Tetuan, 4th December 1847

Rev A Brandram No.7

Tetuan 4th December 1847

My Dear Friend,

On the day after I wrote you from Tangier, I left that place on my way to this. It is an indispensable requisite in travelling in this country, to have a soldier in company; and there is something more than form in this arrangement, as safety requires it. As I started I learned, that I was favoured more than common, in respect to the soldier selected to accompany me, he being the Governor's brother, and of the rank to command 25 men. He was armed with a very long musket and the sword.

I needed another person to accompany me, and that was an Interpreter, as a soldier could only speak Arabic. A Jew supplied what was wanting, as he could speak both Arabic and Spanish, and one of the two merchants, I before mentioned, was the person.

I noticed in my former letter one of the cases in which the Jews were subject to degradation in this country by the Moors, namely, in their being obliged to take off their shoes or slippers on passing every mosque. On leaving Tangier I learned another case of this degradation, which was, that no Jew is allowed to write on horseback through the town. I mounted at the Inn door, but the Jew was obliged to walk. I might mention, that my privilege was not owing to my being a Christian, but because the Christian Powers of Europe have interfered in the case, as well as in the matter of slippers and the mosque, and have their resident consuls see after their rights. On this ground a European Jew can walk past the mosque with his shoes on, and also can ride on horseback through the town.

I was no sooner fairly on the road than I began to think with myself when and where I had last been on horseback, and I found it was on an occasion never to be forgotten by me. I was in Yucatan, when I had to give up riding through illness, and to be carried by Indians in a litter for nearly 300 miles under a most oppressive heat. God preserved me on that occasion of danger, as in many others, and brought me home, and restored me to health; and I often call these circumstances to my recollection and give thanks to God for all his nurses with a full heart.

The weather we had was beautiful, though on the 24th of November, and it would've puzzled one to say what item was wanting to make the day in any way more to one's wish than it was. The heat and the cold were most happily attempered, and not a cloud disputed the right of the sun to rule the day.

The country through which we rode, like the weather, was delightful, being hill and dale, like Milton's heaven, on which he says, as a model in this respect, our earth was formed.

We found cultivation going on extensively, many ploughs being seen at work, and plough in fashion such as I suppose Noah used, or perhaps Cain, who was the first tiller of the ground. Agricultural improvements are all yet to come in this country; and it may be that there are neither than one might imagine. How so, I will not say, perhaps the subject is delicate. These ploughmen were part of the inhabitants of the various villages we saw on the hillsides, all consisting of thatched cottages, huddled together, and better perhaps described by the name of crawl than villages. About a day's journey southward, I learned, that the cottage disappears, and nothing is to be seen, out of towns, but encampments of Arabs, with their movable tents made of camels' skins.

As we travelled on we came in sight of the northern portion of the famous Atlas Mountains, high, rugged, and majestic. It was dark before we got to our night's abode, the caravansary, called a phone and K. In this we had the consolation of a primitive bed the ground, an earthen floor. There were rooms with the door to each to open and shut, but no window, and not a thing of furniture in them. The worst was, that they were all occupied by the time we got there and we had to avail ourselves of the services and rank of our gallant soldier to get the shelter at all, and which, after a good while's waiting, we obtained and we were truly glad of it, as the wind had risen high, and the night it air was cold.

Here again, I began to reflect when it was, and where, I had last slept on the ground, the bed I have on several occasions had, and sometimes without other canopy than the heavens. It was, I recollected, when crossing the Andes, a little to the north of the Equator, near Popayan. Forgive these recollections of a traveller bearing precious seed sent out by you, and whose thoughts necessarily turn to former scenes, particularly when called up by some things of forming similarities as on the present occasion.

Starting early next morning we got to Tetuan by noon. This city, like Tangier, is surrounded by a high wall. On arriving at the gate, I had to wait till my soldier guide rode on to the Bashaw to say an Englishman had arrived. By and by another soldier came, the Governor's aid-de-camp, I learned, and he conducted me through the town to the Inn. I rode, but my Jew friend was obliged to alight and walk, and to hold himself in readiness to take off his shoes, and carry them in his hand when he should come to a mosque until he was passed it.

The only Inn here is kept by a Jew, and to the Inn of course I came. In Tangier the Jews reside in any part of the town where they can find a house. Not so however in Tetuan, for here they live in a ward by themselves, and surrounded on all sides by the Moor population. In this separate manner the Jews live all over Marocco, except in Tangier only.

I had seen a good part of the Jews' part of the town on the day I arrived, after duly resting. Next day I had a wish to see the Moorish art. But the British Consul, and my Jew friend, both advised that we should not on that day go into it, because it was the last day of their great feast, and a high day with the Mohammedan's, so that Christian and Jew were safer out of their way than in it. Of course I put off my visit; and I had to put it off for three days, for here, odd enough, we have three sabbaths in the week. Friday is the Mohammedan's day, Saturday is the Jews' day, and Sunday ours.

I noticed to you this great festival in my last letter, but I did not complete my notice through oversight. I should have said that besides the sheep wounded to death outside the gate, and carried, if possible, still alive to the great mosque, there is a sheep killed by every family that can attain to it, and there is to be seen blood that day all over the town, not on the side posts of the door, and the lintel, but in the street in front of each house. There is something of the Passover evidently in this ceremony, as there is much Jewish, and Christian likewise, throughout all the Koran.

