Rev A Brandram No.57
Falmouth, Jamaica, 16th November 1836
My Dear Friend,
My last details of our work here brought things down to the date of my letter No. 55, namely the 28th September. I now proceed to notice subsequent operations. – On the 7th October I set out on another tour. I went first, right across the island, from Montego Bay to Black River, but stopped a little at two places on the way, namely, at the Moravian establishments that Beaufort and at Mr. Marcy's. My chief object at Black River was to see about the proper disposal of the nine cases of Bibles that had recently arrived there from London. When I reached that place, I found that some of the cases had already made their way into interior parts, according to directions I previously gave by letter. The rest were soon disposed of in accordance with the claims that had been made for them; and I have once more the pleasure and the pain of saying, the supply is not nearly adequate to the demand in that quarter for the Holy Scriptures. I had better therefore before I proceed further, item down the particulars of another shipment for Black River, to be sent as soon as you can to Mr. Daly, who is our depository and salesman gratuitously. Have the goodness to send us 1000 Bibles at once, for all that number will be required there and soon; and double the quantity I hope soon after: send them thus, – 100 pearl, coloured calf; 100 Ruby, col'd. calf; 200 Ruby, plain calf; 100 Ruby, canvass; 200 nonpareil, coloured calf; 200 nonpareil, plain calf; and 100 nonpareil, canvass.
Having as above stated, disposed of all our stock at Black River, and having now as you here see, begged only 1000 Bibles more for that place, I leave it and go onwards. Savanna La Mar lies about 34 miles westward from Black River, by a road running along near to the sea coast, forming a very hot ride to a poor European. Five miles on the road from Black River lies our house whose hospital roof had taken me in on a former occasion. I turned aside to it with my mind full of preaching directly and individually the glorious gospel of Christ as contained in the holy book we circulate. But, I was too late. The individual to whom I intended thus to preach, closed her period of time, and entered on eternity about one hour before I arrived. O what true wisdom is it, to be always ready for appearing before our Lord Jesus Christ! – And what consummate folly the contrary! May we Bible Society men be always found properly ready; and hard will it go with us, if we are not, having the Bible so to speak always in our hands, and sending it forth to all, with loud declarations as to its immense value, and its imperative demands.
In Savanna La Mar, and other parts of the parish of Westmoreland, I found some Bible Society friends, both good men and true, but nevertheless our cause has not prospered there as it has done in other parishes of this county of Cornwall. Several things have combined to hinder us, though it is unnecessary to detail them. It is better for me to tell you, that I think and hope these hindrances will by and by disappear, and Westmoreland will yet, and I trust soon, take its proper stand among the parochial Bible Societies of the county. To bring about this better state of things I used whilst there, such measures as I thought best, partly of a public, and partly of a private nature. I cannot help stating that one gentleman, Mr. Hutchinson Scott, the proprietor of two estates in this quarter, came no less than 20 miles to attend our public meeting. I made arrangements with some of our friends to give increased attention to Bible Associations in their own congregations, and visited some of them and addressed the people on the subject. I look forward to the fruits; but we must have patience until the spring and the summer be past, and the harvest times arrive. By that time and before it we shall need a fresh stock of Bibles there. Please then to send to the Rev. John Hutchins, Savanna La Mar exactly one half of the quantity and kinds of Bibles ordered for Black River.
From Savanna La Mar I proceeded round Negril Point, the westernmost part of this island. There is a little village at that point to which I went and preached, and where a Bible Association will be formed. It is a wild place, but has been wilder. The Gospel, so to speak, is now tolerated among them, and I trust by and by some and many of them will be subdued by it. The word of God forced in among them by a Bible Association will greatly contribute thereto, we may confidently expect.
After leaving Negril quarter I proceeded to Hanover, and to one of the Church Missionary stations in that parish. This Society has a good school here kept by their catechist Mr. Holt, on an estate called Rock Spring. I had an opportunity of addressing the people there, and of leading them into the formation of a little Bible Association. They had previously formed a Missionary Society, and it is always pleasing to see the two objects combining in the same places and persons. I next went to Green Island, where, you will recollect a Bible Association was formed last year. That Association has not prospered as was expected owing in a great measure to the removal of the Curate who was there, and the indisposition of his successor. Still it has prospered in other respects as well as it could, for the chief hindering cause of it, has been the want of Bibles. Green Island is in Hanover, and connected with the Bible Society of that parish. A supply for it will therefore be included in that presently to be noticed for Lucea, from which they can be forwarded by boats from time to time.
