Rev A Brandram
Stirling, 11th June 1845
My Dear Friend,
I have the pleasure of communicating to you, on the present occasion, better news than heretofore since my arrival in Scotland. You will probably your having at times sallied forth out of London when the dense fog lay on it, and that in getting into the country all was clear. Something of this nature I have experienced since I last wrote you. "Auld Reekie"[1] is still, as you have seen, reekie, but I rejoice to say, that I have found comparatively little of this smoke in the country. Things look greatly better, and Scotland may yet be expected to return to us. I have been now just one fortnight in the country parts, and it is from what I have thus seen that I speak, and in the hope that onwards as I move I may meet with such reception and encouragement as thus far I have experienced. And now I come to details that you may see on what ground my hopes are founded.
On Tuesday the 27th ultimo I left Edinburgh, and came to Dunfermline. I had previously written, half at a venture, to a minister of the United Secession Church, saying that I was coming, and what was my office, and my business. Whom should my letter have lighted upon, but an active member of Committee of a branch of the Edinburgh B.S. This gentleman received me courteously, and kindly lodged me during my stay in that place. I found him very friendly to us, and he regretted both the past and present feelings of the capital, and stated to me his intention Committee meeting to propose a vote of this approbation of The Warning, which should be remitted to the Edinburgh B.S. Others I called upon there spoke in a like friendly manner. Nevertheless, they thought it more prudent for the present not to have a public meeting, nor to make special attempts to form a society auxiliary to ours. At the same time some individuals will gather subscriptions for us, and thus the way will be prepared for our making future and more formal efforts. The society there which stand still on our list, has long ago been extinct, and should have its name erased from the Annual Report.
Linlithgow was the next place I visited. The society standing there on our list, should also be erased, for it ceased in 1826 to be connected with us, and has been extinct altogether as a Bible Society ever since 1829. That town and county I thus found quite unoccupied by the Edinburgh B.S. and several individuals were found desirous of having a new society formed and in connection with you. Arrangements where accordingly made for carrying this into effect at a public meeting on the Tuesday following
from Linlithgow I proceeded to Falkirk. The Minister of this Parish is a member of the Committee of a branch of the Edinburgh B.S. but nevertheless he received me in a very friendly manner, and spoke highly of our Institution, and disapproved much of the Edinburgh break out. He offered me his church for the Sunday evening following, that I might give an address and make a collection for you.
The Minister of the Relief Church I found unconnected with the Edinburgh B.S. and most desirous of seeing something done in the place in connection with you. So also I found the United Secession Ministers. For that arrangements were made that I should deliver a discourse, and make a collection in the forenoon of the Sunday above referred to in the First U.S.C and in the afternoon in the Relief Church. With these preparations made I left Falkirk on the Friday for Stirling to return for the three Sunday services above indicated.
In Stirling we have many friends, and our Auxiliary there has never cease to exist. You have put in, in the Report, in parenthesis, under the Society "Instituted 1827." Please to drop this in future, as it has no suitable application. In that year the great body of our Auxiliary broke off, and with some nefariousness, but still our friends stood firm, and continued as our Auxiliary and would not therefore be instituted in 1827. Our friend Dr. Paterson, on a visit to this place when I was in Edinburgh gave intimation of my coming; and accordingly it was arranged that they would hold their Annual Meeting when I came. A Committee meeting was held on the Saturday forenoon with this view, and necessary preparations were accorded for a public meeting on the Thursday following, and also for an assemblage of Ladies on the succeeding day, to form a Ladies Bible Association.
Things being thus prepared for operations on the following week in Stirling, I returned on the Saturday afternoon to Falkirk, to fulfill the previous arrangements entered into for the Sunday. Our audiences were fair at the three services, and our collections amounted to £9:4:6. This is the first immediate fruit of my visit here, but having got into this mode of gathering a little fruit, I intend to pursue the opening thus presented. These meetings produced some fruit also in another way, as they give me opportunities [to state] the mode, and the purity, and the extent of our operations. The Ministers of the three churches referred to, intimated to me beforehand, that owing to previous collections, etc., I should not expect large amounts. I said in reply, that the testimony of a good feeling towards us in any sum however small would be very acceptable.
On the Monday some friends met to make arrangements for the formation of the Bible Society, and it was agreed that a public meeting should be held for this object on the succeeding Monday, at which I promised to attend.
On the Tuesday I went to Linlithgow, agreeable to my engagement. The weather proved very unfavourable, and our meeting was rather a failure. But to make amends for this, I promised to return on the following Tuesday, which I could easily do, having to be in Falkirk on the day preceding.
