Research Paper: The Calling of William Carey
Walter Dean Troup
GLST605: History and Theory of Global Engagement (D01)
December 8, 2023
Contents
William Carey, Missionary to India................................................................................................2
Carey’s Missiological Approach.....................................................................................................6
Equal Footing.......................................................................................................................6
Team Effort..........................................................................................................................9
Dignity and Social Reform................................................................................................12
Application of Carey’s Principles in Contemporary Missions......................................................13
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................18
Bibliography..................................................................................................................................19
ii
1
This paper aims to shine a light on William Carey, an Englishman who felt a strong
calling to take the gospel message of Jesus Christ to a place where there were no churches or a
translation of the Bible in the local language. Through his life and ministry, he lived out his
calling as he journeyed to a foreign land to tell people about their greatest need: a relationship
with the Creator of the universe through Jesus Christ. Looking into Carey’s calling, specific
lessons can be gleaned to help modern-day missionaries fulfill their calling to glorify God and
make him known. From a biblical context, the examples of God’s calling of individuals can be
seen in the pages of the Old and New Testament (Genesis 6:13, Genesis 12:1-9, Exodus 3:10,
Matthew 4:19, Acts 9:17-19). An example of missionaries being sent out can be dated back to
the time of the disciples of Jesus Christ. While Jesus was in his earthly ministry, he called his
disciples together, and “he sent them out to@proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal” (Luke 9:2,
English Standard Version). Then, after his resurrection, he instructed them to go and “make
disciples of@all nations” (Matthew 28:19). The ability to accomplish this would be by the power
of the promised Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8).
Since then, many followers of Christ have understood the importance of the gospel being
proclaimed to the whole world. Moreover, many Christians throughout history, including
William Carey, have taken up the duty to leave a familiar place and lifestyle so that those who
have never heard about Jesus would call upon his name and be saved (Romans 10:13). This
proclamation of the gospel to unfamiliar lands was William Carey’s missionary calling.
William Carey, Missionary to India
William Carey was born in 1761 in England, and from ages sixteen to twenty-eight,
Carey worked as a village shoemaker. It was then that he came to Christ through salvation.1 At
1 George Smith, The Life of William Carey: Shoemaker & Missionary (Champaign, IL: Bookjungle.com,
2008), 3.
2
eighteen, “Carey was thus emptied of self and there was room for Christ.”2 In the notes of the
first public meeting of the Baptist Missionary Society in London, dated October 5th, 1783, the
following entry was made: “I baptised in the river Nen, a little beyond Dr. Doddridge's meeting-
house at Northampton, a poor journeyman shoemaker, little thinking that before nine years had
elapsed, he would prove the first instrument of forming a society for sending missionaries from
England to preach the gospel to the heathen.”3 This poor journeyman shoemaker would one day
follow his calling, depart his country, and set out to preach to those who had never heard the
name of Jesus. Following in the footsteps and calling of the Apostle Paul (Romans 10:14-15,
Romans 15:20), William Carey would leave a legacy and example for future generations. He
would be recognized as the father of modern-day missions.4
While pastoring in Moulton, a group of ministers were gathered when John Ryland Jr
asked for someone to bring up a topic for discussion. Carey stood up and proposed, “The duty of
Christians to attempt the spread of the gospel among heathen nations.”5 At this suggestion,
Ryland replied, “Young man, sit down. When God pleases to convert the heathen, He will do it
without your aid or mine.”6 This was not the response he was expecting. Following the words of
Paul when he said, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel: it is the power of God for salvation to
every one who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16). Carey believed
that every person should have a chance to hear the gospel in their own language. He fully
2 Ibid., 10.
3 Ibid.
4 Sharon Rusten with E. Michael,@The Complete Book of When & Where in the Bible and throughout
History@(Wheaton, IL: Michael E Rusten, 2005), 327.
5 Timothy George,@Faithful Witness: The Life and Mission of William Carey@(United States: Christian
History Institute in association with Samford University, 1998), 53.
6 Timothy George,@Faithful Witness: The Life and Mission of William Carey@(United States: Christian
History Institute in association with Samford University, 1998), 53.
3
understood that Jesus called every Christian to be a witness to the world in which they lived
(Acts 1:8).