I told you, that in Tangier, the wounded and dying sheep was put upon a man's shoulders, to carry from the gate to the mosque. They have a modification of that here, and one calculated to secure a better omen, and it is, that they put the sheep on to him mules back. Notwithstanding however this better chance of a good omen in this case in place, the sheep was dead, as at Tangier, on its arrival at the mosque.

I may connect this with some information as to the public Mohammedan feeling at the present time in regard to their political and religious standing and sway, having learned it from a highly respected Moor the other day, and these omens accord with it. This Moor is a native of Algiers, and left that place soon after it was taken by the French. He says, an opinion, or prophecy, is current among them, that these Mohammedan states lying on the Mediterranean are destined to suffer reverses, from the year of the Hegira 1245, when Algiers was taken, until the year 1271, when all are to come again into one, under the Grand Seignior of Constantinople. The first part of this prophecy is more likely to be fulfilled, I think, than the second; but events will show when they come for it is very little we can see distinctly in the distance.

The Jews have 17 synagogues in Tetuan, which accords well with their number in this place, as has been stated to me, that is, 7,000. The Moor population will be more than three times this number, so that we may set down the whole population of  Tetuan at 30,000.

I have been at the Jews' synagogues, and found them well filled, as at Tangier, and many, as there, had books. They have meetings in the synagogues three times every day, with lengthened services on their Sabbath. Their morning meeting is at half an hour before sunrise. They are therefore, as you will perceive, what may be called religious Jews, a statement that cannot be made as to this people everywhere. I have visited and conversed with their Sabios, as they are here called, this being the Spanish word for Savans, wise men, or Magi, and I have been glad to learn that they are adherents to the Scriptures only, discarding a thousand fancies to be found in their rabbinical commentators. Though the Sabios however are thus emancipated, the same is not the case with all the people, for I have found, and in an otherwise intelligent quarter, ideas odd and erroneous enough. One of these is, that the Gentiles have no souls at all, and therefore cannot be saved, nor lost either, but when they die they die into nothing. Again, all go to Purgatory, that is, of course, Jews, except those who have no sin, and there are, they say, many such. When they have paid all they owe in Purgatory, they get out, and to heaven, where all of course finally arrive, except the poor Gentiles. Even the Sabios admit of this purgatory fully, but allow that Gentile as well as the Jew may be saved, and will, if their works are accepted. In repentance, and well doing is all their hope, and they seem to have no idea of the need of a sacrifice for sin, and such as God would accept, nor (and I might say) of course, of a Priest, for sacrifice and priest are correlative terms. They hold, it would seem, the same views as Socinians on these points. Our Priest however, and our Sacrifice, are our Jachin and Boaz, which sustain and beautify our Gospel Temple. Any Sampson who would bring these down, would ruin all, and there is such as Sampson going about aiming at this destruction. Let us resist the devil, in whatever shape he may appear.

The Jews here have a good many schools, in which the children are taught to read and understand Hebrew, and to go through their general synagogue service. I look forward with interest to the time when your Bible divided into volumes will reach this, and prove a great convenience, satisfaction and blessing to teachers and taught. A Jew here who has procured one of the large Bibles I brought, is actually getting it divided into two volumes for the convenience in question, that his son may use it at school. He was for dividing it into four, and was only hindered by my showing him, that it was not printed to admit of such a division.

There are here also what may probably be called Schools of the Prophets, for I suppose, they are just like those so named in the Scriptures in many respects. They correspond with our theological seminaries or colleges, except that all the lore given or received is Jewish, or Scriptural and Rabbinical. I have been to see some of these. About 20 I saw at one the other day, all with large books in front of them on a bench, whilst all they, the Sabios included, were squatted on the floor cross-legged and in Moorish fashion, on mattings behind the benches, forming three sides of a square. The Gemara was their textbook.

There is a scribe in this town, whose only employment is to write out copies of the law or Pentateuch. This portion of the Scriptures is used in the synagogue always in manuscript, and hence the need still of scribes, even in these printing days. I was anxious to visit this scribe, and to see him at his interesting work, and I had this satisfaction. He wrote with considerable quickness, and his penmanship is beautiful, so as not to be distinguished from printing. I had hopes of seeing a valuable old manuscript from which he copied, and one that might perhaps be of use in Scripture criticism. But in this I was disappointed, for I found him copying from a printed book! It is therefore a pure superstition which keeps up the use of a manuscript Pentateuch, instead of using the cheap printed book. A copy of the law written by him is worth 250 dollars. He writes on a common dressed sheepskin. I found another prejudice or superstition prevailing, at least in the scribe's mind and conduct. I signified a wish to him, through my Jew friend, to have a copy of the Ten Commandments written by his hand, as a specimen. But this he would not do, for love or money, on behalf of a Gentile.

The book from which the scribe was copying, is the Pentateuch printed at Amsterdam in 5527. The page is about three quarters of an inch shorter than Bagster's page, and a quarter of an inch less in breadth. This in point of size, as referred to in my former letter, would suit us well; and perhaps you had better inquire through Mr. Tiddy if there is now such an edition there on hand, and if so you might purchase at least 100 copies to begin with. It may be also that they have their the whole Bible printed in this size, all of which would meet our case here. – I think all the Hebrew books I have seen in this quarter are printed in Amsterdam, Leghorn, or Venice.

