Copyright © 2014 James Ryan West All rights reserved. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary has permission to reproduce and disseminate this document in any form by any means for purposes chosen by the Seminary, including, without limitation, preservation or instruction. EVANGELIZING BENGALI MUSLIMS, 1793–1813: WILLIAM CAREY, WILLIAM WARD, AND ISLAM A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy by James Ryan West May 2014 APPROVAL SHEET EVANGELIZING BENGALI MUSLIMS, 1793–1813: WILLIAM CAREY, WILLIAM WARD, AND ISLAM James Ryan West Read and Approved by: __________________________________________ Thomas J. Nettles (Chair) __________________________________________ Michael A. G. Haykin __________________________________________ George H. Martin Date______________________________ I dedicate this dissertation to my family: Danielle, David, Sally, and John West; James and Joy West; Danny and Judy Henley. Thank you for your support. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS .......................................................................................... viii PREFACE .......................................................................................................................... ix Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................1 The State of Carey-Ward Scholarship ................................................................2 Secondary Source Material ........................................................................ 2 Primary Source Material ............................................................................ 7 Primary Research Question, Thesis, and Parameters ..........................................9 Statement of Primary and Secondary Research Questions ...................... 10 Statement of Thesis .................................................................................. 10 Statement of Parameters .......................................................................... 10 Importance of the Study ........................................................................... 13 Dissertation Summary and Overview of Context .............................................14 Dissertation Summary ............................................................................. 14 Overview of Context ................................................................................ 17 2. WILLIAM CAREY AND WILLIAM WARD: PHILOSOPHY OF MISSIONS ........................................................................24 Philosophy of Missions Stated ..........................................................................27 God’s Sovereignty and Millennial Expectations Provide an Assured Hope .........................................................................39 Basis of Mission: God is Able to Establish His Glory ............................ 39 Milliennial Expectations: God Will Establish His Glory ........................ 45 Hopes Realized: God is Establishing His Glory ...................................... 48 iv Chapter Page A Close Communal Life ...................................................................................52 The Centrality of Indigenous Leadership ..........................................................60 Conclusion ........................................................................................................79 3. CAREY, WARD, AND ISLAM: AN ENCOUNTER IN BRITISH COLONIAL BENGAL ...............................................................81 Practical Category for Bengali Islam: Folk Islam .............................................82 Mixture of Hinduism and Islam ............................................................... 83 A Textless Religion ................................................................................. 89 Nascent Islamic Theology ....................................................................... 91 Bengali Muslim Leadership: Fakiers ....................................................... 92 Bengali Sufism ......................................................................................... 98 Carey and Ward’s Evaluation of Bengali Islam ..............................................100 Bengali Islam within the Indian Caste System ...................................... 101 Bengali Muslims and Superstition ......................................................... 111 Bengali Muslims and Ignorance ............................................................ 114 Bengali Muslims Were “Hindoos” Too ................................................. 116 Conclusion ......................................................................................................121 4. WILLIAM CAREY’S MINISTRY TO BENGALI MUSLIMS ........................123 Carey’s Perceived Responsibility to Muslims ................................................124 Carey Initiating Dialogue ................................................................................127 Muslims Initiating Dialogue ...........................................................................133 Carey’s Message to Bengali Muslims .............................................................135 Evangelistic Success among Muslims ............................................................142 Conclusion ......................................................................................................148 5. WILLIAM WARD’S MINISTRY TO BENGALI MUSLIMS .........................149 v Chapter Page Ward’s Primary Contribution: The Derby Printer ..........................................149 Ward’s Understood Contribution .......................................................... 149 Ward’s “Paper Missionaries”: Printed Scriptures and Pamphlets—Their Impact ....................................................... 154 Ward’s “Paper Missionaries”: The How of Distribution ....................... 159 Ward’s Secondary Contribution: A Minister in Bengal ..................................167 Evangelizing Bengali Muslims Personally ............................................ 167 Pastor at Calcutta and Serampore .......................................................... 178 Conclusion ......................................................................................................180 6. THE FULLER-WARD PRINCIPLE: SELECTIVE REPRESENTATION ......................................................................................181 Selective Representation Established ..............................................................181 The Process of Selective Representation ........................................................189 The Selective Representation Process ................................................... 189 The Principle Applied: Additions .......................................................... 194 The Principle Applied: Omissions ......................................................... 196 A Nearly Faultless Process of Selective Representation ................................201 The “Persian Pamphlet” ......................................................................... 202 Tensions and Resolutions in Bengal ...................................................... 208 Tensions and Resolutions in England .................................................... 221 Conclusion ......................................................................................................229 7. CONCLUSION ..................................................................................................231 vi Page Fuller as Editor ................................................................................................231 Philosophy of Missions ...................................................................................233 Islam as Understood by Carey and Ward ........................................................234 Carey, Ward, and Ministry to Muslims ...........................................................235 Conclusion ......................................................................................................238 Appendix EXAMPLES OF WARD’S JOURNAL COMPARED TO FULLER’S PUBLISHED VERSION ......................................................239 February 29, 1802 ...........................................................................................239 Ward’s Journal ....................................................................................... 240 The Periodical Accounts ........................................................................ 240 May 16, 1803 ..................................................................................................240 Ward’s Journal ....................................................................................... 241 The Periodical Accounts ........................................................................ 241 August 3, 1806 ................................................................................................241 Ward’s Journal ....................................................................................... 242 The Periodical Accounts ........................................................................ 242 BIBLIOGRAPHY 243 vii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS BMS Baptist Missionary Society EIC East India Company LMS London Missionary Society SLCF Second London Confession of Faith (1689) SFA Serampore Form of Agreement (1805) viii PREFACE Many stories contain aspects that remain untold.