the life of william carey-第75部分

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e　Old　Testament　and　the　eighth　edition　of　the　Newin　June　1832。　　Immediately　thereafter；　when　presiding　at　the　ordination　of　Mr。　Mack　as　co…pastor　with　Dr。　Marshman　and　himself　over　the　church　at　Serampore；　he　took　with　him　into　the　pulpit　the　first　copy　of　the　sacred　volume　which　came　from　the　binder's　hands；　and　addressed　the　converts　and　their　children　from　the　words　of　Simeon〃Lord　now　lettest　Thou　Thy　servant　depart　in　peace；　for　mine　eyes　have　seen　Thy　salvation。〃　　As　the　months　went　on　he　carried　through　the　press　still　another　and　improved　edition　of　the　New　Testament；　and　only　then　he　felt　and　often　said　that　the　work　of　his　heart　was　done。

He　had　other　sources　of　saintly　pleasure　as　he　lay　meditating　on　the　Word；　and　praising　God　for　His　goodness　to　the　college　and　the　mission　stations　increased　to　nineteen　by　young　Sir　Henry　Havelock；　who　founded　the　church　at　Agra。　Lord　William　Bentinck；　having　begun　his　reign　with　the　abolition　of　the　crime　of　suttee；　was；　with　the　help　of　Carey's　old　students；　steadily　carrying　out　the　other　reforms　for　which　in　all　his　Indian　career　the　missionary　had　prayed　and　preached　and　published。　　The　judicial　service　was　reorganised　so　as　to　include　native　judges。　　The　uncovenanted　civil　service　was　opened　to　all　British　subjects　of　every　creed。　　The　first　act　of　justice　to　native　Christians　was　thus　done；　so　that　he　wrote　of　the　college：〃The　students　are　now　eligible　to　every　legal　appointment　in　India　which　a　native　can　hold；　those　who　may　possess　no　love　for　the　Christian　ministry　have　the　prospect　of　a　profitable　profession　as　advocates　in　the　judicial　courts；　and　the　hope　of　rising　to　posts　of　honourable　distinction　in　their　native　land。〃　　The　Hindoo　law　of　inheritance　which　the　Regulating　Act　of　Parliament　had　so　covered　that　it　was　used　to　deprive　converts　to　Christianity　of　all　civil　rights；　was　dealt　with　so　far　as　a　local　regulation　could　do　so；　and　Carey；　advised　by　such　an　authority　as　Harington；　laid　it　on　his　successor　in　the　apostolate；　the　young　Alexander　Duff；　to　carry　the　act　of　justice　out　fully；　which　was　done　under　the　Marquis　of　Dalhousie。　　The　orders　drawn　up　by　Charles　Grant's　sons　at　last；　in　February　1833；　freed　Great　Britain　from　responsibility　for　the　connection　of　the　East　India　Company　with　Temple　and　mosque　endowments　and　the　pilgrim　tax。

His　son　Jonathan　wrote　this　of　him　two　years　after　his　death：

〃In　principle　my　father　was　resolute　and　firm；　never　shrinking　from　avowing　and　maintaining　his　sentiments。　　He　had　conscientious　scruples　against　taking　an　oath；　and　condemned　severely　the　manner　in　which　oaths　were　administered；　and　urged　vehemently　the　propriety　of　altogether　dispensing　with　them。　　I　remember　three　instances　in　which　he　took　a　conspicuous　part　in　regard　to　oaths；　such　as　was　characteristic　of　the　man。　　On　one　occasion；　when　a　respectable　Hindoo　servant　of　the　college　of　Fort　William；　attached　to　Dr。　Carey's　department；　was　early　one　morning　proceeding　to　the　Ganges　to　bathe；　he　perceived　a　dead　body　lying　near　the　road；　but　it　being　dark；　and　no　person　being　present；　he　passed　on；　taking　no　further　notice　of　the　circumstance。　　As　he　returned　from　the　Ganges　after　sunrise；　he　saw　a　crowd　near　the　body；　and　then　happened　to　say　to　one　of　the　watchmen　present　that　in　the　morning　he　saw　the　body　on　the　other　side　of　the　road。　　The　watchman　took　him　in　custody；　as　a　witness　before　the　coroner；　but；　when　brought　before　the　coroner；　he　refused　to　take　an　oath；　and　was；　consequently；　committed　to　prison　for　contempt。　　The　Hindoo　being　a　respectable　person；　and　never　having　taken　an　oath；　refused　to　take　any　nourishment　in　the　prison。　In　this　state　he　continued　a　day　and　a　half；　my　father　being　then　at　Serampore；　but　upon　his　coming　to　Calcutta；　the　circumstances　were　mentioned　to　him。　　The　fact　of　the　man　having　refused　to　take　an　oath　was　enough　to　make　him　interest　himself　in　his　behalf。　　He　was　delighted　with　the　resolution　the　man　tookrather　to　go　to　prison　than　take　an　oath；　and　was　determined　to　do　all　he　could　to　procure　his　liberation。　　He　first　applied　to　the　coroner；　but　was　directed　by　him　to　the　sheriff。　　To　that　functionary　he　proceeded；　but　was　informed　by　him　that　he　could　make　no　order　on　the　subject。　He　then　had　an　interview　with　the　then　chief　judge；　by　whose　interference　the　man　was　set　at　liberty。

