Rev A Brandram - No 116
Montreal, 23rd March 1842
My Dear Friend,
I send you a little note, by way of keeping up at least remembrances, until we shall come again into closer contact in more active operations.
At the last meeting of the Committee of the Bible Society here, the subject of an agent to travel over the sphere of the society a good part of the year was brought forward, and arrangements were made to carry it into effect. The plan adopted is to afford some assistance to Mr Milne who conducts the depositary to enable him to give a good proportion of his time to visitations in the country. As this will enlarge the outlays of the society, they were anxious to obtain some help from you in the case, and begged me to petition you accordingly. The present arrangement is by way of a trial for one year, so that you would not be compromised beyond this period in the first instance, and if you would grant our friends here Fifty Pounds for this trial year, you would in my opinion be merely contributing in the most effective manner you could to favour the Bible cause in this place. The success attending the employment of a travelling agent in Upper Canada, has, as you are aware, been exceedingly encouraging. The like good effects will, I doubt not, flow from a similar measure in Lower Canada. ―You must not be too rigid in keeping accounts with the Bible Societies in British America, but treat them, for some time longer with your hitherto generous and parental encouragement. When these your children grow up, they will help their Parent. Thus I write to you; but at the same time I urge and strongly on all the societies in this quarter, the duty of aiding you, and liberally, in your holy work; and in due time they will attend to this duty, but their home charity is as yet largely required, and not least on account of the great annual influxes of emigrants.
Your Extracts for January reached me on the 17th instant, being longer in coming than usual, owing to the mishap that occurred to the Colombia. I am delighted to see the working of Mr Phillip's mind regarding the general oversight and neglect of the Bible Society cause among churches, and ministers and people, and to see similar workings on the mind of a "Subscriber." You have done well to publish these, and I trust there will soon be a general awaking out of sleep upon this subject. The Welsh, I see, as is meet, go ahead, and show others the way. May God Almighty greatly bless that country, and he will bless it, and through his word.
I remain,
Truly Yours,
James Thomson.