the life of william carey-第67部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　he　uses；　and　every　loaf　he　cuts。

〃Till　a　very　few　years　ago　we　had　no　vehicle　except　a　single　horse　chaise　for　me　to　go　backwards　and　forwards　to　Calcutta。　　That　was　necessarily　kept　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　river；　and　if　the　strength　of　the　horse　would　have　borne　it；　could　not　have　been　used　for　the　purposes　of　health。　　Sister　Marshman　was　seized　with　a　disease　of　the　liver；　a　disease　which　proves　fatal　in　three　cases　out　of　four。　　Sister　Ward　was　ill　of　the　same　disorder；　and　both　of　them　underwent　a　long　course　of　mercurial　treatment；　as　is　usual　in　that　disease。　　Exercise　was　considered　by　the　physicians　as　of　the　first　importance；　and　we　certainly　thought　no　expense　too　great　to　save　the　valuable　lives　of　our　sisters。　　A　single　horse　chaise；　and　an　open　palanquin；　called　a　Tonjon；　were　procured。　　I　never　ride　out　for　health；　but　usually　spend　an　hour　or　two；　morning　and　evening；　in　the　garden。　　Sister　Ward　was　necessitated　to　visit　England　for　hers。　　Brother　Ward　had　a　saddle　horse　presented　to　him　by　a　friend。　My　wife　has　a　small　carriage　drawn　by　a　man。　　These　vehicles　were　therefore　almost　exclusively　used　by　Brother　Marshman's　family。　When　our　brethren　arrived　from　England　they　did　not　fail　to　put　this　equipage　into　the　account　against　Brother　Marshman。　　They　now　keep　three　single　horse　chaises；　besides　palanquins；　but　we　do　not　think　they　keep　more　than　are　necessary。

〃Brother　Marshman　retains　for　the　school　a　French　master；　a　music　master；　and　a　drawing　master。　　The　expenses　of　these　are　amply　repaid　by　the　school；　but　Brother　Marshman's　children；　and　all　those　belonging　to　the　family；　have　the　advantage　of　their　instructions。　Brother　Marshman's　children　are；　however；　the　most　numerous；　and　envy　has　not　failed　to　charge　him　with　having　retained　them　all　for　the　sake　of　his　own　children。　　Surely　a　man's　caring　for　his　family's　health　and　his　children's　education　is；　if　a　crime；　a　venial　one；　and　ought　not　to　be　held　up　to　blacken　his　reputation。　Brother　Marshman　is　no　more　perfect　than　other　men；　partakers　like　him　of　the　grace　of　God。　His　natural　bias　and　habits　are　his　own；　and　differ　as　much　from　those　of　other　men　as　theirs　differ　from　one　another。　　I　do　not　deny　that　he　has　an　inclination　to　display　his　children　to　advantage。　　This；　however；　is　a　foible　which　most　fond　parents　will　be　inclined　to　pardon。　　I　wish　I　had　half　his　piety；　energy　of　mind；　and　zeal　for　the　cause　of　God。　These　excellencies；　in　my　opinion；　so　far　overbalance　all　his　defects　that　I　am　constrained　to　consider　him　a　Christian　far　above　the　common　run。　　I　must　now　close　this　defence　of　Brother　Marshman　by　repeating　that　all　matters　of　furniture；　convenience；　etc。；　are　things　belonging　to　the　economy　of　the　station　at　Serampore；　and　that　no　one　beside　ourselves　has　the　smallest　right　to　interfere　therewith。　　The　Calcutta　brethren　are　now　acting　on　the　same　principle；　and　would　certainly　repel　with　indignation　any　attempt　made　by　us　to　regulate　their　affairs。

