Rev A Brandram. - No 50.
Kingston, Jamaica, 22nd February 1836
My Dear Friend,
I am happy to say in commencing this letter that my colleague Mr. Wheeler is rapidly recovering his strength, and is in full expectation of leaving this Island in prosecution of your arrangements by the first packet which is due here tomorrow, and which will sail four days after its arrival. May the God of the Bible Society go with him to preserve him and lead him in his way, and to prosper him in his holy work of diffusing God's blessed word among these Islands. Let your prayers continually ascend for him, and great may his success be in your service, which truly is the service of God.
In two or three of my late letters, I have intimated to you, that in my slender judgment, the conclusions you had come to in respect to this Island and of the West Indies generally, were not the best considering the openness of the door for your work at the present time. I have prayed much for instruction from on high regarding the whole of this matter, so far as you are concerned on the one hand, and so far as I am concerned on the other: and I rest fully satisfied that God will direct us, and lead us on step-by-step, as he has heretofore done most graciously, and to his most holy name be all praise and glory for ever and for ever.
You will recollect that that in my letter of the 24th April last, I stated to you at full length my views respecting your West India work. After nearly a year's consideration of the same subject since that letter was written, I still retain precisely the same views of what I think the Bible Society ought to do in this matter; or rather I ought to say that my views on the subject are much stronger, and that because of the developments that have taken place since that time, and the manifest, and I may well say glorious openings that have presented themselves to us for procuring a very general circulation of the Holy Scriptures among the entire population of this Island; and what has taken place here I presume, would take place all over the West Indies if the same means are employed and kept at work. You know that in the letter referred to, I divided the West Indies into two portions, and ventured to recommend you to have an agent in each portion; stating it is my opinion that there would be most ample work for them of the most encouraging kind, and that the favourable leanings in England towards this quarter of the world would fully justify and bear you out in making such appointments, and further that the results of such operations would not only be almost cheering circulation of the Holy Scriptures among this interesting people, but that also there would soon arise such a pouring in to your funds from hence for your general purposes, as would not only amply repay your outlays on the our behalf, but would also surprise you. All this I still believe, and see you more strongly before my own eyes since I gave you the above noticed views and statements.
In the same communication, I suggested that at the end of a couple of years your two agencies might be merged, into one, or what is the same in point of expense, into two half ones. One of these entire agencies for the first two years, and its half agency afterwards, I signified to the Society that I was willing to undertake, namely, the Jamaica one. I signified at the same time that with this island the island of Hayti and Cuba might be connected, and that your agent here might also correspond with his friends in Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia, Peru, and Chile, for the purpose of forwarding your interests in those places; and I further hinted that he might perhaps visit one or other or more of them from time to time as circumstances might direct; but that in the event of having to visit the places mentioned it must be a whole agency continuous, instead of a partial agency before stated.
The Resolutions of the Committee of the 7th September last bearing upon these points came into my hands on the 11th November, and they have been before my mind, and been often on it ever since. They are different from the suggestions above stated, and they may prove better than the plans I had ventured to propose. May God grant they may, for his glory, and for the good of the portions of the world under consideration. Man deviseth his way, but the Lord directeth his steps: the Bible Society have devised their way, and surely God will direct their steps to the advancement of his great work committed to their charge.
So far then as the Bible Society's duties. The next thing to be considered is, what is my own individual duty amid all the circumstances in which I am placed. My first thoughts were, to make a second round of this island, and to enter into such arrangements, according to your instructions, as might contribute the most effectually to the keeping up and extending if possible, your work in this island, after I should give up your concerns here. In calculating how I might do this, I felt myself a good deal perplexed. I did not see how I could comply with your wish, on the lowest calculation of real utility, as expressed in your Resolution under an entire year. The Resolution referred to is, "That the Rev. James Thomson be requested as soon as the winding up of the concerns of the Society under his care in Jamaica will permit to proceed on of visitation, etc." But to have taken a year to this would manifestly have been beyond what you at all calculated on or would have allowed; and I considered that had I made such an arrangement is this I would have been going beyond the line gone to me.
Thus far as to the part of the resolution bearing upon the winding up of your concerns in Jamaica. The other part of the same Resolution is a graver subject still, at least so far as I individually am concerned. You will naturally suppose that I have made this subject a matter of very earnest prayer and supplication. I have indeed entreated the Lord to counsel and to lead me to what would the most effectually promote his glory in regard to the poor earthen and earthly vessel concerned. And in connexion with prayer, I have pondered the subject and pondered it again, by day and by night in all its bearings, I do not say on time and eternity, but on eternity and time, for that is the proper order in which all things should be considered.
