Woodstock, 22nd July 1841

Rev A Brandram - No 106

Woodstock, New Brunswick, 22nd July 1841

My Dear Friend,

I arrived in this place about dusk last night from Madawaska, after being cramped up for two days in a little canoe made of  the bark of the birch tree, having descended about 120 miles down the River St. John. The narrative of my mission to that place shall be immediately prepared, and be in readiness for next packet.

On my arrival I received your letter of the 2nd July at the Post Office here; and as there is a pending subject in it, I hasten to reply.

You say, in reference to my wish to prosecute my medical studies during the ensuing winter at Montreal, "Could not that study be better and more advantageously prosecuted in London, or Scotland?" Knowing the medical circumstances of the three places, and their respective advantages and difficulties to a student such as the one in question, I have no hesitation in deciding in favour of Montreal. There I have hopes of accomplishing the object I have in view, but in the other two I could not I fear hope for the same. I need not enter into the particulars, as they are medical and college points. I therefore decidedly prefer Montreal, and I may say, medically, for personally it would be more gratifying to me to spend the winter in London or Edinburgh.

Your kind and unasked indulgence of continued salary last winter, you know I do not petition for. The past favour was kind and unexpected, but do not embarrass yourself  by any official difficulties on this score. The first £100 medical fee that I receive, shall be yours, in lieu of that kindness. This is a bird in the bush, you will say, and so it is; but you will recollect, I offered you one in hand.

I am glad that you all acquiesce in my view of a mission to Spanish America. I have turned the subject over in my mind much, and gave you the result of my cogitations. The Lord direct in this mission: it may be very important in its results. I do earnestly request of each individual among you who may at times remember me at the throne of grace, to pray specially for me in reference to this mission. Much as I have travelled, and familiar as I am with these countries, yet still I feel it quite an undertaking to start for them, and to traverse them anew. But I murmur not, nor hesitate, and I have nothing to complain of, for when I went first out to those countries, I went out with the purpose of never returning home. I did return, because the way was made obvious to me, and duty required. But if I should now return and die there, all is well. I say these things to induce my dear and kind Bible associates to pray the more for me, for I feel more than ever the need of prayer.

I am happy in learning that you have two excellent offers of service for the West Indies. Whether you send one or two, you must hold them up by prayer, for the climate is trying and critical, and so is the Bible service there. But the field is rich, and well worth being diligently cultivated by you for years to come. It is divested now of its giant difficulties, but still there is much need of great care, friendliness, and delicacy, in steering among the various parties civil and religious in these Islands. I shall always read your Reports of them with interest.

Praying for yourself, and for all our Associates,

            I remain, My Dear Friend and Brother, 

                                    Affectionately Yours,

                                                            James Thomson.

Malaga, 3rd November 1847

Rev A  Brandram No.5

Malaga, 3rd November 1847

My Dear Friend,

Agreeably to the notice given in the postscript of my last letter, I left Madrid on the 13th ultimo. This evening at seven o'clock, I leave Malaga for Gibraltar, which I expect to be tomorrow morning. This is all the account of my journey I intend to give it present, purpose think to get you a due account of all when God shall have carried me back again to Madrid. I just say however in anticipation, that I am officially glad, (and personally not otherwise,) that I have been led to undertake this tour.

The object of the present letter is special, and bearing on one particular part of my pretty extensive commission. This country needs in a variety of ways, Bible, Gospel, and British help and it is a great and difficult undertaking which God and you have sent me on to this dark and far behind country. You know we are allowed of God to plead his own promises, as Bills to be duly honoured by him. One of these which I plead, and draw upon, frequently, is, "Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges?" My warfare here is difficult, and extensive means in various shapes are required. But God, I trust, will furnish all, and his work, I believe, will prosper in this place, though it may be necessary to keep fully in mind that we, like the husbandman, will need perhaps to have long patience for the fruit, and to wait, not for the early rain only, but also for the latter.

In looking to God, and pleading his promises, I look also to you, for means of warfare, and would beg to remind you of the ample commission you gave me, if not officially, otherwise. That range is contained in Mr. Hall's letter, and by which, I think I am somehow authorised to do good to Spain as I may have opportunity.

A favourable opening now presents itself, and in this city, of doing great and extensive good to Spain,  and of both directly and in directly forwarding your cause. Your committee may, I think, officially, and more so individually, or through their friends, help onward the object in view.

Since I came to this country, and seeing things a little, I became convinced and great good could be done to Spain by the publication of a Weekly Journal, which while it kept clear of political parties, should advocate general knowledge, virtues, improvements, and reforms, and not least the Reading of the Bible, and books of general utility which would be pointed out. Where to get a person to conduct such a work was difficult to say, and it seemed rather a hopeless thing to expect it. God, however, is our precursor here, as he is our trust in all his work, and he has provided such an individual, and whom he has had, I may say, in long training for it. The person referred to is a gentleman of the city, and is most strongly recommended to me by the whole family of Mr. Mark our Consul here, to whom he has long been very intimately known. This individual is anxious of his own accord, and on his own account, to establish such a Journal as I have indicated. I conceive he could, and would, by it render us a service which in kind and amount could not otherwise be obtained. I may mention, that he is a Roman Catholic, as well as a native of this country, and I may add further, that both these qualifications (as I may call them) are necessary, and essentially so, for advocating and carrying forward the objects in question, for no foreigner and Protestant would be heard, and he would "speak into the air" as the Apostle says, but the Spaniard and the Catholic would get a hearing. Should you give fifty or one hundred pounds towards this object, I think, you would make a good bargain, and the quid you would get would be better than the quo you would give. Four or five hundred pounds are required in all, besides means he has at command, and he wants this as a loan for two or three years, on good security and judged such by our Consul. The interest is six or seven per cent.

Now if the Committee will give us something officially, and more individually, or through friends, in loan, we shall, and all Spain, be most thankful. If you cannot give and lend us all this, please let us have a part of it, and I shall seek the rest elsewhere. I hope you will not lose this opportunity of ingratiating yourselves more ways than one in this country. Be so good as let me hear from you early and favourably, and to Madrid.

            I remain, My Dear Friend,

                        Yours Very Truly,

                                    James Thomson.