Chapter 7

The Lord has been pleased to afflict us very severely, in removing from us, by death, my much esteemed and venerable father. This lamented event took place on the 9th instant, at five in the morning, and his remains were interred in the cold grave early on the following morning, in the presence of a crowded assembly of mourning friends. Much as I feel this heavy stroke, I trust I do not sorrow as those who have no hope. His was a life spent in the service of his Redeemer, and the Lord was pleased to make him an instrument of much usefulness; but notwithstanding all that he was enabled to do, he never ceased to exclaim that he was an unprofitable servant. In much humility and meekness of spirit he was zealous in the work of the Lord of Hosts, and the constant objects of his pursuits were the glory of God and the salvation of the heathen. His devotedness to the work to which he was called was evident in all his conduct. Nothing would give him more pleasure than to hear of the prosperity of Zion, and the downfall of idolatry. His heart was always much affected when speaking of the love of his dying Redeemer. Of the evil of idolatry he spoke with great warmth. He was active and faithful in the discharge of his duties as a minister and a translator; and was in his element in the study of botany and other scientific pursuits, but always humble in his views regarding his own abilities and acquirements. Although constantly employed for the last forty-one years, he possessed a vigorous constitution, excellent health, and a good flow of spirits; but the last two or three years he suffered from debility, and latterly wasted away, and at length sunk from exhaustion of strength, and his spirit took its flight to the regions of eternal bliss to enjoy the rest provided for the people of God, and the reward promised to those who endure to the end. Thus has my father finished his course, and has been removed from this scene of toil and labour. Many will have reason to bless God for what he was enabled, by his grace, to perform for the welfare of the poor heathen.

The following has appeared in several of the public papers as a transcript of the Doctor's will. Although no copy of this document has reached us direct from India, yet, as it carries internal evidence of its authenticity, and has been very widely circulated already, we do not hesitate to insert it in our pages. Our readers will especially mark, in the direction given as to his epitaph, that deep humility which was so prominent a feature in the character of this great and good man.

I, William Carey, Doctor of Divinity, residing at Serampore, in the province of Bengal, being in good health, and of sound mind, do make this my last will and testament in manner and form following:--

First--I utterly disclaim all or any right or title to the premises at Serampore, called the Mission Premises, and every part and parcel thereof, and do hereby declare that I never had, or supposed myself to have, any such right or title.

Secondly--I disclaim all right and title to the property belonging to my present wife, Grace Carey, amounting to 25,000 rupees, more or less, which was settled upon her by a particular deed, executed previously to my marriage with her.

Thirdly--I give and bequeath to the College of Serampore, the whole of my museum, consisting of minerals, shells, corals, insects, and other natural curiosities, and a Hortus Siccus. Also the folio edition of Hortus Woburnensis, which was presented to me by Lord Hastings; Taylor's Hebrew Concordance, my collection of Bibles in foreign languages, and all my books in the Italian and German languages.

Fourthly--I desire that my wife, Grace Carey, will collect from my library whatever books in the English language she wishes for, and keep them for her own use.

Fifthly--From the failure of funds to carry my former intentions into effect, I direct that my library, with the exceptions above made, be sold by public auction, unless it, or any part of it, can be advantageously disposed of by private sale, and that from the proceeds 1,500 rupees be paid as a legacy to my son Jabez Carey, a like sum having heretofore been paid to my sons Felix and William.

Sixthly--It was my intention to have bequeathed a similar sum to my son Jonathan Carey, but GOD has so prospered him that he is in no immediate want of it. I direct that, if any thing remains, it be given to my wife, Grace Carey, to whom I also bequeath all my household furniture, wearing apparel, and whatever other effects I may possess, for her proper use and behoof.

Seventhly--I direct that, before every other thing, all my lawful debts may be paid; that my funeral be as plain as possible; that I may be buried by the side of my second wife, Charlotte Emilia Carey; and that the following inscription, and nothing more, may be cut on the stone which commemorates her, either above or below, as there may be room; viz.

"William Carey, born August 17th, 1761, died----

"A wretched, poor, and helpless worm, On thy kind arms I fall."

Eighthly--I hereby constitute and appoint my dear friends, the Rev. William Robinson, of Calcutta, and the Rev. John Mack, of Serampore, executors to this my last will and testament, and request them to perform all therein desired and ordered by me, to the utmost of their power.

