按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
borrowed more from the whole country…side。 Recalling the eight years of his intellectual apprenticeship till he was fourteen； from the serene height of his missionary standard； he wrote long after：〃I chose to read books of science； history； voyages； etc。； more than any others。 Novels and plays always disgusted me； and I avoided them as much as I did books of religion； and perhaps from the same motive。 I was better pleased with romances； and this circumstance made me read the Pilgrim's Progress with eagerness； though to no purpose。〃 The new era； of which he was to be the aggressive spiritual representative from Christendom； had not dawned。 Walter Scott was ten years his junior。 Captain Cook had not discovered the Sandwich Islands； and was only returning from the second of his three voyages while Carey was still at school。 The church services and the watchfulness of his father supplied the directly moral training which his grandmother had begun。
The Paulerspury living of St。 James is a valuable rectory in the gift of New College； Oxford。 Originally built in Early English； and rebuilt in 1844； the church must have presented a still more venerable appearance a century ago than it does now； with its noble tower in the Perpendicular； and chancel in the Decorated style； dominating all the county。 Then； as still； effigies of a Paveli and his wife； and of Sir Arthur Throckmorton and his wife recumbent head to head； covered a large altar…tomb in the chancel； and with the Bathurst and other monuments called forth first the fear and then the pride of the parish clerk's eldest son。 In those days the clerk had just below the pulpit the desk from which his sonorous 〃Amen〃 sounded forth； while his family occupied a low gallery rising from the same level up behind the pulpit。 There the boys of the free school also could be under the master's eye； and with instruments of music like those of King David； but now banished from even village churches； would accompany him in the doggerel strains of Sternhold and Hopkins； immortalised by Cowper。 To the far right the boys could see and long for the ropes under the tower； in which the bell…ringers of his day； as of Bunyan's not long before； delighted。 The preaching of the time did nothing more for young Carey than for the rest of England and Scotland； whom the parish church had not driven into dissent or secession。 But he could not help knowing the Prayer…Book； and especially its psalms and lessons； and he was duly confirmed。 The family training； too； was exceptionally scriptural； though not evangelical。 〃I had many stirrings of mind occasioned by being often obliged to read books of a religious character； and； having been accustomed from my infancy to read the Scriptures； I had a considerable acquaintance therewith； especially with the historical parts。〃 The first result was to make him despise dissenters。 But； undoubtedly； this eldest son of the schoolmaster and the clerk of the parish had at fourteen received an education from parents； nature； and books which； with his habits of observation； love of reading； and perseverance； made him better instructed than most boys of fourteen far above the peasant class to which he belonged。
Buried in this obscure village in the dullest period of the dullest of all centuries； the boy had no better prospect before him than that of a weaver or labourer； or possibly a schoolmaster like one of his uncles in the neighbouring town of Towcester。 When twelve years of age； with his uncle there； he might have formed one of the crowd which listened to John Wesley； who； in 1773 and then aged seventy； visited the prosperous posting town。 Paulerspury could indeed boast of one son； Edward Bernard； D。D。； who； two centuries before； had made for himself a name in Oxford； where he was Savilian Professor of Astronomy。 But Carey was not a Scotsman； and therefore the university was not for such as he。 Like his school…fellows； he seemed born to the English labourer's fate of five shillings a week； and the poorhouse in sickness and old age。 From this； in the first instance； he was saved by a disease which affected his face and hands most painfully whenever he was long exposed to the sun。 For seven years he had failed to find relief。 His attempt at work in the field were for two years followed by distressing agony at night。 He was now sixteen； and his father sought out a good man who would receive him as apprentice to the shoemaking trade。 The man was not difficult to find； in the hamlet of Hackleton； nine miles off； in the person of one Clarke Nichols。 The lad afterwards described him as 〃a strict churchman and； what I thought； a very moral man。 It is true he sometimes drank rather too freely； and generally employed me in carrying out goods on the Lord's Day morning； but he was an inveterate enemy to lying； a vice to which I was awfully addicted。〃 The senior apprentice was a dissenter； and the master and his boys gave much of the talk over their work to disputes upon religious subjects。 Carey 〃had always looked upon dissenters with contempt。 I had； moreover； a share of pride sufficient for a thousand times my knowledge； I therefore always scorned to have the worst in an argument； and the last word was assuredly mine。 I also made up in positive assertion what was wanting in argument； and generally came off with triumph。 But I was often convinced afterwards that although I had the last word my antagonist had the better of the argument； and on that account felt a growing uneasiness and stings of conscience gradually increasing。〃 The dissenting apprentice was soon to be the first to lead him to Christ。
William Carey was a shoemaker during the twelve years of his life from sixteen to twenty…eight； till he went to Leicester。 Poverty； which the grace of God used to make him a preacher also from his eighteenth year； compelled him to work with his hands in leather all the week； and to tramp many a weary mile to Northampton and Kettering carrying the product of his labour。 At one time； when minister of Moulton； he kept a school by day； made or cobbled shoes by night； and preached on Sunday。 So Paul had made tents of his native Cilician goatskin in the days when infant Christianity was chased from city to city； and the cross was a reproach only less bitter； however； than evangelical dissent in Christian England in the eighteenth century。 The providence which made and kept young Carey so long a shoemaker； put him in the very position in which he could most fruitfully receive and nurse the sacred fire that made him the most learned scholar and Bible translator of his day in the East。 The same providence thus linked him to the earliest Latin missionaries of Alexandria； of Asia Minor； and of Gaul； who were shoemakers； and to a succession of scholars and divines； poets and critics； reformers and philanthropists； who have used the shoemaker's life to become illustrious。1 St。 Mark chose for his successor； as first bishop of Alexandria； that Annianus whom he had been the means of converting to Christ when he found him at the cobbler's stall。 The Talmud commemorates the courage and the wisdom of 〃Rabbi Jochanan； the shoemaker；〃 whose learning soon after found a paralle