〃Another　instance　relates　to　him　personally。　　On　the　occasion　of　his　last　marriage；　the　day　was　fixed　on　which　the　ceremony　was　to　take　placefriends　were　invitedand　all　necessary　arrangements　made；　but；　three　or　four　days　prior　to　the　day　fixed；　he　was　informed　that　it　would　be　necessary　for　him　to　obtain　a　licence；　in　doing　which；　he　must　either　take　an　oath　or　have　banns　published。　　To　taking　an　oath　he　at　once　objected；　and　applied　to　the　then　senior　judge；　who　informed　him　that；　as　he　was　not　a　quaker；　his　oath　was　indispensable；　but；　rather　than　take　an　oath；　he　applied　to　have　the　banns　published；　and　postponed　the　arrangements　for　his　marriage　for　another　three　weeks。

〃The　third　instance　was　as　follows：It　was　necessary；　in　a　certain　case；　to　prove　a　will　in　court；　in　which　the　name　of　Dr。　Carey　was　mentioned；　in　connection　with　the　Serampore　missionaries　as　executors。　　An　application　was　made　by　one　of　his　colleagues；　which　was　refused　by　the　court；　on　account　of　the　vagueness　of　the　terms；　'Serampore　missionaries；'　but　as　Dr。　Carey's　name　was　specifically　mentioned；　the　court　intimated　that　they　would　grant　the　application　if　made　by　him。　　The　communication　was　made：　but　when　he　was　informed　that　an　oath　was　necessary；　he　shrunk　with　abhorrence　from　the　idea；　but　after　much　persuasion；　he　consented　to　make　the　application；　if　taking　an　oath　would　be　dispensed　with。　　He　did　attend；　and　stated　his　objections　to　the　then　chief　judge；　which　being　allowed；　his　affirmation　was　received　and　recorded　by　the　court。

〃The　duties　connected　with　the　College　of　Fort　William　afforded　him　a　change　of　scene；　which　relieved　his　mind；　and　gave　him　opportunities　of　taking　exercise；　and　conduced　much　to　his　health。　During　the　several　years　he　held　the　situation　of　professor　to　the　college；　no　consideration　would　allow　him　to　neglect　his　attendance；　and　though　he　had　to　encounter　boisterous　weather　in　crossing　the　river　at　unseasonable　hours；　he　was　punctual　in　his　attendance；　and　never　applied　for　leave　of　absence。　　And　when　he　was　qualified　by　the　rules　of　the　service　to　retire　on　a　handsome　pension；　he　preferred　being　actively　employed　in　promoting　the　interests　of　the　college；　and　remained；　assiduously　discharging　his　duties；　till　his　department　was　abolished　by　Government。　　The　business　of　the　college　requiring　his　attendance　in　Calcutta；　he　became　so　habituated　to　his　journeys　to　and　fro；　that　at　his　age　he　painfully　felt　the　retirement　he　was　subjected　to　when　his　office　ceased。　　After　this　circumstance　his　health　rapidly　declined；　and　though　he　occasionally　visited　Calcutta；　he　complained　of　extreme　debility。　　This　increased　daily；　and　made　him　a　constant　sufferer；　until　at　length　he　was　not　able　to　leave　his　house。〃

