Lima, 11th July 1822

Mr J Thomson to Mr J A Haldane[1]

Lima, 11th July, 1822

My Dear Brother,

Through the unceasing goodness of God to­wards me, I have now arrived safely in this city. On the 18th of last month I sailed from Valparaiso, and after a pleasant passage of ten days we cast anchor in Callao bay. Callao is an excellent harbour, the best I have yet seen. It will hold almost any number of ships riding in great safety. It is well defended from all winds except the north, but it scarcely ever blows from that quarter. In consequence of an order from the Government that no passengers should be allowed to land until they receive a licence or passport from Lima, I had to defer my coming here till the day after our arrival; I got permission, however, from the captain of the port to go on shore. After viewing Callao, I went to take a view of the  place where the former Callao stood, which was destroyed by the  earth­quake, of which of course you have read. Its site is about half a mile from where the present town stands. The destruction seems to have been com­plete. Not a house is now standing; but walls of houses of  considerable thickness are to be seen scattered all over the place. Some of these are lying flat, and others are half turned over. How weak is man, and all his works, when God arises to shake the earth!

 On the day on which I arrived in this city, I called on San Martin, and delivered him the letters of introduction which I had brought from Chile. He opened one of the letters, and observing its purport, said "Mr. Thomson! I am extremely glad to see you;" and he rose up, and gave me a very hearty embrace. He would not, he said, be lavish in compliments, but would assure me of his great satisfaction at my arrival; and said, that nothing should be wanting on his part to further the object which had brought me to Peru. Next day as I was sitting in my room, a carriage stopped at the door, and my little boy came running in crying, San Martin! San Martin! In a moment he entered the room, accompanied by one of his minis­ters. I would have had him step into another apart­ment of the house more suited to his reception; but he said the room was very well, and sat down on the first chair he reached. We conversed about our schools, and other similar objects for some time; and in going away he desired me to call on him next morning, and said he would introduce me to the Marquis of Truxillo, who is at present what is called the Supreme Deputy or Regent. I called on him accordingly next morning, and he took me with him and introduced me to the Marquis, and to each of the ministers.

 From all the members of the government I have received great encouragement. On the 6th current an order was issued relative to our schools, and published in the Lima Gazette of the same date. I am going to write Mr. Millar[2] to-morrow, and shall give him a translation of this order or decree, a copy of which will of course be sent you. By this order one of the convents is appropriated to the schools, and is now in our possession. I be­lieve the convents here will decrease in number as the schools multiply. There is no contest or balancing of powers between the civil and ecclesi­astical powers in this place. The former has the latter entirely at their nod. The case in regard to this convent is a proof of what I have said. The order for the friars to remove was given on Saturday, on Monday they began to remove, and on Tuesday the keys were delivered up.

 From all I have seen during the short time I have been here, I cannot doubt of the great benefits which this country will derive from the new state of things. San Martin and his first minister, (and also the others) seem truly anxious to char­acterize the times by improvements—by solid im­provements. They wish to encourage foreigners, and to improve the state of the country in every point of view. I have already mentioned to you my representation made to the Chilian government just before leaving that place, regarding the bring­ing out of tradesmen and farmers. I showed a copy of this representation to San Martin; he read it very carefully over, and concluded by saying, "Excellent!" He then told me what was his opinion on the subject, and proposed a plan for carrying it into effect, much more likely to succeed than the one I had stated. I am to draw up this plan in order, and to present it to him, that it may be sanctioned and carried into effect. I therefore consider this matter, so far as regards Peru, as fairly begun. The particulars of the plan I may send you afterwards. In the mean time, that you may see that in these matters I am not losing sight of my chief object, I shall mention to you one sentence of the representation referred to. It is this, "The men who will be most useful to South America, are men truly religious and of sound morality." The minister of Chile, upon reading this sentence, said, "That is very true;" arid San Martin expressed himself in a similar manner upon my stating the same thing to him.

