Rev A Brandram. - No.10
Querétaro 8th November 1827
My Dear Sir,
In my letter to you of last month, I intimated that I was on the eve of setting out on my Bible tour through the North Western parts of Mexico. Various little circumstances occurred to detain me ten days later than the time I had appointed for setting off. However on the 20th of October, 14 mules left Mexico for Querétaro laden with the precious seed of the word of God. I followed on the 23rd and overtook them about half way. On the 29th we all arrived safe in this city, and on the following day our sale began.
The plan I adopted when in Guayaquil of giving notice of our sale by a printed advertisement, I have again adopted here. It turned out well on that occasion, and it has also succeeded well on this, and I hope will do so in future. I mention in the advertisement, not only the books that are for sale and their prices, but also the precise number of days the sale will last. This enables one to do more in a given time, and probably also leads many to buy, who otherwise would put off from day to day until the desire they had felt for purchasing a Bible had subsided. The city in which I now am contains as near as I can estimate from the accounts I have received 25,000 inhabitants, and it is the capital of the State of the same name. The fixed time for our sale was eight days, and these expired yesterday.
Previous to entering into the particulars of our sale, I will carry you back for a little to the date of my arrival here, and to some circumstances which then occurred. Among other letters of introduction which I brought with me for this tour, I had one from a Dominican Friar in Mexico, to a Friar of his acquaintance in this city. Before I mention the delivering of this letter I beg leave to say that the Friar in Mexico who gave it to me is very friendly to your Society, and to the circulation of the Holy Scriptures in his native country. I have known him for a good while and have on several occasions been aided by him in the work in which I am engaged. This is a digression, but what I have said was due to the person of whom I have spoken, and neglecting this opportunity of noticing it, I might perhaps have forgotten it altogether.
I now return to deliver the above mentioned letters of introduction. I called at the Convent here on the afternoon of the day on which I arrived. Just as I had entered the outward door I saw one of the Friars conversing with someone, and approaching him I inquired for the individual to whom my letter was addressed. He was himself the individual I was inquiring for. He conducted me forthwith upstairs and through one long passage and another and I believe a third, and arriving at length at the door of his cell, I was very courteously introduced into his habitation. All this while my letter of introduction was undelivered, and the polite attention I had once met with was owing to a previous notice by post which the Friar in Mexico had given to his friend here, as to who and what I was, and the time I might arrive in the city. After we had sat down I delivered my letter and we entered into conversation.
The object which brought me to this city was the first subject upon which we entered. I told him that I had come here with an ample supply of the Holy Scriptures and that it was my intention to expose them to sale at very low prices. I then showed him my printed advertisement, after taking his pen which lay before me and filling up the blanks with it. He read it over and approved of the object, and also of the proposed plan of distribution. I then stated to him the importance of the Scriptures as a lamp for our feet in this dark world and as the only light which can guide us to heaven. He fully assented to all I said upon the subject, and promised to make our sale known to his friends. After some further conversation upon general concerns, I rose to take leave. He accompanied me to the door, when I stretched out my hand to shake his and to bid him goodbye, No, said he, allow me to go a little further with you. After retracing the steps by which we had entered through this and that and the other passage, we arrived at the head of the great stairs, where I again tendered my hand to take leave. Not yet, said he, pray allow me to accompany you a little further. I was unwilling to admit of his going down the stair, but he kindly insisted on it, and accompanied me to the outward door by which I had entered and near to which I have found him. Here, after bowing and scraping and shaking of hands, and all in sincerity I believe on both sides, we parted.
I left my advertisement in the hands of the Friar that he might show it to his friends, and this was the first advertisement I issued in this city, and the first also since my arrival in this country. In the evening of the same day he called upon me, and brought with him one of the members of the State Congress, one of the magistrates of the city, and another individual. I showed them the Bibles and Testaments I had for sale, and in all the variety and richness of bindings in which I had them. We sat together for an hour conversing about the Bibles, upon the subject of general education and upon the state and prospects of this country. Two things were held forth as the grand sources of the improvement of this new and rising country. These were, the general education of all classes, and the general circulation and reading of the Holy Scriptures.
