the life of william carey-第54部分
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ulsion； many poor young men leave their houses and hide themselves； but they are sure of being beaten if caught； or of having their huts pulled down。 The influence and power of the rich have a great effect on the multitude in most of the idolatrous festivals。 When the lands and riches of the country were in few hands； this influence carried all before it。 It is still very widely felt； in compelling dependants to assist at public shows； and to contribute towards the expense of splendid ceremonies。〃
The Ghat murders； caused by the carrying of the dying to the Ganges or a sacred river； and their treatment there； continue to this day； although Lord Lawrence attempted to interfere。 Ward estimated the number of sick whose death is hastened on the banks of the Ganges alone at five hundred a year； in his anxiety to 〃use no unfair means of rendering even idolatry detestable；〃 but he admits that； in the opinion of others； this estimate is far below the truth。 We believe； from our own recent experience； that still it fails to give any just idea of the destruction of parents by children in the name of religion。
One class who had been the special objects of Christ's healing power and divine sympathy was specially interesting to Carey in proportion to their misery and abandonment by their own peoplelepers。 When at Cutwa in 1812； where his son was stationed as missionary； he saw the burning of a leper； which he thus described：〃A pit about ten cubits in depth was dug and a fire placed at the bottom of it。 The poor man rolled himself into it； but instantly； on feeling the fire； begged to be taken out； and struggled hard for that purpose。 His mother and sister； however； thrust him in again； and thus a man； who to all appearance might have survived several years； was cruelly burned to death。 I find that the practice is not uncommon in these parts。 Taught that a violent end purifies the body and ensures transmigration into a healthy new existence； while natural death by disease results in four successive births； and a fifth as a leper again； the leper； like the even more wretched widow； has always courted suicide。〃 Carey did not rest until he had brought about the establishment of a leper hospital in Calcutta； near what became the centre of the Church Missionary Society's work； and there benevolent physicians； like the late Dr。 Kenneth Stuart； and Christian people； have made it possible to record； as in Christ's days； that the leper is cleansed and the poor have the Gospel preached to them。
By none of the many young civilians whom he trained； or； in the later years of his life； examined； was Carey's humane work on all its sides more persistently carried out than by John Lawrence in the Punjab。 When their new ruler first visited their district； the Bedi clan amazed him by petitioning for leave to destroy their infant daughters。 In wrath he briefly told them he would hang every man found guilty of such murder。 When settling the land revenue of the Cis…Sutlej districts he caused each farmer； as he touched the pen in acceptance of the assessment； to recite this formula
〃Bewa mat jal醥； Beti mat m醨o； Korhi mat dabao〃
（〃Thou shalt not burn thy widow； thou shalt not kill thy daughters； thou shalt not bury thy lepers。〃）
》From the hour of Carey's conversion he never omitted to remember in prayer the slave as well as the heathen。 The same period which saw his foundation of modern missions witnessed the earliest efforts of his contemporary； Thomas Clarkson of Wisbeach； in the neighbouring county of Cambridge； to free the slave。 But Clarkson； Granville Sharp； and their associates were so occupied with Africa that they knew not that Great Britain was responsible for the existence of at least nine millions of slaves in India； many of them brought by Hindoo merchants as well as Arabs from Eastern Africa to fill the hareems of Mohammedans； and do domestic service in the zananas of Hindoos。 The startling fact came to be known only slowly towards the end of Carey's career； when his prayers； continued daily from 1779； were answered in the freedom of all our West India slaves。 The East India answer came after he had passed away； in Act V。 of 1843； which for ever abolished the legal status of slavery in India。 The Penal Code has since placed the pr鎑ial slave in such a position that if he is not free it is his own fault。 It is penal in India to hold a slave 〃against his will；〃 and we trust the time is not far distant when the last three words may be struck out。
With true instinct Christopher Anderson； in his Annals of the English Bible； associates Carey； Clarkson； and Cowper； as the triumvirate who； unknown to each other； began the great moral changes； in the Church； in society； and in literature； which mark the difference between the eighteenth and the nineteenth centuries。 Little did Carey think； as he studied under Sutcliff within sight of the poet's house； that Cowper was writing at that very time these lines in The Task while he himself was praying for the highest of all kinds of liberty to be given to the heathen and the slaves； Christ's freedom which had up till then remained
