Lima, 12th April 1824

Lima,12th April, 1824.[1]

 You have, more than once, requested me to state to you any interesting conversations I might have at times with individuals of this country, upon the sub­ject of religion. I have not, I believe, been very communicative in my letters to you on this subject. I believe such details might, in many cases, be in­teresting, but generally speaking, the questions and answers upon these matters are so nearly what we might expect them to be before hand, under the given circumstances, that little of what can be called solid information is derived therefrom; be­sides, I understand you print some of my letters, and there is some delicacy and caution to be used under such a consideration, more especially as I have never seen any of your printed accounts, and am thus unable to judge of the freedom you use in such matters. I hope in your selections for the press, you will be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

I shall now detail to you a conversation which I had a few days ago, with a particular friend, upon the subject of religion, and more particularly upon the Catholic and Protestant controversy. The gentleman, with whom I had the conversation, is a man of superior education and abilities, and holds an important situation in one of our colleges. We have been acquainted with each other ever since I arrived in this city. We have visited each other occasionally during that time, and have talked upon religious subjects, but almost always upon those things in which we were agreed. A few days ago I had a visit from him, and we entered almost immediately into a close conversation or controversy upon some of the points of the Catholic religion. I had lying on the table one of the Pope's bulls, which a young man had brought me a day or two before, as I had expressed to him a desire to see it. I en­quired of my friend, where I could obtain a set of these bulls, as I wished to see each of them, in order to ascertain their nature, and what it was they promised to those who should purchase them.

 After he had informed me where this article was to be found, I told him that I understood that those who purchased one of these bulls at a certain price, namely, eight dollars and a half, were assured that they would get out of purgatory in two or three days after death. He said it was so as I had stated. Do you then really believe, said I, that the Pope can thus pardon the sins of men, and that men can obtain the pardon of their sins by means of expending such a sum of money in the purchase of this bull.—He said he believed the forgiveness of sins could be obtained in the way mentioned, and that the Pope had such authority in virtue of being the successor of the prince of the apostles, to whom Jesus Christ had granted the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and power to remit or to retain the sins of men. It is to be supposed, however, continued he, that confession of sins is to be made in order to [obtain] this forgiveness. And in con­fession to whom can the penitent go but to the minister of Christ, in order that they may instruct him in the nature of repentance? To prevent him from deceiving himself, and believing he has re­pented when he has not, it is necessary to show him what are the signs of a sincere repentance; and when the priest finds the penitent as he ought to be, then in virtue of the power given by Christ to his ministers, they absolve him from his sins.—In answer to what he said, I told him that I considered it to be the duty of man to confess his sins unto God, as it is with him alone we have to do, and not with one another; and that the Scripture assures us, that if we humbly and sincerely confess our sins unto him, and beg forgiveness through the Lord Jesus Christ, we shall obtain the mercy we ask for. I then said, that I believed none could forgive sins but God only; and that as to the power given to the apostle Peter, and also to the other apostles to for­give the sins of men or to retain them, I conceived it to be a power of doing this only in a certain way, namely, in the way corresponding to the instructions which they had received from their divine Master.

 I illustrated this by the case of an ambassador sent by his sovereign with terms of peace to a neighbouring prince. The Ambassador, I said, is authorized to make peace between the two nations, that is, to put an end to the war or to continue it. He is not, however, at liberty to do this in any way he chooses, but only in that way which the instructions of his sovereign authorize. So was it, I continued, with the ambassadors whom the Lord Jesus sent into the world; they were sent to proclaim and to celebrate a peace between God and man, but they were to do so only in one way, that is, in the way prescribed to them, and of which, I observed, we shall presently speak. As to the su­periority of the Apostle Peter, said I, to which you refer, or to speak more properly, the superior honour conferred upon him, it is easy to see in what it con­sisted, and how far it extended. To him were pro­mised the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and also the power of remitting and retaining sins; this latter power was also conferred upon the other Apostles, so that the difference, or the superior honour conferred upon Peter, consisted in having the keys put into his hands. Keys are for the unlocking of doors, that a free entrance may be had to a place inaccessible before the gates were opened. Now, said I, the Apostle Peter was honoured by his Lord, to open the gates of the kingdom of heaven, in the first place unto the Jews, and which he accordingly did in his sermon on the day of Pentecost, and by which means three thousand entered the church of God at one rush.  The same individual was afterwards honoured to open the door of faith unto the Gentiles, by a special commission from heaven to that effect. Having thus opened the gates of the kingdom of heaven unto the Jews, and also  unto the Gentiles, there was no farther use for these keys.

 The Apostles of our Lord, in regard to authority in the church, were exactly upon a level, none was superior and none was inferior. And now, I continued, with regard to what we were speaking of before, namely, the forgiveness of sins, I conceive the Apostles could do it only by making known the message of peace and reconciliation to their fellow sinners, and by de­claring, in the name of their Master, to those who believed their testimony, the remission of sins con­sequent upon their belief; and on the other hand, they retained the sins of men, by declaring unto those  who disbelieved their testimony, that the wrath of God  remained upon them. Further, I said, regarding the successors of the Apostles, I conceived that strictly speaking they had none, nor were there any required. In their life time they exercised their authority, and fulfilled their commission in the way I have stated. And knowing that they were not to continue long upon the earth, and being desirous that these sacred truths which they preached unto men should always  be held in remembrance, they committed them to writing, and these writings, through the blessing of God, remain unto this day. The Apostles, therefore, have made their own writings their successors, and thus, through them, they continue still to speak to man­kind; they still publish the message of reconciliation, and whose sins soever they remit, they are remitted, and whose soever sins they retain, they are retained. I remarked a little before, I continued, that it was at their peril that the Apostles acted in any other way in the forgiving and retaining of sins, and I now add, that it is at the peril of men to receive the remission of sins in any other way than in that which the Apostles taught. The great and eventful day that awaits us all, will declare on what au­thority and foundation we have enjoyed peace in this weighty affair. The precious stones, the gold and the silver will stand the fire which is to try them, but the wood, the hay, and the stubble shall be burned up.

 When I had finished the observations which I have now mentioned, my friend took his turn to speak, and stated his mind upon these topics with great clearnesss and eloquence to the following effect:—My dear Sir, in regard to the explanation of the passage on which you have now given your opinion, and also with regard to the explanation of the Scriptures in general, I conceive our best and surest plan is to have recourse to the uniform explanation and judgment of the church. If everyone is at liberty to form his own opinion of the meaning of Scripture, there will be nearly as many opinions as  there are individuals. Wit­ness the divisions which exist among the  Protestants, in consequence of this liberty which  they take   of explaining the Scripture, everyone as appears best to him. One believes a certain thing, another denies it,  and a third believes something different from both.  Every truth in the Scripture has thus been defended and opposed, and torn in pieces by this principle, of every one explaining according to his own judgment and fancy. Under these circumstances, what a consolation it is to have an authority to which we can in all cases recur, and in whose decision we can rest fully satisfied. This authority is the church,—which Jesus Christ has invested with full power on all these points. In consequence  of this, the noble  truths of our religion continue as they were in the beginning. The judgment of the church has never varied upon them as it has done among the Protestants, neither can it vary. We have the promise of Jesus Christ that he will be with his church to the end of the world, and that whatsoever shall be bound by its judgment upon earth, shall  be bound also in  hea­ven, and that whatsoever shall be loosed by it on earth, shall be loosed in heaven. My dear friend, here is our foundation, here is our authority and consolation.

 The Catholic church has continued since the days of the Apostles, and has had an unin­terrupted succession of Bishops, from St. Peter until  the present day. The  Protestants cannot  plead such a succession. They are but a sect which left the church a century or two ago, and still occupy a small portion of the world; whereas the Catholic church, descending from the Apostles, has spread on every side, and its doctrines have continued pure and uncorrupted from the beginning until now, yea, and they will continue so until the end of the world, for Jesus Christ has promised it. Here, my friend, is firm footing, and all else, be assured, is quicksand and uncertainty. I was born a Catholic, and I adhere to the religion of my country, and in which I was educated. It is not, however, from the circumstance of being brought up in this religion that I now adhere to it. No, Sir, on the contrary, when I came of age I began to entertain doubts about our religion. Upon this, I set myself to examine the subject with diligence and attention, and the result was a thorough per­suasion of its firm and unalterable foundation, and of the beauty and grandeur of the structure. I look upon the Catholic religion, therefore, with great de­light and confidence. It appears to me like a great and majestic river running through an extensive con­tinent. On one hand it makes its way, tumbling over rocks, yet uninterrupted in its course by such impediments; again, it meets in its course with shelves and dykes, and after being retarded a little by these hindrances it breaks its way over, and then holds its noble and majestic course until it reaches the ocean, enriching and beautifying every place through which it flows. Such is our religion, and I clasp it to my bosom and esteem it my best and only treasure.

