Rev A. Brandram No. 13
Calaboso 22nd September 1832
My Dear Friend,
On the 11th instant I left Victoria and the valleys of Aragua to pursue my journey southward. I could not leave these beautiful valleys without reflecting much upon that locality and natural advantages, and on the present actual circumstances. These valleys are like the garden of the Lord. They are blessed with all his blessings, in point of soil, of climate and productions. The zones of the Earth seem here to meet, and to live together; for the diverse productions which elsewhere grow far apart from each other, are here separated only by a fence. In one field is seen growing in full luxuriance the tropical sugar cane, whilst the field next beside it is waving with a rich crop of wheat. Rice also grows here, and indigo, coffee, cacao, and cotton; also Indian corn, potatoes, and barley. All these productions unite here and worship their Creator on the same plain, and, as one might say, under the same roof. This is an image of what will take place in due time according to the sure words of prophecy, contained in that blessed book which we circulate. The wolf and the lamb shall lie down together; and there shall be one shepherd and one sheepfold.
But these valleys? – when shall they stretch forth their hands to God? At present, this is a valley of dry bones only; and truly we need to take hold of the prophetic truth to give us any encouragement regarding them. The Lord has led me through this valley, and if I could have heard his voice saying to me, can these dry bones live? I could only have replied as Ezekiel did, and I suppose with little hope, "O Lord God, thou knowest." But we who live in these days have more grounds for hoping and trusting in prophetic testimony then Ezekiel had, for we have seen more of these testimonies fulfilled. To us therefore in spite of present appearances, it should not be hard to believe these words: "Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones, behold I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live."
But God works by means in the fulfillment of prophecy as in other things. What are the means then for giving life to the dead in this valley? What but the incorruptible seed of the word of God, which live and abide for ever. This word of the gospel that we have been preaching to them direct, in circulating among them the holy Scriptures. Here, my dear friend, we labour and we fight, but not with uncertainty. For God assuredly will fulfill his purposes of mercy even through our weak instrumentality. Here then, I believe, and trust implicitly; and though I draw my bow here with a weak and palpitating hand, and at a venture, yet I know that the arrows shot, being guided unseen to me by the unerring spirit of God will in due time strike between the joints of the harness, and will kill and make alive again.
True, we see but little done as yet notwithstanding your endeavours, for I have already informed you that the circulation of the word of God has been but very scanty in this quarter. But have also indicated how we may cause and abundant crop to our eyes even from this scanty sowing, if we duly and abundantly watered it with prayer.
I have seen the manner in which grain is in general sown in this valley, and I have been led to take up a parable from it and an encouragement. The ground is not plowed, but being cleared of agitation by scraping the surface, a few grains of seed are dropped into holes made at some distance from each other. It is in this manner I have been sowing here the precious seed you gave me. I could not so it freely and in the broadcast way as you can do in England and elsewhere. But I have been going from place to place, as I have informed you, and wherever I have stopped I have, so to speak, made an opening in the ground, and have dropped into this opening a few grains of the imperishable seed. I have watered the sacred deposit in the best way I could before I covered it over, and again I have watered the whole field together. And now I rest in hope, and in sure hope, that God will not be wanting in his part, but that he will through our weakness make his own name glorious.
My memory suggests to me in reference to this parable or similitude, that into the opening made at Juacára, I told you that no seed had been dropped, and no copies of the Scriptures were sold there. Nevertheless I may now mention, that as I was about to leave that place I dropped a couple of seeds there as it were clandestinely in the form of two little presents I made to persons who had shown me kindness. Thus it was that this hole or opening also has its seed deposited in it.
Pray forgive me for pursuing this parable and subject to this length. Please to remember – my lonely way, and that I must have something to soften, if not to sweeten, my solitary journey in a foreign land the a land of darkness. And if I have gone over my thoughts again in relating them to you, it is not perhaps much out of the way for one to do so, and I trust you will bear with me. But I have another reason too for dwelling on this subject – I want to get thereby more of your prayers, in order that our hopes and our wishes regarding this valley may be more fully and speedily realized.
The first town I came to, after leaving the valleys or valleys of Aragua, was Villa de Cura. It was not my intention to stop there to hold a sale, but I was detained a couple of days waiting for mules to take me onward. As I was kept in expectation of getting them from hour to hour during these two days I could make no arrangements for selling. I here met with a kind reception and free board and lodging from a person I had never seen before nor to whom I had brought any letter of introduction. I left the New Testament in his hands as a memorial of his kindness, and in hope of its bringing to him salvation, and of our meeting together at the right hand of our Lord Jesus Christ. I left him also a very few volumes for sale in that place.
The other villages I passed through in my way to this city are very inconsiderable in point of population, and accordingly I passed on through them making as short stoppings as I could. I had another reason for passing through these small towns and villages without delaying, which was, that I considered the copies of the Scriptures I had with me no more than sufficient for the larger places that I intended to visit in my tour through this country.
