第 78 节
作者:垃圾王      更新:2021-02-24 22:52      字数:9308
  on Divinity School; in Lucknow the Reid College; and others; bear witness to the fruitfulness of the Alma Mater of Serampore。
  The Serampore College began with thirty…seven students; of whom nineteen were native Christians and the rest Hindoos。  When the building was occupied in 1821 Carey wrote to his son:〃I pray that the blessing of God may attend it; and that it may be the means of preparing many for an important situation in the Church of God。。。The King of Denmark has written letters signed with his own hand to Brothers Ward; Marshman; and myself; and has sent each of us a gold medal as a token of his approbation。  He has also made over the house in which Major Wickedie resides; between Sarkies's house and ours; to us three in perpetuity for the college。  Thus Divine generosity appears for us and supplies our expectations。〃  The missionaries had declined the Order of the Dannebrog。  When; in 1826; Dr。 Marshman visited Europe; one of his first duties was to acknowledge this gift to Count Moltke; Danish Minister in London and ancestor of the great strategist; and to ask for a royal charter。 The Minister and Count Schulin; whose wife had been a warm friend of Mrs。 Carey; happened to be on board the steamer in which Dr。 Marshman; accompanied by Christopher Anderson; sailed to Copenhagen。 Raske; the Orientalist; who had visited Serampore; was a Professor in the University there。  The vellum charter was prepared among them; empowering the College Council; consisting of the Governor of Serampore and the Brotherhood; to confer degrees like those of the Universities of Copenhagen and Kiel; but not carrying the rank in the State implied in Danish degrees unless with the sanction of the Crown。  The King; in the audience which he gave; informed Dr。 Marshman that; having in 1801 promised the mission protection; he had hitherto refused to transfer Serampore to the East India Company; since that would prevent him from keeping his word。  When; in 1845; the Company purchased both Tranquebar and Serampore; it could be no longer dangerous to the Christian Mission; but the Treaty expressly provided that the College should retain all its powers; and its Christian character; under the Danish charter; which it does。  It was thus the earliest degree…conferring college in Asia; but it has never exercised the power。  Christian VIII。; then the heir to the throne; showed particular interest in the Bible translation work of Carey。  When; in 1884; the Evangelical Alliance held its session in Copenhagen; and was received by Christian IX。;28 it did well; by special resolution; to express the gratitude of Protestant Christendom to Denmark for such courageous and continued services to the first Christian mission from England to India。
  How Dr。 Carey valued the gift of the King is seen in this writing; on the lining of the case of the gold medal; dated 6th November 1823:
  〃It is my desire that this medal; and the letter of the King of Denmark; which accompanied it; be given at my death to my dear son Jonathan; that he may keep it for my sake。〃
  The letter of King Frederic VI。 is as follows:
  〃MONSIEUR LE DOCTEUR ET PROFESSEUR WILLIAM CAREY
  C'est avec beaucoup d'int閞阾 que nous avons appris le m閞ite qu'en qualit?de membre dirigeant de la Soci閠?de la Mission; vous avez acquis; ainsi que vos co…directeurs; et les eff鑤s salutaires que vos louables travaux ont produits et partout o?votre influence a pu atteindre。  Particulierement inform閟 qu'en votre dite qualit?vous avez contribu?a effectuer bien des choses utiles; dont l'閠ablissement ?Fr閐閞icsnagore a ?se louer; et voulant vous certifier que nous vous en avons gr? nous avons charg?le chef du dit 閠ablissement;notre Lieutenant…Colonel Kraefting; de vous remettre cette lettre; et en m阭e temps une medaille d'or; comme une marque de notre bienveillance et de notre protection; que vous assurera toujours une conduite meritoire。
  〃Sur ce nous prions Dieu de vous avoir dans Sa sainte et digne garde。Votre affectionn?FREDERIC。
  〃Copenhague; ce 7 Juin 1820。
  〃Au Docteur et Professeur WILLIAM CAREY;
  Membre dirigeant de la Soci閠?de la Mission ?Fr閐閞icsnagore。〃
