William Carey, Calcutta, to John Rippon, London, 22 February 1814.

My dear Sir

         Yours of July 30th 1813 came to hand by the Acorn sloop three days ago[;] previously to that G—t [Charles Grant of the East India Company] had received one copy of the new charter, via the Isle of France. This was reprinted and I procured a copy of it. I bless God for the liberty it secures for missionaries, but our going into the interior depends as much upon the will of Government as before. I believe Lord Moira is favorable to missionary liberty, but there are some high in office, who are not so. I rejoice that such a spirit was stirred up in the country, and believe that will operate more in favor of us than any other circumstance.

         Every syllable of what Pendergast asserted, as contained in the extract from the Times in your letter is false. I never preached in Calcutta Streets in my life. I have preached very few sermons if any in Calcutta to the natives; indeed I have not time to do it, I never mounted a Hogshead, pipe or Tun, in my life to preach, and I believe I may say of all my brethren, both European and native, that they never preached in the streets of Calcutta. We have no need to do so, we have a good place of worship and our native brethren have more houses opened for them to preach in, than they can supply.  When the Bengal officer (Col Stewart) published his pamphlet, he thought proper to assert, that there was a common report of some of us having been rescued by the Police officers from the vengeance of the public at Kala Gheet. He certainly ought to have ascertained the fact before he had published it, especially as it had a tendency to excite the prejudice of G—t against us. The truth is there never was any such circumstance or any such report. He however only heard of it, but a Mr Pendergast saw it. To his assertion, I can only oppose my own, That he did not see it, I may also safely add, nor hear of it, and that no such thing [f. 189v] ever occurred. I observe however that I should perhaps have acted more like a missionary, if I had often preached in Calcutta Streets, & if I hd asserted, ^or stated^ they would go to hell, if they did not leave their idolatry. I suppose it would have been no more than true; I often blame myself for doing so little, and the only excuse I can make is, that the translations leave no time. Unless I excuse myself by mentioning my native disinclination to do and speak, of what is of the first importance. –

         I may also mention that I never found the populace so soon stirred up to resistance. I have often preached in other places to large and attentive congregations, but except the opposition, or rather profuse noise, made by a few scurrilous persons of the meaner sort, such as may be met with in most parts of England, I never saw any thing which could make the interference of the police necessary. Hindoos are not so soon moved. –

         Notwithstanding the attempts of a Mr P and others like him to prevent it, the gospel spreads in India, and will prevail, when their names have sunk into that oblivion towards which they tend They must however stand before the Judgment ^seat^ of Christ and when all things done in the body shall be affixed to every man (Greek word) and he appears with all the actions done in the Body whether good or evil, I leave it to Mr P &c to ascertain how they will appear with a broad malignant falsehood legibly inscribed upon them, as a trait in their characters never to be expunged. May they obtain ^find^ Repentance unto life and it will then also appear that the blood of Christ cleanses from all sin. –

         The Portsea is not yet arrived, Letters and Parcels for brother Johns have arrived, but he is before this I trust with you. Give my love to him and sister Johns – I have nothing more to add except my cordial union in sentiment with many [f. 190r] thousands more in praising the Lord for his wonderful works in the extension od his Church at the present Time

                                 I am

                                             very affectionately yrs

                                                         W Carey

Calcutta

22d Feby 1814

Address: none

Postmark: none

Text: John Rippon Letters, British Library, Add. Ms. 25386, fols. 189-90.