 What an immeasurable field is South America; and how white it is to the harvest! I have told you this repeatedly, but I have a pleasure in telling it, to you again. I do think that, since the world began, there never was so fine a field for the ex­ercise of benevolence in all its parts. The man of science, the moralist, the Christian, have all fine scope here for their talents. God, who has opened such a door, will surely provide labourers.

 My present intention is to continue here about six months, and then to move on northwards. I may, however, be kept longer here than I intend, but I am anxious to get to England as soon as pos­sible. My stay here will depend much on the facility or difficulty of obtaining good masters for the school. This I find, from experience, a matter of so great importance, that I intend to pay every attention to it; and I have it now in my power more than ever to do so, having represented to the government the necessity of encouragement, by of­fering employment and a good salary to those who thoroughly study the system, and are able to put it in practice; and this encouragement I am author­ized to give.

 Regarding our brethren coming out, I scarcely know what to say. If I should say, come out to Lima on receipt of this, and I will wait your arrival, I might be detained here longer than I could wish, and after all have to leave here before their arrival, despairing of their coming. I have said, in some of my former letters, that they may come to Mexico, I would meet them there on my way home. I scarcely however expect any of them there. From this uncertainty regarding their sailing for Vera Cruz at the time referred to, I do not think it indispensably necessary to pass through Mexico in order to meet them, as was proposed. I mention this more particularly on account of something which I have in view here, which if it succeeds I will not go by way of Mexico, but through Santiago de Bogota. On the whole, I think our brethren had better go on with those preparatory studies in which they are engaged until I see them, if it should please God to preserve me till that time. You will of course counsel them as to the things they should attend to, and advise them to improve to the utmost, the time and opportunities they enjoy. I beg that they may bestow a considerable share of attention on the English language. There are good teachers in Edinburgh, whom they may attend for this purpose. No progress in Latin and Greek can in my opinion compensate for the neglect of English.

[1] James Thomson. Letters on the Moral and Religious State of South America. (London: James Nisbet, 1827), pp.33-37; New Evangelical Magazine Vol IX 1823, pp.188-9.

[2] BFSS--letter written 12 July 1822.

Lima, 12th July 1822

Mr J Thomson to Mr James Miller (BFSS)[1]

Lima, 12th July, 1822.

Dear Sir,

My last letter to you was written a few days before my leaving Chile. I then apprized you of the state of things there at that time, and of my intention of setting out for this place. Through the blessing of God, I arrived safely in this country on the 28th of last month, and have now to state to you how things look here, in reference to that truly important object—EDUCATION.

I believe I told you, some time ago, that from various circumstances I expected every encouragement would be given to our object here by San Martin. I have not been disappointed in this. My expectations have all been ful­filled, and more than fulfilled. San Martin is most decidedly a friend to general, to universal education. I hope none of the members of the Committee of the British and Foreign School So­ciety will be offended, but rather gratified, when I say, that they are not more friendly to this object than San Martin. Because I have come to Peru to promote this object, I have received from him every mark of respect and personal attention, as well as every encouragement to pro­ceed in this work. The Marquis of Truxillo, and each of the ministers of government, feel deeply interested in the same object. Blessed be God for this encouragement. In his hand are the hearts of all, and he inclineth them to whatsoever he will.

Surely the days draw nigh, when ignorance shall be ashamed to walk about anywhere in open day. May the glorious war now waged against her be a war of extermination. It will I trust be so, and when this enemy of mankind shall be slain, the British and Foreign School So­ciety shall be clothed with her spoils, and be crowned with never fading laurel. Is it wrong to indulge pleasing prospects of the future ame­lioration of mankind? Is it sinful to cherish the hope of better times for this poor unfor­tunate world? I think it is not. If it is right to pray "Thy will be done on earth, as it is done in heaven," it cannot be wrong to expect that this prayer, daily reiterated from the mouth of thousands, will one day be heard, and be answered in all its extent; and when the will of God is done in this world, as it is done above, then shall the felicity on earth resemble the felicity of heaven.

