William Carey, Calcutta, to the Revd John Williams, New York, 2 March 1803.

My very dear Bror

         I received your kind favour by the arrival of our dear Bror Chamberlain, who with his wife arrived here in good health to the great joy of us all. I trust that we shall find them to be real Blessings to the Mission – The kind treatment which they occasioned in America calls for our unfeigned gratitude, I trust that you are often remembered in our addresses to the throne of Grace.

         Divine mercy is making large conquests in your favoured Land, and I doubt not but you are all encouraged to labours with double ardor in the great work – I doubt not but many will speak evil of it, and perhaps there may be mixtures of human passion, and sympathies – Yet I most sincerely wish that such a work was taking place in India, and that we could see Brahmans, Musselmans, and Deists following before the word of God.

         I find that either success or want of it may prove a snare – for the first seven years of my being in this Country my mind was often almost dried up by discouragement, and want of success. I then felt spiritless, and went to the work like a soldier who only expects to be defeated. Since that, more success has attended the Work and divine favour has compassed us about on every hand, Yet I have remained in a most sinful unmoved, and dispirited, and ungrateful [state] – I have all along looked too much to myself instead of having my expectation wholly fixed on the Lord; I now see and lament my sin, but my soul is as it were confined in a prison and I find it impossible to feel, to hope, and to rejoice like others of the Children, and ministers of the Lord. I trust you will pray to God on my behalf that I may be strengthened with strength in my Soul, and that I may go in the strength of the Lord, and make mention of his righteousness – of his only.

A most glorious work of Grace has been lately carried on near Cape Comorin in the Penisula of India, 2700 have been baptized by the native ministers, besides about 1000 by Wm Gericke a pious missionary there – and all in the span of a few months. At present Bengal is a vast Wilderness, full of every thing hurtful and discouraging, tho’ not entirely without appearances of the Lords gracious power. We have baptized 16 Natives; one of whom was ^afterwards^ murdered (I suppose by thieves). The word has had a wide circulation, and I think that the number of enquirers increases. We have people come to us from a great distance to hear about the way of Life, and [reward?] one on whom the Lord appears to have fastened convictions which we trust will end well. One Man was Baptized last Lords Day and two a few weeks ago.

My many avocations oblige me to write short Letters, and I am generally obliged to infringe on the hours of sleep to reply to the hond Letters of my friend – I hope however that my shortness will not discourage you from writing, or from writing long Letters; I esteem the receipt of Letters from my friends, as one of the greatest privileges with which I am favoured by the Lord. Send all the accounts of the work of God that you can. This is an incumbent duty, being the way by which you may strengthen the Brethren. My Love to all your Friends –

                     I am

                                 Very affecty

                                             Yours

                                                         W Carey

Calcutta

2 March 1803

Address: none

Postmark: none

Text: John Williams Letters, RG no. 1207, American Baptist Historical Society Archives, Atlanta. Christian William Gericke (1742-1803) served as a missionary in India (he was affiliated with the SPCK and the Church Missionary Society of the English Anglican Church) from 1788 to his death in October 1803, seven months after the above letter. Carey notes his death in the following letter.