day, having no means to procure a dinner. The occasion was eventful, for one of the preachers was none other than the future Secretary of the Missionary Society-Andrew Fuller-who was fulfilling his ministry with so much promise at Soham. As far as is known, this was the first time the two men met, and then without any personal acquaintance. The day. was further of importance, because as the result of what took place, Carey from that date began to exercise his own gifts as a preacher with greater regularity. In the evening the Independent minister, Mr. Chater, knowing him slightly, invited him with some friends from Earls Barton to come to his house and partake of refreshment. In course of conversation, Mr. Chater urged these Barton friends to ask William Carey to preach at their chapel. Shortly after they did so. Carey complied; why he could not tell. He thought it was because he had not a sufficient degree of confidence to refuse. Thus began an occasional ministry which extended over a period of three years and a-half.

The Christian people in his native village, hearing of his preaching, desired him to come to them also, which he agreed to do once a month. His mother went to hear him, and formed no mean idea of her son's ability, declaring that if spared he would one day become a great preacher. His father, the parish clerk, not wishing to be seen in the congregation, contrived on one occasion to hear him clandestinely, and though a reserved man, expressed himself as highly gratified.

The friends at Earls Barton, being desirous to form themselves into a Christian Church, invited Mr. Sutcliff, the Baptist minister at Olney, to advise them upon the matter. He not only gave them the benefit of his

wise counsels but very affectionately recommended Carey to connect himself with "some respectable church," and to be appointed to the ministry "in a more regular way." Acting upon this advice, he united himself with the church at Olney, and was by that body of Christians formally set apart for the work of the ministry. Two extracts from the Olney Church book will appropriately close this chapter.

"June 14, 1785. Church Meeting. W. Carey (see June 17) appeared before the Church, and having given a satisfactory account of the work of God upon his soul, he was admitted a member. He had been formerly baptised by the Rev. Mr. Ryland jun. of Northampton. He was invited by the Church to

preach in public once next Lord's Day."

'Aug. 10. Church Meeting. This evening our brother William Carey was called to the work of the ministry, and sent out by the Church to preach the Gospel wherever God in His providence might call him."

A

CHAPTER II.

SPHERE soon presented itself in Moulton-a village through which the high road passes

from Kettering to Northampton, four miles

distant from the latter town-for the more regular exercise of Carey's ministerial gifts. The members of the Baptist Church who desired his services had indeed little of this world's goods, for the most they could offer him as a stipend was £10 per annum, which sum was afterwards supplemented by a grant of £5 from a fund in London.

The steps leading to his settlement, according to the custom then prevailing, were marked with extreme deliberation. The first communication from the church was in June, 1785; and not until after more than a year of probationary preaching was it "agreed universally to call their minister, Mr. Carey, to the office of pastor." Three months the call was under consideration. Six months after its acceptance, on August 1st, 1787, the ordination took place, when Mr. Ryland, jun. asked the questions, Mr. Sutcliff

delivered the charge to the minister, and Mr. Fuller to the people.

It is obvious that the income to be derived from the offerings of the poor Baptist community at Moulton would be insufficient for the support of Carey's family; but a schoolmaster having recently left the village, there seemed a good prospect of adding to his slender means by teaching. His circumstances, however, were not very materially improved, as it is doubtful whether the school pence ever amounted to more than seven and sixpence per week. An extract from an appeal for help, when an increasing congregation made an enlargement of the meeting-house a necessity, will bring vividly before the mind his temporal position. "We are all so poor that upon attempting a collection among ourselves, we could raise but a few shillings above two pounds; ... at the same time the peculiar situation of our minister, Mr. Carey, renders it impossible for us to send him far abroad to collect the contributions of the charitable; as we are able to raise him but about ten pounds per annum, so that he is obliged to keep a school for his support; and as there are two other schools in the town, if he was to leave home to collect for the building, he must probably quit his situation for want of a maintenance. If, therefore, God should put it into the heart of any Christian friends at a distance to assist us in our distress and necessity, we would beg of them to remit the money, that they may collect for us, to the care of the Rev. Mr. Ryland in Gyles's Street, Northampton."

The attempt to supplement his stipend by teaching was soon frustrated by the return of the schoolmaster. It is questionable, however, whether in any circumstances his school would have succeeded; for though

he had extraordinary power in the acquisition of knowledge, he had less in the imparting of it. “He probably," says his sister, "had much less faculty for teaching than for acquiring." This seems to have shown itself in the imperfect discipline of the boys. Conscious that he was sadly wanting in the requisite sternness, he would humorously observe, "When I kept the school, the boys kept me."

His school failing, he was compelled to resume his trade as a shoemaker; but not as his own master, for his former experiences gave him little encouragement to re-commence business on his own account. He sought and obtained work from a Government contractor in Northampton; and once a fortnight the village pastor might have been seen trudging along the road with his bag of boots, and then returning with a fresh supply of leather.

But by this time his mind and heart were becoming engrossed with the great missionary idea. It is probable that its inception was due to the reading of Cook's Voyages, though if ever an idea was originated in any man by the Spirit of God, it was surely this idea of the evangelisation of the heathen world.

It should not be forgotten here that whilst Carey is truly described as "The Father of Modern Missions," other noble men, such as Eliot and Brainerd and Schwartz, had themselves been missionaries; but no Society had as yet been originated for the definite object of sending the Gospel to the heathen. As Dr. George Smith observes, "The English and Scotch Propagation Societies sought rather to provide spiritual aid for the Colonists and the Highlanders ; and again, "William Carey had no predecessor in India as the first ordained Englishman who was sent