In reference to William Carey’s specific “calling” to a foreign mission field, although it
was from God, it could have come from a most unusual source. Ott points out that reports were
circulating in the 18th century from Caption James Cook and his adventurous travels.7 These
reports “captured the imagination of many Christians, sparking curiosity and the romance of
meeting ‘noble savages’ in exotic and faraway places.”8 Ott adds, "Such information stimulated
the interest of key figures such as William Carey.”9 Smith adds, “Without it, he may never have
launched out into the deep—or headed off for the backwoods of Bengal.”10 What burned in
Carey’s heart was a passion for the gospel to be received by everyone. It would be his calling.
His life and desire were pushed by the thought that Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Luke
19:10), and he was invited to play a part in achieving that. His calling would take him away
from what he knew as familiar to fulfill his calling in India.
Before his departure in 1792, he authored the pamphlet An Enquiry into the Obligations
of Christians, to Use Means for the Conversion of the Heathens.11 Through this pamphlet, you
could see his calling to make Jesus known to all people and the hope that others would join. The
Enquiry “surveys the scope of the problem, challenges commonplace objections to the work, and
7 Craig Ott, Stephen J. Strauss, and Timothy C. Tennent, Encountering Theology of Mission: Biblical
Foundations, Historical Developments, and Contemporary Issues, ed. A. Scott Moreau, Encountering Mission
(Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2010), 174.
8 Ibid.
9 Ibid.
10 A. Christopher Smith, “A Tale of Many Models: The Missiological Significance of the Serampore Trio,”
Missiology: An International Review 20, no. 4 (1992): 479–500, https://doi.org/10.1177/009182969202000405, 480.
11 William Carey and Ernest A. Payne,@An Enquiry into the Obligations of Christians to Use Means for the
Conversion of the Heathens@(Rochester, NY: Scholar’s Choice, 2015).
4
emphasizes the need for workers.”12 He wrote that the work would not be easy, and the support
for reaching the heathens would not come from government agencies but from those believers
back at home.13
Carey would use Paul’s text from Romans 12:1-2 for the last message he preached,
emphasizing giving your life as a living sacrifice and encouraging them to “let it go.”14 This
same thought is echoed through the faithful lives of those mentioned in Hebrews 11. In each
circumstance, individuals like Noah, Abraham, David, and Samuel received a calling on their
lives and lived that calling out because of their faith. Carey was no different, and he was
standing on the edge of living out the calling on his own life. On his departure, Carey
encouraged those back at home, “I will go down, if you will hold the rope.”15 And with that,
Carey sailed to India, never to return to England.16
Carey set out to fulfill his calling with a single purpose: to bring the gospel message to a
place and a people who had never heard. This purpose would be accomplished in many ways
through the years, but ultimately, everything pointed to Jesus Christ. Arriving in Calcutta in
November 1793, Carey began to exercise his calling by finding employment in an indigo factory.
This would allow him daily contact with the people of India as he would travel to nearby villages
to learn the Bengali and Hindi languages.17 As a Baptist missionary, Carey was refused
12 Jeffrey W. Barbeau,@Religion in Romantic England: An Anthology of Primary Sources@(Waco, TX:
Baylor University Press, 2018), 437.
13 Ibid.
14 Timothy George,@Faithful Witness: The Life and Mission of William Carey@(United States: Christian
History Institute in association with Samford University, 1998), 78.
15 Larry W. Sharp,@The Greatest Missionary Generation: Inspiring Stories from around the World@(Peabody,
MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 2021), Chapter 7.
16 Jeffrey W. Barbeau,@Religion in Romantic England: An Anthology of Primary Sources@(Waco, TX:
Baylor University Press, 2018), 436.
17 Jeffrey W. Barbeau,@Religion in Romantic England: An Anthology of Primary Sources@(Waco, TX:
Baylor University Press, 2018), 436.
5
permission to minister in Bengali by the East India Company because he was not an Anglican
missionary. Not allowing this to stop him from his calling, he moved to Serampore,
concentrating on northern India.18 There, Carey and “his colleagues developed a thriving
missionary network”19 in December 1801. They saw their first Hindu conversion eight years after
stepping off the boat from England. In the next two decades, there would be 1,407 recorded
baptisms by Carey and his team.20 In addition, Carey would translate the Bible into six different
Indian languages and portions of the Bible into twenty-nine other languages.21 Aside from the
conversions and translation of the Bible, Carey also worked to “abolish suttee, the practice of a
widow committing suicide following her husband’s death.”22 These accomplishments point back
to Carey’s first hearing of the stories of Captain Cook, pulling his heart with a calling to reach
those in foreign lands who had no access to the Word of God in their language and no
understanding of what Jesus Christ had done for them. William Carey died in 1834 and was
buried in Serampore, India.
