William Carey

author

William Carey

1761–1834

A self-taught English Baptist preacher and translator, he became one of the best-known pioneers of Protestant missionary work in India. His life joined big religious ambition with practical work in education, printing, and language study.

1 Audiobook

An Enquiry into the Obligations of Christians to Use Means for the Conversion of the Heathens In Which the Religious State of the Different Nations of the World, the Success of Former Undertakings, and the Practicability of Further Undertakings, Are Considered

An Enquiry into the Obligations of Christians to Use Means for the Conversion of the Heathens In Which the Religious State of the Different Nations of the World, the Success of Former Undertakings, and the Practicability of Further Undertakings, Are Considered

by William Carey

About the author

Born in Paulerspury, Northamptonshire, on August 17, 1761, William Carey began life far from fame. He worked as a shoemaker and taught himself widely, developing a strong interest in languages, geography, and the wider world before becoming a Baptist minister.

In 1792 he helped inspire the creation of the Baptist Missionary Society, and the following year he sailed to India. He is especially associated with Serampore, where he worked for decades as a missionary, translator, teacher, and scholar. There he was involved in Bible translation, printing, and education, and helped establish Serampore College.

Carey died in Serampore on June 9, 1834. He is often remembered as a key figure in the rise of modern Protestant missions, but his story is also about patience, study, and the long, everyday work of building institutions that lasted beyond his lifetime.