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〃He followed Paul； his zeal a kindred flame； His apostolic charity the same； Like him crossed cheerfully tempestuous seas； Forsaking country； kindred； friends and ease； Like him he laboured and； like him； content To bear it； suffered shame where'er he went。〃
CHAPTER II
THE BIRTH OF ENGLAND'S FOREIGN MISSIONS
1785…1792
Moulton the Mission's birthplaceCarey's fever and povertyHis Moulton schoolFired with the missionary ideaHis very large missionary mapFuller's confession of the aged and respectable ministers' oppositionOld Mr。 Ryland's rebukeDriven to publish his EnquiryIts literary characterCarey's survey of the world in 1788His motives； difficulties； and plansProjects the first Missionary SocietyContrasted with his predecessors from ErasmusPrayer concert begun in Scotland in 1742Jonathan EdwardsThe Northamptonshire Baptist movement in 1784Andrew FullerThe Baptists； Particular and GeneralAntinomian and Socinian extremes opposed to MissionsMet by Fuller's writings and Clipstone sermonCarey's agony at continued delayHis work in LeicesterHis sermon at NottinghamFoundation of Baptist Missionary Society at lastKettering and Jerusalem。
The north road； which runs for twelve miles from Northampton to Kettering； passes through a country known last century for the doings of the Pytchley Hunt。 Stories； by no means exaggerated； of the deep drinking and deeper play of the club； whose gatehouse now stands at the entrance of Overstone Park； were rife； when on Lady Day 1785 William Carey became Baptist preacher of Moulton village； on the other side of the road。 Moulton was to become the birthplace of the modern missionary idea； Kettering； of evangelical missionary action。
No man in England had apparently a more wretched lot or more miserable prospects than he。 He had started in life as a journeyman shoemaker at eighteen； burdened with a payment to his first master's widow which his own kind heart had led him to offer； and with the price of his second master's stock and business。 Trade was good for the moment； and he had married； before he was twenty； one who brought him the most terrible sorrow a man can bear。 He had no sooner completed a large order for which his predecessor had contracted than it was returned on his hands。 From place to place he wearily trudged； trying to sell the shoes。 Fever carried off his first child and brought himself so near to the grave that he sent for his mother to help in the nursing。 At Piddington he worked early and late at his garden； but ague； caused by a neighbouring marsh； returned and left him so bald that he wore a wig thereafter until his voyage to India。 During his preaching for more than three years at Barton； which involved a walk of sixteen miles； he did not receive from the poor folks enough to pay for the clothes he wore out in their service。 His younger brother delicately came to his help； and he received the gift with a pathetic tenderness。 But a calling which at once starved him； in spite of all his method and perseverance； and cramped the ardour of his soul for service to the Master who had revealed Himself in him； became distasteful。 He gladly accepted an invitation from the somewhat disorganised church at Moulton to preach to them。 They could offer him only about ？0 a year； supplemented by ？ from a London fund。 But the schoolmaster had just left； and Carey saw in that fact a new hope。 For a time he and his family managed to live on an income which is estimated as never exceeding ？6 a year。 We find this passage in a printed appeal made by the 〃very poor congregation〃 for funds to repair and enlarge the chapel to which the new pastor's preaching had attracted a crowd：〃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 other two Schools in the Town； if he was to leave Home to collect for the Building； he must probably quit his Station on his Return； for Want of a Maintenance。〃
His genial loving…kindness and his fast increasing learning little fitted him to drill peasant children in the alphabet。 〃When I kept school the boys kept me；〃 he used to confess with a merry twinkle。 In all that our Lord meant by it William Carey was a child from first to last。 The former teacher returned； and the poor preacher again took to shoemaking for the village clowns and the shops in Kettering and Northampton。 His house still stands； one of a row of six cottages of the dear old English type； with the indispensable garden behind； and the glad sunshine pouring in through the open window embowered in roses and honeysuckle。
There； and chiefly in the school…hours as he tried to teach the children geography and the Bible and was all the while teaching himself； the missionary idea arose in his mind； and his soul became fired with the self…consecration； unknown to Wyclif and Hus； Luther and Calvin； Knox and even Bunyan； for theirs was other work。 All his past knowledge of nature and of books； all his favourite reading of voyages and of travels which had led his school…fellows to dub him Columbus； all his painful study of the Word； his experience of the love of Christ and expoundings of the meaning of His message to men for six years； were gathered up； were intensified； and were directed with a concentrated power to the thought that Christ died； as for him； so for these millions of dark savages whom Cook was revealing to Christendom； and who had never heard the glad tidings of great joy。
Carey had ceased to keep school when the Moulton Baptists； who could subscribe no more than twopence a month each for their own poor； formally called the preacher to become their ordained pastor； and Ryland； Sutcliff； and Fuller were asked to ordain him on the 10th August 1786。 Fuller had discovered the value of a man who had passed through spiritual experience； and possessed a native common sense like his own； when Carey had been suddenly called to preach in Northampton to supply the place of another。 Since that day he had often visited Moulton； and he thus tells us what he had seen：
〃The congregation being few and poor； he followed his business in order to assist in supporting his family。 His mind； however； was much occupied in acquiring the learned languages； and almost every other branch of useful knowledge。 I remember； on going into the room where he employed himself at his business； I saw hanging up against the wall a very large map； consisting of several sheets of paper pasted together by himself； on which he had drawn； with a pen； a place for every nation in the known world； and entered into it whatever he met with in reading； relative to its population； religion； etc。 The substance of this was afterwards published in his Enquiry。 These researches； on which his mind was naturally bent； hindered him； of course； from doing much of his business； and the people； as was said； being few and poor； he was at this time exposed to great hardships。 I have been assured that he and his family have lived for a great while together without tasting animal