the life of william carey-第38部分

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ful　at　last。　　It　is　the　cause　which　God　has　had　in　His　mind　from　eternity；　the　cause　for　which　Christ　shed　His　blood；　that　for　which　the　Spirit　and　word　of　God　were　given；　that　which　is　the　subject　of　many　great　promises；　that　for　which　the　saints　have　been　always　praying；　and　which　God　Himself　bears　an　infinite　regard　to　in　His　dispensations　of　Providence　and　Grace。　　The　success　thereof　is　therefore　certain。　　Be　encouraged；　therefore；　my　dear　son；　to　devote　yourself　entirely　to　it；　and　to　pursue　it　as　a　matter　of　the　very　first　importance　even　to　your　dying　day。

〃Give　my　love　to　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Creighton　and　to　Mr。　Ellerton；　Mr。　Grant；　or　any　other　who　knows　me　about　Malda；　also　to　our　native　Brethren。〃

〃CALCUTTA；　29th　September　1808。A　ship　is　just　arrived　which　brings　the　account　that　Buonaparte　has　taken　possession　of　the　whole　kingdom　of　Spain；　and　that　the　Royal　family　of　that　country　are　in　prison　at　Bayonne。　　It　is　likely　that　Turkey　is　fallen　before　now；　and　what　will　be　the　end　of　these　wonders　we　cannot　tell。　　I　see　the　wrath　of　God　poured　out　on　the　nations　which　have　so　long　persecuted　His　Gospel；　and　prevented　the　spread　of　His　truth。　　Buonaparte　is　but　the　minister　of　the　Divine　vengeance；　the　public　executioner　now　employed　to　execute　the　sentence　of　God　upon　criminal　men。　　He；　however；　has　no　end　in　view　but　the　gratifying　his　own　ambition。〃

〃22nd　December　1808。DEAR　WILLIAMBe　steadfast。。。Walk　worthy　of　your　high　calling；　and　so　as　to　be　a　pattern　to　others　who　may　engage　in　similar　undertakings。　　Much　depends　upon　us　who　go　first　to　the　work　of　the　Lord　in　this　country；　and　we　have　reason　to　believe　that　succeeding　Ministers　of　the　Gospel　in　this　country　will　be　more　or　less　influenced　by　our　example。。。All；　even　the　best　of　men；　are　more　likely　to　be　influenced　by　evil　example　than　benefited　by　good：　let　it；　therefore；　be　your　business　and　mine　to　live　and　act　for　God　in　all　things　and　at　all　times。

〃I　am　very　glad　you　wrote　to　Jabez　and　Jonathan。　　O　that　I　could　see　them　converted！〃

〃30th　May　1809。When　you　come　down　take　a　little　pains　to　bring　down　a　few　plants　of　some　sort。　　There　is　one　grows　plentifully　about　Sadamahal　which　grows　about　as　high　as　one's　knee；　and　produces　a　large　red　flower。　　Put　half　a　dozen　plants　in　pots　（with　a　hole　in　the　bottom）。　　There　is　at　Sadamahal　（for　I　found　it　there）　a　plant　which　produces　a　flower　like　Bhayt；　of　a　pale　bluish　colour；　almost　white；　and　indeed　several　other　things　there。　　Try　and　bring　something。　　Can't　you　bring　the　grasshopper　which　has　a　saddle　on　its　back；　or　the　bird　which　has　a　large　crest　which　he　opens　when　he　settles　on　the　ground？　　I　want　to　give　you　a　little　taste　for　natural　objects。　　Felix　is　very　good　indeed　in　this　respect。〃

〃26th　April　1809。You；　my　dear　William；　are　situated　in　a　post　which　is　very　dear　to　my　remembrance　because　the　first　years　of　my　residence　in　India　were　spent　in　that　neighbourhood。　　I　therefore　greatly　rejoice　in　any　exertions　which　you　are　enabled　to　make　for　the　cause　of　our　Redeemer。。。Should　you；　after　many　years'　labour；　be　instrumental　in　the　conversion　of　only　one　soul；　it　would　be　worth　the　work　of　a　whole　life。。。I　am　not　sure　that　I　have　been　of　real　use　to　any　one　person　since　I　have　been　in　this　country；　yet　I　dare　not　give　up　the　work　in　which　I　am　engaged。　　Indeed；　notwithstanding　all　the　discouragements　which　I　feel　from　my　own　unfitness　for　any　part　of　it；　I　prefer　it　to　everything　else；　and　consider　that　in　the　work　of　my　Redeemer　I　have　a　rich　reward。　　If　you　are　enabled　to　persevere　you　will　feel　the　same；　and　will　say　with　the　great　Apostle'I　count　not　my　life　dear　to　me　that　I　may　fulfil　the　ministry　which　I　have　received　of　the　Lord。'　'Unto　me　is　this　grace　（favour）　given　that　I　should　preach　among　the　Gentiles　the　unsearchable　riches　of　Christ。'　　Hold　on；　therefore；　be　steady　in　your　work；　and　leave　the　result　with　God。

