Travel by train in West Bengal and mention the name of William Carey and it will not be long before you discover that this name is widely known, and held in great honour. Not, as it would be for us, because he was the moving spirit in the formation of the Baptist Missionary Society, but because of his formative influence on the stature of Bengali as one of the great languages of the world.
Similarly, mention Serampore College and you will find how proud of it the people are. And with good reason. There is nowhere else quite like it. To have worked there for ten years, and to have lived in the very building where Carey lived, is a lifetime's privilege. Founded in 1818, by Carey, Marshman and Ward as the apex of the educational system they set up, it was designed to give an education in Arts and Science to students of every 'caste, colour or country' and to train a ministry for the growing Church in India.
In 1827 the King of Denmark gave a charter to the College, giving it the status of University. Serampore was then a Danish colony, but the status has been reaffirmed for the study of theology to the present day. This charter now provides degrees at all levels for 50 affiliated theological colleges throughout India, and beyond, and is administered by a senate.
From the beginning Serampore College itself has been ecumenical, and today some 140 theology students from a very wide range of denominations and a score of languages study alongside 2,500 in the ASC (Arts-Science-Commerce) Department which is affiliated to Kolkata University – a combination of subjects unique in India.
When we ourselves went there in 1959, BMS still maintained four members of staff, with their families. By 1968 we were the only ones; others followed, but the Skirrows were the last. We ourselves had originally been destined for Congo, but at Candidate Board the suggestion of Serampore was sprung, as Edward had a degree in physics as well as theology. Rosemary also had a theology degree, and was able to teach the Christian education paper, as well as looking after our three girls. To complete the family, Edward's sister, Frances, was sent by the BMS as librarian for four years.
The physics department provided eager-beaver young missionary with a steep learning-curve. It was headed by a wonderful Bengali gentleman who, in his Calcutta MSc, had come second to a future Nobel Prize winner. He had also, studying in his spare time, taken first place in MA History! Not only his scholarship, but this Hindu's humanity and spirituality were conspicuous – one conviction, which has remained ever since, is that you do not magnify Christ by belittling others!
Another Bengali colleague, a Hindu and Edward's best friend in the department, became more and more fascinated by the story of the pioneers of the College, becoming eventually the great scholar of the Carey Library and its leading authority. Now in his 80s, and having suffered a stroke, he still travels in to the College most days, and woe betide anyone who tries to dissuade him!
The resident staff formed a marvellous, and marvellously varied, Christian community. We used to gather each Wednesday evening for prayer and rich fellowship together, and we are told that this still continues. Out of many colleagues, we describe Yisu Das Tiwari, whose Christian names mean ‘Servant of Jesus’.
Brought up a zealous Brahmin, he learned about Christ at college; like Serampore, many of India's best-known colleges were founded by missionaries. Conversion came later when facing and failing to overcome the temptations of a young man. In desperation one evening he tried praying: "Lord Jesus, if you are, save me from myself." From that moment "his chains fell off". He suffered greatly for his new faith. Even his mother beat him, and he humbly accepted it. His family tried to poison him; failing in that, they sent him to Gandhi's ashram to be ‘cured’! After six months Gandhi said to him, "Since you have become a Christian, see that you be a good one." He joined the staff of Serampore halfway through our time there, and we have often spoken of him as "the finest Christian we have known".
Visit the College today and you will be made very welcome by Rev Dr Lalchungnunga, the principal. He and his wife come from the ‘Welsh Presbyterian’ north of Mizoram (the south of that tribal state in north east India being Baptist, described in earlier BMS days as the Lushai Hills). He is responsible for both the Theology and ASC parts of the College. State funding looks after the ASC Department, but financing the Theology Department (on top of maintaining the sites and buildings) is an ongoing headache. The ecumenical nature of the college, which is so wonderful a feature, presents its own dilemma: it is no one Church's responsibility.
This is one way in which Friends of Serampore tries to help, sending this year over £4,000. This amount covers the entire cost of one member of staff, some journal subscriptions and a scholarship of £500 (plus Gift Aid) donated by one member. If you would like to join, and receive a bulletin twice a year with news and matters for prayer, please e-mail us at: EandRWilliams@btinternet.com.
When you visit the College, you will be struck by the way the pioneer missionaries built big – still splendid in the main building and spacious grounds standing by the River Hooghly, that westernmost branch of the Ganges delta which flows past Kolkata. You may well visit the Mission Church, "the first home and place of worship of the Serampore missionaries"; and close to it the memorial garden on the bank of the river where Krishna Pal and the other first converts were baptised.
And you will surely visit the cemetery where Carey, Marshman and Ward are buried, once described as "the holiest place in Asia east of the Jordan". We never failed to be moved by the inscription which William Carey chose for his tomb: "A wretched, poor and helpless worm, on thy kind arms I fall."