The education of the large body of the native population in their own tongue necessarily entered into our subject, and also the necessity and advantage of translating parts or the whole of the Scriptures into the native languages spoken here. In regard to schools for this class of the population, I referred as an encouragement to the successful operations of the Gaelic School Society of Edinburgh, and in regard to the translation of the Scriptures, into the native tongues, I mentioned the benevolent intentions of the British and Foreign Bible Society, and that I was authorized to carry these into effect as circumstances might direct. It was then mentioned to me that our friend the Friar was acquainted with the native language most generally spoken in the state of Querétaro. His knowledge of this language will I trust be useful to us in our future operations in this matter. He may himself translate the Scriptures into this tongue, or he may find a person well qualified to do so, and when they are translated render essential service in recommending their use, in the schools, in the pulpits, and by private families and individuals. The Lord's hand I trust will be made visible in the Book operations of this country.
Before I leave our friend the Friar I beg leave to say a few words more respecting him. On the first day of our sale he called and bought some copies of the Scriptures, and in the evening of the same day he called again after our sale was over and brought with him another Friar belonging to his own order and convent. He also brought with him two of his friends, each of whom brought with him one of his sons of the age of 12 or 14. These two young people came to get copies of the Scriptures, which their fathers bought for them at the recommendation of the Friars. We enjoyed on this occasion a long conversation upon subjects similar to those we conversed upon the preceding evening. In this conversation our two Friars took a very active part and delivered their opinions freely, which I was happy to find were so consonant to truth and benevolence. I was much pleased to hear the Friar I first mentioned notice reading of the Scriptures without notes or commentaries, and approve of the doing so. I of course seized the opportunity for speaking on the same side of the question.
Next day being the second of our sale, Father Cuevas (for that is the name of the Friar I have so often mentioned,) paid us another visit, and brought with him the Prior of his convent. The Prior bought some copies of the Scriptures, and he and his companion sat for about an hour and a half in our sale room conversing upon the subjects and recommending to those around the purchase of the Scriptures offered to them and so low a price. The following day in the morning I went to the Convent to pay my respects to the Prior and to his two friends. Whilst we were conversing together, a message was brought to Father Cuevas that two Ladies were at the door wishing to speak with him. You will observe that the lobby is the utmost length to which Ladies can go in a Convent of Friars. Of course then our friend did not did bid the Ladies step up, but stepped himself down to speak with them. In a few minutes he returned and told us that the Ladies were persons of the first rank of the place, and that they were inquiring about the Bibles, whether or not it was right to buy them and use them, and of what kind, size, price, etc. they were. He returned to them immediately taking with him those he had himself bought to show them as a specimen. I sat about a quarter of an hour longer with the Prior, but our friend did not return to us. I then came away, and in passing through the lobby I found two Ladies still engaged in close conversation about the Bibles with our friend and another Friar who had joined them. I stopped a few minutes and had a share in the conversation which ended with the Friar saying he would call about two hours after choose Bibles and Testaments of each kind to be sent to the Ladies for their inspection and choice. At the time agreed on the Friar called and sent to them a specimen of each kind in the best bindings. The Ladies kept all that were sent to them, and the next morning the Friar called to pay for them, bringing at the same time another order to the same amount for some others of his friends making in all 35 dollars.
I have a few words more to say about the Friars, and shall then turn to another part of our concerns. I was invited to dine at the Convent, and went accordingly at the proper hour. This was a favourable opportunity for some further conversation upon the duty and utility of reading the Scriptures, and also for explaining to them more at length the nature of your edition of Scio's Bible. You will perceive that I am coming to the Apocrypha question. To avoid coming to it in this country is impossible. It meets you at once, and you must enter upon it in reply to questions put to you many times perhaps in a day. I told the Friars how things stood, in regard to the Bibles wanting the Apocryphal books. A fair statement of facts is the best explanation of such difficulties as this, and generally proves the most satisfactory. As Protestants they saw that you were naturally led to omit these books which are not considered by us as a part of the Canon of Sacred Scripture. At the same time they regretted the want of these books, because it would hinder, they said, a more extensive circulation of the word of God in the country, from the Bibles being considered here incomplete. Besides the plain statement of facts which I gave to the Friars upon this subject as now referred to, I offered two arguments in favour of a ready reception of the Bibles brought here. The knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, said I, is so important in itself and so conducive to our present welfare, and forming as they do the only guide to salvation and eternal felicity, that, come the Bible to this country either entire or in parts, greater or smaller, it should be held as a blessing of the first magnitude to the country. It does, I continued, appear to me strange that any man professing the religion of Jesus Christ and believing the Holy Scriptures are the only source of that religion, should throw difficulties in the way of the reception and use of the Bibles sent here, when every part of these Bibles is acknowledged to be canonical, merely because a few books also considered canonical in this country are wanting. And it is yet more surprising, I said, that any priest whose main duty is to teach the Holy Scriptures and to recommend like the Apostles the constant study of these precious writings, should oppose himself to the free use of the Bible sent here, at so low a price and so much within the reach of all. To this argument that there was given a full consent. My other argument was respecting the free use of Scriptures without notes. Our blessed Saviour, said I, has told us that the Gospel in an especial manner is preached unto the Poor. But those who say that the Scriptures should not be read but with notes, in effect contradict the Saviour, and say, that the Gospel not be preached to the poor but only to the rich. This comes I said to be the exact result of their plan of using the Bible only with notes, because the price of 100 dollars at which it is sold safely puts it beyond the reach of the poor to procure it. Therefore, I continued, let us take care that we oppose not ourselves to the benevolent arrangement and commandment of our Lord Jesus Christ. The latter argument seem to produce a sensible effect, and appeared to strike them as new, or something they had not before considered so fully as they should have done. May the Lord follow these conversations with his blessing, that so, his word may have free course in this land and that it may be glorified.