Taking a calling to share the message of Christ and serve people in a foreign land, never
returning to his homeland, is a feat rarely seen today in missionary circles. How did he fulfill his
calling? What was his thought process? What was his missiological approach as he stepped into
India?
18 Ibid.
19 Ibid.
20 Ibid., 437.
21 Ibid.
22 Ibid.
6
Carey’s Missiological Approach
As stated above, the purpose of Carey’s calling was to reach people who had never heard
the gospel or had access to the Word of GOD with the message of Jesus Christ. He lived out this
calling in various ways. Carey exercised respect for the local people. He connected with them
face-to-face, knowing he could not reach them from afar. Secondly, Carey’s calling would lead
him to build a team of missionaries with talents and abilities beyond his own; thus, this team
effort would have a greater reach. Thirdly, Carey would live out his calling to reach the people
of India by bringing dignity and social reform. All these three areas encompassed Carey’s
calling to reveal the one true God and the work of his son Jesus Christ.
Equal Footing
William Carey respected the Indian people; his love stretched across the dividing waters
even before he arrived. He knew from the Scriptures that followers of Christ must exhibit love
for every man (Romans 1:16, Acts 26:23, 1 Corinthians 1:24). This love and respect for other
people can also be seen through the words of Jesus about himself. He said he was sent for
“whoever believes in him” (John 3:16). Later, Jesus would point to the importance of loving
other people. He said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I
have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are my
disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35). Carey didn’t want to minister from
a distance; he knew he needed to be with the people to learn the culture and language and
appreciate who they were.
As Carey began to act on his calling, perhaps the words from the Enquiry were fresh in
his mind. One of the principles stated in the pamphlet was that “missionaries must be on equal
7
footing, companions, of the people among whom they minister.”23 This thought of “equal
footing” can be seen as Carey entered the country. In his journal of letters, Carey spoke of the
missionaries' approach to the Indian people. He wrote, “A missionary must be one of the
companions, and equals of the peoples to whom he is sent and many dangers and temptations
will be in his way.”24 Carey would continue his entry by focusing on two warnings regarding the
connection with the people a missionary is called to serve. First, “be exceedingly cautious lest
the voyage prove a great snare.”25 Carey was mindful of the attitude that could develop on the
ship as it headed toward the mission field. He wrote, “All the discourse is about High Life, and
every circumstance will contribute to unfit the mind for the Work, and prejudice the soul against
the people to whom he goes and in a country like this the grandeur, the Customs, and prejudices
of the Europeans is exceedingly dangerous.”26 This entry was made on December 26, 1793,
barely one month after arriving in India. Surly, the activities he warns about were seen on the
ship ride from England to India.
Working in the factory and moving about in the various villages, Carey showed respect
and love for the people, which was more than words. He was doing “life” with them. George
Smith pointed out that Carey wasn’t like the Jesuit missionaries “whose idea of equality with the
people was not that of brotherhood in Christ, but that of dragging down Christian doctrine,
worship and civilisation, to the level of idolatrous heathenism, and deluding the ignorant into
accepting the blasphemous compromise.”27 As a show of respect towards the Indian people,
Carey would learn the local language of Bengali to reach the people effectively and minister to
23 Timothy George,@Faithful Witness: The Life and Mission of William Carey@(United States: Christian
History Institute in association with Samford University, 1998), 100.
24 William Carey and Terry G. Carter, The Journal and Selected Letters of William Carey (Macon, GA:
Smyth & Helwys, 2000), 132.
25 Ibid.
26 Ibid.
8
them through their language. This was also the beginning of the translation work of the Bible
into Bengali.
With Carey’s love of the Indian people, he had “an immense respect for the Indian
culture, and saw the need for an indigenous Indian church. Instead of spending a lot of time
condemning the Hindu religion, he affirmed the death and resurrection of Christ.”28 Using this
respect for the people and their culture, Carey displayed the heart and love that the Apostle Paul
had for the people of Athens. He took time to walk the streets, stroll through the market, get to
know the people, and understand their culture before standing at the Areopagus and proclaiming
that he knew their unknown god (Acts 17:16-34). Most of the people that day put him off for
further discussion, “But some men joined him and believed” (Acts 17:34). This was the calling
of William Carey. He was called to go and preach and introduce the people to the one true God.
