The Rev A Brandram No.16
San Luis Potosí 8th January 1828
My Dear Sir,
In my last which was from the Zacatecas, I mentioned my intention of setting out immediately for this city. I set out accordingly on 29th December on finishing the sale in Zacatecas. As I was entirely unacquainted with the road, a guide was of course necessary. I found some difficulty in getting one in Zacatecas, and was directed to a small village five leagues onward where I was told I should most probably find a steady man to go with me. I made the best of my way therefore to this village and arrived at about noon. Here I found a person well acquainted with the road, and who was recommended to me as very steady. I engaged him to go with me to San Luis, and we set out without delay. Just as it grew dark we reached the place called the village, but which is little entitled to the name, there being only a few miserable houses in it, the inhabitants of which seem to have little to do and as little to live upon. The food supply to us in the small inn where we stopped was of the very commonest kind, and corresponded with the poverty of the place.
Next morning the guide I mentioned gave me the unpleasant intelligence that he would be unable to accompany me farther, as his horse had got injured on the preceding day, and was thereby unfitted for going through the rest of the journey. He himself was very sorry likewise at this accident, as he hoped by this journey to have gained a small supply for himself and family. After a good deal of trouble and delay I found one who would go with me, but he sought so much, taking advantage of the circumstances I was in, that I refused to engage him. I set out therefore accompanied by the servant who came with me from Mexico, but who was, like myself, a total stranger to the road. I had hoped we should get on by asking of this one and that one by the way, as we had once or twice done on former occasions. After we had been an hour or two on the road, I found by my pocket compass that we were going too much to the south for San Luis. I caused therefore the servant and the two loaded mules to stop till I should cross the plain for a little to see if I could hit again upon the road from which we must have deviated. After more than half an hour's search I could find no road, and returned, thinking perhaps that our only plan would be to return to the village we had left. To add to my uneasiness in this predicament my own horse which had been ill the preceding day, afternoon grew worse and quite unfit to stand out the day's journey.
When I returned to the servant I was agreeably surprised by his telling me, that since I had left in a man had passed by and had pointed out to him where the road lay, and had also shown him a few huts about a mile off where we might perhaps find a guide to go with us. To these huts we directed our course, and when we arrived there my horse was completely done up. These huts were by the side of the lake, through the midst of which we passed on dry ground owing to the great drought which has prevailed there for a long period. The huts were inhabited by the keeper of the lake and the few who aided him in the collecting the salt found there in the proper season. As this dry season was not harvest time there, the keeper of the lake agreed to accompany us to the next town which was 36 miles off, he also gave me a horse for myself. Whilst he was getting his horses ready, his wife prepared us a little mutton roasted on the coals and some bread made from the Indian corn, which formed a most grateful repast after the very poor fare of our last lodging.
A little after one o'clock we were ready to set out. We traveled at a good pace the rest of the day, and soon after the stars appeared we arrived at a small village. During the whole of these 36 miles we only once met some people on the road. Here our guide was to leave us, and our first care on arrival was to provide ourselves with another guide and a hired horse besides. No guide however nor hired horse was to be found in the village. We were thus again in perplexity, but our former guide relieved us by saying he would accompany us another day. Next day we set out and traveled a lonely road, without meeting a single individual to relieve its tediousness. In the afternoon we reached another small village, and endeavored there as in the last to obtain a horse to hire and guide to accompany us. But here as on the night preceding we were completely unsuccessful. The good man who had guided us for two days again relieved us by saying he would go with us next day also. He went with us accordingly, and thus brought us within a day's journey of San Luis, and to a spot where we succeeded in obtaining all we wanted for the following day. I shall not soon forget the guide who lives by the Salt Lake, and who accompanied me so obligingly for three successive days when no other aid was to be found. His so accompanying me was doubly pleasing, as I was under the necessity of being in San Luis by a certain date to deliver to the owner the two mules which went with us, and the detention of them for a day would have been a serious inconvenience and loss to him. On the 2nd current I arrived here, and found the owner of the mules at the inn, already mounted and his mules with him ready to set out for Mexico. I was just therefore in time for him and nothing more. To return to the obliging guide, should your agent in his journeyings over again pass by the Salt Lake, he intends to present this individual was a Bible, and to believes he will have your full approbation in doing so.
