the life of william carey-第73部分

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ng　for　all　branches　of　the　Indian　Church。

It　will　be　remembered　that　in　1827　the　College　received　from　Friedrich　VI。　a　Royal　Charter；　empowering　it　to　confer　degrees；　and　giving　to　it　all　the　rights　which　are　possessed　by　Western　Universities。　　Under　Treaty　dated　the　6th　October；　1845；　the　King　of　Denmark　agreed　to　transfer　to　the　Governor…General　of　India；　Lord　Hardinge；　G。C。B。；　for　the　sum　of　？25；000；　the　towns　of　Tranquebar；　Frederiksnagore　or　Serampore；30　and　the　old　factory　site　at　Balasore。　　Article　6　of　this　treaty　provides　that　〃the　rights　and　immunities　granted　to　the　Serampore　College　by　Royal　Charter；　of　date　23rd　of　February；　1827；　shall　not　be　interfered　with；　but　continue　in　force　in　the　same　manner　as　if　they　had　been　obtained　by　a　Charter　from　the　British　Government；　subject　to　the　General　Law　of　British　India。〃31

For　lack　of　an　endowment　sufficient　to　maintain　the　teaching　staff　required；　and　to　establish　the　necessary　scholarships；　the　College　has　never　been　fully　developed　on　University　lines。　　Since　1883　it　has　been　used　as　a　training　Institution　for　preachers　and　teachers　for　the　Bengal　field　of　the　Baptist　Missionary　Society。　　Meanwhile　in　the　century　since　Carey's　statesman…like　ideal　was　sketched；　under　the　providence　of　God　there　have　been　two　notable　developments　in　the　conditions　of　Indian　life（1）　the　educated　Christian　natives　of　India；　from　Cape　Comorin　to　Peshawar；　have　grown；　and　continue　to　grow；　in　numbers；　in　character；　and　in　influence；　with　a　rapidity　pronounced　marvellous　by　the　official　report　of　the　Census　of　1901；　（2）　the　three　hundred　millions　of　the　peoples　of　India　have；　by　the　frank　concession　of　the　Earl　of　Minto　and　his　advisers；　and　the　sanction　of　Viscount　Morley　and　Parliament；　received　a　virtual　constitution；　which　recognises　their　fitness　for　self…governing　rights　under　the　benevolent　rule　of　King　Edward　VII。　and　his　Viceroy　in　Council。　　Christianity；　and　the　leaven　of　the　more　really　educated　Christian　natives；　will　alone　moralise　and　loyalise　the　peoples　of　India；　and　prepare　future　generations　for　a　healthy　independence；　material　and　political。

As　they　have　watched　the　lines　along　which　these　developments　have　proceeded；　the　leaders　of　the　missionary　enterprise　have　become　more　and　more　convinced　that　the　realisation　of　Carey's　ideal　has　been　too　long　delayed；　and　that　the　influence　of　the　Christian　community　on　the　great　movements　of　Indian　thought　has　suffered　in　consequence。　　In　particular；　while　the　need　for　highly…equipped　Indian　preachers；　evangelists　and　leaders；　is　far　more　urgent　now　even　than　it　was　in　Carey's　day；　the　most　experienced　missionaries　of　all　societies　are　far　from　satisfied　with　the　present　level　of　theological　education　in　the　Indian　Church。　　They　are　convinced　that　the　time　has　come　to　reorganise　the　whole　system　of　ministerial　training；　and　to　secure　for　the　study　of　Christian　Theology　in　India　that　academic　recognition　which　it　has　enjoyed　for　centuries　in　Western　lands。　　Since　the　British　Government　is　pledged　to　neutrality　in　religious　matters；　it　is　unable　to　sanction　the　establishment　of　Divinity　faculties；　in　any　of　the　State　Universities；　Hence　the　Decennial　Missionary　Conference；　representing　all　the　Protestant　Missionary　Societies　working　in　India；　meeting　in　Madras　in　December　1902；　appointed　a　Committee　〃to　confer　with　the　Council　of　the　Serampore　College；　through　the　Committee　of　the　London　Baptist　Missionary　Society；　to　ascertain　whether　they　are　prepared　to　delegate　the　degree…conferring　powers　of　the　Charter　of　that　College　to　a　Senate　or　Faculty；　representative　of　the　various　Protestant　Christian　Churches　and　Societies　working　in　India。〃

