Serampore Mission
Introduction
1. Historical Background of the Serampore Mission
2. Missionary Approach of the Serampore Mission
2.1 Missionary Principles
2.2 Evangelistic Methods
2.3 Church Planting
3 Contributions and its Impact of Serampore Mission
3.1 Literature
3.1.1 Bible Translation
3.1.2 Books and Dictionaries
3.1.3 Printing Press
3.1.4 Journalism
3.2 Education
3.2.1 School
3.2.2 College
3.3 Social Issues
3.3.1 Caste System
3.3.2 Sati System
1
3.3.3 Children Infanticide
3.4 Medical Mission
3.4.1 Leprosy Hospital
3.4.2 Medicine Distribution
3.5 Ecological Issues
3.5.1 Botanical Garden
Conclusion
Bibliography
2
Introduction
William Carey, Joshua Marshman and William Ward were once unwanted and unwelcomed
guests for the British East India Company, when they first landed in India for mission work.
Yet they didn’t give up their hope and dreams for which they had come to India. These three
formed a team, who were also known as the Serampore Trio, and worked tirelessly for the
propagation of the Gospel through their missionary works. They started Schools, College,
Hospital, and did many other works for the upliftment of the society. As a result, Serampore
Mission came into being. Ebenezer Dasan commented that this “Serampore Trio” was one of
the most illustrious examples of Missionary teamwork in the history of the church. They
stood by one another inseparably, in good times and bad, during years of severe trial, and
through seasons of harvest and joy. 1 The good and exemplary works this Serampore Trio did
for the people of India still remain as a model for many Christian mission agencies to follow.
This writing will mainly deal with their missionary works among the Indian, and its impact
on the church and society. This paper is divided into three major sections. The first section
deals with the historical of background the Serampore Trio’s and their initial works. The
missionary approach of the Serampore mission is discussed in the second major section of
this paper. The third section deals with the contributions and its impact made by Serampore
mission towards the church and Indian society.
1. Historical Background of the Serampore Mission
The British East India Company was a commercial organization and its primary motive was
trade and profits. Though it paid lip service to the missionary work, it never took keen
interest in the conversion of the people, nor did it encourage the missionaries to do any kind
of evangelistic work. Although the Act of 1698 ordered the company’s chaplains to instruct
the Gentoos in the Protestant faith apart from their duties as chaplains to the Company
servants, the company took no interest in it, fearing that the introduction of a new religion
would excite the already religiously torn country and that the empire would be brought to
ruin. As a result, the Directors of the Company got a resolution passed in England that any
adventurer or missionary should get the license of the company to enter India. An unlicensed
adventurer or missionary was liable, on discovery, to expulsion from the Company’s
1
Ebenezer Dasan, “Evaluation of the Serampore Mission from the Perspective of a Holistic concept of
Mission,” UBS Journal 5/1 (March 2007): 38.
3
territories.2 In spite of the exclusion policy of the Company, William Carey, the first Baptist
Missionary from England, arrived in Hooghly in November 1793.
William Carey had a very humble origin: very rural and professionally very low. He was just
a cobbler, a mender of other people’s shoes. Physically, he did not enjoy a robust health. On
the contrary, he was quite sickly, weak and small: five feet and two inches. Nothing about
him was extraordinary and grand. Thus, Somen Das wrote, “It is very difficult to expect and
anticipate much from such a frail creature like Carey. Obviously, the hand of God was at
work in a mysterious but sure way.”3
Since William Carey had no permit as a missionary from the company, he had to reside in
India inconspicuously. When money and goods that he brought from England were over, he
and his family were in a desperate plight. After a couple of months of living on charity,
George Udny, an indigo manufacturer in North Bengal offered him a job as the manager of
his newly established indigo factories in Malda District. Carey considered the offer a divine
providence and moved to Madnabati in Malda district in June 1794. In spite of one of Carey’s
sons’ deaths and the chronic sickness of his wife, Madnabati became their home for the next
five and half years. When Udny had to get rid of the factories after disastrous floods, Carey
bought one of the factories and planned to establish a community on the model of the
Moravian Brethren.4 Slowly he and his family, though financially not fully self-supporting,
they could manage their family needs with the little amount he gets working in indigo
company.
In 1799 four British missionary families arrived in Hooghly. But since they had no
permission from the Company, they were advised to go to the Danish settlement of
Serampore. This they did, and the Danish Governor, who had served in Tranquebar and
known as Schwartz, made them welcomed and defended them against the attempts of the
British authorities to have them expelled. After some negotiation and dialogue between
Danish Governor and British authorities they were left in peace. But it was made clear to
them that they would not be allowed to join Carey up country. When Carey heard about this
news, he decided that he would go and join them. Thus,Carey sold his factory and moved to
2
J.S. Dharmaraj, “Serampore Missions and Colonial Connections” Indian Church History Review
XXVI/1(June 1992): 21.