In arriving at Lucea I found the former scarcity of Bibles still subsisting, Mr. Jackson's supply as noticed in a former letter not having come. In addition to that supply, and to all others ordered for the Hanover Bible Society, be so good as send 500 Bibles, the same as ordered for Savanna La Mar: and let them be sent as before to the Rev. John Stainsby. At Lucea I found the Rev. Mr. Betts of the Church Missionary Society, whose place, far up in Hanover parish, I had intended to visit, but was hindered by his being from home. Mr. Betts complaint is that of everybody else's – want of Bibles. "We cannot get on," said he, and say all, "for want of Bibles."
I next proceeded towards Montego Bay, but before I reached that place I may tell you a little incident that occurred in the way. On a former occasion I found the Spaniard residing about 10 miles from Lucea. I sat down in his house to have some conversation with him. He was of course pleased to have me speak to him in his native tongue. We talked of the Bible. He said he had had one, but that he had lent or given it to his brother, who was also residing in this island and has a large family. I promised to give him another Bible, and begged him to allow his brother to keep the one he had. I afterwards sent him the Spanish Bible I promised. On the present occasion I inquired if he had got the book. He joyfully said he had, and thanked me much for it. He then brought it and showed me how far he had got on his reading. He began formally at the first chapter of Genesis, and had reached in the regular order, where I found his mark, the 22nd chapter of Deuteronomy. I talked to him of the contents of the Bible – of the Gospel and especially noticing the errors of his native, the catholic religion. I was very much pleased and surprised that his views on these subjects. – When we parted, he would have me take a fine large chicken with me, which he said the servant would carry. I was unwilling to take it, and unwilling to refuse it. But devising a medium, I said, that it would be better to leave it till I might return, and then we would each together.
Our Bible Society friends in Montego Bay are, I found, not satisfied with somebody, not to some Body in Earl Street. It seems they requested a supply of Bibles in January last, pointing out the ship in which they should be sent and which ship it would appear arrived long ago, but brought not be expected Bibles; nor are they yet arrived. The disappointment is much felt, because there is a great demand for Bibles there, and none to meet that demand. Further, an additional supply was requested for that place by my hands, by letter dated the 19th April; but up to the end of October nothing has been heard of them. I shall feel obliged by your noticing these things to the somebody or some Body in question. Thus I clear myself, let others do the same as they can.
On the fourth of the present month I came to Hampden in the parish of Trelawney in order to join with the Rev. Mr. Blyth in celebrating the first anniversary of the Bible Association formed in his congregation in that place. I noticed to you the auspicious beginning of this Association in my letter from Falmouth last year. You will be pleased to learn that the ending of the first year is as auspicious as was its first beginning. £150 of our currency have been raised by this Association during the year. Of this sum £118 have been applied in the purchase of Bibles including a small free contribution, and £32 have been sent as a donation by the Scottish Missionary Society with which this congregation is connected. This is a noble result from a church consisting of apprentices, by whom almost exclusively the sum has been raised. As an example to other congregations, I endeavoured to turn this to account in my letters and addresses. – There are about half a dozen other congregations in this county that have done very well likewise as Bible Associations, but Hampden has taken the lead, as another Hampden did, and has justified its name.
On the ninth instant we had a Committee meeting of the Trelawney Bible Society, preparatory to the anniversary meeting two days after. There was a goodly number of the members present, and in the chair sat the Rector of the parish, the President of the Society, of whom I must here say what is justly due to him, that he has regularly attended every meeting of the Committee during the whole year, from the formation of the Society. – On the 11th the anniversary to place, in the Court House. This house, and all such known by the same name, we considered now as our own, that is to say, at all times at our command for Bible Society purposes; and this is as good as if they were ours by right and title, and something better, as we have them not to keep in repair. Please to put this item to the credit of the Jamaica Public, and it is truly creditable to the parish authorities, from whom the leave has always frankly been obtained; and as a specimen of the favour your noble institution has obtained in this island.
