Buenos Aires, 5th June, 1820.[1]
I cannot be very particular as to all that has occurred to me since my arrival here, the outlines will be sufficient. I arrived on the 6th October, 1818, after a voyage from Liverpool of twelve weeks and three days, and except about a fortnight, was sick all the time. Soon after my arrival, I made proposals to the Government, regarding the introduction of the Lancasterian System of education. I received promises of meeting with every encouragement in this matter, but these promises, through neglect, were long in producing the desired effect. I was feeling the truth of Solomon's remark, "Hope deferred maketh the heart sad." Under these circumstances I was proposing to go into the interior, where I had more positive encouragement held out to me. Just at this time, by application at a better quarter than we had at first applied to, the arrangement was formed by which I was engaged by the magistrates to put their schools, in this city and neighbourhood, upon this plan. Since that time we have been doing more or less in this business, but things in general go on very slowly here, and besides, many political changes have retarded our operations.
Notwithstanding, however, I trust the foundation of a good work has been laid, by pursuing of which, I hope to see many thousands reaping the benefits of education, and imbibing the soundest principles of religion and morality from lessons selected from the Holy Scriptures. You will be surprised and pleased when I tell you, these lessons are entirely of my own selection, and printed in this place. In no case, regarding them, has there been any interference or hindrance on the part of the clergy or others. We have now a school going on, with upwards of 100 boys in it, and soon we expect to have others set a going. These things, my dear friend, fill me (as they will do you) with gratitude and thanksgiving. They are small things, in themselves considered, but taking into consideration all the circumstances of this country, they are great, and more especially when considered as a foundation for future operations.
In another respect also something has been done, I mean regarding the circulation of the Scriptures. I have got upwards of 400 Spanish New Testaments from the British and Foreign Bible Society, and these I have been able to land here without the smallest hindrance. Several of them have been already distributed, and have met with a ready reception. I have been able also to send some of them into various parts of the country here, and into Chile. Where the word of God circulates, we have every ground to look for good effects, though it may, like seed sown in the earth, appear for a while to be lost. By and by, however, the seed springs up, first the blade, then the ear, and lastly the full corn in the ear. So shall it be with the seed of the word of God, which shall not return void, but shall accomplish the will of God, in turning men from darkness to light.
We are in the midst of political commotions here at present, and have been so for some time past. The Lord, however, is the security of his people, he is the Governor among the nations, and all these changes will, I trust, lead to the promoting of his kingdom. Let us join in the prayer, "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth, as it is done in heaven."
For the present, farewell.
[1] James Thomson. Letters on the Moral and Religious State of South America (London: James Nisbet, 1827), pp.1-3.