RevA Brandram No 29
Mexico 18th December 1828
My Dear Friend
Your letter from Darlington of 14th October came to hand on the 10th current. I am truly glad to learn by it the increasing interest that is felt in the places you visit, for advancing the work of the Bible Society. May the Lord pour out his Spirit yet more richly on our native land, that from it the word of God may issue forth to all the ends of the earth. Sound it, My Dear Friend, on all your journeys, and in all the meetings you attend, "Britain has received much, and much will be required of her." Why has God so greatly blessed our native land? He has done it in the first place because such was the good pleasure of his own will; and in the second place he has done it, that from Britain and by Britons he might make known the knowledge of his name in every nation. For this end, he has poured out his Spirit more abundantly on Britain than on any other country, and for this end he has blessed it more than any other nation with knowledge, and riches, and an extensive intercourse with all parts of the world. One blessing more I trust he will bestow upon our favoured land, by making us more sensible of his favours, and by arousing in us every energy to make known his salvation in every land and in every tongue. I am sure we have done nothing yet compared to what we might do, and to what I trust we will do. With the five talents committed to Britain, how many think you has she gained in addition to them. Not five more surely, and yet not less than this is required. I notice these things the more, My Dear Friend, to you, because of the opportunities you have in going through our land of stirring up the Lord's people to come forth to his service in a manner somewhat corresponding to the many and great blessings we have received.
I was going to say something about envying the privilege you enjoy of going from town to town to stir up the Lord's people to build his holy temple, and for the other privilege you enjoy in connection with this, but being yourself stirred up and gladdened by the people of God whom you visit. But I do not envy you the blessedness you enjoy, on the contrary I rejoice with you. If I cannot help but times contrasting your journeyings with those of your agent in this country. You travel through a country I may say with verdure and beauty, he through a barren wilderness. You are refreshed as you travel along and are strengthened by the animating voices of those who with yourself I engaged in the same work, and have the same desires and hopes, whilst he enjoys no success of this kind. But the Lord is gracious, and he blesses as he will sometimes in one way and sometimes in another. I praise him for the employment he has given me in his kingdom, and rejoice in it. Pray that I may be faithful and holy, and that I may be enabled to do something in this country which in some future day through his blessing may make this our wilderness to rejoice and blossom as the rose.
I mentioned in my last that I had written to Lima about the printing of the Gospel by Luke in the Quichua language. You will recollect that I am authorized to do so by your resolution on the subject dated 29th of December 1823. I have written to the person in whose hands I left the manuscript, and have given particular directions regarding the binding of the books agreeable to the rules of the Society. I have directed that the printing should be done under the care of a person well acquainted with that language, and if possible one of the translators whom I have named. Twenty copies are to be sent to you as soon as they are ready.
You notice my request respecting the two epistles of Peter and say that the resolution of the Committee left it open to me to renew my application. I renew it then accordingly. Notwithstanding of what you say about the comparative expense of the two volumes, I should still think it desirable and useful to continue to print the small volume. I so arrange the prices here than the one volume is twice the price of the other, so that he who cannot afford to buy the whole New Testament will likely by the small volume; and if he does so, he will in all likelihood make an effort soon after to buy the whole New Testament. Should the Committee think proper to discontinue the printing of the small volume in question, my request of course has no application.
I observe what you say respecting Mr. Matthews' difficulties in the South and the impossibility of effecting sales of the Bibles without the Apocrypha. It is cheering however to learn from you at the same time that some thousands of New Testaments have been disposed of. If the New Testament circulates we have good cause to rejoice, and we may I think be pretty well assured that those who purchase and read the New Testament will afterwards be desirous of having a Bible. If therefore several thousand copies of the New Testament have been circulated in Peru I should think the sale of the Bibles will follow in one time, and I would advise the cases lying in Lima should be put into the shops for sale, and to wait the result.
I mentioned in my letter I think of September that a revolutionary movement had commenced in this country, and that it was difficult to say what might be the result of it. This work has been going on ever since I wrote in the states of Vera Cruz and Oaxaca. On the first of this month a strong party declared in favour of the revolutionary party in the city. On the three following days, our city was converted into a field of battle, and street after street was contested by the two parties. The revolutionary party at length prevailed, and there followed a distressing scene of pillage. Private property in shops and dwelling houses has been plundered to a very considerable amount. We are still in a state of agitation and uncertainty, and know not how soon we may have an attack from the party lately driven out.
May the Lord restore peace and order to this city and country, and may these commotions be overruled for the best interests of this land.
I remain My Dear Sir
Very Truly Yours
James Thomson.