I have good hopes that you will be able, and soon, to accommodate us with a four volume duodecimo Hebrew Bible, as specified in my last. But should you not be able to do this early, or at all, then you must let us have, if you please, Duncan's edition done up, as mentioned, in four volumes. It is printed for a division into two volumes, as you will see, but in making four of it, you will have to attend to the re-paging of the 2nd and 4th volumes, and to the printing of the leaf which divides the 1st and 2nd and that dividing the 3rd and 4th volumes. Each of these leaves must be made into two, as you will observe by inspection, that each volume, when bound, may be complete, and no more. Send us say 100 copies, as before indicated, to make a commencement with. – All supplies for this quarter to be consigned to our friends in Gibraltar for my disposal, with invoices sent me where I may happen to be at the time. Small sized cases would be best.

I come now to the New Testament. Some of those I had brought with me to this place from Tangier, and I have found Jews willing, or rather more I think than willing, to take them, and I always make the condition, that they take them to read them. I should think with time, patience, and perseverance many copies of this Blessed Code might be distributed here among God's ancient people, to shed a light on their own sacred book (and ours), as the sun on the moon, which hence becomes at full, so visible, clear, and shining, and almost a sun itself, through reflection on its own comparative opaqueness. Oh! You cannot tell, my dear friend, how this blessed New Testament has arisen in my estimation from my visit to this quarter, and intercourse with the people who hold the Old Testament only, and particularly as incrusted, as they have incrusted it, with their own traditions. It is indeed a New Testament, and it is "The New Testament of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." Let us dwell on the words, and ponder them, and in gratitude and adoration. Verily, there is no other name, but that of Jesus, by which we can be saved, and the New Testament shows us this Lord and Saviour with meridian light.

But our progress with the Jews in regard to the New Testament must necessarily be slow, in a direct way, at least at the beginning. We have in our hands however an indirect way by which we can work, as preparatory to this, and it is by facilitating to them the Old Testament, and in the most accommodating and attractive forms we can, and as indicated to you here, and in my preceding letter. When their attention is much drawn to the reading of the Old Testament, by its general diffusion among them, I have no doubt there will accompany and follow this, a wish to see the New Testament. Changes and circumstances in the world's movements will help on this work, and certainly we shall not labour in vain.

This desirable work of bringing the New Testament, with all its flood of light, before the Jews, would, I conceive, be further facilitated by the publishing  a volume containing one of the Gospels (say Matthew or Luke), the Acts of the Apostles, and the Epistle to the Hebrews. I mean of course that this volume should be in the Hebrew language. Besides publishing these three portions in this way together, it would be well also, I think, to publish each of these three parts separately. A portion of the edition should have the Rabbinical Spanish version on the opposite page. Let us in this, and in every way, I would repeat, facilitate to the Jews the study of the New Testament. The 18mo size would most probably be the best for such an edition, either containing the three portions, or the one.

Next to the Jews here, who have a special claim upon us for their Father's sake, the Moors come under our attention, as forming the great body of the inhabitants of this country, and of all of Barbary. These, you are aware, are all Mohammedans. They are not however inaccessible, I should think, but rather otherwise, so far as our work of distributing the Scriptures is concerned. The Old Testament and the New are both recognized in the Koran as divine books, and in this view the Mohammedans are more prepared than the Jews for our object.

There is an obstacle at the threshold in regard to this desirable work among the Moors of this country. The language they speak is Arabic, but not the Arabic of the Koran, nor of your Arabic Bible. It is Modern, or rather as a better designation, African Arabic, and differs, I understand, about as much from the ancient tongue, as the Modern from the Ancient Greek. The same reasons then which induced you to get ready a version of the New Testament first, and afterwards of the Old Testament also in Modern Greek, should lead you to get ready a version of the Scriptures in African Arabic. And there are still greater reasons for this than in the case of the Greeks, because of the vast numbers speaking the language of this quarter above those speaking Modern Greek. The Empire of Marocco, in which I now write, is said by Jackson to contain some 14,000,000 inhabitants. Others say 5,000,000, and perhaps Ten Millions may be near the truth. The country is as large as Spain or France, and seems as well peopled at least as the former. I have seen more appearance of population in passing from Tangier to this city, than in the same distance in Spain in crossing it from the Pyrenees to the Mediterranean. Add to Marocco, Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli, and also vast regions to the South of this Empire. The whole may be perhaps from 20 to 30 millions who are reachable by this dialect.

I have been anxious to initiate this work whilst here by getting a portion of the Koran rendered into everyday language of common life, for to the poor the Gospel should be preached. The other day, after several inquiries, I found out a Moor lawyer, who of course reads the Koran which is their Blackstone as well as Bible. He paid me a visit, respectfully, according to the courtesy of this country, leaving his slippers outside the room, and entering bare foot, as well as bare legged, with turban on. As I had an Interpreter, we had a lengthy and pleasing interview. I gave him your Arabic Bible, which he read readily, only remarking, in reply to my inquiries, as to its style, that the version was pointed in some parts rather in the Constantinople manner than what is customary here. He read all the first chapter of Genesis, and a good portion of the second, and seemed to be gratified with what he read, and desirous of going onward. On inquiry, I learned that he would accept and peruse the Bible, and I forthwith made him a present of it. After full explanation I engaged him to render a portion of the Koran into the modern dialect spoken here, giving the language of the Koran on the opposite page, that a better comparison might be made, lest their copy of the Koran might differ in some words from our printed copy. He took leave of us with this intention, put his feet into his slippers outside the door, and retired. At the close of the next day he was to present himself again bringing his work with them. A little before the expiration of the prescribed time, when I was looking with interest to his coming and his work, we received a message from him, saying, he could not do what he had promised, as his religion, he found, forbad it: not for a thousand doubloons, he said could he do this, nor for any sum or consideration. After this negative it was needless more to think of this individual to help us, and so we sought another. We found one, and laid the subject before him. He agreed, but the next day retracted, and for the reasons given by the other. A third was sought and found, and we thought him more secure than the others, as we understood he did not scruple to take a little wine, notwithstanding the Prophet's prohibition. He was set to work, and with some hesitation as he proceeded, finally finished what was prescribed to him, with injunctions that we should not show what he had done to the Moors. The purpose in view in this translation, with its original, is that the learned in Arabic may judge of this African dialect how far it differs from the Arabic contained in the Koran.

