Mexico City, 24th January 1843

Rev A Brandram  No.128

Mexico 24th January 1843

My Dear Friend,

Since my last to you I have received Mr. Jackson's note and Invoice of Books dated the 24th September. This sheet came into my hands on the 4th instant, and by next post I wrote to Veracruz regarding the disposal of the books, directing that one case should be put into a Bookseller's hands in that place, with whom I spoke on the subject when there. Two cases are to be sent here, and two to lie till further advice.

Our Packet of this month has brought no English letters, and consequently I have none from you, or others in your quarter. She waited at St. Thomas's two days, we understand, for the Packet from England, and then judging it improper to wait longer, came off though without the English mail.

I am not yet able to write you of success in regard to one branch of our operations here, and that certainly not the least, I mean the getting the New Testament into the schools. Still I have hopes of success, and still also I have fears. Our Government here is, you may be sure, busily enough engaged in political affairs, and so as to have a good enough excuse in one sense for neglecting private matters, and such mine I suppose is counted. However I have taken a new tack now, and him sailing on a new course, and have hopes of gaining our port sooner and better than by the former one. Not many days after I sent my Representation to the Government an Ordinance was published on the subject of General Elementary Education over the country, and the whole management of this important concern was entrusted to the Lancasterian Society of this city. The Society mentioned is very much like that of the B & F School Society, or the National School Society with you. This institution is established on a very good footing here, and all the warm friends of general instruction are connected with it, and their measures are very active, and their progress is considerable. The Government lends the Society all its aid, and most cordially. This Body has the arrangements in its hands as to all books to be used in the schools. Through acquaintances connected with this Establishment, I have been made a member of the same, and have a seat and a vote at all their meetings. I have presented my Representation to the body, and it has been very favourably received. We have however still to run the Ecclesiastical Gauntlet, as the law has established that all books on religion to be printed and used in the country must have a previous Ecclesiastical Permit. The Members of the Education Society mentioned intend to use their wisest and best efforts in order to get the necessary license for the use of the New Testament in their schools. In case of success they will gladly avail themselves of your friendly aid, under orders will be thousands upon thousands when once the door is open: – and Oh may God open this door, and widely and effectually, that his own word of truth and life may come as a flood of light into all the schools of this populous country, and then also in directly, and in due time effectually, into every house and family. I feel, as you may be sure, deeply anxious on the subject, and pray without ceasing concerning it. And further, as an object of increased interest in this matter, and as formerly noticed to you, – our success here will be success to us likewise, I may say, over all Spanish America. I do hope that you and all with you have been helping us, and constantly both in your closets and families, and in your hearts if not with your lips elsewhere also. Our hand work is mechanical, our prayers are spiritual, and mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds.

I have had a favourable reply to my letter to the Bishop of Oaxaca. By next post I write to the Bishop of Sonora, having obtained an introduction to him from one of the active members of our Lancasterian Society who is a particular friend of the Bishop's. The same individual kindly helped me by an additional recommendation to the Bishop of Yucatán.

I have in two or three of my letters since I arrived here on the present occasion given you some favourable statements as to a general interest in this country in regard to the holy Scriptures, and an increased diffusion of them in different forms, versions, and editions. I close this letter with an additional note on this subject. The late Archbishop of this city when he left this on return to Spain bought some 200 copies of Torres Amat's version (in nine volumes), and sent them as presents to his late clergy all over this diocese. All this will bring the Scriptures into more notice, and eventually lead to the more general use of your unnoted and cheap Bibles.

Let us hope then and pray, and pray and hope, trusting in God who reigneth and ruleth all, and everywhere, through our Lord Jesus Christ.

            I remain, My Dear Friend,

                        Very Truly Yours,

                                    James Thomson.

Mexico City, 23rd February 1843

Rev A Brandram  No.129

Mexico 23rd February 1843

My Dear Sir,

In my last I mentioned that our Packet brought no English letters, and consequently no letter from you. The mail however was afterwards forwarded from St. Thomas by a hired vessel, which reached of Veracruz on the 27th ultimo, and your letter of the 2nd December came into my hands on the 30th and also Mr. Jackson's dated the 30th November. The mail by last month's Packet reached the city on the 13th instant, and brought me the Bible Society Reporter, but no letters from any in your house where contained in the letter-packet received.

My business here in two of its important branches, namely, as respects the getting of the New Testament into the schools, and the providing the word of God for the poor Indians, is now brought to a point, and I am sorry to say the termination is unfavourable. The Lancasterian Society which received my Representation so favourably, has been obliged to decline the offer made of your assistance in an edition of the New Testament without notes for the use of their schools, and this owing to the Ecclesiastical opposition manifested in the case. This door then, about which I felt so anxious, is for the present shut. I have done everything I could think of to succeed in this important object, and am grieved at its failure. But there is One that openeth, and no man man shutteth; and may he soon and effectually open this country for his own word as it came from himself; and he will in due time open, and no man shall shut after him.