Here in this island of Jamaica that is very ample work for a servant of Christ, in various ways, with a fair prospect of his labours not being in vain in any of the departments he may be employed in. There is work too in Spanish America, but the prospects at present are not the same. Here too I can in a twofold capacity engage in the service of the Lord, for my wife and myself may both be engaged in it. In Spanish America I could only act singly, according to your proposal of a visitation, and not of a fixed agency. Certainly when God has united two in one, it is not inconsiderately that arrangements should be entered into which would unavoidably separate them for years or for life; whilst on the other hand when God in his Providence points out, that through arrangements leading to such a separation his glory may be the more promoted, then evidently we should rise up, leave all, and follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. Such a case as is here supposed in the latter instance is not now before me. Two fields of labour are presented unto me, and asking for my selection. In the one that is a greater prospect of success than in the other; and in this same one, the advantage of adhering to God's union on the one hand is given, and on the other hand the labour may be twofold, whilst it could not be so in the other field of operations. These reasons then combined, lead me to consider that it will be most for the glory of God, that I should make this island the field of my operations in preference to Spanish America.
I have said above that that is ample work for a servant of Christ in this island in various ways. One of these ways is a Bible Society work. To this I have, as before stated, very fully drawn your attention, and have made you a tender of my own poor services. Your work, as here noticed, still bulks in my views the same as ever, and even more. But I cannot now with any propriety urge this subject more in reference to myself, for if I should it would be difficult to avoid the appearance of pleading for attention to this field for the sake of my own advantage. I am therefore though reluctantly compelled to choose another department of the Lord's work, as the object of my chief attention. In thus breaking off from the Bible Society in the full relationship in which I now stand to it, I wish it to be understood that the objects of the Bible Society are and ever will be as dear to me as ever, and that it will always be a pleasure to me to be in correspondence with the Society and to promote its work here, so far as my main duties in another department will allow.
The fields of profitable labour here, as more than once said are various. A good deal of consideration and prayer have been given to the ascertaining the precise line I should choose, but during the time I was making the subject my inquiry, one field, quite new I may say and unexpected, came before me, and one more congenial to my wishes and desires for many years than any other. It seemed then to be a directive of Providence that I should forthwith engage in this newly presented field, and believing this to be so, I have acted accordingly. To be in a situation where I could have a number of children entirely under my management, that I might train them up in the way in which they should go, and lead them in that way step-by-step through life to heaven, has long been the object of my desire; and the more I have considered the subject of early training which has been I may say my favourite topic for years, the greater has been my desire to settle down in such unemployment. I have prayed much for heavenly guidance in respect to this for a long period; and now it blends through your arrangements, answering new and unexpected circumstances, God has given me, I may say, all I could wish for in regard to such unemployment in the service of Christ. I am to have put into my hands, a house, some land, and a number of children, with liberty to educate these children according to the best plans I can devise and carry into effect. This is, I conceive, a noble occupation, and may God make me faithful in it for his glory, and for the salvation of my own soul, and for the salvation of a multitude of souls of those to be placed under my instruction. The establishment of which I allude is to form a part of the operations in this island of the Mico Charity.
The location of this establishment is to be in the parish of St. James already familiar to you through our Bible operations there. My residence in that quarter will be favourable to the lending of my aid continuously to the Bible Society work in that parish and neighbourhood, and perhaps it is above all other parts of the island the most suitable for an agent of the Society to reside in even if he happened the charge of prosecuting your work throughout all the island. From this spot then I should be glad to give you all the help I could in the way of correspondence with all parts of the island, and which my knowledge of persons and places would enable me to do with I trust no little advantage to your interests. Still however it would be well to have the island traveled over in your service from time to time for the purpose of keeping alive and extending your work. The plan I propose for you is this, that you should authorize me to expend £100 or more per annum in procuring help in this way, sometimes from one friend and sometimes from another of those engaged in the ministry of the Gospel here. I think I could procure this aid, and at this cost, and with this advantage, and believe you would not expend this sum more profitably either in promoting the circulation of the Scriptures, or in afterwards raising funds for furthering your wide-world operations.
The time of my entering on this new engagement is the first of April next. In the meantime I propose, if the Lord will, to leave this city in a few days, and to proceed towards Cornwall by the north side of the island, making as many useful visitations on the way as I can. On reaching the quarter mentioned, I shall endeavour to visit each parish in the County to strengthen and enlarge the societies already formed there, and I hope to conclude the visitation of the County about the period of change above-mentioned.
