will be observed he acknowledges a personal propensity to untruthfulness. Of this habit he was cured by an incident which he himself relates. Referring to the custom of collecting Christmas boxes he says, "When I applied to an ironmonger, he gave me the choice of a shilling or a sixpence; I of course chose the shilling, and putting it in my pocket, went away. When I had got a few shillings my next care was to purchase some little articles for myself; but then to my sorrow I found that my shilling was a brass one. I paid for the things which I had bought by using a shilling of my master's. I now found that I had exceeded my stock by a few pence. I expected severe reproaches from my master, and therefore came to the resolution to declare strenuously that the bad money was his. I well remember the struggles of mind which I had on this occasion, and that I made this deliberate sin a matter of prayer to God as I passed over the fields home. I then promised that if God would but get me clearly over this, or in other words help me through with the theft, I would certainly for the future leave off all evil practices; but the theft and consequent lying appeared to me so necessary that they could not be dispensed with. A gracious God did not get me safe through. My master sent the other apprentice to investigate the matter. The ironmonger acknowledged having given me the shilling and I was therefore exposed to shame, reproach, and inward remorse, which increased and preyed upon my mind for a considerable time. I then sought the Lord, perhaps much more earnestly than ever; but with shame and fear I was quite ashamed to go out, and never till I was assured that my conduct was not spread over the town did I attend a place of worship."

It appears that the apprentice referred to was the son of a Dissenter. The two young men and their master frequently argued whilst seated at their benches, as is common with shoemakers, upon the subject of religion. William being the son and grandson of a parish clerk, was, as might have been expected, a staunch churchman. He had read Jeremy Taylor's sermons, and Spinker's "Sick Man Visited," and to use his own words, "he had always looked upon Dissenters with contempt, and had, moreover, a share of pride sufficient for a thousand times his knowledge." In the village there was a small meeting-house; but he would not deign to enter it. Nay, "he rather had enmity enough in his heart to destroy it"; but the apprentice, the son of the Dissenter, becoming the subject of deep religious concern, showed much anxiety not alone for himself, but also on behalf of his fellow-workman. In his solicitude he lent him good books, as well as most tenderly and earnestly conversing with him. The result was that William Carey's mind underwent a great change, but the light by which he should see himself a helpless sinner and Christ an all-sufficient Saviour had not yet shone into his heart. endeavoured to quiet his conscience by a diligent observance of the forms of worship. He became exceedingly zealous, going about to establish a righteousness of his own. He resolved to go regularly to three churches in the day, and to a prayermeeting at the meeting-house in the evening. He read and meditated much, trying to form a satisfactory creed. Whilst he was thus encouraging his self-righteousness, he made the acquaintance, as before mentioned, of a follower of the Rev. William Law, in conversation with whom he was affected "in

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a manner which was new to him." He felt himself ruined and helpless. "The conversation," he says, "filled me with anxiety, and when I was alone this anxiety increased. I was, by these means, I trust, brought to depend on a crucified Saviour for pardon and salvation, and to seek a system of doctrines in the Word of God."

In his desire to inform his mind upon the truths of religion, he attended, as far as he was able, the preaching of surrounding ministers. Of these no preacher seems to have been so helpful as the Rev. Thomas Scott, the commentator, who succeeded the equally well known John Newton in the living of Olney. It is not unlikely that William Carey was induced to go and hear Scott because of the acquaintance he had already made with him. When passing through Hackleton that minister had rested at his master's house. A short time before Scott's death Carey wrote thus to Dr. Ryland: "Pray, give my best thanks to dear Mr. Scott for his translation of the History, &c., of the Synod of Dort. I would write to him if I could command time. If there be anything of the work of God in my soul, I owe much of it to his preaching when I first set out in the ways of the Lord." Dr. George Smith records that the good man replied: "I am surprised as well as gratified at your message from Dr. Carey. He heard me preach only a few times, and then, as far as I know, in my rather irregular excursions; though I often conversed and prayed in his presence, and endeavoured to answer his sensible and pertinent inquiries when at Hackleton. But to have suggested even a single useful hint to such a mind as his must be considered as a high privilege and matter of gratitude.”

About this time a small church was being formed

in the humble meeting-house at Hackleton, and Carey, with his fellow-workman, helped to compose this little Christian community. At some of the services, which took the form of a kind of conference, Carey would speak, and evidently with the approbation of his fellow-members. It is interesting to note how he refers to this approval, "Being ignorant, they sometimes applauded, to my great injury."

Among the books coming into his hands was a work, the identical copy of which may now be seen in the library of the Baptist College at Bristol. Its title is, "Help to Zion's Travellers;" it was written with the object of removing various stumbling-blocks out of the way relating to doctrinal, experimental, and practical religion; the author being the elder Robert Hall. This volume was given to him by a Mr. Skinner of Towcester, "in which," says Carey, "I found all that arranged and illustrated which I had so long been picking up by scraps. I do not remember ever to have read any book with such rapture as I did that."

Circumstances now arose which led to his marriage with Dorothy Placket, and this before he was twenty years of age. In consequence of his master's death Carey took over the business, the responsibility of this step being shared by the widow's sister, the said Dorothy. The marriage did not prove suitable; but though Mrs. Carey had little sympathy with her husband's tastes, and though her predisposition to mental disease was the occasion of constant anxiety, he ever treated her with noble tenderness.

The business having thus changed hands, Carey put over his shop a new sign-board, which in after years his old shop-mate preserved; from whose widow it was obtained and eventually deposited in the

college in Regent's Park. It was inscribed with his own hand. The following is a facsimile :

SECOND HAND SHOES BOUGHT An)~.

CAREY'S SIGN-BOARD.

The rest of the writing is now illegible.

Domestic and business troubles soon arose.

Fever entered his home. His little daughter in her second year was taken from him; he himself was smitten down, and though he recovered, ague followed, from which he suffered for more than a year and a-half. His trade was carried on with much difficulty. In his straits he was compelled to part with such things as he could anyhow spare to provide for daily wants. Starvation staring him in the face, his brother, who was only a youth, with some friends in his native village, came to his relief. By their timely aid he was enabled to take a little cottage in Piddington, a place close by, where, besides continuing his shoemaking, he opened an evening school.

Before, however, this removal to his new home, he attended the meetings of the Association held at Olney, though so poor was he, that he had to fast all