Instructions to a Missionary.
From William CareyJABEZ CAREY was the third son of the doctor. By 1811 the French had been driven from the East Indies, and the islands were administered by the English till the general peace, when they were returned to Holland. Meantime the Governor general asked Carey to send Malay Bibles and missionaries to Amboyna, the very island whenoe the English had been driven by the Dutch long before. Jabez gave up his post in a lawyer's office and was hastily sent to take charge of the 18,000 nominal native Christians, to superintend the schools, and to be in high judicial position. Under the renewed rule of the Dutch, the work was continued,and now not only the State clergy, but the Mennonite missionaries, labour in the great East Indian islands. This letter was written to Jabez by his father as a parting instruction, and reveals Carey in two or three lights. The portion relating to personal life and mission effort has been already printed by George Smith, but he suppressed without notice the extensive portion showing his interest in natural history, which has had such beneficial results through the Botanic Garden at Calcutta. The original is at Regent's Park [Oxford, England], and is printed by the courtesy of our president, Principal Gould.
---------------- My dear Jabez, You are now engaging in a most important undertaking in which not only you and Eliza have my prayers for your success, but those of all who love our Lord Jesus Christ and know of your engagement. I know a few hints for your future conduct from a parent who loves you very tenderly will be acceptable and shall therefore now give y,ou these assured that they will not be given in vain.
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1. Pay the utmost attention at all times to the state of your own mind both towards God and Man. Cultivate an intimate acquaintance with your own heart, labour to obtain a deep sense of your own depravity and to trust always in Christ. Be pure in heart and meditate much upon the pure and holy character of God. Cherish every amiable and right disposition towards men. Be mild, gentle and unassuming, yet firm and manly. As soon as you perceive anything wrong in your spirit and behaviour set about correcting it and never suppose yourself so perfect as to need no correction.2. You are now a married man. Be not satisfied with conducting yourself towards your Wife with propriety, but let love to her be the spring of your conduct towards her. Esteem her highly and so act that she may be induced thereby to esteem you highly. The first impressions of love arising from favour or beauty will soon wear off, but the esteem arising from excellency of disposition and substance of character will endure and increase. Her honour is now yours and she cannot be insulted without your being degraded. I hope as soon as you get on board and are settled in your Cabin you will begin and end each day in uniting together to pray and praise God. Let Religion always have a place in your house. If the Lord bless you with Children bring them up in the fear of God, and be always an example to others of the power of godliness. This advice I give also to Eliza and if followed you will be happy.
3. Behave affably and genteelly to all but not cringingly or unsteadily towards any. Feel that you are a man, and always act with the dignified sincerity and truth which will command the esteem of all. Seek not the society of worldly men, but when called to be with them act and converse with propriety and dignity. To do this labour to gain a good acquaintance with
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History, Geography, Men and Things. A Gentleman is the next best character after a Christian, and the latter includes the former. Money never makes a Gentleman, much less does a fine appearance, but an enlarged understanding joined to engaging manners.4. On your arrival at Amboyna your first business must be to wait on Mr. Martin. You should first send a note to inform him of your arrival and know when it will suit him to receive you. Ask his advice upon every occasion of importance and communicate freely to him all the steps you take.
5. As soon as you are settled begin your work. Get a Malay who can speak a little English and with him make a tour of the Islands and visit every School. Encourage all you see worthy of encouragement and correct with mildness, yet with firmness. Keep a journal of the transactions of the Schools and enter each one under a distinct head therein. Take account of the numbers of Scholars, the names of the School-masters, compare the progress at stated periods and in short consider this as the work which the Lord has given you to do.
6. Do not, however, consider yourself as a mere superintendent of Schools, consider yourself the . spiritual instructor of the people and devote yourself to their good. God has committed the spiritual interests of these Schools 20,000 men or more to you. A Vast Charge but he can enable you to be faithful to the trust. Revise the catechism, tracts, and School Books used among them and labour to produce among them sound doctrine and genuine piety. Pray with them as soon as you can and labour after a gift to preach to them. I expect you will have more to do with them respecting Baptism. They all think Infant sprinkling right and will apply to you to baptize their children. You must say little till you know something of the language and then prove to them from Scripture
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what is the right mode of Baptism and who are the proper persons to be baptized. FoQnn them into Gospel Churches where you may meet with' a few who truly fear God and as soon as you see any fit to preach to others call them to the ministry and settle them with the Churches. You must baptize and administer the Lord's Supper according to y:our own discretion when there is a proper occasion for it. Avoid indolence and love of ease, and never attempt to act the part of the great and gay in this world.7. Labour incessantly to become a perfect master of the Malay language. In order to this associate with the natives walk out with them ask the name of everything you see,and note it down, visit their houses especially when any of them are sick. Every night arrange the words you get in alphabetical order try to talk as soon as you get a few words and be as much as possible one of them. A course of kind and attentive conduct will gain their esteem and coQnfidence and give you an opportunity of doing much good.
