William Carey

A Sketch

William grew up in a poor family in a village in England.

School till 12.

latin - self taught

14 - moved away to apprentice as a shoemaker

A family friend helped him learn Greek

His life changed when he used a counterfeit coin.

Married at 19 to Dolly

Began to preach.

First child died. William almost died.

Dolly never recovered from her grief.

They did have more children.

Conviction that the Great Commision was for him.

“Sit down young man.”

Began writing —> Book

Society for Missions

Dr. Thomas

“I’ll go!!!”

Dolly was frightened.

Dolly decided to stay in England.

They loaded the boat to India, but the boat was delayed…

No permit. Kicked off.

William convinced Dolly

One other woman on the boat, and she ended up dying. This frightened Dolly even more.

In India, their financial plans failed.

William and Dr. Thomas preached frequently.

Began translating the Bible.

Move to a poor area.

Dolly and her sister complained.

The two families decided they would need to split up for a while to figure out funding.

Williams family got to the point where they were about to starve to death.

William was shocked to visit Dr. Thomas. Luxury.

Dr. Thomas felt convicted and gave them money.

Eventually 2 more missionaries joined

Printing press to print Bibles.

They could draw crouds, but no converts after 7 years.

Man got injured near the mission house.

William and Dr. Thomas came and helped him.

First 2 converts.

Despite Dr. Thomas’s foolishness, God still used him.

Great persecution at first. —> More converts

Dolly was getting worse and worse

She had gone insane.

“Why don’t you send her off…?”

“I will stay with her...”

She eventually got sick and died.

He remarried, but...

Charlotte

She helped him greatly.

Carry her out.

Fire - Lost years worth of work.

Dictionaries of languages

Bible translations

“How unsearchable are his ways.”

They immediately got back to rebuilding.

Flood that took away their home.

Physical Trials

Foot injuries that left him in need of being carried.

Walking with a limp for the rest of his life.

At age 72, William had three strokes, each one leaving him weaker.

“Mr. Duff, when I am gone, do not speak about William Carey; speak only about William Carey’s Savior.”

Headstone: his name and age, along with an inscription saying, “a wretched poor and helpless worm, on Thy kind arms I fall.”

Lessons

God used weak people to accomplish incredible things.

2 Corinthians 12:9 ESV

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

William: Struggled with chronic sickness, a difficult family situation, baldness, emotional pain, and a limp.

Dr. Thomas: Seemed to be incapable of being responsible. Did many things that seemed hurtful. His irresponsibility had negative repple effects that hurt many people. Yet God used him still. Though immature, he did keep preaching Christ.

Charlotte: Invalid. Many would say she had little to offer. But she used what she had. She joyfully read William’s manuscripts, talked through ideas and encouraged him in the work of the Lord.

\What’s your weakness:

Is it a burden you have?

Is it a physical weakness?

Is it a mental weakness?

Is it a social weakness?

Is it a spiritual weakness?

So many times, I see people think they can’t really be used by Jesus because they aren’t strong. They get stuck thinking only about their weakness rather than what God wants to do with them in spite of their weakness, to bring even more glory to Jesus.

Don’t get stuck, at your point of weakness. Offer your life to Jesus, to use you in spite of your weakness, so that he gets the glory.

Despite agonizing hardships, William did not quit.

2 Corinthians 12:10 ESV

For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

On so many occasions, it seemed that everything he had worked for was sabbatoged. And there were trials that would make most people turn inward.

His trials

Loss of Children

Wife’s mental state

government opposition

Financial issues and poverty

abandonment

people undermining his efforts

persecution

fire that burned down years worth of work.

Isolation

Needing to learn new languages

Loosing his house.

Death of his first and second wife.

Any one of those would make most people say, “I’m going back home.” And nobody would blame them for it.

Why?

a. He was gripped by the priority of reaching the lost for Christ Luke 15:7

Luke 15:7 NIV

I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

b. He believed that God was sovereign over all things.

“If it is God’s will, nothing on earth can stop you.”

c. William knew that God’s ways were not always understandable to us Is.40:28

Isaiah 40:28 ESV

Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.

d. William knew he was a servant of Christ, regardless of the outcome.

There was a lot of loss in his life. A lot that may have seemed like a waste. But in the end, there was a great result.

Life Works:

Latin, Hebrew and Greek as a preteen and young adult

Convinced that England should send out missionaries; he helped found the first missionary society.

First missionary to india

Watched his children die and wife go insane

Founded the most prestigious college of its time in India.

Translated the Bible into many indian and asian languages

helped start numerous schools and churches in india

spoke out against injustice practices

Shared the gospel with Indian people

Don’t quit

Philippians 3:13–14 ESV

Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.