William Carey: Obliged to Go

Christian Heroes: Then & Now #7

by Janet Benge, Geoff Benge

"Christian Heroes: Then & Now have set a new standard of quality in Christian biography. These thrilling true adventures are the best-written biographies for ages 10 and up! William Carey, "the father of modern missions," displayed a single-minded determination to bring the gospel to the people of India (1761-1834).

Genres: Biography, Christian, Nonfiction, History, Faith, India, School

211 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1998

About the author

Janet and Geoff Benge are a husband and wife writing team with twenty years of writing experience. They are best known for the books in the two series Christian Heroes: Then & Now series and Heroes of History. Janet is a former elementary school teacher. Geoff holds a degree in history. Together they have a passion to make history come alive for a new generation. Originally from New Zealand, the Benges make their home in the Orlando, Florida, area.

Reviews

[Candice · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I need a steady diet of historical Christian missionary biographies to put my comfortable, unchallenged existence into perspective. Carey was determined and faithful. He persisted in sharing the gospel many years without seeing any fruit from his labor. He came from remarkably humble origins and went on to help establish the first missionary society to India, learn multiple languages, and head up a college all with very little formal education.

Mental health is big new these days, but Carey’s life is a reminder that these issues have always been with us. Carey’s wife Dolly’s mental health started to decline after losing children, but Carey stayed faithful and cared for her when she was unable to care for herself or their children.

God was faithful to him through financial ruin, fire and storm, poor health, and political machinations. It was an encouraging read.

[Leslie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was ok. I read it aloud to my daughter as part of our studies on India. In my opinion, the author spent wayyyyy too much time on irrelevant details of William's early life, while not giving equal time to his family life as an adult. I admit that part of my "meh" response to the book was not to the book itself, but to William. While he was a groundbreaking missionary and made a difference in the lives of hundreds (thousands?) of Indians, his lack of care and regard for his wife and children is appalling to this 21st century wife and mom.

[Halie Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

“‘Mr. Duff,’ he said in a feeble voice, ‘you have been speaking about William Carey. When I am gone, say nothing about William Carey—speak only about William Carey’s Savior.’”

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Share the gospel. if necessary, use words!" He didn't say it, but he lived it.
Re-read in 2022 - good to hear the faithfulness to ministry of this great man!

[Annamaria · Rating 2 out of 5]

Could not finish it. Carey's behavior towards his wife/family really upset me ...Also the author s did not make any effort to highlight his shortcomings as a husband/father.

[Gabby · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an easy to read book that tells the inspiring story of a life spent in sacrificial service of God. I would have appreciated less pages to be spent on the details of Carey’s life prior to going to India and more details added about Carey’s missionary work in India. Overall, I enjoyed this book and am challenged by the way that William lived his ‘uncomfortable’ life trusting fully in God’s plan and purpose. He let nothing stop him from spreading the gospel across India and beyond.

[Victoria (hotcocoaandbooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been wanting to read about William Carey for years. It was perfect to read to my children who are nine and eleven years old. We were doing a study on India. This book was the last part of the study.

This book really covers a lot. The first half of it talks about Williams time as a child being a weaving family's son and how his father was a huge part of the state run church in the town where he grew up. When William does his apprenticeship, he becomes a Baptist, which at the time were dissidents. I love that because I'm an Anabaptist (which Baptists stem from). It was nice to learn of the convictions of Mr. Carey.

In the late 1700s, the idea of missionaries was not one that was thought of at all. Because the disciples were the ones told to go out into all the world and preach the gospel, the 18th century believers felt they didn't need to do that anymore and just had to stay where they were and worry about their own country. William shook the people up with a book he wrote, and to take it further, he decided to go and do mission work in India himself, being rebellious once again as he did not have the permission of the East India Company to do so.