Nor　was　it　in　India　alone　that　the　venerable　saint　found　such　causes　of　satisfaction。　　He　lived　long　enough　to　thank　God　for　the　emancipation　of　the　slaves　by　the　English　people；　for　which　he　had　prayed　daily　for　fifty　years。

We　have　many　sketches　of　the　Father　of　English　Missions　in　his　later　years　by　young　contemporaries　who；　on　their　first　arrival　in　Bengal；　sought　him　out。　　In　1824　Mr。　Leslie；　an　Edinburgh　student；　who　became　in　India　the　first　of　Baptist　preachers；　and　was　the　means　of　the　conversion　of　Henry　Havelock　who　married　Dr。　Marshman's　youngest　daughter；　wrote　thus　of　Carey　after　the　third　great　illness　of　his　Indian　life：

〃Dr。　Carey；　who　has　been　very　ill；　is　quite　recovered；　and　bids　fair　to　live　many　years；　and　as　for　Dr。　Marshman；　he　has　never　known　ill…health　is；　during　the　whole　period　of　his　residence　in　India。　They　are　both　active　to　a　degree　which　you　would　think　impossible　in　such　a　country。　　Dr。　Carey　is　a　very　equable　and　cheerful　old　man；　in　countenance　very　like　the　engraving　of　him　with　his　pundit；　though　not　so　robust　as　he　appears　to　be　there。　　Next　to　his　translations　Botany　is　his　grand　study。　　He　has　collected　every　plant　and　tree　in　his　garden　that　will　possibly　grow　in　India；　and　is　so　scientific　withal　that　he　calls　everything　by　its　classical　name。　　If；　therefore；　I　should　at　any　time　blunder　out　the　word　Geranium；　he　would　say　Pelargonium；　and　perhaps　accuse　me　of　ignorance；　or　blame　me　for　vulgarity。　　We　had　the　pleasure　of　hearing　him　preach　from　Rom。　vii。　13；　when　he　gave　us　an　excellent　sermon。　　In　manner　he　is　very　animated；　and　in　style　very　methodical。　　Indeed　he　carries　method　into　everything　he　does；　classification　is　his　grand　hobby；　and　wherever　anything　can　be　classified；　there　you　find　Dr。　Carey；　not　only　does　he　classify　and　arrange　the　roots　of　plants　and　words；　but　visit　his　dwelling　and　you　find　he　has　fitted　up　and　classified　shelves　full　of　minerals；　stones；　shells；　etc。；　and　cages　full　of　birds。　　He　is　of　very　easy　access；　and　great　familiarity。　　His　attachments　are　strong；　and　extend　not　merely　to　persons　but　places。　　About　a　year　ago；　so　much　of　the　house　in　which　he　had　lived　ever　since　he　had　been　at　Serampore；　fell　down　so　that　he　had　to　leave　it；　at　which　he　wept　bitterly。　　One　morning　at　breakfast；　he　was　relating　to　us　an　anecdote　of　the　generosity　of　the　late　excellent　John　Thornton；　at　the　remembrance　of　whom　the　big　tear　filled　his　eye。　　Though　it　is　an　affecting　sight　to　see　the　venerable　man　weep；　yet　it　is　a　sight　which　greatly　interests　you；　as　there　is　a　manliness　in　his　tearssomething　far　removed　from　the　crying　of　a　child。〃

The　house　in　which　for　the　last　ten　years　he　lived；　and　where　he　died；　was　the　only　one　of　two　or　three；　planned　for　the　new　professors　of　the　college；　that　was　completed。　　Compared　with　the　adjoining　college　it　was　erected　with　such　severe　simplicity　that　it　was　said　to　have　been　designed　for　angels　rather　than　for　men。　Carey's　room　and　library　looked　towards　the　river　with　the　breadth　of　the　college　garden　between。　　On　the　other　side；　in　the　upper　verandah；　in　the　morning　he　worked　at　his　desk　almost　to　the　last；　and　in　th