〃I　have　been　thinking　of　a　mission　to　the　Ten　Tribes　of　Israel；　I　mean　the　Afghans；　who　inhabit　Cabul。。。I　leave　the　other　side　for　your　mother　to　write　a　few　lines　to　Mary；　to　whom　give　my　love。〃

〃CALCUTTA；　1st　November　1809。Yesterday　was　the　day　for　the　Chinese　examination；　at　which　Jabez　acquitted　himself　with　much　honour。　　I　wish　his　heart　were　truly　set　on　God。　One　of　the　greatest　blessings　which　I　am　now　anxious　to　see　before　my　death　is　the　conversion　of　him　and　Jonathan；　and　their　being　employed　in　the　work　of　the　Lord。

〃Now；　dear　William；　what　do　we　live　for　but　to　promote　the　cause　of　our　dear　Redeemer　in　the　world？　　If　that　be　carried　on　we　need　not　wish　for　anything　more；　and　if　our　poor　labours　are　at　all　blessed　to　the　promotion　of　that　desirable　end；　our　lives　will　not　be　in　vain。　　Let　this；　therefore；　be　the　great　object　of　your　life；　and　if　you　should　be　made　the　instrument　of　turning　only　one　soul　from　darkness　to　marvellous　light；　who　can　say　how　many　more　may　be　converted　by　his　instrumentality；　and　what　a　tribute　of　glory　may　arise　to　God　from　that　one　conversion。　　Indeed；　were　you　never　to　be　blessed　to　the　conversion　of　one　soul；　still　the　pleasure　of　labouring　in　the　work　of　the　Lord　is　greater　than　that　of　any　other　undertaking　in　the　world；　and　is　of　itself　sufficient　to　make　it　the　work　of　our　choice。　　I　hope　Sebuk　Ram　is　arrived　before　now；　and　that　you　will　find　him　to　be　a　blessing　to　you　in　your　work。　　Try　your　utmost　to　make　him　well　acquainted　with　the　Bible；　labour　to　correct　his　mistakes；　and　to　establish　him　in　the　knowledge　of　the　truth。

〃You　may　always　enclose　a　pinch　of　seeds　in　a　letter。〃

〃17th　January　1810。Felix　went　with　Captain　Canning；　the　English　ambassador　to　the　Burman　Empire；　to　the　city　of　Pegu。　On　his　way　thither　he　observed　to　Captain　Canning　that　he　should　be　greatly　gratified　in　accompanying　the　Minister　to　the　mountains　of　Martaban　and　the　country　beyond　them。　　Captain　Canning　at　his　next　interview　with　the　Minister　mentioned　this　to　him；　which　he　was　much　pleased　with；　and　immediately　ordered　several　buffalo…carts　to　be　made　ready；　and　gave　him　a　war…boat　to　return　to　Rangoon　to　bring　his　baggage；　medicines；　etc。　　He　had　no　time　to　consult　Brother　Chater　before　he　determined　on　the　journey；　and　wrote　to　me　when　at　Rangoon；　where　he　stayed　only　one　night；　and　returned　to　Pegu　the　next　morning。　　He　says　the　Minister　has　now　nearly　the　whole　dominion　over　the　Empire；　and　is　going　to　war。　　He　will　accompany　the　army　to　Martaban；　when　he　expects　to　stay　with　the　Minister　there。　　He　goes　in　great　spirits　to　explore　those　countries　where　no　European　has　been　before　him；　and　where　he　goes　with　advantages　and　accommodations　such　as　a　traveller　seldom　can　obtain。　　Brother　and　Sister　Chater　do　not　approve　of　his　undertaking；　perhaps　through　fear　for　his　safety。　　I　feel　as　much　for　that　as　any　one　can　do；　yet　I；　and　indeed　Brethren　Marshman；　Ward；　and　Rowe；　rejoice　that　he　has　undertaken　the　journey。　　It　will　assist　him　in　acquiring　the　language；　it　will　gratify　the　Minister；　it　will　serve　the　interests　of　literature；　and　perhaps　answer　many　other　important　purposes；　as　it　respects　the　mission；　and　as　much　of　the　way　will　be　through　uninhabited　forests；　it　could　not　have　been　safely　undertaken　except　with　an　army。　　He　expects　to　be　absent　three　months。　　I　shall　feel　a　great　desire　to　hear　from　him　when　he　returns；　and　I　doubt　not　but　you　will　join　me　in　prayer　for　his　safety　both　of　mind　and　body。。。