〃。。。unsung By poets； and by senators unpraised； Which monarchs cannot grant； nor all the powers Of earth and hell confederate take away； A liberty which persecution； fraud； Oppression； prisons； have no power to bind： Which whoso tastes can be enslaved no more。〃
CHAPTER XII
WHAT CAREY DID FOR SCIENCEFOUNDER OF THE AGRICULTURAL AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OF INDIA
Carey's relation to science and economicsState of the peasantryCarey a careful scientific observerSpecially a botanistBecomes the friend of Dr。 Roxburgh of the Company's Botanic GardenOrders seeds and instruments of husbandryAll his researches subordinate to his spiritual missionHis eminence as a botanist acknowledged in the history of the scienceHis own botanic garden and park at SeramporeThe poet Montgomery on the daisies thereBorneoCarey's paper in the Asiatic Researches on the state of agriculture in BengalThe first to advocate Forestry in IndiaFounds the Agri…Horticultural Society of IndiaIssues queries on agriculture and horticultureRemarkable results of his actionOn the manufacture of paperHis expanded address on agricultural reformHis political foresight on the importance of European capital and the future of IndiaAn official estimate of the results in the present dayOn the usury of the natives and savings banksHis academic and scientific honoursDestruction of his house and garden by the Damoodar flood of 1823Report on the Horticultural Society's gardenThe Society honours its founder。
Not only was the first Englishman； who in modern times became a missionary； sent to India when he desired to go to Tahiti or West Africa； and sent to Bengal from which all Northern India was to be brought under British rule； and to Calcuttawith a safe asylum at Danish Seramporethen the metropolis and centre of all Southern Asia； but he was sent at the very time when the life of the people could best be purified and elevated on its many sides； and he was specially fitted to influence each of these sides save one。 An ambassador for Christ above all things like Paul； but； also like him； becoming all things to all men that he might win some to the higher life； Carey was successively； and often at the same time； a captain of labour； a schoolmaster； a printer； the developer of the vernacular speech； the expounder of the classical language； the translator of both into English and of the English Bible into both； the founder of a pure literature； the purifier of society； the watchful philanthropist； the saviour of the widow and the fatherless； of the despairing and the would…be suicide； of the downtrodden and oppressed。 We have now to see him on the scientific or the physical and economic side； while he still jealously keeps his strength for the one motive power of all； the spiritual； and with almost equal care avoids the political or administrative as his Master did。 But even then it was his aim to proclaim the divine principles which would use science and politics alike to bring nations to the birth； while； like the apostles； leaving the application of these principles to the course of God's providence and the consciences of men。 In what he did for science； for literature； and for humanity； as in what he abstained from doing in the practical region of public life； the first English missionary was an example to all of every race who have followed him in the past century。 From Carey to Livingstone； alike in Asia and Africa； the greatest Christian evangelists have been those who have made science and literature the handmaids of missions。
Apart from the extreme south of the peninsula of India； where the Danish missionaries had explored with hawk's eyes； almost nothing was known of its plants and animals； its men； as well as its beasts； when Carey found himself in a rural district of North Bengal in the closing decade of the eighteenth century。 Nor had any writer； official or missionary； anywhere realised the state of India and the needs of the Hindoo and Mohammedan cultivators as flowing from the relation of the people to the soil。 India was in truth a land of millions of peasant proprietors on five…acre farms； rack…rented or plundered by powerful middlemen； both squeezed or literally tortured by the Government of the day； and driven to depend on the usurer for even the seed for each crop。 War and famine had alternated in keeping down the population。 Ignorance and fear had blunted the natural shrewdness of the cultivator。 A foul mythology； a saddening demon…worship； and an exacting social system； covered the land as with a pall。 What even Christendom was fast becoming in the tenth century； India had been all through the eighteen Christian centuries。
The boy who from eight to fourteen 〃chose to read books of science； history； voyages； etc。； more than others〃； the youth whose gardener uncle would have had him follow that calling； but whose sensitive skin kept him within doors； where he fitted up a room with his botanical and zoological museum； the shoemaker…preacher who made a garden around every cottage…manse in which he lived； and was familiar with e