Ninthly--I hereby declare this to be my last will and testament, and revoke all other wills and testaments of a date prior to this.

(Signed) WILLIAM CAREY. (Signed) W. H. JONES, S. M'INTOSH.

The following minute, in reference to this removal of Dr. Carey, has been entered on the records of the Baptist Missionary Society.

"The Secretary having reported that intelligence had arrived of the death of Dr. Carey, at Serampore, on Monday, the 9th of June last, it was

"_Resolved_,

"That this Committee cordially sympathize, on this mournful occasion, with the immediate connexions of Dr. Carey, by whose death, not merely the Missionary circle with which he was most intimately associated, but the Christian world at large, has sustained no common loss. The Committee gratefully record, that this venerable and highly-esteemed servant of God had a principal share in the formation of the Baptist Missionary Society; and devoted himself, at its very commencement, to the service of the heathen, amidst complicated difficulties and discouragements, with an ardour and perseverance which nothing but Christian benevolence could inspire, and which only a strong and lively faith in God could sustain. Endowed with extraordinary talents for the acquisition of foreign languages, he delighted to consecrate them to the noble purpose of unfolding to the nations of the East the Holy Scriptures in their own tongue: a department of sacred labour in which it pleased God to honour him far beyond any predecessor or contemporary in the Missionary field. Nor was Dr. Carey less eminent for the holiness of his personal character. Throughout life he adorned the gospel of God his Saviour by the spirituality of his mind and the uprightness of his conduct; and especially, by the deep and unaffected humility which proved how largely he had imbibed the spirit of his blessed master.

"In paying this brief and imperfect tribute to the memory of this great and good man, who was long their associate in Missionary exertion, and whom they have never ceased to regard with feelings of the utmost veneration and respect, it is the anxious desire of the Committee to glorify God in him. May a review of what divine grace accomplished in and by this faithful servant of the Redeemer, awaken lively gratitude, and strengthen the devout expectation that He, with whom is the residue of the Spirit, will favour his church with renewed proofs of his love and care by thrusting forth many such labourers into the harvest!"

It is expected that Mr. Eustace Carey will compile, from the materials in possession of the Missionary Committee, and from the correspondence maintained by the Doctor with his relations in this country during the whole course of his residence in India, a Memoir of his venerable relative.

BURMAH.

By a letter from Mr. Judson to Dr. Bolles, dated Maulmein, December 31st, 1833, we learn that a Christian church has been formed at Ava; the capital of the empire, where two converts, one the wife of Kv H'lay, an old Rangoon disciple, and the other a respectable inhabitant of the city, were baptized in the preceding month.

This prosperous Mission now comprises five churches, at Maulmein, Tavoy, Mergui, Rangoon, and Ava; and the whole number who have received baptism at these several stations, is five hundred and ninety-seven.

A month afterwards, Mr. Judson was favoured to complete his translation of the whole Scriptures into the Burman language. Our readers will sympathize with the feelings which dictated the following entry made on this occasion in the journal of this devoted Missionary. We are happy to add that, although Mr. Judson has felt it his duty to construct his version on the principle adopted by our Calcutta brethren, this circumstance will not impede its circulation, the American Bible Society having rendered prompt and liberal assistance towards the printing.

January 31st, 1834. Thanks be to God! I can now say, "I have attained." I have knelt down before him, with the last leaf in my hand, and, imploring his forgiveness for all the sins which have polluted my labours in this department, and his aid in future efforts, to remove the errors and imperfections which necessarily cleave to the work, I have commended it to his mercy and grace: I have dedicated it to his glory. May he make his own inspired word, now complete in the Burman tongue, the grand instrument of filling all Burmah with songs of praises to our Great God and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen.

SOUTH AFRICA.

The following account of the second Annual Meeting of the Auxiliary Baptist Missionary Society, conducted by the Rev. W. Davies and his friends at Graham's Town, is extracted from the local Newspaper, of the 28th of August last:

On Monday last the second Annual Meeting of the above Society was held in the Wesleyan chapel, and we are glad to say that it passed off in the most lively and satisfactory manner. It is ever a pleasing task to trace the progress of such associations--to view their first feeble efforts--to see them gradually acquiring strength and importance, until at length we behold them spreading themselves out to the farthest extremities of the habitable globe--like a perennial stream refreshing the parched desert, and dispensing the purest blessings on every hand.

