Rev A Brandram
Guayaquil, 11th October, 1824.[1]
My dear Sir,
My letter of the 5th current will inform you of the motives and objects which have brought me to this place. It will also inform you of what progress I have made in the circulation of the Holy Scriptures, and in objects connected therewith, from my leaving Lima till my arrival in this quarter. I proceed, therefore, to state to you the occurrences of Guayaquil in reference to these matters.
Some time ago, and of which I believe I informed you, I sent from Lima twenty New Testaments to a Gentleman here, to be sold at one dollar each, if opportunities should offer, of disposing of them among his friends. This gentleman holds a principal situation in the government, and had been recommended to me by a relation of his in Truxillo, as a person desirous of doing good. Upon my arriving here, I called upon him, and found him to be a person worthy of the honourable appellation just mentioned. He told me he had disposed of the New Testaments, and he gave me twenty dollars which he had received for them.
As soon as I had reached this place, I mentioned to some persons that I had a supply of New Testaments for sale, and in consequence I sold one hundred and sixty-eight copies. After thinking for some time upon what would be the speediest and most effectual way of disposing of the New Testaments, it occurred to me that the best thing I could do would be to print an advertisement, and to give notice of the sale by posting these up in the public places of the different towns I pass through on my journey. This, you will see, would at once draw the attention of the public. The only objection that occurred to me was, that it would be a kind of challenge to our opponents, or at least an intimation of our hostile operations. This obstacle I kept in mind, but did not think our adversaries would be able to make any effectual resistance. More powerful, I believe, are those who are for us than those who are against us. The encouragement to make such an attempt as this, arises from the great and happy changes already effected by the revolution going on in this country, and, I trust, now concluding. I could not have ventured upon such a thing under the Spanish government. What is going forward in these countries is truly a revolution in every sense of the word.
I accordingly wrote out an advertisement, and got it printed in the government printing-office in this place. Translated into English it runs thus: "To be sold in (a) the New Testament of our Lord Jesus Christ, in one volume, well printed, and neatly bound, at the low price of eight rials. This sale will continue for (b) days only, and it is expected that those who wish to procure for themselves this sacred code of our Holy Religion, will improve the occasion now offered them." As this advertisement was intended not for this place alone, but for others also, I left the blank (a) to be filled up with the pen to suit each place, and the blank (b) I leave for the number one, two, or three, as my time will permit, and as the importance of the town visited may require. When these notices were finished, I caused some to be put up in this place, saying that the sale would be for three days only.
In a few minutes after putting them up I enjoyed the great satisfaction of seeing it produce much better effects than I had anticipated. At noon the notices were put up, and at one o'clock I had sold fifteen copies. In the next hour I sold forty-seven. In the course of an hour and a half during the time the store was open in the afternoon, I sold one hundred and twelve. Next day I sold 262 copies. The day following, which was also one of the three days of sale, happened to be a festival day held to celebrate the declaration of independence in this town four years ago. The stores in consequence were all shut, and public business suspended. Nevertheless, there were eleven copies sold during a few minutes before breakfast, when the store was open for some particular purpose. To-day I set out on my journey to Quito, but I may perhaps sell some before I go, as I cannot go off before four o'clock in the afternoon, having to sail up the river with the flood tide.
The whole number disposed of in this place is 615, and for these I have received 542 dollars 2 rials.—The greater part were sold one by one at eight rials each, but sometimes I sold a dozen or two together, and in that case sold them somewhat cheaper. To the number of copies already mentioned, I add the 30 disposed of, as noticed in my last, and three copies sold in Truxillo of those in superior binding, making in all 648 copies since the commencement of my tour. To the amount of monies received in the same time as above, I add, what I received from Dr. O'Donovan, from this gentleman here as previously mentioned, and for those sold in Paita and Puná, and the three just noticed, making 153 dollars, amounting in all to 695 dollars 2 rials. Of this sum, I have remitted 500 dollars to Messrs. Cochran and Robertson, of Lima, with whom I keep my accounts. This sum will be applied to carrying forward the translation and printing of the Scriptures into the Peruvian language, agreeably to your resolution upon the subject, communicated to me some time ago.
Need I add any thing to the above by way of comment or observation? Is it not most gratifying to see so many seeds sown in this town? Let us join together in prayer, that He who causeth the rain to descend from heaven to fertilize the ground, and to raise into fruit the puny efforts of man, may cause his blessing to be upon the seed sown in this place. As it is sown in weakness may it be raised in strength, and produce at least a hundred fold.
I remain, Dear Sir, with true respect, Your Most Humble Servant,
James Thomson.
P. S.—12th October.—Our boat did not sail yesterday, and thus gave me the opportunity of adding 71 to the number of copies formerly mentioned, and 71 dollars to account.
The preceding sentence was written in the morning, and now, in the afternoon, I add 52 copies more, making in all, in Guayaquil, 730.
[1] BSA-D1-2-A. Also in James Thomson. Letters on the Moral and Religious State of South America. (London: James Nisbet, 1827), pp. 176-180.