the life of william carey-第14部分
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the language of the old Mussulman invaders； now foreign to all parties； and he excluded from all offices above ？0 a year the natives of the country； contrary to their fair and politic practice。 Bengal and its millions； in truth； were nominally governed in detail by three hundred white and upright civilians； with the inevitable result in abuses which they could not prevent； and oppression of native by native which they would not check； and the delay or development of reforms which the few missionaries long called for in vain。 In a word； after making the most generous allowance for the good intentions of Cornwallis； and conscientiousness of Shore； his successor； we must admit that Carey was called to become the reformer of a state of society which the worst evils of Asiatic and English rule combined to prevent him and other self…sacrificing or disinterested philanthropists from purifying。 The East India Company； at home and in India； had reached that depth of opposition to light and freedom in any form which justifies Burke's extremest passagesthe period between its triumph on the exclusion of 〃the pious clauses〃 from the Charter of 1793 and its defeat in the Charter of 1813。 We shall reproduce some outlines of the picture which Ward drew：7
〃On landing in Bengal； in the year 1793； our brethren found themselves surrounded with a population of heathens （not including the Mahometans） amounting to at least one hundred millions of souls。
〃On the subject of the divine nature； with the verbal admission of the doctrine of the divine unity； they heard these idolaters speak of 330；000；000 of gods。 Amidst innumerable idol temples they found none erected for the worship of the one living and true God。 Services without end they saw performed in honour of the elements and deified heroes； but heard not one voice tuned to the praise or employed in the service of the one God。 Unacquainted with the moral perfections of Jehovah； they saw this immense population prostrate before dead matter； before the monkey； the serpent； before idols the very personifications of sin； and they found this animal； this reptile； and the lecher Krishnu ｛u with inverted ^ like 殻nd his concubine Radha； among the favourite deities of the Hindoos。。。
〃Respecting the real nature of the present state； the missionaries perceived that the Hindoos laboured under the most fatal misapprehensions； that they believed the good or evil actions of this birth were not produced as the volitions of their own wills； but arose from； and were the unavoidable results of； the actions of the past birth； that their present actions would inevitably give rise to the whole complexion of their characters and conduct in the following birth； and that thus they were doomed to interminable transmigrations； to float as some light substance upon the bosom of an irresistible torrent。。。
〃Amongst these idolaters no Bibles were found； no sabbaths； no congregating for religious instruction in any form； no house for God； no God but a log of wood； or a monkey； no Saviour but the Ganges； no worship but that paid to abominable idols； and that connected with dances； songs； and unutterable impurities； so that what should have been divine worship； purifying； elevating； and carrying the heart to heaven； was a corrupt but rapid torrent； poisoning the soul and carrying it down to perdition； no morality； for how should a people be moral whose gods are monsters of vice； whose priests are their ringleaders in crime； whose scriptures encourage pride； impurity； falsehood； revenge； and murder； whose worship is connected with indescribable abominations； and whose heaven is a brothel？ As might be expected； they found that men died here without indulging the smallest vestige of hope； except what can arise from transmigration； the hope； instead of plunging into some place of misery； of passing into the body of some reptile。 To carry to such a people the divine word； to call them together for sacred instruction； to introduce amongst them a pure and heavenly worship； and to lead them to the observance of a Sabbath on earth； as the preparative and prelude to a state of endless perfection； was surely a work worthy for a Saviour to command； and becoming a christian people to attempt。〃
The condition of women； who were then estimated at 〃seventy…five millions of minds；〃 and whom the census shows to be now above 144；000；000； is thus described after an account of female infanticide：
〃To the Hindoo female all education is denied by the positive injunction of the shastru ｛u with inverted ^ like 殻弧nd by the general voice of the population。 Not a single school for girls； therefore； all over the country！ With knitting； sewing； embroidery； painting； music； and drawing； they have no more to do than with letters； the washing is done by men of a particular tribe。 The Hindoo girl； therefore； spends the ten first years of her life in sheer idleness； immured in the house of her father。
