Page:The Bengal Obituary.djvu/357

REVEREND WILLIAM CAREY, D. D advantages enjoyed so fully by the Missionaries and Clergymen who now come forth to India? That brethren deen evident from the language of Fuller ascribed to the workings of his brother Carey's mind for the preceding nine or ten years, in which he observes that his con ersations, prayers, and sermons, were mostly accompanied with something relative to this subject ; He possessed at the same time a great thirst for Geographical knowledge, and a remark imate friends were, for several years past induced to think that he was formed for some such peculiar undertaking, that he should have acquired a knowledge of the learned languages, while labouring with his hands to supply the wants of an he he able aptitude at learning languages; so that increasing family, or faithfully discharging his ministry among an affectionate people, in a Chure he Saviour, by his blessing on his pastoral labours, was pleased to double, in the four years he ministered to them, will appear singular to many." So fully capable was he of going forward alone, in the study of a language when once placed in the proper course, that he could be at no loss, after his acquaintance with Mr. Sutcliff and Dr. Ryland, both suffi ciently familiar with Classical and Hebrew literature, and who as they found him so much more ready than themselves in acquiring languages, would compassionate his want of leisure, amidst the labours of his calling and the cares of a family, and naturally give him the best instructions in It was in these later four years of pastoral labour that he gave a proof of his power of acquiring a language, which filled Fuller, Sutcliff, and Ryland, with surprize. In their theological researches ence in prosecu ous writings on Faith) it was found desirable to have recourse to certain Dutch they were not found in an English dress, and neither Fuller, Sutcliff, nor Ryland, were willing to undertake the labour of learning Dutch merely to obtain Carey, understanding the case, however, instantly sat down to the language of Holland, as he had to that of Rome, Greece, and Palestine, and in about three months, presented them, to their astonishment, with a translation of the author they so much desired to peruse. It is manifest therefore, although he as yet knew it not, that Providence was training him up with a view to his giving divines. How to do this was the difficul the word of God in the classic language of India, and its kindred and multi India was quite out of the thoughts of both Carey and his colleagues. Within a few months after ety was formed, Providence brought it before them John Thomas, formerly Surgeon of the Oxford" Indiaman, had gone out to India in his Medical capacity, as early as 1783. On his arrival in Calcutta, he who had been brought to the knowledge of the Saviour about two people there; but finding none, at length put the following ion Soc advertisement in the India Gazette of November Ist, 1783: " Religious Society." " A plan is now forming for the more effectually spreading the knowledge of Jesus and his glorious nd about Bengal; any serious ons of any denomination, os in a or oor who would heartily approve of, join in, or gladly forward such an undertaking, are hereby invited to inclination, that they may enjoy the satisfaction of forming a communion, the most comfortable, and the most exalted in the world. Direct for A. B. C. to be y of thei he most us left with the Editor." To this the following answer was received the next daya open a subscription for a translation of the New Testament into the Persian and Moorish languages (under the direction of proper persons) he will meet with every assistance he can desire, and a com ence." Who the writer of this note was Mr. Thomas ough on his second, to Bengal, in 1786, in the same capacity, he found three or four Christian friends connected with the family of the late Charles Grant, Esq. who had not then left India ; by these, and afterwards by Mr Grant himself, he was received in the kindest manner; and on Mr. Grant's removing from Malda to Caleutta, Mr. Thomas preached in his house every Sunday evening. Soon after, a friend gave him to understand that Mr. Grant wished him to stay in the country, to learn the language, and preach the Gospel to the Hindoos. To this he felt averse at first, but after much prayer, and many tears," to ion, he gave himself up to this work, and God removed difficulties out of the way, in the conversion of two Europeans previously complete deists. He now began to translate the scriptures into Bengalee, and actually umber of subseribers to defray the was never able to discov but he was able to do no more in t use his own expr and encouraged him by adding two seals to his first labot inished Matthew, and eirculated it in manuscript; for respecting it he says in his letter to Mr. Fulle There are several Brahmins who have the book of Matthew families and among hands, who read it in their At the end of 1791, Mr. Thomas returned to Britain, with the hope of obtaining help in this good work, both as to men and money This, coming to the ears of Carey and his friends, they requested Mr. Fuller to write to Mr. Thomas, se and in reply to the request a letter was written (from which these culars are extracted) fu in their Missionary plans. The infant Missionary Society deemed this a call to Bengal: and the inquiry now was, who will go to India with Mr. Thomas? No one of Carey's friends offered; but on the question being put to him, (now in his thirty-second year, with a wife, and three children, and Mrs. Carey ready to be confined with a fourth) he at once answeredYes:" and as his wife was so near the time of her confinement, he made up his mind to take only his eldest son with him, It was on the 1st of April 1793, that he parted from his beloved flock at Leicester, with this determination, But through the mysterious ways of Providence and to leave the rest of his fami Providence should open the way fo owin ending to come out in an English vessel. he and Mr. Thomas were disappointed in ces oc casioned a delay of nearly two montl