The following is a translation of a decree of this government relative to the Schools, and which was published in the Lima Gazette of the 6th current.

"Preamble.—Without education there is proper­ly speaking no society. Men may indeed live to­gether without it, but they cannot know the ex­tent of the duties, and the rights which bind them one to another, and it is in the right knowledge of these duties and rights that the well being of society consists. The bringing of education to any degree of perfection, is, from the nature of the thing, slow. To accomplish it, time is re­quired, and some degree of stability in the go­vernment, as well as some other circumstances, both natural and moral. All these must com­bine, in order that the education of the people may become general, and that thus a foundation may be laid for the continuance of those Institutions which may be established among them. Of the various improvements which the government has been desirous of making, none has been more earnestly and constantly kept in view since the moment of its commencement, than the refor­mation of public education. In those intervals of tranquility which have been enjoyed from the clamour of arms, this object has occupied their attention; and though the sun has not stood still, they have found in activity the secret of doubling the length of the day.

"It has already been announced, in various decrees of the government, that the introduction of the Lancasterian system in the public schools, was one of the plans in meditation. It is not yet possible to calculate the revolution which will be produced in the world by this system of mutual instruction, on its becoming general throughout the civilized world. When this shall take place, ignorance shall come to an end, or at, least shall be reduced to certain limits, beyond which it shall never be allowed to pass. The time is now arrived for setting this system agoing in this place, and the commencing of it is worthy of the month of July—a month in which pos­terity will record many events of importance; and we trust they will do us the justice to declare, that we have desired to make this time memorable by deeds which philosophy ap­plauds, and which spring from the noblest principles of all human actions, namely, the love of glory, founded on promoting the prosperity and happiness of mankind. The above are the reasons on which the following decree is founded.

"The Supreme Deputy, with the advice of the Privy Council, decrees—

"1. There shall be established a central or prin­cipal school, according to the Lancasterian system, under the direction of Mr. Thomson.

"2. The convent or college of St. Thomas shall be appropriated to this purpose. The friars at present residing in it shall remove to the large convent of St. Dominic, leaving only so many as are necessary for the service of the church at­tached to it.

"3. In this establishment the elementary parts of education shall be taught, together with the modern languages. The teachers necessary for this pur­pose shall be appointed agreeably to the arrangements which will be pointed out in the plan for the National Institute of Peru."

"4. At the expiration of six months all the public Schools shall be shut, which are not con­ducted according to the system of mutual in­struction.

"5. All the masters of the public schools shall attend the central school with two of their most advanced pupils, in order to be instructed in the new system; and in studying it they shall attend to the method prescribed by the director of the establishment.

"6. As soon as the director of the central school shall have instructed a sufficient number of teachers, these shall be employed, with competent salaries, in establishing public schools on the same princi­ples in the capital city of each province of the state.

"7. At the first public examination which shall take place in the central school, those masters who have been most attentive in learning the system, and shall have made such progress as to be able to conduct schools according to it, shall receive the reward of a gold medal, to be ordered for that purpose by the Minister of State.

"8. For the preservation and extension of the new system the Patriotic Society of Lima is particularly requested and commissioned to take such measures as may be considered necessary for these purposes; and they are desired to make known to the govern­ment those things in which its cooperation may be required, in order effectually to carry forward this important object.

"9. In order that the advantages of this system of education may be extended to the female sex, which the Spanish government has always treated with culpable neglect, it is particularly recom­mended to the Patriotic Society to take into con­sideration the most likely means for establishing a central school for the instruction of girls.

"10. The salary of the director, and the other ex­penses necessary for this establishment, shall be defrayed by the government. The Minister of State is authorized to issue all the orders necessary for the punctual fulfilment of this decree.

 "Given in the government palace in Lima, 6th July, 1822.

 (Signed)  "TRUXILLO".

"By order of his Excellency, countersigned,

"B.MONTEAGUDO".

As we go on in our operations, I shall com­municate to you the result.

P.S. Please send me five thousand slates by the first vessel for Lima.