Amidst these inquiries and difficulties a Jew was found who was said to be able to do something in this line. Though all the Jews born here speak the common Arabic of the place, they do not write it. This individual was an exception, from having out of curiosity and much intercourse with the Moors taken lessons in writing the Arabic character, and in the common dialect. I found however that he was not sufficiently versed in the Koran language, and therefore not fit for what was wanted of the Moors. But something additional, and a better work for him presented itself. He reads and understands Hebrew, and I got him to translate the three first chapters of Genesis. This he has done, and so satisfactorily, as to lead me to engage him to translate the whole book of Genesis, which he promises to do in about three months.

The Mohammedans here have many schools in the city, as well as in Tangier, but one cannot get in to see them, as no Infidel dated enter either mosque or school. I believe however that these schools resemble in a great degree the Jews' schools here, namely, that the mosque service (and in the other case the synagogue service) is chiefly taught, together with a little smattering of letters or learning. Had the Mohammedans books for their schools easily accessible as to price, and in the common tongue, most probably they would avail themselves of the opportunity, and get and profit by such books. Portions of the Scriptures properly fitted for them, would, I think, in all likelihood, be received and used, because, as I said before, they have no repugnance say to the Scriptures, either of the Old or New Testament, but on the contrary, consider them both as inspired, and from heaven.

Were you School Book people, properly so called, as you are Bible people, I would plead with you for a Primer, both for the Jews and the Mohammedan schools, as the sharp end of a wedge to prepare the way for your Bible and more bulky book, for which I have been pleading, and which would come afterwards into the children's hands from you. But I must apply to another quarter for such help, as you are rigid Bible people only. However if you tell all the world, that we want a Primer for the Jews, and one also for the Mohammedans, in and over all Barbary, somebody may perhaps respond, and offer the means necessary for the end. Ainsi soit il.

There is not a printing press in all this Empire of Marocco, and how desirable is it to lift the curtain, and let in on this numerous people all the magic wonders of this engine of light. The means and ways of doing this I have indicated in two lines of action, and I trust and pray for early and happy doings and results.

There is a work I have seen here which gives a good general representation of the Empire, and more particularly of this quarter, and I mention its title, in case you should wish to look into it. It is, "Sketches of Spain and Morocco, by Sir Arthur Capell Brooke Bart. 2 vols. 1831." "Western Barbary, its Wild Tribes and Savage Animals by J. H. Drummond Hay" will also afford much information as to the peoples and their manners in northern Marocco, published by John Murray 1840.

            I remain, My Dear Friend,

                        Very Truly Yours,

                                                James Thomson.

P.S. The documents referred to in this letter will be forwarded by some early convenient opportunity after my arriving in Europe.

Cadiz, 27th December 1847

Rev A Brandram  No.11

Cadiz 27th December 1847

My Dear Friend,

I now forward by the Packet the two cushions of which I spoke to you in my letter from Tangier. May yourself and Colleague ever enjoy much comfort as you sit on them, and do the work of the Society, and of God: and when at times the humble bestower comes into your minds, lift up a thought to God for him in all his wanderings, with thankful remembrances for preservations and mercies heretofore received.

I mentioned to you in my letter of the 15th instant, that I had found some Rabbinical Spanish Testaments unexpectedly in Gibraltar, and had forwarded them to Tangier and Tetuan, with some Hebrew and Arabic Bibles. In the morning of the day on which I left Gibraltar, the Jew, the supercargo before noticed to you, called to take charge of the two cases, and to have them put on board of his vessel, in which he would take them freight free. I showed him one of these Testaments that I had in reserve and on looking into it, we found the language was not Spanish, but some other. This was the thicker of the two sizes, of which all were except two, and these were packed up. Perhaps these thinner, but broader and longer volumes are different, and may be Spanish. The Jew was to examine, and retain these two if Spanish, and send the others back to the depot. Be so good as have these two different sizes and shapes of New Testament in the rabbinical character looked into, and apprise me on the subject.

I should not have omitted to mention in my last Gibraltar letter, that in the house of Mr. and Mrs. Dove, I enjoyed a most gratifying hospitality. Gibraltar has been to me, from their kindnesses, and from comforts enjoyed, combined with spiritual fellowship, and oasis among the desert lands of my travels in Spain and Barbary. The Lord reward them, and the many who have shown me kindnesses in many places. May we all meet in that one place, which only is a truly happy place, in the house of our Father in heaven.

The subject of the Jews, in their past and present states, and their prospective one, has much occupied my thoughts, and not unnaturally, since I found them in such numbers in Barbary, and had extensive conversations with them.