On the other hand, and previous to this discouragement, I received a letter from the Bishop of Michoacan declining to do what he had before tacitly at least consented to, namely, the giving his license to publish a portion of the Scripture in the Indian tongues. This refusal effectually shuts this door, as the Bishop in question is decidedly the most liberal of all the Bishops in this country, so that his refusal makes sure that all will refuse.

The third and only other branch of our business here is the circulation of the Scriptures you have forwarded. I am sorry to say these are not yet arrived in this city. In shipping the Books there should have been a document procured from the Mexican Consul, and forwarded with the bill of lading. This it seems was not done, for no such document reached Veracruz. The Books were therefore detained, and I had to make application to the Government here to overlook this omission, and to permit the Books to be taken out of the Customs House. This has been granted, and the Books are now about to leave Veracruz for this place. In regard to future shipments it would be well to apprise your agent at Liverpool of the necessity of procuring in forwarding this consular document.

By the above mentioned negatives and failures my way in Providence is made clear as to this country, namely, for my leaving it soon. I wish it had cleared up in the opposite direction, but the will of the Lord be done. There is a time for every purpose under the sun, and the time will undoubtedly come when the word of the Lord will have perfectly free course in this country as it is with you. May the Lord hasten that time: and surely our prayers for this country will not be all cast away and forgotten. But I had hoped also that we should have done something here in regard to getting the Scriptures into the schools, and getting translations for the Indians that would have had a powerful effect as an example on all the other countries of South America. But this hope you see is blasted with the other, and so I will proceed to these other countries downcast rather than animated in regard to our work.

Whither now shall I go, and what arrangements shall I make, in order that our labour in the Lord may be as little in vain as possible? I think of going first to the Havana, then afterwards to Yucatán, if it is not inaccessible through the present hot war there, and then onwards to Guatemala. After leaving Guatemala, if the Lord will I should I should live, I would be for making my way in the best manner to Panamá. And from Panamá I would visit the countries and towns lying on the Pacific Ocean. From Peru I have had thoughts of descending the Amazon River to Pará in Brazil, and then visiting the large Brazil towns on the Atlantic Ocean, and thence going on Southward to Monte Video and Buenos Ayres. I give you this sketch that you may reform or alter it as you please; or that you may cut short the course mentioned, and send me, if you will, to China, direct westward across the Pacific. Your way is my way, and may yours be the Lord's.

I go to the Havana in order to see how our work goes on there, and to try to forward it, and also I may say from necessity, because I cannot in the present state of the war get from Veracruz to Yucatán. I am aware that I run some risk of imprisonment in the Havana, according to the order issued against me in 1837. But from the change of the Governor and other circumstances I may probably not be troubled, and on the other hand, I know not any just charge they can bring against me. Nevertheless I should be glad that you would procure for me a letter from the Foreign Office to our Consul there, in case I should stand in need of special British protection. This letter which I now write will reach you most probably about or before the middle of April, and I beg you will write me by the first of May Packet to the care of the British Consul in the Havana, enclosing the letter referred to from the Foreign Office. I shall sail from Veracruz in the Packet, say on the 26th May, and so as to be in the Havana probably on the last day of the month, about which time, or a day or two later your letter referred to may be there: and I judge it prudent not to be there long before your letter arrive. Some little time will be lost here by this delay, but I do not see well how I could arrange better. A sort of compensation will be made for this retardation by my quicker movements afterwards. It will be some weeks yet before the Books arrive from Veracruz, and two or three weeks more will be required here to make full arrangements for continued sales, so that the real loss of time will be only about a month.

In order to meet the quicker movements referred to, and that the most may be done with the least loss of time, it would be desirable to have supplies of the Scriptures waiting me on my arrival in the several places I may touch at on the course pointed out. As to the quantities and kinds to be sent to each place you must form your best judgment, and the kinds and proportional numbers of each in the supply lately sent here may perhaps aid you in your apportionings. I think then you should send without delay to Panamá, Guayaquil, and Lima. You will do your best to find out proper consignees for these shipments, and will be so good as early to apprise me of the names of said persons, together with giving me copies of the Invoices. Places beyond Lima can be afterwards arranged for. There are some cases of Spanish Scriptures in Jamaica, I believe, sent there from Carthagena by Mr. Watts. I shall write to Kingston to have these forwarded to Belize. I know not whether I shall visit Carthagena, but when in the Havana I shall judge that, and I may perhaps cross Jamaica in order to sail from Kingston to that place.