3
Somen Das, “William Carey’s contributions from a Theological-Ethical Perspective,” Indian Journal
of Theology: Mission and Vision 35/1 (1993): 14.
4
Dharmaraj, Serampore Mission, 29.
4
Serampore early in 1800. After sometime, they bought a large house and compound near the
river, and here the community which Carey had planned took shape and, as the years passed,
developed an astonishing range of activities. Death soon struck the ranks of the newcomers;
but two men, Joshua Marshman, a schoolmaster, and William Ward, a printer, survived to
form with Carey a famous partnership,5 ‘The Serampore Trio’. Thus, Serampore Mission
began with the work of these three missionaries and their family.
2. Missionary Approach of the Serampore Mission
When Christian missionaries go to different places for the propagation of the Gospel they
usually apply different methods and strategies. In the same way, the Serampore Trio also
followed and applied certain mission strategies and methods to evangelize people.
2.1 Missionary Principles: The Serampore trio practised two important mission
principles, derived from Jesus, Paul and Moravians. Firstly, a missionary must become a
companion and equal of the people he is sent to serve. One of the important aspects of the
Serampore Trio’s life and work may be summed up in the phrase “pragmatic flexibility.”
Although they left Britain with clearly formed theological ideas and though they
demonstrated again and again, they could not operate very well in India by adhering slavishly
to some fixed, pre-determined plan of action. They learned very quickly that the missionary
blueprints they had learned cannot be imposed on India. Instead, the need was to interact with
unexpected circumstances and developments in the sub-continent, adjusting course
accordingly to the best of their ability.6 The first fruit of the Serampore Trio was Krishna Pal.
Secondly, a missionary must become indigenous, self-supporting and self-propagating. The
Serampore missionary work was a self supporting mission. All the members of the mission
had pledged themselves to pool with their earnings. Carey was offered the post of professor
of Bengali in the College of Fort William in 1801, which Lord Wellesley, the Governor
General, founded in that year for the training of the East Indian Company’s junior officials.
After consulting his colleagues he accepted it. The post brought in a handsome salary, which
became still more handsome when he was made professor of Sanskrit and Marathi as well as
Bengali. He loyally paid the money into the common fund, as all the members of the mission
5
C.B. Firth, An Introduction to Indian Church History, (Delhi: ISPCK, 2013), 148.
6
A. Christopher Smith, The Serampore Mission Enterprise (Bangalore: Centre for Contemporary
Christianity, 2006), 144.
5
had pledged themselves to do with their earnings. In this way they not only became self-
supporting, but built up a considerable fund for the mission.7
2.2 Evangelistic method: First, The Serampore trio learned the local language.
Second, immediately after learning the language they took the gospel to the streets, river bank
stairways and bazaars, and called people to serve the living and true God by leaving idols.
Third, they learned not only the language but the culture of the people they had come to
serve. This helped them to engage in creative dialogue with their Hindu and Muslim
neighbours. After finding out points of contact, they then moved to present the gospel.
Fourth, they used songs and music not only in their worship services, but also in open air
preaching.8 It was said that when Carey, Marshman and Ward stood on the street and
sang, people used to stop their business activities and gather around to hear them.
2.3 Church Planting: The Serampore Trio seems to be more interested in giving
education and emancipation of the people from the social evils but one should remember that
they did not neglect church planting in their missionary work. As early as 1802 a weekly
meeting was started in Calcutta and this became a place of worship in Bengali and English in
1803. In 1809 a chapel was built in Lall Bazar by local evangelicals, one of two Baptist
churches in the city. They are the first fruits of a passion ignited by Carey and his two friends
to serve the needs of India’s poor and oppressed.9
3. Contributions and the Impact of Serampore Mission
Serampore Mission had contributed immensely in the field of literature, education, medicine,
evangelism, and eradicating social evils from the society. The researcher has already
mentioned some of the missionary approach of the Serampore Mission and its impact on the
Indian society. Some of the major contributions make by the Serampore Mission towards the
society will be given below.
3.1 Literature
One of the greatest contribution make by Serampore mission is in the literature. Still many
people use the literature like books and dictionaries written by the Serampore trio.
7
Firth, An Introduction..., 149-150.
8
Dasan, Evaluation, 42.
9
Roger E. Hedlund, Carey, A Missiologist before time, Indian Church History Review, XXVII/1, (June
1993): 40.