〃Before she has attained to this age； however； she is sought after by the ghutuks； men employed by parents to seek wives for their sons。 She is betrothed without her consent； a legal agreement； which binds her for life； being made by the parents on both sides while she is yet a child。 At a time most convenient to the parents； this boy and girl are brought together for the first time； and the marriage ceremony is performed； after which she returns to the house of her father。
〃Before the marriage is consummated； in many instances； the boy dies； and this girl becomes a widow； and as the law prohibits the marriage of widows； she is doomed to remain in this state as long as she lives。 The greater number of these unfortunate beings become a prey to the seducer； and a disgrace to their families。 Not long since a bride； on the day the marriage ceremony was to have been performed； was burnt on the funeral pile with the dead body of the bridegroom； at Chandernagore； a few miles north of Calcutta。 Concubinage； to a most awful extent； is the fruit of these marriages without choice。 What a sum of misery is attached to the lot of woman in India before she has attained even her fifteenth year！
〃In some cases as many as fifty females； the daughters of so many Hindoos； are given in marriage to one bramhun ｛u with inverted ^ like 殻弧n order to make these families something more respectable； and that the parents may be able to say； we are allied by marriage to the kooleens。。。
〃But the awful state of female society in this miserable country appears in nothing so much as in dooming the female； the widow； to be burnt alive with the putrid carcase of her husband。 The Hindoo legislators have sanctioned this immolation； showing herein a studied determination to insult and degrade woman。 She is； therefore； in the first instance； deluded into this act by the writings of these bramhuns ｛u with inverted ^ like 殻弧n which also she is promised； that if she will offer herself； for the benefit of her husband； on the funeral pile； she shall； by the extraordinary merit of this action； rescue her husband from misery； and take him and fourteen generations of his and her family with her to heaven； where she shall enjoy with them celestial happiness until fourteen kings of the gods shall have succeeded to the throne of heaven （that is； millions of years！） Thus ensnared； she embraces this dreadful death。 I have seen three widows； at different times； burnt alive； and had repeated opportunities of being present at similar immolations； but my courage failed me。。。
〃The burying alive of widows manifests； if that were possible； a still more abominable state of feeling towards women than the burning them alive。 The weavers bury their dead。 When； therefore； a widow of this tribe is deluded into the determination not to survive her husband； she is buried alive with the dead body。 In this kind of immolation the children and relations dig the grave。 After certain ceremonies have been attended to； the poor widow arrives； and is let down into the pit。 She sits in the centre； taking the dead body on her lap and encircling it with her arms。 These relations now begin to throw in the soil； and after a short space； two of them descend into the grave； and tread the earth firmly round the body of the widow。 She sits a calm and unremonstrating spectator of the horrid process。 She sees the earth rising higher and higher around her； without upbraiding her murderers； or making the least effort to arise and make her escape。 At length the earth reaches her lipscovers her head。 The rest of the earth is then hastily thrown in； and these children and relations mount the grave； and tread down the earth upon the head of the suffocating widowthe mother！〃
Before Carey； what had been done to turn the millions of North India from such darkness as that？ Nothing； beyond the brief and impulsive efforts of Thomas。 There does not seem to have been there one genuine convert from any of the Asiatic faiths； there had never been even the nucleus of a native church。
In South India； for the greater part of the century； the Coast Mission； as it was called； had been carried on from Tranquebar as a centre by the Lutherans whom； from Ziegenbalg to Schwartz； Francke had trained at Halle and Friedrich IV。 of Denmark had sent forth to its East India Company's settlement。 From the baptism of the first convert in 1707 and translation of the New Testament into Tamil； to the death in 1798 of Schwartz； with whom Carey sought to begin a correspondence then taken up by Guericke； the foundations were laid around Madras； in Tanjore； and in Tinnevelli of a native church which now includes nearly a million。 But； when Carey landed； rationalism in Germany and Denmark； and the Carnatic wars between the English and French； had reduced the Coast Mission to a state of inanition。 Nor was Southern India the true or ultimate battlefield against Brahmanism； the triumphs of Christianity there were rather among the demon…worshipping tribes of Dravidian origin than among the Aryan races till Dr。 W。 Miller developed the Christian College。 But the way for the harvest now being reaped by the Evangelicals and Anglicans of the Church of England； by the Independents of the London Missionary Society； the Wesleyans； and the Pres