I really felt this was so cool to read. My sons enjoyed it as well, even though I think the first few chapters bored them a bit. This missionary was sincerely the pioneer of his time. I love that he worked so hard and stayed in the country the whole time since arriving there, ministering to the Indian people without trying to change who they are, but to change the things that were filled with oppression and to encourage them to reach out into their own communities, even though it was dangerous for them to do so. A lot of change happened in the region where he was for the better. I love that this guy had a second grade education but taught himself how to speak and read in several languages (like 10+) and to do what he could to glorify the Lord no matter his heartaches. I mean, the man lost a lot of friends and family members along the way, but he continued to fight the good fight. LOVE!

[Kaitlyn S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once upon a time, some nine years ago, pretty much all I read was biographies. Or history books. I was amazed to discover one of these Christian Hero books that I hadn't read yet, but I did. And it was another great biography from the Benge's, as I have come to expect and look forward too. I have fallen in love with their writing style, and even though I am older than the age they are geared towards, I still find great information within the pages =) And I still reach for them . . . between my family's bookcase, and my personal library, I think we own just about all of them :D

Learning about William Carey, the father of modern missions, was a delight. It is absolutely a joy to read the real life stories of other Christians, and to see the trials that they have faced for the sake of Christ. Reading about real life people, who faced real life troubles, is always an encouragement.

To see what Christ has done in history, to realize that He is the Lord who has said the He will never change, that He is always constant -- it should encourage us to read through these lives and realize the same God who provided for William Carey, who protected Him in India, who supported him in the deaths of children and three wives, is the same God who has a plan for our lives and is guiding and directing our steps. He has a sovereign plan for each of us, just as He had for William Carey -- one that will bring Him much glory.

[Jordan Cuellar · Rating 4 out of 5]

The beautiful, tragic, difficult, hopeful, Christ-centered story of William Carey, the father of modern missions, the first missionary to India.
Absolutely incredible and inspiring. With great love, lots of prayers, and no money, William Carey and his family set out for India, never again to return to the relative comfort of England.
From visa troubles to money troubles to mental illness to physical illness to more money troubles to hostility from the locals to a lack of support from the missionary society to mail not arriving to the deaths of multiple children, William Carey did not have an easy life.

“Mom, it seems like all the missionaries we read about have REALLY hard lives.”
Thank God for the men and women who faithfully and unashamedly preach the good news of a loving God to a hurting and broken world despite the hurt and brokenness they themselves experience. What a beautiful gift faith is. William Carey was convinced that those without the hope of Christ needed to know about it, and he never stopped sharing that truth, with love and compassion and hope.
“Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God.”
“When I am gone, say nothing about William Carey. Speak about William Carey’s Savior.”
❤️

[Elisabeth Aubut · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m stunned by William Carey’s resilience in the face of numerous trials as a missionary to India. His perseverance and humility are inspiring beyond what I expected. I’m especially impressed by his generosity to the Missions Society he founded, even though in the end things kind of fell apart. He is, of course, somewhat a colonial missionary. But he’s messy and imperfect, like all of us. This biography helped me understand what circumstances were like back in the 1800s and why people would make certain decisions. I appreciate how the authors were neutral about certain topics, such as Carey’s first wife. He probably could have taken better care of her and his children, but she also had been quite resistant to God’s call, which mustn’t have been easy for him. Anyway, I see why he has been called the Father of modern missions and why his life is an example to follow on many levels.

[Leslie · Rating 2 out of 5]

The writing in this book is consistent with the series and very readable. I just couldn't get past my dislike of William Carey. He got friends to help bully his mentally fragile wife into taking their children, including a days old infant, on a lengthy sea voyage to India! His concern for her well-being didn't ever seem to improve. He was too inflamed with righteous passion to evangelize India to devote any concern for his own family.

[Amy Meyers · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book isn't as good as the standard one by S. Pearce Carey, but it is a great one for children, and that is what it is for. It does justice to Carey's wonderful exemplary life, especially at the end, as Carey endured so much as a missionary. A Christian, especially a Christian missionary, cannot help but be touched by Carey's constant pressing on NO MATTER WHAT!