6
3.1.1 Bible Translation: Carey as well as his colleagues believed that the
success of missionary works here in India depended mainly upon bringing out the Bible in
the language of the people. Mere conversion of the natives would not last long unless there is
a well prepared means to strengthen and to sustain people’s faith. The first thing they did was
to learn a number of the oriental languages and to translate the Bible. In less than half a
century of his missionary labours, Carey was able to bring out as many as 35 translations of
the scriptures into various languages of the east. 10 Complete Bible translated by Carey are:
Assamese, Bengali, Hindi, Hindusthani, Oriya and Punjabi. New Testament or part thereof
are: Awadhi, Baluchi, Bhatenari, Bhungali, Bikani, Bragbhasa, Dogri, Garwali, Gujarathi,
Horothi, Jayouri, Konanji, Kashmiri, Khasi, Kumanni, Konkani, Kurnata, Maghdi, Manipuri,
Marwari, Multani, Nepali, Palpa, Persian, Pusthu, Telegu.11
3.1.2 Books and Dictionaries: Along with Bible translation, Carey was also
involved in producing grammars and dictionaries in many languages. He prepared grammars
in seven languages, dictionaries in four languages, polyglot vocabularies (one in 13 languages
and one in four languages), and other four books in Bengali and two in English. 12 Carey’s
wider concern for the development of a liberated human society was also evident from his
positive attitude towards other religious scriptures, like, the translation of the Ramayana.
This approach was indicative of a magnanimous and comprehensive spirit – a spirit seeking
communal harmony. It provided ways for dialogue, mutual respect and co-existence.13
3.1.3 Printing press: All these literary interests and works would have remain
stagnant but for the availability of printing presses at the mission centre itself. The
introduction of printing machines for the production of translated Bibles, indigenous writings
and other literatures including newspapers had fostered a new impetus for the creation of a
liberated society. The Serampore press of the mission was world’s first and the largest press
with oriental scripts capable of printing materials in 48 languages.14
3.1.4 Journalism: The growth of education, resulting in a widening interest in
the world around, led the missionaries to turn their attention to the production of periodicals.
After the Bengal Gazatte was suppressed in 1780, they published Dig-darshan from February
10
O.L. Snaitang, “William Carey’s Vision and its Revelance Today,” Indian Church History Review
XXVII/1, (June 1993): 54.
11
Dasan, Evaluation, 42-43.
12
Dasan, Evaluation, 50.
13
Snaitang, William Carey’s, 55.
14
Dasan, Evaluation, 51.
7
1818, the first newspaper in a vernacular language (Bengali), Samachar Darpan was issued
in May 1818, and a monthly English Magazine, Friend of India appeared from April 1818.15
3.2 Education
Education was one of the primary concerns of Serampore Mission. Establishing or opening
schools and colleges by mission agencies and mission societies was a common phenomenon
in India during 19th century. D. Arthur Jeyakumar terms the period from 1813-1833 as the
period of elementary schools, and the period from 1833-1857 as the period of English
education in the history of India.16
3.2.1 Schools: Illiteracy was a common societal issue in India even during 19 th
century. A majority of the Indian masses did not know even the basic three R’s (reading,
writing, arithmetic). This dimension remained vulnerable as it enabled the selected few
landlords or zamindars to rule the day at their own interest and will. In other words,
oppressors took advantage because of the illiteracy of the masses. 17 The first Bengali medium
school for boys was started on 1st June 1800. The Bengali schools became popular and they
opened 126 vernacular schools by 1818, with at least 10,000 pupils. In 1820, with the
initiation of Hannah Marshman (w/o Joshua Marshman), the first school for girls was opened
with eight pupils. The Serampore mission was a pioneer in promoting education for girls.
Within six years, 12 schools were opened and 300 girls received education.18
3.2.2 College: After establishing elementary schools, the Serampore trio
planed something more: a college for the instruction of Asiatic, Christian and other youth in
Eastern Literature and European Science. Their aim was to produce a class of enlightened
men acquainted with both the classical literature of India and the best western learning of the
day, and in particular to raise up educated men to serve and lead the Indian Church as
ministers and teachers and in other walks of life. What they proposed was an Art and Science
college with a theological department. It was to be a place where Christian and non-Christian
students rubbed shoulders together. From their own resources they bought the land and built
the buildings; for other expenses they raised money in India, England, Denmark and
15
Ibid.
16
D. Arthur Jeyakumar, History of Christianity in India. Selected Themes, Revised and Enlarged
Edition (Chennai: Author, 2011), 43-44.
