. India and Malaysia . ed him to a shoemaker, and, likeBunyan before him, he lived to make his humble calling il-lustrious, rather than to bear the plebeian taint which, in theeyes of weak persons, is supposed to attach to a lowly occupa-tion. He worked quietly at this trade for twelve years. Atthe age of eighteen he was awakened, and in due time ob-tained a clear religious experience, upon which foundation hebuilt the magnificent Christian character which, throughoutthe rest of his life-time, made him a prince among men. Very206 WILLIAM CAREY. 207 soon after his conversion he began to speak i
. India and Malaysia . ed him to a shoemaker, and, likeBunyan before him, he lived to make his humble calling il-lustrious, rather than to bear the plebeian taint which, in theeyes of weak persons, is supposed to attach to a lowly occupa-tion. He worked quietly at this trade for twelve years. Atthe age of eighteen he was awakened, and in due time ob-tained a clear religious experience, upon which foundation hebuilt the magnificent Christian character which, throughoutthe rest of his life-time, made him a prince among men. Very206 WILLIAM CAREY. 207 soon after his conversion he began to speak in quiet meet-ings, and at once attracted attention, not only by his earnest-ness, but by the evidences of elevated thought which wereconspicuous in his simple discourses. If a man is really apreacher called of God, the common people are those whowill be the first to make the discovery, and hence it was notlong before William Carey had received this recognition ofhis heavenly calling. The common people heard him WILLIAM CAREY. When twenty years of age he was led into two stepswhich were to bring him trouble in subsequent years. Onthe death of his master he attempted to take up and carry onthe business, which involved an amount of responsibility towhich he was not equal. He also married a young womanwlio was singularly unfitted for the position which she was tooccupy. She seems to have been a simple peasant girl, prob- 208 INDIA AND MALAYSIA. ably fitted well enough for life in a quiet little village inEngland, but with a tendency to melancholy, which in laterlife developed iuto unmistakable insanity. Mr. Carey wasthus involved in serious domestic and business troubles very threshold of his public life, and, although the dis-cipline may have produced its salutary lessons, yet it is im-possible to read of his struggles without a feeling of pity thatone so gifted should have been so heavily weighted at thebeginning of his race. He, however, seems to have main-tained
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