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Volume. XXXVII, No. 52 The Life and Ministry of William Carey (Part 2) Notable Achievements Inspired by God and compelled by His unconditional love, Carey went to India in 1793 with scant support from home. It was one thing to pass a resolution to form a mission; it was another to get the mission under way in action and support it personally and prayerfully. Difficulties abounded on all sides, pertaining to family, finance and the actual condition of the field. Carey's father considered him mad. His wife refused to accompany him and he was often depressed and alone but he never gave up and God was on his side. He was a true-blue missionary under the conviction of the Holy Spirit enlisted, for the extension of God's kingdom in India. By God's higher hand, one by one the problems were solved. After some delay and discouragement, William Carey finally sailed for India on June 13, 1793. He was accompanied by a reluctant wife, four children and two companions. Five months later he arrived in India, the land to which he gave 40 years of unbroken service and brought forth much spiritual fruit (Kane). He took a job in a factory to earn a living and with great success, he learned Bengali. He knew Sanskrit so well that he began to teach it at the University of Calcutta after eight years. He converted many souls and translated the Bible into 35 languages and dialects of India and Southeast Asia. His concern for the social conditions of the Indians can be seen in his efforts to end suttee, the practice whereby the wife would be burned together with the husband after his death. He contributed much to the spiritual, economic and social conditions to India (e.g. built a Leprosy Hospital). He did not take a sabbatical for 40 years. He was the indefatigable servant of the Most High God and also set up many institutions that benefited the Indians in the days to come. Today, India has about 25 million Christians (about 2.4%) and they owe a great debt to William Carey, whom heaven will not leave unrewarded. As for us, have you a burden for the lost or have you lost this burden? There are many more who still have not heard the gospel. Are you willing to pray, go, give or support others who are going? Pray to the Lord for a vision and burden for the lost souls today.
WHAT ARE THE LESSONS FROM THE LIFE OF WILLIAM CAREY, THE FATHER OF MODERN MISSIONS? CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING: 1. Pray for a vision and a burden for lost souls. Without a vision, the people perish (Proverbs 11:28-30). 2. Have the tenacity and gumption to persevere on despite trying circumstances, oppositions too. (Adoniram Judson waited for six years before he saw his first convert from Burma, modern day Myanmar). 3. Be disciplined to train yourself in the knowledge of the Word, and other languages first before serving in the mission field. 4. Have God-fearing companions to pray and support you and keep in touch with the sending churches. Do not go in alone. 5. Be sensitive to some of the cultural norms of the people to whom you preach the gospel, yet without compromise. Respect others. 6. Go through formal channels of the church, mission board, and church session; be strong, have a support base at home and be willing to work with them. Obedience is better than sacrifice. 7. Give a periodic report of the progress of your mission work to the church. Communication enhances knowledge and confidence, which in turn affects the effectiveness of the missions. Keep in touch. 8. For some early pioneering missions, do some practical work or ministry if necessary (e.g. school, hospital, orphanage, old folks home, language centre, etc.) besides starting a church or other evangelistic work. Be prepared to labour hard. 9. Identify and “network” with a sound and doctrinally reliable Christian national leader (or leaders) and work closely together with him (them). They know the local situation better. But do not compromise doctrine. 10. If possible, have multiplier effect in ministries; i.e. training centres, children or youth equipping ministries, Bible colleges to train (2 Tim 2:2) Pastors and Evangelists. There is no success without a successor. We need to reproduce disciples in the overall plan of God.
Conclusion The lives of sacrificial and indefatigable men continue to inspire and stimulate us in the advancement of the gospel. Men like Carey, Livingstone, Moffatt, Taylor and others gave of themselves totally and are stirring examples for us to follow. Is there anyone willing to follow their footsteps and be a witness for Christ in our sphere of influence? May Carey's life stimulate and challenge us to greater love and devotion to Christ and the work of the gospel while the Lord tarries.
Edited by Rev Jack Sin |
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