I come now to speak more particularly of our sale. I have already mentioned that the period of it was for eight days. Advertisement but will give notice of it were posted up in all the public places. But previous to putting up advertisements the laws of the city require that believe be obtained from the Prefect to do it. I called there for upon him for this end and showed him what I intended to post up. He gave me full liberty, and in the course of the day he came himself and bought a copy or two of our Books. A day or two after, he called again and brought his family and a relative or two with him, and bought some other copies for himself and them. I was particularly pleased with the feelings expressed by a young lady who I believe was his sister or his wife's sister. She seemed greatly pleased with her purchase when she had bought for herself a Bible calling it with emphasis her Bible, and she seemed by what she said to anticipate the pleasure she should have in reading it. In the course of the sale there were several instances exhibited of the pleasing attachment to the sacred volume, and an anticipated enjoyment in its perusal. Such instances were truly gratifying, and may such individuals abide in their first love, thus manifested to the word of God.
There were several priests who came to purchase, and took with them one or two more volumes. Friars also of various colours, black, brown, blue, and grey, came to our sale, and went away with the same treasure, and all seem to be pleased. One morning before breakfast, and before the usual hours commencing sale, somebody knocked the door, and upon opening it, in stepped a grey friar, and said that he had heard that I had Bibles to sell, and that he wished to see them. I showed them to him, he bought one, paid it, and courteously withdrew. A gentleman, the member of Congress who called the first evening after my arrival along with Father Cuevas, came several times and bought several copies for himself and friends. With this gentleman I had a good deal of conversation as to what is the genuine religion of our Lord Jesus Christ, as it is unfolded in the New Testament. This same individual afterwards introduced me to the Governor of the State and to some of his fellow members in Congress.
I have already touched upon the Apocrypha question and must again return to it, as my duty is to tell you all that passes pro and con upon the subject. It was very early perceived that our Bibles were defective or incomplete according to the sense in which the Bible is understood in this country. I never concealed from any that the Apocryphal books were not included. I pointed out a list of books given at the beginning, and said that the Bibles contained these books complete, but that the Maccabees and a few others were not there. Should you find, I added, any difficulty in taking the Bible as it is, at the low price at which it is offered, you can have a New Testament which is every way complete. The Bibles however were pretty generally preferred when the individuals had money sufficient for the purchase, though at the same time some refused the Bible namely on account of the deficiency mentioned.
Speaking generally upon the subject from what I perceived among the buyers, and from the observations of some who took an interest in the subject, I have no doubt but the sale was considerably hindered by the want of the Apocryphal books. The want of the notes was far less attended to, and none I think objected to buy on that account. That the notes were awanting was very evident to all, but the low price of the Bibles offered, and the great expense of the Bibles which have notes, nearly at once reconciled all who found any difficulty upon the matter. I was very much pleased to see how easily the notes were dispensed with for that is a great step towards the free circulation of the Scriptures in this country.
There was another difficulty connected with the want of the Apocryphal books, and one of some magnitude. It was a suspicion that arose in the minds of several, that those who had kept back these books, might very likely have altered those they have printed. I know that this doubt of the faithfulness of your edition dwelt on the minds of some who were above the vulgar prejudice upon the subject. I was asked in private and seriously by a very respectable gentleman who bought more than one copy, if the Bibles were indeed faithfully printed from Scio's version without omissions or alterations. I told him they were literally and faithfully printed from this version, and that too with more than usual care as to correctness. Should the Society at any time correct, as they might call it, the version of Scio by our English version or by any other standard even in a single sentence or word, it would I conceive be a fatal blow to the circulation of your editions in this country, as it would at once destroy all confidence in the Society.