〃I　have　said　that　'I　never　ride　out　for　the　sake　of　health'；　and　it　may　therefore　be　inquired；　'Why　are　vehicles；　etc。；　for　the　purpose　of　health　more　necessary　for　the　other　members　of　the　family　than　for　you？'　　I　reply　that　my　health　is　in　general　good；　and　probably　much　benefited　by　a　journey　to　and　from　Calcutta　two　or　three　times　a　week。　　I　have　also　a　great　fondness　for　natural　science；　particularly　botany　and　horticulture。　　These；　therefore；　furnish　not　only　exercise；　but　amusement　for　me。　　These　amusements　of　mine　are　not；　however；　enjoyed　without　expense；　any　more　than　those　of　my　brethren；　and　were　it　not　convenient　for　Brother　Marshman's　accusers　to　make　a　stepping…stone　of　me；　I　have　no　doubt　but　my　collection　of　plants；　aviary；　and　museum；　would　be　equally　impeached　as　articles　of　luxury　and　lawless　expenses；　though；　except　the　garden；　the　whole　of　these　expenses　are　borne　by　myself。

〃John　Marshman　is　admitted　a　member　of　the　union；　but　he　had　for　some　time　previously　thereto　been　a　member　of　the　church。　　I　perceive　plainly　that　all　your　objections　to　him　have　been　excited　by　the　statements　of　the　Calcutta　brethren；　which　you　certainly　ought　to　receive　with　much　caution　in　all　things　which　regard　Bother　Marshman　and　his　family。　　You　observe　that　the　younger　brethren　especially　look　up　to　me　with　respect　and　affection。　　It　may　be　so；　but　I　confess　I　have　frequently　thought　that；　had　it　been　so；　they　would　have　consulted　me；　or　at　least　have　mentioned　to　me　the　grounds　of　their　dissatisfaction　before　they　proceeded　to　the　extremity　of　dividing　the　mission。　　When　I　engaged　in　the　mission；　it　was　a　determination　that；　whatever　I　suffered；　a　breach　therein　should　never　originate　with　me。　　To　this　resolution　I　have　hitherto　obstinately　adhered。　　I　think　everything　should　be　borne；　every　sacrifice　made；　and　every　method　of　accommodation　or　reconciliation　tried；　before　a　schism　is　suffered　to　take　place。。。

〃I　disapprove　as　much　of　the　conduct　of　our　Calcutta　brethren　as　it　is　possible　for　me　to　disapprove　of　any　human　actions。　　The　evil　they　have　done　is；　I　fear；　irreparable；　and　certainly　the　whole　might　have　been　prevented　by　a　little　frank　conversation　with　either　of　us；　and　a　hundredth　part　of　that　self…denial　which　I　found　it　necessary　to　exercise　for　the　first　few　years　of　the　mission；　would　have　prevented　this　awful　rupture。　　I　trust　you　will　excuse　my　warmth　of　feeling　upon　this　subject；　when　you　consider　that　by　this　rupture　that　cause　is　weakened　and　disgraced；　in　the　establishment　and　promotion　of　which　I　have　spent　the　best　part　of　my　life。　　A　church　is　attempted　to　be　torn　in　pieces；　for　which　neither　I　nor　my　brethren　ever　thought　we　could　do　enough。　　We　laboured　to　raise　it：　we　expended　much　money　to　accomplish　that　object；　and　in　a　good　measure　saw　the　object　of　our　desire　accomplished。　　But　now　we　are　traduced；　and　the　church　rent　by　the　very　men　who　came　to　be　our　helpers。　　As　to　Brother　Marshman；　seriously；　what　do　they　want？　Would　they　attempt　to　deny　his　possessing　the　grace　of　God？　　He　was　known　to　and　esteemed　by　Brother　Ryland　as　a　Christian　before　he　left　England。　　I　have　lived　with　him　ever　since　his　arrival　in　India；　and　can　witness　to　his　piety　and　holy　conduct。　　Would　they　exclude　him　from　the　mission？　　Judge　yourself　whether　it　is　comely　that　a　man；　who　has　laboriously　and　disinterestedly　served　the　mission　so　many　yearswho　has　by　his　diligence　and　hard　labour　raised　the　most　respectable　school　in　India；　as　well　as　given　a　tone　to　all　the　otherswho　has　unvaryingly　consecrated　the　whole　of　that　income；　as　well　as　his　other　labours；　to　the　cause　of　God　in　India；should　be　arraigned　and　condemned　without　a　hearing　by　a　few　young　men　just　arrived；　and　one　of　whom　had　not　been　a　month　in　the　country　before　he　joined　the　senseless　outcry？　　Or　would　they　have　his　blood？　　Judge；　my　dear　brother；　yourself；　for　I　am　ashamed　to　say　more　on　this　subject。