The words contained in Hebrews II.3,4, are very solemn. "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him, God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with diverse miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will." This passage applies no doubt especially to the Jews in Jerusalem in the times of the Apostles. Their circumstances and privileges were remarkable, and there could be no escape to those who neglected to profit by them. Their sin in this case was truly the sin against the Holy Ghost. But the Jews of the present day are not so favoured as were the Jews of that time and place. They have never heard Jesus speak, nor have they heard those who delivered what they with their own ears learned from him, nor have the gifts of the Holy Ghost been seen by them. True, they might, if they would, have all these advantages, in a secondary sense, and just as we have them, that is, as they are found detailed at length in the New Testament. But that book they will not look into, and why, because they view it as we do the Koran, or the Socialists' irreligious and immoral book. Our efforts therefore should be turned, and be most specially directed, to the smoothing of the way to their access to, and use of the New Testament code. A serious Jew could not well be uninterested in the perusal of this volume, for in truth it is, as we might say, Jewish throughout. Nor could he, we should imagine, be unaffected in observing in it, and contrary to all his previous ideas, the constant reverence and respect shown in all its parts to their own Scriptures, as divine, and of all authority, and of the highest value. He would see, that under these impressions of their sacredness and importance, they are continually quoted and illustrated, and everything taken from them which Christians hold concerning the Messiah, and as personated in Jesus of Nazareth. I have said, that a serious Jew, that is one without guile and seeking truth, could not be unaffected by the reading of this volume. I might perhaps venture to say more, he could hardly but be conducted thereby to the Christian's faith. Let us therefore by all and every means, facilitate to the Jew the reading of this book. Greatly, I conceive would this be done by the printing of the Three Books I mentioned from the entire volume. It would be much easier to gain the attention of a Jew to this small portion than to the whole. It might prove a sort of entering wedge, and in it he would find the cream of all the code, and what most would suit his case. In the Gospel the Jews would find the Lord Jesus a very different personage from what they had supposed, and they would see how he reverenced and handled the Scriptures. In the Acts they would observe how their own nation was distinguished in having the message always first delivered to them, and that when they were addressed, it was always by opening up the Scriptures to them, and declaring nothing but what Moses himself, and all the Prophets testified. In the Hebrews they would perceive a chain of lengthened, close, and deep reasoning on the words of Scripture, and proving powerfully all that Christians hold. – But for all the same reasons already brought forward, I would also, by all means, have each of these three Books published separately, for still more attracting and initiating the Jews in respect to our Blessed Book of the New Testament. And also, and farther, I would have copies of the several books of the New Testament to contain, besides the Hebrew, in which I have supposed them all to be published, a translation into the vernacular language of the Jews in the several countries in which they reside and printed on the opposite page.

In the following four ways than I would have the Jews accommodated. First, by having printed for them in a volume by themselves, in the Hebrew tongue, one of the Gospels, say Luke, the Acts of the Apostles, and the Epistle to the Hebrews. Secondly, I would have each of these three bound up separately. Thirdly, I would have to accompany those portions in the Hebrew language, a translation on the opposite page in the vernacular language of the various nations into which the Jews are found. And fourthly and lastly, I would still give them, as is now done, the whole New Testament, and I would also have it with a translation annexed.

In reasoning with the Jews in Barbary, I was surprised at the ease and readiness with which they set aside, and otherwise applied, the several passages which our Lord and the Apostles bring forward from the Old Testament, and apply to the Messiahship of Jesus. The 16th Psalm for instance. That applied to David himself, they said. We know that it is otherwise. But how do we know this? Not by our own sagacity in discerning the meaning and force of that ancient, great, and deep prophecy, but because we have it explained to us by men whom we believe and know to have been divinely inspired, and all of which we read in our own precious Testament. On these occasions, I was forcibly and frequently reminded of the Eunuch's pertinent question, "Of whom speaketh the prophet?" Oh the value immense of our Blessed Testament, which sets all these inquiries at rest! How are we privileged indeed in having this holy volume of light! As I wrote from Tetuan, I look up, I clasp and press to my bosom, and I prize and peruse this precious volume, since I had these interviews, in a way I never did before; and if the Jews shall not be benefited by my visit to Barbary, I hope at least that I myself shall. Well did our Lord say, "Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see." Oh then let us hasten to show to the Jews the Blessed Things which we see, as contained in the New Testament, and by all the facilities and attractions indicated, and by all others we can devise.

And there are others which we can devise, and I have in a former letter noticed them. But I now return to them more particularly. What I am now to speak of has reference only to the Old Testament, but it is a means and a way by which the Jews may be stirred up to make inquiry about the Christian's addition to the Scriptures. This is to be done, by making their own Scriptures more common, familiar, and general among them, in the synagogue, and in the house. I observed in the synagogues I visited in Barbary, as before noticed to you, that many of the people had books. Both the Law and the Prophets are read, but the greatest attention is evidently given to the Law, and no doubt rightfully. One portion of the Scriptures is read one day, and another another, but of the Law, I believe, some portion every day. What then would accommodate the Jews, would be the binding of the entire Bible in such portions as could easily be carried by them at every time they go to the synagogue, which is, as before noticed, three times every day. I have recommended the dividing the Bible into four volumes for this purpose, which are the four natural and common divisions the Jews have in their Hebrew Bible.

But the dividing of the Bible into such portions, for convenience should be still further extended, at least as regards the Law. The Pentateuch consists of Five Books. It is desirable for the ends and reasons stated, that each of these Five Books should be printed and bound up separately, and in the neatest and cheapest manner.

