William Carey Quotes

“Now he tackled Hindi as well as Bengali. He hired another pundit besides Ram Ram Basu. Hindi had its own script just as Thomas had said. But there were some similarities. The sounds, and therefore the number of symbols, were nearly the same. Hindi was written in what was called the ‘Nagari’ alphabet. At least this alphabet served more than one language, William learned. And they were very important languages in India. The sacred language of Sanskrit was in Nagari. So was the very important language of Marathi of central India. “With these additional languages in tow the Gospel can be delivered far and wide in India,” William said hopefully.”
― Sam Wellman, William Carey

“On October 11 Peter died. “Peter dead!” screamed Dolly. How much more could she suffer? William soon learned. It was not enough that there was no faithful Kitty there to comfort her in her grief - not friends of any kind in Mudnabati - but William himself was completely distracted by problems with the burial. For it seemed no one would help. “I can’t get the carpenters at the plant to make us a coffin,” William told Felix out of Dolly’s hearing. “It seems that not only do both Hindus and Muslims refuse to touch the dead in any way but they will not assist in any way.” Finally he had to coerce four Muslim workers into digging a grave south of the plant, far away from any known Muslim graves.”
― Sam Wellman, William Carey

“But prayer and the Bible bolstered him, and soon he would write: When I first left England my hope of the conversion was very strong, but amongst so many obstacles it would entirely die away, unless upheld by God - nothing to exercise it, but many things to obstruct it for now a year and 19 days, which is the space since I left my dear charge in Leicester; since then I have had hurrying up and down; a five month imprisonment with carnal men on board the ship, five more learning the language; my Moonshee (Ram Ram Basu) not understanding English sufficiently to interpret my preaching - my family my accusers, and hinderers, my colleague separated from me, long delays, and few opportunities for social worship...no woods to retire to...for fear of Tygers...well, I have God, and His Word is sure...[14] So his mind was calmed by his faith in God, yet seethed with doubt in himself and his family.”
― Sam Wellman, William Carey

“Charles Short explained that the new governor of the East India Company, Sir John Shore, might have had something to do with these new opportunities found by Dr. Thomas. “Of course,” said William, remembering. “I believe he was a member of the Clapham Sect in London with Charles Grant and William Wilberforce. These powerful gentlemen all were supposedly very receptive to converting the heathens.” “Pray then India stays at peace,” said Charles Short. “Because if there is any threat to English interests from the natives or from France the Crown will send a governor like Cornwallis again.” “A military man,” concluded William.”
― Sam Wellman, William Carey

“The women did not know how he visited Englishmen in Calcutta during the day, only to be treated with contempt. Even a prominent clergyman to whom he had an introduction written by John Newton had refused to see him. And on his return to Manicktullo the two women now openly berated him. In his diary he wrote: I am in a strange land, alone, no Christian friend, a large family - and nothing to supply their wants...I am dejected, not for my sake but my family’s...In the evening (I) poured out my soul to God; but still my burden continued. The next day (I) had a pleasant time in prayer to God in the morning but afterwards the abusive treatment I receive from her who should be a help to me quite overcame my spirits. I was vexed, grieved, and shocked. I am sorry for her who never was hearty in the undertaking, her health has been much impaired, and her fears are great, though five parts of six are groundless...Oh that I may have wisdom from above...[10]”
― Sam Wellman, William Carey

“So Newton introduced the two travelers to William Wilberforce., About the same age as William, Wilberforce was said to be a force in the House of Commons, constantly haranguing evils of slavery. He was a thoroughly good man who also thought it was high time England stopped persecuting Catholics. Wilberforce was part of a London circle of evangelical intellectuals called the ‘Clapham Sect’ because they all lived in Clapham, a new area of fine homes south of London. Mansions there were built in revived Classical style with columns. The wealthy evangelicals also included Charles Grant and Sir John Shore, another longtime official in the East India Company. These men seemed agreeable to converting heathens, yet remained silent about missionary work in India.”
― Sam Wellman, William Carey

