he very man we wanted: he enters into the work with his whole soul. I
have much pleasure in him, and expect much from him. Brother Marshman
is a prodigy of diligence and prudence, as is also his wife in the
latter: learning the language is mere play to him; he has already
acquired as much as I did in double the time." After eight months of
study and evangelising work they are thus described:--"Our brother
Marshman, who is a true missionary, is able to talk a little; he goes
out frequently, nay almost every day, and assaults the fortress of
Satan. Brother Brunsdon can talk a little, though not like Marshman.
Brother Ward is a great prize; he does not learn the language so
quickly, but he is so holy, so spiritual a man, and so useful among the
children."

Thus early did Carey note the value of Hannah Marshman, the first woman
missionary to India. Granddaughter of the Baptist minister of
Crockerton in Wiltshire, she proved to be for forty-six years at once a
loving wife, and the equal of the three missionaries of Christ and of
civilisation whom she aided in the common home, in the schools, in the
congregation, in the Native Christian families, and even, at that early
time, in purely Hindoo circles. Without her the mission must have been
one-sided indeed. It gives us a pathetic interest to turn to her
household books, where we find entered with loving care and thoughtful
thrift all the daily details which at once form a valuable contribution
to the history of prices, and show how her "prudence" combined with the
heroic self-denial of all to make the Serampore mission the light of
India. Ward's journal supplies this first sketch of the brotherhood,
who realised, more than probably any in Protestant, Romanist, or Greek
hagiology, the life of the apostolic community in Jerusalem:--

"January 18, 1800.--This week we have adopted a set of rules for the
government of the family. All preach and pray in turn; one
superintends the affairs of the family for a month, and then another;
brother Carey is treasurer, and has the regulation of the medicine
chest; brother Fountain is librarian. Saturday evening is devoted to
adjusting differences, and pledging ourselves to love one another. One
of our resolutions is, that no one of us do engage in private trade;
but that all be done for the benefit of the mission...

"August 1.--Our labours for every day are now regularly arranged. About
six o'clock we rise; brother Carey to his