Luther Rice (1783-1836) was born in Northborough, Massachusetts. He studied at Williams College and Andover Theological Seminary. He became interested in missions and, along with Adoniram Judson, founded the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions in 1810. In 1812 he went to India, leaving port a Congregational minister but arriving as a Baptist – a conversion that took place during the long journey through the influence of Baptist missionaries who were also on board. He returned to America after a year to help raise funds for other missionaries. He organized the General Convention of the Baptist Denomination in the United States for Foreign Missions in 1814, which sent many missionaries around the world. In 1822 he helped found Columbian University (later renamed George Washington University) in Washington, D.C., from where he published the Baptist weekly, The Columbian Star. Despite suffering a stroke in 1832 he continued pressing for the support of missions until his death. His fruitful life supported thousands of missionaries and produced numerous schools and mission organizations.
India
Martyn, Henry
Henry Martyn (1781-1812) was an English missionary to India, Martyn was inspired by the work and writings of William Carey and David Brainerd. In 1803 he was ordained a deacon in the Church of England and two years later obtained a chaplaincy from the East India Company. Stationed in Calcutta he studied the local dialects so that he could preach and translate the New Testament. His frail health forced him to leave India in 1810 and he sailed for Persia, hoping that a change in climate would improve his condition. He ministered to the Muslims, once again preaching on the streets and translating the Scriptures. He died of tuberculosis while on a mission trip to Turkey. He was the first missionary to both the Hindus and the Muslims and his Journals, where he detailed the great importance of missions, inspired many in the 19th century to spread the Gospel around the world.
Duff, Alexander
Alexander Duff (1806-1878) was the first missionary to India from the Church of Scotland. He established the University of Calcutta in 1830. Within ten years it had grown to nearly 1,000 students. Ill health forced him to return to Scotland in 1834 for six years, during which time he raised funds and promoted the work of other missionaries. During the next few years he suffered several setbacks due to divisions in the Church of Scotland and he eventually lost the right to minister from his school. He spent several years traveling the globe to campaign for missions, including the United States where he had a great impact and inspired many to become missionaries. He retired to Scotland in 1864 and spent the rest of his life teaching theology, serving as a moderator in the Free Church, and writing and speaking about the importance of missions. His tireless efforts to promote the work of missionary evangelists helped fund, build, and nurture numerous mission stations around the world.
Carmichael, Amy
Amy Carmichael (1867-1951) was born in Northern Ireland and educated at Wesleyan Methodist Boarding School. She grew up in a wealthy and well-connected family. Yet, despite her privileged circumstances, she dedicated her life to missions and went to Japan in 1893. Poor health forced her to return to England but in 1895 she was sent by the Church of England to South India. Here she remained until her death. She adopted Indian dress and began working among the young girls who had been dedicated to lives of servitude at Hindu temples. She rescued many of them and established a home that eventually accepted both boys and girls. After an accident in 1931 that left her unable to walk she began writing devotional books, including Mimosa and Lotus Buds, that were published in many languages. Her efforts on behalf of the slave girls of South India led to protective laws and inspired many women to become missionaries.
Carey, William
William Carey (1761-1834) is considered the “father of modern missions.” He was born in Paulersbury, England to a poor weaver. As a young man, he worked as an apprentice to a shoemaker but spent his spare time studying for the ministry. Amazingly, while still a teenager, he was able to read the Bible in six languages. This gift for languages would serve him well as a missionary. In 1787 he became pastor of a Baptist church where, in 1792, he preached a sermon with the famous line, “Expect Great Things from God, Attempt Great Things for God.” He helped organize the Baptist Missionary Society and became one of the group’s first members to go abroad when he went to India in 1793. He suffered greatly during the early years of his ministry due to financial setbacks, the death of his children, and the mental illness of his wife. In 1799 he was able to purchase a small indigo plantation and it was from here that he started his first successful mission. Opposition from the East India Company forced him to shut down his operation, however, so in 1800 he moved to Serampore where he and other missionaries preached, taught, and started Serampore Press to distribute Christian literature. In 1831 Carey was appointed professor of Oriental languages at Fort William College in Calcutta, a position he held for 30 years until his death. During this time he was largely responsible for translating the Bible into 36 dialects, making the Scriptures available to over 300 million people. His philosophy toward missions – missionaries and natives should live equally and missionaries should be self-sustaining – revolutionized the work of mission societies and led to field successes previously unmatched.