William Carey, Mudnabatty, to [John Rippon], London, 7 October 1795.

Mudnabatty, Oct. 7. 95

My very dear Bror

         I received yours of May 31. 94 – and must say that it afforded me no small Pleasure to receive that testimony of a Fraternal Love begun I trust on Earth but which can neer neer end; this is one great Glory of Christianity the Communion of Saints tho’ it may be Obstructed yet will accumulate and finally flow into the Love of God. Tis like a River, which gathers a number of lesser streams, and thus accumulated flows into the Sea – There is a River ^named Atri, almost as large as the Thames^ near me which a few years ago was dammed up by a amazing Rock on the Borders of Boutan falling into its Channel; and tho’ many hundreds of People were long employed yet the old Channel was choaked up; but this did not stop the River, it took another Course; cleared a new Channel far from the old one, but in the same direction till it found the Sea; this is a Fact, and you can apply

         Your Letter is full of Questions; to many of which I cannot reply; You wish to know something of the Mythology of the Hindoos, but a Lifetime is too short perhaps to investigate the whole – The Current notions are that God created three Persons who are whoshipped as Dietys, their Names are Birmmho, Beeshno, and Seeb; Birmmho was the Creator of all, Beeshno is the Preserver; and Seeb will be the Destoryer of all; he is however the principal Idol of the Hindoos and is made in all his temples which are very numerous in the shameful form of Mans Penis – Beeshno has been incarnated Nine times and is to be incarnated a Tenth [f. 184v] to Judge the World at its destruction; A good account of these Incarnations may be found in Sennerats Voyages, and very Exact – and there is a Translaton of the Bhagvat Geeta part of the Mahabarut one of the most Popular of their Shasters – by Mr Wilkins, which is a good one and translated from the Skanscrit; I bought it for a Shilling in England –

         I cannot help being of opinion that the Hindoos are in great part descended from the Ten Tribes; who were led Captive – for in translating Exodus, and Leviticus, the Hindoos declared that they did according to the Bible, and we not – there is an Astonishing similarity between the Mosaical insttutions and the Hindoo Observances – and Brahma their great predecessor is not very different from Abraham – This subject I am investigating, and hope not to be unsuccessful. – It is astonishing to think what a number of Hebrew Words are in constant and common use. I know tis said they are of Arabic, and Perian extraction, but it is astonishing how they came into Constand and General use (except a People speaking that Language had been dispersed about the Country) more than the Bootan, or Chinese which Countries are nearer than Arabia by far, and border upon Bengal, which Persia does not; I was astonished to find that two thirds of the Words in the Hebrew Bible are familiar to Moonshe – a Circumstancde of my great use ineed in translating the Bible.

  I wish I could tell you of Souls Converted to Christ, and walking in his ways; but alas this is not [f. 185r] the Case; I preach to a Large assembly twice every Lords day, beside occasional opportunities of addressing smaller Parties in the Week; but hitherto in a fruitless manner; they come to hear – Sing, not only then, but as they go about Streets, Who can deliver us except the Lord Jesus Christ? they know some things, about the General tenor of the Gospel – but not a Soul converted – I find Preaching a very pleasant Work – and am well understood by all the better people; tho’ the poor who speak provincial Language don’t understand me well – these difficulties are almost gone; and we have now Genesis, Exodus, Matthew, Mark, James, and part of Leviticus – Luke, John, and the Acts of the Apostles translated, and may be reckoned ready for the Press –

But what is this unless the Spirit of God powerfully works among us – Well, his Providence has brought us here, and wonderfully settled us, and his promises expressly assure us that he will work. Therefore we will trust him about sending his Spirit, for he is faithful who hath Promised.

         And now dear Brother Adieu! Let my Christian Love be remembered to all the dear London Ministers, and Country ones too of my acquaintance, and to the Churches --. Very best rememerances to Mrs Rippon, accompany this., very affy yours   

                     W. Carey

N. B. Many will say that my opinon of so many Hebrew Words in use among the Natives being an evidence of their descending from the Ten Tribes; may as well be accounted for by the invasion of the Moors, who were Lords of the Country 1100 years – and who spoke many Persian and Arabic Words.  – I am not ignorant of this nor that from this mixture arose the Hindostanee tongue, but it must be observed that Hindostanee is spoken by the Moors principally now – and very few Hindoos speak it – but these Words are in constant use among those who speak the Bengal Tongue; and appear too general to be derived from that source considering the Amazing Antipathy between the two people. –

Address: none

Text: John Rippon Letters, British Library, Add. Ms. 25386, fols. 184-85.