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Being compelled to remove from Mudnabatty, Carey opened a factory at Kidderpore on his own account. But events were working together to bring the adventure to a speedy end.

This chapter may fittingly close with two or three extracts from the journal which Carey kept whilst at Mudnabatty, revealing as they do the manner of man he was :

"Nov. 24-30, 1794. During these days, having no one to speak to, and many hours in which no business could be done, I found my soul drawn out after the Lord: I was enabled to be instant in prayer for the success of my ministry among the heathen, the success of my colleague, and for all my dear friends in England, who lie very near my heart; especially for the church at Leicester, and our Mission Society. I was much engaged for many by name, and was greatly affected with what might be their probable situations both spiritual and temporal. I had intended to go and preach to more of the inhabitants of these parts, but a return of the fever prevented me."

"Feb. 3, 1795. This is indeed the Valley of the Shadow of Death to me. Oh what would I give for kind sympathetic friends, such as I had in England, to whom I might open my heart! But I rejoice that I am here notwithstanding, and God is here, who can not only have compassion, but is also able to save to the uttermost."

"May 9. For the last three Sabbaths my soul has been much comforted in seeing so large a congregation, more especially as many attend who are not our own workmen, from the parts adjacent, whose attendance must be wholly disinterested. I therefore now

rejoice in seeing a regular congregation composed of from two to six hundred people, of all descriptions, Mussulmen, Brahmins, and other classes of Hindoos, which I look upon as a favourable token from God. I this day attempted to preach to them more regularly from Luke iv. 18, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor," &c., in which discourse I endeavoured to prove the miserable state of unconverted man, as spiritually poor, as bound by a sinful disposition, and by pernicious customs, and vain expectations of happiness from false and idolatrous worship. I also took occasion to observe that both in the Shasters and Koran there were many good observations and rules, such as ought to be regarded, but that one thing they could not inform us of—viz., how God can forgive sin consistently with His justice, and save sinners in a way in which justice and mercy could harmonize. I felt my own soul warmed, and hope for good. God has given me, of late, a greater concern for the salvation of the heathen, and I have been enabled to make it a more importunate request at the throne of grace."

"Blessed be God that we have at last received letters and other articles from our dear friends in England. I rejoice to hear of the welfare of Zion. I bless God that Leicester people go on well. Oh, may they increase more and more. Letters from dear brethren, Fuller, Pearce, Morris, and Rippon ; but why not from others?"

"June 14. I hope and long for the blessing of God among us. Though it is painful to preach among careless heathens, I feel preaching the Gospel to be the element of my soul."

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N the right bank of the river Hooghly, fifteen miles above Calcutta, was the little Danish settlement of Serampore, which for many years was destined to become the home of the missionaries. In the year 1755, two years before the decisive battle of Plassey, by which victory the foundation of the British Empire in India was laid, a few traders from Denmark purchased from the Nabob of Moorshedabad a plot of land consisting of twenty acres, on which they erected a factory. This settlement, thus originated, grew in size and influence. In 1799, at the time when it afforded protection to the missionaries, it had reached its highest commercial prosperity.

We must now narrate the circumstances which led to the association of Serampore with the great missionary enterprise.

The zeal of the godly men in this country, who had solemnly promised "to hold the ropes," was much encouraged by the deeply interesting accounts

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received from the brethren abroad. Andrew Fuller and his associates were most assiduous. By their efforts no less than four new missionaries were secured. These were Grant, Brunsden, Marshman, and Ward; the last two of whom were to form, with Carey, the noble Serampore triumvirate.

The hostility of the East India Company to the residence of missionaries in India had now become so decided that it was thought useless to apply to the Directors for a licence. But as in the case of Carey's departure, so again, the providence of God appeared on behalf of the mission. An American vessel, The Criterion, under the command of Mr. Wickes, a most worthy Presbyterian, was about to sail for Calcutta. This excellent Christian man was not only willing to take on board the missionary party-eight in number, including besides the missionaries, Mrs. Marshman, Mrs. Grant, Mrs. Brunsden, and Miss Tidd, to be married to Mr. Fountain-but felt himself greatly honoured in being privileged to convey such passengers. On their arrival at Calcutta, according to the counsel they had received from Mr. Charles Grant, they did not land in the city, but proceeded at once. to the Danish settlement. The Governor, Colonel Bie, was, most fortunately, a Christian man, having been formerly under the religious instruction of the devoted Schwartz; and to him they presented a letter of introduction which they had procured before their departure from the Danish Consul in London. The Governor welcomed them with the greatest cordiality, and assured them of his protection.

Their entrance into the country was not, however, to be thus quietly effected. The report of their arrival having been brought before the notice of the Governor-General, Lord Wellesley, inquiry became

officially necessary. One curious mis-statement made the inquiry urgent. The editor of a newspaper, in his ignorance, confounding Baptist with Papist, announced the arrival of "four Papist missionaries." It was thus concluded that the new comers were French spies taking advantage of Serampore as foreign territory. Further inquiry speedily satisfied Lord Wellesley that the supposed Papists were very humble and perfectly harmless Protestants; and so the four brethren were allowed to remain unmolested.

It was the intention of Carey that the newly arrived missionaries should come to him at Kidderpore; but this was not to be. Though there was no interference with their residence at Serampore, the Company refused to permit them to proceed to Kidderpore, that being British territory. Carey himself was there simply as an indigo factor, and Fountain as Carey's assistant. The Rev. David Brown, the chaplain of the Military Orphan Society, brought to bear his influence, but without effect. The refusal was absolute; whereupon Colonel Bie offered them a permanent home in Serampore, expressing a very strong desire that the mission should be established in the Danish settlement.

In furtherance of this project, he granted a passport to Ward, enabling him to visit Carey for the purpose of consultation. In company with Fountain, who had been to Calcutta to be married to Miss Tidd, Ward at once proceeded to Mudnabatty. The interview is thus described :-"Lord's Day, December 1st. This morning we left the boat, and walked a mile and a-half to brother Carey's. I felt very unusual sensations as I drew near the house. So near to brother

Carey, after a voyage of 15,000 miles, and a tedious. passage up the river, in our present circumstances.

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