  The new College formed an additional attraction to visitors to the mission。  One of these; in 1821; was the Maharaja Serfojee; the prince of Tanjore; whom Schwartz had tended; but who was on pilgrimage to Benares。  Hand in hand with Dr。 Carey he walked through the missionary workshop; noticed specially the pundits who were busy with translation to which Lord Hastings had directed his attention; and dilated with affectionate enthusiasm on the deeds and the character of the apostle of South India。  In 1823 cholera suddenly cut off Mr。 Ward in the midst of his labours。  The year after that Charles Grant died; leaving a legacy to the mission。 Almost his last act had been to write to Carey urging him to publish a reply to the attack of the Abb?Dubois on all Christian missions。  Another friend was removed in Bentley; the scholar who put Hindoo astronomy in its right place。  Bishop Heber began his too brief episcopate in 1824; when the college; strengthened by the abilities of the Edinburgh professor; John Mack; was accomplishing all that its founders had projected。  The Bishop of all good Christian men never penned a finer productionnot even his hymnsthan this letter; called forth by a copy of the Report on the College sent to him by Dr。 Marshman:
  〃I have seldom felt more painfully than while reading your appeal on the subject of Serampore College; the unhappy divisions of those who are the servants of the same Great Master!  Would to God; my honoured brethren; the time were arrived when not only in heart and hope; but visibly; we shall be one fold; as well as under one shepherd!  In the meantime I have arrived; after some serious considerations; at the conclusion that I shall serve our great cause most effectually by doing all which I can for the rising institutions of those with whom my sentiments agree in all things; rather than by forwarding the labours of those from whom; in some important points; I am conscientiously constrained to differ。  After all; why do we differ?  Surely the leading points which keep us asunder are capable of explanation or of softening; and I am expressing myself in much sincerity of heart(though; perhaps; according to the customs of the world; I am taking too great a freedom with men my superiors both in age and in talent); that I should think myself happy to be permitted to explain; to the best of my power; those objections which keep you and your brethren divided from that form of church government which I believe to have been instituted by the apostles; and that admission of infants to the Gospel Covenants which seem to me to be founded on the expressions and practice of Christ himself。  If I were writing thus to worldly men I know I should expose myself to the imputation of excessive vanity or impertinent intrusion。  But of you and Dr。 Carey I am far from judging as of worldly men; and I therefore say that; if we are spared to have any future intercourse; it is my desire; if you permit; to discuss with both of you; in the spirit of meekness and conciliation; the points which now divide us; convinced that; if a reunion of our Churches could be effected; the harvest of the heathen would ere long be reaped; and the work of the Lord would advance among them with a celerity of which we have now no experience。
  〃I trust; at all events; you will take this hasty note as it is intended; and believe me; with much sincerity; your friend and servant in Christ; REGINALD CALCUTTA。
  〃3rd June 1824。〃
  This is how Carey reciprocated these sentiments; when writing to Dr。 Ryland:
  〃SERAMPORE; 6th July 1824。
  〃I rejoice to say that there is the utmost harmony between all the ministers of all denominations。  Bishop Heber is a man of liberal principles and catholic spirit。  Soon after his arrival in the country he wrote me a very friendly letter; expressing his wish to maintain all the friendship with us which our respective circumstances would allow。  I was then confined; but Brother Marshman called on him。  As soon as I could walk without crutches I did the same; and had much free conversation with him。  Some time after this he wrote us a very friendly letter; saying that it would highly gratify him to meet Brother Marshman and myself; and discuss in a friendly manner all the points of difference between himself and us; adding that there was every reason to expect much good from a calm and temperate discussion of these things; and that; if we could at any rate come so near to each other as to act together; he thought it would have a greater effect upon the spread of the gospel among the heathen than we could calculate upon。  He was then just setting out on a visitation which will in all probability take a year。  We; however; wrote him a reply accepting his proposal; and Brother Marshman expressed a wish that the discussion might be carried on by letter; to which in his reply he partly consented。  I have such a disinclination to writing; and so little leisure for it; that I wished the discussion to be viva voce; it will; however; make little difference; and all I should have to say would be introduced into the letter。〃
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