Rev A Brandram. - No 51
Montego Bay, Jamaica, 19th April 1836
My Dear Friend,
My last letter to you was dated the 22nd of February, and contained notices of arrangements in respect to you and to me, and to this island of Jamaica. That letter is most likely now in your hands, and has been and is under consideration in its various bearings. I again pray whilst you are actually considering it, as I did when I sent it off, that the Father of lights may give you all understanding in the things concerning his kingdom here placed under your immediate, or rather mediate care.
The Packet alluded to in the first paragraph of my last letter, came in on the 24th just one day after due. According to my anticipations mentioned regarding Mr. Wheeler's recovered strength, so it was: he was nearly quite restored, and sailed in the packet on the 27th for Jacmel in Hayti.
Agreeably to your request I provided, or I should say, wrote letters to our Bible Society friends throughout the line of islands I passed along, introducing to them Mr. Wheeler as your agent for them and their portion of the world. In writing out these letters I began at the place nearest to Jamaica, namely Hayti, and drew up introductory notes to our friends there. Porto Rico I passed over, because I believe, or suppose, we few or no friends there and because it would not be in Mr. Wheeler's way to visit that island at the present time. The next island of our friends is St. Thomas, and to several of our friends there I wrote. Santa Cruz (as they pronounce it, or St. Croix as they spell it) came next in order, and for various friends there several letters were prepared and put into the introductory packet to be carried along by our friend and colleague in his onward course. The other islands were then prepared for in a similar way in succession, which is as follows: – Tortola, St. Kitts, Nevis, Montserrat, Antigua, Guadaloupe, Dominica, Martinique, St. Lucy, Barbados. On arriving at the last mentioned island, and a favoured spot, I found that the revisitation of our many friends in these islands, and the more or less letter conversation which both as a pleasure to me, and as a matter of course I had to hold with them, – I found that the time I had allotted to this work of writing introductory letters for Mr. Wheeler was exhausted. I was compelled therefore to close my packet with letters as far as Barbados exclusive of that island; and on closing I found the number of letters 45. To meet the case of the other colonies, I afterwards wrote out a general letter, and forwarded it to Mr. Wheeler by the following packet to Jacmel according to agreement. I give you here copy of that letter.
– "To the Friends of the British and Foreign Bible Society throughout the West Indies. – Kingston, Jamaica, 4th of March 1836.
– Dear friends, – I take the liberty of addressing you in the form of a general letter or circular in order to introduce to your acquaintanceship Mr. Joseph Wheeler the gentleman who will a this note before you, and who has recently come out from England to visit the West India colonies as the Agent of the British and Foreign Bible Society.
During my own tour or tours through these colonies already extending to the period of more than four years, I have met with many persons very friendly to the objects of the Bible Society, and have received from them much help and encouragement in carrying forward the views of the Society whose interests I have the honour to represent. I have also received from the same individuals a large measure of kind treatment and personal attention.
On the part of the British and foreign Bible Society, I beg leave on the present occasion to renew my acknowledgments to you for all the assistance afforded me in the great cause of circulating the Holy Scriptures in which that Society is especially engaged; and on my own part individually, it is with pleasure I again express my very sincere thanks to all those friends who have favoured me personally, and in many ways contributed to my convenience and comfort.
From the same obliging friends, and from all others well inclined to the holy cause of circulating God's word among these Colonies, I beg leave very respectfully to solicit renewal of the same help and encouragement in favour of my friend and colleague Mr. Wheeler in his endeavours to promote the object of the Bible Society with which he is connected. I would also venture to plead for renewal of those friendly attentions met with by the writer of this note, attentions for which he felt and now feels greatly obliged, and which he shall long remember.
Having thus introduced Mr. Wheeler, allow me now with all earnestness to recommend to you the deeply interesting subject of the general second circulation of the Scriptures in the Colonies. Much has recently been done in this great work in the form of commencement, but of course the mass of the work is still as yet undone. The field is delightfully open, as the people generally show a very considerable readiness to procure the Scriptures and to learn to read that they may profit by them. Give them all the weight of your influence to favour the pleasing indications now being manifested, and rest assured that very happy results will arise sooner or later from a general circulation of the Scriptures in these parts. Stir up the people to come forward to procure the Scriptures through their own means, by paying for them before hand in small monthly contributions according to the size and price of the Bibles they wish, and this is by far the best mode of furnishing them with this sacred book. Let not the circumstance that many or most are not able has yet to read of great to hinder or discourage the, or nothing will contribute more effectually, as experiences amply shown, tinges and to urge on to learn to read than the procuring in this way a Bible for themselves. Let every proper measure be taken in your respective places to cause the holy Scriptures to come into every house among you, and into the hands of every individual; and use your influence in all wisdom that the Holy Scriptures, maybe daily read under every roof. Pleasing commencements have been made in all that is here recommended, and further and continued exertion in the strength of God will crown us with success in the object before us. Great good must be necessarily result from this honouring God in that Revelation he has given us and that's good will be visible when in the advancement of Society in general, and in the welfare of families and individuals; but chiefly shall we benefit thereby in respect to our everlasting condition. The will of God, we are taught to expect, this to be done in this world as it is in heaven. The will of God however must first be made known before it can be done, and to make it known is the grand object of all Bible Societies. When the will of God shall be done on earth as it is done in heaven above, O how different and blessed shall then be the condition of this hitherto sinful and suffering world! Let us all pray, and let us labour in unison with our prayers, – Thy kingdom come, thy will be done in Earth as it is in heaven.
