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The Life of William Carey: Shoe-Maker Missionary
Excerpt from The Life of William Carey: Shoe-Maker Missionary: On the death of William Carey in 1834 Dr. Joshua Marshman promised to write the Life of his great colleague, with whom he had held almost daily converse since the beginning of the century, but he survived too short a time to begin the work. In 1836 the Rev. Eustace Carey anticipated him by issuing what is little better than a selection of mutilated letters and journals made at the request of the Committee of the Baptist Missionary Society. It contains one passage of value, however. Dr. Carey once said to his nephew, whose design he seems to have suspected, "Eustace, if after my removal any one should think it worth his while to write my Life, I will give you a criterion by which you may judge of its correctness. If he give me credit for being a plodder he will describe me justly. Anything beyond this will be too much. I can plod. I can persevere in any definite pursuit. To this I owe everything."
In 1859 Mr. John Marshman, after his final return to Eng land, published The Life and Times of Carey, Marshman, and Ward, a valuable history and defence of the Serampore Mission, but rather a biography of his father than of Carey.
When I first went to Serampore the great missionary had not been twenty years dead. During my long residence there as Editor of the Friend of India, I came to know, in most of its details, the nature of the work done by Carey for India and for Christendom in the first third of the century. I began to collect such materials for his Biography as were to be found in the office, the press, and the college, and among the Native Christians and Brahman pundits whom he had influenced.
In 1859 Mr. John Marshman, after his final return to Eng land, published The Life and Times of Carey, Marshman, and Ward, a valuable history and defence of the Serampore Mission, but rather a biography of his father than of Carey.
When I first went to Serampore the great missionary had not been twenty years dead. During my long residence there as Editor of the Friend of India, I came to know, in most of its details, the nature of the work done by Carey for India and for Christendom in the first third of the century. I began to collect such materials for his Biography as were to be found in the office, the press, and the college, and among the Native Christians and Brahman pundits whom he had influenced.
498 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1885
About the author
George Smith
48 books1 followerLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Scottish educator and journalist in India, mission administrator and biographer.
Scottish educator and journalist in India, mission administrator and biographer.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 8, 2025
Disclaimer: I only listened to this one on Spotify.
George Smith, a linguist and Assyriologist, wrote this biography of William Carey (1761 - 1834) in 1885. The work was intended to detail and celebrate the life and work of the first modern missionary. The book, full of primary source material, provides a great remembrance of the man who wished to be forgotten. Due to the author's interest, the biography does appear skewed towards Carey’s linguistic, academic, and anthropological achievement rather than his work proclaiming Christ. That said, Smith’s rendering does not seem to be maliciously biased in this direction, but simply to take on the author’s own interest. Anyone who takes up this biography will be astounded by what God was pleased to accomplish through “A wretched, poor, and helpless worm.”
George Smith, a linguist and Assyriologist, wrote this biography of William Carey (1761 - 1834) in 1885. The work was intended to detail and celebrate the life and work of the first modern missionary. The book, full of primary source material, provides a great remembrance of the man who wished to be forgotten. Due to the author's interest, the biography does appear skewed towards Carey’s linguistic, academic, and anthropological achievement rather than his work proclaiming Christ. That said, Smith’s rendering does not seem to be maliciously biased in this direction, but simply to take on the author’s own interest. Anyone who takes up this biography will be astounded by what God was pleased to accomplish through “A wretched, poor, and helpless worm.”
January 20, 2015
From shoemaker to Missionary!!
Excellent missionary story. William Carey knew what mattered most in life. That was his labor of love for laying up treasures in heaven. Learning languages for the written Word of God that ALL could hear about Jesus and be saved! He learned Latin, Hebrew, Greek for translating the scriptures.
He knew in whom he believed and was persuaded that He was able to keep that which he had committed until God called him to his eternal home one day!!
Excellent missionary story. William Carey knew what mattered most in life. That was his labor of love for laying up treasures in heaven. Learning languages for the written Word of God that ALL could hear about Jesus and be saved! He learned Latin, Hebrew, Greek for translating the scriptures.
He knew in whom he believed and was persuaded that He was able to keep that which he had committed until God called him to his eternal home one day!!
March 13, 2017
An old, lengthy biography of William Carey with some very good first hand accounts, but also with a good amount or rather dull reading. Nevertheless, a biography of William Carey is truly inspiring and encouraging, also this one!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews