Rev A Brandram No 86
Falls of Niagara, 20th September 1839
My Dear Friend,
From this far famed place I now write you, I think, my eleventh communication from Canada. The general tenor of my letters has been encouraging respecting the Bible cause in this country, and the present note to you will not discord with my former notices.
"From seeming evil, still educing good,"[1] is a fine view of the manner of God's activity as described by one of my own name. We have had a case of this kind since I last wrote you, and which occurred immediately after, and in the place from which my letter was dated. On the 23rd July at our public Bible Meeting there in the Court House, I was violently attacked as a Yankee stroller. The Wesleyan Minister who sat on one side of me, was treated as my fellow stroller, and the English clergyman who sat on the other side was well rated and something more for having permitted such adventurers to come into the place and for procuring them a hearing. The gentleman who thus treated us was under a misunderstanding of things more ways than one at the time. He was afterwards made to see things in their true postures and colours. In consequence of which he came forward at a subsequent meeting, and with much frankness, nobleness, and humility of manner confessed himself sorry for what he had said on the previous occasion; and having done so, he stated at some length, and with much ability, the nature of the Bible and of Bible Societies, our need of both in the place, and the desirableness of all coming forward, promising it on his own part every support he could give. The clergyman of this place before referred to, and this gentleman had been for a good while in a bad understanding and non-intercourse with each other. This circumstance contributed not a little, I doubt not, to the unceremonious manner in which we were all treated at our first meeting. From this seeming evil however the effective good was educed of a hearty reconciliation of these two individuals, and to the great joy of both. I feel thankful to the God of Peace and of the Bible for having employed me in this peacemaking. The Bible is the book of peace, and peace and goodwill should be the objects of all who circulate it, and of all who read it: and peace will be produced by this Book wherever it is understood and obeyed. I touched on this topic I believe in my last letter: but it cannot be too frequently touched upon. We may differ in opinion with the Bible in our hands, but how we can be at war one with another, and bite and devour each other with the Bible directions to peace and goodwill towards all bad and good continually before our eyes, – this I cannot understand, and every occurring case of it, and the abounding cases of it, throw me into perplexity. But wisdom is justified of all her children: and the Bible's maxims are justified by the corresponding results in all who really understand this peaceful, godly, wonderful book. – Forgive this essay on peace, for perhaps you do not need anything of this kind in your favoured Isle. Having sent the Bible to us here to preach peace, we naturally suppose that you are all peaceful yourselves as you are taught to be out of the Bible you have sent to us.
The fracas and the recantation above noticed, and the recommendation of the Bible cause under such peculiar circumstances, and the reconciliation effected, have come to the knowledge of all in the quarter where they took place, and were general topics of conversation. Thus real good has been educed, and probably much, from the first seeming evil, and some, perhaps many, have been led to think, if not to say, "Great is the Bible, and it will prevail;" and great is, and prevail it shall, in its extension and effects.
After the affair above noticed I went up through Lake St. Clair, and then up the River of the same name further north till I came to Port Sarnia just at the entrance of Lake Huron. Here we formed a Bible Society for the Township of Sarnia and those contiguous to it. Mr. Cameron one of the members of our Provincial Parliament who lives there greatly contributed towards the formation of the Society, and also kindly lodged your agent, and helped him in his general concerns. Previous to the formation of our Society we rode out together some nine miles through the dense forest to see, besides others, a worthy man who cultivated his farm during the week, and on the Sunday preaches with fidelity the Gospel of Christ. Mr. Watson is a Baptist minister, and his services are gratuitous to all who choose to avail themselves of them. He received your agent gladly, and saw in my unexpected arrival a solution to the chief difficulty that then pressed on him, and an answer to his prayers regarding it. He had felt very anxious for a supply of the Scriptures, a special demand having arisen for them, and he knew not which way to turn himself to obtain the quantity required, and which his own labours in a great measure had made necessary. But my arrival, and the proposition to form immediately a Bible Society in that place met all his wishes, and far exceeded his hopes. He entered of course therefore at once into our plan of forming a Bible Society in Sarnia; and on the day of our meeting he left all his ripe products on the farm, which were crying for his attention, and came into the village to attend the meeting and help in the establishment of our Society. Mr. Watson proposes to bring the Bible subject before all his hearers and neighbours, and thinks he will succeed in inducing them to lend it that aid. Many of them, he said at our meeting, though about on their farms, were rejoicing in the formation of our Society. But he particularly recommended us to adopt the plan of subscribers putting down their names, not for a dollar which is our regular subscription, but for one bushel of wheat, which is about, or a little over, the same value. In this outlandish place on Lake Huron, and in many other places in Canada, the farmers though not poor, have yet but very little money in their hands, but they have wheat fully within their reach. Mr. Watson says they will put down their names readily for a bushel of wheat when they would hesitate much about subscribing a dollar in cash, because the latter is at times difficult to be obtained, whilst the former is ready in their hands. Mr. Cameron will receive the wheat subscriptions and will advance the money for us or send wheat to market. The plan of Mr. Watson's agrees most fully with my own ideas, ideas which were formed when I passed through this country nine years ago, and which have often come into my mind since. I was truly glad to see Mr. Watson take up the subject, and I trust he will succeed in it as to encourage us to attempt the same plan in places similarly circumstanced. The President of Hayti, you will recollect, paid your Bibles in coffee. The people in Sarnia are about to pay for their books in wheat, and to help you besides to feed the world by means of the same article. – To show what need there is of a Bible Society in Sarnia, I may mention, that there is in the Township a Scotchman with a family who has had no Bible in his house for seven years! – The position of Port Sarnia is very favourable for a Bible depot, being just below the entrance to the Lake and a convenient port where vessels often lie under contrary winds which hinder them from stemming the current which is here rapid, from five to seven miles an hour. – At our meeting we were favoured with the presence of the Rev. Mr. Raleigh the chaplain to Fort Gratiot on the American side of the river. He accordingly agreed in our object, and warmly recommended it. How pleasing it is thus to see the two nations join hand-in-hand and tongue with tongue in the noble Bible cause. Oh that this grand River may never flow between two such similar peoples calling themselves enemies and warring with each other! – The description of this Society is "The St. Clair Bible Society, for the townships on the River, and neighbourhood." President, Colonel Wright: Vice presidents, William Jones Esq. and Martin Sommerville Esq.: Treasurer, Malcolm Cameron Esq,: Secretary, George Durand Esq. and Mr. Alexr Vidal.
In this same Township of Sarnia there is an establishment of Indians under the care of the Wesleyans. Mr. Douse is the resident Minister. I stopped a few days under his hospitable roof during which we formed a Bible Society among these people. This is the third Society now formed among the Indians, and all of them under encouraging circumstances. The greater number of the Indians of this establishment were absent at the time I was there, being out on their hunting campaigns. When they return Mr. Douse will hold another Bible meeting, and get additional subscribers, and when his list is thus made up he will transmit it to me with the Indian names like as in the Credit Indian list I sent you. – There are about 250 Indians here more or less under Christian instruction. About 100 of these are apparently under the influence of the Gospel. The principles of the Gospel however have had a considerable effect upon the whole number. Drunkenness is a great besetting and overcoming sin of the Indians: yet there is only one case of this evil among these 250. That are in all here about 400 more or less stationary, many of whom are still pagans, and there are many wandering pagan Indians occasionally here from the borders of Lake Huron and parts adjacent. On Walpole Island in the St. Clair River there is a settlement of 250 which enjoys the occasional instruction of the missionary of this station. – The name of the Society is "The St. Clair Indian Bible Society." President and Treasurer, the Rev. John Douse: Secretary, Mr. George Henry. Mr. Henry is a full-blooded Indian, he understands English well, and acted as our interpreter.
From Sarnia I had intended to sail on the waters of Lake Huron to Goderich a town lying on the east of the lake, and to which I had learned there was steamboat regularly plying. About a fortnight however before my arrival in Sarnia the steamboat had been run down by another and sunk. There are sloops occasionally going that way, but I could find none at the time I was there. I found myself therefore under the necessity of returning by the same way I came, instead of going to Goderich, and from thence to London over land.
