Buenos Aires, 16th August 1820

Revd. John Owen

Buenos Ayres 16th August 1820

Dear Sir

            I am sorry the interval between my last letter and this has been so much longer than I intended. For some weeks an embargo laid on vessels in this Port prevented my writing, and some time has been lost in waiting for information which I expected from a person to whom I had intrusted some of the Spanish New Testaments. This information regarding their distribution and reception I believe to be interesting and would be encouraging to you, but I am still unable to give it. It shall however be detailed in a future letter if I can procure it.

            Some months ago I went down to Monte Video for a short time, to promote in that place, as I have been doing here, the establishing of schools on the Lancasterian plan. I am happy to say my proposals there on that subject met with every attention. I need not inform you that the forwarding of this object is indirectly promoting that cause in which you are so earnestly and happily engaged. The Bible cannot, of course, be used by those who cannot read. He therefore who uses means anywhere that the youth may be taught to read, may be considered a pioneer to your Most Noble Society. The lamp which illuminates the world with the light of life seems placed on a tripod – the School Society, the Bible Society, and the Missionary Society. A threefold cord, says Solomon, is not quickly broken, and what has I threefold support cannot be easily overturned. How gratifying is it to all those who love Sion to see such numbers of the great and the good in our native Isle, inlist themselves under one or other or all of these banners. Blessings be on all them that love and seek the prosperity of Sion!

            I took with me to Monte Video about 50 Span. N.T. and the few Portuguese ones you sent me. Some of these I distributed and the rest I left with a confidential person to be sold or distributed according to circumstances. I have lately learned that those in Portuguese are all gone. I wish I had had more of them. In my last letter I requested you to send me 100 Por. Bibles & 200  N. Test. I hope you will find it convenient to favour me with these. If some of them were varied in the binding and lettered on the back, it would greatly promote their sale. I came up from Monte Video in a Por. sloop of war, and on parting with the Capt. I presented him with one of the Por. Bibles which he very thankfully recd. Besides the 400 Spanish N.T. you sent me I have received from Sir Thomas Hardy, our Commodore here, one box containing nearly 200. In consequence of this I shall not need any further supply of these for the present. Sir Thomas has another box containing a like quantity which he intends to send around to Chile in one of the frigates.

            Several months ago I sent by a friend going by sea to Chili, 40 New Test. one half of these I sent to a gentleman in Valparaiso, and the other half to a gentleman in Santiago the capital. I have not yet heard anything of their distribution. To a gentleman just sailed for the Western side of this continent, and who is going to touch had several places in Chili and Peru, I have given 100 Sp. Test. requesting him to sell or distribute them as circumstances offer, so as most effectually to promote the object which the Bible Society has in view.

            In this place a few are sold or distributed from time to time; and some of these have made their way more than 100 leagues into the interior of the country. No obstacle arises here as yet to their distribution, and I have no thoughts that any will arise. The greater the degree of freedom is enjoyed here than our friends in England suppose.

            I come now to say something about the printing of the whole Bible in Spanish. I have had several inquiries for it. I had a request from a father for four copies for his family. From all I can learn I think it would meet with a good or rather a better reception than the N. Test. alone. The translation you should print from is that of Scio, of which I have spoken to you more than once. You could easily get a copy of it to print from by sending to Cadiz. The last edition is to be preferred. I think it would be proper to make some alterations in the orthography to make it conformable to the last edition of the Dictionary of the Spanish Academy. I have conversed with a person who is in the habit of selling books sometimes here and sometimes in Chili and other places. This person, upon whose testimony I can, I think, rely, says, it is a great objection to your N. Test. its being printed in London, and he strongly recommends that you should put Madrid in the title page instead of London. If this were the case he says you could sell a good many either the whole Bible or of the N.T. in the different places to which he goes. You cannot of course say, printed in Madrid when it is not so. But if there is any possibility of your putting it printed in Madrid it deserves a very attentive consideration, as I cannot doubt of the great advantage that wd. arise thereby to the successful distribution of the holy Scriptures throughout this country, and of course in Spain also. It wd. perhaps be easier to get it printed in Cadiz. In Madrid however wd. be better.

            Should you think it too expensive to print the whole Bible at once you might do it in parts or half volumes. Let there be four of these for the Old Test. from Genesis to Joshua inclusive, might make the first half volume, from that to Esther might form the second, from this to the end of the Song the third, and the rest would make the fourth. I have thus divided into parts, and rather than want the whole for some years, it would be preferable to have one part one year, and another another.

            You may perhaps think I am injudiciously urgent about the printing the Spanish Bible, and that I am asking an undue attention from the Society to this matter. This might be considered and excusable partiality, but I am inclined to think I have better grounds than this for presenting to you my petition on the subject. If you take into consideration the population of America that speak the Spanish language, and to whom that is at present free access to the Scriptures, you will find I believe as strong reasons for undertaking the printing of the Scriptures in this language, as you have had for printing several of the translations which you have already printed. I have spoken only of the parts of America to which the Scriptures can now be freely introduced, that is all through parts in which the revolution has taken place. But we may calculate on circulating many copies in the other parts of Spanish America, and also in Spain, which now seems opening to receive this blessing. If thus the number of those who speak the Spanish language in Europe and America be considered, it will be found that few languages have a stronger claim to your attention. I purposely hope your Committee will give this subject that serious and early attention which, if I mistake not, its importance demands. I have already formed connections in various places throughout the Provinces of Rio de la Plata, and also in Chili. I have it also in contemplation to visit Peru and Mexico when my engagements permit, and should be much gratified to be the Almoner of your bounty in those parts.

            I understand by letters from Edinburgh that the Edinburgh Bible Society has entered into correspondence with your Committee on the subject of the Spanish Bible. I hope you will so arrange it between you that a beginning may be made soon. I believe also the American Bible Society would lend very considerable aid to this undertaking.  A ship sails from this to New York in a few days, and I shall seize the opportunity of laying this matter before the Managers of that Society. The claims and the wants of America cannot fail of meeting from them with all due attention & relief. It may be they will correspond with you on the subject.

            There is a letter in one of your Reports regarding the Indian languages of South America. I have sought a good deal for it just now, but cannot lay my hand on it. The writer (I think he writes from Berlin) offers, as far as I recollect, to translate the Scriptures into some of these languages. You will oblige me much by letting me know particulars about this, and if anything has been done. You may easily imagine that this subject has a peculiar interest to me from my situation and object in this country.

            I trust you are going on in your usual way, your funds increasing from year to year, your labours more extensive, and the fruits of your labour more abundant. May the blessing of the Almighty, in whose hands are the silver& the gold & the hearts of men, lie upon you in your noble work!

