Kingston, Jamaica 25 October 1838[1]
On the 24th of November, 1837, a resolution was passed by the Committee that I should prepare a statement, containing a survey of the operations of the Bible Societies in Jamaica, and an estimate of the effects of their labours on the population generally. In obedience to this resolution, I now proceed, at the close of this mission in October, 1838, to draw up the paper wished for by the Committee.
The commencement of Bible Society operations in Jamaica was in the year 1828. The person who put his hand first to the good work in this island was William Taylor, Esq., a merchant in Kingston, who, among all his findings, had found the pearl of great price. This pearl he estimated highly; and he felt, as is usual in this case, an earnest desire that others, and many, should find the same. In order to lead to this, he was anxious to put into their possession the Holy Scriptures, in which there are directions where and how this pearl is to be found. This gentleman communicated with you on the subject, I understand, and received from your stores supplies of the Scriptures, which he used means to put into circulation in this island, and also in some of the foreign islands adjacent.
Mr. Taylor being desirous of having fellow-labourers in this work, induced others, holding views of the value of the Scriptures similar to his own, to join with him; and thus, in Oct. 20, 1830, a Corresponding Committee was formed, for keeping up intercourse with you on the one hand, and on the other, for combined and more extended labour in the diffusion of the Sacred Volume, over this island, and elsewhere around, as circumstances might direct.
In about six months after this Corresponding Committee was formed, it gave rise to, and place to, a regularly constituted Auxiliary Bible Society, which was formally installed by a large public meeting, held in Kingston, on February 3rd, 1831.
The Jamaica Bible Society thus formed, began its operations with some impetus. Its seat and centre was in Kingston; but it early endeavoured to throw out branches from its trunk, in the shape of cooperating Societies, in different parts of the island, and succeeded in procuring the formation of Bible Societies at the four following places: St. Anne's Bay, Spanish Town, Arnott's Bay, and Stoney Hill.
The insurrection which took place in this island, in the end of 1831, and which continued during a part of 1832, greatly tended to check the operations of this Bible Society. On the 13th of June, 1832, a public meeting was held in Kingston, when it was found that 536 copies of the Scriptures had been issued, and more than 200 pounds currency raised, or say £120 sterling. From that time the Society seems to have declined, and no other public meeting took place before the arrival of your agent, in 1834. Still, however, meetings of the Committee were held, some correspondence was maintained with the country parts, and the Scriptures in some degree were circulated in Kingston, and in other quarters of the island.
It would appear, from documents left by Mr. Taylor, that he received from you, say in November 1828, 500 Bibles, and 300 Testaments; and again, say in February 1830, 225 Bibles, and 556 Testaments. These two shipments joined together, make 725 Bibles, and 856 Testaments. Deducting from these, 190 Bibles and 521 Testaments, which were delivered by him to the new body formed, there will appear to have been distributed by him 535 Bibles, and 332 Testaments, that is, in all, 867 copies of the Scriptures.
On the 4th of November, 1830, Mr. Taylor delivered to the Corresponding Committee, as already referred to, 190 Bibles, and 524 Testaments, which formed their first stock. Their second supply was, as recorded in your invoice, No. 2227, dated March 21st, 1831,1,000 Bibles and 1,000 Testaments, Adding these two quantities together, we have 1,190 Bibles, and 1,524 Testaments, or an aggregate of 2,714 copies of the Sacred Book.
Through the Committee in Kingston, and through their correspondents and associate Societies, most of these books were brought into useful circulation, some by sale, and others by donations to schools, and persons in indigent circumstances. Nevertheless, some copies lay undisposed of, in various parts of the island, until they were considerably injured, and had, therefore, to be hastened into circulation in any reasonable way that could be found. Allowing for some stock that might be still on hand in the middle of 1834, we may pretty fairly calculate the circulations of this Society, with its originating Committee and its branches, together with Mr. Taylor's previous issues, at, or somewhat above 3,000 copies, and these about equally divided, in regard to Bibles and Testaments;—the value therefore of this Society, in furtherance of the general object of all Bible Societies, has, we see, been considerable. But at the same time it may well be stated in addition, that its merits were greater than its labours: a truth that will be understood when we consider the then darkness of the West Indies, and the indifference and natural disinclination to the spread of a book that is all light, and which must and does wage war against darkness in all its forms, in all countries to which it comes. Lastly, the value of this Society was seen by its effects in a distant part. From their depot in Kingston, they sent a supply, in 1833, to New Providence, in the Bahamas. This grant produced a double effect, inasmuch as it served for the circulation of the Scriptures there in the first place, and then led to the formation of a distinct Society, which I understand is now numbered among your many auxiliaries.