On arriving at Delaware town 15 miles west of London, I wish to visit an Indian establishment near it, which I had not been able to do when I passed that way some weeks before. I set out for this place alone and afoot inquiring my way when I could see a house on person, the greater part of the way being through the woods. I found it at eight o'clock at night after a walk of 11 miles. The missionary was a little surprised to see me at a late hour alone and walking. This place is called Munsey Town, and is under the charge of the Wesleyans. I mentioned to the Rev. Mr. Waldron my general business, and my object in visiting his establishment, namely, to try to form a Bible Society among the Indians as I had done among the Indians in other places. He entered into my plan, and accordingly early next morning he sent out notice for a meeting which was to be held at 11 o'clock on the same day. The notice was short, yet we had about 80 persons present. In noticing to you my visits to the other Indian establishments, I mentioned that I had to speak to the people through an interpreter. Here this disadvantage was doubled, for there were two distinct Indian tribes before me, speaking two distinct languages. Two interpreters therefore were necessary. These two nations or tribes are the Munseys and the Chippeways. They were ranged in distinct parts of the Chapel, the latter on my right hand and the former on my left, whilst in the desk beside me sat the two interpreters, one on each side fronting his people. I began and addressed these Red Men of these two tribes as I had done the other Indians elsewhere. I gave out what I had to say piecemeal, and at the end of each portion, first the one interpreter explained what I had said to the one people, and on his finishing the other acted in a similar way. This lengthened our meeting more than we wished, but the Indians sat with wonderful patience. They relieve themselves however on smoking, so that we had always some three or four pipes in action throughout the whole time the address lasted. Besides the Christian Indians, we had 10 pagans present some of them dressed fantastically enough, and one of them had his ankles decked off with a sort of rattles once belonging to the deers of the forest, and which made plenty of rattling sound as he moved, and pleased his own fancy of it did not please all others. There were five Chiefs there, two of the one tribe, and two of the other, and one speaking both tongues. At the close of the address the people were asked, as had been done on former occasions, to consult among themselves as to what had been set before them, and to speak their mind. The principal chief of the Chippeways rose and said he was grieved with the darkness of the Indian people, and wished to do what he could that they might be instructed. He agreed therefore to the formation of a Society. Other two Chiefs spoke on the same side. After these rose another chief one of the Munseys, and spoke some time. I drew from his speech that he was against our object, not understanding his language, but perceiving only is manner. I feared therefore that we had come to a break in our success among the Indians. I was however mistaken, for he spoke in favour of the object. His facetious manner had led me to put a wrong construction on him. From this circumstance I could not help thinking what an Indian, in Exeter Hall, not knowing out language, would think of some of our merry-making speakers and laughing audiences. Surely he would misunderstand as I did, and would think neither the speaker nor the audience could be engaged with the subject that concerned the eternal state of the major part of our fellow creatures. Merry-making and Bible and missionary subjects but ill accord together, as it has always appeared to me, and I should like to see all our mirth removed from such solemn assemblies. Among all my faults I can neither make laugh not laugh on such occasions.
All present agreed to the formation of a Society, and a considerable number put down their names with the respective sums attached. This is the fourth Bible Society among the Indians. Its name is "The Upper Munsey Town Indian Bible Society." Its president and treasurer is the Rev. Solomon Waldron, and it Secretary is Mr. John S Marsden. – Of the two languages that met my ear on this occasion the Chippeway and the Munsey, the former I thought was the more agreeable in it sounds and modulations. The Munsey interpreter entered fully into our subject, and was at times eloquent: his name is Half Moon. The other interpreter was a young man who never had interpreted in public before, but served on the present occasion, the regular interpreter being absent. – At this place, as well as the St. Clair Indian station, there were many of the Indians out on hunting expeditions.
When at the Indian Town here mentioned I learned that there was another Indian establishment a few miles off, and under the charge of the Rev. Mr. Flood, a clergyman of the English Church. On leaving Mr. Waldron's I went to Mr. Flood's near Delaware. I mentioned to him what I had been doing among the Indians, and he strongly urged me to stay with him two or three days during which we should visit his Indians and try to form a Bible Society among them also. I agreed, and on the Saturday afternoon we set out from his house with one horse between us. The distance was 12 miles, and we rode and walked in turn. It was dark when we got to the place. Next morning we visited some of the Indians' houses, and could perceive that Christianity is making some impressions on these people, and that Satan is striving to prevent or mar the good that is going on. At 11 o'clock Mr. Flood began his service, and after it was over I addressed the Indians on the Bible subject. Here also we had two nations, and two interpreters. Both of these were animated in rendering the address into their respective tongues, and the people were attentive although kept together for a considerable time. We had smokers on this occasion as before, and alike during the service and the address. Here likewise we had some pagan Indians, and among them was Rattle-ankles before mentioned. When after the Bible object had been set before the people, and was left in their own hands, an aged chief of 70 years, and the chief of the highest standing in the place rose and made a speech of some length, and in a manner indicating piety and fervour; and this Mr. Flood told me is his general manner and character. He was attentively listened to in this speech recommending our object. Other speakers followed, and all agreed, so that we formed our Fifth Indian Bible Society. Captain Snake, the chief just named, though 70 years of age is learning to read, and has made considerable progress. Mr. Flood has a high opinion of him as a Christian man, and he finds him of great use to him in his instructions to the Indians. He always gives a public exhortation to the people after Mr. Flood is finished the service, and embodies what he can of the sermon just delivered. Among our subscribers here we have two pagan Indians, who have had their names put down for half a dollar each. – The name of the Society is The Old Munsey Town Indian Bible Society. The president and treasurer is the Rev. Richard Flood, and the secretary is Mr. John Fairchild.