                        I remain,

                                    Dear Sir,

                                                Very sincerely Yours,

                                                            James Thomson.

Halifax, 1st November 1841

Rev A Brandram No 111

Halifax, November 1,1841.

My dear Friend,

In my last letter I gave you an account of my movements as far as Pictou. On leaving that place, I hastened on to Cape Breton, making some calls on the way, and holding conversation rather than public meetings. In due time, I reached Cape Breton, and visited several places in it, though not so many as I could have wished, being restrained by the lateness of the season, and by the bad weather we had during October; and to which also I may add, the bad roads in that Island. Some new Societies, however, have been formed there, through this visit; and the work of general Bible circulation has, I trust, been somewhat advanced. Our movements and labours, blessed be God, are always promotive of good, and do with certainty always advance the kingdom of Christ: they never retard it, and are never hurtful. The state of things in Cape Breton is much improved within these few years past, both as to religion and general morals. The ministers of the Scottish Church lately settled there have done much good, by faithfully preaching the Gospel, and by circulating the Holy Scriptures; in which latter work they have been efficiently aided by the Edinburgh Bible Society.

The Roman Catholic Bishop has also had his share in the improvements that have taken place, for he has exerted himself considerably in the cause of Temperance; and much need there was for his labours in this way. Among his people, too, we have had some Bible success. At Port Hood we had some of them at our meeting, who subscribed, and intend to purchase Bibles when the supply reaches that place for general sale; and some of them are put down as members of the Committee of the Bible Society formed there. At Arichat, in another portion of the island, we had a large Bible Meet­ing, and full one-half of the assembly were of the same people. They all seemed pleased with the Bible objects brought before them; several became subscribers, and three persons of note among them cheerfully gave their names to act in the Committee. This is encouraging.

Let us push on with our Bible work, and we shall see that no nation, nor class of people, will prove impervious to the reception of the word of God. Oppositions, and hindrances, and retardations, we shall meet with from time to time, and from place to place; but our success is certain, and I hope not so late as we fear. Just before entering Cape Breton, I visited a Roman Catholic priest in a place called Tracadie. I had 13 French New Testaments with me; for the people there are French. These I offered to the priest for sale, at a quarter-dollar each; and he immediately bought them, and paid me. In Antigonish, as I went through, I called on the Bishop, and had a good deal of conversation with him. He distinctly said to me, that he gave his people full liberty to act as they pleased in procuring and reading the Scriptures.

On returning from Cape Breton we had public meetings at Anti­gonish and New Glasgow; after which I went to Pictou, and then came on to this city, where I arrived the day before yesterday. This closes the season. I bless God for His great goodness to me in all my move­ments during this period, in my preservations and health, and in the success He has been pleased to grant me in His own holy work.

You will find below a list of new Societies, amounting to 17 in number, which, with the 24 given before, make 41 in all formed this season.

Your letter of the 17th September reached me on the 22nd ultimo. I thank you for all its interesting and kind contents, and shall probably refer to some of them in my next.

            I remain, Very Truly Yours,

                        James Thomson.

Edinburgh, 3rd May 1845

Rev A Brandram

Edinburgh, 3rd May 1845

15 Elder Street

 My Dear Friend,

             We have arranged for having a public meeting on Monday next, after which I shall write you of our concerns here. In the meantime I write to get from you, in Committee on Monday, if judged befitting, a sort of authority to hold a conference with the Committee of the Edinburgh Bible Society, or with other societies similarly circumstanced where I may be, should the same it be considered desirable and profitable. I have understood that such authorization would be required previous to the conference.

             I remain,

                        Yours Very Truly,

                                    James Thomson.

Edinburgh, 27th May 1845 - 1

Rev A Brandram

Edin. 27th May 1845

My Dear Friend,

            Just before leaving this city I write you a few lines.

            The Resolution of the Committee of the 23rd. and your note appended to it are before me, You say that in the Com. "There was a feeling that you should visit such friends as wish to see you, and then return to us." I thank you for giving me this little notification. The idea in it coincides exactly with my own view of our present line of action after what has occurred. My nearly sole operations henceforth will therefore be, to visit those societies now connected with us, without making attempts at forming new ones. Passing visits will be made besides to persons and places with a view to future operations, say next year, and in succeeding years. We should not yet despair of Scotland, better things may yet take place, though thus far, as Job wished it, "Thistles grow instead of wheat."[1]

            We have printed off our Defence in a separate form, but have contented ourselves with 500 copies, as we do not wish to do more than meet as a shield and defence what has been done against us.

            The Warning was no doubt all written here, it was only the little tract I sent you that came from London.

            In a late meeting of the Com. of the Edin. B.S. there were those individuals who stoutly defended us, and expressed strong disapprobation of the Warning, and had their names entered in a protesting form. There are, I believe, other members of the Com. who entertain similar views, but who were not present.

            I remain, Yours Truly,

                        James Thomson.

[1] Job 31.40 (BM).

Stirling, 11th June 1845 - 1

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)

Aberdeen, 28th July 1845

Rev A Brandram

Aberdeen, 28th July 1845

My Dear Friend,

            I send you the reply of our Edinburgh Committee to the Second Warning, and also a note from the Edinburgh Bible Society in reference to it, by which note you will see, that the newspaper war has ceased, and that something in the shape of an Address or Pamphlet may be expected before long to appear.

As to the heading I mentioned in my last, it would, I think, be very desirable to have it corrected by a cancel without delay. I have not the book at hand, but they say it reads, "consecrates the bread and wine into the body and blood, and ordains the Apostles priests". The words "into his body and blood", – and "priests" should be left out, and then it will stand well, and the omissions will not probably give offence to the other party. I do not know that there are any other objectionable headings; but it is very desirable, I think, that the whole should be examined with as little delay as possible, and at what is really erroneous should be corrected: or the whole headings should be left out in future editions. Probably this leaving out of the headings would be unwise, as they are more used perhaps by a certain class of readers, and more useful to them, than we are aware of. This, you see, is contrary to what I formerly said. But I have thought a good deal upon the subject since. At all events, I think, they should be, and early and entirely revised.

            I have been thinking as to whether anything could be done with the passages objected to in the text. I did give a hint in regard to this matter in a former letter, and am rather inclined to believe that something might be attempted without much danger, but particulars about this must be left till I see you.

            In my letter from St. Andrews I noticed the desirableness of considering whether our own pure  hands only could handle our own pure Bibles on the Continent without the aid of the Societies objected to.