Through means of Mr. Jackson's letter I have at length found out the Mexican Gospel of St. Luke which you printed and sent here. Some of these I have disposed off, and shall distribute the whole in the best way I can before I leave the country. I have had no letter as yet from Dr. Mora, and I am still ignorant as to who is the translator.

I cannot close this letter without joining in thanksgivings and congratulations with you for the grand opening which God has granted to Britain and to the Gospel into the Great and Populous Empire of China. May God give all of you....

(final part of letter missing in archives)

Mexico City, 29th July 1843

Rev A Brandram  No 134

Mexico 29th July 1843

My Dear Friend,

As my movements are greatly affected at this time by the state of things in Yucatán, I speak of that quarter first in the present letter. Since my last Yucatán has improved in its actual state and position. The war there, if not over, is completely lulled, and all the hostile troops have left it. Add to this Three Commissioners have already arrived in this city to treat with this government about peace, unity and future good understanding, based on certain privileges in favour of Yucatán distinctly acknowledged and clearly worded to prevent future misunderstandings and evils.

To these Three Commissioners I have been very formally introduced by one of my Yucatán friends who was partially residing here before their arrival. I have had with these gentlemen a very pleasing interview, and have received much encouragement from them to proceed to that place. One of them is the chief Secretary of the government, and father of the gentleman I accidentally met with in this Steam Boat from Albany to New York in May 1841. But these Three Commissioners, as well as my former Yucatán friends as noticed in my last letter, all advise me to delay going there until the unhealthy season is over.

Though the way therefore to that Peninsula is nearly open I scarcely feel that it would be right, or justice either to you or to myself, to hasten thither in the face of the united friendly advice which I have received. Had I not had this advice so fully stated and repeated, and by individuals my personal friends and favourable to my objects, I would have felt less difficulty in moving forward. But to act directly counter to all these friendly admonitions would seem to be a rash. I shall therefore make the delay they advise.

In my ruminations since my last letter was sent off, and in the prospect more or less of this delay, I was thinking of, or planning a journey of some length into the parts of this country to the West and North. But on taking everything into consideration I have given up my thoughts of that movement: first, because there would most probably be a considerable delay caused by it beyond the waiting for the proper season for going to Yucatán; and second, because, I have some fears that my active and open operations in the sale of the Scriptures through these parts at the present intolerant time would shut more Custom Houses against us, and thus more harm than good would accrue through the means of the movement in question.

I hope the 5000 copies of the Scriptures requested in my last for this country will be duly and early forwarded. If more convenient for you, they may be divided into two sendings, with an interval between, each kind being properly halved or nearly so. On the whole perhaps this would be the best arrangement. The cases say to be of 200 pounds weight. – To hasten matters, and to provide a supply for the N. West of this country I have ordered 1000 New Testaments from the American Bible Society, to be sent direct and immediately to Tampico. These will of course be charged to your account.

Your two very interesting New Zealand letters that appear in the Bible Society Reporter No19, I have got published in the same newspaper which has prated maliciously against us in an article inserted from a periodical published in Spain. I send you a copy.

I have not received by last packet any Reporter, nor letter from Earl Street, nor the fully expected, and usually sent, yearly newspaper, giving an account of your Annual Meeting.

I have lately met with two persons who interest themselves much in your Mexican version of St. Luke, and wish to see the whole New Testament translated into that ancient and modern tongue. There are some slips in the mode of printing your Mexican St. Luke, but whether the oversights are in the manuscript, or in the Editors I cannot say. It is now undergoing revision. I am paying some attention to the study of the Mexican or Nahuatl language, and as far as I have yet made progress I am inclined to receive Clavigero's high testimony of it as to its copiousness and admirable structure. I have been studying also the Otomi language, which is likewise rich, but entirely different from the Nahuatl which on every side surrounds it. I have looked at some others of the tongues of this land, and have no doubt of their fitness for expressing the sense and substance of the Scriptures.

In the prospect of going to Yucatán, I would call your attention anew to what I have said on Indian versions in my letter No 131, and I do humbly and earnestly beg that you would give me ample scope in regard to the rendering portions of the Scriptures into the tongue spoken all over that Peninsula, and also partly in Tabasco and Guatemala. The Yucatán Commissioners assured me of there being a very earnest desire in the government of giving education to the Indians. They are gratified with proposals I made here for the instruction of the natives generally in their own tongues, instead of Spanish as heretofore. As a member of the Lancasterian Society of this city I made these proposals, and a very friendly reception was given to them; and measures are now being taken for extending this plan over the whole country. I send you a newspaper in which you will see the notice of my proposal and its reception.

I remain, yours very truly,

James Thomson.

P.S. Please say to Mr. Farmer that I have sent him a copy of the newspaper containing the two New Zealand letters, that he may present it to the Wesleyan Missionary Society.