[alex creel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm conflicted about this title for a few reasons. Unfortunately even though he's viewed as "the father of modern missions" (at least in the baptist multiverse[?]), most of William Carey's groundbreaking work appears to be in the realm of practicality and not in spiritual obedience to Christ (at least in this title). I saw this in his Enquiry: he starts with a bold affirmation of the Great Commission and how it should apply to Christians still today (and in his own time, a few hundred years ago); but the scriptural basis for what he says stops there. "We know from God that we should go, so let's talk about how by our own means/power we can go." Maybe that's too harsh, but that's how it came across to me.

This book was written to a YA audience, and so may not have included all the specifics one would expect in a different type of missionary biography. Still, there was very little discussion of his decision-making ethics, reliance on prayer, or desire to submit to God. Carey was "obliged to go," but it was rarely clear by what he was obliged-- by God, or by his own priorities? This fact made it unclear why he chose what he did and made it harder to support / evaluate the validity of his decisions. I.e., why was he willing to put his first wife and children through such difficulty to go to India? Why was it alright for him / his partners to go into excess debt in order to fund their work? Why was it definitively negative that the missionary society wanted to reappropriate funds away from how he spent them? -- These questions aren't really answered by the book, except to say that he felt led by God in some way to do them. Yet I also see clear Scripture telling the husband to love his wife and prioritize her. So his decisions are made confusing and they weaken the narrative. There are a few "inspiring" quotes interspersed through the narrative that give it a more spiritually-led tone, but these are only told, not shown. We don't see how he follows strictly Christ; only the ways in which he talks about it. Beyond that, I did a bit of my own independent research and talked to a few people who know about Carey's missions, and it seems that it's not just the selective narrative of the book portraying him this way.

Still, much of the practicum he developed was really positively influential in the missions field, and I don't want to discredit the good that's done. His "Enquiry" was a huge step in the mentality of contemporary missions, and the band he gradually formed became one of the largest missions sending organizations in our time, which is surely worth something. But I don't believe that, for an individual, a specific practice "working well" equals that being good and obedient to Jesus. The Great Commission is not utilitarian: its essence is not "do whatever gets the most converts the most efficiently." The Great Commission's essence is obedience in love to all that Jesus commanded, most specifically in evangelism/missions. This book, and much of Carey's life, seems to show a disregard for the latter in favor of a mentality leaning toward the former.

[Selkie Narwhal]

Summary: He married and made so little that the family ate oatmeal everyday and got sick from a moldy house, losing two daughters and he also almost died. His wife was traumatized by the loss of her children and almost losing her husband. He was a poor disciplinarian of children and smiled at or ignored their bad behavior. He decided he should be re-baptized because he wanted it to mark "his decision" [and despite her Puritan upbringing, she also was rebaptized.]

He was a curious guy and taught himself languages, became ordained and suddenly volunteered to be the first illegal missionary to India without consulting his pregnant and soon-due wife. Being deathly afraid, his wife refused to take their three children and go with him to dangerous India. He did not force her. He abandoned his family, reasoning missionary work was more important than going to war and since men left their wives to fight wars, he was justified to abandon his family (he planned to send for them in the future). His trip was delayed and after she had their fourth child without him being present, he showed up. On his third attempt to convince her, his friend laid a guilt trip on her blaming her for "depriving the children of their father" [and cause the family to “be dispersed and divided for ever—she would repent it as long as she lived.”] When her sister agreed to go with them all, she finally agreed to go with them.

On the very dangerous journey to India (many boats sunk in those days), they all almost died on a ship, which ran out of food and was damaged in a storm. They illegally went to India and broke the clear laws forbidding them entry. His fellow missionary betrayed him, plundered all the money and his family was left in poverty without house or even a bowl of rice. They had to depend on handouts [and moved 5 times in 7 months]. He moved the family to the impoverished outskirts, a poor tiger-infested area, where 20 men had been killed. While the parents were also very sick, a son got the disease and died - their third child lost. His sick wife became even more depressed when no one would help bury the boy until some Muslims took pity on them.

