Rev A Brandram No.130
Mexico 25th March 1843
My Dear Friend,
I have not much to say this month of our prospects or non-prospects here. The Books are just come up to this city from Veracruz, but they are not yet through the Custom House. We shall have difficulties in getting them through, and what happens will be related next month. Your last year's Report is also just come into my hands, though yet unread. It will be a consolation to me to peruse it in this unproductive spot, and to see how productive your labours are elsewhere: yet you have not laboured in this country in vain: and things are now on their progressive motion that will open a yet wider door for you than in years past.
An article appeared lately in one of our newspapers impeaching the faithfulness of our Bibles, and of our Society. I have thought it a duty to stand up for truth and righteousness in the case, and have made a reply to this article, and which you will find in the two newspapers I now forward. I have long thought, as you know, that some explanation was due to the Roman Catholics from the Bible Society in regard to the Apocrypha. An opportunity of making this now has been put into my hands, and I have attended to it, as just mentioned. A reply is as you will see promised; but I am not afraid of anything they can say, differing from what I have stated, and founded, as it entirely is on their own writers. My rejoinder is likely to be short, and chiefly will consist, I suppose, of reference to what I have already said, or rather what has been said by themselves, through the two celebrated authors whom I have quoted.
I shall close this brief letter with a brief anecdote. On two occasions when I attended two painful surgical operations in the large hospital of this city, I observed that one of the men during his pain always called on the Virgin Mary, whilst the other as uniformly called on the Lord Jesus. Both recovered; and on seeing the latter afterwards I mentioned this circumstance, and inquired of him what had led him to call on the Lord Jesus. He replied at once, that he had a Bible, and had read it.
I remain, Very Truly Yours,
James Thomson.
P.S. Please say to Mr Hitchin that I have drawn a Bill in favour of Dickson Gordon & Co. on the 24th instant for Fifty Pounds, and which is to be placed to my Travelling Account.