2. William Carey is known as ‘the father of modern mission’

3. He was born in 1761 in a small thatched cottage in Pury End near Paulerspury, a typical Northamptonshire village in England

4. Even as a child, Carey was always curious about the world and its peoples

5. In 1792 he founded the first Protestant missionary society – later to be known as the Baptist Missionary Society and today called… BMS World Mission!

6. This Northamptonshire pastor, schoolmaster and shoemaker volunteered to become the first missionary of the newly-formed Baptist Missionary Society

7. In 1793 he went to India and devoted 41 years to the country and its people, never to return to his homeland

8. Carey was instrumental in translating the Bible into 40 languages and dialects – making the word of God accessible to a third of the world!

9. He was the founder of the Agri-Horticultural Society of India and loved being amongst God’s creation and learning more about it.

10. He established Serampore College, which remains one of the outstanding educational institutions of Asia

11. Bible translator Social justice campaigner Bible translator Publisher of the first newspaper in the local language Agriculturalist Founder of schools and a nationally important college Horticultuarlist Classical literature translator Educator Botanist Professor of languages

12. … just one man who dearly loved God and obeyed his word