To BFBS (Rev John Owen)
Lima, 10 September 1822
Dear Sir,
A considerable time has now elapsed since I informed you of my intention of visiting Peru. Through the protection & goodness of the Almighty I arrived safely in this city about two months ago. I expected to find on my arrival here the 200 New Testaments that you had the goodness to send me to Valparaiso by the Fair Ellen which sailed from London in July 1821. Through an unfortunate oversight these had not been forwarded to this place as I had requested. Instead therefore of having a supply of the Holy Scriptures to circulate in this place, I find myself unhappily placed without a single copy. As soon as I learned the oversight I have mentioned I wrote to Valparaiso desiring these 200 be sent to me without delay, and I accordingly expect them very soon.
The last letter I received from your society gave me the pleasing information that the whole Bible of Scio's translation would be finished in a few months from that date. As your letter was dated 30th June 1821, I have for months past been waiting for a supply of this edition of the Bible complete, for which I have manifested my desire to you more than once, as thinking that it would be more sought after than the N.T. alone. I have however up to this date heard nothing of them. Under this anxiety for the arrival of these I heard accidentally a few days ago that Bibles in Spanish were on sale in a merchant's house of this city. I immediately made enquiry & found that what I had heard was correct. These were the 500 Bibles and 500 N. Test. sent by you to the house of Mr. Lynch.
It gives me unfeigned pleasure to communicate to you the reception these met with in this city. It is altogether unprecedented in South America. The whole were sold off in two days. This is a most extraordinary exercise, and opens up a most encouraging prospect for the future. Had these been in addition to those sent five thousand more, they would before now have been all in circulation, such have been the repeated enquiries made for them after they were all gone. Under these circumstances every day appears a month whilst I look for your long expected supply. Indeed I am beginning to think some accident has befallen them as you would no doubt send them off by the first vessel to Valparaiso after they were out of the printer and binder's hands. I have written to Valparaiso that upon their arrival there they may be forwarded to this place without delay.
A few days at most will I hope turn my anxiety into satisfaction, and this satisfaction will be greater in proportion to the largeness of the quantity you have shipped for me. Still however I am sure your supply will be insufficient for this place from the unprecedented circumstance I have mentioned. I beg you to send off a large supply for Lima immediately upon my letter coming into your hands. Some eight months hence these may arrive, to fertilize this country. I am not certain I shall be here until their arrival. You will please therefore to send the invoice to me care of John Thwaites, Esq., Lima; and write on the outside of the letter desiring Mr. Thwaites to open the letter should I have left Lima. Should I leave this place before your treasures arrive I shall make full arrangements with Mr. Thwaites for their disposal. I will also arrange with him for sending some hundreds on to Guayaquil, Popayan, and Santa Fe de Bogotá. Through these place if the Lord will, it is my intention to pass, and I shall endeavour to find some one in each place, to whose care they may be entrusted. Forty copies of the Bible sold by Mr. Lynch have gone to Quito, which I hope will quicken the desire for more in that quarter, a desire which your bounty will enable me in some measure to satisfy.-- I have a fine opportunity just now of sending some copies to Guatemala. But, alas! I have none to send.--Pray keep all the things I have mentioned in view when you make up your supply, and I earnestly request that no time may be lost in sending it off; may the Lord protect the ship that carries them, brining her safely and speedily to this place!
I remain,
With much respect,
Your Most Obedient Servant,
James Thomson.
Ref.: BSA-D1-2-A