The　College　Council　（of　which　Meredith　Townsend；　Esq。；　is　Master；　and　Alfred　Henry　Baynes；　Esq。；　F。R。G。S。；　is　Secretary）；　has　taken　this　request　into　careful　consideration；　and　after　being　assured　by　the　highest　legal　opinion　that　the　Charter　is　still　valid；　has　resolved　to　do　everything　in　its　power　to　carry　out　the　suggestions　of　the　Decennial　Conference。　　They　realise；　however；　that　if　the　degree…conferring　powers　of　the　Charter　are　to　be　used；　the　College　itself　must　be　raised　to　the　highest　standard　of　efficiency　as　a　Teaching　Institution；　and　its　permanence　must　be　guaranteed　by　an　adequate　endowment。

The　Council　has　felt　that　the　attainment　of　these　two　objects　is　possible　only　through　a　union　of　the　forces　of　the　various　Protestant　Christian　Churches　working　in　India。　　The　result　has　been　the　adoption　of　a　wise　and　catholic　project　of　reorganisation；　under　which　it　is　hoped　that　Serampore　will　become　a　great　interdenominational　College　of　University　rank；　giving　a　theological　training　up　to　the　standard　of　the　London　B。D。；　conferring　its　own　divinity　degrees；　and　maintaining　an　Arts　and　Science　department；　for　the　present　at　least　affiliated　to　the　Calcutta　University。　　It　is　justly　claimed　that　such　a　Christian　University　at　Serampore　will　both　unify　and　raise　the　standard　of　theological　education　in　the　Indian　Church；　helping　to　build　the　Eastern　structure　of　Christian　thought　and　life　on　the　one　Foundation　of　Jesus　Christ；　the　Word　of　God。

The　scheme　which　the　Council　has　sanctioned　contemplates　the　permanent　endowment　of　the　requisite　professorships　and　scholarships。　　The　College　building　will　provide　sufficient　class…room　accommodation；　but　it　will　be　necessary　to　secure　additional　land；　and　to　erect　houses　for　the　staff　and　hostels　for　the　students。　　An　immediate　endowment　of　？50；000　is　aimed　at　with　a　view　of　establishing　a　well…equipped　theological　faculty；　with　a　preliminary　department　in　Arts　and　Sciences。　　The　Council；　however；　is　not　without　hope　that　in　due　time　Carey's　noble　vision　of　a　great　Christian　University　at　Serampore　conferring　its　own　degrees；　not　only　in　theology　but　in　all　branches　of　useful　learning；　may　powerfully　appeal　to　some　of　the　merchant　princes　of　the　West。　It　is　estimated　that　the　sum　of　？；000；000　would　be　required　for　this　equipment　and　endowment　of　the　University　on　this　larger　scale。　　The　great　missionary　Churches　and　Societies　look　favourably　on　the　proposal；　initiated　by　their　own　missionaries；　to　co…operate　with　Carey's　more　immediate　representatives　in　realising　and　applying　his　ideal　which　is　bound　to　expand　and　grow　as　India　becomes　Christianised。

The　members　of　the　College　Council　maintain　that；　in　view　of　the　world…wide　influence　of　the　modern　missionary　movement；　inaugurated　by　William　Carey；　a　movement　that　has　been　so　beneficial　both　to　the　Church　at　home　and　to　non…Christian　nations；　there　is　no　institution　that　has　greater　historical　and　spiritual　claims　upon　modern　philanthropy　than　Serampore；　and　they　believe　that　there　are　large　numbers　of　men　and　women　in　Great　Britain；　America；　India　and　other　lands　who　will　consider　it　a　sacred　privilege　to　have　their　names　inscribed　with　those　of　Carey；　Marshman　and　Ward　on　the　walls　of　Serampore　College　as　its　second　founders。