            Of the four counts against you, as contained in the little square that I now send, I have already noticed three. The other respects Prayer. In regard to this I have observed in my movements, that all our friends desire a change in the practice. Many think the difficulties might be overcome, as they are in most, or all other Societies. I think if our clerical secretary were to be chaplain, the Dissenters would not object to his holding the office, especially under present difficulties, and our friends, The Friends, are all men of peace, and would not I think stand out in war in this case of peace-making.

            I think it is right that we should meet every objection as far as we well can. I have ventured some hints. You may not perhaps approve of them all, but you will I know forgive my freedom in noticing them. May God himself, the God of righteousness and peace, guide us all in all our ways, and keep us ever from hinderings, and enable us always to advance his own kingdom, in the service in which we are engaged.

                                    I remain, My Dear Friend

                                                Very Truly Yours,

                                                            James Thomson.

Aberdeen, 4th August 1845 - 1

Rev A. Brandram

Aberdeen 4th August 1845

My Dear Friend,

I continue to you my narrative of occurring circumstances in this Scottish Bible tour. My last letter was dated St. Andrews July 9th and brought on matters as far as that place. On the same day on which the letter referred to was dated and sent off, I left St. Andrews, and returned to Dundee. There I saw the Editor of the Northern Warder, the newspaper noticed as having favourably and repeatedly spoken of our meetings. I learned from him that the Second Warning had been sent him for insertion. This was an extension of the Second Warning beyond the first, for it was not here advertised, and the putting of the Second in this paper was no doubt occasioned by our movements. This was throwing a shell with a particular aim.

From Dundee I went to Arbroath, and saw there the solid and extensive remnants of the once vast monastery which contained about 430 monks. I visited the different Ministers here, and went on to Montrose. Here a meeting was held, and the collection made in one of the United Secession Churches. The Minister of the other church connected with this body was, for a wonder, unfavourable to us. On the same side, and very distinctly, stood the two Ministers of the Free Church, one of whom is a half brother of the late Dr. Andrew Thomson. I called upon them both, and afterwards breakfasted with one of them. They each took a strong view on the points objected to by the Edinburgh Bible Society. Our interviews were long, and from disputed things we passed to things in which we agreed, and I shall long remember the pleasantness of our conversations in the Gospel of Christ, and in the things of the Kingdom of God. This same Mr. Thomson said we were quite right in advocating our cause in Scotland.

I called also on the two Ministers of the Established Church and found them both very friendly. They had, they said, for some time back been considering whether anything could be done by them in aid of your Society, and signified their readiness to have a sermon preached for you, and a collection made. The Wesleyans, Independents, and Baptists were also favourably disposed towards us.

In Montrose is one who left you a Legacy, which you have already received though the Testator yet liveth. I refer to Mr. Dorward, who became his own Executor, and paid you (as you would have been paid at his death) his legacy of £2000. I thought it an official duty to call upon this gentleman. He is aged and infirm, and still continues warmly attached to our cause.

I now returned to Arbroath to meet the engagements I had entered into in that place. On the former and present occasion I saw all the three Ministers of the Free Church, and found them all unfavourable, yet mild towards us though indisposed. They have more confidence they say in the Edinburgh Bible Society, and hold with that body in some at least of their objections. I thought I made some impression upon one of them, in reference to the aid we give to their missions in the East, pleading, as I said, that as a matter of justice, we should meet with some encouragement from them, and not the reverse. Another of the three said he entertained no feelings of opposition to our Society, and the third said he knew that our Society only was supplying the world.

In Arbroath I saw the Montrose newspaper, which while it noticed our Sunday meeting, took occasion to chant the Edinburgh chorus. However I learned at the same time that an article in our favour had come for insertion in the Arbroath newspaper, and to this I appended a column of information concerning our Society in its plans and operations.

The two Ministers of the Established Church in Arbroath I found well inclined toward us, and so were the Secession, Methodist, and Relief Ministers, the latter of whom, the Rev. William Allan, was particularly serviceable to me both in counsel and general help, and he is a member of the Edinburgh Bible Society here. In his church we held a meeting of Ministers, and some of their leading people, and all were represented except the Free Church. Our object was to form the nucleus of the Society in a committee consisting of Ministers of each denomination with one or two of their elders or deacons. This was a very pleasing meeting, and resulted in the formation of the intended committee, whose object is to pass into a Society as soon as circumstances will permit.

This finished my business in Arbroath. I then paid a short visit to Forfar, the capital of the County, where I met with friends to our object, and particularly in the Parish Minister, and something was done in furtherance of future operations. The short visit I also paid to Brechin. The two Ministers of the Established Church were very favourable to us, and one or perhaps two of the Free Church Ministers were rather favourably inclined also. I called on the Bishop, but he told me he subscribed to the Propagation and Christian Knowledge Societies, and that that was all he could do.

I again returned to Montrose, and visiting those friendly mentioned what had been done in Arbroath, and begged they would form themselves into a committee after a similar manner, to which they said they would give their attention.

Aberdeen came next in order, and this Capital of the North, and the third town in Scotland required some days for due operations. I had feared for things here, having learned that the Edinburgh spirit prevailed strong. I found things better however than report had led me to expect. The first favourable circumstance in regard to Aberdeen is, that we have more Free Church Ministers on our side than anywhere else as far as I have yet been. Two of the Secretaries of our Auxiliary there are Free Church Ministers, and some half dozen altogether we can count as our warm supporters. The strongest party on the Edinburgh side are also Free Church Ministers. In my rounds I visited these as well as others, and was very agreeably disappointed in finding them much less opposed than I imagined. The Established Church Ministers are with us, and so are the Dissenters, and not least the Baptist Minister. We held three meetings. The first was in one of the Free Churches, the second in one of the Established Churches, and the third in an Independent Chapel. The first was on a Sunday, the second was to form an Established Church Association in conjunction with our Society, and the third was a general meeting of the Auxiliary. At this general meeting we had three Free Church Ministers present, and what was both curious and gratifying was that one of them was a strong Edinburgh Bible Society man, but of a different spirit from his friends in Edinburgh, judging from what I saw of him at the meeting, and privately before in his own house. This gentleman is the Editor of a Free Church newspaper here, and in his paper issued on the morning of the day on which we met, he gave notice of our meeting and recommended the people to attend. He told us when he came to the meeting that he was acting inconsistently in coming, as well as in having told others to come. But we said that he was acting very consistently and helping forward the Bible cause in any way. – We have observed some of the newspapers take friendly notice of the meetings we hold, and in the one most extensively circulated there will appear a long article about our Society next week. What the Banner of the Free Church will say that next issue, I know not, but should like to see, and may perhaps see.

