the life of william carey-第79章
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ion should be present； but during that whole time he never once dared show himself in the House。'〃
The slanderer was a Mr。 Prendergast； who affirmed that Dr。 Carey's conduct had changed so much for the worse since the departure of Lord Wellesley； that he himself had seen the missionary on a tub in the streets of Calcutta haranguing the mob and abusing the religion of the people in such a way that the police alone saved him from being killed。 So； and for the same object of defeating the Resolutions on Toleration； Mr。 Montgomerie Campbell had asserted that when Schwartz was in the heat of his discourse in a certain village and had taken off his stock； 〃that and his gold buckle were stolen by one of his virtuous and enlightened congregation； in such a description of natives did the doctrine of the missionaries operate。〃 Before Dr。 Carey's exposure could reach England this 〃tub〃 story became the stock argument of the anti…christian orators。 The Madras barrister； Marsh； who was put up to answer Wilberforce； was driven to such language as this：
〃Your struggles are only begun when you have converted one caste； never will the scheme of Hindoo conversion be realised till you persuade an immense population to suffer by whole tribes the severest martyrdom that has yet been sustained for the sake of religionand are the missionaries whom this bill will let loose on India fit engines for the accomplishment of this great revolution？ Will these people； crawling from the holes and caverns of their original destinations； apostates from the loom and the anvilhe should have said the awland renegades from the lowest handicraft employments； be a match for the cool and sedate controversies they will have to encounter should the Brahmans condescend to enter into the arena against the maimed and crippled gladiators that presume to grapple with their faith？ What can be apprehended but the disgrace and discomfiture of whole hosts of tub preachers in the conflict？〃
Lord Wellesley's eulogy of the Serampore mission in the House of Lords was much more pronounced than appears from the imperfect report。 But even in that he answered the Brahmanised member of the House of Commons thus：
〃With regard to the missionaries； he must say that while he was in India he never knew of any danger arising from their proceedings； neither had he heard of any impression produced by them in the way of conversion。 The greater number of them were in the Danish settlement of Serampore； but he never heard of any convulsions or any alarm produced by them。 Some of them； particularly Mr。 Carey； were very learned men； and had been employed in the College of Fort William。 He had always considered the missionaries who were in India in his time a quiet； orderly； discreet； and learned body； and he had employed them in the education of youth and the translation of the Scriptures into the eastern languages。 He had thought it his duty to have the Sacred Scriptures translated into the languages of the East； and to give the learned natives employed in the translation the advantage of access to the sacred fountain of divine truth。 He thought a Christian governor could not have done less； and he knew that a British governor ought not to do more。〃
Carey's letters to Fuller in 1810…12 are filled with importunate appeals to agitate； so that the new charter might legalise Christian mission work in India。 Fuller worked outside of the House as hard as Wilberforce。 In eight weeks of the session no fewer than nine hundred petitions were presented； in twenties and thirties； night after night； till Lord Castlereagh exclaimed； 〃This is enough； Mr。 Fuller。〃 There was more reason for Carey's urgency than he knew at the time he was pressing Fuller。 The persecution of the missionaries in Bengal； excused by the Vellore mutiny； which had driven Judson to Burma and several other missionaries elsewhere； was renewed by the Indian Government's secretaries and police。 The Ministry had informed the Court of Directors that they had resolved to permit Europeans to settle in India； yet after five weeks' vacillation the Governor…General yielded to his subordinates so far as to issue an order on 5th March 1812； for the expulsion of three missionaries； an order which was so executed that one of them was conducted like a felon through the streets and lodged in the native jail for two hours。 Carey thus wrote to Ryland on the persecution：
〃CALCUTTA； 14th April 1813。Before this reaches you it is probable that you will have heard of the resolution of Government respecting our brethren Johns； Lawson； and Robinson； and will perhaps have even seen Brother Johns； who was by that cruel order sent home on the Castlereagh。 Government have agreed that Brother Lawson shall stay till the pleasure of the Court of Directors is known； to whom a reference will be made。 Brother Robinson was gone down the river； and was on board a ship bound to Java when the order was issued； he therefore got out without hearing of it； but I understand it will be sent thither after him。 Jehovah reigneth！
〃Since Brother Johns's departure I have tried to ascertain the cause of the severity in Government。 I had a long conversation with H。 T。 Colebrooke； Esq。； who has been out of Council but a few months； upon the matter。 I cannot learn that Government has any specific dislike to us； but find that ever since the year 1807 the orders of the Court of Directors to send home all Europeans not in the service of Her Majesty or the Company； and who come out without leave of the Directors； have been so peremptory and express that Government cannot now overlook any circumstance which brings such persons to notice。 Notwithstanding the general way in which the Court of Directors have worded their orders； I cannot help putting several circumstances together； which make me fear that our Mission was the cause of the enforcement of that general law which forbids Europeans to remain in India without the leave of the Court of Directors。
〃Whether Twining's pamphlet excited the alarm； or was only an echo of the minds of a number of men hostile to religion； I cannot say； but if I recollect dates aright the orders of the Court of Directors came as soon as possible after that pamphlet was published； and as it would have been too barefaced to have given a specific order to send home missionaries； they founded their orders on an unjust and wicked clause in the charter； and so enforced it that it should effectually operate on missionaries。
〃I hope the friends of religion will persevere in the use of all peaceful and lawful means to prevail on the legislature to expunge that clause； or so to modify it that ministers of the Gospel may have leave to preach； form and visit churches； and perform the various duties of their office without molestation； and that they may have a right to settle in and travel over any part of India for that purpose。 Nothing can be more just than this wish； and nothing would be more politic than for it to be granted； for every one converted from among the heathen is from that time a staunch friend of the English Government。 Our necks have； however； been more or less under the yoke ever since that year； and preaching the Gospel stands in much the same political light as committing an act of felony。 Witness what has been done to Mr。 Thompson； the five American brethren； and our three brethren。 Mr。 Thomason； the clergyman； has likewise hard work to stand his ground。
〃I trust； however； it is too late to eradicate the Gospel from Bengal。 The number of those born in the country who preach the Word is now very considerable。 Fifteen of this description preach constantly； and seven or eight more occasionally exhort their countrymen； besides our European brethren。 The Gospel is stationed at eighteen or twenty stations belonging to our Mission alone； and at several of them there are churches。 The Bible is either translated or under translation into twenty…four of the languages of the East； eighteen of which we are employed about； besides printing most of the others。 Thirteen out of these eighteen are now in the press； including a third edition of the Bengali New Testament。 Indeed； so great is the demand for Bibles that though w
