By: Casey Zachary

William Carey lived from 1761-1834 and served as a missionary to India. He is often referred to as the “Father of Modern Missions” was his life and ministry in many ways inaugurated the “Great Century” of missionary outreach.

Carey was born into poverty and became an apprentice shoemaker early in life. He studied diligently and became a Baptist lay preacher in 1785. Although he received substantial resistance from the religious establishment, he boldly preached the importance of world missions. Along with other Baptist ministers, he helped establish a new mission board called the Baptist Missionary Society. In 1793 Carey, along with John Thomas, and their families set sail for India.

Despite family and economic difficulties, Carey worked tirelessly teaching, translating, and starting schools for 7 years in Malda without a conversion. In 1800, he moved his family to Serampore, where he ministered 34 years, until his death. During this time he assisted in completing translations into Bengali, Sanskrit, and Marathi. By 1818 there were 600 converts, which led to a Bible school to train pastors. His methods of Bible translation, church planting, education, and medical relief are modeled even today.

**Information comes from the Evangelical Dictionary for World Missions