Missionary Activity

The passing of the East India company charter amendment in 1813 –
‘’That it is the duty of this country to promote the interests and happiness of the British dominions in India and that such measures ought to be adopted as may tend to the introduction of useful knowledge and of religious and moral improvement ….. Provided the principles …. For the free exercise of the Indians religion be inviolably maintained’’

Lord Moria Governor General invites Carey, Ward and Marshman to draw up a scheme for the Vernacular schools to provide elementary education for 4000 children in each town/large village at a cost of 1000 Rupees a month.
In 1818 Moria now Marquess of Hastings defeated the Mahrattas and took control of central India.

‘’It occurs to me that the setting up of schools in the conquered countries will be the most likely method of civilising the inhabitants’’
The next project was to raise £15000 to build a collage in Serampore.
First Governor was the Danish Governor, First patron was Lord Hastings. The Royal charter was from the King of Denmark. This gave the power to the collage to issue degrees and made it the first university status collage in Asia (1828).
The first students 19 Christians, 14 Hindu’s, 4 no cast.

Ironically, the most secular module of the curriculum gave rise to great difficulties with the more narrow minded Baptist Mission Society in England, and the Serampore these were cut off by them in 1827.