In these two Indian establishments that are in all about 700 people. They are settled down, have houses built, and are pursuing agriculture to a certain extent, but still go out on hunting excursions now and then. Most of these are still pagans, but even they appear to think that Christianity is the right way, as is indicated by various occurring circumstances. The Europeans have had, I think, a general impression that the North American Indians had no images among them. This is not the case. There are still several images at the present time among the Indians here described. They have their sacrifices also, and the main one seems to be that of a white dog. I hoped to have got one of these idols to send you. I missed it however, but hope to procure it for you some other time. – I could not help noticing the great variety of head and countenance of the Indians as they sat before me on this as on other occasions. There is all the variety in colour and features from the nearly European to the marked Esquimaux.
From Delaware I went to London, from thence to St. Thomas and back, then to Oxford, Burford, Brantford, Paris, Hamilton, and Toronto. From Toronto to Niagara, to St Catherine's and here. In some of these places we have had public meetings, in others the Committees of the Societies met, and in others again I saw the office bearers connected with Societies. I need not enter into particulars of what occurred at these meetings as they are such as it generally takes place. I may say however in general the Bible Society feeling is good with few exceptions in all the places I have been. Who form these exceptions I say not at present, but may afterwards. It would be wrong in this haste, not to notice that at St. Thomas the Rev. Mr. McKillican, and at Niagara the Rev. Mr. McGill greatly aided me in forming Societies in these two places, and with the latter I was very kindly lodged and treated whilst my business required my staying in his place, and to [the] other I am under a promise to lodge when I return according to his kind invitation. Both these gentlemen of Ministers of the Scotch Church. I may say also that in Toronto during the week I stopped there lately I was lodged with the Rev. Mr. Leach of the same church. I notice these things to show the good feeling in your favour, and the more so because of bygone things connected with that church, which are not yet bygone with all, but by and by I hope they will be forgotten in every case and sense. Several others of the same charge have befriended me privately and publicly. In the English Church also I have met with the kindest treatment by several of the Ministers, and I have lodged more or less time with the Rev. Mr. Green, the Rev. Mr. Rothwell, the Rev. Mr. Flood, and the Rev. Mr. Cronyn Nelson of Oxford, Delaware, and London. The ministers of the Congregational and the Wesleyan church have in every case befriended me, and have readily received me into their houses. I may mention by name of the former the Rev. Mr. Dyer of Hamilton, the Rev. Mr. Wastell of Guelph, and the Rev. Mr. Clarke of London. Of the latter I name as receiving me into their houses on this tour the Rev. Mr. Jones, the Rev. Mr. Douse, the Rev. Mr. Waldron, of the Credit, St. Clair, and Munsey missions. By individual members of these for churches I have also been lodged and kindly treated. These are the four leading religious bodies of this country. The Baptists form our fifth body, though they are not nearly so numerous as the others mentioned. Them also I have found in I may say all cases friendly. Thus you see you are in favour and savour with all, and so you should, for your object is so simple and so manifestly beneficial to all. Every Minister of every denomination ought to befriend you, for your work befriends him in his. And every layman too ought to befriend you, for your work will do and does them all good, and more good in proportion as good it extends among them through their own instrumentality. May the Lord give you more and more favour on every hand, until you, nay not you but your institution meet with all the favour which it deserves, and great are the deserts, though we its instruments are nothing.
Tomorrow I purpose, if the Lord will, to be in Toronto when we have a Committee meeting appointed for the evening. This will conclude my business there for the present. Our Toronto friends are going on prosperously. On the Monday following I intend to set out eastward visiting several places on my way, of which you shall hear in due time.
There are no letters from Earl Street since my letter to Mr. Hitchin of 24th August, except an invoice of the 11th June, with a note from Mr. Jackson on the same dated the15th. This came into my hands on the 6th instant.
The July Extracts promised are not come to Toronto, nor to me.
I remain, My Dear Friend, with sincere prayers for yourself, and you all,
Yours Affectionately,
James Thomson.
P.S. 21st September – I have just received a letter from Montreal saying that Mr Lapelletrie is safely arrived there. JT.
[1] Note (BM):
When ev'n at last the solemn hour shall come,
And wing my mystic flight to future worlds,
I cheerful will obey; there, with new pow'rs,
Will rising wonders sing: I cannot go
Where Universal Love not smiles around,
Sustaining all yon orbs, and all their suns;
From seeming evil still educing good,
And better thence again, and better still,
In infinite progression.- But I lose
Myself in Him, in light ineffable!
Come then, expressive silence, muse His praise. (James Thomson 1700-1748)