Rare first edition of the Gospel of John in Hindustani issued by the Baptist Missionaries at Calcutta [Serampore]. By scholarly consensus, seemingly based on the earlier work of Henry Martyn, and likely completed by William Yates, so-indicated in the later full New Testament and as he was author of important translation keys for the language.
Yates was an important early translator who joined Carey at Serampore in 1815 and continued to labor in the work after Carey's death in 1834; perhaps the most prolific translator of any of the various agencies working in India at the time.
This particular copy, scarce in its own right, is of particular interest as it retains an original English missionary's sermon notes on John 3.16 in pencil on the preliminaries, both front and rear, making reference to William Carey, John Scudder, etc., John's Gospel was the usual evangelistic preaching Gospel used by the missionaries in village preaching, and this likely used very early in the field. Most dialects either had Matthew [for the Sermon on the Mount or out of simple Biblical order] or John selected as the first book to be translated.
Yates, William [Henry Martyn Rev.] Yuhanna kah Injil. The Gospel of John in Hindustani translated from the Greek by the Baptist Missionaries. Calcutta: Baptist Mission Press, 1838. 70pp.
Attractive original blue paper boards with printed label, textually complete with some scattered foxing. Tide stain on boards extending to some of the text block. MSs sermon very legible. A very attractive, bespoke example.