Rev. A. Brandram
London 4th August 1846
My Dear Friend,
During the last four weeks I have been in Dorsetshire. The places visited are as follows; – Cranborne, Wimborne, Blandford, Poole, Wareham, Swanage, Dorchester, Weymouth, Cerne, Bridport, Lyme, Seaton, Colyton, Beaminster, Stalbridge, Gillingham, Marnhull, Tisbury, and Shaftesbury: in all 19. Seaton and Colyton are in Devonshire. The number of Meetings was 20, as we had two in Dorchester. All our Meetings were well attended, except those in Wareham, Swanage, Dorchester, Lyme, Tisbury and Shaftesbury. There is a good excuse in regard to the last but one, as it is a small village surrounded with cornfields all white to harvest, and it was a lovely harvest evening. Nevertheless several left their fields and came to us, and from some distance. The collection we there made was the best made in all the county, numbers being duly considered: it amounted to one shilling a head, whilst the average in the county is little above half that sum.
The number of Ministers of all denominations attending our 20 Meetings was 81. Of these 44 (more than the half) were clergyman, 25 were Independents, seven Baptists, and five Wesleyans.
The numbers composing our congregations, taken together, amounted to 2920, that is 146 for an average at each.
The collections received in all the places making up the sum of £79:17:6, which for each Meeting, taking one with another, gives £3:19:10½, and dividing this by 146 the average attendance, we have sixpence half penny for each individual. In Lincolnshire, according to my last letter, it was £.10, whilst the average attendance was 112, and here 146. Lincolnshire is well-known to be a richer county than Dorset, and this is exhibited, in our case, in a larger sum from each individual attending our Bible Meetings. But on the other hand, Dorset shows a greater Bible interest, I might say, in a larger average attendance, namely, as 146 to 112. A good come-out to our Bible Meetings is a gratifying thing, and serves as a sort of thermometer to judge of our own feelings towards the Bible, and of our desires to give it to others, and to all mankind.
In the 19 places mentioned, the Free Contributions are Increasing in Twelve of them: in one, Decreasing, and Six are in statu quo.
The Issues of the Scriptures are on the Increase in 13 places, and in one of them, namely, Poole, to the extent of five fold. In three places there is a decrease, and in three, things are stationary.
In comparing the counties of Lincoln and Dorset, both as to the Issues of the Scriptures, and the Free Contributions, the two branches I may say of our Bible operations, the latter and poorer county is the richer in respect to each of these items of Bible work.
You are aware that a Bible vendor has been moving over the county of Dorset since August last year. The experiment is considered successful and encouraging. Mr. Glyn informs me, that the number of books disposed of, counting prospectively from the completion of the year's labour will not be far from 6,000 copies.
In the year 1842 the various Auxiliaries in this county were brought into a sort of Unity, forming as it were a county Society. A committee has charge of this Association and consists of two members at least from each of the auxiliary committees, and there are two Secretaries. Mr. Glyn is one of these, and he informs the visitor, that this plan works well. This county committee publish an Annual Report, in which they give due notices of all the Auxiliaries, and their respective Associations. In this report there is inserted a map of the county, with the several portions occupied by Bible Societies distinguished by various colours. This appears an excellent plan. A glance at this map shows what portions of the county act in the great Bible cause, and what parts have not yet honoured themselves with a share in this work; – it has more than once occurred to me, that a map would be an instructive and advantageous appendage to the Annual Report of the Parent Society, showing the parts of the world where the Society has operated, and is operating and distinguishing in some way also the quantum of work done. This map would show likewise the still unvisited and dark parts of the Earth into which the Scriptures have not yet gained an entrance.
Of the 81 Ministers who attended our several Meetings, and were present at more than one or two, and thus showing a greater degree of interest in our cause, I might mention the names of the Rev. C. J. Glyn, the Rev. C. W. Bingham, the Rev. Henry Walton, and the Rev. Abraham Wayland: the three former are Clergymen, and the last is a Baptist Minister. Mr. Walton is the author of "The History of England on Religious Principles." This is a work that should be better known than it is. It consists of seven volumes in duodecimo, and is published by Rivington. I may mention were it necessary, that Mr. Walton is a true Bible man, and joins heartily to send God's word forth unnoted uncommented, and believes it able to make men wise unto salvation, and to build them up, and give them an inheritance among all who are sanctified. Mr. Glyn and Mr. Bingham have often visited for the Society.
On returning late in the evening from Seaton to Lyme with Mr. Wayland, I happened to say, that I was well convinced, that good accompanied all our Bible Meetings. Yes, he replied, I think so, and for myself I can say, that it was a Bible Meeting that led to my conversion. He then related to me the circumstances, and as they afforded an excellent illustration of the benefits arising from these Bible assemblages, I begged him to write out the case for me. He has accordingly done so, and I herewith accompany it as an interesting document.
I remain, My Dear Friend, Very Truly Yours,
James Thomson.