[1] James Thomson. Letters on the Moral and Religious State of South America. (London: James Nisbet, 1827), pp. 38-43; New Evangelical Magazine Vol IX, 1823, pp.189-191; Eighteenth Report of the British and Foreign School Society (1823), pp.125-128.

Lima, 9th November 1822

Lima, 9th November 1822.[1]

A considerable time has now elapsed since I last wrote you, and a much longer time has intervened since I had the pleasure of receiving a letter from you. Although I have not communicated with you directly during this time, yet I suppose you are well acquainted with my various circum­stances in this part of the world, through means of my letters sent from time to time to my friends in Edinburgh. Since my leaving my native country, I have experienced much of the gracious goodness of our heavenly Father, in directing my steps, in making darkness light before me, and crooked things straight. The encouragements I have met with in my endeavours to forward the Lord's cause in South America, have been, much greater than could have been expected before the trial was made.  I think a door has been opened here which will never be shut, but which will, I trust, from one year to another, open wider and wider, until it become,  in the  Apostle's language, "great and effectual." Should I  say, there are  no adver­saries, and that all goes on prosperously, without any difficulty or discouragement from any quarter,— should I say this, it would be nearly the same as telling you, that a great miracle had taken place here, and had changed the nature of man.  You, of course, expect no such wonderful accounts.  At the same time,  it is a gratifying thing to be able to state, that far  less opposition has been met with than was expected.  Difficulties, I be­lieve, of whatever kind, will grow fewer and weaker as Time runs on, bearing in his hand the torch of heavenly light; whilst, on the other hand, means and opportunities of doing good will greatly increase. It is surely a gratifying sight to see darkness fleeing  away,  and  the light of heaven breaking forth.  You know there is no fellowship, in any sense, between light and darkness, the one must give  place to the  other.  Wherever,  then, darkness prevails, let the people of God look to him who said, "Let there be light, and there was light;" and let them use those means which he has appointed, under the full assurance, that midnight shall give place to  the dawning  light, and  that again to noon day.

That  a great and happy change is about to take place in our hitherto unfortunate,  unhappy world, the Scriptures predict; and the days in which we live say, "Lift up your heads, for this happy period draweth nigh."  You who live in the land of Israel, whence the word of the Lord is sounding out on all sides,  see these things better than I can do in this far distant country. From every corner of the earth mes­sengers are daily landing on your happy shores with tidings of joy.  One says, Babylon is fallen; another cries, the gods of the heathen are fa­mished;  whilst a third shouts aloud, Satan falls like lightning to the ground. I almost envy this felicity of yours; yet I would not exchange con­ditions with you.   Solitary and alone as I am here, I would not wish myself elsewhere, because I believe I am placed where God would have me to be; and, I trust, his work, in one shape or another, is all my concern.  I do, however, wish myself otherwise circumstanced. I should be glad to have with  me one or more with whom I could always communicate in the ways and work of the Lord, and whose counsels and labours might prove a blessing to  me and  to many.  You,  my dear brother, who dwell in Mount Zion, have never experienced the disadvantage of being thus alone. Should  I come into your thoughts when you bow your knees unto the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, I beg you  to pray that grace, and mercy, and peace may be multiplied unto me,  and that the Lord's work may prosper in South America.