8. You will soon hear from Mr. Martin the situation and disposition of the Alfoors or original inhabitants and will see what can be done for them. Do not unnecessarily expose your life but incessantly contrive some way of giving them the word of life.
9. I come now to things of inferior importance but which I hope you will not neglect. I wish you to learn correctly the number, size, and geography of the Islands. The number and description of inhabitants, their customs and manners and everything of note relative to them: and regularly communicate these things to me.
10. I wish you to pay the minutest attention to the natural productions of the Islands, and regularly to send me all you can. Fishes and large animals must be excepted, but these you must describe. You know how to send birds and Insects. Send as many birds
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of every description alive as you possibly can, and also such quadrupeds, Monkeys etc., And always send a new supply by every ship.Shells Including . . . tortoises etc. Corals, Stones of every description May be sent in a box but each should have a label with the Malay or other country name, the place where found etc. Though Stones broken from the rock are preferable to such as are worn or washed round by the Sea. - Beetles, Lizards, Frogs, and serpents may be put into a small keg of Rum or Arrack, and will come safely.
Every vegetable production is very desirable. They are of various kinds.
1. Bulbous roots, but such as are like onions or garlick, These should be taken up and planted in a box so thickly as to touch one another, or they may be put dry in a basket, with no other care than to fasten on the cover well and hang them in an airy; part of the Ship.
2. Tuberous roots, or such as resemble potatoes or Yams some of these are very large and others as small as a pea. They may in general be sent as the Bulbous roots. If these are planted in earth they should have very little or no water given them on the passage. - Send me two or three hundred of such sorts if you can get them.
3. Common plants, and trees of these I hope you will not think anyone too insignificant. Send the smallest as well as the largest. - Plant small plants of each sort, in Boxes and always have a number of Boxes planted and well rooted ready, for if they are just planted they will all die on the passage. Just before they are put on board put seeds of trees, fruits, shrubs etc. as thick as you can sow them in the boxes among the planted trees and cover the seeds with about a finger's thickness of good fresh earth. These should have a little water now and then on the passage, not above once a
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week. You must often send the same thing, as it will be ten to one, whether they arrive alive.4. Be very abundant in, sending seeds of every sort. Let these be perfectly ripe, and thoroughly dry, then pack them in paper, and put them in a basket or small box, secured from the Rats. The name should be put on every packet of seeds, and if you can recollect say whether it grows in sandy soil, on Mountain or rocks in mire or water or where. - One word is enough i.e. "sand," for sandy soil. "Mountains," for a mountainous situation etc.
5. Parasitical plants, or such as grow on other plants or trees. Such as you have seen me tie on other trees and water with Bhans (?) on small pots hung over them. - These only need to be stripped from the tree where they grew and put into baskets without any earth. They may be hung up in any airy part of the ship or even hung at the Main Top, and will come safely.
6. All boxes of plants should have strips of wood put over them to keep out the Rats. These, strips should be about as thick as a finger, and about a finger's breadth as under. [Diagram like a ladder.] No plants or seeds must be put in the hold. [Doubly underscored.]
7. I shall also be glad of specimens of every sort of Wood (Timber) a bit, about six or eight Inches long, and two thick (with its Malay name) is sufficient. Send it Rough, I will get it planed.
I have much confidence in you to add greatly to my stock of natural productions. You must persevere in sending, and be diligent in collecting. Your great work my dear Jabez is that of a Christian minister. You would have been solemnly set apart thereto if you could have stayed long enough to have, permitted it. The success of your labours does not depend upon an outward ceremony, nor does your right to preach the Gospel or administer the ordinances of
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the Gospel depend on any such thing, but only on the divine call expressed in the Word of God. The Church has however in their intentions and wishes borne a testimony to the Grace given to you: - and will not cease to pray for you that·you may be successful. - May you be kept from all temptations, supported under every trial made victorious in every conflict, and may our hearts be mutually gladdened by accounts from each other of the triumphs of divine Grace. God has conferred a great favour upon you in committing to you this ministry. Take heed to it therefore in the Lord that thou fulfil it. We shall often meet at the throne of Grace. Write me by every opportunity and tell Eliza to write to your Mother.Now my dear Jabez I commit you both to God and to the word of his Grace which is able to make you perfect in the knowledge of his will let that word lie near your heart. I give you both up to God and should I never see you on earth I trust we shall meet with Joy before hi~ throne of Glory at last.
Your very, very affect. Father,
WM. CAREY.
Calcutta.
24 Jany. 1814.=================== [From https://www.biblicalstudies.org.uk; via Internet.