 When he had finished, I observed to him, that the plan of the Church explaining all doubts and difficulties regarding the meaning of every part of Scripture, and of our resting  in that decision, had the appearance of possessing many advantages. How desirable is it that we should be able to set our minds at rest on subjects of such importance, and wherein a mistake or an error might be at­tended with very serious consequences. But there appears to me, I said, a great difficulty to be got over, before we can allow our minds to enjoy the ease and confidence referred to, by resting in an infallible interpreter. The difficulty I speak of is this: How shall I know that the church has indeed the authority you speak of? If I were fully satisfied that the church possesses this authority, I would, I assure you, fully confide in it. You remember that, in a former conversation, you promised to prove your positions regarding the Ca­tholic Church with evidence as satisfactory as the proof, that the three interior angles of a triangle are equal to two right angles. Now, I continued to observe, I cannot see evidence for believing that the church has the power in question, and I can­not receive it as a doctrine until I be convinced. On what then do you build this doctrine?

 I build this doctrine, said he, in the first place, on the promises of Jesus Christ to his church, which are those: "whose sins soever ye remit, they are remitted, and whose soever sins ye retain they are retained; whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and again, I will be with you always even unto the end of the world." In the second place, said he, from the considera­tion that the promises of Jesus to his church, must necessarily have been fulfilled, I maintain that the church has been guided by the Spirit in the manner I have stated, and in consequence thereof, she has held the same doctrine from the days of the Apostles until the present time.

 I differ from you, I replied, regarding the mean­ing and application of the passages you have quoted from the Scriptures. But as you will have the church to explain them, and as the church does actually explain them as you have stated, we cannot there­fore meet each other here, on open ground.

 Let us then pass on to the other fundamental principle which you hold, namely, the fulfilling of this promise in the way you have explained it. How then do you prove to me, that the church has never varied in her doctrines?—I prove, said he, the constancy and stability of the church by the uniform voice of ecclesiastical writers, from the days of the Apostles until now. No sooner did any pastor or bishop broach any new doctrine, than his own flock, and the whole body of Christians, everywhere raised the cry against him. Errors now and then arose, continued he, and errors too of great consequence, but in this manner they were publicly reprobated, and the individuals who had erred were thereby brought to repentance, or else expelled the church.—As I wished to drive this sub­ject to its proper issue, and to fix upon the very point upon which we differed, and which point it was necessary to settle before we could proceed farther with any advantage, I put this question to him: Do you maintain that the writers upon ecclesi­astical affairs, from the days of the Apostles down­ward, have all held the same opinions regarding the interpretation of Scripture?

Not exactly so, said he, for there have been differences among them re­garding the interpretation of several passages of Scrip­ture; and he here instanced several opinions of St. Augustine, St. Cyprian, &c. But so far, continued he, as respects what are strictly and properly called the doctrines of the church, I maintain that there is no difference among them, although in points of discipline they are not all agreed. You hold then, said I, do you, that so far as the doctrines of the Roman Catholic church are concerned, the writers we speak of do not vary? I expected he would here give an answer at once in the affirmative, but he with­drew a little farther, and said that he would not affirm to the question I had put, as to all that these writers had said; but so far only, as they had given their testimony to the doctrines in question as existing among them, he wished to speak, and not as to their own opinions of these doctrines. He here stated some opinions of the fathers, and said, that so far as they acted as witnesses to what existed among them, and in the ages previous to their time, thus far and no farther were their writings to be considered respecting the argument in hand. I here reminded him by the way, of what I had before urged, but which he did not concede, namely, that there were a great variety of opinions among the Catholics as well us among the Protestants. I stated, at the same time, that I did not urge this particularly as an objection to their system, but merely as a coun­terpart to his objection to the Protestants, arising from  their differences.

 I then put the question : Do you maintain then, that so far as ecclesiastical writers have given testimony to the doctrines of the church, they do not vary, nor can vary ?—Yes, said he, I do maintain that position.—I then replied, I am glad we have come at length to this one definite point, and I am glad, also, that you have excluded the opinions of the writers on these subjects, and that you rest solely on them as witnesses.   I now see the point you maintain, and here we will come to issue. My answer, for the present, shall be short. This position which you maintain, is a position which I believe to be insupportable, and which, in con­sequence, I deny. Here, then, let the subject for the present rest; we have got a great length in seeing the very line which divides us, and we have now the matter free of mystery. It is reduced to a mere historical question. We shall, therefore, de­cide it as such on some future occasion, when I shall take in hand to prove that the church has varied.

 We have now seen, said I, the very point in which we differ, let us also see wherein we agree. I believe, said I, that all mankind are sinners, and stand in need of a Saviour. I believe that God pitied our race, and sent his only begotten Son to seek and to save the lost. I believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is the true Mediator and Saviour of mankind, and that there is no other name under heaven by which we can be saved. I do sincerely believe, I continued, in the Lord Jesus Christ as my Lord and my Redeemer; and, I trust, also that I desire to know all his precepts and instructions, and to conform my thoughts, and words, and actions thereunto.—I then said to him, is not this exactly what you believe?—He said it was so. Well then, I replied, may not we look upon each other as fellow disciples, and may not we each expect, if we hold on, that the Lord will give unto us both that crown of righteousness which he hath promised to them that love him? He here seemed to hesitate, and did not give a direct reply. You see that I was here touching upon the point of there being no salvation out of their church,—He said that what I had stated regarding my faith was well, but that there was something farther necessary, and upon saying so, he seemed to digress a little, or, at least, not to speak directly to the point in hand.

 My dear Sir, said I, pray let us settle this point. Have the goodness to speak your mind freely; speak out, what do I still want, what more must I believe, than what I have stated, in order to obtain eternal life. Did not the Lord Jesus himself concede eternal life to those who believed what I have told you in my belief? And did not the Apostles, according to the power invested in them, remit the sins of those who believed and acted in the manner I have stated? He then said some­thing about the necessity of believing the church, in order to salvation.—Can I not look for salvation without this? said I.—Take care that you do not put obstacles in the way to heaven, which the God of our salvation has not put. Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, pray then, do not with stumbling blocks fill up this narrow way. Let the Lord Jesus and his Apostles guide us in this, and in all matters that concern the kingdom of God.

Upon arriving here we found our time was gone, and that we had been upwards of two hours in a very close conversation. As my friend could stop no longer, we broke up our conversation at this point, he still stating it as necessary to salvation, that I should believe the church. When we thus dropped our disputation, he arose, and as I accom­panied him out, he threw his arms around me, and said, "We shall yet, I trust, be united together, and companions in our Lord Jesus Christ."

 I have lengthened my account of this interview, perhaps unnecessarily, and it may be till I have tired you. By way of excuse, I would say that I felt real interest in the conversation, and my endeavour has been to make you participate with me, as I believe what interests and pleases one of us is not unpleasing, nor without interest, to the other. It often happens, however, that what interests us in a conversation or narrative loses its effect upon others by the imperfect way in which we repeat it. In the present instance, this is very likely the case, but I leave you to judge.

I have only to remark, before I conclude, that the point in dispute between us is now reduced to narrow limits; and it was my main endeavour to bring it to this bearing, nor was he averse to it.

 He is, as I said at the outset, a man of good talents, and reasons clearly. I do not promise to you that we shall be able to set the subject at rest in our  next conference, notwithstanding all the accuracy and honesty  of my good friend. You know there are many things which prevent such an anticipation. I shall, however, endeavour to prove to him, in the first place, that the church at Rome, and other churches in the  days of the Apostles, held the doctrines and followed the practices which are contained in the New Testament. With these doctrines I shall then compare the doctrines of the church of Rome in the present day;  and if I can show a disparity between them, I think impartiality should give the judgment, in  my favour, even with­out entering- upon ecclesiastical history; as I shall thus have proved that the church has varied, and hence that those passages he referred to, must be misinterpreted by Romish writers, and that they do not apply to their church, whose  infallibility must, of course, fall to the ground, agreeably to the principles stated in the preceding conversation. Should, however, justice not speak out in my favour, I shall pass on to show, from ecclesiastical writers, that the doctrines of the Church of Rome differ in the present day from what they were in the first and second centuries, and even later.

 By this means I hope to arrive at the same conclusion, as in the way before mentioned, and thus to disprove my friend's position of  the church  never having varied, by the very means by which he maintains it. This, I conceive, is the only way of managing the controversy between the Catholic and the Pro­testant.  Until you settle this point about the au­thority of the church,  you can do  nothing effec­tually. If you cite, for instance, a  passage of Scripture to disprove any one of the doctrines of the Catholic church, you are met immediately with the interpretation which the church puts upon that passage, and there is an end of it. If you should allege that the passage plainly and evidently means something very different from such interpretation, then you are reminded that our judgment is weak and erring, and that the judgment of the church is infallible. So that to whatever hand you turn, you never can get out of this circle. It is there­fore necessary to demolish this outwork entirely. What I have said of course applies chiefly to the mode of reasoning with those who are thorough­paced in their theological arguments; but with regard to others, you can attack them in any par­ticular part, and carry your argument forward on the principles of common sense, and by the doc­trines of Scripture taken in their plain and obvious meaning.

 [1] James Thomson. Letters on the Moral and Religious State of South America. (London: James Nisbet, 1827), pp. 130-146.

Lima, 1st June 1824

Lima,1st June, 1824.[1]

 In the conclusion of my letter of the 1st of March, I noticed that this city had been, taken possession of by the Spanish army.  It is still in their posses­sion, and there does not appear, at present, any im­mediate prospect of a change in this respect. You will not expect from me political news under present circumstances, and I pass on to note what little affairs have come under my observation during these two or three months past, respecting that kingdom which cannot be moved by the strifes of men, nor the clangour of war.