Like Paul, many heard but did not follow. While Paul proclaimed the message of Christ in a
language that the culture understood, only a few followed. Carey experienced a similar situation.
However, he respected and loved the Indian people so much that he persevered for eight years
until the first Hindu came to a saving knowledge of Christ.29 His closeness and involvement with
the people and their culture would be the first step to reaching them through his calling.
Team Effort
While the name William Carey has spoken from the past as a foundational figure in the
modern mission movement through the years, he certainly did not go at it alone. A second area
of Carey’s missiological approach included a team effort. Carey would build a team of
27 George Smith,@The Life of William Carey: Shoemaker & Missionary@(Champaign, IL: Bookjungle.com,
2008), Chapter 4.
28 Timothy George,@Faithful Witness: The Life and Mission of William Carey@(United States: Christian
History Institute in association with Samford University, 1998), 100.
29 Jeffrey W. Barbeau,@Religion in Romantic England: An Anthology of Primary Sources@(Waco, TX:
Baylor University Press, 2018), 437.
9
missionaries with talents and abilities beyond his own; thus, this team effort would have a greater
reach. Smith warns that contemporary day thinkers must be careful to understand that he did not
go at it alone. While this paper speaks exclusively on the missionary calling of William Carey,
one cannot overlook his part in working together with a team on the foreign mission field to live
out his calling. In Carey’s journal dated November 16, 1796, to Fuller, he writes that seven or
eight families would be a healthy addition to the mission and help in various areas, including
caring for each other and leading in worship, learning, and preaching.30
Those team members who were of significance in helping Carey live out his calling were
Joshua Marshman and William Ward. Smith writes, “Without Joshua Marshman and William
Ward, the godly shoemaker would never have been writ large in Protestant mission history.”31 In
1799, Carey was compelled to relocate from Bengal to the Danish community of Serampore,
where he met up with Ward and Marshman. The three latter would be dubbed "the Serampore
Trio" by biographers.32 Bagchi states, "Recent historical work has shown that they were, in fact,
a quartet. Hannah Marshman, Joshua’s wife, was also a leading intellectual and executive figure
in the mission at Serampore and eventually spearheaded the move to educate girls.”33 This team
effort would become essential as the mission moved forward. Smith quickly states, "Ward and
the Marshmans freed him up uniquely to engage in a specialized ministry that gained public
acclaim.”34 This ensured that through their various callings, talents, and abilities, the Serampore
30 William Carey and Terry G. Carter, The Journal and Selected Letters of William Carey (Macon, GA:
Smyth & Helwys, 2000), 136-137.
31 Ibid.
32 A. Christopher Smith, “A Tale of Many Models: The Missiological Significance of the Serampore Trio,”
Missiology: An International Review 20, no. 4 (1992): 479–500, https://doi.org/10.1177/009182969202000405, 481.
33 Barnita Bagchi, Eckhardt Fuchs, and Kate Rousmaniere, Connecting Histories of Education (Berghahn
Books, 2014), 85.
34 A. Christopher Smith, “The Legacy of William Ward and Joshua and Hannah Marshman,” International
Bulletin of Missionary Research 23, no. 3 (1999): 120–129, https://doi.org/10.1177/239693939902300306, 120.
10
Trio could effectively reach the people of India with one sole purpose: to bring the love of the
one true God to a country drowning in polytheism. In doing this, “Carey and his cohort
unselfconsciously demonstrated over and over again that they were pragmatiste who were ready
to employ all sorts of means, and were prepared to exploit all sorts of opportunities, to advance
"the Redeemer's cause" in British India and beyond.”35 Thus helping Carey continue to carry out
his calling to see the people of India come to Christ.
As mentioned, The Marchmans added to this missionary team in education. Joshua
Marshman followed his love of education and his belief that the gospel needed to be proclaimed
in India. He did this by administering “various educational projects to render the new Baptist
mission self-supporting.”36 Smith adds, “With an iron constitution and formidable drive, he
outlived his comrades and vigorously challenged young missionary recruits to exert themselves
in evangelizing India.”37 Just as the Apostle Paul instructed Timothy to stand firm in the doctrine
and faith in which he taught (1 Timothy 1:3-11), Joshua Marshman understood the importance of
advancing the gospel by those he trained, encouraged, and prepared for the ministry and mission.