At present though the Apocryphal books are wanting and which is felt here as a great want, yet at the same time we can triumphantly appeal to an examination of the Bibles for the faithfulness and correctness of those books which are printed. I mention this the more particularly as I have had some persons hint at the propriety of making corrections such as I have referred to. A few words more upon the subject and I have done. One man brought back a Bible he had purchased, and said he had learned that it was incomplete, and that he thought otherwise when he bought it. I told him how the matter stood, and said he might return the Bible if he did not like to keep it. He went home and brought it, and I returned him the money he had paid me. Another person called upon one of his friends whom I know, and who understands how the matter stands. This person said to the gentleman referred to that he wanted to speak with him a few words in private upon a particular subject. When he taken him aside, he told him that he had purchased the Bible, but that afterwards he had learned that it was defective and full of heresies. The gentleman told him that as to its defectiveness, it was true that such and such books were wanting, but that all the volume did contain was right and good, and that there were no heresies in it. This quieted the man's conscience and he resolved to keep his Bible and took it home with him again.
I shall now notice to you which of the volumes of the Scriptures were most generally preferred because that may serve as a guide in future, as to the editions which should be put to press for the use of this country. In the first place, of the two editions of the Bible, the 8mo has in almost every instance been preferred, and of the three editions of the New Testament the 8mo size has had a like decided preference. The same preference was manifested for the 8vo editions in Mexico, and it was in consequence of this that I requested you to send me the supply, now I hope on the way, all of the 8vo size. People little accustomed to reading will I believe always be found to prefer the large type. This is the state of this country, and hence arises the decided preference above-mentioned. The small size it is true, is more portable, and more easily carried to church to be used there. But, alas! no Bibles are used in the churches of this country. You, however, blessed be God, are preparing the way for placing the Holy Scriptures in the pulpits and on the altars of Mexico. You will succeed, and object to be attained is surely great. Persevere, for the work is of God, and he it is who has so graciously opened and prospered this country for your benevolent labours. Do your utmost to improve this seed time, and sow abundantly, assured that you, or others whom God will raise up in your stead, will in due time reap a large increase.
From what I have said in regard to the preference given here and in Mexico to your 8vo edition, I should think it advisable in future to prepare only these editions for this country. I believe I shall find same taste prevailing in this matter in every place to which I go, in travelling through the country, as the same circumstances prevail over at all with scarcely an exception. In regard to editions of the Scriptures for us, I have now request to meet, and hope it will meet with your approbation. It is, that you would print for us, with all speed, a Pica New Testament, similar to the English one you have printed. A large type New Testament, would I think be very acceptable here, particularly to those already of years and as sight begins to fail them, and yet more particularly to the aged, who would certainly bless you for it on their dying bed. In truth, the blessing you would confer on us in this gift would I think be great. The reasons you have for printing such an edition in English, you will find to operate yet more strongly in behalf of such an edition for this country. – I was going to add, try if you can also to give us before long a Bible in small pica with marginal references. I must not however ask too much at once, and shall for the present only beg of you to place this second request on your book of remembrance. But, do let us have the New Testament in pica, and as soon as you can. Mexico will at once take 2,000 copies of this edition, and that it probably soon after 3,000 more. – From the feeling which prevails in Mexico, and very likely wherever the Spanish language is spoken, in regard to the size of type, I think you may discontinue to buy any more from Mr. Bagster, and may discontinue also your edition of the New Testament in 32mo.
Of all the volumes I have, none have been more sought after than the one containing the Psalms. Very early in our sale here, all I have on hand of these were disposed of, and very many were disappointed in obtaining this volume. I feel strongly disposed to request you for the edition of these for books in 12mo with the type in which the 8vo New Testament is printed, continuing at the same time the small volume. It is I think very desirable to encourage the attachment manifested to this volume, and such an edition would greatly encourage it. – The volume containing the Gospel by Luke & the Acts of the Apostles met also with a ready reception, but was not sought after like the other. I think this little volume would be considerably enriched if it also contained the two Epistles of Peter. This would add very little to the expense and would render it more acceptable and more useful in this country. – In regard to the binding I would say a few words. All the copies of the Bible which I brought with me in superior bindings have been sold in this city, and I have the none remaining for those places which lie before me in the present tour. As the supply requested of you some months ago is no doubt by this time on the way, I shall not say anything here as to how I could wish the Bibles bound, but in my next request for a supply I shall return to this subject more particularly. – In some of my letters soon after my arriving in this country, I noticed to you that your 8vo Bibles do not mention the place where they are printed, and requested you to correct this in future. From what I have observed here, I would urge you still more on this point, and would even say, that if you have many copies of this edition still on hand, you should print a new title page for it, supplying the word Londres which is all that is wanting.