 My letter to Mr. H. of 25th March would inform you of the  protection which the Spanish General granted to our schools. In consequence of that encouragement,  I  resolved to remain here some time longer, in order to put our establishment upon as sure a footing as possible. Nothing material occurred  in our  school   upon  the arrival of the Spaniards, except the losing of some of our scholars. The cause of this was the dread their parents were in, lest their children should be seized on their way to and from the school by the recruiting parties, who not unfrequently take some of the bigger boys as they find them in  the street, in order to make drummers of them. Our number, in consequence of this, is less than it was about three months ago. In these times, when  party spirit  runs high, we endeavour in our school to maintain a strict neu­trality in words and actions. We found some difficulty during the first days, after our change of rulers, to establish this neutrality among the chil­dren themselves. They would, from time to time, be forming themselves into sides, and calling each other  respectively Patriots and Goths. We  have in the school, children whose parents have taken opposite sides in this contest, and as might na­turally be expected, the children on the one hand and on the other have imbibed the sentiments of their parents.  We succeeded at length in putting an end to these strifes among the children, and we now all live in peace and unity. The govern­ment holds out to us no immediate encouragement,  and on the other hand, it never in any shape in­terferes with our operations. On the whole, this school is going on very well. The children are making progress in their learning, and advancing in moral dignity; and some are lisping out, and some are reading with readiness, the gracious words which proceeded out of the mouth of our blessed Saviour, as they were taken down by the Holy Spirit. I may add, that we are not losing the estimation of our friends here, but on the con­trary, if I mistake not, we are gaining more friends in both parties, and making advances in public con­fidence.

 About three weeks ago I was on the eve of leaving this place, and had, as on a former oc­casion, everything packed up with that intention. I had indeed resolved to sail for Guayaquil with the first ship, and was inquiring for a passage. My reasons for doing so were quite solid. My salary, as I suppose you know, is paid by the govern­ment. Under present circumstances, the payment of the troops is the first thing attended to, and to procure funds sufficient for this purpose, requires great exertions in the present exhausted state of this place. To obtain this supply, all the ordi­nary sources of revenue are laid hold of, and pretty heavy contributions also are laid on the inhabitants to make up deficiencies. This being the case, there was no prospect of my obtaining any supplies, more especially as persons in the immediate em­ploy of the government, and who have salaries assigned them, could obtain nothing. To make certain, however, I made application, and found it impossible to obtain anything, on account of the circumstances mentioned. As you know I have no supplies but what my own hands pro­vide me with, it became an imperative duty to remove when my usual resources were dried up. These were my reasons for going, and I suppose you will consider them sufficient, especially if you take into consideration the high price of all kinds of provisions in this city. Sugar for instance, which grows and is manufactured within a few miles of the city, is now selling at twenty-pence and two shillings the pound.

 Being ready for setting off, as above men­tioned, and having given notice to the chil­dren to that effect, I waited only till the following day to send my luggage down to Callao, and to follow it immediately. Whilst I was thus prepared, my good friend the clergyman, whom I have fre­quently mentioned in my former letters, called upon me, and said that he believed I would not go away yet, notwithstanding all my preparations. I smiled at what he said, and replied, that my going appeared very certain and very near too, for I intended to send my luggage to Callao next morning.—Well, I do not think you will go away for all that, said he.—Upon my asking him what reasons he had for saying so, he stated, that he had been speaking with some of the parents of the children, and that they had expressed to him their concern at my going, and said they would very willingly contribute what they could, and would speak to some others who had children in the school, and that they "hoped by that means something might be raised, which might, in a great measure, remove the reasons I had stated for my going."

 Whilst my friend and I were talking to this effect, a person came in who had a son at school, and repeated the same things. I replied, that I felt very much obliged by the confidence they reposed in me, and for their friendly inter­ference for my continuance in this place. I no­ticed also that I had candidly stated my reasons for going away at this time, and that though they had kindly proposed a way of removing these difficulties, yet I felt a delicacy in calling on the parents of the children on my own behalf. They re­plied to this by saying that they would speak to some of their friends upon the subject, and that in fact they had spoken to some of those of most influence who were very cordial and anxious in the matter; and my friend the clergyman proposed to write notes to others of the parents, in his own name, to remove any delicacies I might have as to the applica­tion. Upon seeing so much interest taken in this matter, I recognized the hand of God in it, and agreed to their proposal. Their plan has been carried into effect, and thus has the Lord opened, as it were, a window in heaven, and let down be­fore me a sheet full of supplies. In this same manner, I may say, has the Lord provided for me during the years of my pilgrimage in this foreign land. He has set a table before me, he has anointed my head with oil, he has made my cup to run over. Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and O may I dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

[1] Letter to BFSS. James Thomson. Letters on the Moral and Religious State of South America. (London: James Nisbet, 1827), pp. 146-151.

Lima, 15th July 1824

Rev A Brandram

Lima, 15th July, 1824.[1]

My Dear Sir,

Your very acceptable favour of 6th January last, came safely into my hands on the 22nd ultimo, and I have now the pleasure of writing you a few lines in reply. Your notice of the progress of  Bible Societies in France is very interesting, and it is not less so what you mention regarding the circulation of the Holy Scriptures in Egypt, and in Jerusalem, the city of the great King. To whatever quarter we turn our eyes, we behold the word of God silently making its way into the hands of men of every nation and of every language, saying unto all, Fear God, and give glory to his name, for the day of his merciful visitation is come. The strains of the Bible Society remind us of the song of the heavenly messengers upon their announcing the Advent of our great Deliverer. The language of both is, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, good will towards men."

It affords me much satisfaction to observe the interest which the Society takes on behalf of South America, and I hope the day is coming when we shall be more sensible of your favours to us, and when we shall join together in grateful acknow­ledgment of your godly benevolence. Have the goodness to convey my sincere thanks to the Com­mittee, for the readiness with which they have ac­ceded to my request respecting the translating and printing of a part of the Holy Scriptures into the ancient Peruvian tongue. I thought I should, by this time, have been able to give you a very fa­vourable account of the progress of this work, but we are subject here to sad vicissitudes, for war rages in the land, and of late the sword has reached unto our very soul. How long we shall be visited with this scourge I cannot tell. The Judge of all the earth will do right, and it is our duty to submit to his holy will.

The translation of the whole of the New Tes­tament into the Peruvian language was finished about two months ago. The Gospel by Luke has been very carefully revised and corrected by four individuals, one of whom is a Clergyman, another is a Theological Tutor in one of the colleges of this city, and the other two are of the medical profes­sion. These four, along with the gentleman who made the translation, went over this gospel verse by verse, with great care. The present corrected version, therefore, is the joint work of five persons, and I trust it may be relied on with some confi­dence. It has not yet been put to the press, for we have not had a printing press in Lima during these four months past. There are two indifferent ones in Callao, one of them in the castle and the other under its guns, but I have not yet been able to ascertain, since I received your letter, whether anything can be done at these or not. In my next I shall inform you more particularly upon this sub­ject, and if the printing shall be then begun, I shall forward you a copy of the first sheet.

In my letter to Mr. Ronneberg of 29th March last, I noticed the safe arrival of the Grecian in Callao, bringing the 2,500 Spanish New Testaments addressed to me, and the 1,592 addressed to Mr. Lynch. Of the six boxes which came to me, I have sent two to Guatemala by a favourable opportunity which offered. I have also sent one to Arequipa, and one to Truxillo, and two yet remain on hand. A few weeks ago I received from Captain Hobson, of the Sesostris, two boxes of New Testaments (Paris edition,) containing about 500 each. These he received, I believe, from the Merchants' Bible So­ciety, or from some other of the Societies in London. In the letter already referred to, I noticed what had taken place with regard to 50 New Tes­taments, which I sent to Truxillo some time ago. I mentioned the impossibility of getting them con­veyed to Truxillo under the circumstances then existing in that place, and that in consequence they were carried to Guayaquil. I have since received a very pleasing letter regarding their re­ception in that place, of which the following is an extract.

"It is with the utmost pleasure I sit down to write these few lines to you, to inform you of the hunger and thirst, after the word of God in this part of the world. You may remember, that when I last left Lima you gave me a box containing Tracts and Testaments, for Dr. O'Donovan in Truxillo, but from the then existing state of the country it was out of my power to forward the above mentioned box to Truxillo, and as we were not allowed to enter that port, we were consequently obliged to proceed to Guayaquil. I wrote you from that place, saying, that I was bound for the coast of Mexico, but as affairs would not permit it, I made a trading voyage to Jipijapi, Monte Cristi, and the Bay of Caracas. But be­fore leaving Guayaquil some one got knowledge of my having these Testaments, and the demand was so great, that it was almost out of my power to save any of them, although it was my intention to do so, for the other above mentioned parts; and as I had no likely opportunity of forwarding them to Mr. O'Donovan,  I  thought  it best to   circulate them, and not to let such a treasure lie hid in darkness; and I am convinced that it is in general con­sidered as a treasure; for with pleasure have  I seen, in passing through the streets of Guayaquil, not once or twice, but mostly every day, the shop­keepers, and the poor people who have stalls, read in the blessed Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. If I had had ten times as many, I am persuaded I could have sold them all.