On the arrival of your agent in Jamaica, in the end of June, 1834, he found this Bible Society in Kingston still in existence, but not much more; for no public meeting had been held after the one noticed, on the 13th June, 1832, a period of more than two years. The Branch Societies, in number four, that had been formed in different parts of the island, had ceased to act altogether. The Scriptures however, as already indicated, were still partially in course of circulation, by sales in Kingston, and in some other parts. Nearly the whole Society, in short, consisted of its Secretary, our worthy friend the Rev. Mr. Tinson, whose individual labours had not ceased, but had, in fact, become greater, as he was next to being alone with all the weight on himself.
One of the first concerns of your Agent, on arriving in Jamaica, was to revive and strengthen this Society in Kingston. For this purpose various meetings of the Committee were held, and the whole subject of Bible Societies discussed, with the especial bearing of the same on this island; and the more so, considering the then actual state of it, on the eve of a change in the condition of most of its inhabitants, unheard of in the preceding history of the world. Endeavours were made to re-organize the Society, and thereby to fit it for new and extended operations. One of the measures projected was that of forming Branch Societies in each of the various parishes of the island, amounting to twenty-one in number, and to combine all those with this one in Kingston, as a head and a centre.
To carry into effect this important measure of forming Bible Societies in our several parishes, I set out, in the first place, for the eastern parts of the island, and succeeded in forming Branch Societies in the parish of St. Thomas in the East, and in Portland: and as appendages to these, some Bible Associations also were formed, one of which was in Moore Town, the chief Maroon establishment in the island. It was my intention to proceed onwards at that time from Port Antonio, along the north side of the island, and to return by the south side; thus completing my tour all round in order. But the weather having proved unfavourable, and the roads in consequence being somewhat broken up, I was obliged to retrace my steps to Kingston.
After a few days' stay in Kingston for arrangements, I set out westward along the south side of the island. The parish of St. Catherine came first before me, in this route. Here in its capital, Spanish Town, we succeeded in forming a Bible Society; and chiefly through the aid of our friends, the Rev. Mr. Phillippo and the Rev. Mr. Edmondson.
I next proceeded through the parishes of St. Dorothy, Vea, and Clarendon, making the necessary inquiries to ascertain whether there were means and prospects in these three parishes for forming Bible Societies; but the result of my inquiries was unfavourable; and it was judged the wisest plan not then to make any attempts, in regard to our object, but to wait a more favourable opportunity. Friends, however, we found in all these parishes, who were well disposed to give us their aid.
In the next parish I came to, Manchester, I found things better, and a Bible Society was there established, under favourable circumstances. In the parish of St. Elizabeth, at Black River, we formed our next Bible Society, and under circumstances still more encouraging. It was here first that I began to gather a little courage as to our Bible Societies in this island; and I shall not soon, probably never, forget the gladdening impressions I there and then received, in regard to this our great concern of Bible Institutions, and their prospective bearings on this island. We had with us on that occasion the Custos, or chief magistrate of the parish, and several gentlemen of influence, forming a good representation of the respectable inhabitants of this favoured parish.
I proceeded next to Westmoreland, and commenced a Society at Savanna-la-Mar, the concentrating part of the parish. Here I received further encouragement, by being allowed by the magistrates to preach in the Court-house; and thus, on a neutral, authorized spot, to explain and urge the object of Bible Societies generally, with all their happy effects, in bringing the word of God into every house, and the means of salvation to every individual.
I here crossed the island to Montego Bay, in the parish of St. James. A Bible Society was also formed here, and the circumstances attending it gave an additional impulse and confidence to my mind as to our objects on this island. The Court-house was freely granted us, in which we held, properly speaking, our first open public Bible Society meeting on a week day, that is, so far as my personal tour and operations were concerned; there we had with us on our platform a fine band of ministers, of all the denominations in the parish, with the rector in the chair, and also a good proportion of the respectable civilians having influence in Montego Bay: of these latter, our Treasurer, John Roby, Esq., ought to be first mentioned, for his valuable services to our cause, and next to him, Dr. Patrick Spence, and the Custos of the parish, John Manderson, Esq.
From St. James's I stepped back, or westward, to the parish of Hanover, where under every encouragement from the rector, the Rev. John Stainsby, and the other resident ministers of different names, but of the same nature in this business, we formed and installed a Bible Society by a public meeting in the Court-house; some Bible Associations also were in succession formed, and particularly one in the town of Lucea, which place was divided into many parts, and these were assigned to a troop of ladies, about twenty-two in number, who met at the rector's house, and being there marshalled, were appointed to the several districts, two and two. This latter circumstance of a Ladies' Bible Association, formed under such auspices and prospects, served again to raise my hopes one step higher in our holy calling.
