On Sunday 28th December, 1800, baptism was performed under the most solemn and distressing circumstances. The missionaries assembled in the chapel and Carey walked down to the river with Krishna and Felix, who was also being baptised, on either side of him. Thomas, who was confined to his couch, made the air resound with his blasphemous ravings, and Mrs Carey, shut up in her room on the opposite side of the path, poured forth the most painful shrieks.

At the ghat, or landing stairs, the Governor, several Europeans, many Portuguese and a dense crowd of Hindus and Mohommedans, were waiting to witness the ceremony. Carey explained that they did not believe there was any Divine virtue in the river but regarded it as a simple element of water; that Krishna was formerly of their creed, but professed by the act of baptism to renounce his belief in the gods, and become a disciple of Jesus Christ. The most perfect silence and a feeling of deep solemnity pervaded the whole assembly, and the Governor was moved to tears.

In the afternoon, the act of Communion was administered for the first time in the Bengali language. Thus ended the first and most eventful year of the Serampore Mission.

John Clark Marshman, 1859.