17
O.L. Snaitang, Challenges from William Carey to the Mission of the Church of India, Mission in the
Past and Present: Challenges and Perspectives, (Bangalore: BTESSC/SATHRI), 38.
18
Dasan, Evaluation, 48.
8
America. The building was begun in 1818, classes opened to 1819 with 37 students (19
resident Christians and 18 non-resident non-Christian). Included in the curriculum were
Sanskrit, Arabic, Bengali, English, Natural Science and Medicine; and in the early years of
the college most of these subject were taught in Bengali. 19 The king of Denmark awarded a
charter of the Serampore College in 1827, which gave the right to confer degree.
With the revival of Serampore charter in 1915 and the system of collegiate affiliation
associated with it, Serampore has exerted a far reaching influence upon the development of
theological education in India. The Senate of Serampore college record shows that more than
10,000 students had been conferred with various degrees in theology since 1915.20
3.3 Social Issues
The Serampore mission gave importance to both evangelism and social concern. With Carey
there was no dichotomy between evangelism and social action. Proclamation of the Gospel
was by deed as well as in word. They understood that the kingdom of God includes
everything together.
3.3.1 Caste system: The rejection of the evil of caste system was another
landmark in the history of the Christian missions here in India. Casteism had completely
undermined the basic fabric of human unity. Though the Madurai Mission of the Catholic
Church and the Lutheran Tranquebar Mission did not opposed the retention of caste system in
the Christian community, the Serampore Mission did not only reject it outright but practically
set aside caste distinctions among the converts in Serampore. As a result, there were
successful inter-marriages and union at the participation of the sacraments.21
3.3.2 Sati System: Personally seeing the pathetic sight of widow burning on
1st April 1799, the course of life of the Serampore trio changed. Under their dynamic
leadership, India’s first movement to abolish sati began in 1804. Carey was asked by the
Government to collect a report on the observance of burning of widows, which he
submitted.22 With the help of his Pundit Vidyalankar, Carey found no emphasis in the
shastras about Sati. So the missionaries published articles on sati for public awareness, and
19
Firth, An Introduction,153.
20
Dhirendra Kumar Sahu, “Serampore Then and Now,” Indian Journal of Theology: Mission and
Vision 35/1 (1993): 12.
21
Snaitang, William Carey’s, 61.
22
Ashish Kumar Massey & June Hedlung, “William Carey and the making of Modern India,” Indian
Church History Review XXVII/1 (June 1993): 13.
9
through their letters they appealed their philanthropic European friends to put pressure on
British Government. Raja Ram Moham Roy, an eminent Indian leader also joined the
movement and voiced against the evil practice of Sati. After a long protest by the Serampore
Trio and their supporters, the government abolished Sati in 1829. 23 This is mostly the
outcome of the monthly magazine The Friend of India.
3.3.3 Children infanticide: Killing of infants, especially females, had further
created a society of inhumanity and mercilessness. Infants were drowned in the river Ganga
or exposed to the scorching sun in summer or to the cold wave in winter. They offered their
children to the Ganges to fulfil vows before the goddess. It was considered as a positive sign
that the goddess had accepted the offering, if crocodiles hungrily devoured the children.
Many mother offered one child to the sacred river if they had been blessed with two children
to fulfil the vow they had made to the river Ganges. Infanticide was a way of life in India. If
babies were sickly or deformed or refused the mother’s milk, they would be exposed since
they were believed to be possessed by evil spirits.
Asked by the government to investigate the practice, Carey’s investigation revealed that, the
sacred books did not enjoin these practices. Reporting to government the result of his
research, he urged that they be prohibited. As a direct result of this research, the Governor
General outlawed ritual of infanticide, proclaiming the crime to be murder and, as such,
punishable by death.24
3.4 Medical Mission
Serampore Mission contributions in different fields are commendable. Serampore Mission
also influenced and saved many lives through its medical mission.
3.4.1 Leprosy Hospital: Patients who suffered from leprosy were sent out
from home and were completely alienated from the society. Even if they recovered, they
could be absorbed again neither in the society nor in the clan. The issue of the inhuman
treatment and lack of social acceptance of lepers cause Carey’s soul to cry out in agony. In
1812 a leper was burnt alive in a pit by his own mother and sister in order to purify him for
his next birth, which moved Carey once again to action. The lepers were drowned so that they
would be reborn with healthy bodies. Later on, in the spirit of the one who laid his hand upon
23
K.L. Richardson, “The Missions of Serampore Trio: An Ecumenical Perspective,” Indian Journal of
Theology: Mission and Vision 35/1 (1993): 32.