On the Wednesday I went again to Stirling, and on the Thursday we had our annual meeting, which considering the very unfavourable weather, was well attended, and proved satisfactory to all. On the Friday we held our Ladies meeting under still more unfavourable weather, and so the number present was not great, yet our object was considered as fully gained in the formation of a Ladies Association.
On the afternoon of the same day (Friday) I went to Alloa. Here, on a second occasion, I was kindly received and lodged by a member of the Committee of the Edinburgh Branch B.S. This gentleman is a Minister of the U.S. Church, and though he would not subscribe it to all you have done in your 41 years' career, he has towards you a kind and generous feeling, and wishes you God speed in his heart. He allowed me on Sunday evening to deliver a discourse in his church, and to make a collection for you. This I accordingly did, and got a little tribute of goodwill amounting to 30/-. We should probably have had more but for a public sermon and collection being made at Clackmannan, one and a half miles off, by Mr. Winslow of Leamington, which had been announced before I came, and to which several had compromised themselves to go.
The parish Minister of Alloa, though a member of the Committee of the Edinburgh Branch B.S. gave me a favourable reception, and expressed cordiality of feeling with your Society. He offered me his church when I should return: and in the afternoon when I attended his service, he not only gave out our notice, but also prayed for your Society, and your agent; and in the evening he attended our meetings, held in a dissenting place of worship.
On the Monday I went to Falkirk, and our meeting for forming a Bible Society as before noticed, was held in the evening. The Society was accordingly formed, and the approbation and encouragement of all the Ministers of the place, except one.
Next day I went according to agreement to Linlithgow. In the evening our meeting was held, and was much better attended than on the former occasion. Our Society was duly formed, and for the town and country of Linlithgow. Not all the Ministers are with us, but none of them act against us, while those friendly are warm in our favour.
Today I returned once more Stirling, taking it on my way to Perth, in which place I purpose to be tomorrow, and from thence to visit Dunkeld, where we have a little society still in connection with us, for though a small place, I would not leave unvisited any of our old and permanent friends. Afterwards, I go to Dundee where our best friend Dr. Paterson now is, and ready to use all his exertions and influence on our behalf. Montrose and Aberdeen will come next in succession.
After what I have now detailed to you of my fortnight's operations, I need hardly say, that the despondency as to Scotland, etc., and our work on it, which was upon me in and on leaving Edinburgh is now removed, and I go on my way rejoicing. I meet with official and personal kindness, and have been boarded and lodged free, with the exception of one night, since I left Edinburgh. Besides, as you see I am beginning to gather some figs from our Thistles here, and the first fruits I now send to Mr. Hitchin, in the shape of £10:14:6.
I may say besides and further, that I do not feel under any obligation or disposition now to follow your counsels and my own views agreeing thereto, as noticed in your and in my last communication, namely, that of visiting only where we know before hand that we had friends who wish to see me. I shall on the contrary go freely to any place, hoping and believing that we have friends in them though not already known to us, for thus it has proved in this tour in the country thus far. – Also in regard to forming new societies, I feel unshackled, contrary to my feeling on leaving Edinburgh. Already, you see, we have formed three new societies.
I have only one thing more to add. The Free Church Ministers, I am sorry to say, are not favourable to us generally. Two of the names appended to the Warning (Candlish & Clason) are such, and the layman's name at the top (Spiers) who is the Sheriff of Edinburgh is of the same body. All the three are strong against us, and others not a few connected with them take the same view of things. The Established Church Ministers are much better disposed towards us. A pleasing circumstance occurred in our favour in it recently. At the General Assembly of the Free Church, the distinguished Continental men, d'Aubigne, Monot, and Muntze, appeared, and were received as Associates. In the course of their addresses to this Assembly they spoke in glowing terms of the praiseworthy labours of the British and Foreign Bible Society in favour of their respective countries. This was just hitting the nail on the head, and most timeously; and I trust these statements will have a good effect in correcting misunderstandings, and in inducing better feelings towards us.
Hoping for a continuation of the same favourable circumstances thus far experienced in my country movements, I go on, as I have said, rejoicing, and believing that you will rejoice with me, and give thanks to the God of peace who only can make men to be of one mind and of his own mind, and to whom be glory in this matter, and in all things, through Jesus Christ our Lord and our Saviour.
I am, as always,
Very Truly Yours,
James Thomson.
[1] A popular name for Edinburgh--"reekie" means "smoky". (BM)