the life of william carey-第47部分
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man was found in William Yates； born in 1792； and in the county； Leicestershire； in which Carey brought the Baptist mission to the birth。 Yates was in his early years also a shoemaker； and member of Carey's old church in Harvey Lane； when under the great Robert Hall； who said to the youth's father； 〃Your son； sir； will be a great scholar and a good preacher； and he is a holy young man。〃 In 1814 he became the last of the young missionaries devoted to the cause by Fuller； soon to pass away； Ryland； and Hall。 Yates had not been many months at Serampore when； with the approval of his brethren； Carey wrote to Fuller； on 17th May 1815：〃I am much inclined to associate him with myself in the translations。 My labour is greater than at any former period。 We have now translations of the Bible going forward in twenty…seven languages； all of which are in the press except two or three。 The labour of correcting and revising all of them lies on me。〃 By September we find Yates writing：〃Dr。 Carey sends all the Bengali proofs to me to review。 I read them over； and if there is anything I do not understand； or think to be wrong； I mark it。 We then converse over it； and if it is wrong； he alters it； but if not； he shows me the reason why it is right； and thus will initiate me into the languages as fast as I can learn them。 He wishes me to begin the Hindi very soon。 Since I have been here I have read three volumes in Bengali； and they have but six of consequence in prose。 There are abundance in Sanskrit。〃 〃Dr。 Carey has treated me with the greatest affection and kindness； and told me he will give me every information he can； and do anything in his power to promote my happiness。〃 What Baruch was to the prophet Jeremiah； that Yates might have been to Carey； who went so far in urging him to remain for life in Serampore as to say； 〃if he did not accept the service it would be； in his judgment； acting against Providence； and the blessing of God was not to be expected。〃 Yates threw in his lot with the younger men who； in Calcutta after Fuller's death； began the Society's as distinct from the Serampore mission。 If Carey was the Wyclif and Tyndale； Yates was the Coverdale of the Bengali and Sanskrit Bible。 Wenger； their successor； was worthy of both。 Bengal still waits for the first native revision of the great work which these successive pioneers have gradually improved。 When shall Bengal see its own Luther？
The Bengali Bible was the first as it was the most important of the translations。 The province； or lieutenant…governorship then had the same area as France； and contained more than double its population； or eighty millions。 Of the three principal vernaculars； Bengali is spoken by forty…five millions of Hindoos and Mohammedans。 It was for all the natives of Bengal and of India north of the Dekhan （〃south〃） tableland； but especially for the Bengali…speaking people； that William Carey created a literary language a century ago。
The first Bengali version of the whole New Testament Carey translated from the original Greek before the close of 1796。 The only English commentary used was the Family Expositor of Doddridge； published in 1738； and then the most critical in the language。 Four times he revised the manuscript； with a Greek concordance in his hand； and he used it not only with Ram Basu by his side； the most accomplished of early Bengali scholars； but with the natives around him of all classes。 By 1800 Ward had arrived as printer； the press was perfected at Serampore； and the result of seven years of toil appeared in February 1801； in the first edition of 2000 copies； costing ？12。 The printing occupied nine months。 The type was set up by Ward and Carey's son Felix with their own hands； 〃for about a month at first we had a Brahman compositor； but we were quite weary of him。 We kept four pressmen constantly employed。〃 A public subscription had been opened for the whole Bengali Bible at Rs。 32； or ？ a copy as exchange then was； and nearly fifty copies had been at once subscribed for。 It was this edition which immediately led to Carey's appointment to the College of Fort William； and it was that appointment which placed Carey in a position； philological and financial； to give the Bible to the peoples of the farther East in their own tongue。
Some loving memories cluster round the first Bengali version of the New Testament which it is well to collect。 On Tuesday； 18th March 1800； Ward's journal19 records： 〃Brother Carey took an impression at the press of the first page in Matthew。〃 The translator was himself the pressman。 As soon as the whole of this Gospel was ready； 500 copies of it were struck off for immediate circulation； 〃which we considered of importance as containing a complete life of the Redeemer。〃 Four days after an advertisement in the official Calcutta Gazette； announcing that the missionaries had established a press at Serampore and were printing the Bible in Bengali； roused Lord Wellesley； who had fettered the press in British India。 Mr。 