On my arrival in this  port, (Monte Cristi, latitude 3° south) I had no Testaments, but a few tracts, and some of the instructions of the Lancasterian system of teaching; I gave the latter to different school masters, and likewise a few tracts along with them. A day or two after it was known that I had tracts on board, it was astonishing, but at the same  time pleasing, to see both old and young coming after me in the street, and to where I lived, requesting me either to sell or give them one  of each  kind. There was one tract in particular, which, to my knowledge, was sent twenty leagues to a curate, an acquaintance of mine, and on, my going to some of the inland towns, which I had occasion at times to do, there was always particular inquiry for Tracts and New Testaments. I had once, about four years ago, distributed a  few Testaments in Monte Cristi, one or two of which I saw this time. Such is the thirst after the word of God, that the Governor and two or three more, requested me as a particular favour, that I would leave a New Testa­ment I had for my own use, until I should return, and begged and even offered money, so that I would bring either the New Testament or the whole Bible on my return. The Governor, after reading the rules of the Lancasterian plan of teach­ing, gave orders in my presence to some of the school-masters to conform to some of the rules as near as they could. He seems to be a young man very much inclined to forward anything that tends to promote the education of youth. At this mo­ment I am surrounded with children requesting tracts, but as my stock is small, I am very par­ticular to whom I give them, making every one read a sentence or two before they get a tract.—It gives me infinite pleasure to be thus employed in distributing the word of God to those that hunger and thirst after righteousness; and after the fa­tigues of the day, I feel refreshed to be thus em­ployed."

The information contained in the above extract is very interesting, and I trust many other instances will be witnessed upon this continent, of a sincere desire to possess, and to read the Holy Scriptures, I shall take care to seize the first opportunity of sending a supply of New Testaments to Guayaquil and parts adjacent. It often occurs to me that it might prove very useful to make journeys through various parts of this country, in order to dispose of the Scriptures to the best advantage, and to the greatest extent possible. I felt much inclined to employ a person in whom I have confidence, in such journeys, but did not like to do so at your expense without orders, and my own funds at present cannot afford it.—I have as yet received no answer to my letter to the Viceroy, and am quite uncertain as to the time I remain here. I had almost forgot to mention to you the safe arrival of the parcel containing the Brief View, in Spanish. Many copies of this have already been circulated, and they have produced a good effect.

I conclude, my dear Sir, by praying that an abundant measure of the Holy Spirit may be poured out upon yourself, and upon all your as­sociates.

            Yours very sincerely,

                        James Thomson.

[1] BSA-D1-2-A. Also in James Thomson. Letters on the Moral and Religious State of South America. (London: James Nisbet, 1827), pp. 151-157.

Lima, 1st September 1824

Lima,1st September, 1824.[1]

 Many feelings, my dear friend, rush upon my mind on the present occasion. I shall, at once, give you to understand something of the num­ber and the nature of these, by telling you,—that I have just now shut up my house, have taken leave of the children and of several warm friends, and go down immediately to Callao, to embark for Truxillo and Guayaquil; and from the latter place I intend to go to Bogota; and thence onward from one place to another, until perhaps, and if the Lord will, I shall see you face to face.

 In consequence of  these things, as you may easily suppose, I have my mind full of past, and of present, and of future ob­jects. I think of my parting from you more than six years ago; I think of the wonderful way by which the Lord has preserved me, and led me, and blessed me in this foreign land; I think of the goodness of God in having allowed me to drop a seed here and a seed there in this continent, which appears a world of itself; I think of the affectionate parting I have this day had with many warm friends, and who are mostly priests, and of their sincere and earnest entreaties for my speedy return to them; and further, I think of the prospect of sowing the word of God on my journey,—of the pleasure, if such be the will of our Saviour, of seeing again all my dear brethren and friends in England,—of spending  a  few  months  with you in  endeavours to forward the cause of our Redeemer in South America; and finally, I think of parting from you once more, and of returning again to this quarter of the world, to spend in it the remaining days of my life in seeking its welfare.

 It is time to tell you the immediate cause of these projected movements. I say the immediate cause, for I suppose you know that these are not new arrangements. The reason, then, of my setting off at the present time is, because I conceive it the most favourable time I am likely to have of redu­cing these arrangements to practice. You know how the war rages here, and how it defeats every attempt to forward the education of youth, and the promoting of general improvement. What I have said applies to Peru in general, but more particu­larly to this city, where the sword has truly reached to the heart. We are here, I may say, in a besieged city, having the enemy on all sides. Gue­rrilla parties surround the city by land, and have several times come in at night, and carried off people and property; and on the other hand the port of Callao is actually blockaded by the Peru­vian squadron under Admiral Guise. The distress which prevails in this city, in consequence of everything being thus at a stand, is very great, and it is augmented by heavy contributions. This, perhaps, in former times, was, without exception, the richest city in the world, but now, I may say with equal certainty, that it is the poorest. The luxury and dissipation which prevailed, in con­sequence of this abundance of wealth, may be easily imagined; and I have often thought upon that passage in the 18th chapter of the Revelation, and have seen it applied, I think, to our case, "How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her."

 Until, therefore, some change take place here, nothing more can be done than has already been done. Our school goes on, and I may say, with as much prosperity as could be expected under the circumstances above mentioned. The number of scholars has decreased from 230 to about 200, There are two causes for this decrease; the one is, that the bigger boys are afraid to go out lest they should be taken up by the recruiting parties; and the other is, the real poverty which exists, and which prevents many parents from sending their children, as they are unable to procure them shoes and clothes to enable them to appear decently among others. Whilst these two causes exist, the number may diminish, perhaps, still more, but the school will continue to maintain itself, and to sup­port its character, I expect, in the progress of those who attend. There are two masters in it, who are well instructed in the plan, and the whole is under the direction of my good friend, the clergyman, of whom I have often spoken to you. What I have said applies to the model or central school. There is also another school in the city on the same plan, with about eighty scholars, which, I hope, will also continue to go on well, though subject, of course, to the same disadvantages.

I have thought, then, that I was called upon to seize this time as the most suitable for visiting other parts of this Continent, and for the objects I have in England. My principal business upon my journey will be the circulation of the Scriptures in the different places I may visit, and I hope that something may be done in this way, so as to make my journey not unprofitable. Of my progress on my road, and in my objects, I shall endeavour to inform you from time to time. I shall only farther observe, in regard to my intentions, that my route, &c. will be a good deal determined by the circum­stances which may occur in the way by which the Lord may lead me.

These movements have, I trust, been entered upon in the fear of God, and after mature deliber­ation, and fervent supplication to the Father of lights, who has promised to guide in judgment those who seek his face in sincerity.

 [1] James Thomson. Letters on the Moral and Religious State of South America. (London: James Nisbet, 1827), pp. 157-161.

Guayaquil, 5th October 1824

Rev A Brandram

Guayaquil, 5th October, 1824.[1]

My dear Sir,

I arrived in this place a few days ago, and seize the earliest opportunity to state to you the cause of my being here. You already know that the single object which I have in view in South America, is the promoting of the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. There are, of course, various ways of doing this, and I have thought it best to allow myself to be guided in the manner of doing it, by the various circumstances and occasions which the providence of God opens up to me from time to time. The two things to which I have more particularly given my attention all along are, the education of youth, and the cir­culation of the Holy Scriptures. In regard to the latter, with which you are more immediately connected, I have stated to the Society, at different  times, my desire of forwarding their work in this quarter, in every way which lies in my power.

I have also informed the Society, on various oc­casions, as to the progress of their work in this continent. It has afforded me much satisfaction to observe the interest taken by you all for supplying South America with the sacred volume, and to read the repeated assurances you have communicated to me of your desire to carry forward this object in the most extensive and effectual way possible. The confidence I reposed in the Society in regard to this country, induced me to commence the translation of the New Testament on your account into the Quichua, or ancient language of Peru, and the answer I received from you some time ago, has shown me that I was not mistaken in regard to your views.

The same confidence as to the views of the Society, and a hope of being able to do something in the way of circulating the word of God, in places not yet visited, or but very partially, by this messenger of peace, has induced me to come to this city at the present time. It is my intention to set out from this place in two or three days for Bogota, the capital of Colombia. In my way I shall pass through Riobamba, Ambato, Tacunga, Quito, and Popayán, all of which are populous cities, and where I expect to sell a considerable number of copies of the Spanish New Testaments.

The present state of the war  in Lima renders abortive every attempt to forward education there, and very little can be done in the circulation of the Scriptures by sale, on account of the very great pressure of the war, which has reduced the city to much distress. Under these circumstances, I thought the best time I could find for visiting the quarters above mentioned, and perhaps for visiting my native land, was the present. I set out then from Lima with this intention, and to perform the part of an agent of the British and Foreign Bible Society. I am not sure, but I may feel myself under the necessity of petitioning you for my travelling expenses. I never intended to charge you for any services I might be honoured in doing for your Society, if possible to avoid it; but the low state of my funds at present, on account of the war here, may urge me to do what otherwise I should not have done. I mention this at pre­sent, only in case it should be necessary. The prosperous turn the war has lately taken in Peru, encourages me to hope that what is due to me by the government of that country will be paid in due time, and in that case my little services shall cost you nothing.

