Rev A Brandram - No 68
Kingston, Jamaica, 17th April 1838
My Dear Friend,
My tour over a considerable portion of this island, agreeably to the plan laid before you some time ago, is now completed, and has occupied just one day less than six months. I arrived all well in the city yesterday, and feel myself as it were come home; though a moment's reflection tells me that I have no home, and that literally "I have no certain dwelling place." God however most wonderfully makes up to me this real disadvantage by giving me a home in every friend's house, and by making me feel in some measure at home whenever I am. If I have not the spirit of a pilgrim, I should have it, for a pilgrim verily I am. When shall I rest? God only knows. At present rest seems far from me, and nothing lies in prospect but an outstretching path whose termination seems lost in distance. Forgive me for noticing these things to you. I am indeed a wanderer, yet nobody ever desired more than I to live always at home. But I do not complain. God forbid I should. I am on a noble embassy, and I see a home and a resting place before me, "a house not made with hands eternal in the heavens." May God make me a good and faithful servant of Christ in all my ways and concerns and at last bring me to his home and his glory in heaven. There I shall expect to see you, My Brother, should I not see you before, and all the Committee and Office Bearers of our Society. I pray daily to God that he would so grant, and I hope some or all of you now and then pray for me. Yes, pray for me, for I am always in need of help, and such help as prayer brings.
Well, now for my tour just finished. You are already acquainted with my movements, and with the results of the same as far as Lucea, by my letters already forwarded. I start then in my present notices at Lucea in the parish of Hanover. Having finished my work in the parish just named, I crossed the island over to Westmoreland, and within nine miles of Savanna la Mar at a place called Morgan's Bridge I stopped at the mission house of the Rev. William Niven one of the Presbyterian missionaries. This spot, and all the parish of Westmoreland, form a fine missionary field. I do not know however the word fine should be at all used as I have here used it. I mean by fine, a place where there is much need and much to do. Westmoreland in former times was much neglected. Now there is a change for the better. Yet still religion is rather a new thing for the people there. This is to evidently so, for by calculations made not more than one out of ten or rather fifteen of the Apprentices go to any place of public worship at all. And as to the Whites, alas! the number amongst men that go to the house of God, is I may say ―none, or very near to it. The day dawns however even in Westmoreland. There the evangelists are lifting up their voices, and numbers flock to hear the glad tidings, and some receive the word into good and honest hearts.
I passed a Sunday at Mr. Niven's place, and had an opportunity of seeing his people, and of telling them of the preciousness of the Bible, and the desirableness of their possessing it for themselves, and of constantly using it. I hope that something was gained in the way of Bible Society work by that opportunity. Mr. Niven fully seconded all I said, and an assortment of Bibles is ordered, and some I hope to have expended. ―I saw also Mr. Niven's long rows of readers or of persons learning to read in his several school classes. These readers will all become Bible purchasers; and new rows of readers will be added to those now existing; and these also in their turn will become purchasers of the Scriptures. Thus on will things among us, we may reasonably expect, and still onwards from year to year until all in this Island will be able to meet, and also possess the word of God. Your Bible Society work been in this Island is not ended, but is in fact only fairly begun. You will please therefore not to slacken your endeavours to forward your objects here, but rather increase them, and by the hands of whosoever you made appoint. Pray cultivate Jamaica, and it will gladden your hearts by the fruits it will produce in your own lives to the glory of God.