The number of copies of the Scriptures which have been put into circulation in the city during eight days of our sale, amounts to 125 Bibles, 150 New Testaments, 80 of the Four Books, and 95 of Luke & Acts, making of all kinds taken together 450 copies. For these I have received the sum of 741 dollars and 6 rials. Only two New Testaments were given gratis, and one copy of Luke & Acts. The muleteers who brought the Bibles here from Mexico, upon taking leave to return home, earnestly petitioned me for a book to read in the evenings, when they are in their journeys encamped as usual in the open air. I gave the New Testament to one of them and a copy of Luke & Acts to another, with which they were very much pleased. A native of Spain who lives here and who goes about selling little articles, used to come every day to our sale room. One afternoon when we were alone he showed a strong desire to possess and New Testament, and said he would try if he could gather together the price of one before the sale was over. I told him to try what he could do, intending to give him one should he fail. In conversing further I found his circumstances to be very low, and that he had a wife and two children. Upon rising to go away, he offered me some of the little articles he was selling, in exchange for the New Testament, manifesting at the same time a tender and earnest desire to possess this volume. I gave him a New Testament without receiving anything from him in return for, requesting him at the same time to read it frequently in his family, which he promised to do. He was truly thankful for what he received, and I hope this New Testament will prove a consolation to him and to this family in their low estate.
I have now mentioned I think all the principal occurrences connected with our sale here, and shall now notice a circumstance, though not connected with it, yet bearing strongly upon our general object. I had occasion to be in the office of the Secretary of Congress two or three days ago, and perceiving some newspapers on the table, I took them up to look over them for a few minutes. "The Mexican Eagle" was among them, the paper in which the controversy about the Bibles has been carried on. On looking into this paper, I found in it an article in reply to the one I had written some little time before leaving Mexico. I read it carefully over, and whilst I turned the paper in my hands thinking how I should reply to our opponent, another article about the Bibles caught my eye. I read it over with no little interest. It was in our defence. It contained a very excellent statement of the object and operations of the Bible Society, stating the faithfulness of your reprint of Scio's version, and urging the advantage of reading the Scriptures, and of gratefully receiving the copies you send, notwithstanding of their wanting the Apocryphal books. This article was extracted from the "Observer", a periodical work of which Dr. Mora, already known to you, is one of the editors, and I have no doubt but the article in question is from his pen. I consider this paper a very good reply to the article of our opponent, and it is very happily placed in the same sheet with it. Thus you see if we have foes, we have also friends, and the latter I hope are more numerous than the former.
Very near the beginning of this letter I introduced you to Father Cuevas, and mentioned his interest in our cause. At the close, I return to the same individual, to notice a circumstance in full correspondence with this interest. Last night when our sale was finished, I began to arrange and to re-pack the books that were left. Whilst I was going on with this somebody knocks at the door. Who is there, I called out. It is I, returned Father Cuevas. When he entered, he came up to me, and half out of breath, said, Is all well? Yes, said I, all is well. Is there nothing wrong, returned he: nothing, said I. On my saying this, he seemed more at ease, and said, that he was exceedingly glad to find that nothing had happened to me, because, he said, only a few minutes before, on his return to the Convent, he was told that I had just been robbed, and that he instantly came off in all haste to inquire about the matter. What had given rise to the this report was, that a Frenchman a few doors from my lodging had been robbed of his dollars in cash, besides clothes, etc. I could not but feel a kind interest taken by our friend in my welfare. Blessed be the Lord for all his gracious goodness to me, in all my wanderings. He raises up friends to me in every place, and causeth his loving kindness to rest upon me. Give thanks to our Heavenly Father, my dear friend, on my behalf, and pray for me, that I may live near to the Lord our God, and that I may, in your service, greatly advance his kingdom in this foreign land.
Till my next: Farewell.
James Thomson.