第 76 节
作者:垃圾王      更新:2021-02-24 22:52      字数:9322
  wise and prudent methods in your power。  Indeed we must always venture something for the sake of doing good。  The cause of our Lord Jesus Christ continues to prosper with us。  I have several persons now coming in who are inquirers; two or three of them; I hope; will be this evening received into the Church。  Excuse my saying more as my room is full of people。〃
  Eight years after; on the 17th April 1828; he thus censured Jabez in the matter of the Society's action at home:〃From a letter of yours to Jonathan; in which you express a very indecent pleasure at the opposition which Brother Marshman has received; not by the Society but by some anonymous writer in a magazine; I perceive you are informed of the separation which has taken place between them and us。  What in that anonymous piece you call a 'set…down' I call a 'falsehood。'  You ought to know that I was a party in all public acts and writings; and that I never intend to withdraw from all the responsibility connected therewith。  I utterly despise all the creeping; mean assertions of that party when they say they do not include me in their censures; nor do I work for their praise。 According to their and according to your rejoicing。。。I am either a knave or a foola knave if I joined with Brother Marshman; but if; as those gentlemen say; and as you seem to agree with them; I was only led as he pleased; and was a mere cat's…paw; then of course I am a fool。  In either way your thoughts are not very high as it respects me。  I do not wonder that Jonathan should express himself unguardedly; his family connection with Mr。 Pearce sufficiently accounts for that。  We have long been attacked in this countryfirst by Mr。 Adam;26 and afterwards by Dr。 Bryce。27 Bryce is now silenced by two or three pieces by John Marshman in his own newspaper; the John Bull; and as to some of the tissues of falsehood published in England; I shall certainly never reply to them; and I hope no one else will。  That cause must be bad which needs such means to support it。  I believe God will bring forth our righteousness as the noonday。〃
  On the 12th July 1828 the father again writes to his son Jabez thus:〃Your apologies about Brother Marshman are undoubtedly the best you can offer。  I should be sorry to harbour hostile sentiments against any man on the earth upon grounds so slight。  Indeed; were all you say matter of fact you ought to forgive it as God for Christ's sake forgives us。  We are required to lay aside all envy and strife and animosities; to forgive each other mutually and to love one another with a pure heart fervently。 'Thine own friend and thy father's friend forsake not。'〃
  CHAPTER XIV
  CAREY AS AN EDUCATORTHE FIRST CHRISTIAN COLLEGE IN THE EAST
  1818…1830
  A college the fourth and perfecting corner…stone of the missionCarey on the importance of English in 1800Anticipates Duff's policy of undermining BrahmanismNew educational era begun by the charter of 1813 and Lord HastingsPlan of the Serampore College in 1818Anticipates the Anglo…Orientalism of the Punjab UniversityThe building described by John MarshmanBishop Middleton followsThe Scottish and other collegesAction of the Danish GovernmentThe royal charterVisit of Maharaja SerfojeeDeath of Ward; Charles Grant and BentleyBishop Heber and his catholic letterDr。 Carey's replyProgress of the collegeCause of its foundationThe college directly and essentially a missionary undertakingAction of the Brotherhood from the first vindicatedCarey appeals to posterityThe college and the systematic study of EnglishCarey author of the Grant in Aid systemEconomy in administering missionsThe Serampore Mission has eighteen stations and fifty missionaries of all kindsSubsequent history of the Serampore College to 1883。
  The first act of Carey and Marshman when their Committee took up a position of hostility to their self…denying independence; was to complete and perpetuate the mission by a college。  As planned by Carey in 1793; the constitution had founded the enterprise on these three corner…stonespreaching the Gospel in the mother tongue of the people; translating the Bible into all the languages of Southern and Eastern Asia; teaching the young; both heathen and Christian; both boys and girls; in vernacular schools。  But Carey had not been a year in Serampore when; having built well on all three; he began to see that a fourth must be laid some day in the shape of a college。  He and his colleagues had founded and supervised; by the year 1818; no fewer than 126 native schools; containing some 10;000 boys; of whom more than 7000 were in and around Serampore。  His work among the pundit class; both in Serampore and in the college of Fort William; and the facilities in the mission…house for training natives; Eurasians; and the missionaries' sons to be preachers; translators; and teachers; seemed to meet the immediate want。  But as every year the mission in all its forms grew and the experience of its leaders developed; the necessity of creating a college staff in a building adapted to the purpose became more urgent。  Only thus could the otherwise educated natives be reached; and the Brahmanical class especially be permanently influenced。  Only thus could a theological institute be satisfactorily conducted to feed the native Church。
