, God may design, by my
patience and continuance, to encourage future missionaries."

This feeling of exhaustion was the prelude to a severe attack of fever,
which assailed him almost immediately after his arrival; but happily not
till he was safely lodged at Aldeen, in the kindly house of the Rev.
David Brown, where he was nursed till his recovery. His friends wanted
to keep him among the English at Calcutta, but his heart was set on
ministering to the heathen, and the sights and sounds of idolatry that
constantly met him increased his eagerness. He once rushed out at the
sight of the flames of a Suttee, hoping to rescue the victim, but she had
perished before he reached the spot.

His arrival was when the alarm about the meeting at Vellore was at its
height, and when the colony at Serampore had been forbidden to preach or
distribute tracts in Calcutta. He by no means agreed with all the
Baptist doctrines, but he held in great esteem and reverence such men as
Carey and Marshman, was glad to profit by their experience and
instructions, and heartily sympathised in all their difficulties. Mr.
Carey might well write, "A young clergyman, Mr. Martyn, is lately
arrived, who is possessed with a truly missionary spirit." Together the
Serampore missionaries, with Mr. Martyn, Mr. Corrie, and Mr. Brown,
united in dedicating to the worship of God a heathen pagoda, which the
last-mentioned had succeeded in purchasing from the natives. Altogether
he was much cheered and refreshed. During the time that he waited at
Aldeen he improved himself in Hindostanee, and began to study Sanscrit,
and learnt the most approved method of dealing with the natives.
Moreover, he found that his allowance as a chaplain was so liberal as
amply to justify him in writing to urge Miss Grenfell to come out and
join him; and, during the long period of sixteen or eighteen months
before her refusal to do so reached him, he was full of the hope of
receiving her.

His appointed station was Dinapore, where his primary duty was to
minister to the English troops there posted, and to the families of the
civilians; but he also hoped to establish native schools, to preach in
their own language to the Hindoos, and to scatter translations of
portions of Scripture, such as the Parables, among them.

He had to read prayers to the soldiers from the drum-head by way of desk;
there were no seats, and he was desired to omit the sermon: but
afterwards a room was prov