“William Carey! William Carey! I have surely heard the name before,” said Dr. Ryland, a minister in Northampton, as a young man of twenty-three entered his study nearly ten years after the incidents which are recorded in the previous chapter. “Sit down, my friend,” he said to his visitor. “Sit down, and tell me your business briefly.”
“I should like to be baptized.”
“Why have you such a desire? Let me hear who you are, and how God met with your soul.”
“My father was parish clerk at Paulerspury, and a godly man, who well loved all Christian people. At the age of fourteen I was apprenticed to the shoemaking in Hackleton. There I found a commentary belonging to my master containing Greek words. These I copied out, and when I visited my parents I got Thomas Jones, a weaver in our village, to translate them for me. So I picked up a little Greek. While at Hackleton I had frequent religious discussions with a fellow apprentice, who was, however, more than my match in argument. Upon one occasion I was sent out to collect the Christmas boxes given by the customers to the apprentices. One man offered me the choice of a shilling or a sixpence; I made choice of the shilling, but found afterward, to my sorrow, that it was a brass coin. To my shame I say it, but I endeavored to pass off this counterfeit as my master’s money. I prayed to God most earnestly that my deception might not be found out, but I was detected, and made to feel the disgrace of my sin.”
“That was wrong of you, “said Dr. Ryland.” Crooked ways are never safe, nor are they eventually successful.”
“So I found out, “replied the other.” In the second year of my apprenticeship my master died, and though it was not legally incumbent upon them to do so, my parents paid a sum of money to his widow for my freedom.”
“That was kind and honorable of them, “observed Ryland.” Be worthy of such upright parents.”
“I will strive to do so, “replied Carey.” I then went into the service of Mr. Old, at Hackleton, but at a lower rate of wages, because I had not yet fully acquired my trade. But after a while I became so good a workman, that my master used to exhibit a pair of boots of my making as a model for future apprentices. He kept them beneath a glass case.”
“That was a testimony to your ability, very gratifying to you; laudably so,” remarked Dr. Ryland.
“I married my master’s sister-in-law, Dorothy Plackett, two years ago,” continued Carey.” Yes, it was on the 10th of June, 1781. The same year I joined a little church which was then formed at Hackleton. My fellow apprentice had many times conversed with me upon the subject of religion; and by God’s grace I had come to see myself a sinner, and as such had come for pardon to Jesus Christ. I cannot tell of great raptures, or dreadful terrors,” continued Carey. “I have never experienced agonies of remorse; but I found myself a sinner, and I was enabled to trust in Jesus for salvation.”
“I pay little heed to excited emotions, Carey,” answered Ryland. “I don’t ask how much you feel, or how little. I say, Do you own yourself as a helpless sinner? Do you resolve, by God’s help, to abandon sin? Do you accept Jesus as your present, all-sufficient Savior? Will you resign yourself into His hands?”
“To all these questions I can humbly answer, Yes,” continued Carey. “To go on with my story, soon after my marriage my master died. My wife, moved with pity for her sister, who was destitute, induced me to take over the business. But I found it terribly hard work. Some orders, especially one large order, given to my master, were withdrawn when they heard of his death, and other losses followed immediately. I had to part with most of my stock; and I say it without murmuring, I often wanted even the necessaries of life. Then my child died, and I was sick with the ague.”
“Poor fellow! your friends were not able to aid you much, I fear? “asked Ryland.
“My brother Thomas denied himself even requisites, and pressed upon me a sum of money that he had saved with such protestations of affection, that I could not refuse his loving gift. This helped me for a time.”
“It was a noble deed,” said Ryland,” but brothers ought to aid each other. If brothers do not bear each other’s troubles, who will do so?”
“I can truly say that every member of my family would cheerfully endure privation to assist the others. I know that I would,” answered Carey.
“I believe you! I believe you!” exclaimed Ryland. “Yes, Carey, I shall be delighted to baptize you. Let me see, the 5th of October, 1783, is the new moon; that will do. Regard it as settled.”
The baptism took place at the time and place agreed upon. Ryland preached from Matt. 19:3030But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first. (Matthew 19:30), “But many that are first shall be last, and the last shall be first.”
“I had no idea,” he afterward remarked, “as to the youth’s grandeur. To me he was only a shoemaker’s apprentice. I little dreamed how literally my text was being fulfilled.”
So it was that the poor young man baptized that morning was to prove one of the most remarkable servants of Christ of his day, perhaps of all time. Ah, me! how little we understand about our fellows! and how faulty our estimate of their abilities and value often must be!