The Rev. Mr. Frazer, the Rector, was in his place, in the chair, at the public meeting, and the assemblage present was good, though not equal to what we had last year. The Report was read by the secretary, and its contents gratified all present, and surprised not a few as to the extent of its operations and the amount of its funds. Trelawney has got to the top of our parish Bible Societies in the county of Cornwall, and this is the more honourable to it, as it was the last formed. It has raised in the year £340 of our currency, which makes about £211 sterling; and if I may here once for all give you a key to the value of our money as compared with yours, that you may always know the true value, or near it, of the items that may be mentioned; and you will be pleased to observe in connection with this, that we always mean currency unless we write or say "sterling". After general average five of our pounds are equal to three of yours, and about one thirtieth more. – The satisfaction enjoyed by the assembly in the reading of the Report at the meeting seemed to be maintained amongst all by the addresses of the several speakers which followed; and I believe I stated correctly the general feeling of all present, at the close of the meeting in the word – gratification. – This latter will be accompanied by a newspaper containing an ample notice of the meeting in question, and I conclude this account by referring you to the same.
I have now in the gracious providence and mercy of God closed our Bible Society concerns county of Cornwall, Jamaica, for the present year, say 1836. And what is the result of this one, and the first year's operations in this district containing one third of the island? It is upwards of £650 sterling, collected chiefly from the Negro apprentices, and for the purchase of Bibles mostly for their own use. This would procure at an average price for a Bible 3000 copies. The Bible is the book in demand, and not the Testament by itself. The Testament with the Psalms came upon us, as a shower, in your liberal boon, never to be forgotten here or among the nations; and you see what your shower upon our prepared ground has produced. Let us give all glory to God, who prepared the ground, sent a shower, and has produced these results: to his name only give glory, and for ever and ever!
I have, within these few days received your 32nd Report. It is deeply interesting in all its parts, and fully bears out the expression contained in the first paragraph, namely, "a year surpassed by none in the variety and extent of its operations, especially in foreign lands; – and the expression also of Mr. Forster, who says, "I do not think that any report has been brought forward that has exhibited a greater variety of proofs of the blessing of the Most High on the labours of the Bible Society." May God Almighty make every succeeding Report of more and more interest as exhibiting the rapid diffusion of the Holy Scriptures, and the blessed effects which must flow to mankind through the circulation of this divine book.
The happy reception given to the Scriptures in France, and to so large and extent, is truly gratifying; and the labours of our Brother in Germany seem to be crowned with great and delightful results. – I observe the sums received from these two countries, from the former, it is £1216, and from the latter, £1033. Is it not singular that the sum raised for the Scriptures in the same period by the Negroes in one county, or third part of Jamaica, should more than reach one half of the former sum, and be nearly equal to two thirds of the latter?
I send you six copies of the Trelawney Bible Society Report just issued from the press, and avail myself once more of one of your Vice Presidents, Lord Glenelg, intending not to intrude upon his Lordship again unless I should have leave given me for the same.
In addition to all other requests, please send 1000 Bibles to Montego Bay, and 1000 to Falmouth, of the same sorts as those mentioned for St. Elizabeth's. I have thus begged, you see in this single letter, for 4000 Bibles for our county of Cornwall.
I lately received a letter from our good friend Mr Baudry of Port au Prince, Hayti, dated the 4th October last, of which the following is an extract. "Mr. Wheeler must have written you on the formation of a Haytian Bible Society, which at first steps was very encouraging, and fell back quickly. Last Sunday afternoon we met for the purpose of establishing a new Society to be connected with the British and Foreign Bible Society, and the success has been beyond our expectation. We are few in number, but the Lord will give the increase. Subscriptions on the occasion amounted to 118 dollars. The Officers of the Society are E.C. Hennig Esq. Treasurer, H. D. Baudry Secretary: Committee J.C.Pressoir, L.H.Frost, and J.L.Hippolite. Do pray that the mustard seed might to grow."
I remain, My Dear Friend,
Very Truly Yours,
James Thomson.
P.S. Please desire Mr. Tarn to add the British and Foreign School Society to those mentioned for an annual subscription of one guinea, and tell him to make all the subscriptions guineas instead of pounds.