which to one unacquainted with Sunscrit, and the mutation of words in the current languages, would

Yours of July 2, 1815, I have received. I am glad you have taken the office of secretary upon yourself; but you will not live for ever, and I think it is very important while you live to take such steps as shall prevent disagreeable circumstances from arising after your death. I have thought much on the subject, and will say what appears to to me

desirable.

'The office of secretary, when in the hands of our dear brother Fuller, included a mass of influence and power which properly belongs to the society itself. The secretary, however, should be the mere organ of the society. While brother Fuller lived, there was no danger of the power he possessed being wrongly used; nor do I think you will misemploy it. But the office must devolve on others after your death. I therefore recommend the so modelling and enlarging the society, that all its acts shall originate from itself, and that the secretary be, as nearly as possible, the mere officer

to record the transactions and resolutions of the society, and to communicate them to the persons whom they concern.

'Suppose the society, instead of being confined to one part of England, were to be made co-extensive with England and Scotland, and the whole country to be divided into districts, and all the churches in each district to choose a number of the most active, wise, and holy men within them, to act as a committee of that district; from these others should be chosen to represent them at a general-meeting of all the district divisions, once or oftener every year, at which meeting every thing regarding the plans of the society should be finally settled. The present associations might answer every purpose of districts, and the annual meeting of the denomination in London might answer every purpose of the general meeting. Each district might, if necessary, have a secretary, who should correspond with the chief secretary. It would not be always necessary to have a meeting even for special business; the secretary, whom for distinction's sake I call the chief secretary, might be empowered to send a circular letter to each of the secretaries of the districts upon special occasions, and thus in ten days he might get the opinion of almost all the districts upon any subject; a few printed letters, as many as were wanted, would answer the purpose, and might be sent to all at once. We carry on almost all public business in this manner in India. This plan might be modified in any way as might appear necessary; but it would have the effect of

making the secretary's office so different from what it necessarily is at present, as to make it unlikely that a canvas for it should take place. All this, however, you can better arrange than I can possibly contrive; but something appears to me highly necessary.

'Yours, &c.,

'W. CAREY.'

CHAPTER VI.

SECTION III.

FORMATION OF THE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY IN INDIA-DEATH OF MRS. CAREY -PLEASING NOTICE OF RELIGIOUS AND OTHER IMPROVEMENT IN INDIA AND THROUGHOUT THE WORLD-RECOLLECTION OF HIS RELIGIOUS AND MINISTERIAL ASSOCIATIONS IN ENGLAND-IS APPOINTED TRANSLATOR OF GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS-DEATH OF MR. WARD-ELECTION TO THE LONDON LINNEAN, GEOLOGICAL, AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETIES-ACCOUNT OF HIS ACCIDENT AND SEVERE ILLNESS DEATH OF HIS SON FELIX-DEATH OF DR. RYLAND.

IN 1817 there commenced a misunderstanding between the Serampore missionaries and the Parent Society. The latter recommended a new and more satisfactory investment of the mission property; and that, in connexion with the missionaries themselves, a number of gentlemen in England should be associated in the trust. To this the missionaries objected; and issued a declaration from the Danish court of Serampore, expository of their own views, and investing the property accordingly. To the statements and design of this instrument, the society, in their turn, could not feel consentient. Explanations followed, which, though they mitigated the evil and somewhat

arrested its progress, yet left it essentially unsolved. The primary matter of dispute remaining unadjusted, unity of counsel and feeling was impaired; and other economical difficulties supervening, in 1827 the Serampore missionaries and the Parent Institution separated their connexion.

If I were writing the history of the Baptist mission, it might be expected that I should trace out the merits of this controversy, and exhibit its facts and events in detail. But I am writing the life of an individual; and, being convinced that neither his character was affected nor his usefulness compromised, by the views he entertained and the course he adopted, I have not thought it incumbent on me to dwell upon circumstances and renew a dispute calculated to awaken no pleasurable feeling, or serve any useful purpose. Moreover, as from the very origin of this controversy to its last discussion, and throughout all the interests it involved, I, with the brethren with whom I acted, entertained opposite convictions from my honoured relative, and committed myself to a different procedure, I should deem it ungenerous and impertinent to make this memoir the vehicle of my own ideas, or the instrument of my vindication. Beyond, therefore, the above very brief notice, I willingly abstain from any analysis even of the controversy. Enough has been written by each party, it is presumed, fairly to expound, if not exhaust, all its legitimate topics. If any are of another mind, I leave to them to find an occasion, and select their own mode for reviving it.