From Hanover I proceeded through St. James's to the parish of Trelawny. In Falmouth, a town of considerable size, and the capital of the parish, we held a public meeting in the Court-house, which was numerously and respectably attended; the rector of the parish was in the chair, and was surrounded by numerous ministers of different denominations, all of whom showed a manifest satisfaction in having had such an occasion and opportunity of seeing each other face to face, and combined in one body to cause the word of God to abound among their own flocks and elsewhere. A Bible Society was formed at this meeting, and with cheering prospects of success. Bible Associations, in continuance, were formed in different congregations, and all seemed encouraging.
From Falmouth I returned to Kingston, passing through the parishes of St. Ann's and St. Thomas in the Vale, in neither of which did I find things sufficiently prepared for forming in them Bible Societies, although some measures were used to prepare for such institutions in them on some future occasion, should that be afforded.
Passing over intermediate operations and circumstances, I would now notice that I attended the anniversary meetings of the St. Elizabeth, the Hanover, the St. James's, and the Trelawny Bible Societies. These public meetings had different aspects, but all of them were gratifying to the friends of the Bible, of the negro, and of Jamaica. The fact that the sum of £620 sterling had been raised by these four Societies in one year for the Bible, and chiefly by the negroes, was of itself most satisfactory, gratifying, and cheering.
Another encouraging fact connected with these Societies is the praiseworthy efforts made by several Bible Associations formed in negro congregations; the chief of these were the congregations of the Rev. Mr. Hilton, in St. Elizabeth, and of the Rev. Mr. Blyth and Mr. Knibb, in Trelawny. The sums raised by these several negro congregations were considerable, and nearly all for Bibles for their own use.
Subsequently Bible Societies and Associations were formed in St. Ann's and St. Mary's, and Kingston parish, and most of the rest were again revisited.
In Kingston two public meetings were held of the Society formerly established, and a general sale of the Scriptures has been constantly maintained under good encouragement.
Some of the Bible Societies formed in the different parishes are connected with the Jamaica Bible Society in Kingston, while others, indeed most of them, stand in the light of distinct Auxiliaries.
Let us now see how many copies of the Scriptures, exclusive of the Gift Book, have been received and brought into circulation, say from the end of June, 1834, to the same time in 1838, a period of four years. By an examination of invoices the numbers appear to be 14,929 Bibles, and 5,806 New Testaments, making together 20,735 copies of the Scriptures. A considerable number of Scotch Bibles have also come here during that time, and as these have been sought for and circulated as part of the effects of the Bible Society operations above noticed, they may with all propriety be included in our enumeration. Call these only 300, and this addition will make the whole amount to 21,035. Allowing 1,035 for stock on hand, we have 20,000, or say 5,000 for each of the four years. In this account it is worthy of observation that the number of Bibles is nearly triple that of the Testaments; part of this may be set down to the account of the gift books, but there is more in it than this, it is a desire to see, have, and read the entire word of God; a circumstance, in my opinion, always indicative of an advanced state of things in the circulation and estimation of God's holy word.
Some remaining stock, as we have seen, is still on hand, but at the same time there have been lately ordered fresh supplies to a considerable extent, and judging from the present aspect of things, larger orders will soon follow. One order alone, from one parish, will more than prove what I here state in prospect; it is an order from the parish of Manchester for 2,400 copies.
Again and again, as the Society is well aware, we have been hampered and hindered, and to a considerable extent, from the want of Bibles; this was not owing to any backwardness of your agent in ordering, nor of the Society in sending, but to the demand exceeding the calculations made, and the books ordered and sent; perhaps we might safely say that 1,000 copies more would have been put into circulation had this obstacle and the consequent discouragement not occurred. After these lacks had again and again been felt, larger supplies were ordered with a bold shot; this caused, on the other hand, from three Societies, a cry of overabundance. On your agent arriving at one of these places, the surplus was speedily sent out to parts around, where they were immediately needed, and he was begged by the Secretary not to leave them with too few. In the other two places your agent gave directions to forward a portion of the over-supply to other parts; but in both instances they were not sent to the amount desired, as they soon found that they themselves would require more than they had supposed.