– I remain, Dear Friends, With Great Respect, Yours Very Truly,
– James Thomson, Agent of the British and Foreign Bible Society."
A few days go after Mr. Wheeler sailed I went from Kingston to Spanish Town, partly to attend to the business there, and partly as a step onwards in my tour to the other end of the island. It was my wish, and somewhat my expectation, that we should at length get up a public meeting there for our Bible Society; but this time alas like many of the preceding ones happened to be a wrong time. Mr. Phillippo was all busy in preparing for the meeting of the Baptist ministers about to take place in Kingston, and so could not command sufficient time to aid in our meeting. It was undesirable that we should have our meeting without him, and so once more the postponement of necessity to place.
On the 7th of March I left Spanish Town, and passing through St. Thomas in the Vale, and the parish of St. Mary, I arrived at Arnott's Bay in the parish of St. George. The Rev. Mr. Bolton is the Rector of St. George's, and from what I knew of his desires and endeavours to instruct the Apprentices in his parish I counted on his help in promoting a more general circulation of the Scriptures in that parish. On the day after my arrival at Arnott's Bay, I went to Buff Bay, 10 miles to the eastward near to which he resides. Here I had the pleasure of meeting with him, and just in the circumstances under which I wish to view him: he was catechising, instructing, and praying with a large assemblage of people in an outhouse belonging to one of the estates in that quarter. After he had concluded his work, I had some conversation with him, and found him ready to promote our object in the general circulation of the Scriptures. We were however prevented from taking any active measures together as he was obliged to set off on the afternoon of the same day for Kingston to attend an ordination there on the following Sunday. – I returned to Arnott's Bay, but neither there could I enter into any Bible Society measures, as Mr. Barlow the Baptist minister in the place was moving on towards Kingston. Thus than I was obliged to give up all hopes for the time of forming any Bible Society or Bible associations in St. George's. On another occasion I hope there may be a great concurrence of circumstances in favour of our objects as it seems there was at this time against them.
On the next day I set out for Port Maria in the parish of St. Mary's. After I had proceeded a few miles I found the roads exceedingly bad, and afterwards they exceeded this, and became literally impassable. We were obliged therefore to turn back. We called at the nearest house we came to on our backward course, where we found a very friendly reception and that aid which we stood in need of under our then actual circumstances. The place I speak of is Agualta Vale, and individual who so kindly befriended us is John Oldham Esq. a gentleman possessing some estates in that quarter, and the acting Attorney of a great number. Mr. Oldham very courteously treated us and lodged us till the following day, and then taking charge of our gig, which we could not get along with, he promised to forward it to us by water, or by land should the roads in a few days somewhat improve. Thus arranging we set out on horseback, and with no little difficulty waded now through the deep roads, and now avoiding them by passing through cane fields, we at length arrived at Port Maria. There we arrived on a Friday, and partly from the necessity because the chaise had not come forward, and partly from choice, because something could be done, I stopped over that Sunday and the following. On the former of these I preached in the Presbyterian Church in that place, and drawing as usual the attention of my audience to the Book of God and exhorting them to get it, study it, and follow it, I took down at the close a few names; they were but a few for owing to the badness of the weather, the assembly was small. On the following Sunday I preached in the forenoon in the Baptist Chapel, and in the afternoon again in the Presbyterian Chapel. On both these occasions we obtained subscribers for Bibles, the whole amounting to about 100. We have on many occasions, as you are aware through former letters, had longer lists of subscribers than this. But here the thing was more new, if I may say so, than in some other places; and on the other hand, there is great reason to expect a lengthening of the list of Bible subscribers in Port Maria and also in other parts of the parish of St. Mary. But it is not despise things of the smaller nature, and overlook them among others more bulky. One hundred Negroes however in the corner of the Jamaica parish putting down their names to procure the Holy Scriptures for themselves by their own means, is in truth a bulky object, and for which high feelings of praise should arise in our minds in seeing and contemplating all the circumstances of that case. But what shall I say at the close of this paragraph? – Why, that we have not 100 Bibles to satisfy this subscription list. In Kingston, as before said, we have none, and westward in Falmouth, Montego Bay, and Lucea, there are I believe very few to give or to lend. Hasten and then, if you please, to supply requested for Kingston in my last letter but one.
