Krishna Pal The First Indian Convert, Part 1

In the 1800s, the caste system in India was a powerful mechanism rooted in the belief of reincarnation, where a person would be born into a higher social order (a better caste) depending upon the manner in which he lived his former life.

Krishna Pal was a carpenter living at the turn of the 19th century in Serampore, then a Danish colony in India. He had married within his caste, and his four children were expected to grow up in that same caste.

But one day, while bathing, Pal slipped and broke his arm. So he visited a doctor by the name of John Thomas, a Baptist missionary. After setting his arm, Dr. Thomas began to share, in Pal’s own language of Bengali, of something worse than breaking one’s arm, worse than any other physical disease out there. Its name was sin, and it had infected every person who had ever lived. But there was good news: God, our Great Physician, had sent a Cure.

Pal was visibly moved. Large tears began rolling down his brown cheeks. He had heard a Christian preach before, earlier that year in the middle of a public market; and he himself, by nature of his trade, had worked previously for the missionaries. Since then, the Holy Spirit had been working on his heart. Pal acknowledged that he had indeed been infected by this disease of sin; he was a cheater, a liar, and much, much worse! But he did not want to be those things anymore.

More missionaries came to visit him, including William Carey, founder of the Baptist Missionary Society, and the good doctor again. Pal was also given something to read. It was the gospel in short form; this too had been translated into his native language. It told of Someone named the Christ, who had saved all people from their sins—even Hindus like him. This Christ, He was the Cure who had been sent!

Pal wanted to learn more.

Reflect: Where and to whom is your mission within your profession? If you are unclear, get down on your knees and ask God to show you.

Key Bible Texts

How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? (Romans 10:14 KJV)