〃I　need　not　say　that　circumstances　must　in　a　great　measure　determine　where　missionaries　should　settle。　　The　chief　town　of　each　of　these　countries　would　be　preferable；　if　other　circumstances　permit；　but　sometimes　Government　would　not　allow　this；　and　sometimes　other　things　may　close　the　door。　　Missionaries　however　must　knock　loud　and　push　hard　at　the　door；　and　if　there　be　the　smallest　opening；　must　force　themselves　in；　and；　once　entered；　put　their　lives　in　their　hands　and　exert　themselves　to　the　utmost　in　dependence　upon　divine　support；　if　they　ever　hope　to　do　much　towards　evangelising　the　heathen　world。　　My　situation　in　the　college；　and　Brother　Marshman's　as　superintending　the　first　academy　in　India；　which；　I　likewise　observe；　has　been　established　and　brought　to　its　present　flourishing　state　wholly　by　his　care　and　application；　have　made　our　present　situation　widely　different　from　what　it　was　when　first　engaged　in　the　mission。　　As　a　missionary　I　could　go　in　a　straw　hat　and　dine　with　the　judge　of　the　district；　and　often　did　so；　but　as　a　Professor　in　the　College　I　cannot　do　so。　　Brother　Marshman　is　placed　in　the　same　predicament。　　These　circumstances　impose　upon　us　a　necessity　of　making　a　different　appearance　to　what　we　formerly　did　as　simple　missionaries；　but　they　furnish　us　with　opportunities　of　speaking　to　gentlemen　of　the　first　power　and　influence　in　government；　upon　matters　of　the　highest　importance　to　the　great　work　in　which　we　are　engaged；　and；　as　a　proof　that　our　opportunities　of　this　nature　have　not　been　in　vain；　I　need　only　say　that；　in　a　conversation　which　I　had　some　time　ago　with　one　of　the　secretaries　to　Government；　upon　the　present　favourable　bias　of　government　and　the　public　in　general　to　favour　all　plans　for　doing　good；　he　told　me　that　he　believed　the　whole　was　owing　to　the　prudent　and　temperate　manner　in　which　we　had　acted；　and　that　if　we　had　acted　with　precipitancy　and　indiscretion；　he　had　every　reason　to　believe　the　general　feeling　would　have　been　as　hostile　to　attempts　to　do　good　as　it　is　now　favourable　to　them。

〃I　would　not　wish　you　to　entertain　the　idea　that　we　and　our　brethren　in　Calcutta　are　resolved　upon　interminable　hatred。　　On　the　contrary；　I　think　that　things　are　gone　as　far　as　we　may　expect　them　to　go；　and　I　now　expect　that　the　fire　of　contention　will　gradually　go　out。　　All　the　distressing　and　disagreeable　circumstances　are；　I　trust；　past；　and　I　expect　we　shall　be　in　a　little　time　on　a　more　friendly　footing。　　Much　of　what　has　taken　place　originated　in　England。　Mistakes　and　false　conclusions　were　followed　by　all　the　circumstances　I　have　detailed。　　I　think　the　whole　virulence　of　opposition　has　now　spent　itself。　　Our　brethren　have　no　control　over　us；　nor　we　over　them。　　And；　if　I　am　not　mistaken；　each　side　will　soon　acknowledge　that　it　has　gone　too　far　in　some　instances；　and　ultimate　good　will　arise　from　the　evil　I　so　much　deplore。

〃Having　now　written　to　you　my　whole　sentiments　upon　the　business；　and　formerly　to　my　very　dear　Brother　Ryland；　allow　me　to　declare　my　resolution　not　to　write　anything　further　upon　the　subject；　however　much　I　may　be　pressed　thereto。　　The　future　prosperity　of　the　mission　does　not　depend　upon　the　clearing　up　of　every　little　circumstance　to　the　satisfaction　of　every　captious　inquirer；　but　upon　the　restoration　of　mutual　concord　among　us；　which　must　be　preceded　b