Revd. John Owen
Buenos Ayres 16th August 1820
Dear Sir
I am sorry the interval between my last letter and this has been so much longer than I intended. For some weeks an embargo laid on vessels in this Port prevented my writing, and some time has been lost in waiting for information which I expected from a person to whom I had intrusted some of the Spanish New Testaments. This information regarding their distribution and reception I believe to be interesting and would be encouraging to you, but I am still unable to give it. It shall however be detailed in a future letter if I can procure it.
Some months ago I went down to Monte Video for a short time, to promote in that place, as I have been doing here, the establishing of schools on the Lancasterian plan. I am happy to say my proposals there on that subject met with every attention. I need not inform you that the forwarding of this object is indirectly promoting that cause in which you are so earnestly and happily engaged. The Bible cannot, of course, be used by those who cannot read. He therefore who uses means anywhere that the youth may be taught to read, may be considered a pioneer to your Most Noble Society. The lamp which illuminates the world with the light of life seems placed on a tripod – the School Society, the Bible Society, and the Missionary Society. A threefold cord, says Solomon, is not quickly broken, and what has I threefold support cannot be easily overturned. How gratifying is it to all those who love Sion to see such numbers of the great and the good in our native Isle, inlist themselves under one or other or all of these banners. Blessings be on all them that love and seek the prosperity of Sion!
I took with me to Monte Video about 50 Span. N.T. and the few Portuguese ones you sent me. Some of these I distributed and the rest I left with a confidential person to be sold or distributed according to circumstances. I have lately learned that those in Portuguese are all gone. I wish I had had more of them. In my last letter I requested you to send me 100 Por. Bibles & 200 N. Test. I hope you will find it convenient to favour me with these. If some of them were varied in the binding and lettered on the back, it would greatly promote their sale. I came up from Monte Video in a Por. sloop of war, and on parting with the Capt. I presented him with one of the Por. Bibles which he very thankfully recd. Besides the 400 Spanish N.T. you sent me I have received from Sir Thomas Hardy, our Commodore here, one box containing nearly 200. In consequence of this I shall not need any further supply of these for the present. Sir Thomas has another box containing a like quantity which he intends to send around to Chile in one of the frigates.
Several months ago I sent by a friend going by sea to Chili, 40 New Test. one half of these I sent to a gentleman in Valparaiso, and the other half to a gentleman in Santiago the capital. I have not yet heard anything of their distribution. To a gentleman just sailed for the Western side of this continent, and who is going to touch had several places in Chili and Peru, I have given 100 Sp. Test. requesting him to sell or distribute them as circumstances offer, so as most effectually to promote the object which the Bible Society has in view.
In this place a few are sold or distributed from time to time; and some of these have made their way more than 100 leagues into the interior of the country. No obstacle arises here as yet to their distribution, and I have no thoughts that any will arise. The greater the degree of freedom is enjoyed here than our friends in England suppose.
I come now to say something about the printing of the whole Bible in Spanish. I have had several inquiries for it. I had a request from a father for four copies for his family. From all I can learn I think it would meet with a good or rather a better reception than the N. Test. alone. The translation you should print from is that of Scio, of which I have spoken to you more than once. You could easily get a copy of it to print from by sending to Cadiz. The last edition is to be preferred. I think it would be proper to make some alterations in the orthography to make it conformable to the last edition of the Dictionary of the Spanish Academy. I have conversed with a person who is in the habit of selling books sometimes here and sometimes in Chili and other places. This person, upon whose testimony I can, I think, rely, says, it is a great objection to your N. Test. its being printed in London, and he strongly recommends that you should put Madrid in the title page instead of London. If this were the case he says you could sell a good many either the whole Bible or of the N.T. in the different places to which he goes. You cannot of course say, printed in Madrid when it is not so. But if there is any possibility of your putting it printed in Madrid it deserves a very attentive consideration, as I cannot doubt of the great advantage that wd. arise thereby to the successful distribution of the holy Scriptures throughout this country, and of course in Spain also. It wd. perhaps be easier to get it printed in Cadiz. In Madrid however wd. be better.
Should you think it too expensive to print the whole Bible at once you might do it in parts or half volumes. Let there be four of these for the Old Test. from Genesis to Joshua inclusive, might make the first half volume, from that to Esther might form the second, from this to the end of the Song the third, and the rest would make the fourth. I have thus divided into parts, and rather than want the whole for some years, it would be preferable to have one part one year, and another another.
You may perhaps think I am injudiciously urgent about the printing the Spanish Bible, and that I am asking an undue attention from the Society to this matter. This might be considered and excusable partiality, but I am inclined to think I have better grounds than this for presenting to you my petition on the subject. If you take into consideration the population of America that speak the Spanish language, and to whom that is at present free access to the Scriptures, you will find I believe as strong reasons for undertaking the printing of the Scriptures in this language, as you have had for printing several of the translations which you have already printed. I have spoken only of the parts of America to which the Scriptures can now be freely introduced, that is all through parts in which the revolution has taken place. But we may calculate on circulating many copies in the other parts of Spanish America, and also in Spain, which now seems opening to receive this blessing. If thus the number of those who speak the Spanish language in Europe and America be considered, it will be found that few languages have a stronger claim to your attention. I purposely hope your Committee will give this subject that serious and early attention which, if I mistake not, its importance demands. I have already formed connections in various places throughout the Provinces of Rio de la Plata, and also in Chili. I have it also in contemplation to visit Peru and Mexico when my engagements permit, and should be much gratified to be the Almoner of your bounty in those parts.
I understand by letters from Edinburgh that the Edinburgh Bible Society has entered into correspondence with your Committee on the subject of the Spanish Bible. I hope you will so arrange it between you that a beginning may be made soon. I believe also the American Bible Society would lend very considerable aid to this undertaking. A ship sails from this to New York in a few days, and I shall seize the opportunity of laying this matter before the Managers of that Society. The claims and the wants of America cannot fail of meeting from them with all due attention & relief. It may be they will correspond with you on the subject.
There is a letter in one of your Reports regarding the Indian languages of South America. I have sought a good deal for it just now, but cannot lay my hand on it. The writer (I think he writes from Berlin) offers, as far as I recollect, to translate the Scriptures into some of these languages. You will oblige me much by letting me know particulars about this, and if anything has been done. You may easily imagine that this subject has a peculiar interest to me from my situation and object in this country.
I trust you are going on in your usual way, your funds increasing from year to year, your labours more extensive, and the fruits of your labour more abundant. May the blessing of the Almighty, in whose hands are the silver& the gold & the hearts of men, lie upon you in your noble work!
I remain,
Dear Sir,
Very sincerely Yours,
James Thomson.