　engaged　in　by　entering　on　the　ministerial　office。　　A　Christian　minister　is　a　person　who　in　a　peculiar　sense　is　not　his　own；　he　is　the　servant　of　God；　and　therefore　ought　to　be　wholly　devoted　to　him。　　By　entering　on　that　sacred　office　he　solemnly　undertakes　to　be　always　engaged；　as　much　as　possible；　in　the　Lord's　work；　and　not　to　choose　his　own　pleasure；　or　employment；　or　pursue　the　ministry　as　a　something　that　is　to　subserve　his　own　ends；　or　interests；　or　as　a　kind　of　bye…work。　　He　engages　to　go　where　God　pleases；　and　to　do　or　endure　what　he　sees　fit　to　command；　or　call　him　to；　in　the　exercise　of　his　function。　　He　virtually　bids　farewell　to　friends；　pleasures；　and　comforts；　and　stands　in　readiness　to　endure　the　greatest　sufferings　in　the　work　of　his　Lord；　and　Master。　It　is　inconsistent　for　ministers　to　please　themselves　with　thoughts　of　a　numerous　auditory；　cordial　friends；　a　civilised　country；　legal　protection；　affluence；　splendour；　or　even　a　competency。　　The　slights；　and　hatred　of　men；　and　even　pretended　friends；　gloomy　prisons；　and　tortures；　the　society　of　barbarians　of　uncouth　speech；　miserable　accommodations　in　wretched　wildernesses；　hunger；　and　thirst；　nakedness；　weariness；　and　painfulness；　hard　work；　and　but　little　worldly　encouragement；　should　rather　be　the　objects　of　their　expectation。　　Thus　the　apostles　acted；　in　the　primitive　times；　and　endured　hardness；　as　good　soldiers　of　Jesus　Christ；　and　though　we；　living　in　a　civilised　country　where　Christianity　is　protected　by　law；　are　not　called　to　suffer　these　things　while　we　continue　here；　yet　I　question　whether　all　are　justified　in　staying　here；　while　so　many　are　perishing　without　means　of　grace　in　other　lands。　　Sure　I　am　that　it　is　entirely　contrary　to　the　spirit　of　the　gospel　for　its　ministers　to　enter　upon　it　from　interested　motives；　or　with　great　worldly　expectations。　　On　the　contrary；　the　commission　is　a　sufficient　call　to　them　to　venture　all；　and；　like　the　primitive　Christians；　go　everywhere　preaching　the　gospel。

〃It　might　be　necessary；　however；　for　two；　at　least；　to　go　together；　and　in　general　I　should　think　it　best　that　they　should　be　married　men；　and　to　prevent　their　time　from　being　employed　in　procuring　necessaries；　two；　or　more；　other　persons；　with　their　wives　and　families；　might　also　accompany　them；　who　should　be　wholly　employed　in　providing　for　them。　　In　most　countries　it　would　be　necessary　for　them　to　cultivate　a　little　spot　of　ground　just　for　their　support；　which　would　be　a　resource　to　them；　whenever　their　supplies　failed。　Not　to　mention　the　advantages　they　would　reap　from　each　other's　company；　it　would　take　off　the　enormous　expense　which　has　always　attended　undertakings　of　this　kind；　the　first　expense　being　the　whole；　for　though　a　large　colony　needs　support　for　a　considerable　time；　yet　so　small　a　number　would；　upon　receiving　the　first　crop；　maintain　themselves。　　They　would　have　the　advantage　of　choosing　their　situation；　their　wants　would　be　few；　the　women；　and　even　the　children；　would　be　necessary　for　domestic　purposes：　and　a　few　articles　of　stock；　as　a　cow　or　two；　and　a　bull；　and　a　few　other　cattle　of　both　sexes；　a　very　few　utensils　of　husbandry；　and　some　corn　to　sow　their　land；　would　be　sufficient。　　Those　who　attend　the　missionaries　should　understand　husbandry；　fishing；　fowling；　etc。；　and　be　provided　with　the　necessary　implements　for　these　purposes。　Indeed；　a　variety　of　methods　may　be　thought　of；　and　when　once　the　work　is　undertaken；　many　things　will　suggest　themselves　to　us；　of　which　we　at　present　can　form　no　idea。