The　Council　is　doing　all　within　its　power　to　reorganise　the　College　on　the　broadest　possible　basis；　believing　that　an　institution　with　such　inspiring　traditions　and　associations　should　be　utilised　in　the　interests；　not　merely　of　one　denomination；　but　of　the　whole　Church　in　India　and　the　nation。　　Up　to　the　present；　the　Council；　though　legally　an　entirely　independent　body；　has　worked　in　the　closest　association　with　the　Baptist　Missionary　Society's　Committee。　　But　now　with　the　fullest　sympathy　both　of　the　Baptist　Missionaries　on　the　field　and　the　Committee　in　England；　it　is　also　inviting　the　co…operation　of　all　evangelical　Christian　bodies　in　the　work　of　Serampore　College。　　It　is　prepared　to　welcome　as　full　professors　of　the　College；　in　Arts　and　Theology；　representatives　of　other　evangelical　missions；　who　shall　have　special　superintendence　of　the　students　belonging　to　their　respective　denominations；　and　be　free　to　give　them　such　supplementary　instruction　as　may　be　thought　necessary。　　All　professors　without　distinction　of　denomination　will　share　equally　in　the　local　management　of　the　affairs　of　the　College。　The　final　authority　must；　in　accordance　with　the　Charter；　remain　in　the　hands　of　the　College　Council；　but　in　order　to　admit　of　the　due　representation　upon　the　Council　of　the　various　evangelical　bodies　which　may　co…operate；　the　present　members　of　Council　have；　with　the　hearty　concurrence　of　the　Baptist　Missionary　Society's　Committee；　approved　the　suggestion　that　application　should　be　made　to　the　Indian　Legislature　for　powers　to　enlarge　its　membership。

The　Honorary　Secretary　of　the　College　Council；　A。　H。　Baynes；　Esq。；　19　Furnival　Street；　London；　E。C。；　will　be　glad　to　supply　further　information；　or　to　receive　contributions　towards　the　Fund　for　the　endowment　and　equipment　of　the　College。

In　view　of　the　conditions　at　present　existing　in　India；　this　appeal　should　be　of　interest　not　only　to　friends　of　Christian　missions；　but　to　philanthropists　generally；　for　a　Christian　University；　conducted　on　the　broad　and　catholic　principles　laid　down　by　Carey；　supplementary　but　in　no　way　antagonistic　to　the　existing　Universities；　will　be　a　most　effective　instrument　for　permeating　the　political　and　social　ideals　of　the　youth　of　India　with　the　spirit　of　Christ。　　This　is　a　matter　that　deeply　concerns；　not　only　the　Missionary；　but　also　the　statesman；　the　merchant；　and　all　true　friends　of　India　of　whatever　race　or　creed。

In　all　the　romance　of　Christian　Missions；　from　Iona　to　Canterbury；　there　is　no　more　evident　example　of　the　working　of　the　Spirit　of　God　with　the　Church；　than　the　call　of　Carey　and　the　foundation　of　Serampore　College　under　Danish　Charter　and　British　treaty；　making　it　the　only　University　with　full　powers　to　enable　the　whole　Reformed　Church　in　India　to　work　out　its　own　theological　system　and　Christian　life。





CHAPTER　XVI

CAREY'S　LAST　DAYS

1830…1834

The　college　and　mission　stripped　of　all　their　fundsFailure　of　the　six　firms　for　sixteen　millionsCarey's　official　income　reduced　from　？560　to　？00His　Thoughts　and　Appeal　published　in　EnglandHis　vigour　at　seventyLast　revision　of　the　Bengali　BibleFinal　edition　of　the　Bengali　New　TestamentCarey　rejoices　in　the　reforms　of　Lord　William　Bentinck's　GovernmentIn　the　emancipation　of　the　slavesCarey　sketched　by　his　youn