The Rev. Mr. Simpson the Presbyterian minister in Port Maria and the Rev. Mr. Baylis the Baptist minister are both of them most friendly to our Bible Society objects and work. They requested me to stop longer with them, and to attempt to get up a parish Bible Society there. I was obliged to decline complying with their wish, as it would have taken a longer time to form a parish Bible Society than I could then spare. The Rev. Mr. Cowan another Presbyterian minister lives and officiates about 12 miles from Port Maria. I had not the pleasure of seeing him as he was then in a distant part of the island; but from communications I have had with him, and from other circumstances, I know well that Mr Cowan is very friendly to our objects. The Rev. Mr. Seccombe, one of the Wesleyan missionaries lives also in this parish about seven miles to the westward of Port Maria, and he also, I know, is a true Bible Society man. These and other right materials may in due time be formed into a distinct district Bible Society as has been done in several of our other parishes, when a favourable opportunity may occur for cementing them together. Speaking of cementing, I am happy to say, that for some time past in this place the Presbyterian, the Baptist, and the Wesleyan ministers have held public prayer meetings together in each other's chapels in turn, and on the great missionary prayer day or evening, the first Monday of the month. This is a most pleasing circumstance, and long may this cemented band continue together, and may their spirit be diffused among us all here and everywhere. (Do not the love of Christ, the obedience to Christ, the glory of Christ, the salvation of the souls around us, and the salvation of our own souls form a cementing material adhesive enough to bind the members of Christ together? And should not those servants of Christ who are near to him in his service, and ministers and administrators in his kingdom be ever and ever foremost to make, and never break, this holy adhesion? O shame upon us that it is not so in every case in place; and may God by the anointing of the Spirit make it so badly, and in every country.)
When our gig came to hand, through the kindness of Mr. Oldham in forwarding it, we set off westwards. At Oracabessa we had a pleasing stoppage, as we passed by the door of Mr. and Mrs. Seccombe, where after a sweet half hour of Christian conversation we knelt down together, and prayed for the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ to be upon us, upon our fellow labourers around us, and upon our whole island. Thus refreshed we moved onward, and in the evening came to Ocho Rios. Here there is no minister stationed, but that is preaching once a fortnight by one of the Baptist Missionaries, and it is visited also occasionally by the Wesleyans. Next day we came to St. Ann's Bay where we called on Mr. and Mrs. Williams the Wesleyan Minister and his wife who reside in that place. In this parish also there seem to be material sufficient for forming a good Bible Society, and on a future day I trust it will be established.
On the 25th of March we arrived in this town of Montego Bay, grateful to the Lord for having preserved us through the dangers of another journey, and in perils more than we had formerly been in this island. The truth is, on the day we reached Arnott's Bay we had a narrow escape from serious injury, as we were thrown out of the gig into a small river but providentially received very little hurt. This occurrence reminds us anew of many mercies in many perils by sea and by land, and has turned our hearts afresh we trust to give praise unto God whose mercy endureth for ever.
On the Wednesday the 6th current was the day for the quarterly meeting of the committee of the Trelawney Bible Society, and I went to Falmouth to be present at it. Probably, before this reaches you, you will be informed of part of the proceedings in the form of a printed remittance to you for £50, accompanied by a note of expectation, that, on the next quarterly meeting, there would most probably be voted and sent to you another sum of £50. These two indicators show that Trelawney is not idle in Bible Society work among the items of the treasures receipt that appeared, from Mr. Blyth's congregation alone, the sum of £50 of our currency, what about £32 sterling. Several other circumstances of an encouraging nature occurred during our meeting, and calculated to open up pleasing prospects for after days. Your letter to me of 12 January last was read, in which you treat of the prices of Bibles as charged to the Societies, and I accompanied it with some explanatory observations. There was a desire manifested on reading it that the Scriptures might not be sold here too high, and I hope that you would enable them to act accordingly. I intimated to the meeting conformable to the contents of the same letter, the supply of the Scriptures written for on the 14th of November from Falmouth might be expected there by the first ship.