“He solicited others for a more recent history of the East India Company, that arm of the British Crown that really ruled India now. More aspects of going to India disturbed him. One helpful friend showed him a statute passed by Parliament: Be it further enacted that if any subject or subjects of His Majesty not being lawfully licensed or authorized shall at any time directly or indirectly go, sail or repair to, or be found in the East Indies...all and every such persons are hereby declared to be guilty of a high crime and misdemeanor, and being convicted thereof, shall be liable to fine or imprisonment or both as the Court shall think fit.[9]”
― Sam Wellman, William Carey

“Later that year he was invited to the Northampton Association of pastors. At the first meeting the elder Ryland suggested William Carey propose a theme for discussion. William was surprised. Should he mention his passion? His mind was made up by Saint Paul’s true words in the Second Book of Timothy: ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.’ He stood humbly. “Good sirs,” he began, “perhaps we could discuss whether or not the Great Commission given the apostles in the Book of Matthew to teach all nations is not binding on all succeeding ministers to the end of the world...” “Young man, sit down!” barked the elder Ryland. “If God wants to convert the heathen, He will do it without consulting you - or me!” “But...” “No buts, young man,” interrupted elder Ryland. “Good heavens, don’t you realize that we would have to have a second Pentecost to break down the barrier of foreign languages?” William wanted to protest that in his experience there was no foreign language he had not mastered in a year or two. But that would be too immodest. And the elder Ryland seemed far too rigid.”
― Sam Wellman, William Carey

“And what of this great map on the wall?” William explained how for each country he annotated information about population, politics, religion and other facts. Finally he was overcome with emotion as the reality struck him once again. “Don’t you see, Brother Fuller? Most of the world does not know Christ. Everywhere we look there are pagans! Pagans. Pagans. Pagans.”
― Sam Wellman, William Carey

“For 1000 years after the Crucifixion the apostles and their bold followers had fervently spread the message of Christ. Then some kind of indolence had set in. Why had the Great Commission stopped? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if he, William Carey, could go to some tropical island like Tahiti and convert the heathen? “Oh, Tahiti!” he enthused to his students, regaling them with the facts that lured him there. “Four hundred square miles of lush, green paradise. Cold weather and hot weather are unknown. Breadfruit, bananas and coconuts hang everywhere for the eating. Bays and lagoons are choked with fat, lazy fish. And most important, lads, there are thousands of pagans! Pagans! Oh, they are most fastidious. They bathe three times a day. They are polite, yet as ignorant of the ten commandments as beautiful tropical birds...”
― Sam Wellman, William Carey

“Finally, William would wait no longer. He was baptized on October 5 in the Nene River at Northampton by John Ryland. Ryland and his father had become spiritual advisors to William too. “They too are Baptists,” noted William of the two who pastored the College Lane church in Northampton. William Carey was now 22, a journeyman shoemaker with an ashen, fever-sickened face and bald head. He had little energy for working.”
― Sam Wellman, William Carey

“In Towcester he listened to Thomas Skinner. Skinner was a Dissenter called a Baptist. One of the ways Baptists differed from other denominations was that they did not believe infants should be baptized. They believed only a person who could make a mature judgment should be baptized. That ordinance about baptism was the source of their name. Thomas Skinner loaned Willy a book by Robert Hall called Help to Zion’s Travellers.”
― Sam Wellman, William Carey

“Hall is an older Baptist pastor who lives in Arnsby, near Leicester,” said Skinner. Hall had developed arguments from verses 13 and 14 of Isaiah 57: ‘he that putteth his trust in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain; And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people.’ Hall dealt with stumblingblocks to faith in Christ. But he also criticized the extreme Calvinism that paralyzed many churchmen in an attitude that God had so predestined every happening that men had few choices of their own.”
― Sam Wellman, William Carey

