Rev A Brandram No.21
St. Vincent's, April 16, 1833.
My Dear Friend,
In my last letter of the 23rd ultimo, written in Grenada, I detailed to you the friendly feelings towards our Society entertained by those gentlemen whom I visited in that island, and stated to you also the results that followed in the formation of an Auxiliary Bible Society under encouraging circumstances. I remained in the island a few days after our public meeting, and had the pleasure of being present at the first meeting of the Committee of our new Society, and of witnessing the good disposition among all present for carrying into effect the institution that had been set on foot. Our meeting was held in the parsonage.
The Grenada Auxiliary Bible Society has already one Bible Association connected with it. It is pleasing to think where and among whom the first Association is formed. It is among the soldiers of the garrison. This association owes its origin, under the direction of Dr. Callendar one of our secretaries, to a corporal of the name of Noble. His conduct you will see corresponds with his name, and I trust some or many will be induced to follow his noble example.
On the 29th ultimo, I left Grenada, and under pleasing feelings arising from the friendly dispositions I had met with among all classes in favor of our objects. Previous to visiting Grenada I had anticipated that something would be done in it, but my expectations where exceeded. I hope future results will fully correspond this encouraging commencement.
On the 30th I arrived in this island, and soon after began to canvass in favour of our Society. Previous to my visiting this island and Grenada, I had considered that I should find them much alike in regard to our objects, but with the advantage in favour of St. Vincent's. Here, however, I made a wrong calculation; for as it happened in Grenada that I was disappointed, as I may say, on the right hand, I have been disappointed here on the left. I had not been long occupied in my visitings and inquiries before I found that there was little probability of succeeding here as in Grenada; and on pursuing my operations further, I began to have doubts of any success at all. I then gave up all thoughts of calling a public meeting, and with the advice of friends issued a circular sending it to most of the chief persons in the place, inviting them to a meeting of a more private nature. The day appointed for our meeting came, but those who were invited came not. But to be strictly accurate I should say that half a dozen out of 50 appeared. These are two clergy, to Wesleyan missionaries, and two members of the colonial assembly. At the courthouse we seven waited for more than two hours, and at the close of which period, after consulting with each other as to all the circumstances of the case then and previously manifested, we came to the resolution of dropping the matter for the present until a more convenient season. I am sorry thus to speak about St. Vincent's, but I must always speak the truth. I should truly have been is glad to give you as good view of this island as I did of Grenada, but they St. Vincent's people themselves have told me, as you see, to give them another character.
My attention is withdrawn from contemplating the unpleasing picture of St. Vincent's by the arrival of good news from other quarters. By the Wesleyan missionaries, very recently arrived in this island to attend their annual conference, I learn that the Societies in Tobago and Demerara are going on very prosperously. The Tobago Society has subscriptions now amounting to about £90; and from Demerara I learn that they have ordered from Earl Street £100 worth of Bibles. From Trinidad, too, I have heard something encouraging. Mr. Fletcher, the missionary from that place, tells me that the small stock of French Bibles put into the sale store have all been sold, and that he had given out a fresh supply.
I must here say a few words more about Demerara and the society there. In my communication from that place I told you that the Governor Sir Benjamin D'Urban had kindly promised to be patron of our society. He expressed himself very friendly towards our object as I had been led to expect he would, and at his own request we were to have our little meeting for installation at his own house. After things were so arranged he learned that the Bishop was every day or hour expected. This led him to write me a note stating that it would be well to defer our forming our society till the Bishop should come, "whom" he said "in such a case it would doubtless be desirable to consult." On receiving this note I called on Sir Benjamin and told him that my time was so limited as not to permit me to stay long in any one place, and that though the Bishop was expected the time of his arrival was uncertain. I also mentioned to him that I considered that the Bishop would not be in favor of our society and why. After talking on both sides we came to this understanding that we should meet and form our society, and that we would request him by letter to become our patron, and that he could answer this letter after as he had wished consulted with the Bishop. Upon my asking him more particularly he told me that if the Bishop should approve of his patronizing the society he would cheerfully do so, but if otherwise, you would not think it right to act discordantly with the Bishop. Thus were things left when I sailed from Demerara, and it is only now that I have learned from the missionaries, and from a letter from Mr. Strong, that the Governor declined to patronize the society. It has however I trust higher patronage.
Your letter of the 8th February has lately come to hand. I am sorry to hear of your loss in Paris, and I pray that the Lord may raise up a fit instrument for carrying on his work in that field which seems so ready to receive the seed of the word of God.
I remain, My Dear Friend, Very Truly Yours,
James Thomson.