On the third day of my journey after leaving Villa de Cura I came upon the borders of the immense plain, which I may say reigns in this quarter, and from the midst of which I now write you. This plain reigns and extends almost uninterruptedly as far as Peru. How vastly grand are all the leading features of this great continent! Its immense mountains tower up, one would say, to heaven, and stretch out to reach both poles. Its plains here and in Buenos Ayres seem interminable and the weary traveler lifts his eyes upon them day after day with a horizon around him like the vast outspread ocean. On the other hand the rivers vie with the mountains and plains, and sink not in the comparison. The day will come, and it comes apace, when these plains shall throughout all their extent and vastness praise the Lord that made them. Surely no Christian traveller can pass over these without praying that their day of visitation may be near at hand. At present we find only a small town here and there upon them, whilst the rest is partially covered with cattle, and with a few human beings taking care of them who are but little elevated above the flocks they tend. But says the word of prophecy, the wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad, and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose. O may this wilderness here soon rejoice, may the glory of the Lord be seen here, and the excellency of our God! – Our only consolation in such desolateness is, that we are using the best means for bringing about better things. This I think we may consider ourselves as doing when we are circulating the word of God.
Previous to entering Calaboso I passed through a small village called El Rastro about ten miles distant from it. Here I stopped for an hour, because it rained, and I had got wet, and because I had taken nothing since daylight, it being now well on in the afternoon. The people of the house where I stopped were kind to me and got me something ready, and would not let me pay them for their trouble. For this I gave a copy of the Psalms to a little girl, the daughter of my hosts. The father did not know I had given this little volume, nor what I carried with me. But just as I had re-loaded to set off, he asked what I carried. I said, Bibles and Testaments. "O have you got the Bible " he replied, "then pray do take down the load from the mule, for I wish very much to have a Bible." I took it down and satisfied his wish accordingly. This incident was a pleasing subject of reflection as I travelled the remaining ten miles to Calaboso. And truly something to relieve the mind was required, for a worse road than we had for these ten miles I never saw. Our whole way was in truth, only one continued marsh where we had to wade slowly through, deep water, clay and mud. – We reached the banks of the River Guárico just as it grew dark. We found the River too high to be forded, and it took us a good while to unload and reload, etc. before we could get all ready to enter the town. This delay I did not find very comfortable as my legs and feet were all wet as you might well suppose them to be after a ride of ten miles through such a place as I have described. As I was pacing up and down in the dark of the night watching one part of our baggage while the people were gone to bring the rest of it, I received instruction and consolation from the fireflies around me, and particularly from one that on flying towards the stopped full before my eyes for some time and shining out with beautiful & as I thought unusual brilliancy. It seemed to say to me, – remember the words of the Saviour, – "the very hairs of your head of all numbered."
In this place I am kindly entertained in the house of a gentleman named Don Pedro Bermudez. There are no inns in this quarter, and it is therefore a double favour to meet with a friend to take one into his house. This gentleman has also aided me all he can in procuring the circulation of the Scriptures here. This town stands nearly insulated in the midst of this ocean plain. It is not likely therefore to be soon visited again by anyone bringing with him the sacred volume. On this and other accounts I was anxious to get as large a number of copies of the Scriptures circulated here as possible; and I am glad to say, that I have done more in this town than in any other place I have visited on this tour.
That are two priests here, and both of them are friendly. One of them is the brother of the gentleman I stop with. He has purchased some copies of the Scriptures for his own use, and being in charge of one of the public schools he has taken some copies of the volume containing the Psalms, and of the other little volume containing Luke and Acts for the use of the children of the schools. The master of the other school in this city has done the same. For schools, my practice is, to reduce the price one half, thus corresponding to the general offer made in my representation to the Provincial Deputations as formerly noticed to you.
I have here been gratified by seeing several children come to me to buy one or other of the two little volumes for their own use. You may be sure I have not only been pleased with this, but have also spoken to the children to animate and encourage them in this step towards the way of righteousness. O that the Lord Jesus might lay his hands on these children, and give them his blessing in reading his holy word, that they may know him, and follow him, and be with him in his kingdom and glory!
In addition to the copies sold here during these days of my stay, I assigned some copies for sale after I leave the place. Mr. Bermudez is kind enough to take charge of these, and he will be glad he says to act for us in this place in future in any way he can be serviceable. He also furnishes me with letters for two places that lie in my course onward.
I conclude, My Dear Friend, by assuring you from out of the midst of this vast plain and wilderness, that I remember you and your Associates wherever I go and wherever I am; and I have some hopes that I am not forgotten by you in your best hours, – when you are with God, pleading before him, and enjoying his blessing.
James Thomson.