  On 10th October 1800 the missionaries had thus written home:〃There appears to be a favourable change in the general temper of the people。  Commerce has roused new thoughts and awakened new energies; so that hundreds; if we could skilfully teach them gratis; would crowd to learn the English language。  We hope this may be in our power some time; and may be a happy means of diffusing the gospel。 At present our hands are quite full。〃  A month after that Carey wrote to Fuller:〃I have long thought whether it would not be desirable for us to set up a school to teach the natives English。  I doubt not but a thousand scholars would come。  I do not say this because I think it an object to teach them the English tongue; but; query; is not the universal inclination of the Bengalees to learn English a favourable circumstance which may be improved to valuable ends?  I only hesitate at the expense。〃  Thirty years after Duff reasoned in the same way; after consulting Carey; and acted at once in Calcutta。
  By 1816; when; on 25th June; Carey wrote a letter; for his colleagues and himself; to the Board of the American Baptist General Convention; the great idea; destined slowly to revolutionise not only India; but China; Japan; and the farther East; had taken this form:
  〃We know not what your immediate expectations are relative to the Burman empire; but we hope your views are not confined to the immediate conversion of the natives by the preaching of the Word。 Could a church of converted natives be obtained at Rangoon; it might exist for a while; and be scattered; or perish for want of additions。  From all we have seen hitherto we are ready to think that the dispensations of Providence point to labours that may operate; indeed; more slowly on the population; but more effectually in the end: as knowledge; once put into fermentation; will not only influence the part where it is first deposited; but leaven the whole lump。  The slow progress of conversion in such a mode of teaching the natives may not be so encouraging; and may require; in all; more faith and patience; but it appears to have been the process of things; in the progress of the Reformation; during the reigns of Henry; Edward; Elizabeth; James; and Charles。  And should the work of evangelising India be thus slow and silently progressive; which; however; considering the age of the world; is not perhaps very likely; still the grand result will amply recompense us; and you; for all our toils。  We are sure to take the fortress; if we can but persuade ourselves to sit down long enough before it。 'We shall reap if we faint not。'
  〃And then; very dear brethren; when it shall be said of the seat of our labours; the infamous swinging…post is no longer erected; the widow burns no more on the funeral pile; the obscene dances and songs are seen and heard no more; the gods are thrown to the moles and to the bats; and Jesus is known as the God of the whole land; the poor Hindoo goes no more to the Ganges to be washed from his filthiness; but to the fountain opened for sin and uncleanness; the temples are forsaken; the crowds say; 'Let us go up to the house of the Lord; and He shall teach us of His ways; and we will walk in His statutes;' the anxious Hindoos no more consume their property; their strength; and their lives; in vain pilgrimages; but they come at once to Him who can save to 'the uttermost'; the sick and the dying are no more dragged to the Ganges; but look to the Lamb of God; and commit their souls into His faithful hands; the children; no more sacrificed to idols; are become 'the seed of the Lord; that He may be glorified'; the public morals are improved; the language of Canaan is learnt; benevolent societies are formed; civilisation and salvation walk arm in arm together; the desert blossoms; the earth yields her increase; angels and glorified spirits hover with joy over India; and carry ten thousand messages of love from the Lamb in the midst of the throne; and redeemed souls from the