24
Dasan, Evaluation, 47
10
a leper, Carey established a leper hospital in Calcutta, the first of the many for which the
different missionary society have been responsible.25
3.4.2 Medicine Distribution: During those days, sick persons were also taken
to the banks of a ‘holy river’ without shelter or clothes, and in the process, many pass through
an untimely death. When the sick and dying people were brought by their relatives to the
ghats of the holy rivers to die, the missionaries helped them with medicines. They not only
supplied medicines but also published in their periodicals from time to time to let the readers
know how to make use of the medicines available.26
3.5 Ecology Issues
Serampore missionaries introduced Science through education in order to uplift the poor
villagers through vernacular language. Carey was a natural historian and contributed
significantly to Indian Science and Technology. He was also much concerned about ecology.
At the time when ecology, habitat, environment was little understood, Carey used to
correspond on subjects of science. He collected a lot of detailed information about birds,
animals, flies, vegetables, plants etc.27
3.5.1 Botanical Garden: Carey’s first ecological concern for the survival of
created beings was the establishment of a renowned Agri-horticultural society in India on 14
September 1820. The main objective in initiating this society was for the development of
fruits, vegetables and food crops. He also started a Botanical Garden for the tree plantation,
flowers and planting of variety of fruit trees. He had also shown interest in the study of
minerals and rocks.28 Carey also contributed much for the protection of the forests.
Christopher Smith writes, “Carey was the first to urge the Government to set up plantation
committee for the protection and a forestation of receding forest.”29
Conclusion
Looking at the Serampore Mission works and its impact on the people of India one can only
marvel at the sight their contributions they have made. The Serampore missionary strategies
of the mission and evangelism works can be summed up as follows: (a) Approaching the non-
25
Dasan, Evaluation, 46
26
Richardson, “The Missions, 32.
27
Dasan, Evaluation, 51.
28
Snaitang, William Carey’s, 62.
29
Dasan, Evaluation, 52.
11
Christians in their own language; (b) Acquainting oneself with the indigenous culture and
thought-forms; (c) Oral proclamation of the gospel where India’s people lived; (d) Bible
translation; (e) Raising up the native converts and Christian leader; (f) Providing education at
various levels.30
The death of William Ward from cholera in 1823 made the first breech in the Serampore
partnership. William Carey died in 1834; and Joshua Marshman in 1837. Though they had
die their contribution and their Missionary strategies still prevail. Apart from spreading the
gospel, their contribution toward the development of the societies and the transformation they
brought into the life of the people especially to the low castes and women, and the history
they created is unforgettable. Some of the missionary strategies they adopted are still
applicable in some context today.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
BOOKS:
Firth, C.B. An Introduction to Indian Church History. Delhi: ISPCK, 2013.
Jeyakumar, D. Arthur. History of Christianity in India. Selected Themes, Revised and
Enlarged Edition. Chennai: Author, 2011.
Smith, A.Christopher. The Serampore Mission Enterpris. Bangalore: Centre for
Contemporary Christianity, 2006.
Snaitang, O.L. “Challenges from William Carey to the Mission of the Church of India”,
Mission in the Past and Present: Challenges and Perspectives, Edited by Samson
Prabhakar. Bangalore: BTESSC/SATHRI, 2006.
JOURNALS:
Das, Somen. “William Carey’s contributions from a Theological-Ethical Perspective,” Indian
Journal of Theology: Mission and Vision Vol 35/1 (1993).
30
Smith, The Serampore, 313.
12
Dasan, Ebenezer D. “Evaluation of the Serampore Mission from the Perspective of a Holistic
concept of Mission,” UBS Journal Vol 5/1 (March 2007), 37-55.
Dharmaraj, J.S. “Serampore Missions and Colonial Connections,” Indian Church History
Review Vol XXVI/1 (June 1992), 21-35.
Hendlung, Ashish Kumar Massey & June. “William Carey and the making of Modern India,”
Indian Church History Review Vol XXVII/1 (June 1993), 7-18.
Hedlund, Roger E. “Carey, A Missiologist before time,” Indian Church History Review Vol
XXVII/1 (June 1993), 29-49.
Richardson, K.L. “The Missions of Serampore Trio: An Ecumenical Perspective,” Indian
Journal of Theology: Mission and Vision Vol 35/1 (1993).
Sahu, Dhirendra Kumar. “Serampore Then and Now,” Indian Journal of Theology: Mission
and Vision Vol 35/1 (1993).
Snaitang, O.L. “William Carey’s Vision and its Revelance Today,” Indian Church History
Review Vol XXVII/1 (June 1993),50-63.
13
