William Carey (1761–1834) was born at Paulerspury in Northamptonshire, the son of a weaver, and worked as a shoemaker while teaching himself Latin, Greek, Hebrew and other languages. He became a Particular Baptist pastor at Moulton and later Leicester. In 1792 he published his Enquiry and helped found the Baptist Missionary Society. Arriving in Bengal in 1793, he worked for some years as manager of an indigo factory, then from 1800 led the mission at the Danish settlement of Serampore with Joshua Marshman and William Ward. He translated the Bible or parts of it into many Indian languages, taught at Fort William College, founded Serampore College, and campaigned against sati, which was banned in Bengal in 1829.
An Enquiry into the Obligations of Christians, to Use Means for the Conversion of the Heathens is a short book published at Leicester in 1792 by William Carey, a young Baptist minister and former shoemaker. It argues that Christians of his day were still bound by Christ's command to make disciples of all nations and must organize practical means to carry it out.