〃FIFTHLY；　As　to　learning　their　languages；　the　same　means　would　be　found　necessary　here　as　in　trade　between　different　nations。　　In　some　cases　interpreters　might　be　obtained；　who　might　be　employed　for　a　time；　and　where　these　were　not　to　be　found；　the　missionaries　must　have　patience；　and　mingle　with　the　people；　till　they　have　learned　so　much　of　their　language　as　to　be　able　to　communicate　their　ideas　to　them　in　it。　　It　is　well　known　to　require　no　very　extraordinary　talents　to　learn；　in　the　space　of　a　year；　or　two　at　most；　the　language　of　any　people　upon　earth；　so　much　of　it　at　least　as　to　be　able　to　convey　any　sentiments　we　wish　to　their　understandings。

〃The　Missionaries　must　be　men　of　great　piety；　prudence；　courage；　and　forbearance；　of　undoubted　orthodoxy　in　their　sentiments；　and　must　enter　with　all　their　hearts　into　the　spirit　of　their　mission；　they　must　be　willing　to　leave　all　the　comforts　of　life　behind　them；　and　to　encounter　all　the　hardships　of　a　torrid　or　a　frigid　climate；　an　uncomfortable　manner　of　living；　and　every　other　inconvenience　that　can　attend　this　undertaking。　　Clothing；　a　few　knives；　powder　and　shot；　fishing…tackle；　and　the　articles　of　husbandry　above　mentioned；　must　be　provided　for　them；　and　when　arrived　at　the　place　of　their　destination；　their　first　business　must　be　to　gain　some　acquaintance　with　the　language　of　the　natives　（for　which　purpose　two　would　be　better　than　one）；　and　by　all　lawful　means　to　endeavour　to　cultivate　a　friendship　with　them；　and　as　soon　as　possible　let　them　know　the　errand　for　which　they　were　sent。　　They　must　endeavour　to　convince　them　that　it　was　their　good　alone　which　induced　them　to　forsake　their　friends；　and　all　the　comforts　of　their　native　country。　　They　must　be　very　careful　not　to　resent　injuries　which　may　be　offered　to　them；　nor　to　think　highly　of　themselves；　so　as　to　despise　the　poor　heathens；　and　by　those　means　lay　a　foundation　for　their　resentment　or　rejection　of　the　gospel。　　They　must　take　every　opportunity　of　doing　them　good；　and　labouring　and　travelling　night　and　day；　they　must　instruct；　exhort；　and　rebuke；　with　all　long　suffering　and　anxious　desire　for　them；　and；　above　all；　must　be　instant　in　prayer　for　the　effusion　of　the　Holy　Spirit　upon　the　people　of　their　charge。　Let　but　missionaries　of　the　above　description　engage　in　the　work；　and　we　shall　see　that　it　is　not　impracticable。

〃It　might　likewise　be　of　importance；　if　God　should　bless　their　labours；　for　them　to　encourage　any　appearances　of　gifts　amongst　the　people　of　their　charge；　if　such　should　be　raised　up　many　advantages　would　be　derived　from　their　knowledge　of　the　language　and　customs　of　their　countrymen；　and　their　change　of　conduct　would　give　great　weight　to　their　ministrations。〃