Joshua co-founded “the Serampore College (1818), was responsible for most of its
administration, and lectured on various historical and theological subjects.”38 Hannah, Joshua’s
wife, played an essential role in the Serampore mission and outlasted the “Trio” in serving for
forty-seven years.39 Upon their arrival in 1799, “she promptly set up a fee-paying boarding
35 A. Christopher Smith, “A Tale of Many Models: The Missiological Significance of the Serampore Trio,”
Missiology: An International Review 20, no. 4 (1992): 479–500, https://doi.org/10.1177/009182969202000405, 485.
36 A. Christopher Smith, “The Legacy of William Ward and Joshua and Hannah Marshman,” International
Bulletin of Missionary Research 23, no. 3 (1999): 120–129, https://doi.org/10.1177/239693939902300306, 124.
37 A. Christopher Smith, “The Legacy of William Ward and Joshua and Hannah Marshman,” International
Bulletin of Missionary Research 23, no. 3 (1999): 120–129, https://doi.org/10.1177/239693939902300306, 124.
38 Ibid., 125.
39 Ibid., 124.
11
school in Serampore for Anglo-Indians. This would provide vital funds for the welfare of the
Baptist missionary community by the Hooghly.”40 While women were not recognized as
“missionaries” by the Baptist Missionary Society, she would impact India by organizing and
directing elementary schools for girls and serving as a counselor for Bengali and British
women.41
The team approach instituted by Carey would reach different people by different means but
under the same calling: bring people to an understanding of Jesus Christ and his redemptive
work on the cross.
Dignity and Social Reform
William Carey stepped into his calling when he left England to introduce the people of
India to Jesus Christ. Curtis writes, "Carey became increasingly obsessed with the obligation for
Christians to bring the Gospel to multitudes abroad.”42 But with the calling to bring Jesus to the
people who had never heard his name, Carey also believed that the gospel, in addition, would
bring social reform, and he worked to that end. He spoke of this in The Enquiry before his
departure. Carey asked, “Can we hear that they are without the gospel—without government,
without laws, and without arts and sciences—and not exert ourselves to introduce amongst them
the sentiments of men and of Christians? Would not the spread of the gospel be the most
effectual means of their civilization?”43 Over his years in India, his calling to bring the gospel and
the effects on social change became evident. “Carey saw India not as a foreign country to be
40 Ibid., 122.
41 Ibid., 124.
42 A. Kenneth Curtis, J. Stephen Lang, and Randy Petersen, The 100 Most Important Events in Christian
History (Grand Rapids, MI: Flemming H. Revell, 2020), 1793 William Carey Sails for India.
43 Jeffrey W. Barbeau,@Religion in Romantic England: An Anthology of Primary Sources@(Waco, TX:
Baylor University Press, 2018), 440-441.
12
exploited, but as his heavenly Father’s land to be loved and served, a society where truth, not
ignorance, needed to rule.”44
In their book, The Legacy of William Carey: A Model for the Transformation of a
Culture, authors Ruth and Vishal Mangalwadi highlight multiple ways that Carey brought
dignity and social reform to the nation of India through his calling. One of the ways was through
his establishment of a savings bank “to fight the all-pervasive social evil of usury.”45 In this,
“Carey believed that God, being righteous, hated usury, and that lending at interest rates of 36 to
72 percent made investment, industry, commerce, and economic development impossible.”46 In
addition, Carey would be seen as the father of print technology in India and “established the first
newspaper ever printed in any oriental language, because he believed that, ‘Above all forms of
truth and faith, Christianity seeks free discussion.’”47
First and foremost, the calling of William Carey was to bring the light of the gospel
message of Jesus Christ to the nation of India. But as he lived out his calling from 1793 to 1834,
connecting with the people he came to serve, building a team to expand the reach of the gospel,
and creating dignity and social reform, above all, “Carey was an evangelist who used every
available medium to illumine every dark facet of Indian life with the light of truth.”48 That was
his missionary calling.
44 Vishal Mangalwadi, Ruth Mangalwadi, and Ralph D. Winter, The Legacy of William Carey: A Model
for the Transformation of a Culture (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1999), 24-25.
45 Ibid., 18.
46 Vishal Mangalwadi, Ruth Mangalwadi, and Ralph D. Winter, The Legacy of William Carey: A Model
for the Transformation of a Culture (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1999), 18.