Wife had a 7th child, [at which point Carey wrote that his wife had become "insane with jealously" and he had her locked in her room. It is said that she accused him of having affairs and attacked him.] He spent most of his time translating the Bible into the local languages. He successfully translated the Bible into Hindi and 6 other languages. [He translated into English the Hindu "scriptures," the Ramayana, which are about as long as the English Bible]. Although he had been a teacher, other missionaries were so appalled by the terrible behavior and lack of education of Carey's four sons that they attempted to raise his kids and teach them in his place. The only relationship this book mentions between father and sons is that he wanted them to become missionaries like him. After 7 years in India, he finally converted two Hindus to Christianity. Eventually his wife died, and causing a major scandal and protest, he quickly remarried their wealthy neighbor 5 mos later - a woman who shared his love of languages, for she knew 7. He worked as a teacher and was a respected man of who understood the Hindu ways. When his second wife died, he married a third. He asked to be buried next to his second wife.

Chapter 2 16:17 Boys school ended at age 12 in 1772. How work n support family on farm.
Chapter 3 11:28 Stealing a Shilling was jail. More than a shilling was death.
Chapter 4 03:44 Women couldn't read or write. Signed marriage with an X
Chapter 4 05:43 Ate oatmeal and water. Daughter died.
Chapter 4 06:09 Mother was appalled by their home. Moldy walls n no food. William sick too n got sick easy for reast of life. Lost his hair on top of his head at age 23
Chapter 4 09:04 Dolly haunted by daughter's death
Chapter 4 09:43 He wanted to be baptized by his own choice by John Ryland. N John Sutcliff
Chapter 4 12:32 Baptist church paid 15lbs a year
Chapter 4 13:29 Smiled at childrens sins so bad at discipline
Chapter 4 13:58 Pastor n school teacher
Chapter 4 17:08 Not ordained yet so became at age 26. Andrew Fuller n John Ryland
Chapter 5 01:18 Most didn't believe anyone had to share the gospel cuz disciples did it n that was the end of it.
Chapter 5 04:59 Hebrew, Dutch, Greek n Latin
Chapter 5 05:26 At least 3 kids
Chapter 5 08:22 New daughter Lucy died
Chapter 5 14:56 Particular Baptist Society for Propagating the Gospel got all book proceeds
Chapter 6 09:09 Dolly screamed!
Chapter 6 10:21 He would leave Dolly and the kids behind. This was more important than a man going to war, in which he left his family behind
Chapter 6 14:28 She had no home or means to live. Society needed 550lbs! He would tk his son w him.
Chapter 6 23:16 Asked John Newton how to get to India around laws
Chapter 7 02:25 His child wud b born wo him
Chapter 7 04:11 Dr Thomas missionary partner had owed 500lbs n ran from it
Chapter 7 09:13 Now found a legal way to enter India. Had been trying to get in illegally
Chapter 7 11:10 Dolly wife named his baby Jabel - sorrow
Chapter 7 15:43 Sister n wife n kids agreed to go! 3rd time asking
Chapter 7 19:51 250lbs short
Chapter 8 10:51 50ft waves
Chapter 8 14:31 Ran out of food
Chapter 9 01:17 They were illegally there!
Chapter 9 17:48 Ran out of money. Women complained continuously.
Chapter 10 00:54 Dr Thomas spent ALL the money n borrowed more! He lived in luxury w 12 servants. They didn't want to be missionaries anymore.
Chapter 10 14:49 20 people killed by tigers.
Chapter 10 16:12 Built a bamboo hut
Chapter 10 18:44 Man poked through w hooks swinging in the air for the gods
Chapter 10 19:26 Translating Genesis
Chapter 11 06:35 Sister fell in love n would stay behind to marry
Chapter 11 18:24 5 yr son died of illness
Chapter 11 21:07 Dolly depressed
Chapter 12 00:11 14mos in India n never got one letter from home in England
Chapter 12 04:46 Dolly had 7th child
Chapter 12 09:42 Saw woman burned cuz husband died. Common practice. Carried them 14 steps closer to heaven. Poured butter over her n tied her down n burned them.
Chapter 13 14:57 Finally two Hindus converted n broke Caste. People threw rocks at them n one mans the wives abandoned him. Jailed.
Chapter 14 12:21 Dolly was deranged
Chapter 14 15:59 Babies yhrown into crocs mouths at river
Chapter 14 17:53 Dollydied. Remarried 6 mos later
Chapter 16 03:32 New young missionaries were lazy n questioned everything
Chapter 16 08:07 William Pierce sent there
Chapter 16 13:59 Betrayed by Baptist Mission Society William founded cuz all his friends died.
Chapter 16 16:10 11 year old girls married by parents at age 3 were burned at 11 so they would have no claim on their husbands ' property.
Chapter 17 02:02 Married a 3rd wife
Chapter 17 06:36 Indian Banks failed so lost all money. His house destroyed twice.