I left Lima on the 5th ultimo, and at that time the supply of New Testaments, and of the four books of the Old Testament, printed with a small type, of which you wrote me, had not arrived. I had anxiously looked for their arrival for some weeks before my coming away, as by the date of your letter, I thought there was sufficient time for their reaching that place. I was very sorry in not having been furnished with this supply before entering upon my present journey, as I think the volumes printed with the small type would have been very acceptable, and the whole Bible also would have been equally so, as it has been often sought for.

I have just one Bible with me to show as I go along, by way of specimen, in order to incite curiosity, and a desire to possess it, when it may be supplied to all those places. This copy I bought in Lima for this express purpose, and hope it will serve the end in view. I have brought about 800 New Testaments with me, and in this place I have found the supply you sent by the Grecian to Mr. Lynch, and which I thought had gone to Chile. I am glad at finding these here, as it enables me to send a quantity to Gua­temala by an opportunity which offers from this place in a day or two. The rest I will dispose of otherwise. I mentioned to you some time ago, that I had sent two boxes to Guatemala of those which came to me by the Grecian. I have how­ever learned, that the vessel in which they were sent had changed her destination, and that they have not yet arrived at that place. The acci­dental finding, in this place, the cases brought by the Grecian, enables me now to supply this defi­ciency, and also to send by the same person a supply to California. As to the boxes formerly sent, though they did not arrive at the destination intended, I entertain no doubt of their safety, and of their being profitably disposed of somewhere, and of which I expect to hear in due time.

I shall now state to you what has occurred n the part of my journey already performed. The first object I had in view, was to visit Truxillo, where I expected to find my good friends who take so much interest in the Peruvian translation of the New Testament, and who had laboured so diligently to accomplish it. I accordingly em­barked on board a vessel bound for that place, and where I safely arrived in due time. I was sadly disappointed in not finding my friends there as I expected. Not one of them was to be found, nor could I ascertain with certainty where they were, but heard that one had been seen going to one place and another to another. The suddenness of their leaving Lima prevented us from making any arrangements about our translation, and we had not even time to bid each other adieu. The abruptness of our parting, rendered more severe my disappointment in not finding them in Trux­illo, where I intended to make arrangements with them for carrying forward this work during my absence.

I had brought from Lima the manu­script of the whole New Testament in the Quichua language, together with the Gospel of Luke, thoroughly revised and prepared for the press. I mentioned to you in my last, that I would endeavour to carry your resolution into effect regarding the printing of 1,000 copies of this revised part. I mentioned also that all the printing presses had been removed from Lima but that two were to be found in Callao, and that I would ascertain whether the work in question could be done there. Upon enquiry, I found it could not. In con­sequence of this, I wished to get the Gospel of Luke printed in Truxillo, and for that end carried the MS. to that place, that it might be carried through the press there. And in regard to the MS. of the other parts of the New Testament, I expected that our friends, in their exile, might go on revising and correcting it. All these plans, as you see, have been frustrated.

I therefore care­fully packed up the whole  MS. and addressing it to one of our translators, gave it into the hands of an English gentleman going to Lima, to be delivered according to the address, when the ex­pulsion of the Spaniards from Lima (which is soon expected) would  'enable'  our friends to return. I also wrote a few lines explaining my wish re­garding the revising of the MS., and regarding the printing of the part already revised. The English gentleman of whom I have spoken, has kindly offered to advance all the money that may be necessary for carrying this into effect. From these arrangements I expect that the work will be set agoing again in the course of two, or at most three months from this date; for according to the present aspect of the war, the Spaniards will not be able to continue longer in posses­sion of Lima, although they may, and probably will, retain the fortresses of Callao till a later period.

Having touched upon this subject of the Spanish cause here, I cannot forbear mentioning to you the singular interposition of  Providence on behalf of the cause of liberty in this quarter. On the 6th  of August last the two armies came in sight of each other at a place called Junín, between Pasco and Tarma. The consequence was, that a battle took place between the cavalry of the two parties. There were 1,200 of the Spaniards and 800 of the Patriots. An eye witness says, "The concussion was tremendous, as they came up to each other at full gallop. In a quarter of an hour, upwards of 400 men lay dead upon the field, more than three-fourths of whom were Royalists. All this havoc and slaughter was caused by the lance and sword, principally by the former. Not a shot of any description, was fired." In a short time victory began visibly to declare for the Spaniards, and the General at the head of the patriot cavalry was made prisoner.

At this critical moment, by some scarcely explained movement, the Spaniards got somehow into disorder, and began to give way. This was followed up by the Patriots, and in a very short time they obtained a complete vic­tory. The whole of the Spanish army was, in consequence of this defeat, struck with a panic, and by forced marches endeavoured to get out of the way of the enemy as fast as possible. Bolivar im­mediately advanced, and the Spaniards continued to flee before him with all speed. On the 22nd  August, only 15 days after the battle, the advanced guard of the patriot army entered Guamanga. Five of the finest provinces of Peru thus fell into their hands in the short period of about a fortnight. The Spanish army has been sadly reduced and dispirited by their rapid retreat, and the army of Bolivar has increased in numbers and in strength. I consider this to be a deadly blow to the Spanish cause in this quarter of the world, from which I think and hope they will never recover. With this cause will terminate, I trust, the reign of oppression and violence, of ignorance and fanati­cism in Peru, and by which it has been borne down for these three hundred years. So perish all tyranny and ignorance from the earth!

I should perhaps beg your pardon for having drawn your attention so long to the concerns of war and of politics, as you are men of peace and of no party, and your only occupation is speaking peace to them who are far off and to them that are nigh. Still, however, you will remember that the book whose circulation we are engaged in, detains our attention in many places with the account of wars and revolutions. But you will say that all these are related there merely from their being connected with the grand moral and religious revolution of the world through that great prophet who was to come. This is certainly a right view of the subject; and motives of a similar nature, I trust, and not party nor malicious principles, have induced me to detain you a moment upon the wars of this quarter of the world. I firmly believe that the deliverance of this country from bondage and oppression, and the mental emancipation of its inhabitants, depend upon the success of this revolu­tion; like the deliverance of the Jews upon the conquest of Babylon, and the possession of the land of Canaan by the people of God upon their enemies. The Spaniards, as is well known, have greatly impeded, not to say prohibited, the progress of knowledge and of true religion in America. It is not easy therefore, nor is it proper, to remain indifferent as to the issue of this struggle.

I now return to our work of peace, and to Truxillo. I wrote the Society some time ago, of having found a useful and zealous co-labourer in that city, and that I had forwarded to him from Lima a supply of New Testaments. At the first he met with some difficulties, owing to the ecclesiastical authorities of the place. These were at length overcome, and he was allowed to commence the sale of the Scriptures publicly. When he had obtained leave to do so, he printed an advertisement, and posted it up in the public places of the town, intimating the sale. The consequence was, that he had sold when I was there about 100 copies. He had also written to his friends the Vicars in the provincial towns, but he had not then, from the shortness of the time, received the answers to his letters. When these arrived, he expects se­veral orders for New Testaments to be sent to the various towns in the department of Truxillo, which contains a population of upwards of 300,000. In addition to this mode of circulating the Scriptures, my friend informed me that he was about to put in  practice a method of lending the New Testa­ments in the different houses which he is in the habit of visiting, and in others which he intends to visit for that purpose.   

Our friend's medical duties give him a facility for carrying this into practice. He intends to lend the New Testa­ment for a day, or for two or three days, as cir­cumstances may direct, and to call   again for it himself at the given time. Upon calling for it, he says he will ask them if they wish to purchase it, and if so, he will sell it at a price corresponding to the circumstances of the individual; and if they do not wish it, he will take it with him and lend it to some other, to whom  in turn he will put the same question, and thus sell it or take it with him, as circumstances  require. You will easily see that this way of doing will cost him a good deal of labour and care, but he seems to count nothing of these, if in this manner he may be the means of circulating the word of God, and of drawing the attention of the people around him, to its all-important contents.    As he makes all his rounds on horseback, he will, I hope, be enabled fully to verify his benevolent purpose. He showed me a pair of saddle-bags, which he told me he had got made for the very purpose of always carrying about with him a supply of New Testaments. He gave me one hundred dollars to account of sales, which was rather more than what he had re­ceived.

The next thing I have to notice in Truxillo, is, I conceive, of some importance, and will prove, I trust, the means of greatly extending the opera­tions and diffusing the blessings of the British and Foreign Bible Society. What I refer to is, the finding of an additional agent who takes a lively interest in the diffusion of the Scriptures, and in every other means by which his countrymen may be be­nefited. The individual in question is a clergy­man, and a man of rank in that order. He is Vicar-general to the army, and possesses a considerable influence. His residence, at present, is at Moche, a little village about four or five miles from Trux­illo, and of which place he is rector. This, how­ever, is only a temporary residence, during the occu­pation of his home by the Spaniards, and from which, in consequence, he was obliged to flee. The place of his nativity and of his permanent residence is in the province and near the city of Arequipa, towards the southern extremity of Peru. It is this circumstance in particular, that will render his services valuable, as we have already an active agent in Truxillo.