In the Parcel I now send, you will find Five Small Volumes. These contain the Pentateuch, with each several book bound up in a volume. I bought them and Gibraltar, and gave three shillings of our money for them. I asked the Jew from whom I bought these books, if he wished to procure a good supply of the Scriptures at a low price. Oh, he said, you cannot in London print them so cheap as we get them. You do not know all that London can do, I replied, and perhaps I am better acquainted with our powers there than you may be. Well then, said he, I would take 500 copies of the Pentateuch in this form and style, if I could now get them, and would give for them one and sixpence a copy.

The indication here given is worthy of our closest attention, and of being fully followed up. In this form and way, no doubt, we could circulate, and by sale at a fair price for us, a considerable quantity of this portion of the Scriptures; and everything we can do to make any one part to be read, will have great influence in promoting the reading of the whole. The specimen, you will see, is a poor thing, in the way of paper, printing, and binding; and the Jew's observation as to our inabilities in London, is true perhaps in one sense, but a different one. I do not know really that we would now manage in London to produce paper printing and binding so miserable us these are. But all this is in our favour. Let us apply our nice and cheap paper, our beautiful printing, and elegant yet cheap binding, to these books, and we shall thereby not only gain the sales and prices indicated, but a much larger sale, and even better prices, if we wished for them, at all events a price about suitable to the cost.

But I would therefore beg leave to recommend, and very earnestly, is, that an edition of the Pentateuch be forthwith got up without delay, and with each of the Five Books so printed, as to be done separately. The type of the specimen is, I think, the same in size as Duncan's, and would suit well, whilst the smaller one would not. The page in it appears too long for its width. The common octodecimo size, I should think the best in every way, as this form would give a thicker volume than the specimen, which looks too thin for the length and breadth, and it would do so still more were it bound closely as we do. Nor would the volume in the 18mo be too thick with a vernacular version combined with it. This then is the size, in my judgment, in which you should prepare this work. The paper may be the common this paper you use, and the bindings various, say the common neat stamped cloth, and the roan, some gilt, and some plain. A few might be in calf, and some in morocco, both gilt for a trial. The calf and morocco bound copies might be on superior paper.

One thing is of double importance, and that is the extreme correctness of the edition. To ensure this, you must not only secure a thorough Hebrew scholar, to whom the reading of the Hebrew is easy and familiar, but also a Jew not converted, to lend his aid likewise. The Jews are jealous of our not giving them their own proper Bible, and an unconverted Jew to aid, will be able to direct you in this. The specimen is sound, I understand, in their eyes, and if you can printed verbatim et literatim the object will be gained. You may under these circumstances at once stereotype the work, and 1000 copies you may print for us to begin with. Many thousands, I trust will be required, for not only for the Jews in Barbary in question, for whom I am more immediately pleading, but also the Jews bordering on all the extent of the coasts of the Mediterranean, and likewise the Jews in all places where they are found.

Probably it would be well to follow this work in immediate succession by the printing of the Book of Psalms, in the same style, and with the same precautions and accommodations.

I may observe in closing, by way of reasons and in inducements to act thus, if you needed any, that you have accommodated, and to a large extent, the English Public by variety in editions, sizes, paper, and bindings, and so also you have prepared the Scriptures for some other nations. All this should be done, and more if practicable for the nation of the Jews, that they may, if possible, be attracted to the familiar study and use of their own Scriptures, and which I confidently expect would be followed by inquiries concerning the New Testament; and by its perusal, if well fitted for them as recommended, and this again would, I have great reason to believe, be followed, at least in many instances, by their conversion to the Lord Jesus Christ. And may the Lord Jesus Christ bring about all this, and speedily, to his own glory in the salvation of his kindred, and to the glory of his Father and our Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever, Amen.

            I remain, Your Most Truly,

                        James Thomson.

Madrid, 10th April 1848

Rev  A Brandram No.16

Madrid 10th April 1848

My Dear Friend,

My last letter give you a hint of our troubles here. Many were killed on the night of the 26th and a great number were wounded. Among the former was one Englishman of the Society of Friends lately come here, and among the latter Mrs. Colonel Stopford's waiting maid, who had one of her ankles shattered by three balls. Amputation had to take place, and she is not yet out of immediate danger. I was nearly being caught in the midst of this affray, as I generally go on the Sunday evening to read Prayers in the American Ambassador's house, which would both in going and coming have exposed me. But I was warned in time and did not go out. This is another of the many preservations God has vouchsafed me in the midst of dangers, and blessed be his name for all these mercies.

Did you write me between the 7th January and the 9th February? I have no letter between. I wish we could return again to our numbering, as it is always satisfactory to know with certainty whether all letters come to hand or not. I may here acknowledge the receipt of yours of the 6thMarch, and of Mr. Jackson's of the 27th.

You ask in your letter of the 22nd February whether I saw Mr. Brackenbury our Consul at Cadiz. I did see him, and thought him cold, especially considering the letters of introduction I sent him, and I thought the best thing I could say of him was, nothing. The Downing Street incubus no doubt was upon him, but yet he might have been as friendly as the Marks in Malaga who are officially under the same.

Pray did you get the parcel containing the two cushions from Barbary, and the Hebrew Pentateuch from Gibraltar? It was sent from Cadiz by the Packet of the 27th December, which carried a letter of the same date. I may here mention a curious little coincidence. Right opposite the door of my lodging is a "European Bookseller's," and lately there has been stuck up an advertisement banner in large letters "La Bible en Espagne, par George Borrow." It seems this work has been translated into French, and has come to travel here also, and over again, whether for good or evil I know not.

I cannot help congratulating you, and the country, on the elevation of the Bishop of Chester to the Archepiscopal See of Canterbury, as you have noticed to me. May God bless him there and make him a blessing.

