Rev A Brandram. - No.12
Guanajuato 26th November 1827
My Dear Friend,
I have again the pleasure of writing you, and of communicating to you the pleasing intelligence that God is making his word to circulate in this land. We are here, as you know, in a spiritual sense, sitting in the region and shadow of death. But God have said respecting this land, "Let there be light," and light therefore is springing up among us. I am sure you will join me in praying that this light already dawning on us may increase more and more until the full noon of the sun of righteousness shine upon us. It was the word of God which at first gave light to our globe, and it is the word of God contained in the Holy Scriptures which will illumine this land. Your lot, and that of the Bible Society is enviable, because God has employed you to carry the torch of heavenly light to all the nations of the earth. In this corner of the world I am placed, and am privileged to see with my own eyes the light of truth entering this land, and spreading around me. This is truly a pleasing sight, and if God spare me a few years longer, I hope to see the happy effects of the word of God on the hearts and lives of many. In the meantime it is gratifying to see the Holy Scriptures sought after with some considerable degree of eagerness, and I think I may add, earnestness. Let us not forget to pray for this people, that the word of God which they are now reading may become to them a well of water springing up unto eternal life.
I left Zelaya, from whence my last letter to you was written, on the 15th current and arrived in this city on the 17th. Here I find myself comfortably lodged in an English house. When I was in Querétaro I received a letter from Mr Hurry one of the directors of the Anglo-Mexican Mining Company now in this city, kindly offering me his house during my stay in Guanajuato. This friendly offer was of course accepted and I came straight to his house on my arrival here, and I have received during these ten days past the kindest treatment from Mr Hurry, and also from Mr Williamson the first commissioner of the company here. I think it right to mention to you this instance of kindness, as it is a kindness shown towards the Society in the saving of expenses to your agent in this place. Mr Hurry also has kindly introduced me to some persons of note and of influence here and whose acquaintance may probably be helpful to me, or rather to you in future operations in this quarter.
On Monday the 19th preparations were made for our sale and on Tuesday we commenced. An empty shop was obtained for our purpose right opposite the principal church. There was a niche in this church on the outside, containing an image of our Saviour. It is closed up on common days, leaving however a small glazed aperture just sufficient to show the head. A small lanthorn[1] was hanging before it, which as it was gently moved by the zephyrs gave the appearance of the moving of the head instead of the lamp, a circumstance which seem to give life to the image. As this was right before our door, it caught my eye every time I raised my head and looked out. It had some effect and seemed to remind me the Saviour was looking on to see our operation, and I thought he looked on with approbation.
Our sale has gone well and more has been done here than in any of the two former places. I cannot say exactly that we had no hinderances, but I can say that what did occur of this nature was as gentle as could be expected. We are, you know, striking a powerful blow at an extensive and deep rooted system in this country, and it is not to be expected that the system should quietly fall before us. The want of the Apocryphal books forms an excellent handle to those who wish to oppose our operation here. I overheard what had been said by some priest or priests upon the subject, by way of discouraging if not forbidding the people to buy your Bibles. No doubt some were hindered from buying on this account, yet on the whole no serious injury I think was done to our sale. The Apocryphal subject was at different times under consideration in the sale room, and on one occasion when the want of these books was objected to, a gentleman who was present interfered and said that these books did not form a part of the Canon. This was the first time I had heard such an opinion given by anyone in this country. The want of the Apocrypha will no doubt lead in time to an investigation of the cause, and this may be attended with happy effects. But in my humble opinion the investigating of the subject, and the consequent agitation, will be brought on too early for producing all those good effects which we could wish to be brought about by it. Yet, let us hope for the best, and let us earnestly pray to the Lord your endeavours to promote his kingdom here may be crowned with success.
In this place I have witnessed one instance of a stronger prejudice against the circulation of the Scriptures than has been generally met with. A man who had bought New Testament, where of course there were no Apocryphal difficulties, afterwards brought it back because he had been told that it was not right for him to read it. Some priests no doubt had told him so. I endeavoured to find who had been so officious, but the man would not say who would it was. I reasoned with this man upon the subject pointing out the nature of the book he was returning, and how useful the reading of it would prove to him. He admitted what I said to be correct, and seemed to regret the necessity he was under of returning the volume, expressing the hope that at a future time he might find himself at liberty to purchase and to use the New Testament. The only objection he made to the book was that it did not contain the prescript of the Pope as a licence for the free use of the translation given. By his mentioning this I perceived what had been the argument used by the priest to hinder him from reading his New Testament. This, as far as I recollect, is the only instance of this strong prejudice that has come under my immediate observation. I wonder not that this instance of such an ignorant and blind prejudice, but I wonder that I have met with so few instances of that when I consider the past and the present state of this country. The spirit of inquiry however happily already begun here, will no doubt root out these prejudices in due time, and will gradually prepare the minds of many for listening to the simple truth.
This day which is Monday is the last day of our sale. This morning there was a good deal of talking about a sermon which the Rector had preached yesterday, in which he took occasion to notice the sale of Bibles just at the Church door. I had various reports as to what he had said, and most of them were unfavourable. I was anxious to ascertain the truth upon the point, and made several inquiries for that purpose. In the afternoon a man came in to buy a Bible and told us, and having heard reports as to what the Rector said he had inquired very particularly upon the subject and had learned that what he said was, that the Bibles which were selling should not come into everybody's hands, as everyone was not capable of reading them with advantage, and that those who had got them should consider them not as common or profane books but as books which should be read with devoutness. He did not then, said I, prohibit the buying or the reading of the Bibles. The man said, he did not, for if he had he would not have come to buy one. We have here in this last sentence another instance of the influence the priests have over the minds of many. As a counterpart to this, there are many persons who would not be hindered from reading the Scriptures by anything the priests would say against them doing so; and again there are several priests who freely recommend the reading of the Scriptures. – Here, as in other places, several priests have bought Bibles; of Friars I have seen but few, and I believe there are not many in this place. I had a letter of introduction for one here given me by Father Cuevas in Querétaro, but I have not been able to find him out, and suppose he must have gone to some other place. From the influence which the priests have in general, and from the readiness with which many follow their example, I think it desirable to have a friend or two among them in the different places to which I go. I have found this often useful, and bless the Lord for the many friends he has raised up for me in various places, for in his hand are the hearts of all, and he turneth them as he will.
This evening our sale having just closed, I am enabled to state the number of copies that have been sold here, and the sum which has been received. There have been sold 260 Bibles, 160 New Testaments, 77 of Four Books, 120 of Luke & Acts, amounting when taken together to 625 copies; and for these I have received 1,111 dollars 6 rials. The circulation of the Scriptures in the city to the extent now mentioned during a period of six days is truly gratifying, and now, my dear Friend, let us again join in prayer that he who has disposed so many here to receive the Holy Scriptures may graciously pour out his Holy Spirit on those who have read them, that they may be enlightened thereby, and may be saved with an everlasting salvation.
I subscribe myself, My Dear Sir, Very Sincerely Yours,
James Thomson.
P.S. Your letter by the August Packet came to my hand in this city, and it would have been received three weeks sooner had it not been addressed by oversight to Vera Cruz instead of Mexico. Please mention this to Mr Jackson, as this is the second letter that has been so directed. JT.
[1] 'lanthorn' - archaic term for 'lantern' (BM)