He intends to return to his native province as soon as the course of the war will permit. Arequipa is in the centre of a populous country, and he will have an extensive field of operation. Another circumstance renders the ac­quisition of this gentleman very valuable, and that is his thorough, knowledge of the Indian or Peru­vian language, which is very extensively spoken in that quarter. To this I add another feature in his character of yet more importance, which is, his compassion for the oppressed and degraded state of the indigenous population of Peru, and the lively interest he takes in ameliorating their condition, by his representations to the government upon the subject, and by his personal labours. No individual I have yet met with in these countries, has offered himself so decidedly and so heartily to pro­mote, the cause of your Society, as this gentleman; and from all the circumstances I have mentioned, you will see that his good will and his services must be considered a great acquisition.

I considered the time spent in visiting Truxillo abundantly recompensed in meeting with this fellow-labourer, and I found, in this circumstance, some relief from the disappointment I had met with in not finding there the friends I had expected. My falling in too with that individual was perfect­ly accidental, for I had no knowledge of such a one being in that place. But then again we must remember, that "all chance is but direction which we cannot see." Blessed be God who leadeth us by ways we know not, but which he knows, and which will lead us to the glorifying of his name, when that is our object. I must not omit to give you the name and address of our fellow-labourer. It is "Dr. Don Manuel Fernández de Córdova, Vicario General del Ejercito del Perú, y Cura de Salamanca del Obispado de Arequipa." I have given you this address in Spanish to enable you to write direct to our friend, should you feel so inclined.

I shall now leave Truxillo, but before I go on board, shall just notice a little incident. Truxillo is about six miles distant from Huanchaco, which is the sea port town of that quarter. In going down to this port, I happened to get a very bad horse, which soon becoming restive, I was obliged to leave it at a house upon the road, and to walk down under a burning sun. After I had walked more than half the way, a person came riding up to me and offered me a horse, which of course accepted. He told me he had observed me on foot from a distance, and had pushed forward to offer me assistance. Upon entering into conver­sation I found my obliging friend was a peasant, belonging to a neighbouring village, where he had a family to which he was returning. We spoke a little about education in general, and of his family in particular. I learned from him that he could read, and was anxious that his children should be well instructed. I asked him if he had ever seen the New Testament, to which he replied in the negative, and from less to more, he intimated to me that he would be glad to purchase one if he could find it, for the use of himself and of his children. When we arrived at Huanchaco, he would accept of no remuneration for his kindness, and as I found my luggage there not embarked, I brought him a New Testament and made him a present of it, in return for his unsolicited and friendly attentions. He received it most thank­fully, and we parted.

On the 24th  we sailed for Guayaquil, but as we carried a gentleman with us at the request of the government, we had to call at Paita to land him there. We cast anchor in that port on the 26th , after sun-set, and early next morning I went ashore to see the place, and took three New Testaments with me. I went into a store near the landing-place, and being invited, took a seat upon a bale of cotton. After some general conversation, I opened my treasure, and offered the New Testa­ments for sale at one dollar each, and in a few minutes they were bought. Some little time after, I was asked if I had any more. I replied that I had, but that they were in the ship. I immediately went on board, and just as we had got our anchor up, a boat came along-side, in which I recognized the person who had asked me for more New Testa­ments. He came on board and bought two dozen, for which he paid me eighteen dollars. As we were by this time  under way,   the  boat had to return ashore without loss of time, whilst we, with a most propitious gale, made for this port.

On the evening of the 29th we cast anchor off  the small town of Puná, on the  island of the  same name.    You  will remember that this island is famous in the conquest of Peru, by the Spaniards. According to the accounts of it that remain, it seems  to have been very populous at that time. It is not so now. There is, on the  whole island, only one little village, namely, the one I  have mentioned,  and which does not contain above 200 inhabitants. We landed at this little place for a pilot to conduct us up the river. I took with me, as I had done at Paita, three  New Testa­ments. When we landed, we found some people on the beach, to whom we communicated intelligence of the rapid progress of Bolivar.  We were invited into one of the houses, and after having talked a little upon various subjects, I opened my casket and  presented my New Testaments, which they were all very curious to see. Whilst they were looking through them, one of the neighbours came in.  "Here!" said one who was examining the  New Testament, "here is a book that will tell you about the beginning of the world, and a great many other things."  His friend re­plied, that he cared very little about the beginning of the world, but that he wished to know something about the end of it.  Upon hearing this, I told him that the book he had in his hands was the very book that would suit him, as it would inform him particularly about the end of the world. I sold the three New Testaments in this same house, and as our captain had by this time made arrangements with the pilot, we got on board again, and set sail. On the following night (the 30th) we arrived at this place, at eight o'clock. Before we cast anchor, an English gentleman came on board, to whom I had a letter of introduction. He kindly invited me to his house, where I am comfortably lodged, and from which I now write you.

I intend to stop in this place only a few days, during which I shall endeavour to dispose of as many New Testaments as I can, and in the way that may be most profitable. I now close this letter, and shall inform you of the success I meet with here, in my next communication.

             I remain,

                        Dear Sir,

            Respectfully & Sincerely Yours,

                        James Thomson.

P.S. I shall take it as a particular favour your  forwarding a copy of this letter to Mr Haldane, 10 George Street, Edinburgh as my time will not allow me of going over the same ground in a separate communication to that gentleman as my duty & my feelings require.

[1] BSA-D1-2A. Also in James Thomson. Letters on the Moral and Religious State of South America. (London: James Nisbet, 1827), pp. 161-176.

Guayaquil, 11th October 1824

Rev A Brandram

Guayaquil, 11th  October, 1824.[1]

 My dear Sir,

 My letter of the 5th  current will inform you of the motives and objects which have brought me to this place. It will also inform you of what pro­gress I have made in the circulation of the Holy Scriptures, and in objects connected therewith, from my leaving Lima till my arrival in this quarter. I proceed, therefore, to state to you the occurrences of Guayaquil in reference to these matters.

Some time ago, and of which I believe I in­formed you, I sent from Lima twenty New Testa­ments to a Gentleman here, to be sold at one dollar each, if opportunities should offer, of dis­posing of them among his friends. This gentleman holds a principal situation in the government, and had been recommended to me by a relation of his in Truxillo, as a person desirous of doing good. Upon my arriving here, I called upon him, and found him to be a person worthy of the honourable appellation just mentioned. He told me he had disposed of the New Testaments, and he gave me twenty dollars which he had received for them.

 As soon as I had reached this place, I mentioned to some persons that I had a supply of New Tes­taments for sale, and in consequence I sold one hundred and sixty-eight copies. After thinking for some time upon what would be the speediest and most effectual way of disposing of the New Testaments, it occurred to me that the best thing I could do would be to print an advertisement, and to give notice of the sale by posting these up in the public places of the different towns I pass through on my journey. This, you will see, would at once draw the attention of the public. The only objection that occurred to me was, that it would be a kind of challenge to our opponents, or at least an intimation of our hostile operations. This obstacle I kept in mind, but did not think our ad­versaries would be able to make any effectual resistance. More powerful, I believe, are those who are for us than those who are against us. The encouragement to make such an attempt as this, arises from the great and happy changes already effected by the revolution going on in this country, and, I trust, now concluding. I could not have ventured upon such a thing under the Spanish government. What is going forward in these countries is truly a revolution in every sense of the word.

I accordingly wrote out an advertisement, and got it printed in the government printing-office in this place. Translated into English it runs thus: "To be sold in (a) the New Testament of our Lord Jesus Christ, in one volume, well printed, and neatly bound, at the low price of eight rials. This sale will continue for (b) days only, and it is expected that those who wish to procure for themselves this sacred code of our Holy Religion, will improve the occasion now offered them." As this advertisement was intended not for this place alone, but for others also, I left the blank (a) to be filled up with the pen to suit each place, and the blank (b) I leave for the num­ber one, two, or three, as my time will permit, and as the importance of the town visited may require. When these notices were finished, I caused some to be put up in this place, saying that the sale would be for three days only.

In a few minutes after putting them up I enjoyed the great satisfaction of seeing it produce much better effects than I  had anticipated.  At noon the notices were put up, and at one o'clock I had sold fifteen copies. In the next hour I sold forty-seven. In the course of an hour and a half during the time the store was open in the afternoon, I sold one hundred and twelve. Next day I sold 262 copies. The day following, which was also one of the three days of sale, happened to be a festival day held to celebrate the declaration of independence in this town four years ago. The stores in  consequence  were  all  shut,  and  public business suspended. Nevertheless, there were eleven copies sold during a few minutes before breakfast, when the store was open for some par­ticular purpose. To-day I set out on  my journey to Quito,  but I may perhaps sell some before I go, as I cannot go off  before four o'clock in the afternoon, having to sail up the river with the flood tide.

The whole number disposed of in this place is 615, and for these I have received 542 dollars 2 rials.—The greater part were sold one by one at eight rials each, but sometimes I sold a dozen or two together, and in that case sold them somewhat cheaper. To the number of copies already men­tioned, I add the 30 disposed of, as noticed in my last, and three copies sold in Truxillo of those in superior binding, making in all 648 copies since the commencement of my tour. To the amount of monies received in the same time as above, I add, what I received from Dr. O'Donovan, from this gentleman here as previously mentioned, and for those sold in Paita and Puná, and the three just noticed, making 153 dollars, amounting in all to 695 dollars 2 rials. Of this sum, I have remitted 500 dollars to Messrs. Cochran and Robertson, of Lima, with whom I keep my accounts. This sum will be applied to carrying forward the translation and printing of the Scriptures into the Peruvian language, agreeably to your resolution upon the subject, communicated to me some time ago.