I have troubled you with this detail of some of my grievances, and of the happy exit which they had, because I know you wish thus to be present with me and to share in my joys and my sorrows; and every friend that I meet with by the way, finds I am sure a place in your feelings of regard, and I hope in your prayers. May the Lord reward the individual I have referred to, and may the holy Scriptures reach him in due time, and prove to him and to his family and everlasting blessing.
I must carry you back for a few moments to the road and the country over which I have just passed. It is waste and almost without inhabitant. Our road did not lie over mountains, but through extensive and beautiful plains, with insulated mountains here and there always in view. It was the very depth of winter, as you perceive, when I passed, and yet nothing could exceed the delightfulness of the weather. We had a clear unclouded sky, the heat of the sun in his greatest altitude was not in the least inconvenient but agreeably warm, while the gentle zephyrs sweetly refreshed us as we moved along. I could not help contrasting this climate with yours at the same season, and could not but see the superior advantages in this respect which we enjoy over you. But then, your spiritual climate! – And ours! There, my Friend, the hand of God has been liberal to you. Rejoice in his goodness, and pray for our wilderness, that it may yet, and ere long, blossom as the rose.
Allow me to detain you just one moment longer on this road. A new year has commenced since I last wrote you. It was whilst I was on this road the old year gave place to the new. This point of time is always to the Christian time of serious thought, of confessions, meditations, and supplications. The place where I passed the night which joins the old year and the new was peculiarly favourable to these feelings. It was a small village called "The Holy Spirit". The reposing my body and a place called by this name reminded me forcibly on such an occasion of dwelling in the Holy Spirit, and that again of walking in the Spirit through the year just commencing. I felt very comfortable under these circumstances, though in the midst of a desert country, and among strangers in a foreign land. But where God is, there is all. Pray ever for me, My Dear Friend, pray especially that I may ever dwell in the Spirit, and walk in the Spirit. I will pray for you and return, and for the same blessing. God has honoured us with great honour in employing us to circulate his holy word. But if we dwell not in the Spirit, and walk not in the Spirit, all these honours here will hereafter turn against us. Let us therefore stir one another up to holiness of heart and of life, and to zeal in our holy calling.
On the 2nd January I arrived in the city. I had sent on before me six cases of Bibles and Testaments, and these I found safely here when I came. From Mexico I brought a letter of introduction to a person here who deals a good deal in books. I had sent forward the cases to this individual along with my letter of introduction. On the evening of my arrival I called on him, and found him very friendly to my objects, and most willing to enter into any arrangements to forward the sale of the Scriptures. To this he added a kind invitation but I would live in his house during my stay in city. I am not very ready in accepting of such invitations at first offer, because there is a great deal of Spanish compliment current in the country, and which ends, as it is intended it should, in nothing. This gentleman however showed his sincerity by repeatedly urging me to come to his house. I came accordingly and have lodged with him since the day after my arrival here, receiving the kindest attention from himself and family. After having so taken up my lodging I delivered another letter of introduction to a gentleman of the law, and from him I had a similar invitation to dwell with him. I told him how I was already lodged, and that therefore I should not be able to accept his kindness. He then desired me when I should return to the city to be sure to come straight to his house, and to make it my home during my stay. These two are the only invitations of this kind I have met with on the journey, excepting of course the kindness of Mr. Hurry in Guanajuato, as formerly mentioned to you.
I had a letter of introduction to the Commissary General of the army in this quarter. In that letter the object of the Bible Society was stated, and also my connexion with you. I was much pleased to see the interest he took in the circulation of the Scriptures. It is in this class of inhabitants of this country, I mean the military, that Deism has made its deepest inroads. I was therefore truly gratified to find this gentleman not only on the side of the Bible, but also expressing and earnest desire for it circulation, and anticipating the good effects that would follow. In thinking of this I am reminded of what I omitted to mention in my letter from Querétaro. When there, one evening after the sale was over, two military officers came to get Bibles. Whilst they were in my room, and the Bibles were sent for, I said a few words to them respecting the importance of the world to come over the present scene, and respecting the Bible as the guide to eternal life. The serious matter in which they listened and assented to what was said, and the cheerfulness with which they received their Bibles, was very agreeable, and the more so from what I have mentioned above with regard to the military of this country.