“The service seemed weak to Willy, especially because the preacher that day was Thomas Chater, a rank beginner. But after hours of prayer Chater’s words built as a summer storm. Finally Chater shouted Scripture from the Book of Hebrews, “Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach!” Willy was thrilled. His heart was on fire. Go outside the camp, bearing the disgrace Christ bore? Why, at that moment, it could mean only one thing. He must join the persecuted, despised Christians: the Dissenters. But could he do something so rash? Dissenters couldn’t stand in Parliament. They couldn’t send their sons to schools. They could not enter all professions. Locally they were being persecuted by Lady Elizabeth Mercer. This great owner of property evicted Dissenters from her cottages right and left. “Yet,” Willy argued with himself, “look at what these Dissenters have done for me.”
― Sam Wellman, William Carey

“Willy began to avidly read the Bible and books from Nichols’ small library. Books by Jeremy Taylor taught him how a person tries to attain greater holiness in his life. Apparently this quest for personal holiness was the thrust behind John Wesley’s Methodism too. For the first time Willy began to think maybe a Christian needed to do more than attend church.”
― Sam Wellman, William Carey

“As he learned more from his father in school he was led to reading every book he could find as long as it was not too religious. Of course he devoured books on botany and insects and birds. But he read other books as well. For his curiosity was compelling. In this way he discovered the power of books. As much as he loved his surroundings he now realized only books could now take him outside his surroundings. He did read the Bible but he read only the historical books of the Old Testament as adventure stories.”
― Sam Wellman, William Carey

“So, as William honed his skill at Bengali, his thoughts vacillated from triumph to failure. ‘Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God’ he reminded himself. What could be more ambitious, festering in a muddy forest with a distraught wife, than to begin translating the Bible into Bengali?”
― Sam Wellman, William Carey

“He even traipsed to a temple with Ram Ram Basu to debate two Brahmins in front of about 200 natives. His mission never seemed more right as he heard Brahmins explain the wooden image of a man riding the back of a tiger was Dukkinroy, the god of the woods, and the wooden image of a headless woman riding a headless horse was Sheetulla, the goddess of smallpox. “This is idolatry,” he told them in stumbling words with the help of Ram Ram Basu. “It is wicked.” And he went on to try to explain how the only way to salvation was through Christ.”
― Sam Wellman, William Carey

“By the beginning of May he was so disturbed by Dolly’s constant unhappiness, often goaded into great outbursts of complaining by unthinking Kitty, he wrote: I have none of those helps and encouragements from my family that many have - they are rather enemies to the work that I have undertaken but though I find it extremely difficult to know how to act with propriety, and sometimes perhaps act indiscreetly, yet I find that support in God which I can find no where else, and perhaps these trials are designed to put me upon trusting and seeking happiness from the Lord alone.[15]”
― Sam Wellman, William Carey

“Dolly’s joy over the move was short-lived. She learned Charles Short had proposed to Kitty. And Kitty had accepted. They would be living both in Debhatta and in Calcutta. Dolly was dazed. “How did I not know?” she asked William and became more outspoken than ever. “How I detest India!” William”
― Sam Wellman, William Carey

“One of the Indian boys says we must not pile any more wood,” said Kitty. “Why?” She looked at William angrily as if she expected he would lie to her no matter what. William was tired of trying to smooth things over. It was impossible in such a place. So he said simply, “Piles of wood on this barren ground attract cobras.” “Poisonous snakes,” muttered Kitty. “What else?” “I am going to pray every moment of every day For God to deliver me from this place,” muttered Dolly as she rose to put Jabez to bed. One”
― Sam Wellman, William Carey

“The energetic Thomas soon had William and Ram Ram Basu with him as he began itinerant preaching. They traveled by boat and by foot to the small villages in the riverine countryside. Watery rice paddies seemed to glimmer everywhere. Most villagers were Hindus, but a few were Muslims. William learned to distinguish which of the two religions an Indian claimed. Except for the handful of wealthy Indians who wore a variety of silks and brocaded clothes the peasants of the two religious cultures dressed in simple cotton cloth but quite differently. The Hindus wore clothing that ‘draped’, the Muslims ‘tailored’. A”
― Sam Wellman, William Carey