Need I add any thing to the above by way of comment or observation? Is it not most gratifying to see so many seeds sown in this town? Let us join together in prayer, that He who causeth the rain to descend from heaven to fertilize the ground, and to raise into fruit the puny efforts of man, may cause his blessing to be upon the seed sown in this place. As it is sown in weakness may it be raised in strength, and produce at least a hundred fold.

I remain, Dear Sir, with true respect, Your Most Humble Servant,

                                                                                                James Thomson.

P. S.—12th October.—Our boat did not sail yesterday, and thus gave me the opportunity of adding 71 to the number of copies formerly men­tioned, and 71 dollars to account.

The preceding sentence was written in the morn­ing, and now, in the afternoon, I add 52 copies more, making in all, in Guayaquil, 730.

[1] BSA-D1-2-A. Also in James Thomson. Letters on the Moral and Religious State of South America. (London: James Nisbet, 1827), pp. 176-180.

Guaranda, 25th October 1824

Guaranda, 25th October, 1824.[1]

My last letter to you was written in Guayaquil on the 12th instant. On that occasion I noticed that I had taken that freedom with you in regard to writing, which we often take with our friends with­out the danger or the thought of offending on the one hand or on the other. The letter referred to was short and could not well be longer from the circumstances in which I was then placed. Before I had finished it, the master of the canoe in which I was to leave Guayaquil, had knocked at the door according to appointment, at four o'clock in the morning. Although, however, that letter was short, I did not consider that I had left you un­informed as to the circumstances that had occurred during my journey from Lima to Guayaquil, as well as those that had occurred in the place last mentioned. I wrote upon that subject two letters of some length, to the British and Foreign Bible Society, detailing these matters with some degree of minuteness. Of these two letters I re­quested Mr. B. to forward you copies, and doubt not that such will be forwarded to you immediately upon their arrival.

In the two letters referred to, I stated the mea­sures I had taken in circulating the Scriptures in Guayaquil, and the unexpected and happy results which followed in the sale of 738 copies of the New Testament. It was gratifying, I assure you, to see in this manner almost the whole city come to­gether to hear the word of God, and it was not less so, to pass along the streets and to count one, two, three, a dozen perhaps, diligently engaged in reading their New Testaments. Who could pass along under such circumstances, in any other frame than that of thanksgiving and prayer?—thanksgiving to God for having disposed so many to attend to the things which belong to their everlasting peace, and which I may say, have been hitherto hid from their eyes, —and prayer, that the eyes of their understanding might be enlightened, that they might be turned from darkness to light, and might enjoy that in­heritance which the Lord hath prepared for them that love him. Nor could I feel otherwise, nor withhold from expressing those feelings, as I walked over the spot where sin has deposited his spoils won in that place. The small and the great are there. My prayer to God was, that through means of the word of life then circulated, many from that spot might, at the voice of the Archangel, awake to life and everlasting glory.

We read in the sacred page upon a certain occa­sion, some thousands of years ago, when the sons of God came to present themselves before him, Satan came also among them. The same seems to have been his practice in Jerusalem, in Antioch, in Philippi, as well as upon other occasions of ancient and modern date. That he was not absent on this occasion in Guayaquil, we may a priori be assured of. That, he was successful, however, I have not yet learned. I did, indeed, overhear that some priest had said something against the reading of the New Testament, but I had some suspicion that the information was not quite correct. As a counterpart to this, several priests and friars bought of the New Testaments. At one time, I think there were five friars in the store at one time to purchase, and one of these took thirteen copies. At another time, a friar, who had bought a New Testament, came afterwards inquiring very anxiously for the whole Bible, and was much disappointed upon learning that there was none. I told him that some two months after, some Bibles might be expected, and that as only 50 copies were ordered, he had better put down his name it he wished to secure one for himself. Upon my telling him so, he immediately subscribed for two copies.

This person told me that all the friars in his con­vent had bought New Testaments, and that they were all highly pleased with them. It is really encouraging to see the word of God circulate in this quarter with little or no opposition.—I may add further regarding this matter, that I was upon very good terms with the rector of Guayaquil during the few days I remained there. I paid him a visit, accompanied by a friend to introduce me, and next day I received a very courteous visit from him in return, accompanied by the ecclesiastic next in rank to himself. He has, besides, given me two letters of introduction, warmly recommending me to his friends in Quito.

Do not all these things, my dear friend, lay us under obligations to give thanks unto him in whose hands are the hearts of all? And are not such occurrences calculated to encourage us to labour in this sacred cause and to ask of the Lord liberal things according to his promise? I am persuaded you so feel, and so act, but still it is not unnecessary to remind you of these matters, to stir up your pure mind by way of remembrance, and thus to add line upon line. Let us then con­tinue instant in prayer, that the Lord would pour out his blessing upon this country, already white unto harvest.

A little after four o'clock on the morning of the 14th , I got into the canoe which was to con­duct me from Guayaquil to Babahoyo. The river Guayaquil is navigable at all seasons as far as the latter place, a distance of about 40 miles, and in the rainy season, when the river is high, boats pass some 15 miles farther up. The navigation is per­formed in balsas, and in large and small canoes. The small canoes are made of a single tree hol­lowed out, and the large ones are built like our boats, and capable of carrying several tons, but made in the shape of the small canoes. It was in one of the large ones I took my passage to Babahoyo. It is in general by no means a plea­sant voyage that is made between these two places. On the one hand, the heat is very great; and on the other, the mosquitos are numerous and active. The effects arising from the bite of this troublesome insect are still, at the distance of more than  a week, very visible on  my  hands, and   also on my legs, where they were defended by the stocking-only.  On the first day, owing  to  the  excessive heat, I felt very unwell, but enjoyed good health on the following day. On this occasion I experi­enced from some of my fellow-passengers those friendly and soothing attentions which adorn the female character, and which, on several occasions, I have seen exhibited in regard to myself and to others during my residence in  this country.

We were nearly three days in our passage. The river abounds with alligators. I  might almost say, it is full of them. Great numbers lie basking on the banks with their horrible mouths wide open, and upon coming close up to them they plunge into the river, and swim about like so many logs floating around you. At one time I counted, in  a very short distance,  all at one view, on one side of the river, to the  number of forty, and at another time I saw twenty, close together.  Very few are found at or below Guayaquil, as  the  water is  salt  for some miles above the town.  In the rainy season, however, when the great quantity of fresh water keeps the salt water down below the town, the alligator is found farther down. I  made several inquiries as to the feeling of this animal towards man in this quarter, but could not get any well authenticated information of its seizing upon hu­man kind, and the frequency of bathing in the river speaks the same language. It seems, in this river, still to observe that fear and regard to man which all the animal creation once possessed, but which has now in regard to several animals been effaced, and in most cases, I believe, through the cruelty of man towards the animal creation. All accounts, however, agreed in affirming that the alligators here often seize upon hogs, and other small animals, when found close to the river. Whilst speaking upon this subject I may also no­tice, that in all the low lands between the sea and the mountains in the parts subject to periodical rains, lions, tigers, and serpents abound, particu­larly the latter. The lions I am told do not at­tack man, nor does the serpent, except when trode upon.

Many topics of conversation occurred during our passage up the river. The sale of our New Testaments was known to every body, and thus af­forded a subject of conversation in which we could all take a part. Of course I had also some­thing to say upon this subject, as it was well known that I was the seller of them. Two copies were on board, one of which had been purchased by the captain of our canoe, and the other by one of the passengers. I have already told you of the evangelical aspect of the streets of Guayaquil, and the same aspect at times was exhibited on board, both of the New Testaments being fre­quently in use at the same time. During the many things that were said, arising from what was read, (the reading being frequently aloud,) a con­versation took place, the relation of which will probably interest you, and more especially as it affords a specimen of the progress of thinking upon religious subjects in this country.

The subject was a delicate one, but so much the better, as a specimen. The worship of saints was the matter treated of, though I do not remember what gave rise to it. I stated my views upon the subject, appealing to the Scriptures and to common sense in support of my opinion. A very keen and in­teresting conversation immediately took place, in which four, besides myself, took a part, and you will be surprised when I tell you that three of the four took my side of the question. The one who was opposed to us happened to be a stout disputant, and thus gave occasion to a thorough discussion of the matter. Among other things brought forward to show the incongruity and sinfulness of the worshipping of saints, I stated that the Apostle Peter himself, (who according to them is the prince of Apostles and saints,) refused this worship, and in proof of this, I referred him to the tenth chapter of the Acts. This passage was turned up and read by one of the company, and it appeared to all of us, except one, conclusive upon the subject.

Our opponent, however, defended himself, by alleging that although Peter, upon that occasion, refused worship, he refused it because he was not glorified, but that after death things were otherwise.—You agree then, I re­marked, that worship is not to be given to the saints when upon earth, but it is lawful, you say, to give this worship to them after their death. Let us then go to another passage, I said, and see who of the inhabitants of heaven are to be worshipped. I then referred to the last chapter of the Revelation, namely, "When I had heard and seen, I fell down before the feet of the angel who showed me these things. Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not, for I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them who keep the sayings of this book: Worship God." This passage cut off the refuge which our friend had taken in his distinction between worshipping a saint on earth, and a saint in heaven. He then took refuge in the church, alleging that since autho­rity had been given to it by Jesus Christ to order and direct the concerns of his kingdom after his ascension, it was our duty to obey its orders, and one of these orders was, the praying to the saints.