This finished Aberdeen. That is a branch of this Society In Inverury, and I thought it a duty to pay our friends there a visit, not to get money, but to give encouragement. We had a meeting in the Independent Chapel which was fairly attended considering that there was another meeting at the time. The people were pleased at the visit paid them, and were glad to hear of the Society's movement in the various parts of the world. We can hardly say that we have either the Free or Unfree Church with us here, though they keep from us on quite different grounds. The Free Church Minister in an adjoining parish is warmly for us, and attends the meetings of this Association.

Today I returned from Inverury to this city, and tomorrow morning early I go to Peterhead. – In returning here, and just before leaving the place, I would mention two things more or less connected with it. The first is, that in visiting the Rev. Sir William Dunbar,  I found, contrary to my expectations, that he was not quite favourable to us, though far from being against us. His main objection seems to be our want of Prayer, and this coming from a Church of England clergyman was the more remarkable. In Scotland generally our difficulty is not understood, and Socinians are always supposed to be the cause of this want. Sir William however could well understand the matter, but he said he would have prayer, leave the Society who would.

The next thing is in regard to Dr. Wilson, the missionary from Bombay. You already know from what I wrote from Edinburgh that he is very favourable to us, and this you know also from himself by interviews and otherwise. I have mentioned on several occasions to Free Church Ministers Dr. Wilson's confidence in us, and his willingness to aid us. On some of these occasions it was suggested to me, that some statement from him in writing would be useful, as he has great weight in the Free Church. I wrote Dr. Wilson regarding this, and have had a note from him, expressing, that the Society is "entitled to the confidence of the friends of evangelical religion in Britain, and to the kindly and not unfriendly remonstrance of those who may have to suggest improvements in any department of its operations." This document I have found serviceable here, and doubt not but I shall find it so in various places as I move onward.

            I remain, My Dear Friend, Yours Very Truly,

                                                                        James Thomson.

P.S. Since finishing this letter, I have learned, that the Second Warning was published in the Banner, and I have seen it. This was throwing a shell before us; but it seems to have had little effect.

Inverness, 26th August 1845 - 2

Rev A Brandram

            Inverness, 26th Aug. 1845

My Dear Friend,

            Being about to leave this place, my farthest point northward, I sit down to give you my narrative from the close of my last letter up to the present date. I left Aberdeen on the 5th instant, and came to Peterhead. The Wesleyan Minister, the Rev. Mr. Baylis, to whom I had previously written received me on alighting from the stage, and took me to his own lodgings. He was, as all the Wesleyans are, friendly to our Institution and served me all he could in furtherance of its objects. We held a meeting that evening, and another on the evening following, at the latter of which a committee was formed to consider of doing something in our favour. The Independent Minister there was likewise favourable, and so was that secession Minister. The Free Church Minister was not unfriendly, and stated that he believed Dr. Candlish's name, as signing the Warning, have not much weight with the Free Church Ministers generally. The Established Church Minister was absent, and the Episcopal Minister above our reach. The herring fishery was in full action to Peterhead, and I was interested in observing that when the nets were full the fishermen drew to shore and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels and cast the bad away.

Frazerburgh was the next place visited, where under bad weather we had a small meeting and made a small collection. Little else was done in direct help of our objects, but something preparatory perhaps for a future occasion, and it may be to a little society.

Next came Banff and here we held no meeting a tall, being hindered by various circumstances. The Established Minister showed every disposition to befriend us, and promises, along with other friends we have in that place, to give his aid in the formation of a little Auxiliary Society. Our expected meeting having proved a failure, he gave me his collection of five shillings, which he intended to drop into the plate, and another gentleman gave me ten shillings under similar circumstances. The Free Church Minister here is not friendly, but the others are all decidedly so, namely, the Established, the Secession, Independent, and the Wesleyan Ministers, and there are good hopes of a society being formed.

Elgin followed in succession. Here the Rev. Mr. McNeil the Independent Minister has long and all along stood our friend, and keeps up a sort of society in his own personal efforts to get little sums for us. He gave me £2 thus collected since his last remittance. The Free Church Minister here, though connected with the Edinburgh Bible Society, is by no means unfriendly to us, and thinks the Warnings were uncalled for and unkindly. But for some good purpose or other it seems you are privileged to have an opponent in every place, and so there was such found here in one of the Secession Ministers. The other Minister however of this connexion is our warm friend, as is nearly invariably the case with the Ministers of this body. The Established Church Minister is entirely for us. In Elgin there subsists our Bible Society in connection with Edinburgh and this society has always been, I may say, a warm partisan of its parent. Nevertheless the "irae" elsewhere existing in certain "animis coelestibus" does not seem to be nursed here. They say in their last report: – "We have no wish that hushed controversy with the friends of the London Bible Society be revived; we rejoice in the real good which that great Institution has done. We have no feeling towards its respected friends, but reverence for their conscientious conviction of duty; but we have not confidence in the purity of some of its agencies; we conscientiously disapprove of some of its alliances, and are fully persuaded that it would be more useful without them." Here you see is friendliness in the midst of non-accordance, and this, I may say, is the more general spirit of the Auxiliaries to the Edinburgh Bible Society in Scotland, so far as I have observed them; and in correspondence therewith. I have on several occasions heard in these quarters disapprobation expressed in regard to the steps recently taken in Edinburgh against us. We had a meeting here and the collection.

Forres lay next in course after Elgin. In this place, strange to say, all and everybody is for us. But despite of this the adversary has come in in another shape. The Rev. Mr. Grant, the Free Church Minister, who always stood our friend, is about to join the Edinburgh Bible Society, because he was invited, along with others, to attend a sermon for the Society in the Parish Church, from which he had been ejected. The Provost is president of the Society in Forres, and we held our meeting in what I may call his Meeting House, namely, the Court House, and made a little collection as usual.

Nairn followed, and here in company with the Independent Minister, I walked some distance out of town to see the Minister of the Established Church, whom we found very friendly, and grieved at seeing nothing done in your cause. He promises to bring the subject before the Presbytery at next meeting. There is a Bible Society here, neither connected with you nor with Edinburgh, but for a long time it has been rather nominal than effective. I did not see either the Free Church or the Secession Minister, though I called on both, but learned that the former was doubtful, and the latter friendly. Here we had, as generally had, a little meeting and a little collection.

In the above statements you have a sketch of my rapid movements from Aberdeen to Inverness. In all the places I met with hospitable treatment for your cause's sake: many were found friendly to us, some ranked with another Bible Institution, but were not unkindly towards us, and scarcely any were opposed.