This　first　and　still　greatest　missionary　treatise　in　the　English　language　closes　with　the　practical　suggestion　of　these　meansfervent　and　united　prayer；　the　formation　of　a　catholic　or；　failing　that；　a　Particular　Baptist　Society　of　〃persons　whose　hearts　are　in　the　work；　men　of　serious　religion　and　possessing　a　spirit　of　perseverance；〃　with　an　executive　committee；　and　subscriptions　from　rich　and　poor　of　a　tenth　of　their　income　for　both　village　preaching　and　foreign　missions；　or；　at　least；　an　average　of　one　penny　or　more　per　week　from　all　members　of　congregations。　　He　thus　concludes：〃It　is　true　all　the　reward　is　of　mere　grace；　but　it　is　nevertheless　encouraging；　what　a　treasure；　what　an　harvest　must　await　such　characters　as　Paul；　and　Eliot；　and　Brainerd；　and　others；　who　have　given　themselves　wholly　to　the　work　of　the　Lord。　What　a　heaven　will　it　be　to　see　the　many　myriads　of　poor　heathens；　of　Britons　amongst　the　rest；　who　by　their　labours　have　been　brought　to　the　knowledge　of　God。　Surely　a　crown　of　rejoicing　like　this　is　worth　aspiring　to。　Surely　it　is　worth　while　to　lay　ourselves　out　with　all　our　might；　in　promoting　the　cause　and　kingdom　of　Christ。〃

So　Carey　projected　the　first　organisation　which　England　had　seen　for　missions　to　all　the　human　race　outside　of　Christendom；　and　his　project；　while　necessarily　requiring　a　Society　to　carry　it　out；　as　coming　from　an　〃independent〃　Church；　provided　that　every　member　of　every　congregation　should　take　a　part　to　the　extent　of　fervent　and　united　prayer；　and　of　an　average　subscription　of　a　penny　a　week。　　He　came　as　near　to　the　New　Testament　ideal　of　all　Christians　acting　in　an　aggressive　missionary　church　as　was　possible　in　an　age　when　the　Established　Churches　of　England；　Scotland；　and　Germany　scouted　foreign　missions；　and　the　Free　Churches　were　chiefly　congregational　in　their　ecclesiastical　action。　　While　asserting　the　other　ideal　of　the　voluntary　tenth　or　tithe　as　both　a　Scriptural　principle　and　Puritan　practice；　his　common　sense　was　satisfied　to　suggest　an　average　penny　a　week；　all　over；　for　every　Christian。　　At　this　hour；　more　than　a　century　since　Carey　wrote；　and　after　a　remarkable　missionary　revival　in　consequence　of　what　he　wrote　and　did；　all　Christendom；　Evangelical；　Greek；　and　Latin；　does　not　give　more　than　five　millions　sterling　a　year　to　Christianise　the　majority　of　the　race　still　outside　its　pale。　　It　is　not　too　much　to　say　that　were　Carey's　penny　a　week　from　every　Christian　a　fact；　and　the　prayer　which　would　sooner　or　later　accompany　it；　the　five　millions　would　be　fifty；　and　Christendom　would　become　a　term　nearly　synonymous　with　humanity。　　The　Churches；　whether　by　themselves　or　by　societies；　have　yet　to　pray　and　organise　up　to　the　level　of　Carey's　penny　a　week。

The　absolute　originality　as　well　as　grandeur　of　the　unconscious　action　of　the　peasant　shoemaker　who；　from　1779；　prayed　daily　for　all　the　heathen　and　slaves；　and　organised　his　society　accordingly；　will　be　seen　in　the　dim　light　or　darkness　visible　of　all　who　had　preceded　him。　　They　were　before　the　set　time；　he　was　ready　in　the　fulness　of　the　missionary　preparation。　　They　belonged　not　only　to　periods；　but　to　nations；　to　churches；　to　communities　which　were　failing　in　the　struggle　for　fruitfulness　and　expansion　in　new　worlds　and　fresh　lands；　he　was　a　son　of　England；　which　had　come　or　was　about　to　come　out　of　the　struggle　a　victor；　charged　with　the　terrible　responsibility　of　the　special　servant　of　the　Lord；　as　no　people　had　ever　before　been　charged　in　all　history；　sacred　or　secular。　　William　Carey；　indeed；　reaped　the　little　that　the　few　brave　toilers　of　the　wintry　time　had　sown；　with　a　humility　that　is　pathetic　he　acknowledges　their　toll；　while　ever　ignorant　to　the　last　of　his　own　merit。　　But　he　reaped　only　as　each　generation　garners　such　fruits　of　its　predecessor　as　may　have　been　worthy　to　survive。　　He　was　the　first　of　the　true　Anastatosantes　of　the　modern　world；　as　only　an　English…speaking　man　could