William Carey Quotes

I'm not afraid of failure; I'm afraid of succeeding at things that don't matter.

Expect great things from God, attempt great things for God.

It is the duty of those who are entrusted with the Gospel to endeavor to make it known among all nations.

Expect great things from God, receive great things from God. Expect little from God, receive little from God.

When I left England, my hope of India's conversion was very strong; but amongst so many obstacles, it would die, unless upheld by God. Well, I have God, and His Word is true. Though the superstitions of the heathen were a thousand times stronger than they are, and the example of the Europeans a thousand times worse; though I were deserted by all and persecuted by all, yet my faith, fixed on the sure Word, would rise above all obstructions and overcome every trial. God's cause will triumph. (William Carey, quoted in Iain Murray, The Puritan Hope, Banner of Truth 1971, p 140.)

Prayer - secret, fervent, believing prayer - lies at the root of all personal godliness.

I was once young and now I am old, but not once have I been witness to God's failure to supply my need when first I had given for the furtherance of His work. He has never failed in His promise, so I cannot fail in my service to Him.

To know the will of God, we need an open Bible and an open map.

I will venture to go... but remember that you must hold the ropes.

Surely it is worthwhile to lay ourselves out with all our might in promoting the cause and kingdom of Christ.

There are grave difficulties on every hand, and more are looming ahead. Therefore, we must go forward.

The future is as bright as the promise of God.

You have been saying much about Dr. Carey and his work. When I am gone, say nothing about Dr. Carey; speak about Dr. Carey's Saviour.

Is not the commission of our Lord still binding upon us? Can we not do more than now we are doing?

If you want the Kingdom speeded, go out and speed it yourselves. Only obedience rationalizes prayer. Only Missions can redeem your intercessions from insincerity.

The most glorious works of grace that have ever took place, have been in answer to prayer; and it is in this way, we have the greatest reason to suppose, that the glorious out-pouring of the Spirit, which we expect at last, will be bestowed.

A Christian minister is a person who in a peculiar sense is not his own; he is the servant of God, and therefore ought to be wholly devoted to Him.

To belong to Jesus is to embrace the nations with Him.

I'm a dreamer and continue to dream of what can and will be, "Expecting great things from God, Attempting great things for God

I can plod. I can persevere in any definite pursuit. To this I owe everything.

Those who would be employed in propagating the Gospel should be familiar with the doctrines he is to combat and the doctrines he is to teach, and acquire a complete knowledge both of the Sacred Scriptures and of these philosophical and mythological dogmas which form the souls of the Buddhist and Hindu Systems.

The most glorious works of grace that have ever took place, have been in answer to prayer.

...even on the low ground of common sense I seemed to be called to be a missionary. Is the kingdom a harvest field? Then I thought it reasonable that I should seek to work where the work was most abundant and the workers fewest.

In one period the grossest ignorance and barbarism prevailed in the world; and afterwards, in a more enlightened age, the most daring infidelity, and contempt of God; so that the world which was once over-run with ignorance, now by wisdom knew not God, but changed the glory of the incorruptible God as much as in the most barbarous ages, into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. Nay, as they increased in science and politeness, they ran into more abundant and extravagant idolatries.

Our Lord Jesus Christ, a little before his departure, commissioned his apostles to Go, and teach all nations; or, as another evangelist expresses it, Go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. This commission was as extensive as possible, and laid them under obligation to disperse themselves into every country of the habitable globe, and preach to all the inhabitants, without exception, or limitation. They accordingly went forth in obedience to the command, and the power of God evidently wrought with them.

Every Christian should live life with an open Bible and an open map.

Without justification salvation is not of grace, but of works.

We have only to keep the end in view, and have our hearts thoroughly engaged in the pursuit of it, and means will not be very difficult.

All my friends are but one, but He is all sufficient.

One of the first, and most important of those duties which are incumbent upon us, is fervent and united prayer.

William Carey chides his countrymen for deciding it would be impossible for the Gospel to travel over great distances and to penetrate varied cultures when they are willing to face the same trials for the sake of commerce.

We must not be contented however with praying, without exerting ourselves in the use of means for the obtaining of those things we pray for.

I am very defective in all duties... In prayer I wander and am formal... I soon tire; devotion languishes; and I do not walk with God.

I feel it my duty to plod on while daylight last.

I went to India as a missionary to save England from spiritual collapse.

Add to this occasional journeys, ministers’ meetings, etc., and you will rather wonder that I have any time, than that I have so little. I am not my own, nor would I choose for myself. Let God employ me where he thinks fit, and give me patience and discretion to fill up my station to his honour and glory.

If the biographer gives me credit for being a plodder, he will describe me justly. Anything beyond this will be too much. I can plod. I can persevere in any definite pursuit. To this I owe everything.

The less said about me the better.