Copyright © 2019 Matthew Marvin Reynolds 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. THE SPIRITUALITY OF WILLIAM WARD __________________ 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 Matthew Marvin Reynolds May 2019 APPROVAL SHEET THE SPIRITUALITY OF WILLIAM WARD Matthew Marvin Reynolds Read and Approved by: __________________________________________ Michael A. G. Haykin (Chair) __________________________________________ Thomas J. Nettles __________________________________________ Joseph C. Harrod Date______________________________ I dedicate this dissertation to God, my Father in Christ. From its inception, it has felt that this endeavor has hung on a thread. But time and time again, God has orchestrated circumstances in just such a way as to make continued progress—and ultimately completion possible. To Him be all the glory. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ........................................................................................... vii PREFACE ........................................................................................................................ viii Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................1 Review of Literature ...........................................................................................2 Secondary Source Material......................................................................... 3 Primary Source Material............................................................................. 8 Literature Review Summary..................................................................... 15 Statement of Research Question....................................................................... 16 Statement of Thesis........................................................................................... 18 Statement of Methodology and Parameters ......................................................18 Importance of Study ..........................................................................................19 Dissertation Summary .......................................................................................20 2. BIOGRAPHY OF WILLIAM WARD .................................................................22 Pre-Serampore Days..........................................................................................22 Early Upbringing ..................................................................................... 22 Secular Printing Career and Activism ..................................................... 23 Ministerial Calling and Preparation ......................................................... 30 Serampore .........................................................................................................38 Life at Serampore .................................................................................... 41 The Roles Ward Played ........................................................................... 43 International Tour and Death ................................................................... 66 iv Chapter Page 3. THE ESSENCE OF WILLIAM WARD’S SPIRITUALITY ..............................69 Historical Theological Context .........................................................................69 The Rise of Evangelicalism ..................................................................... 69 The Hurdle of High Calvinism ................................................................ 73 The Spirituality of William Ward .....................................................................84 Spirituality Defined ................................................................................. 84 Sources ..................................................................................................... 86 Ward’s Doctrine ....................................................................................... 87 Central Themes in Ward’s Spirituality .................................................... 98 Conclusion ............................................................................................. 118 4. WHEN BROTHERS DWELL IN UNITY; WARD’S SPIRITUALITY IN RELATIONSHIPS ............................................................120 Amongst the Trio ............................................................................................120 Trio’s Personalities Contrasted .............................................................. 122 Peculiar Unity ........................................................................................ 125 Beyond Denominational Bounds ....................................................................135 Ecumenical Harmony in Bengal ............................................................ 135 But There Were Bounds! ....................................................................... 151 5. A SOFT ANSWER TURNS AWAY WRATH; THE PEACEMAKING EFFECT OF WARD’S PIETY .............................................160 “If a Ruler’s Anger Rises Against You” (Ward’s Intercession for the Sake of the Press at the Time of the Persian Pamphlet Controversy) ............................................................161 Background of Government Opposition ................................................ 161 General Examples of Government Opposition ...................................... 163 The Persian Pamphlet Controversy ....................................................... 169 “Look Not Only to Your Own Interests” (Ward’s Acquiescence in Translation Matters) .............................................................185 The Grand Translation Project ............................................................... 186 v Chapter Page “I Throw Away the Guns to Save the Ship” (Ward’s Concession in Communion) ............................................................................200 Communion Background in Particular Baptist Life .............................. 201 Ward’s Convictions Concerning Closed and Open Communion ........................................................................................... 205 Return to Closed Communion ............................................................... 206 Ward’s Spirituality in the Communion Crisis ....................................... 207 6. CONCLUSION ..................................................................................................209 Summary......................................................................................................... 210 Need for Future Study............................................................................................................... 210 Legacy of William Ward................................................................................. 212 Appendix 1. THE LOST DEVOTION OF QUESTION MEETINGS ................................... 214 2. THE WINSOME WIT OF WARD .................................................................... 219 BIBLIOGRAPHY ........................................................................................................... 225 vi LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS BMS Baptist Missionary Society CLRC Carey Library and Research Centre LMS London Missionary Society PA Periodical Accounts of the Baptist Missionary Society PBMS Particular Baptist Missionary Society SFA Serampore Form of Agreement vii PREFACE Having lived in Kolkata with my family for extended periods of time during various teaching and preaching stints, it has been a peculiar privilege to write this dissertation on a missionary hero who, two hundred years before, walked the same streets and ministered among the same people. Many have assisted me along the way, and I am deeply grateful to all. I am most grateful to my wife, Shannon, for her encouraging words, helpful suggestions, keen interest, longsuffering patience, and, in general, for bearing with me in love throughout the entire project. She is a true helpmeet to me. I am thankful for our daughters, Noël and Halle, for their smiles and laughter, for lightening the mood, and always bringing me down to earth. I gratefully acknowledge my parents, Marvin and Jeannie Reynolds, for their constant interest and encouragement in this endeavor. I gratefully acknowledge the counsel and guidance of my doctoral advisor, Dr. Michael A. G. Haykin. His enthusiasm for church history is contagious. I am thankful for the privilege of writing on a Baptist subject under the tutelage of such a renowned Baptist scholar. From a general interest in English Puritans, to William Carey (for who has heard of any other missionary at Serampore?), Dr. Haykin gradually interested me in William Ward. I am so glad he did. One of the most pleasant surprises of this journey has been my renewed acquaintance with Carey Library and Research Center (CLRC) volunteer librarian and resident historian, Peter de Vries. His local knowledge of all things related to Serampore has been invaluable. He has kept me busy with a steady stream of quaint and obscure sources related to William Ward that have greatly aided in the writing of this work and its viii bibliography. I am grateful for the scholarly camaraderie that he has supplied along the way. I am especially