From Mr. Niven's I went on towards Savanna la Mar. On the way I visited an estate called Paul Island where there is a school in connexion with the Church Missionary Society. Here again you see there is a seminary for readers and Bible purchasers: and such numbers of good are spreading, blessed be God, all over the island. In Savanna la Mar I found established a large school which was not in existence when I last visited that place. This is in connexion with the Mico Charity, an institution which has many schools among us busily preparing youths and adults for the Bible. I should not forget to say that one of the best schools in the Island of a superior class is in Savanna la Mar, in which the higher branches of education are taught. Formerly this school which is an endowed establishment admitted into it white children only. This barrier however has lately been broken down; and now there are in the school all grades of colours from the whitest to the blackest. The Principal of this Academy, as I may call it, the Rev. Daniel Fidler, was kind enough to review his troops and groups before me. The performances were very creditable to both master and scholars. In his Latin class were two boys black as jet, and they went like the rest through that exercises well. A Black Boy learning Latin! Who could have ventured only a few years ago, not to say, but even to imagine that this would be the case? You see then how rapidly things are moving onwards here. May God speed us, you will say: and to this I will rejoind most heartily, Amen.
But why so much of schools from a Bible Society agent to his employers? Why, because of the bearing of these seminaries upon your work. The common school for teaching to read is springing up everywhere; and hence the fair and goodly prospect of a rapid and extensive circulation of the Scriptures among us; and hence the reason why the attention of the Bible Society should be fixed upon a spot under such circumstances. The truth is, I do think this Island will become a most interesting and profitable Bible Society field, and increasingly so from year to year, if properly cultivated. ―Nor is it an object of minor notice that black children are learning Latin. Let us suppose these becoming in due time able ministers of the gospel to their countrymen here on the one hand, and let us imagine others going to Africa to preach Christ in that dark land, ―let us suppose these things taking place, and then the little incident becomes a great one, and every way interesting. ―Let me conclude this notice by intruding upon you my opinion such as it is, on Black Intellect. I have seen and observed on various occasions both white and black children in the same class at school. I would say most unhesitatingly the black is fully equal to the white, and perhaps if I were not white myself I would say this stronger still. Let both have fair play, and both are likely to have it now, and if we whites do not take very good care of ourselves we shall certainly lose our vantage ground, and perhaps be left to bring up the rear.
The Westmoreland Bible Society, as you are already aware, is not the foremost one in our county of Cornwall. The formerly neglected state of the parish, and its present backwardness in religious news partly account for this. But things are improving. I hope you have seen this in the shape of a remittance. This Society will go on improving I trust, through the ministers, the schools, and every good work in operation there. We held a meeting of the Committee which was well attended, and at which hopeful things were transacted. We then held a public meeting of the Society which was very gratifying to all concerned. Thus then are things improving, and I hope that your next letter from that parish will confirm the opinion given as to improvement in advance.
From Savanna la Mar I came to Black River, and on through Lacovia to the residence of the Rev. William Hylton. This gentleman as you are aware has been very active in causing the Bible to circulate among his people, and no less active in causing them to learn to read it. The result is that a great number of those under his charge can read and are in possession of the Holy Scriptures, and what is better still many of them are really and truly subject to the authority of Scripture, and that endeavouring to walk worthy of the gospel of Christ. No clergyman in the Island, I believe, has done more than Mr. Hylton in the great objects now stated, and if all had done as much, things would have been further advanced than they are. So much has Mr. Hylton done in the circulating the Scriptures among his own flocks that he has now comparatively little to do. He is stirring them up however to join in aiding you in circulating the Scriptures in the dark and destitute world. He preached one sermon in my hearing in favour of this object and made a collection for you.
In his congregation at Grossmond we held a meeting rather of a novel kind. We requested all those who had received Bibles to meet us at the chapel, and to bring the Bibles with them. It was on the evening of a Monday. The people after labouring all day came to the chapel in good numbers, men and women, but more considerably of the former than the latter. We had of course on this occasion prayer and praise, and we publicly read a portion of Scripture. It was the 8th of Nehemiah; and on reading the 5th verse, at the minister's suggestion all the people stood up till the Scriptures were read. After this we set before the people the value of the word of God, and their happiness in possessing it, exhorting them as sinners to rest on Christ and to do his will in all things. We then desired them to hold up their Bibles. This they did in concert, and the sight was pretty and sublime. In succession we desired them, any of them, who received benefit from the Holy Scriptures to stand up and briefly to narrate to us the same. One rose up and another, and another, and in due course and order many rose, and told us in their own dialect and manner, how God has blessed them through the Bible. Some told us how they had been led to see their guilty and lost condition by means of the word of God, others informed us that they had seen in the Bible how that Christ died for our salvation as the atoning Lamb, and others that they had been led to this and that duty, and had received this and that comfort in distress from the precious word of God in the Bible he had given them. The meeting was all and all very interesting, and we closed it with prayer and praise. ―We trust that good will be done by this meeting; and in truth, everything that is done to enhance the Bible in our eyes, leads us more to appreciate and to apply all its doctrines and precepts to ourselves.