In Inverness there are three Free Church Ministers, one is very cordially for us, another is entirely opposed, and the third is neutral, and about to study the subject more closely than he has hitherto done. The other Dissenters are all with us, but none of them are more cordial than are all the Ministers of the Established Church, two of whom I had formerly met with in Nova Scotia and Cape Breton. The Rev. Mr. Clark of this church, who has always been on our side, will probably transmit to you soon some £20, from a Bible and General Religious Institution existing in his own parish. Dr. Ross of the same body spoke of you in a very friendly manner, and as having been grieved with former occurrences, as well as later ones. Our Bible Society cause they intend soon to bring before their Presbytery. We had a meeting and a collection in one of the Secession Churches in Inverness. I had arranged to hold this meeting previous to the sitting of the General Assembly of the Free Church there, knowing that there would be no opening during their sessions, and this is what hurried me over previous places. On the occasion of this Assembly I had an opportunity of getting acquainted with several Ministers of the Free Church from various parts of the country, and this knowledge may prove useful in visiting some other places not yet taken in. Tomorrow morning I leave Inverness and proceed without stopping for business till I come to Glasgow.

            I remain, My Dear Friend, Yours Very Truly,

                                                James Thomson.

Glasgow, 11th October 1845

Rev A Brandram

Glasgow 11th October 1845

My Dear Friend,

Being now about to leave this city and neighborhood, I sit down to give you some account of my movements and operations since my last dated in Inverness the 26th of September.

From Inverness Westward through the Lakes, and Southward to Glasgow, I travelled in company with several of the Free Church Ministers who had been attending the General Assembly in Inverness, and were then returning homeward. Our Bible Society was of course at times the theme of our conversations. Most of the persons referred to were on the Edinburgh Bible Society side, but they were with one exception better minded towards our Institution than is indicated in the Edinburgh documents, and I include in this one of the Committee of the Edinburgh Bible Society who was with us. The said documents were disapproved of. And I may here state that this is a feeling I have generally met with all over the country among those not joining with us, but rather with the Edinburgh Bible Society. They are not adverse to us. They wish your improvement in some things, but rejoice in your operations.

In Glasgow I have paid many visits, and two Public Meetings have been held, besides several Committee meetings. Favourable notice of these public meetings was taken by most, if not all, of our newspapers here, including the Free Church organ, and not a syllable has appeared against us in any quarter.

One of the acquaintances I made on the way from Inverness to this city was that of Dr. Smyth, one of the two Secretaries of the Glasgow Bible Society, a Society considered always to side with the Bible Society of Edinburgh. This gentleman I have since seen on different occasions, and been kindly treated by him at his table. Dr. Smyth is a Minister of the Free Church. He coincided in the Edinburgh Bible Society statements, and in their separation from you, and still he sees things much in the light of former times: but with all this he has a kindly feeling toward us, and rejoices in our prosperity, though very anxiously desirous of our amendment in some things. Previous to our Public Meetings I ascertained from Dr. Smyth that no part would be taken by him and his friends in opposition to us. Had I found a different disposition we would not have held any Public Meeting, being desirous of avoiding such exhibitions us took place after our Public Meeting in Edinburgh. Dr. Willis the other Secretary is also a Minister of the Free Church, and whom I may describe in Dr. Smyth's own words: He is more liberal, said he, in regard to your Society than I am. This gentleman has also shown me his hospitalities, and has distinctly expressed goodwill towards you.

In conversations first, and afterwards formally by letter, half private half official, I have set before these gentlemen and their Society the claims we have on all Bible Institutions for help, inasmuch as we are the only Bible Society that is in any measure providing the Scriptures for the heathen and Mohammedan world, in all their millions, besides destitute Christendom also. Your objections to us, I said, applies only to a few versions in our European operations. May you not, inconsistency with holding these objections, still help us in our vast work in Asia, etc., where these objections have no place? And were you then kindly to aid us, your suggestions for our improvement would most likely tell better upon us. In this manner I have represented things, and Dr. Smyth says that as soon as a pretty full meeting can be convened, after parties absent returned to the city, he will read my letter in Committee; and I shall have a friendly, he says, if not unfavourable answer.

As regards the Established Church, in addition to various private visits, we have had two conference meetings, at which a number of Ministers were present. The latter one was at the close of the Presbytery meeting with all the members present. From what occurred in our communications it was agreed that a Committee should be formed consisting of all those then assembled, in order to take the Bible Society subject into consideration. No pledge was given as to the course they would pursue, but the expressions uttered by various individuals were decidedly in favour of having a Society formed in connection with you. Of this Committee, Dr. Hill, Professor of Divinity in this University, and the present Moderator of the General Assembly, is convener.

In respect to the Dissenters here, as in other parts of over Scotland, they are our friends, and have all along been so. But I may say of them, that they are rather sleeping than active partners in our concern, owing to the long inactivity in Scotland in our favour. One of my objects here has been to a wake these sleeping partners, and make them open their eyes wide to see the nature of our great work, and our need of their active cooperation. Perhaps something has been done in this way, and it will now lying with you to keep shaking these are friends less they falll again into slumber.

The other day the Relief Presbytery in this city passed the following resolution: – "The attention of the Presbytery having been called to the operations of the British and Foreign Bible Society, the court agreed to record their high approbation of the Institution, and to recommend that, on the second Sabbath of November next, (or, in cases where that day is found unsuitable, on some Sabbath as near there to as convenient,) the Minister in the bounds should call the attention of their several congregations to the operations and claims of the British and Foreign Bible Society, and that they should in other ways according to their influence and opportunity, endeavour to promote the interests of said Society, and the great cause to which it is engaged."

The Presbytery of the United Secession Church usually assembling in this city will, I believe, pass a similar resolution at their next meeting. The Independents are equally friendly towards us, and most probably will correspondingly serve us, by the several Ministers addressing their congregations on the subject. The Baptists though friendly to us seem to think that their own translation Society has the greatest claim on them for help.

From this place as a centre, I have visited, and on different occasions, Paisley, Greenock, Irvine, Ayr, and Kilmarnock. Public Meetings have been held at all of them, except Ayr, which I have yet to visit in my way Southward, and collections have been made to aid in our work. Our meeting that Greenock was held in the church of one of the Vice Presidents of the Greenock Branch of the Edinburgh Bible Society, and the same gentleman was present with us, as was likewise a member of the Edinburgh Bible Society Committee there on a visit. Steps have been taken in some of the places above named for forming Bible Societies in connection with us.

I have spoken with some Merchants here as to our China work, and have procured a letter to a gentleman in Singapore, to be sent to that place along with copies of the Scriptures in the Chinese language, in the full expectation that he will take an interest in their proper distribution. Towards your China Fund, Mr. John Henderson of the city has given me one hundred pounds, and also another hundred for your general objects. Some other donations have got besides this handsome one, partly for China, and partly for our whole work.