In regard to a Summer extensive Tour. What I contemplate, and wish your opinion of, is the following. To go first to San Sebastian, where through friends in that place I should try to get the Gospel of Luke in the Basque language printed, the revision of which has just been completed by the Translator. There are four Basque provinces in Spain, beside what is in France, and in these the major part of the people speak only this tongue. San Sebastian is in one of them.

You will perhaps recollect that I wrote to you formerly about establishing a place of sale on the French side of the River Bidasoa which divides France and Spain. That object I would try to get arranged. Also in that place might be printed with security our Basque volume, should we fail of doing it in San Sebastian. The French call their side of the of the town Behovie, the Spaniards theirs and both Behovia. Now our Books would carry being printed in Behovia, which all the Basque people would consider their own Behovia. In the same manner there, and through the same happy use of the word, we might perhaps print, if judged desirable, the Spanish New Testament. Our printing and paper manufacturing friends in San Sebastian could probably manage these matters for us, for our advantage and their own.

From Behovia I would think of going to Bayonne to arrange about our Spanish Books which should be sent to that place, either from London or Paris. From that port I could sail to different ports on the northwest coast of Spain, and take on each occasion a supply of Bibles and Testaments, and have them landed as part of my luggage.

Further, on this tour, I should like to go Eastward from Bayonne, zig-zagging the Pyrenean Ridge, so as to avail myself of the opportunities that should offer for entering our Books from France into Spain, for which we would need to have supplies in Toulouse and some other French towns. On this course I would make a special point of paying a visit to a small independent republic which has long existed in the Pyrenean mountains. Its name is Andorra, and by a geographical work now before me published this same year, its inhabitants are stated to amount to 15,000, of which 2000 are in the capital of the same name. This little nation is under the protection, I had nearly said of the crown of France, but say in things civil, and ecclesiastically it is part of a diocese of Spain. Now there I should think we might print, and sell, and do what we liked. At all events the place should be visited to see what could be done there in all our work. Lastly, I would go into Catalonia which lies still further Eastward, and extends to the end of the Ridge, and then would visit Barcelona. I would have the Catalonian New Testament particularly under my attention in that quarter.

All this, and less, would make an ample summer tour. What I have given is a mere sketch and outline, and to be filled up more or less as things should appear when in the several places, and as time might permit. I may add, that all this plan is in full accordance with Mr. Usoz's views. We now therefore wait to learn what are yours, as to the whole, and the parts severally.

In regard to the Letter of Credit about which I wrote to Mr. Hitchin, I would observe, that hitherto I have not stood in need of such a document, as in all those parts where I travel there were remittances to be made to England, and I always found parties both ready to trust me, and glad of my Bills. I took out indeed a Letter of Credit to the West Indies for £200, but I never made any use of it, and tore it up at the end of my Seven Years Tour in that quarter. Here there are not remittances of the same sort, and business has to be done with Banks. My first Bill here was drawn in the Union Bank where the chief officer was my particular friend, and hence I found no difficulty. But that bank has broken up, or rather down, and I am obliged to go elsewhere. Mr. O'Shea's Bank is the only other place I can go to, and though I drew my last Bill there in my usual way, it was intimated to me, that through a Letter of Credit was the regular way of doing business. Hence my application for the same. You are aware that the having a Letter of Credit does not imply the immediate drawing f the sum mentioned in it, nor even the drawing of any part of it, for in the West Indies, as I have said, I did not drawn on it at all. Sums are drawn on it from time to time, and as they are drawn, they are advised in England to the house where the letter was procured, and then, and not till then, they will be charged to your account. There is an advantage in having such a letter, as it enables one to draw any small sums, say £10 or £20 at a time, instead of what has been usual with me in Bills of £50. When I wrote I had in view a little journey to see a friendly Priest, and as I am about out on my travelling score, I said I might have occasion to draw soon on it, and from thus noticing the subject I extended to more general and distant travelling. I have now however given up that little journey, owing to the peculiar state of things here at present. A month hence will be quite in time for me to receive this Letter of Credit; and I may observe that my needed of it is not dependent on my travelling, for I shall have to draw whether I travel or not. I have made inquiry since I wrote Mr. Hitchin, and find that any of the City Banks will do as well as Coutt's, though that is the one O'Shea's Bank here is more immediately connected with.

Mr. Jackson's letter of the 4th instant has come in whilst I was writing.

            I remain, My Dear Friend,

                        Yours Very Truly,

                                    James Thomson.

Madrid, 24th April 1848

Rev A Brandram No.17

Madrid 24th April 1848

My Dear Friend,

In my letter of  the 27th March, I mentioned to you my application to Mr. Bulwer about our six cases, with the hopes at first excited, and the disappointment in which this, as previous efforts, had ended. I added, that I had another resource or two that I would try for the gaining of our object. One of these I immediately tried, but it failed. In succession I tried the other, and perhaps it will result favourably, but they must see such result before we can rejoice in it. The attempt I made first was, the requesting a letter from Mr. Bulwer to the Foreign Office here, that I might try to get an order from thence for the Spanish Consul in London, that he might give the proper certificate. Mr. Bulwer readily gave me this letter, and from my first reception, I had good hopes; but the Foreign Minister would needs first consult with his brother of the Exchequer, and as our matter had been there before, and was rejected, it was so again.

