Rev A Brandram No 142
Belize 5th June 1844
My dear Friend,
I have the pleasure of informing you of my safe arrival in this place, two weeks ago, and of my improved strength by my short residence here. I mentioned in my last, that I had had no letters from you, nor from England, from the time I entered Yucatán. I am happy now in stating, that all your letters wanting I have received in this place, namely, Nos. 28, 29, 30, and 31. My other expected letters from England, and elsewhere, I have also found all safe, and I believe complete.
In regard to my movements, I gather, from your letters here received, particularly No. 29, coupled with antecedent letters, that the judgment of the Committee and your own, founded on the past and expected discouragements, is that it would be better that I should return home, than continue my journeyings through these countries. At the same time you left me at liberty, either to pursue the tract proposed, or to return home; and for this confidence, and for the very kindly manner in which it is expressed, I feel truly grateful to you all, and thank God who gives us such a good understanding in our combination in his service.
I shall therefore, if the Lord will, return to England from this place, and before long. I wait here in the meantime, partly to recover my full strength, which, blessed be God is nearly returned, partly to be present at a public meeting of the Honduras Bible Society, which is appointed for the 10th instant; and partly also I wait for the packet, which is due on the 13th.
The route by New York is, I am informed, the best and the cheapest way of going from this to England. I shall therefore most probably seize the first opportunity after the arrival of the Packet of sailing for New York.
I have been the more induced to come to the conclusion at once of returning home, from the circumstance that Mr. Crowe, (of whom Mr. Henderson has written you, and to whom you have allowed £50 for one year) is at present in the City of Guatemala, and with whom arrangements can be made to visit those places I had intended to visit. I have accordingly arranged with Mr. Henderson to that effect: but not that he should visit all the places in Guatemala to which I had intended to go, but simply in the first place to visit San Salvador, and to be guided as to the rest by Mr. Henderson's judgment, with that of the Committee of the Bible Society here, and by the instructions they communicate to him from time to time as to his moving onwards or returning; and this of course will depend in a great degree on the successes or discouragements he may meet with. As the term for which you gave the £50 is nearly run, I have ventured to say that you will give the same for another year, for the purposes of the visitation I have noticed, its being understood, that should he be only a quarter, half a year, or three quarters of a year in this service, your allowance is to correspond with the same. I have sent him the two documents which I had from the authorities of Merida as to the purchase of New Testaments for the schools, and have authorized him to make similar contracts as he may be able. The documents I have mentioned are to be shown to the authorities you may visit to indicate to them what has been done in Merida, and hence to encourage them to do the same.
Among the lot of letters which I found waiting me in this place, where two from the Rev. Dr. McAuley of New York. In writing to him from Mexico requesting the 1000 Spanish Testaments, I had very especially stated, that they should all be of the version of Scio, and that on no account whatever should even the single copy of their Glasgow version be put in among the Testaments of Scio, for I had found them printing this in July 1842, and feared they might add perhaps as a gift, some copies of this version. On this subject, and on another connected with it, Dr. McAuley writes, "As to the Protestant version in Spanish, you need be under no apprehension, for we have printed none of that version as yet; and by the course of obstinacy which I pursued, when you were here, I think, or soon after, I saved the other Plates from Ruin. There is sometimes even among very good men a plentiful scarcity of good sense."
There is something curious, (or perhaps it is worthy of a better name), in the combination of circumstances in this matter. When an Upper Canada in 1841, I saw in an American newspaper which I accidentally picked up, and account of the Anniversary of the American Bible Society, and thereby saw the resolution, never to print again anymore copies of Scio's, or of any other version made from the Vulgate; and further, that this stereotype plates of Scio should be destroyed, and for which, as I feared afterwards, they had been offered $1500. Also that a revised Protestant Version of the Spanish New Testament should be printed. I was much grieved with these accounts, and in my next letter to you I mentioned them. You were grieved also; and in your next letter to me, you stated your concern upon the subject. This letter came into my hands when I was lodged in Dr. McAuley's house. I showed him the letter. He could hardly believe that I was correct in what I wrote to you. I showed him the documents and he saw others at the American Bible Society House which fully convinced him that I was right, and he felt much at the steps which had been taken, for it seems he had been absent at the time these meetings occurred. He forthwith resolved to oppose them with all his might, and which, as you see by the above extract, that he did, and successfully. I am truly glad at this success on several accounts, and which need not be here stated: and you, I think will feel after the same manner and for the same reasons.
I found in this place, and have read, your 39th report, which I had not before seen. I have been greatly delighted with it, in seeing the manifest and increasing fruits of the Bible itself preaching, and from its other spiritual fruits in the hands of the servants of God in various parts of the world.
Belize 15th June 1844
The Packet arrived yesterday, and brought me the B.S. Reports from Earl Street and that only. Nos 27, 28, 29, and 30 are missing.
We have had our Bible Meeting, and had a very favourable report of the Honduras Bible Society, the particulars of which will be laid before you in due time. Much of its prosperity is owing to the activity of Mr. Henderson, and the liberality of his Congregation. The Packet came in at the very hour of our assembling, and hindered several persons of the upper classes from attending; and by some misunderstanding, the Wesleyans held a Prayer Meeting at the time we were met. Further, the Parish clergyman, and most of his people are as yet unconnected with our Bible Society. The meeting therefore was principally composed of Baptists, and though the greater part of them are poor, they nobly distinguished themselves by a collection of money more than twenty pounds sterling. Mr. Henderson has also entertained and entertains your agent here with bed and board, which is another donation.
This settlement is destined, I should think, to become a very important Bible Society field, from the consideration of the Spanish countries with which it is surrounded. Many individuals from these parts come here, from time to time, in the way of commerce, and the Bible is thus, and otherwise, edging itself in among them, and the providence of God will, I doubt not, urge the wedge onwards in furtherance of a happy issue. Our Bible Society here will be on the watch, and, when all parties are cordial and active in it, which we hope will be soon, its means will be ample, and will meet both home and foreign purposes.
Besides the Spaniards around this settlement, there are some thousands of Caribs within it, and the Mosquito shore people also are closely allied to it. Mr. Henderson is labouring to get a portion of the Scriptures rendered into the tongues of these two classes of people. He has many difficulties to contend with in this undertaking, but Providence is facilitating his way, and in due time something may be accomplished which shall add two more to your many tongues.
I expect to leave this for New York on the 21st instant, in the Brig I R Gardner, Captain Pederson.
I subscribe myself again, Very Truly Yours,
James Thomson.
P.S. After our Bible Meeting, Mr. Henderson and I spent two mornings, before breakfast, in visiting some persons of the better classes of society who had not been present at our meeting. We were well received, and obtained more than 20 pounds sterling. The first money we got was from a Spanish merchant, a Roman Catholic, and it was to the amount of eight dollars.
These two sums of £20 each & upwards will relieve you of the compromise I entered into for the £50, as noticed in the body of this letter.