A very pleasing circumstance attending these meetings is, the concord and brotherly feeling which are produced amongst the different denominations of professing Christians. Here all minor differences are merged in one united effort to promote a common cause--and that the holiest and most beneficial that can employ intelligent beings.

We regret that our limited space will not permit us to give the several addresses which were made on this occasion, more especially as some of them were of a high order, and would have been perused with much interest by many of our readers. The principal speakers were, the Rev. Mr. Heaviside, clergyman of the Episcopal church; Rev. Messrs. Monro and Robson (Independents); Rev. Messrs. Shrewsbury, Young, and Haddy (Wesleyans); Dr. Minto, on the military staff, who has recently returned from India, and the Rev. W. Davies and Mr. T. Nelson (Baptists).

The report gives a general view of the state of the missions connected with this particular section of the Christian church; and we are glad to find that the prospect, by the emancipation of the negroes, and other causes, is particularly cheering. It was also satisfactory to find that the amount collected by this infant society--only established rather more than a year ago at Graham's Town--has received in contributions during the past year no less a sum than nearly £146. Nothing can be more creditable than this fact to the inhabitants of this frontier, and nothing can show more distinctly that they are not entirely undeserving of that prosperity with which Providence has of late years favoured their efforts.

We may add, as one symptom of the temporal prosperity thus adverted to, of this rising colony, that a great demand exists for industrious mechanics, especially of those classes employed in building. Pious individuals, especially, we are assured, would be welcomed in the district, and labour, adequately recompensed, immediately provided for them.

JAMAICA.

We had fully expected, by this time, to hear of the arrival of our friend Mr. Knibb, at Falmouth; but the mail, which has been due several days, is yet detained. We must therefore give a general summary of the recent intelligence from our various stations, and hope that, before this Herald leaves the press, we may be able to add a postscript, announcing intelligence which many, we know, are anxious to hear.

From _Kingston_, under the date of September 22nd, Mr. Tinson writes: "Our congregation in town is better by far than it has been, though not overflowing; for being composed chiefly of domestics and mechanics who reside in town, it is of course less affected by country people than some others. I spent yesterday at _Yallahs_, received five candidates, on examination, for baptism, preached in the morning, and administered the Lord's supper to about a hundred members in the afternoon. The congregation was such as to make the heat almost insupportable. There were nearly as many outside the house as within, and many more would come, but they cannot hear without exposure to the sun all the time. This however will, I hope, be remedied in a few months, as we have now commenced the chapel, and paid the builder £100 towards it. I am begging from our people in Hanover-street, and the city generally; but they plead poverty, and I know many of them are poor indeed."

Mr. Gardner thankfully acknowledges that he has been repaid for all his exertions in visiting Port Royal, by the success with which it has pleased God to crown his labours there. "Last Sabbath week," says he, on the 23rd of September, "at daybreak, at that place, I baptized fifteen in the sea, on a profession of their faith in Christ, and repentance towards God. Many hundreds were present, who collected soon after four in the morning. After the administration of that ordinance we repaired to the chapel, which was well attended, and had a regular service. Then I left for Kingston, as there was no brother unemployed that could assist me. Last Lord's day I visited those friends again, and administered the ordinance of the Lord's Supper, when those who had been baptized were received into the church. It was an unusually solemn and gratifying season; many were greatly affected, and wept nearly all the time. This was to us a time of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. May he often grant us such seasons!"

Mr. Phillippo is busily engaged in building the new school-rooms at _Spanish Town_, towards which he obtained some pecuniary aid while in this country. "There are to be two schools; one for boys, the other for girls. They are to hold three hundred scholars. The situation is on a range with our premises, and is in every respect eligible; between the rooms there is to be a Committee-room, so that the building will present a front of seventy-two feet in length. Several gentlemen in the town and neighbourhood have declared themselves friendly towards the object, and have promised to assist in its support. As an instance, His Honour the Custos, Member of Assembly and Island Secretary, and Price Watkis, Esq., the uncompromising advocate of negro emancipation in our Colonial Parliament, are to lay the foundation-stones on Thursday next. The Custos has moreover sent fourteen young women to the school to be educated as schoolmistresses, and to be completely under the charge of the resident schoolmistress, his intention being to employ them in the different estates for which he is attorney. This example I have reason to hope will be extensively followed.