We held a meeting of the Committee of the St. Elizabeth's Bible Society, when an arrangement was made for making you a remittance; and this money remitted is in addition to the £40 currency which Mr. Marcy paid in to the Jamaican Bible Society in Kingston, and of which he apprised you by letter. We had no public meeting, for St. Elizabeth being so much of a country parish without town or nearly so, we feared we should not be able to get up anything that could well be called a general meeting. By communications and contributions sent in to the Secretary and Committee we perceived that the work of Bible circulation is going on, though perhaps less rapidly than at first starting of the Society. We hope that through the various ministers and schools in the parish the good work will not flag, but will rather, and ever greatly increase all over this district.
The next parish to St. Elizabeth's in my return route is Manchester. Here also we had the same difficulty as in St. Elizabeth about a public meeting, and even more, so that we never attempted it. I visited however some of the mission and school stations, and from all I could learn I conceive there will be a very considerable circulation of the Scriptures in this parish. Supplies of Bibles have been ordered to it accordingly, and it is hoped that these will find their way speedily into the house and hands of the people.
Clarendon is the next parish. Here a Society has not yet been formed, but some of the ministers in it are much interested in circulating the Scriptures among their congregations. I had opportunities of speaking with these ministers, and of addressing some of the congregations; and on all which occasions I have seen a good feeling upon the subject, and an anxiety to see the word of God in the hands of all. I have ordered several cases of Bibles to these friends in Clarendon, and from the interest manifested I have good hopes that the circulation of them will be early carried into effect.
The only other parish I passed through before reaching Spanish Town is St. Dorothy's. There are some good friends of the Bible Society here but still we did not see all things ready for the formation of the Society.
In Spanish Town I talked about a public meeting, which may perhaps by and by be realized. ―On the 16th yesterday, as already said I reached Kingston.
A few words may now be said as to the general work and prospects of the Bible Society in the whole course of this tour, say two thirds of the Island. In some places more has been done than formerly, and in other places less, and taking the whole together, there is much reason for thankfulness and gladness. The circulation of the word of God is making steady progress onward, and with every prospect of it increasing, from the increase of schools, from the increasing ministerial labours, and from real advance of intelligent religion. ―It would be wrong in me however to withhold saying to you, but it seems more than desirable, even necessary that your friends here should be kept apprised of your endeavours and of your noble line of operations in the kingdom of God, by repeated visits from some fit person acting as your agent, one who belongs to no denomination with any exclusiveness, but who is firmly attached to the body of Christ. You are aware that I have repeatedly said to you that this interesting Bible Society field should be cultivated with the assiduity, and that your labours would not be in vain. I have still the same views on that subject precisely, and my words now perhaps will have more weight than before; for on former occasions I spoke of myself as the labourer, but now I do not, as another and a distant field is assigned me, and upon which if the Lord will I shall soon enter. But please send an agent to Jamaica, where he will find plenty of work to do all the months of the year. Jamaica a strong claims on you and on all ......... the goodness to attend to these claims in your ..... All others attend to them in theirs; and thus may ...... in the kingdom of God be made to prosper greatly ..... See you labour well for Jamaica, and for all the West Indies, and may you come in for a large share of the reward in the day of Christ, when all shall reap even as they have sown.
I remain, My Dear Friend,
Very Truly Yours,
James Thomson.