I know purpose going Southward through Ayr to Stranraer, and then along the South of Scotland to Dumfries and Annan, where I will take my departure for England, and expect to be in London on the first of November.

I am, My Dear Friend,

Very Truly Yours,

James Thomson.

P.S. I should have mentioned what I now do that the Rev. I S Taylor, one of the Secretaries of our Auxiliary here, has very kindly entertained your Agent during all his stay in Glasgow, and has also in every other ways contributed to forward our objects.

Dumfries, 30th October 1845

Rev A Brandram

Dumfries, 30th October 1845

My Dear Friend,

My tour in Scotland is I may say now concluded, inasmuch as tomorrow I expect to be in England, and next day in London. My last letter was dated in Glasgow the 11th instant on the eve of my leaving that city. After I wrote I was present by invitation at the meeting of the Glasgow Presbytery of the United Secession Church, where I represented the claims of your Society, or rather the claims of the world for the Bible, which you only are furnishing it with. A favourable reception was given to the subject, and it is to be further taken up at a subsequent meeting.

On the 15th I left Glasgow, and went to the Isle of Bute with the object of seeing the Marquis of Bute, who is at present Lord High Commissioner to the Church of Scotland. I carried with me a note of introduction from Dr. Hill, the Moderator of the General Assembly. I wished to interest him in our object, both on account of his high official station, and account of other things I learned concerning him. I was well received, and kindly asked to stay to dinner, and pass the night, and more particularly they said, because they had some gentlemen stopping with them whom it might be desirable for me to see. I stayed accordingly, and had thus better opportunities of conversing with Lord and Lady Bute on our Bible cause, and also with their visitors, one of whom was the son of Lord Wharncliffe, and is the present member of Parliament for the County of Bute.[1] A very friendly feeling was expressed by the parties in our favour, and perhaps something more substantial may follow. The Lord Bute stated to me that his declining to become a Vice President of the Society was owing to his belief that the Church of Scotland was not favourable to us, and that he did not wish to be acting contrary to the Church to which he was the Commissioner. Dr. Hill's letter may tend to remove that impression, and subsequent acts of the Presbytery of Glasgow and of other presbyteries of the Established Church may remove it altogether.

Next morning, I crossed to Largs, with the weather and sea both stormy. When inquiring of the owner of the boat what was his charge, he said that Lord Bute had settled with him. My object at Largs was to see Lord Glasgow who stands as one of your Vice Presidents. I did not however see him, as he had gone from home the day before. – I then went on to Ayr. Here I found I could not well have a meeting as there had lately been some canvassing for the Edinburgh Bible Society, and a kind of collision would have been exhibited by publicly putting forth our claims at that time, which appearance I wished to avoid, as did also our friends there.

My next stopping place was in my native parish and village. Here we had two meetings in the Parish Church, the Minister being very friendly, and the Secession Minister is alike favourably disposed towards us. At the second of these meetings a Bible Society was formed, and all present seemed to enter into the object. I set before these my fellow townsmen and parishioners the low state of Scotland in the Bible cause, and the desirableness of reviving it, and how honourable it would be to take the lead in so good a work. I urged them at once to strike at a higher point than even the noble Welsh, who have all along been foremost in the Bible cause. Anglesea I find contributed something less than fourpence per head. I therefore proposed that this Kirkmabreck Bible Society should aim at once to raise as much as fourpence for every individual in the parish old or young. I shall feel very glad, and you may be sure, should my native parish act thus nobly, and be the leader to all other parishes in Scotland. I may not be successful, but it is worthwhile to aim at the good and high mark. I feel ashamed as a Scotchman that Wales should be before us, and so far before us, and should like much to have a successful race with Mr. Phillips.

From Creetown, which is the name of our village, I came to Dumfries. I had planned to have a meeting here, and also one in the Parish of my aged cousin Dr. Wightman of Kirkmahoe close by. But this being Sacramental time with both, I have been hindered in my purposes. Last Sunday I passed with Dr. Wightman, now in his 84th year, and still performing Sabbath duties. I set before him our claims, and he and his Assistant are to take an opportunity soon of bringing this subject before their Parish Congregation.

I have visited most of the Ministers of Dumfries, and those I have met with are friendly, or became so on conversing with them. The two Free Church Ministers were not at home when I called. Dr. Duncan of the Established Church when I first communicated with him, said, that he could not support the B. & F. B. S. The main cause of his saying so I found to be the belief that our Society sent the Bible in sheets to the Continental Societies, and that they put in the Apocrypha. I showed him how different was the practice of the Society from which he had thus been led to believe. He was satisfied with the explanations made, and said that I had "completely removed his conscientious scruples." Dr. Duncan has however some desires in favour of a National or Scottish Bible Society. I have not heard anyone express this wish so clearly as he did, but it has been suggested to me more than once, that this national or Scottish feeling has something to do with the outstanding, not to say opposition, of a certain Bible Society that might be named.

In my last letter I mentioned that I had addressed a communication to the Glasgow Bible Society, and that I was promised a friendly if not favourable reply. This reply I have since received, and I have a copy of it: – "Glasgow, 17 Elmbank Place, 16th October 1845: – My Dear Sir, – I submitted your communication in regard to the British and Foreign Bible Society operations to our Committee here at our regular meeting this week. It was received with all respect and kindness, and will be fully considered at our next monthly meeting. The Committee did not feel themselves at liberty to express any decided opinion as to their duty in aiding your Society in present circumstances. Our friends are in our depressed state, but apart from this circumstance there are various matters connected with the employment of Foreign Agents, and the use of certain translations as to which we desiderate the necessary information. We shall be delighted to find that the evils complained of are rectified, or are likely to be rectified. At all events you may depend on hearing from us at no distant period. Meanwhile, I remain, My Dear Sir, most Truly Yours, John Smythe, Sec."

This document you see is of a very friendly nature, and I hope and trust, and do pray that the kindly tone of this communication may soon become the only one in Scotland, and may result in a happy and early union. – With this I close my tour in Scotland.

            I am, My Dear Friend,

                        Yours Very Truly,

                                    James Thomson.

[1] James Archibald Stuart-Wortley (1805-1881). (BM)

London, 22nd November 1845

Rev A Brandram

London 22nd November 1845

My Dear Friend,

Agreeable to the wish expressed by the Committee, I proceed to give some account of my mission to Scotland.