〃One　or　two　words　about　natural　history。　　Can　you　not　get　me　a　male　and　female　khokoraI　mean　the　great　bird　like　a　kite；　which　makes　so　great　a　noise；　and　often　carries　off　a　duck　or　a　kid？　　I　believe　it　is　an　eagle；　and　want　to　examine　it。　　Send　me　also　all　the　sorts　of　ducks　and　waterfowls　you　can　get；　and；　in　short；　every　sort　of　bird　you　can　obtain　which　is　not　common　here。　　Send　their　Bengali　names。　　Collect　me　all　the　sorts　of　insects；　and　serpents；　and　lizards　you　can　get　which　are　not　common　here。　　Put　all　the　insects　together　into　a　bottle　of　rum；　except　butterflies；　which　you　may　dry　between　two　papers；　and　the　serpents　and　lizards　the　same。　　I　will　send　you　a　small　quantity　of　rum　for　that　purpose。　　Send　all　the　country　names。　　Let　me　have　the　birds　alive；　and　when　you　have　got　a　good　boat…load　send　a　small　boat　down　with　them　under　charge　of　a　careful　person；　and　I　will　pay　the　expenses。　　Spare　no　pains　to　get　me　seeds　and　roots；　and　get　Brother　Robinson　to　procure　what　he　can　from　Bhootan　or　other　parts。

〃Remember　me　affectionately　to　Sebuk　Ram　and　his　wife；　and　to　all　the　native　brethren　and　sisters。〃

〃5th　February　1810。Were　you　hunting　the　buffalo；　or　did　it　charge　you　without　provocation？　　I　advise　you　to　abstain　from　hunting　buffaloes　or　other　animals；　because；　though　I　think　it　lawful　to　kill　noxious　animals；　or　to　kill　animals　for　food；　yet　the　unnecessary　killing　of　animals；　and　especially　the　spending　much　time　in　the　pursuit　of　them；　is　wrong；　and　your　life　is　too　valuable　to　be　thrown　away　by　exposing　it　to　such　furious　animals　as　buffaloes　and　tigers。　　If　you　can　kill　them　without　running　any　risk　'tis　very　well；　but　it　is　wrong　to　expose　yourself　to　danger　for　an　end　so　much　below　that　to　which　you　are　devoted。。。

〃I　believe　the　cause　of　our　Redeemer　increases　in　the　earth；　and　look　forward　to　more　decided　appearances　of　divine　power。　　The　destruction　of　the　temporal　power　of　the　Pope　is　a　glorious　circumstance；　and　an　answer　to　the　prayers　of　the　Church　for　centuries　past。。。

〃I　send　you　a　small　cask　of　rum　to　preserve　curiosities　in；　and　a　few　bottles；　but　your　best　way　will　be　to　draw　off　a　couple　of　gallons　of　the　rum；　which　you　may　keep　for　your　own　use；　and　then　put　the　snakes；　frogs；　toads；　lizards；　etc。；　into　the　cask；　and　send　them　down。　　I　can　easily　put　them　into　proper　bottles；　etc。；　afterwards。　　You　may；　however；　send　one　or　two　of　the　bottles　filled　with　beetles；　grasshoppers；　and　other　insects。〃

In　the　absence　of　Mr。　Fernandez；　the　pastor；　William　had　excluded　two　members　of　the　Church。

〃4th　April　1810。A　very　little　knowledge　of　human　nature　will　convince　you　that　this　would　have　been　thought　an　affront　in　five　instances　out　of　six。　　You　would　have　done　better　to　have　advised　them；　or　even　to　have　required　them　to　have　kept　from　the　Lord's　table　till　Mr。　Fernandez's　return；　and　t