William Ward, a printer and editor, met William Carey just before Carey sailed for India. Carey invited Ward to set up a printing press there for Scripture translations, and in 1799 Ward arrived with the Marshmans and others. He later married the widow of fellow missionary John Fountain.

Ward set up the first mission press in North India. He also translated, wrote, and preached at every opportunity; some considered him Serampore’s finest preacher. Two years after his arrival, he toured the interior with first convert Krishna Pal preaching and distributing Scriptures. “His knowledge of the character and habits of the natives surpassed that of either of his colleagues,” wrote one observer, “and few Europeans have ever been more successful in dealing with [the natives].”

Ward had radical sympathies that twice landed him in court during his editorial days in England. He had belonged to a “questionable” political society and “embibed in democratic ...

FREE E-Newsletter Sign up for the ChristianHistory.net e-mail newsletter. Discover more about your Christian heritage with this weekly e-newsletter that features key people, topics, and events from the history of Christianity.      RSS Feed   RSS Help