A Baptist Page Mission
Brief
William Ward
William
Ward was born in Derby, England on October 20 , 1769. Little
is known about his early life but as a young man Ward became a printer's
apprentice. After his apprenticeship, young William distinguished himself
as editor of his hometown paper, The Derby Mercury. In August of 1796,
Ward came to Christ as his Lord and Savior and was baptized in the Baptist
Church of Hull.
God
had greater plans for William Ward than printing secular news. In far
away India another Englishmen was making news as the first missionary
to that land. His name was William Carey. Carey's fledgling Serampore
mission needed an accomplished printer and Ward was the right man for
the job. In 1811 Ward published his first work on the Hindu people and
printed a number of other works in the years to come.
In
1819 Ward returned to England. He was immediately sought out as a speaker
as he was the first missionary to return from India. Over the next two
years William Ward spoke both in England and Holland and raised $10,000
for the Serampore mission. He returned to India in 1831. Two years later
God called this mission pioneer to his heavenly home at the age of 53
Baptist Page
Mission Briefs are offered as a service to the readers of The Baptist
Page. You are given permission to reprint this in any form available.
We only ask that this paragraph remain with the article.
©1997-2001
The Baptist Page - www.baptistpage.com