In the notices above given of the formation of parish Bible Societies, it will be seen that only twelve were formed, though the parishes are in number twenty-one; one cause of this deficiency, and probably not an inconsiderable one, was the circumstance of your agent being, as it were, in the attitude of leaving this island during a considerable portion of these four years he remained, together with his actually leaving it for some time on his visit to Cuba; to which may be added his partial disconnexion from the Society for three months. The idea that he would soon leave, hindered him from forming Societies, with few and slender materials, fearing and believing that such Societies would only be brought into life to die, as he stated formerly on the subject; had he, however, contemplated a sort of stay here, he would most probably have constructed other Societies with the means and materials at hand, and these Societies would, by constant watching and helps, have been able to continue in existence, and have grown into healthy and flourishing branches of our general Jamaica Bible Institution.
To give honour to whom honour is due, is always our duty, because our Book commands it; on this scriptural ground therefore it is meet that I should here notice, as I have before done in my correspondence, that your work and your agent have met with a very general friendly reception from the inhabitants of this island, of all classes and conditions. That the negroes should have given you this reception, and the ministers of the gospel, was to be looked for; but perhaps you hardly expected that the Bible, and Bible circulators, would meet with a favourable acceptance and encouragement on the part of the higher classes in this community. We have been favoured in this beyond our expectations, for the class of which I speak has been friendly to us, and not inimical. Of course I do not say that all the upper class and classes here have been well disposed towards us, and ready to give us their aid; I only say that many of this sort have actually given us their countenance and support, and openly in the face of all the community; whilst, on the other hand, of those of the same rank who did not thus come forward, I do not recollect receiving from them any opposition, but rather otherwise; and further, the support and benefit which the Bible cause received in the quarter mentioned, might, your agent thinks, have been more largely enjoyed had it been more largely sought. The circumstance of our having so generally received the Court-house for our public meetings in the various parishes, is strong testimony on the point here noticed; other circumstances could also be mentioned on the same side.
I come now to treat of the Gift Book, of which thus far I have said nothing, having purposed to treat of it by itself. The origination of this boon may very properly, I suppose, be set down as an effect of Bible Society operations, if not in Jamaica, yet at least in the West Indies, of which it is a part. This Gift Book was brought forth by two circumstances; one of them was the emancipation itself, but this would not have produced it, had not the negroes previously shown so much interest in the Bible, and Bible Societies, and had not the same been made known to all your friends, and to Mr. Stowell among the rest, by the monthly and annual publications of the Society.
If the origin of this Gift Book is a part of Bible Society operations, not less so of course is its distribution, its reception by the negroes, and its results. This book and gift had an action and a reaction; and I believe also that it will act and react for a long time to come. This Sacred Book was presented at a happy time, and considerably turned the thoughts, it is believed, from an earthly to a heavenly emancipation." Rejoice," said the book to the negroes, "not so much in the temporal fellow-sonship with Britons which you have obtained, but receive through me a spiritual sonship, in which you may rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory." Of a truth the book had, to a certain extent, that effect, and produced and left salutary impressions on many.
The repeated statements made to the negroes, in giving them from time to time this book, as it became due to them by the terms of the gift, tended very considerably to draw their attention to the Bible Society, and to the Bible, as the great and only book you publish. This enlivened them in Bible Society concerns, led them to seek the whole book of God for themselves, and to contribute little sums to send this book to others.
One of the very visible good effects produced by this Gift Book was the exciting a general interest in favour of learning to read. Some hundreds without doubt began their letters, and went on till they could read, having before them, as their main purpose, the obtaining of one of these books, which could be procured only in this way.
Thus far you have my testimony on this point. But naturally you would like to have the testimony of others also. This you shall have; and I would insert them here, but that they are too numerous, and I feel unable to make a due selection. I shall give them to you at large in an appendix to this letter. The witnesses are twenty-four in number, and every way unexceptionable; and if a matter may be established in the mouth of two witnesses, it may be so certainly, and more, in the mouth of two dozen. On reading these testimonies you will see how all our mouths and pens bear witness to the happy hit, and happy effects of this interesting donation—a donation which was of a novel kind, and given under very novel circumstances. Had you given the whole Bible, you would not probably have done the same good, and might, in fact, have hindered what you wished to promote. But though you gave not the entire volume, nevertheless you did in effect put the whole Bible into the negroes' hands; for the excitement you produced by giving the New Testament, induced them to get the entire Bible, and to the very great extent mentioned above, where it is seen that the negroes purchased, say three Bibles for one New Testament. You wisely withheld, and by withholding gave, and gave with more profit. Wisdom is justified of all her children.