47 Ibid., 19.
48 Ibid., 25.
13
Application of Carey’s Principles in Contemporary Missions
It has been over two hundred years since William Carey boarded a ship from England to
India to live out his missionary calling. His biblical worldview was evident in the words to his
father and Sisters in his memoirs dated April 10, 1796. Carey stated, “The thought of a fellow
creature perishing forever should rouse all of our activity and engage all of our powers…The
matter is desperate. It calls for us to live and act alone for God. [Let us work] with indefatigable
industry, till we can’t find a soul that’s destitute of Christ in all the world.”49 Since then,
countless missionaries have crossed land and sea borders to do the same. In doing so, Carey’s
principles of equal footing, team effort, dignity, and social reform are seen as just as crucial for
contemporary missionaries.
As contemporary missionaries follow their calling to unknown lands, languages, and
customs, it is essential to take Carey’s lead of “equal footing.” As stated before, a new
missionary cannot enter a diverse culture and begin to live in the ways and understandings of
home culture. This was discovered and highlighted by 20th-century anthropologist Frank Boas.
Boas believed that “to understand a culture, therefore, we must study it individually, not as a
representative of some hypothetical stage that exists only in our (North American or European)
minds.”50 He further understood that “Anthropologists needed to go out and gather information
about other cultures themselves, rather than relying on incomplete and biased accounts written
by untrained observers.”51 The anthropologist's approach to going out and gathering information
about the people was the successful approach that Carey used as he stepped into the new culture.
This allowed connection with the people, a beginning of understanding their cultures and ways,
49 E. Carey, Memoir of William Carey, D.D. (Hartford: Robins & Smith, 1844), April 10, 1796.
50 Garrick Alan Bailey and James G. Peoples, Essentials of Cultural Anthropology (Vancouver, B.C.:
Langara College, 2022), 86.
51 Ibid.
14
and ultimately, he was able to begin to understand the Bengali language in preparation for a
coming bible translation.
As contemporary missionaries enter the mission field, it will be vital that they find
themselves on equal footing with those whom they are called to bring the gospel. This principle
is so essential today that it is suggested that mission agencies should not allow a prospective
missionary to enter the field until they have worked and ministered with a similar culture in their
church or home area.52 While this approach may not have been possible in Carey’s day, the
application is understood. Connecting with the culture personally will help missionaries learn
the culture, better understand the use of language, and, most importantly, open up opportunities
to share the gospel.
While equal footing was a principle used by William Carey in his approach to his calling
to India, the Apostle Paul used it in his various dealings with different groups. He wrote to the
Corinthians,
To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as
one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under
the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the
law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the
weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people,
that by all means I might save some (1 Corinthians 9:20-22).
Whatever audience he had, whatever culture he found himself in, he would place himself in the
culture in order that some might be saved. If the whole world will have a chance to hear before
the end comes (Matthew 24:14), it will take a commitment from today’s missionaries to meet the
people where they are.
52 A. Scott Moreau, Gary R. Corwin, and Gary B. McGee, Introducing World Missions: A Biblical,
Historical, and Practical Survey, ed. A. Scott Moreau, Second Edition., Encountering Mission (Grand Rapids, MI:
Baker Academic: A division of Baker Publishing Group, 2015), 175.
15
Contemporary missionaries can also learn from William Carey’s approach to joining
together with other missionaries so their calling can be effectively lived out. Each member of
the Serampore Trio team had unique talents and abilities. William Ward arrived in India and
“became indispensable to the Serampore Mission between 1800 and 1823 as a practical
administrator, printing press manager, a cross-cultural trainer, and pastoral counselor.”53 The
Marshmans, together, focused on education, and Joshua Marshman even set out to translate the
Bible into the Chinese language, even though he was thousands of miles away.54 Completing the
team effort, Carey continued his focus on preaching, teaching, and Bible translation as his main
ministry areas.55 It has been stated here that Carey would not have been pinned with the “father”
title without the help of the team around him,56 pushing contemporary missionaries to see the
importance of going as a team. Moreau highlights that “In many schools and seminaries today
young people form teams prior to even looking for a missions agency.”57 He adds that “they
assign roles within the team that respect the gifting of each individual and yet provide the overall
skill mix that is necessary for mission in a pioneer setting.”58 The skills are various, from
ministry to business skills that will help in fundraising.59 The individuals will work collectively
53 A. Christopher Smith, “The Legacy of William Ward and Joshua and Hannah Marshman,” International
Bulletin of Missionary Research 23, no. 3 (1999): 120–129, https://doi.org/10.1177/239693939902300306, 124.
