William Carey, Mudnabatty, Bengal, to Ann Hobson at Mr. W. Hobson’s, Cottisbrooke, Northampton, 27 November 1798.                                                                                                    

Mudnabatty 27 Novr 1798

My Dear Sister

I just snatch an Hour after the Family are gone to rest and it is almost Midnight, to write you a short Letter, and you must be contented with a short one (for I have so much exceeded all bounds in some which I have written, and which you will see, or the substance of them, that I have no time left, nor any thing to say.)

No one expects me to write about experience, or any of the common topics of Religion; nor to say any thing about the Doctrines of the Gospel, but News, and continual accounts of marvellous things are expected from me. I have however no news to send, and as every thing here is the same, no Marvels. 

What then shall I say?  That I and my Family are in good Health and spirits. This is true, and you will undoubtedly be glad to hear it. (Mr& Mrs Short are returned to England.) Our two eldest sons are very great stout Lads and the other two very fine Boys indeed. You would be much diverted to hear them carry on their discourses, their Play, and every thing in the Bengal Language. These however are little things.

Both Mr Fountain and myself often Preach; sometimes with considerable pleasure, and often with as great Pain. We have had pleasing hopes blasted, our impatient minds almost ready to fret at our want of Success, and at best we scarcely expect to be any thing more than Pioneers to prepare the Way for those who coming after us may be more useful than we have been. I know success depends entirely upon the blessing of God, and therefore in him I will trust and not be afraid.

The principal thing we see is the translation of the Bible into the Bengal Language. This is now in considerable forwardness, and I expect will be finished in the next year, if God continue Health, and other requisite abilities: nor do I think that we are entirely without Seals to our Ministry, tho it is a difficult thing to say any thing confidently.

Polly writes in the old complaining style. If she continues it much longer no one will believe her in earnest, it will appear like a Lesson got by Heart. What shall I say to her. Has she no reason to rejoice, can she look back on all that God has done for her, and not be ashamed of complaining. No doubt but some, or much evil remains, but is all that God has done from the first day till now, to be buried in forgetfulness, or smothered under the remains of Sin—No. Give to God the glory due to his name, and give thanks at the remembrance of his Holiness—I could complain too, but the worst of it is, no body believes a Word I say when I do that, or if they do, or say they do, never condole with or try to comfort me. I have therefore nearly left off complaining to Men, and wish to be more serious in Groaning and Prayers to my God.

I have written to my Father, and intend to write to my Brother tomorrow. I have written more than once to him and he is much on my Heart. I hope he will be enabled to fill up the station in which he is in a Christian like manner.

Brother Hobson must always understand that what I say to you, I say to him; my Letters contain no secrets, but I mean them for your whole Family. Give my Love to the Children, and to Thomas’s Children too. Poor Children I often feel an aching Heart for them—

Is Mr Perfect living, give my respects to him. I have sent a Quantity of Seeds to Mr Pearce of Birmingham, and mentioned Mr Perfect as a proper Person to get some of them. I dare say he will send some.

Give my Love to all the Ministers, to Mr James & John Hobson with their Spouses—and to all with whom I was acquainted. Do you ever see any of Moulton Friends, if you see them, or any of them, give my kindest Xtian Love to them, especially Mr Trushes[?], Dore, Mrs [P?], or indeed any other. How does Mr Sherman. I still hope God will recover him out of the snare of the Devil, and this is the effect of real Love to his Soul, which I fear is in an awfully forlorn State

                                                      Your affecte Bror

                                                                             W. Carey

Text: Raffles Handlist, fasc. 40, fol. 8, John Rylands University Library of Manchester. Ann Carey (b. 1763) was William Carey’s sister; she was married to William Hobson, a Cottisbrooke farmer. Both she and her younger sister, Mary Carey, were ardent supporters of Carey’s work in India. The calendar of the Raffles Handlist denotes this letter as being written to Mary, but it would appear that it was actually written to Ann—note the reference to “Polly” in the letter, the appellation used by Carey when referring to Mary, not Ann; also note the reference to Mr. Hobson near the end of the letter. For a similar letter by Carey to his sisters shortly before he died, see “A ‘Carey’ Letter of 1831,” Baptist Quarterly 9 (1938-39): 239-41. Others referenced above include Dorothy Carey, William Carey's wife; Charles Short, Carey’s brother-in-law; John Fountain (1766-1800), BMS missionary to India; Edmund Carey of Paulerspury, Northamptonshire, Carey’s father, Edmund, and Carey's brother, Thomas (b. 1768), the father of Eustace Carey, who later served as a BMS missionary in India. Also mentioned is John James, a member of Sutcliff's congregation in Olney; and Edward Sharman, minister for a time at Moulton after Carey's removal to Leicester.