William Carey: The Father of Modern Missions
"To know the will of God, we need an open Bible and an open map."
Timeline of William Carey's Life
August 17, 1761
Born in Paulerspury, Northamptonshire, England.
1775
Apprenticed to a shoemaker.
1783
Became a Baptist and was baptized by John Ryland.
1789
Began to teach himself Latin, Greek, Hebrew, French, and Dutch.
1792
Published "An Enquiry into the Obligations of Christians to Use
Means for the Conversion of the Heathens" advocating missionary
work. Some have claimed that this work was a response to a public
rebuke he received from John Ryland Senior at a ministers meeting
in 1787. The rebuke was along the lines of: "Young man, sit down.
When God pleases to convert the heathen, He will do it without
your aid or mine!" This rebuke reflected the prevailing sentiment
of the time, which was skeptical of organized missionary efforts
and believed that conversion of non-Christians was solely within
God's control.
October 2, 1792
Founded the Baptist Missionary Society.
June 13, 1793
Set sail for India with his family.
November 11, 1793
Arrived in Calcutta, India. Carey would go on to spend the rest of
his life in India.
1794
Moved to the Danish colony of Serampore due to difficulties with
the British East India Company.
1800
Completed the translation of the New Testament into Bengali.
1801
Appointed as a professor of Sanskrit, Bengali, and Marathi at Fort
William College in Calcutta.
1805
Completed the translation of the entire Bible into Bengali.
1812
His printing press in Serampore was destroyed by fire, but he
quickly rebuilt it.
1818
Helped establish Serampore College for the education of Indian
youth.
June 9, 1834
Died in Serampore, India.
1835
Serampore College was granted university status by the Danish
king.
Interesting Facts About William Carey
- Carey was a polyglot who learned Latin, Greek, Hebrew, French, and Dutch on his own. He later mastered several Indian languages including Bengali, Sanskrit, and Marathi.
- Besides his missionary work, Carey was an avid botanist. He established the Agricultural and Horticultural Society of India in 1820.
- Carey translated the Bible into multiple Indian languages, including Bengali, Oriya, Assamese, Hindi, Marathi, and Sanskrit. His work made the scriptures accessible to millions of people in India.
- He set up the first printing press in India at Serampore. This press not only printed religious texts but also educational materials in various Indian languages. Carey was instrumental in translating the entire Bible into 6 languages and parts of the Bible into 29 other languages and dialects.
- Often referred to as the "Father of Modern Missions," Carey revolutionized the missionary approach with his emphasis on cultural adaptation and long-term commitment to the local community.
- Carey was a strong advocate for education. He founded Serampore College in 1818, which became the first degree-awarding institution in Asia. He believed in educating both men and women and established schools for children of all castes.
- Carey campaigned against social evils such as infanticide, sati (the burning of widows), and caste discrimination. His efforts were instrumental in the eventual abolition of these practices.
- Carey's innovative methods in agriculture included promoting the use of new crops and farming techniques, which significantly benefited Indian agriculture.
- He published numerous grammars and dictionaries in various Indian languages, which were crucial resources for future scholars and linguists.
- Carey spent 41 years in India without returning to England, dedicating his life entirely to his missionary and educational work.
Snippets of Wisdom from William Carey
"Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God."
"I am not afraid of failure; I am afraid of succeeding at things that don't matter."
"The future is as bright as the promises of God."