Rev A Brandram - No.24
Mexico 23rd July 1828
My Dear Sir,
Towards the conclusion of my last letter I communicated to you an occurrence of it discouraging nature in reference to the Bible cause in this place. I limited to you the edict issued by the Dean & Chapter of the diocese of Mexico against the circulation of the Scriptures within the limits of their jurisdiction. You will think it a strange enough document I dare say, for the reasonings found in it are not new, but such as have been used by the same party for these three hundred years past. Let us hope that the meridian of this dark day is far past, and that sounder reasonings and better days are at hand. In regard to this country I have good hopes of a change for the better. A spirit is working here, silently but certainly, for emancipating the minds of this people on religious subjects. And not improbably the edict in question, though intended to strengthen and to rivet the chains of ignorance, will be made in the hands of God the very means of producing a contrary effect.
As this edict was not altogether unexpected, I had been for some time before it was issued, informing myself as to the existing laws civil and ecclesiastical upon the subject. From the information I thus gained, I conceived that this edict was illegal, and therefore considered it my duty to take legal steps to counteract it. As the diocese and the state of Mexico are nearly the same in point of territory, I thought it best apply first to the civil authorities of the state for their interference upon the subject. In I have another reason for applying to the government of the State of Mexico rather than to the general government of the Republic, and that was, that I expected the one would take much quicker measures than the others in reply to my petition. Our friend Dr. Mora assisted on this occasion, and drew up a petition for me. With this I went to Tlalpam the residence of the government of the State of Mexico. You will observe Tlalpam is the same place I formerly called San Agustín de las Cuevas, as the name of the place has been changed by the State government, and the name from the Mexican language has been given to it instead of the name of a calendar saint. The Governor received my position very favourably and said that I was in the right, and that early measures should be taken to prevent the effects of this edict on account of its illegality. A letter was in consequence immediately addressed to the Dean & Chapter of the diocese complaining of the illegality of their means, and noticing to them that a circular would be instantly addressed to all the prefects of the State to prevent the fulfillment of the edict, the circular letter was accordingly written to the Prefects of the Departments to counteract the effects of the said edict. I have a copy given me by the government, of the two letters referred to. These were the formal measures taken by the government upon the subject. But this was not all. The Governor and his secretary talking with me upon the matter, spoke with much disapprobation of the conduct of the ecclesiastical authorities in this business, and said that an article should forthwith be written and printed in the newspapers signifying this disapprobation.
Accordingly no later than next day the promised article appeared in the chief journal of this place; and that you may see the freedom of thinking and speaking upon the subject, and the opinion of the government of the central and the largest State, by double, in all the Mexican Republic, I give you a translation of it.
"We have read with not a little surprise and edict of the illustrious Metropolitan chapter, prohibiting the printing, buying, selling, and retaining in possession, the Bible in the Spanish language without notes, prohibiting also obscene paintings, plates, and articles of sculpture, with an intimation that all who possess any of the said articles should deliver them up within eight days to the Vicar General, Vicars of districts, and Rectors, within intimation of using proceedings against the contumacious. We have said, with surprise, for in truth it is not a little surprising to anyone initiated in the principles of our system of government, to see that at the end of seven years' liberty, the first ecclesiastical corporation of the Republic does not yet understand the limits which circumscribe its functions. We abstain for the present to make inquiry as to whether the individuals who compose the illustrious chapter have done themselves honour in thus prohibiting to the public the reading of those holy books which St. Jerome so strongly recommended to Paulina, and to which spiritual food is chiefly owing the moral conduct of the Protestants.
We reserve also for a more convenient of occasion to examine whether the reading of the Bible is more advantageous to the faithful by presenting to them pure the holy text itself, or disfigured with a multitude, or to speak more correctly, with the tiresome accumulation of notes which confuse rather than explain the true sense of the Scripture, and which raise to upward of one hundred dollars, the price of the book which without this load (for the most part useless and not unfrequently hurtful,) is now selling at a price suitable to the circumstances of the lowest classes. We do not hesitate to attribute the edict of which we are speaking, to a laudable zeal but at the same time we are sorry that that in a matter so grave in itself, and in so beaten a track they should have acted with so much inconsiderateness, that we feel ourselves obliged to stand up for the rights of the civil power, trodden underfoot by this truly inquisitorial edict. It is all well that the spiritual pastors separate the tares from among the wheat, but let them do it without having recourse to other means than those corresponding to their ministry. Let them exhort, advise, and exclude if necessary from Christian communion those who despise the venerable decrees of the church, but let them not usurp the faculties which the temporal government has reserved to itself and one of which is that of preventing the circulation of prohibited books, and which power the illustrious chapter by this edict has attributed to itself. Will it be wonderful if the Mexicans make no account of a precept so arbitrary? And will they not have disconfidence afterwards in other edicts and despise them, even when they are marked with the seal of justice, if the ecclesiastical ministries respect not the limits so wisely assigned to them by the civil laws? The Government of the State of Mexico has already taken measures to repress this scandalous aggression. And is the Federal Government asleep upon this matter? And will it continue so?"
These are the measures I have taken in regard to this edict, and the results of them you see are favourable. The matter however is not yet over, and it is not likely that the ecclesiastical authorities will yield until they have gone as far as they can. I hope they will be taught their own weakness by this measure they have ventured upon, and that the Bible cause will prevail the more in consequence. I shall do everything I can to undo this edict, and if I succeed, it will prevent the repetition of a like attempt in this diocese at another time, and will prevent other dioceses from taking similar measures. I am glad that this attempt to stop the circulation of the Scriptures has been made in this diocese rather than in any other diocese of the country, as we have here a greater number of enlightened people both in the law and in the civil government to enable us to counteract it with effect. By next packet, I should probably have something further to say on this matter.
Mr. Jackson's letter as of the 19th and 22nd March came to hand by this month's packet. In regard to the adoption of the new Spanish orthography which is noticed in the former of these letters, and my opinion is asked, – I have no hesitation in saying and reply that I am decidedly in favour of the new orthography. I have been always of this opinion, and in one of my earliest letters to Mr. Owen from Buenos Aires when recommending the printing of the Spanish Bible, I noticed the propriety of adopting the new orthography, as found in the latest edition of the dictionary of the Spanish Academy. In looking over the four leaves sent me of the the pica New Testament, I observed that the word Joseph after cutting off the ph has no accent placed on the e which it ought to have. It should be José. I observed also that you have thrown out the h from the word ahora. This I think is wrong. It is true, many Spaniards of the present day write the word aora, but this is not yet authorized by the Spanish Academy. The latest edition of the Academy's dictionary ought to be your standard, and you should I think in no case depart from it.
I observed what is said in Mr. Jackson's letter of the 22nd respecting Mr. Dunn, and the Bibles and Testaments sent to Guatemala. Ever since I came to Mexico, the Republic of Guatemala has been in a deplorable condition due to the Civil War. By the last mail however we had the gratifying news of the cessation of this war, and that is now a fair prospect of better days for that country I shall write to Guatemala respecting the Bibles, and shall as early as I can, inform you of the result.
I am daily expecting to hear of the arrival of the Bibles and Testaments which were to be landed in Tampico.
I am truly glad to hear that all is peace with you and prosperity, and may the Lord grant you these blessings a thousand fold.
I remain, My Dear Friend,
Most Truly Yours,
James Thomson.