On the Wednesday following, the 13th instant the quarterly meeting of the St. James Bible Society to place, at which we had a goodly number of members of the committee present, as we have had in Falmouth. Here also your letter referred to was read, and its contents discussed at some length. The substance of what passed and repassed on the matter in question was this, – that a re-request should be sent to you begging you to consider that our case here is not exactly the case of your Auxiliaries in England. Their chief object, it is alleged, and it is true, is to collect funds for general distribution, whilst at the same time their own wants were attended to and supplied; whereas here, our chief object is to make a general circulation among ourselves, it being quite a secondary object that we should contribute towards general purposes our own wants being so great and requiring a long time to supply. Hence, it is argued, that you might treat with us here on more favourable terms than with your domestic Societies. This appeared to me, as well as to them, a sound argument. The St. James Bible Society from an honourable feeling desires to keep the accounts with you in debtor and creditor, and to pay off all that may be charged against them, and this they think they could do should you grant them the 25% reduction they request, for they would rather thus treat with you then receive boons and grants. On the same side I would beg leave once more to put in my advice, and request that you would in this manner deal with this Society; and in truth you may well make a difference between Jamaica and her population and Societies, and the same in England. If this Society will clear off all scores charged at the reduced prices, it will be more than you have hitherto got from this quarter, and therefore you had better make a good bargain when you may. What sums might be sent over and above the payment on the scale mentioned the St. James Bible Society would of course wish to be put down as free contributions. By the way you have put down in your last report some money as a free contribution from Kingston. Is this correct, and is this sum over and above paying for all books sent, or how does it stand? The same may be said of some other Societies in the colonies. Please to consider these things, and do the most you can for us, remembering what we have been, and what we now are.
Mr. Jackson's letter of 9 February and invoices came to hand the other day and the ship bearing the books is expected here soon from Kingston. But we shall need, and very early, many more Bibles here; and my cousin request or order for the St. James Bible Society, and to be sent to Mr. Roby as before, is for 500 nonpareils, best paper, calf, not brown; and 50 of the same size, 2nd paper, plain calf, ¾. This does not affect the order sent you some three months ago for 100 nonpareil Bibles (not "imperial"), 100 Brevier, 20 Pearl, and 36 Pearl Testaments with Psalms. ―To Falmouth I would say, send the same of the same, namely 500 and 50 as above mentioned. These two orders put together will make 1100 for these two parishes. – I feel I have written for too few Bibles for Kingston. We have been hampered again and again for want of books, and at present are particularly so in different parts of the island from the emptiness of our Kingston depot. Please then to send there 400 nonpareils, first paper, calf; and this now makes up my order to 1500 Bibles for this island, in addition to the order of 13th February last for 1500 Bibles and 1500 Testaments. – I should be glad if you would always send me a copy of every invoice of books sent to this island, besides sending the same to the places and parties immediately concerned.
As to the opening of a separate account with each parish Bible Society here that may correspond directly with you, you seem to say there will be no objections, whilst I think Mr. Jackson's observations which follow seemed to say it will not be very convenient. The St. James's Bible Society particularly wish this, pray grant it to them. The sum of £52:10/- or £32:2/- sterling paid by this to the Kingston Society for books as you will see in their printed report ought in strict justice to be put down to our account. Indulge us here also, if you please.
I should mention further in regard to the price of books, that due to various circumstances the general selling price with us has come to be at the one fourth reduction as in your subscribers' prices, and it cannot well now be altered. And may not the Negroes, so lately slaves, and so little removed as yet from the same, may they not look for their Bibles at this reduction from the hands of the English, into whose hands they and their forefathers for these 200 years have put so much? A truce then to niceties of calculations and comparisons between your auxiliary Societies there, and our negro Societies here. To grant the request of the St. James's Bible Society, and make the same price the price general for Jamaica.
I have more than once intended during these few months past to say a few words about Cuba. I have had serious thoughts of visiting that island again and again, and with that view I have made many inquiries as to the state of it, the results of which inquiries are, that there is very little probability of my doing anything there at the present time, so that nothing but time and means would be lost in paying it to visit. Here in Montego Bay I have some Bibles and Testaments in Spanish, and as there are frequently vessels passing from this port to that island and back again, I shall endeavour to send in to that place by this means a few copies of the Scriptures from time to time as circumstances may direct.
From the contents of my last letter being now before you, you will be aware that the line of time that half divides us is already past. I am however according to arrangements made still attending in part to your concerns, as you will see in my visiting the Bible Societies in Trelawney and the Spanish in their quarterly committee meetings. In a short time from this I expect to get through with some of my other business here, and then proceed to visit the Bible Societies in Hanover, Westmoreland, and St Elizabeth's, and preparatory to this I am now corresponding with various individuals connected with these Societies, by way of making arrangements that my visitation may be well times, and hence the more effectual.
Believe me, My Dear Friend, Ever and Most Truly Yours,
James Thomson.
P.S. I find I have omitted in the order for Books to this place, 10 small pica, 4to broad margins, 30/-.