Brown was able to inform the Governor…General that this very Serampore press had refused to print a political attack on the English Government； and that it was intended for the spiritual instruction only of the natives。 This called forth the assurance from that liberal statesman that he was personally favourable to the conversion of the heathen。 When he was further told that such an Oriental press would be invaluable to the College of Fort William； he not only withdrew his opposition but made Carey first teacher of Bengali。 It was on the 7th February 1801 that the last sheet with the final corrections was put into Carey's hands。 When a volume had been bound it was reverently offered to God by being placed on the Communion…table of the chapel； and the mission families and the new…made converts gathered around it with solemn thanksgiving to God led by Krishna Pal。 Carey preached from the words （Col。 iii。 11） 〃Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom。〃 The centenary was celebrated in Calcutta in 1901； under Dr。 Rouse； whose fine scholarship had just revised the translation。
When the first copies reached England； Andrew Fuller sent one to the second Earl Spencer； the peer who had used the wealth of Sarah； Duchess of Marlborough； to collect the great library at Althorp。 Carey had been a poor tenant of his； though the Earl knew it not。 When the Bengali New Testament reached him； with its story； he sent a cheque for ？0 to help to translate the Old Testament； and he took care that a copy should be presented to George III。； as by his own request。 Mr。 Bowyer was received one morning at Windsor； and along with the volume presented an address expressing the desire that His Majesty might live to see its principles universally prevail throughout his Eastern dominions。 On this the lord in waiting whispered a doubt whether the book had come through the proper channel。 At once the king replied that the Board of Control had nothing to do with it； and turning to Mr。 Bowyer said； 〃I am greatly pleased to find that any of my subjects are employed in this manner。〃
This now rare volume； to be found on the shelves of the Serampore College Library； where it leads the host of the Carey translations； is coarse and unattractive in appearance compared with its latest successors。 In truth the second edition； which appeared in 1806； was almost a new version。 The criticism of his colleagues and others； especially of a ripe Grecian like Dr。 Marshman； the growth of the native church； and his own experience as a Professor of Sanskrit and Marathi as well as Bengali； gave Carey new power in adapting the language to the divine ideas of which he made it the medium。 But the first edition was not without its self…evidencing power。 Seventeen years after； when the mission extended to the old capital of Dacca； there were found several villages of Hindoo…born peasants who had given up idol…worship； were renowned for their truthfulness； and； as searching for a true teacher come from God； called themselves 〃Satya…gooroos。〃 They traced their new faith to a much…worn book kept in a wooden box in one of their villages。 No one could say whence it had come； all they knew was that they had possessed it for many years。 It was Carey's first Bengali version of the New Testament of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ。 In the wide and elastic bounds of Hindooism； and even； as we shall see； amid fanatical Mussulmans beyond the frontier； the Bible； dimly understood without a teacher； has led to puritan sects like this； as to earnest inquirers like the chamberlain of Queen Candace。
The third edition of the Bengali Testament was published in 1811 in folio for the use of the native congregations by that time formed。 The fourth； consisting of 5000 copies； appeared in 1816； and the eighth in 1832。 The venerable scholar； like Columba at Iona over the thirty…fourth psalm； and Baeda at Jarrow over the sixth chapter of John's Gospel； said as he corrected the last sheetthe last after forty years' faithful and delighted toil： 〃My work is done； I have nothing more to do but to wait the will of the Lord。〃 The Old Testament from the Hebrew appeared in portions from 1802 to 1809。 Such was the ardour of the translator； that he had finished the correction of his version of the first chapter of Genesis in January 1794。 When he read it to two pundits from Nuddea； he told Fuller in his journal of that month they seemed much pleased with the account of the creation； but they objected to the omission of patala； their imaginary place beneath the earth； which they thought should have been mentioned。 At this early period Carey saw the weakness of Hindooism as a pretended revelation； from its identification with false physics； just as Duff was to see and use it afterwards with tremendous effect； and wrote：〃There is a necessity of explaining to them several circumstances relative to geography and chronology； as they have many superstitious opinions on those subjects which are closely connected with their systems of idolatry。〃 The Bengali Bible was the result of fifteen years' sweet toil； in which Marshman read the Greek and Carey the Bengali； every one of their colleagues examined the proof sheets； and Carey finally wrote with