“To his amazement Doctor Thomas advanced into the midst of the market and began to preach. People gathered to listen. That was a very encouraging sign to William. The Indians were smiling too, white teeth dazzling in dark faces. Thomas preached for a very long time. After his long sermon some Indians approached the travelers to offer them curry and rice on large plantain leaves. “Come to our village,” they said earnestly. William”
― Sam Wellman, William Carey

“Through Thomas, William met John Newton, nearly 70, a well-known Anglican churchman once from Olney. Newton had been a slave runner, his soul redeemed during a violent storm at sea. About God’s saving grace he had written a poem, later set to music and sung widely as a hymn called ‘Amazing Grace’. After being introduced to John Newton, William had a momentary lapse of confidence in his mission. “But what if we are turned back because we have no licenses?” he asked Newton. The crusty Newton seemed surprised at the timidity in the question. “Why, conclude that your Lord has nothing for you to accomplish there.” He gave William a stern look. “But if he has something there for you to do, no power on earth can stop you!” He quickly dismissed William’s worry. “Say, I know you good men surely must oppose the abomination of slavery. I want you to meet the man who will champion its abolition to a conclusion.” So”
― Sam Wellman, William Carey

“Apparently Doctor Thomas went to Charles Grant in London,” continued Andrew Fuller, uncharacteristically subdued. “Grant is now one of the Directors of the East India Company. Thomas was refused licenses. Apparently the government is no longer indifferent to missionaries but hostile...”
― Sam Wellman, William Carey

“If you really try to know the Hindus you will observe that all castes have several very formal ceremonies. Three are most important. Twelve days after birth the baby is placed in a swinging cot above twelve candles and the priest announces his name. The second ceremony is marriage, which has usually been arranged by the parents. However if a man becomes wealthy he may add wives of his own choice, and as many as he can afford! The last ceremony is for the death. The Hindus believe the soul, trapped in the skull, can only be released by sacred fire. So they burn the dead. They make sure the skull is burned up or is broken open. Three days later they scatter the ashes into a river...” “Why”
― Sam Wellman, William Carey

“That October twelve of the ministers finally committed their congregations to the society they defined in a resolution: Humbly desirous of making an effort for the propagation of the Gospel amongst the Heathen, according to the recommendations of Carey’s Enquiry, we unanimously resolve to act in Society together for this purpose; and, as in the divided state of Christendom each denomination, by exerting itself separately, seems likeliest to accomplish the great end, we name this the Particular Baptist Society for the Propagation of the Gospel amongst the Heathen.[7]”
― Sam Wellman, William Carey

“William leaped to his feet. “Is nothing going to be done again, sir?” he shouted at Fuller. He faced the ministers. “You are like Moses’ scouts who came back to Kadesh to say, ‘We saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers...’” “But they lied,” protested one of the ministers. “Perhaps not. Perhaps they allowed their own minds, their own fears, their own doubts, to trick them.” Andrew Fuller seemed shaken. “I move to reopen for business.” “I second the motion,” said William. “All in favor, raise their hand,” said Fuller as he glared at the other ministers. A majority raised their hands!”
― Sam Wellman, William Carey

“Next morning at 10 o’clock William had a unique opportunity. For it was he who would deliver the sermon for the meeting. And to the discomfort of many there he preached on Isaiah 54. “‘Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes’!” he exhorted his fellow ministers. Once again he had delivered his message of obligation to convert the heathen. Finally he concluded, “Brothers, expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God.” Young John Ryland looked shaken. “Brother Carey, I think you have proved our negligence in this cause of God.” Bringing John Ryland to the cause was a great step forward. William knew he already had one powerful ally in Andrew Fuller. But at the business meeting later, not only was no money allocated toward a missionary society but not one minister seconded William’s motion to form a society. William slumped in his chair, his mind reeling. “This”
― Sam Wellman, William Carey

“Far distances and language barriers never stopped traders, he argued. Who could deny that? So the missionary must not be stopped either. Hunger would rarely be an obstacle, insisted William. The missionary could farm, fish and hunt. But nevertheless the missionary must be resolved to face poverty, poor housing and unrelenting hard work. And yes, he may also face hatred, intimidation, imprisonment, torture and even death. His”
― Sam Wellman, William Carey