My Biographies of Carey of Serampore, Henry Martyn, Duff of Calcutta, and Wilson of Bombay, cover a period of nearly a century and a quarter, from 1761 to 1878. They have been written as contributions to that history of the Christian Church of India which one of its native sons must some day attempt; and to the history of English-speaking peoples, whom the Foreign Missions begun by Carey have made the rulers and civilisers of the non-Christian world. CONTENTS I. CAREY'S COLLEGE II. THE BIRTH OF ENGLAND'S FOREIGN MISSIONS III. INDIA AS CAREY FOUND IT IV. SIX YEARS IN NORTH BENGAL--MISSIONARY AND INDIGO PLANTER V. THE NEW CRUSADE--SERAMPORE AND THE BROTHERHOOD VI. THE FIRST NATIVE CONVERTS AND CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS VII. CALCUTTA AND THE MISSION CENTRES FROM DELHI TO AMBOYNA VIII. CAREY'S FAMILY AND FRIENDS IX. PROFESSOR OF SANSKRIT, BENGALI, AND MARATHI X. THE WYCLIF OF THE EAST--BIBLE TRANSLATION XI. WHAT CAREY DID FOR LITERATURE AND FOR HUMANITY XII. WHAT CAREY DID FOR SCIENCE--FOUNDER OF THE AGRICULTURAL AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OF INDIA XIII. CAREY'S IMMEDIATE INFLUENCE IN GREAT BRITAIN AND AMERICA XIV. CAREY AS AN EDUCATOR--THE FIRST CHRISTIAN COLLEGE IN THE EAST XV. CAREY'S CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY FOR THE PEOPLE OF INDIA XVI. CAREY'S LAST DAYS APPENDIX LIFE OF WILLIAM CAREY, D.D. CHAPTER I CAREY'S COLLEGE 1761-1785 The Heart of England--The Weaver Carey who became a Peer, and the weaver who was father of William Carey--Early training in Paulerspury--Impressions made by him on his sister--On his companions and the villagers--His experience as son of the parish clerk--Apprenticed to a shoemaker of Hackleton--Poverty--Famous shoemakers from Annianus and Crispin to Hans Sachs and Whittier--From Pharisaism to Christ--The last shall be first--The dissenting preacher in the parish clerk's home--He studies Latin, Greek and Hebrew, Dutch and French--The cobbler's shed is Carey's College.