In my letters to Edinburgh since my arrival in this city, I have stated the favourable reception I met with here from San Martin, and from others in the government. Since that time, the state of affairs here, in regard to politics, has considerably changed. San Martin has resigned his authority in all its parts in this country, and is gone to Chile. The Congress was installed on the 20th September, into whose hands he delivered all the concerns of the government, and next morning, at four o'clock, he set off for Chile. When he took the reins of go­vernment into his own hands, under the title of "Protector of the Liberty of Peru," he promised to resign his authority as soon as a general Con­gress could be assembled; and by his resignation at the time proposed, he justified his sincerity in the eyes of the world. During the time he was in power, reports were current that he was desirous to make himself king of Peru. His conduct, how­ever, has shown, that these reports were without foundation. As far as my own affairs here are concerned, I should have been glad that he had remained longer in the country, and, if I am not mistaken, Peru would have been benefited by his stay. San Martin is an intelligent and liberal-minded man. He is very desirous of promoting the progress of South America in knowledge, and he is free from those prejudices which  hinder its advancement. The Congress has now been  as­sembled for several weeks, and has been occupied with various concerns relative to the government of the country. From their own number they have chosen three to discharge the duties of the execu­tive government. This triumvirate is to continue until a constitution be drawn up, and a new Con­gress assembled, composed of representatives chosen in every province of Peru. This complete repre­sentation of the country cannot be obtained whilst the Spaniards are in possession of a considerable part of it, as they actually are at this moment. At present there is great distress felt here by the go­vernment, for want of money to carry forward the operations of the war. This appears to be the chief obstacle in preventing the general independence of Peru. Troops are not wanting, as, in addition to those brought by San Martin, and those who have since been raised in the country, General Bolivar has sent about 2,000 well-experienced troops from Quito,  as affairs  in that part have now been brought to a favourable conclusion. 

The English merchants here have just given the government a loan of 70,000 dollars,  by way of helping them out of their difficulties. An expedition sailed some weeks ago for Arica, and we anxiously look for the result. All that part of the country is in possession of the Spaniards, as well as nearly all the best provinces of the kingdom.  Notwithstanding the possessions  which Spain still holds in Peru, the independence of the country is not at all doubtful. It may, in­deed, by the mismanagement of the Congress, or by some other misfortune, be retarded, but it must ere long completely prevail. I believe there are no remains of the Spanish arms now existing in America, except those in our neighbourhood, and about 1500 men in the isles of Chiloe. What a change, in this respect, has taken place within these few years past! And let not this revolution be considered as a small matter by the man of benev­olence and the Christian. The interests of reli­gion and of humanity are very closely connected with it. That once dreadful, now innoxious house, the Inquisition, reminds me, as I daily pass it, of the happy change which has taken place. True it is, that the Spaniards have now put down the In­quisition throughout their Dominions; still, how­ever, there are many inquisitorial things yet sub­sisting in Spain that do not exist in the independent states of South America. Every effort has been used by Spain to retard the progress of knowledge in America. These days, however, have now gone by, and light of every kind begins to dawn on these countries. My own opinion is, that the na­tions of South America in a few years will far outstrip many of the nations of Europe. The people here, to a certain extent, are conscious of their ignorance, and are desirous of wiping out that stain which Spain has left upon them.

I have hitherto been speaking of the progress of knowledge in general in South America, and its probable results. I shall now say something of the progress making in the knowledge of religion. You know, of course, that the Roman Catholic religion is the only religion professed in this Continent—as it once was the only one in Great Britain. Many are beginning to see through this system, and to find out its inconsistencies. I wish I could also say, that all who see thus far, have attained to the knowledge of the true religion, as laid down in the New Testament. This, however, is not the case. On the contrary, I am sorry to say, that deistical principles are espoused by the greater part of those who get out of the trammels of popery. A good many in the higher ranks, particularly in the army, are of this way of think­ing. This state of things need not surprise us. It is perhaps the natural result, or transition, in those places where no other religion is known than the one professed in this country. A man begins to see the absurdity of the Catholic system, and from his infancy all that is religion with him has been con­nected with it. In giving up this system, he gives up with religion itself, as considering popery and it the same thing. From these circumstances, I con­ceive this to be the most favourable time for introducing, as far as can be done, the holy religion of our Lord Jesus Christ. The present is the time for labouring in this field, by introducing the Scriptures, and by every other means which prudence may dictate. Prejudice is growing less every day, and this is the result of the revolution. There is even a perceptible difference between the different parts of this Continent in regard to the decrease of pre­judice. In Chile there is less than in Lima, be­cause it has been longer independent. Again, there is still less in Buenos Aires than in Chile, for the same reason.

