William Ward (1769-1823) printed the Bible into multiple Indian languages and kept the Serampore Mission organized between 1799-1823. Ward has been praised and maligned for his condemnation of sati (practice of widow burning in India) and his scathing comments on the perversion of motherhood in India evidenced by religiously motivated infanticide.
No one has contextually situated these famous examples from Ward’s missionary publications. Ward’s entire life and work provides rich context and potent expressions if his own regard for women of different stations (maidens, mothers, widows, etc.) as well as ethnicity (British and Indian).
This paper seeks to demonstrate a more compressive coverage of Ward’s understanding and appreciation of women in the home, in the mission, and in society both British and Indian.