[Elias Rosales · Rating 5 out of 5]

La biografía de William Carey, describe lo que el poder o dunamis de Dios (hechos 1:8) puede hacer con un hombre inteligente, a quien se le ha concedido visión clara sobre las misiones.
Su primer objetivo fue confrontar el paradigma que existía en la iglesia: "El evangelio era exclusivo para aquellos que lo habían escuchado", pues Dios, en su gran poder, sería capaz de llevar la salvación a los confines de la tierra. Sin embargo, Carey, con una postura contraria, quien confiaba en que la gran comisión (Mateo 28:18-20) continuaba y no solo quedaba en los discípulos directos de Cristo, este entendimiento retumbaba en el corazón del protagonista, quien decidió compartir sus ideas por medio del escrito de su primer libro y de esta manera convertir los pensamientos de los cristianos ingleses con quién tuvo la dicha de dialogar.

Su biografía nos muestra a un personaje que decidió perder todo por Cristo (filipenses 3:7), pues la muerte de seres queridos, conflictos matrimoniales, perdidas materiales, conflictos con los hermanos cristianos, serian algunos de los padecimientos que tuvo que enfrentar este misionero para demostrar su convicción.

Al final de sus días pidió que en su lápida se escribiera sobre él: "un despreciable e inútil gusano. En tus amables brazos caigo". Reconocía en perspectiva que solo el poder de Dios era capaz de convertir a una persona que apenas terminó la primaria en fundador de la primera sociedad misionera en Inglaterra, fundador de iglesias, escuelas en la india; fundó la universida más prestigiosa de su tiempo en la india; traductor biblico; transformó las costumbres indues; pero sobretodo tocó los corazones de las personas que lo conocieron.

Sin duda, creo que es una biografía inspiradora que lleva a entender un poco la realidad de un misionero que pone su vida en manos de Dios... Me encantó.

[Keri · Rating 3 out of 5]

HA we finished! I feel like we ran a very sad, somewhat depressing marathon 😅 Definitely not my favorite in this series, but we will try others since we loved David Livingstone and Eric Liddell.

I felt like this book spent a LOT of time on things that went way over the kids' heads — and we didn't get to India until over halfway through the book, which seemed excessive, for a man who spent most of his life and ministry there.

William Carey's first marriage was a complete mess, so I skipped elements of that. I also had to skip over extended, repeated descriptions of "sati" (Hindu widow suicide) and infanticide in Hindu idol worship. Didn't feel like my kids needed to know those details.

Still, we did learn a lot about how missionary work from England gained momentum and how William Carey was instrumental in the spread of Christianity in India.

[Joseph Henry Kester · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the second YWAM biography we read with the kids, and they really enjoyed it. These have lead to good conversations about missionaries, languages, and different countries and cultures. So far, this series has been excellent. We have a few more ready on our shelf that we'll be reading soon-ish.

[Allyson Jamison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again I'm blown away by the sacrificial lives missionaries such as William Carey led. He experienced so much grief that would've been the undoing of many great people. But not him. He carried on till his last day to serve God with all the strength he had in him. He is a role model for us all.

[Susanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this aloud to my youngest son. I love these books about missionaries. In a world of so many we often think one person can't make a difference. But, with hard work and dedication that exact thing can happen. His story is not without some love and sadness though.

[Stephanie Salyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic book!

[Erick Torres · Rating 5 out of 5]

La increíble historia de un hombre que buscó hacer la voluntad de Dios al predicar el Evangelio en la India aún cuando parecía imposible.

[Nathanael Barr · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book to introduce the life and legacy of William Carrey. A simple read, and very accessible. There are certainly many lessons to take away from the life of William Carrey, challenging ones about our own Christian lives, but also encouraging ones about the power and goodness of our great God.

[Della Tingle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series, Christian Heroes: Then & Now, is one of the most wonderful biographical series out there! Janet & Geoff Benge did an impressive job writing about someone from the 1700s—William Carey, the father of modern missions. Though written for children, this book, and all of the others in the series, is enjoyable and informative for adult readers, too.

When God has a task for you, “no power on earth can hinder you” (79).

William Carey “struggled against huge obstacles all his life,” but he never, ever gave up (203). “When difficult circumstances surrounded him…he never lost faith. He always endured, always pressed ahead” (211).

Just read it!!!!!!

[Hilary Forrest · Rating 3 out of 5]

We read this because our History curriculum suggested William Carey as he lived during our years of history that we are currently studying. I especially enjoyed this because we lived in Bangladesh and were learning Bengali just like William Carey had to learn. He greatly affected the land of Bangladesh and India and there were schools and churches named after him. William Carey underwent a lot of trials and his personal life as presented in this book is enough to make anyone want to give up. I am grateful to teach the kids that life is full of suffering and one must have persistence and determination to make it.

[Leah Good · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a time when most Christians disregarded the need or importance of missions, one young man felt the tug to go. William Carey faced great opposition and difficulty on his journey to becoming the first Baptist missionary, but he knew that if God was calling him, he had to go.

I found this story especially interesting because it touched on the scriptural reasons and practical pattern for missions that Carey identified.

[Areli Reyes · Rating 4 out of 5]

La historia de un hombre de Dios, quien funda las bases misioneras en Inglaterra. Estás historias siempre me conmueven y me dejan pensando.

[Tammy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting. Felt really bad for his first wife. So sad.

[Beck N · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story but it is written for children and I feel like a lot was left out. I will look for a different biography of William Carey

[Lidik · Rating 2 out of 5]

I remember not particularly liking William Carey.

[Chico Collie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Living a life consistently passionate for God in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges is a struggle identifiable by many Christians. Uncertainty, death of loved ones, strong opposition, financial shortcomings, personal betrayal, feelings of inadequacy, and the temptation of complacency are just a few on a long list of trials that we allow to detour our pursuit of faithful obedience. They were also the trials faced by William Carey; an 18th century Englishman who persisted to become widely known as the Father of modern Christian missions.

True to his motto, “Expect great things from God, attempt great things for God”, he combined his God-given talents with his passion for Christ, geography, languages, and the welfare of others to overcome obstacles and eventually transform cultures and reform transcultural Christian evangelism. This short biography, written by Janet & Geoff Benge, focuses on his journey, giving the reader just enough background information to grasp the impact of divine providence without allowing us to be distracted by concurrent historical events (ex. The Abolition of slavery and the Napoleon war campaigns). They tell his story in a simple, easy-to-follow way that makes this genre more tolerable to a wider (younger) audience. As such, those looking for a detailed academic account or a dramatized, immersive version will have to look elsewhere.

It’s an inspirational, short, weekend read that I recommend to Christians who have never heard about God’s great work through the life of William Carey, particularly those experiencing a period of lethargy and disappointment over letdowns in their own ministry. Although it clearly had its flaws, Carey’s life is a reminder that the sovereign grace to endure is still very much available for those willing to remain humbly committed to Christ’s calling. As you read, it’d be wise to remember one of his latter warnings:

“When I am gone, say nothing about William Carey – speak only about William Carey’s Savior.”