第 39 节
作者:
垃圾王 更新:2021-02-24 22:51 字数:9322
in in the evening; as soon as the sun was sufficiently low。 She thus spent daily nearly three hours in the open air。 It was probably this vigorous and regular course which; as the means; carried her beyond the age of threescore years (twenty…one of them spent in India); notwithstanding the weakness of her constitution。〃
It is a pretty picture; the delicate invalid lady; drawn along the mall morning and evening; to enjoy the river breeze; on her way to and from the schools and homes of the natives。 But her highest service was; after all; to her husband; who was doing a work for India and for humanity; equalled by few; if any。 When; on one occasion; they were separated for a time while she sought for health at Monghyr; she wrote to him the tenderest yet most courtly love…letters。
〃MY DEAREST LOVE;I felt very much in parting with thee; and feel much in being so far from thee。。。I am sure thou wilt be happy and thankful on account of my voice; which is daily getting better; and thy pleasure greatly adds to mine own。
〃I hope you will not think I am writing too often; I rather trust you will be glad to hear of me。。。Though my journey is very pleasant; and the good state of my health; the freshness of the air; and the variety of objects enliven my spirits; yet I cannot help longing for you。 Pray; my love; take care of your health that I may have the joy to find you well。
〃I thank thee most affectionately; my dearest love; for thy kind letter。 Though the journey is very useful to me; I cannot help feeling much to be so distant from you; but I am much with you in my thoughts。。。The Lord be blessed for the kind protection He has given to His cause in a time of need。 May He still protect and guide and bless His dear cause; and give us all hearts growing in love and zeal。。。I felt very much affected in parting with thee。 I see plainly it would not do to go far from you; my heart cleaves to you。 I need not say (for I hope you know my heart is not insensible) how much I feel your kindness in not minding any expense for the recovery of my health。 You will rejoice to hear me talk in my old way; and not in that whispering manner。
〃I find so much pleasure in writing to you; my love; that I cannot help doing it。 I was nearly disconcerted by Mrs。laughing at my writing so often; but then; I thought; I feel so much pleasure in receiving your letters that I may hope you do the same。 I thank thee; my love; for thy kind letter。 I need not say that the serious part of it was welcome to me; and the more as I am deprived of all religious intercourse。。。I shall greatly rejoice; my love; in seeing thee again; but take care of your health that I may find you well。 I need not say how much you are in my thoughts day and night。〃
His narrative of their intercourse; written after her death; lets in a flood of light on his home life:
〃During the thirteen years of her union with Dr。 Carey; they had enjoyed the most entire oneness of mind; never having a single circumstance which either of them wished to conceal from the other。 Her solicitude for her husband's health and comfort was unceasing。 They prayed and conversed together on those things which form the life of personal religion; without the least reserve; and enjoyed a degree of conjugal happiness while thus continued to each other; which can only arise from a union of mind grounded on real religion。 On the whole; her lot in India was altogether a scene of mercy。 Here she was found of the Saviour; gradually ripened for glory; and after having her life prolonged beyond the expectation of herself and all who knew her; she was released from this mortal state almost without the consciousness of pain; and; as we most assuredly believe; had 'an abundant entrance ministered unto her into the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ。'〃
When; on 24th June 1809; Carey announced at the dinner table that he had that morning finished the Bengali translation of the whole Bible; and he was asked how much more he thought of doing; he answered: 〃The work I have allotted to myself; in translating; will take me about twenty years。〃 But he had kept the bow too long and too tightly bent; and it threatened to snap。 That evening he was seized with bilious fever; and on the eighteenth day thereafter his life was despaired of。 〃The goodness of God is eminently conspicuous in raising up our beloved brother Carey;〃 wrote Marshman。 〃God has raised him up again and restored him to his labours; may he live to accomplish all that is in his heart;〃 wrote Rowe。 He was at once at his desk again; in college and in his study。 〃I am this day forty…eight years old;〃 he wrote to Ryland on the 17th August; and sent him the following letters; every line of which reveals the inner soul of the writer:
〃CALCUTTA; 16th August 1809。I did not expect; about a month ago; ever to write to you again。 I was then ill of a severe fever; and for a week together scarcely any hopes were entertained of my life。 One or two days I was supposed to be dying; but the Lord has graciously restored me; may it be that I may live more than ever to His glory。 Whilst I was ill I had scarcely any such thing as thought belonging to me; but; excepting seasons of delirium; seemed to be nearly stupid; perhaps some of this arose from the weak state to which I was reduced; which was so great that Dr。 Hare; one of the most eminent physicians in Calcutta; who was consulted about it; apprehended more danger from that than from the fever。 I; however; had scarcely a thought of death or eternity; or of life; or anything belonging thereto。 In my delirium; greatest part of which I perfectly remember; I was busily employed in carrying a commission from God to all the princes and governments in the world; requiring them instantly to abolish every political establishment of religion; and to sell the parish and other churches to the first body of Christians that would purchase them。 Also to declare war infamous; to esteem all military officers as men who had sold themselves to destroy the human race; to extend this to all those dead men called heroes; defenders of their country; meritorious officers; etc。13 I was attended by angels in all my excursions; and was universally successful。 A few princes in Germany were refractory; but my attendants struck them dead instantly。 I pronounced the doom of Rome to the Pope; and soon afterwards all the territory about Rome; the March of Ancona; the great city and all its riches sank into that vast bed of burning lava which heats Nero's bath。 These two considerations were the delirious wanderings of the mind; but I hope to feel their force; to pray and strive for their accomplishment to the end of my life。 But it is now time to attend to something not merely ideal。
〃The state of the world occupied my thoughts more and more; I mean as it relates to the spread of the Gospel。 The harvest truly is great; and labourers bear scarcely any proportion thereto。 I was forcibly struck this morning with reading our Lord's reply to His disciples; John iv。 When He had told them that He had meat to eat the world knew not of; and that His meat was to do the will of His Father and to finish His work; He said; 'Say not ye there are three months and then cometh harvest?' He by this plainly intended to call their attention to the conduct of men when harvest was approaching; for that being the season upon which all the hopes of men hang for temporal supplies; they provide men and measures in time for securing it。 Afterwards directing their attention to that which so occupied His own as to be His meat and drink; He said; 'Lift up your eyes and look upon the fields (of souls to be gathered in); for they are white already to harvest。' After so many centuries have elapsed and so many fields full of this harvest have been lost for want of labourers to gather it in; shall we not at last reflect seriously on our duty? Hindostan requires ten thousand ministers of the Gospel; at the lowest calculation; China as many; and you may easily calculate for the rest of the world。 I trust that many will eventually be raised up here; but be that as it may the demands for missionaries are pressing to a degree seldom realised。 England has done much; but not the hundredth part of what she is bound to do。 In so great a want of ministers ought not every church to turn its attention chiefly to the raising up and maturing of spiritual gifts with the express design of sending them abroad? Should not this be a specific matter of prayer; and is there not reason to labour hard to infuse this spirit into the churches?
〃A mission into Siam would be comparatively easy of introduction and support on account of its vicinity to Prince of Wales Island; from which vessels can often go in a few hours。 A mission to Pegu and another to Arakan would not be difficult of introduction; they being both within the Burman dominions; Missions to Assam and Nepal should be speedily tried。 Brother Robinson is going to Bhootan。 I do not know anything about the facility with which missions could be introduced into Cochin China; Cambodia; and Laos; but were the trial made I believe difficulties would remove。 It is also very desirable that the Burman mission should be strengthene