Altogether independent of this new regulation in our affairs I should have considered it my most immediate duty in your work to visit the quarter noticed, and you are aware that I had proposed going there with Mr. Wheeler before I dreamed of the new arrangement here stated. The two reasons for leading me to consider that part as the most profitable field to be engaged in for you at present are, first, because we now have a pretty good supply of the Scriptures there; whereas here, I may say, we are out of supplies; and I beg you to consider both these outs in, and put in, not by oversight, but purposely in order to tell you what urgent need we have for the supplies I wrote for in my last letter; which I entreat you to send in whole by the very first ship, or at least as many of them as you have immediately ready without detaining till the whole might be prepared. – The second reason for working immediately in Cornwall, is that I consider our affairs are so circumstanced there at present as to produce very good fruits by proper attention and more so than in any other part of the island.
I have now laid the whole of this matter before you as it stands and as it is proposed to stand. In thus dissolving our present connection, I beg you notwithstanding ever to consider me as your cooperator, and I should be glad would you still allow me to bear my present title with you, and to give my agency in the way I have noticed, leaving you to remunerate or not just as you see fit, as on this score there shall be no disagreement. – For the confidence the Society has reposed in me during my present and former connexions with it, I feel very thankful; and for the kind and liberal manner in which you yourself have corresponded with me as the organ of the Society, I have I trust something of an affectionate feeling, not soon I think to be worn out. Your kindly notice of my supplications to the Committee and other members of the Society, that they might make supplications at the throne of grace on my behalf, that I might ever be faithful and wise in your work, and faithful in all things as the servant of God, – your kindly noticing this in the body of the Report at the Public Meeting, and in printing the same request in the Appendix as you have done at page 100 of your 31st Report, – is and will be most deeply impressed upon my mind. This paragraph I may say now enters us part of my private devotions: I thank the Father of mercies for the ministry granted me in this paragraph; I pray the Lord to hear all the supplications offered up for me through means of it; and I pray that everyone who supplicates for me in view of this paragraph, may be blessed with eternal life, and all the graces here below of the Holy Ghost. Thus you see is formed through your kindness also: a round of prayers, I trust in the Holy Ghost, which must contribute through the merciful and gracious arrangements of our heavenly Father, to build us all up in Christ Jesus, and to make us for ever blessed with the Lord. You, my dear friend, come in, and will come in for an ample share of these blessings, and ample may it be to you as the Love of God to us in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Only one thing remains for me now to say, and it is this: should you consider it incongruous to have any formal connection in the same individual with a distinct though kindred body, and should you at the same time see the importance of cultivating this field in your line as I see it, and have pointed out to you, – then should you wish to send an agent here from England, and not be able readily to find one to your mind, then in that case, or in all these cases combined, I think your best plan would be to authorise me to seek you out an agent here, as perhaps one might be found already ministering in this field, and who would have no objections to give his whole time to your work. As to Mr. Wheeler's taking the whole of the West Indies it is really more than sufficient work, and I do trust you will at once arrange that he should confine himself to the limits noticed in describing your Eastern diocese in these colonies; and your doing this at once would be a great advantage, as it would enable him forthwith to make a proper arrangement for a regular and periodical visitation. In one of your letters you allude to the number of Missionaries in this and the other islands as a reason for expecting that your work will be done by them for you. This, I humbly think, is a conclusion not consistent with the premises, and certainly not consistent with my little experience in these parts. But might you not as well say that you need no immediate agents in England, as there are so many Ministers filling every county and town. But you do not say so, nor act so. Why then should you count on these labours in your service from Ministers in the West Indies, to the extent in question, and such as you cannot count on from Ministers in England? And further, you must remember the extent of the labours of the Missionaries in these islands as you will see indicated in my letter of the 6th July, page 6. No, my friend, the Missionaries here will of themselves be able to do comparatively little in your work, but if they were aided, encouraged, and led on by one of your agents they might and would do great things for you. This is not my testimony only, it is the testimony also of all the Missionaries themselves.
The object of this letter is now accomplished, in as much as I have communicated to you all my arrangements, and thoughts upon the same. I now send on my letter to you, and whilst it is taking the usual course and time of several weeks on the ocean hastening on towards your Bible mansion, I shall pray to the Father of lights, to give you all light and understanding in respect to all the matters contained here requiring your judgment and action: and may God Almighty bless you in all your great work: and may he bless your soul, my dear brother, and the souls of all who are privileged at your great depository to give counsel and the labour of the hands towards making the will of God known all over the world.
Believe me, my Dear Friend,
Truly and Affectionately Yours,
James Thomson.
P.S. Be so good as to have two or three blank leaves of good paper put into the front of all the quarto Bibles. ―I should be glad to have a few copies of Mr Cockle's printed statement of the contributions of the various Counties of England to the Bible Society. ―Your letter of the 12th January arrived here on the 24th instant. ―Mr Wheeler drew a Bill for £50 on the 24th in favour of James Wallace & Co. and though my name is on it, the money is for him only.