"We have still between three and four hundred children in attendance at our Sabbath-school, and the library I brought out with me is in extensive circulation. Every thing in connexion with our work appears prospering to an unexampled degree. God is indeed doing great things for us, whereof we are glad. What a change has been effected, also, on the moral aspect of society! Sunday markets abolished, and all the etceteras of evil that followed in their train!"

Top Hill, near the junction of the two parishes of St. Ann's and St. Thomas-in-the-Vale, has been the scene of one of those cruel outrages on the helpless and unoffending, which have too often stained the page of Colonial history. We give the account in the words of our Missionary brother, Mr. Clarke.

"On the evening of Lord's-day, September 14th, as nine of my people were returning to their homes from worshipping God, they were stopped and turned back by a young coloured man, who has by the death of his father come to an estate before he knows how to act for his own interest, and is fast spending it in riotous living. These friends had no sooner quietly taken their way back to go home by a more distant road, than this man set his dog upon them, and with Dr. B., a companion of his, pursued them about a half a mile.

"Dr. B. threw off his coat to enable him to run with the greater speed; an aged female who is highly respected by all around, fell: and Dr. B. immediately fixed the dog upon her, which tore her leg severely in many places. Her husband ran to lift her up, and to drive off the dog, when Dr. B., seized him and attempted to throw him over a fearful precipice into a deep chasm, where he must have been dashed to pieces; but God enabled his servant to escape from the grasp of the persecutor, and all the party came back to the house where we had so recently joined together in the worship of God. I had travelled a considerable distance during the day, had got wet, preached twice, and performed various other duties; being fatigued, and having to journey home on the morrow, I had retired to rest. As soon as I heard what had taken place I arose, had the wounds of the poor female attended to, and bound up. I then conversed with the people, read to them the first twelve verses of the fifth of Matthew, and again from the forty-third verse to the end; spoke to them on the duty of forgiveness, love to enemies, and patient suffering for Christ's sake; prayed with them, first for the persecutors, next for themselves and for the church of God. They left me between nine and ten o'clock, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer for righteousness' sake; before they left, they besought me not to carry the matter to a magistrate, but to leave it with God; promising that they would always afterward go and return by a road that did not lead them near the house of this man. I really admired their forgiving spirit, and their patient endurance of evil, especially that of the chief sufferer, and of her husband, who had suffered with her, and had narrowly escaped death in rescuing her. Two of the nine have long been free, the others were apprentices. Had the native feelings of the human heart been indulged, how easily could these people have resisted the assaults of their persecutors, and, as they were pursued about half a mile on the road that has been a common by-path for years, they might have turned upon their adversaries, and afterwards have argued that they had a right to pass without molestation, and when molested to act on the defensive, in forcing their way to their homes; but, except a few words at first, of calm entreaty, these quiet people did nothing, and gave no impertinent language, but turned to go back in peace, and were in the act of returning when they were thus assaulted."

We mentioned, in our last number, that Mr. Coultart had encountered much annoyance in the neighbouring parish of St. Ann's, the birth-place of the Colonial Church Union, and disgracefully conspicuous for the blind and furious determination shown by several of its leading men, to prevent the spread of religious instruction among the negroes. Humanly speaking, nothing but the wise, humane, and dignified conduct of the Custos, the Hon. S. M. Barrett, saved this parish from the horrors of martial law. He applied to Mr. Coultart, requesting him to use all his influence with the negroes to quell the spirit of insubordination which had begun to show itself among them; and in addition to this, met them in person at Ocho Rios, gave them an excellent and animated address, explaining to them the nature of the new law, and expostulating with them, in the warmest and kindest manner. All present were much pleased with his kindness, and promised to do all they could to allay the existing evil.

Mrs. Coultart, in a subsequent letter, adverting to the same subject, remarks, "The poor things were puzzled. They were told they were free on the first of August, had a general holiday, and rejoiced at the event; and then they were called to work again as before. 'Free, no free at all; work like before-time.' Many said, they would not work without a proper understanding, or some pay. I was present when a poor woman in the Methodist Society made a speech to the following effect: 'From the creation down to now we work, work, work. Now, Lord Mulgrave and the King give we free, we take free, we happy; then master come, tell we work like before-time. No, me say, better take shot at one than make we fool so.' The minister's wife talked to her, and explained that this work for six years was to help pay the owner what the King could not afford to do, of the money that purchased her; and she seemed quite content, and said she would go to her work. If it were possible to speak to each thus, in the tone of a friend, they would believe; but their confidence in their owners is shaken--and who can wonder?"