d to Carey, and
were the most powerful of the English advocates of his mission. The
former, for a time, was led to side with the Society in some of the
details of its dispute with Dr. Marshman, but his loyalty to Carey and
the principles of the mission fired some of the most eloquent orations
in English literature. John Foster's shrewder common sense never
wavered, but inspired his pen alike in the heat of controversy and in
his powerful essays and criticisms. Writing in 1828, he declared that
the Serampore missionaries "have laboured with the most earnest
assiduity for a quarter of a century (Dr. Carey much longer) in all
manner of undertakings for promoting Christianity, with such a
renunciation of self-interest as will never be surpassed; that they
have conveyed the oracles of divine truth into so many languages; that
they have watched over diversified missionary operations with
unremitting care; that they have conducted themselves through many
trying and some perilous circumstances with prudence and fortitude; and
that they retain to this hour an undiminished zeal to do all that
providence shall enable them in the same good cause." The expenditure
of the Serampore Brotherhood up to that time, leaving out of account
the miscellaneous missionary services, he showed to have been upwards
of L75,000. Dr. Chalmers in Scotland was as stoutly with Carey and his
brethren as Foster was in England, so that Marshman wrote:--"Thus two
of the greatest and wisest men of England are on our side, and, what is
more, I trust the Lord God is with us." What Heber thought, alike as
man and bishop, his own loving letter and proposal for "reunion of our
churches" in the next chapter will show.

Of all the publicists in the United Kingdom during Carey's long career
the foremost was William Wilberforce; he was not second even to Charles
Grant and his sons. Defeated in carrying into law the "pious clauses"
of the charter which would have opened India to the Christian
missionary and schoolmaster in 1793, he nevertheless succeeded by his
persuasive eloquence and the weight of his character in having them
entered as Resolutions of the House of Commons. He then gave himself
successfully to the abolition of the slave-trade. But he always
declared the toleration of Christianity in British India to be "that
greatest of all causes, for I really place it before the abolition, in
which, blessed be God, we gained the victory." His defeat in 179