Having mentioned Buenos Aires, I cannot leave it without eulogizing it, in almost the highest degree, in regard to the progress it is making. One reform succeeds another in rapid succession. They are just about to put a stop to monarchism, and to take the church property into their own hands, paying the clergy out of the public treasury. It is said also, that they are about to pass a law for religious toleration. In every re­spect Buenos Aires now holds the first rank among the cities and countries of South America. To have one place thus stepping forward by way of pattern to the rest is of immense advantage. There are several periodical works of a superior kind issuing from the presses in that city. In these every subject is freely discussed, prejudices attacked, and reforms proposed. The liberty of the press is enjoyed and acted upon there in the same manner as it is in England. The articles published in the Buenos Aires papers and magazines find their way gradually into the papers of Chile and Peru, and thus prepare the way in these places also for following up, ere long, the same reforms and arrangements that are now going forward in the pattern city I have mentioned. In this city, also, the liberty of the press is enjoyed to a con­siderable extent. This, however, only commenced about two or three months ago, upon the dethrone­ment of the principal Secretary of State. This individual, though a great friend to reform himself, and from whom I met with every encouragement, wished to keep these things in his own hand, at least for some time, and to grant the freedom of the press by degrees. The plan of ecclesiastical reform published in Buenos Aires was also pub­lished in the public paper of this city. Various other things of a similar nature are thus indirectly brought under the consideration of the people of Peru; and coming from Buenos Aires, they are better received than they would be, coming from any part of Europe, especially from a Protestant country. We had also an attack upon the friars of Lima the other day, in one of the publications of this city, whose editor is one of the Secretaries of Congress. These things you will consider as the fruits of the revolution in South America; and the time fast approaches, when we shall see still more abundant fruits, and those too of the best kind. The Lord reigneth, let the earth be glad!

"With respect to the climate of this place, you know, we are here  fairly within the torrid  zone, the latitude of this city being 12° 2' 51" S.  A few days ago we had the sun vertical here, as he passed us on his way to the southward. Notwithstanding our proximity to the equator, we enjoy a very agreeable temperature. In the winter the sun but seldom makes his appearance; in spring he shows himself more frequently; and in summer he throws off reserve, and from his vertical throne looks down in all his magnificence. From ten o'clock till two, it is pretty hot, but about this hour a refreshing breeze springs up from the south, which is very agreeable. It is generally said, that it never rains in Lima. This, however, is not quite correct. It does rain a very little in the winter season; but the drops, when they can be recognized as such, seem to have passed through the finest rain sieve. It is, in short, rather a kind of mist than rain, al­though at times it may be called by the latter name; and when it is so, the people of Lima call it a heavy shower. Before I came here I fre­quently heard this climate denominated unhealthy. The tertian ague prevails a good deal, but on the whole I do not consider this an unhealthy place. For my own part, I never enjoyed better health than I have done since my coming to this city. Blessed be God for this precious blessing!—There is one thing of a rather terrifying nature to which this place is subject, I mean earthquakes. There is no place, I suppose, more subject to them than this city. We have had several shocks since I came to it; the greatest was on the 14th September.  I was awaked at a quarter past three o'clock in the morning by a most dreadful noise. I was at no loss to know what this noise was, considering the part of the world I was in. This noise con­tinued for a few seconds, and increased. The shock then followed, and made all the house shake, as if the whole were coming to the ground. A loud hollow noise followed this for a few seconds, and on its ceasing all was tranquil as before it com­menced, and those who had fled out of their houses quietly returned. These phenomena are of fre­quent occurrence. There are, I believe, about thirty earthquakes here in the course of a year. Those, however, which throw down houses and produce other ravages are rare. Once in fifty years seems to be about the period of those terrible visita­tions, and with considerable regularity Lima has suffered severely at the return of this fatal period. The city of Quito to the north, and of Arequipa to the south, have also their periodical visitations.

[1] James Thomson. Letters on the Moral and Religious State of South America. (London: James Nisbet, 1827, pp. 49-59.