The first thing I notice, is the line which I moved, without mentioning every place on my route, nor my comings and goings, and re-visitations of the same places. I went first Edinburgh, then to Dunfermline, Linlithgow, Falkirk, Stirling, Perth, Dunkeld, Blairgowrie, Dundee, Cupar - Fife, St. Andrews, Arbroath, Montrose, Aberdeen, Inverury, Peterhead, Fraserburgh, Banff, Elgin, Forres, Nairn, Inverness, Glasgow, Greenock, Paisley, Kilmarnock, Irvine, Ayr, Creetown and Dumfries.

In every place my first business was to call on the Ministers of different denominations, and on other persons also who were known to take an active part in the Religious and Benevolent Objects. In nearly all the places above enumerated, Public Meetings were held and in some of them more than one or two. Meetings of Committees, and private meetings with parties composed of those friendly to us were also held.

At all the Public Meetings, also in visitations and in parties, I spoke more or less according to circumstances on the following topics: – The history of the Bible, in the times and modes in which God gave us the Sacred Writings, and their progressive extension among men: the present general destitution of the Holy Scriptures in the world at large: our high privilege in this country in possessing as we do so richly the Divine Volume: the rise, progress, plan, operations, present and prospective work of the British and Foreign Bible Society: the obligation lying on us in this nation to send the word of God extensively and speedily over the whole earth, for which purpose, it would seem, God had elevated, enlightened and enriched us more than other nations: and finally, the desirableness, if not special duty, of all who interest themselves in the fulfillment of these high obligations lying on us, of joining themselves to, and heartily cooperating with the British and Foreign Bible Society, in as much as it is the only institution in our land at the present time that is getting the Scriptures extensively to a great portion of the world, and possessing, as it does, great facilities and advantages in the shape of versions, agencies, correspondents, and friends, so that a given amount of funds would do more good in the line of this Society than otherwise employed, towards diffusing the word of God among the nations. Some notices of my own little travels were also given as forming part of the Society's operations.

Besides these things here mentioned, and considering the new field over which I was moving, I have to touch upon, and sometimes also to dwell upon matters connected with the now old story of the Apocrypha, and its accidents. I stated in the best way I could how the circumstance arose of your publishing the Apocryphal books, and showed that these ceased to be published 20 years ago, and completely and entirely. The connexion if such it can be called, which our Society has at present with societies on the Continent of Europe which still circulate the Apocrypha, though not as the word of God, I explained, showing that it consists merely of our availing ourselves of them, as of any other convenient medium, for circulating our Bibles without the Apocrypha, and bound up so that this edition could not be at put in, whilst all monies received for these are invariably and by express stipulation, remitted to London, so that no aid however indirect can be afforded them for publishing their own books. This, as you are aware, is the whole of the Apocrypha question. Replies however to other objections I had also to make, but these I will touch upon farther on.

Such as now described were my movements and statements. The next thing is, what reception I met with in the Bible land of Scotland. Our Public Meeting in Edinburgh we endeavoured to conduct in the most peaceful manner in respect to those who differ from us; yet notwithstanding this, there appeared a couple of days after, and advertisement in the newspapers, entitled "Warning to the Public," that is, against our Society persuading the people of Scotland not to join us, and because of certain past and present errors said to be attached to our operations. Both the spirit and the letter of this document appear to me unaccountable, as issuing from men who love the Bible, and love to circulate it, and who know well what the British and Foreign Bible Society has done, and is doing in diffusing the Scriptures over the world, and moreover what wonderful effects God is working through the same. Our Auxiliary in Edinburgh replied to this Warning, and showed the true position in which we stand, and as not justly liable to the accusations brought forward.

In my movements from Edinburgh through the country, I found the Ministers of the different bodies of Dissenters, with but few exceptions, very decidedly in our favour. The same statement I would make, and to the full extent, in regard to the Ministers of the Established Church. In the Free Church we have several Ministers entirely favourable to us, but I am sorry to add, that the majority of otherwise minded. Few of those however who thus keep aloof from us have manifested the spirit of opposition as seen in the aforenamed Edinburgh document. They object to some of our operations, though all are not alike in the particulars to which the object. Very few of these, I believe, would take an active part against us; and when they have had leisure fully to consider the state of matters in the great Bible cause, and the true position of our Society, there is reason to hope that many who now stand off will come near to us, and join us with all their hearts. The Rev. Dr. Wilson, the Free Church Missionary from Bombay, and now in Scotland, is warmly with us and is very desirous that all his Brethren of the Free Church, and all Scotland would join us

I visited the various Auxiliaries in Scotland that have all along continued with us, and found them cordially disposed to forward our objects, though all confessing that they have not done so much as they ought. The hinderances to their operations will be noticed further on. Among the supporters of the Edinburgh Bible Society I found many bearing a very friendly feeling towards our Society, and were sorry to see a separation and an opposition kept up. Others connected with this body had doubts as to some of our proceedings, and join the Edinburgh Bible Society from having more confidence in it, yet rejoiced in the work that God is carrying on through the British and Foreign Bible Society. From all I have seen in this visit to Scotland, I would say that two thirds of the country are in our favour; and the other third, with the exception of a few, cannot, I think, be considered hostile to us. They would like to see some things in our operations altered, but still see that God is with us, and are glad to hear of the good thus done.

Misunderstandings I found very prevalent as to the present operations of our Society. Some thought the Apocrypha was still being circulated, and not merely in the few European languages in which it formerly appeared, but also in English. Others thought that though the Apocrypha was not printed by our Society, yet that we regularly sent out the Bible in sheets to Continental Societies, and that they bound in the Apocrypha. Other mistakes I also found existing on these matters. But when things were explained on these points, I generally found the parties take a very different view of the subject.

Some new societies were formed on this tour, and endeavours were made to strengthen existing ones. Some Presbyteries of the Establishment, and the Relief and United Secession Churches have especially taken into consideration the duty of aiding our Society, and I have no doubt good results will follow from the same in due time, individual congregations, of different bodies, have acted in a similar manner.

You will have observed, that for a long time past, and more particularly in recent years, the contributions from Scotland to our Society has been small. It would not be fair to take this fact as a proof or test of the feelings of Scotland towards the British and Foreign Bible Society. The truth is that the violence and personalities of the Apocrypha controversy induced many lovers of peace and of good will to withdraw altogether for a time from the subject of Bible Societies, and to lie on their oars till the storm should abate, and the waves cease to roll. By the time that this had taken place at least in some degree, the spirit of apathy had begun to act. Many, if not most or all of these who contributed to Bible Societies, because it was popular to do so, but who felt no other interest in the object, withdrew, and were glad to be relieved. The constant friends of our Society could not rally these into action. Other parties were found, who though they had objected to the violence exhibited in the controversy, felt themselves in doubts and difficulties as to the operations of the Society from the statements that had been publicly made, and not having the means of properly informing themselves as to the truth of matters. The friends of the Society moreover felt disinclined to act publicly in reviving our cause in the fear that the painful agitation would be renewed. Under all these influences the apathy increased. These our warm friends do not hesitate to blame you in part for this apathy. They think that if you had uninterruptedly continued to visit Scotland, you would have kept many together who were fully attached to you, and that others also would have gradually join them. Your nearly entire desertion of Scotland for many years they think wrong, and they strongly advise that it should be visited continuously in future, and they seemed assured that this labour would not be in vain.