54 A. Christopher Smith, “The Legacy of William Ward and Joshua and Hannah Marshman,” International
Bulletin of Missionary Research 23, no. 3 (1999): 120–129, https://doi.org/10.1177/239693939902300306, 125.
55 George Smith,@The Life of William Carey: Shoemaker & Missionary@(Champaign, IL: Bookjungle.com,
2008), 76.
56 William Carey and Terry G. Carter, The Journal and Selected Letters of William Carey (Macon, GA:
Smyth & Helwys, 2000), 136-137.
57 A. Scott Moreau, Gary R. Corwin, and Gary B. McGee, Introducing World Missions: A Biblical,
Historical, and Practical Survey, ed. A. Scott Moreau, Second Edition., Encountering Mission (Grand Rapids, MI:
Baker Academic: A division of Baker Publishing Group, 2015), 169.
58 Ibid.
59 Ibid.
16
within their concentrations and be able to work more effectively towards the goal for which they
were called. The Scriptures also highlight the importance of people believers coming together to
be more effective. The Preacher states, “Two are better than one, because they have a good
reward for their toil (Ecclesiastes 4:9), and Jesus sent out his disciples two by two to call for
repentance (Mark 6:7). Modern missionaries, following the approach and example of Carey and
his team can bring new possibilities and added effort as they minister within their calling to reach
people for Jesus Christ.
Finally, as contemporary missionaries look back to the calling, legacy, and principles
established by William Carey, they will see the importance of including dignity and social
reform as they enter their mission field. Carey’s calling was to bring the gospel message to
India. As he proclaimed the message among the people, he discovered areas where he could
affect social change and bring dignity to the people of India. He did this by starting over one
hundred elementary schools, a college for higher education, and textbooks in Bengali education.
As has already been mentioned, Carey helped eliminate the practice of Sati, the burning of
widows after their husbands had died.60 Carey’s calling to bring the gospel to India included
giving dignity to the Indian people and standing up for social change. Modern missionaries have
learned dignity and social change have opened doors to present the gospel. Whether it be
through medical, education, relief, or any other avenue of humanitarian service, missionaries can
be effective in their calling to bring the gospel to the nations. But this calling for dignity and
social reform is not just on the physical well-being of the people who are served. While it is true
that the Christian tradition holds the compassion for every human being (John 15:12) because
they are made in God’s image (Genesis 1:27), Jesus’ words also teach the love of one’s neighbor
60 “William Carey: A Versatile Genius,” Assam Tribune, August 16, 2009, accessed December 8, 2023,
https://go.openathens.net/redirector/liberty.edu?url=https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/william-carey-versatile-
genius/docview/610255229/se-2.
17
(Matthew 22:37-39). Through Jesus’ telling of the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-
37), his definition of “neighbor” would extend to anyone with whom a believer comes in contact.
With this in mind, contemporary missionaries, following the example of William Carey, can use
their humanitarian efforts in concert with their calling and passion so that those who have not
heard would hear and call upon the name of the Lord (Romans 10:13-15). Thiessen points out
that “an examination of the Great Commission and the Great Commandment will again reveal
the interrelations between evangelism and social action. It is simply a mistake to assume the
former is only concerned with evangelism and the latter only with social ministry.”61 Bringing
dignity and social reform to the world's mission fields by contemporary missionaries will work
hand in hand to achieve their ultimate calling to bring the saving gospel message of Christ to
those who have not heard.
Conclusion
The missionary calling of William Carey paved the way for the modern mission
movement that is still active today. His principle of equal footing and connecting face-to-face
with the local Indian people helped him translate a Bible that would reach their hearts in their
vernacular. As his mission progressed through the years, a team effort was formed, and those
who joined him could reach into ministry areas that Carey couldn’t. Finally, he used the
principle of dignity and social reform to help further the gospel message and live out his calling
through the Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20) and the Great Commandment (Matthew
22:34-40).
61 Elmer John Thiessen, The Scandal of Evangelism: A Biblical Study of the Ethics of Evangelism (Eugene,
OR: Cascade Books, 2018), Chapter 10.
18
In addition, through these three principles of Equal Footing, Team Effort, and Dignity
and Social Reform, today’s modern missionaries are encouraged by his example and biblical
worldview to reach the people they can through their missionary calling.
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