My next application was to the American Minister here, and with whom previously I had spoken on the subject generally, but there were reasons for my not specifically making a request to him then concerning it. But failing on all hands, I ventured formally to ask him for the favour in question. He has granted it, but the doubt in the matter as to success is this, that on a former occasion of said Minister getting books from London, the Spanish Consul refused this certificate until he should get an order from the government here, because some of the books as in our case, where prohibited articles, being bound or in Spanish. This order was applied for here and of course obtained. Now General Saunders, for that is the American Minister's name, said he could not well apply for a second order so soon after the previous one. But in this refusal of the Consul, he was demurring where he ought not, though he had right, I believe, on his side in our case. There is a specific statute, as he ought to know, of the government here, allowing Ambassadors to bring among other things important prohibited articles. I have applied for a copy of this and if it come before I seal my letter I shall enclose it. But in the meantime I forward you the printed instructions regarding the liberties granted to Foreign Ministers grounded on the statute mentioned. At the place of the top of the second page where I have made a pencil mark, you will see that such liberty in importing prohibited articles is clearly allowed, and the provision made for it, namely, that of charging duties on them, whereas other articles to them are duty free. This should be shown to the Consul if he hesitates, as well as the statute I have referred to if enclosed. – John Miller, 26 Henrietta Street, Covent Garden is General Saunders's agent for books and other things he gets from London. I do not know whether it would be better for you to act through him or not, but give you his name and address in case of need. Again, perhaps you had better employ another Broker than the one spoken to before, and that the shipment be made to Bilbao instead of Santander. The address should be "Al Sr. General Saunders, Ministro Plenipotentiario de los Estados Unidos, Madrid", and the letter should be sent to the American Consul at Bilbao, whose address is "Sr. D. Mariano de Aguirre". The last notice I have to make is, that it will suit better to send four cases instead of six. When these are done Providence will open another door for more. I would say, drop all the 8vo Testaments as they are bulky. Let there be an equal number of large and small Bibles, and equal numbers of the 12mo and 32mo new Testaments. If you have still the Four Books, send us a proper supply of them. Of course you will send all Usoz's books ordered.

I here notice (to conclude the year just before your annual meeting) some things which might or should have been noticed earlier. – I duly received Mr. Jackson's letter of the 17th January, with Invoice of the four cases I had expected when it Gibraltar. By letter from Mr. Dove of the 11th March, I learned, that these had arrived a few days before he wrote. I also received Mr. Jackson's letter of the 12th February, with Invoice of the Books voted for Tangier and Tetuan on the 24th December. The Hebrew Bibles in that Invoice are marked in 12mo I suppose my mistake, for it is Duncan's Bible in 8vo that is mentioned in the Resolution.

Soon after receiving the Invoice of the Books for Barbary, I wrote a letter to my Jew friends there, and enclosed it to Mr. Dove, with directions as to forwarding the Books when they came, and also the letter. On the 11th March they had not arrived, nor could they have arrived so late as the 18th instant, as Mr. Dove promised to write me as soon as they came, and his letter of that date would have been here this morning.

Have you heard from Mr. Tiddy in reply to your inquiries about the 12mo Hebrew Pentateuch? In your letter of the 4th January you inquire if I know to what extent the Jews in Barbary understand the Hebrew. To a considerable extent, I should think, judging from the readiness I observed in reading and translating passages from the Hebrew Bible, and Coriat is translating direct from it. – As to the services of the Jews, about which you dealt, after my leaving them, I would say, that, added to some degree of friendship, I took the measure most likely to secure interest in Jews, if common report speaks correctly, namely, the money one. They are to have a commission on what they sell.

With regard to the Arabic dialects spoken in Marocco, I think the judgment pronounced on it by your young friend has some correctness in it, as it corresponds a good deal with the view given me by Mr. Drummond Hay, the British chargé d'affaires in Tangier to whom I wrote on the subject. But this view hardly accords with what he said to me in conversation, namely, that the language and the dialect were as different as Latin and Italian, or as Ancient and Modern Greek. We must therefore leave the subject till further light can be obtained. Your work in Barbary at present must be with the Jews, and when the result of the attempt made for them is seen, you will be able to judge whether further measures should be adopted, and in connexion with working for them, some lights may arise as to what can be done for the Moors.

Bearing on this subject, I would observe, that in Cadiz I met with a Frenchman, a kind of half Jew, that is, a Jew in reality, but not caring to show it, and rather wishing to conceal such a connexion. He was then lately come from Marocco, and had traveled extensively over it. I told him of my arrangements in sending the Hebrew Scriptures to the Jews there. He said, it was likely they would have an extensive circulation over the country; and he particularly recommended the sending of a supply to Mogador, as the Books were all destroyed there, he said, during the French bombardments and robberies in consequence within the place. I should think you might venture to send there, with safety and good hopes, 100 copies of the Bible, and bound in four volumes like those sent to Gibraltar. Mr. Willshire, the British Consul in Mogador, of whom everybody speaks well, would be the person to whose care you might entrust them. If you should agree to send this supply, as I hope you will, be so good as to send it as early as you may find an opportunity, and these two experiments will guide for the future better than one of them, as the places are situated in opposite quarters of the country.

To conclude this letter, and year, allow me to say that this is a noted day with me. On this day, 30 years ago, I left home for abroad. I left alone, and I am again alone.

            Believe me, My Dear Friend, Very Truly Yours,

                                                                        James Thomson.

P.S. I have seen the Royal Orders on the subject above noticed. There are six of them, and it is not easy to give just what is wanted. But no doubt the Spanish Consul has them in his house. They are noted in the first page of the paper enclosed opposite the mark.