The Edinburgh Bible Society is labouring with considerable success in keeping up and in extending the circulation of the Scriptures in Scotland. Something also is being done beyond Scotland as far as their means admit. In all these labours of this body, in the grand object of making known to mankind the will of God as contained in the Holy Scriptures, the friends of the British and Foreign Bible Society will undoubtedly rejoice. All that is thus done is truly in furtherance of the grand enterprise of diffusing the word of God over the whole world. There is no room for rivalry and envyings in this work. But it is surely to be regretted that misunderstandings of any kind should at all exist among those who are embarked in the same grand cause. Let us pray, and hope for a termination of these misunderstandings. It is humbly supposed that were the two Societies united, as formerly, more would be done both in Scotland and beyond it through means raised in that Bible country than is the case at present time. It is therefore worthy of attention of both parties to take into consideration in the most friendly manner every circumstance that might conduce towards unity and cordial cooperation. – The Glasgow and Greenock Bible Societies should also be mentioned as contributing to the general distribution of the Scriptures, and as acting very efficiently in favour of emigrants from their ports to America and elsewhere. I have already alluded to two of the objectives entertained by some to the operations of the British and Foreign Bible Society, namely, the direct and indirect circulation of the Apocrypha, and have shown that the Society is free from participating in either. The third objection exists, and bears on some versions used, not made, by the Society, being translations from the Latin Vulgate. These versions properly viewed cannot be considered as unsuitable for circulation, especially among those who will not accept of another version of an improved nature. That this is so is attested by the very persons who have made the objections, inasmuch as they are found promoting, and contributing to the circulation of the very same versions as members of Committee and contributors to the "Edinburgh Continental Association." But the suitableness of these versions is attested in a more satisfactory manner still, and by higher authority. God himself is giving testimony to the word of his grace through these versions, in converting hundreds of persons: whilst on the other hand we are not acquainted with any evil produced by the versions in question.

The fourth objection was made to the headings of some chapters in the Portuguese New Testament. On examination it was found that these accusations were not grounded on facts, as the passages quoted did not exist. One heading however is to be found, though not quoted in the first accusation, which though not involving the errors stated, is it somewhat objectionable; and this passage will, I understand, be amended or omitted in next reprint.

The only other material objection I have had made, and have had to answer, is in regard to the opening of the meetings with prayer. Not only our opponents, but also most of our friends have noticed the subject. I have replied to the objection by stating the peculiar difficulties of the case as respects England, whilst similar obstacles do not occur in Scotland. Our friends in many cases see our predicament aright, but those unfriendly can make no allowances. I have mentioned also how much real and earnest prayer is in effect made by the parties transacting the business of the Society, though not after a formal manner. I think I may say it is the wish and earnest desire of the Committee to be free from their embarrassments in this case, and to be able to use prayer in the fuller sense indicated by the different parties in question. Providence will, I trust, prepare the way for this in due time, and may the measure be hastened for its own sake, and for the satisfaction of the complaining parties.

I have had some friendly communications with the Glasgow Bible Society, a Society sustaining generally the same objections to us as the Edinburgh Bible Society, but as far as I have seen in a very different spirit. I have represented to the Society, that the main objections urged against the British and Foreign Bible Society respect only a few versions in Europe, and constituting a small number of the 160 in use by the Society. I have stated that they might notwithstanding these objections aid the Society in its work with other versions to which the objections do not apply, and which, besides much of Europe, embrace the many millions in Asia, and in other parts of the world. I have hopes that some cooperation of this kind may take place, and which would at once produce a better feeling, and might lead in due time to a full cordiality, and the happy union in the great and blessed work of giving God's word to all mankind. May the God of peace give us this peace, and by his power make us of one heart and soul in doing his will.

In regard to funds, that have been obtained by collections at Sermons and Public Meetings, the sum of £93:14: 8, and in donations £223:13:0, making in  all £317:7:8. The Travelling Expenses exclusive of advertising and other printing are £58:19:7. From the Societies formed, and others revived, and from collections and contributions likely soon to be made by various congregations of different denominations it is hoped that an additional sum still larger than that above stated made be yet sent to the Society as the immediate result of this mission.

There is undoubtedly no country in the world that has benefited more by the Bible than Scotland. Scotland therefore ought to be the largest contributor of all countries to the sending forth of the Bible to the many nations of the world. Being myself a Scotchman I have often are urged the consideration of the subject on my countrymen, and endeavoured to create a more powerful feeling in this our duty, with corresponding exertions. Wales as seen by last year's accounts is actually doing not far from twice as much as all Scotland, the Wales has less than 1 million of inhabitants, and Scotland more than 2 millions and a half. The proper annual contribution from Scotland proportionate to the present support given by Wales to the general diffusion of the Scriptures would be upward of Fifteen Thousand Pounds. Besides, the major part of the contributions from Wales go to the circulation of the Scriptures in foreign countries, whilst nearly all that Scotland contributes is expended on itself. I feel very anxious as a Scotchman to see Scotland doing its duty in this great cause, which at present it is not doing, but coming very far short. I feel desirous that all my countrymen should awake to what is right in this matter, and that Scotland should not only redeem its credit, but go nobly before, and in advance of all countries in giving to the world liberally that Book which it has so liberally received. If Scotland would do this its proper work, acting separately from the British and Foreign Bible Society, it would be all well, and it with us ably advance the grand enterprise of that Institution. But this I think is not likely to be the case judging from the results of the last 20 years, and therefore it seems desirable that Scotland should unite itself in its Bible operations with England. Within this union, the funds raised in each end of our island should stand distinct, and so should the exertions of the noble Welsh in this cause be seen apart. The yearly amount of Bible good done to foreign lands should also be seen as distinct from domestic labours. In this way there might be a pleasing and profitable rivalry in this truly great work and duty, that would profit all parties, and hasten the diffusion of the word of God over the earth, and make the joyful sound sooner to be heard, – "The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ."

I remain, My Dear Friend,

Yours Very Truly,

James Thomson.