The sale here was begun in the shop of the individual whom I have mentioned and in whose house I live, and it is now continued for five days. Here however, as in Zacatecas, I wish to have a permanent sale, and I have given notice accordingly. This is a place of considerable trade from its connexion with the port of Tampico. Many merchants come from Saltillo and from other parts of the interior to buy goods here. The person above mentioned has a good deal of intercourse with the interior parts in this way. He has himself visited several of them, and is in the constant practice of sending books and other goods to these quarters. I have therefore made arrangements with him for keeping up a sale here, and for supplying the interior towns with the Scriptures. In my last letter I said I intended to expend for cases in San Luis, and to carry only two remaining to Guanajuato. Upon asking our friend here what quantity he thought would be necessary for sending to the interior parts of the country. After making his calculation as to what would be required in this and that place, he said that he thought four cases would be needed for sending to these places. This left only two for San Luis, the greater part of which have been disposed of during these five days of our sale. In consequence of this, I give up my intention of carrying any of the cases to Guanajuato, and to leave the whole here for sale in this city, or for sending into the country as circumstances may direct. This arrangement brings to a close the distribution of the 28 cases of Bibles and Testaments with which I set out from Mexico about three months ago. I leave this city therefore tomorrow morning, and without going by Guanajuato, which would take me three days journey about, I go direct to Mexico when I expect to arrive in about ten days.
I have sold here 85 Bibles and 77 New Testaments, and have received 300 dollars and four rials. I expected to sell more here from the size of the place, but as the sale is to be continued a greater distribution will be made. We have got some priests here who I believe are rather inimical to the reading of the Scriptures by the people in general. Two copies of the Bible were bought by two students in the college. These were afterwards returned in consequence of the Rector of the College, who is a priest, having said to those who bought them, that these books were not allowed to be read in the college. The Rector in this district is also I understand opposed to the general reading of the Scriptures. Over these and similar difficulties, time with the advance of knowledge will triumph in due season. When we look to the past and present, a great change has already taken place, and greater changes will I trust follow, and year after year will record them.
As a counterpart to the opposition referred to, I should mention, that a Friar was first the first purchaser of a Bible in this place. He lives some 60 miles from this, and has already set out for his place of residence. I said to him when he was about to go, that I hoped the Bible he took with him, would lead many others to wish for the same treasure. He said he hoped it would have that effect, and added, that he would have a pleasure in directing people where they might purchase for themselves. Several other priests also have bought Bibles here in the course of the sale. Thus you see, in almost every case where we have discouragements, we have also some little circumstances to animate us to perseverance in circulating the Holy Scriptures in this land; and taking together all the circumstances which occurred in regard to this matter, I am always more surprised of the freedom and encouragement we enjoyed, then up the discouragements and partial opposition which we meet with. May the Lord prosper us more and more, and blessed this land through our instrumentality.
I have in this city received Mr. Jackson's letter of 19th October acknowledging receipt of my letter of 27th July. I am glad of this notice, as this is the letter in which I requested you to send me 1000 Bibles and 1000 New Testaments. These therefore I think may be expected before long, and I hope to see them in circulation before many months elapse. I intend to distribute these in the parts to the east of the city of Mexico. A fresh supply will be required for the quarters I have visited on this journey, and for this I now apply to you. It will be desirable to send this supply to Tampico and not to Vera Cruz, as this will save a good deal of expense in the carriage. You can consign these to Watson Davidson & Co. of that place, as I have already spoken with one of the partners of that house upon the subject. The quantity I wish is 1000 8vo Bibles, 1000 8vo New Testaments, 100 Four Books, and 1000 Luke & Acts, all in common bindings. To these add 60 Bibles of the same size bound in calf extra, and 40 in Morocco gilt. Of these 40 I could wish 10 done in a superior style, by putting gold ornaments on the back and sides, as the taste of this country runs in that way, and I have been sometimes ask for Bibles so done up.
Till my next, which will probably be from Mexico, I bid you Adieu, remaining is always,
Very Truly Yours,
James Thomson.