The summary view of your Bible Society operations thus far given, applies only to Jamaica, agreeably to the order given for drawing it up. But let us, for a moment, glance at the entire group of these islands. Your operations began in the eastern portion of this Archipelago. God wrought wonderfully with you in those parts, and extended his word and work there very far beyond the expectations of the most sanguine. It was there first that the negroes were addressed on the subject of a Bible Society, and there first they honoured God and your work by ranging themselves among your Auxiliaries. It was in the Island of Antigua, on the estate called Gilbert's, and at the suggestion of its resident owner, the Rev. N. Gilbert, and not least, of his amiable lady, that the first Negro Bible Society was ever formed. This sacred fire, as you know, rapidly spread in the island, and forty Bible Societies were formed there among the negro slaves. It was by the encouragement here, and thus received, that your agent was animated to attempt the same in other places, and among the rest in Jamaica, where the success has been as above detailed. It may here be stated, also, that the Scriptures have been circulated in these eastern West India Islands to an extent corresponding to what has taken place in Jamaica.
All that is said above applies only to the British West Indies. Your operations, however, have not been confined to these islands. Agreeable to instructions received, your agent visited all the islands in that quarter, of any size and note, both British and Foreign. Into all these foreign islands visited by him, God gave entrance to his word, and that too, notwithstanding the difficulties and obstacles which in some cases were met with.
To sum up now the above statements in brief, I would say:—
First, That through your mission to Jamaica (and also to the West Indies generally) the Holy Scriptures have come into circulation among the negroes to an extent very considerably beyond what would, I think, have been the case had it not been undertaken. Mr. Blyth's congregation is one of the best proofs of this. He entered on the formation of a Bible Association among his people with doubt and hesitancy; but afterwards was astonished and delighted with the results produced. To the effects of a Bible stir, and Bible Societies and Associations, and the multiplication of the Scriptures generally, add also the Gift Book, as produced by your mission, according to an indication above.
Secondly, The considerable number of Family Bibles, of the large quarto size, purchased by the negroes, may in a great measure be set down to your mission; and it is a very cheering item in our Bible Society operations in Jamaica; and this circumstance is enhanced in value, when their scanty means and late degradations are considered. I estimate highly the getting the quarto Bible into the family, as a means greatly conducive to family worship, and to all the good which follows in the train of the domestic altar.
Thirdly, Bible Society meetings and speakings have drawn the negroes' attention to the Bible in a special manner, as the book whence themselves and their ministers have all their religious instruction. They, therefore, I may say, receive their instruction more from God, as the source and the medium, than otherwise they would have done; and this is a matter of great consequence. Your humble servant, as an instrument in thus drawing the attention to God's book, has been styled by some of the negroes, of their own accord—"The Bible Parson." I may also mention here, in this connexion, that a little Rhoda that came to hearken, when I knocked at a friend's door at Antigua, ran in and announced—"Mr. and Mrs. Bible Thomson."
Fourthly, All this noise, and stir, and action, about the Bible as God's, has tended to its being more read, and with greater attention; and at the same time it has added an authority and weight to every text read, preached from, or quoted, which but for this would hardly have been the case. I know of one man, who, after having made out with difficulty a certain verse in our Lord's Sermon on the Mount, was greatly arrested by its statement, and saw that sin in thought and purpose was guilt as well as sin in action.
Fifthly, Your Bible Society matters, without doubt, have in various ways produced an increased desire among the negroes to learn to read. This has been so, strikingly, in respect to the Gift Book; but the whole of your operations have tended the same way. A most delightful feature of all the Negro Schools is—that the object of learning to read, is to be able to read the Scriptures; and the only book to be seen in the schools, besides the Spelling-book, is the Bible and Testament.
Sixthly, Your Bible mission in the West Indies has had good effects on the foreign islands in that quarter. Into all these the Scriptures have been introduced by you, as above related. But besides this, the Bible harvest to be reaped by your sowing the Scriptures so extensively over the English West Indies will, by and by, produce further and happy effects in all these foreign possessions.
Seventhly, May I not say, in the last place, that the great and godly rejoicings on the 1st of August, last, in and over the West Indies, was owing, not a little, to the direct and indirect influence of the book your mission spread so extensively among the negroes? Your book, no doubt, greatly tended to render that memorable day a sacred, rather than a common festival. Your agent, as representing you, was a joyful witness of the joyful things of that day in Kingston, and some other places in Jamaica. It was indeed a glorious day; not a day of common rejoicing (for that was postponed till the following day), but a day of loud and warm thanksgiving to God. Every place of worship in the island was filled to crowding; and the united sounds of praise and glory issued from the island all over, in one great and general volume towards heaven.
To conclude, Let us, my beloved brethren and fellow-labourers in the sacred work of making the will of God known on earth, in order that it may be done as it is in heaven,—let us give thanks unfeigned, and glory to God for what he has wrought in this mission. All is his work; and to him be all glory and praise, both now and evermore, Amen.
James Thomson.
[1] BFBS 35th Annual Report 1839, pp.82-92.