You know, of course, how I would have got rid of this objection, that is, by sweeping away this autho­rity of the church altogether, and I stated this to be my opinion. The captain of our canoe, who took a large share in the conversation, and who saw in the church an authority to which he considered himself bound to submit, assailed our op­ponent by another argument, and a very effectual one. He came close up to him, and with an air of having something in his mind worth saying, "Is it not," said he, "the duty of children to reverence their parents, and to obey them readily and con­stantly?"—"Certainly it is," replied his friend. Our Captain continued: "And if a parent should tell his child to steal, to lie, and such like things, should the child obey?"—"Certainly not," was the reply. "You are right," says the Captain, "and that is just our case with the church. It is our duty to obey it, as it is our duty to obey our parents, but if our parents or the church bid us do what is obviously wrong, in that case it is our duty to disobey."

You see what an excellent argument this was, and it completely silenced the other, and left him without any thing to say upon the subject, except mere general talk and repetition. Our Captain having gained this triumph, turned to one of the four, who seemed rather to acquiesce in the strength of our arguments from the Scripture, than zealously to defend our side, and put this question to him. "Can you tell me," said he, "why the priest reads all the service and prays in Latin, a language of which I do not understand a word, and thus leaving me, when in church, as a mere statue, without knowing what I am saying or doing?" This was a hard question, and it was answered significantly, but without words.

 Our Captain next comes up to me, and says, "You see every one sets up his little machine to gain his dollar." I thought I understood his meaning, although couched under a figure, but as I wished it to be well understood by all, I asked him what he meant by it. After a short delay he answered me, by stating, that the church and the priests had made various laws and ceremonies for their own benefit, and that they might thus put a dollar into their pocket.—Various other things were said, and among which the New Testament was praised as a book any one might read and understand, and not like the prayers of the priests, which no one understood, perhaps not themselves. One of the four alluded to, towards the end of the conversation, said, in a very distinct voice, and in the hearing of all, "If I were going to die, this is my faith; I believe that there is one God who made all things, and that there is one Redeemer who died for us, and who rose again; and as to the worshipping of saints, and all the rest of it, I know nothing."

 I should not omit an observation of one of our female passengers. When two of us were debating about the worship of saints, she observed to me that she did not like such con­versation. Why so, I replied. Because, said she, if saints are not to be worshipped, then it will follow that we are not to pray to the Virgin Mary neither. I said, in reply, that I thought her rea­soning worth being heard, as it was a fair deduction, and requested her to put it in the form of a question, to the one of the four who appeared the coolest, and who, as I said before, rather acquiesced in the strength of our arguments than defended our side. As soon as silence was obtained, the question was put, and the answer returned was just what I would have said if called upon to reply.

 You will see in the whole of this conversation a freedom of thinking and of speaking, which you probably did not expect, and I confess that I was myself greatly surprised at it, notwithstanding the many opportunities I have had of observing the sentiments of the people of this quarter. In the higher and more enlightened classes of society, I have often met with liberal sentiments, but as the two persons who took the chief part in the above conversation were of the lower class, it was both new to me and interesting.

 On our arrival at Babahoyo, I found lodgings difficult to be procured, as the houses seemed all occupied. As soon as this was known to one of my fellow-passengers, he took me to his father's house, where I enjoyed comfortable bed and board, kindly bestowed and free of expense, during the two days I remained in that town. As I in­tended to make no stay in this place, but push on, I gave no public intimation regarding the sale of New Testaments; yet, through means of my fellow-passengers it came to be known that I had these for sale, and in consequence I disposed of fifty-one copies for which I received fifty dollars, one copy being a present. I may mention,   before leaving this place, that it lies very low on the banks of the river, and is overflowed in the rainy season.

 The church stands upon a spot elevated some feet above the surrounding parts; and I am told it is common for the people in that season to go up to the church door   in   their  canoes. The usual practice in passing from Babahoyo to Quito, is to hire mules at the former place to Guaranda, and again to hire anew  from  that to Quito. I accordingly hired mules for this place, which cost me five dollars each, on account of the badness of the roads, though four dollars is the usual charge. The weather at the present time is very unfavour­able, and it is singular to see it so at this season of the  year. I had counted upon  fair weather in this quarter during the whole time of my journey, ac­cording to the information which I had obtained in Lima, and am thus less prepared  for rain than otherwise I would have been had I expected it.  I may add also, that I like rain now worse than ever, as during these two years past I have not seen any. 

 From Babahoyo to the base of the mountains the roads were very deep and bad. When we began to ascend the mountains, we found ourselves still worse situated.  The very steep as­cent, and the clayey slippery roads, rendered the journey very unpleasant, and not a little dangerous from the slipping of the mules, which were frequently brought down upon their knees. I shall not detain you for the present with a minute account of the journey to this place, suffice it to say, that I arrived, here, the day before yesterday in the afternoon in perfect health and safety; and I feel, I assure you, upon looking back upon the road over which I have passed, a new motive for thanksgiving to the Father of mercies for my daily and hourly preservation. I shall just farther add, as descriptive of the mountains, that on the first day of our ascent, the barometer in the valley, in the morning, stood at 29.950, and where we lodged in the evening it stood at 26.141, which indicates a great rise. Where we lodged on the evening following it stood at 22.085. On the next day we passed the high­est part of the ancient Indian road, where the barometer stood at 21.322.

 The situation of Guaranda, from which I now write you, is about ten miles S.W. of the great Chimborazo. This king of mountains raises its majestic hoary head full in view. It is deeply covered from the top, almost to the base, with ever­lasting snow—snow which must have fallen, if not in the days of Adam, at least in the days of Noah. To-morrow I set off for Riobamba, when I expect to have a fuller view of it, as the road passes along it close to the skirts of its snowy mantle. Guaranda contains about 1500 inhabitants, mostly Indians, who all speak the ancient Peruvian lan­guage. There are several little towns in the glens within the district, containing in all 14,000 in­habitants, and who all speak the same language. You will recollect that this is the language into which the New Testament has lately been trans­lated in Lima, as mentioned in my former letters, and you will see here a still more ample field of usefulness for this translation, and the more so, when I add, that not only in this district is the lan­guage spoken, but also in all the towns in this quarter as far as Quito. What a wonderful extent and uniformity must the ancient Peruvian empire have had. The inhabitants of this town and the Indians of Peru have exactly the same features and countenance, as well as language.

[1] Letter to James Haldane (see postscript to letter to Brandram, 5 October 1824). James Thomson. Letters on the Moral and Religious State of South America. (London: James Nisbet, 1827),  pp. 181-194.

Riobamba, 31st October 1824

Rev A Brandram

Riobamba, 31st  October, 1824.[1]

 My Dear Sir,

 My two last letters to you were written from Guayaquil, and dated on the fifth and eleventh current. On the 14th I set out on my journey for Quito. The first part of my route was to Babahoyo, a distance of about 40 miles, and which was performed by sailing up the River Guayaquil in a large canoe. On the afternoon of the 15th I arrived safely at that place, after having been not a little incommoded by the excessive heat and by the mosquitoes. The common mode of traveling after arriving at this place is by hiring mules to Guaranda, and from that again to Quito. I accordingly hired mules for the former place, but did not set out until the 19th. As it was not my intention to make any stay in Babahoyo, I did not post up my printed notices, yet the report spreads somehow that I had New Testaments for sale, and one and another came to buy, until I have disposed of fifty one copies in that place. On the afternoon of the 19th all things being ready, I set out for Guaranda. The journey from Babahoyo to Guaranda is generally made in four days, but owing to the unfavourable weather and the badness of the roads, it took us six days to travel that distance. Guaranda is a small town containing 1,500 inhabitants, and is the chief town of the district containing several villages. The population altogether amounted to 14,000. The whole of the district is situated on the Andes at a very considerable height above the level of the sea, and notwithstanding its proximity to the equator the productions of the district are with very little exception the same as those of England.

 Soon after my arrival in the town of Guaranda, I called upon the Governor, and made known to him the object of my journey in this quarter. I found him a man of intelligence, and a friend of the British and Foreign Bible Society. Observing him to be a person worthy of all confidence, and very desirous of the instruction of his countrymen, I made known to him, without reserve, the plans and operations of the Bible Society, and that I was travelling to forward its sacred object. He was much  pleased with the brief view of the Society, which I gave him. He wished to   see the New Testaments, and became the first purchaser himself. He also called upon those around to buy for themselves, by telling them to come and learn to be Christians from this book.   

 I received  many friendly attentions from him during the two days I remained in that place,  and   I think  we formed a   kind of   friendship  which  may  contribute   to forward  the objects of the Society in that quarter on future occasions. Notwithstanding my printed notices, and the encouragement of the Governor, I sold but a very few copies in that place, the whole number being thirteen. One cause of there being so few sold is, that almost all the inha­bitants are   Indians,   and do  not  understand the Spanish language, at all events cannot read it. To which  may be added the general apathy which always exists in small towns. The few copies, however, which have been circulated in that town, will form a beginning (I may say of an era) in that place, and will create a desire for more, both there and in the villages around, when, on a future occasion,  some pilgrim from your Society shall climb the Andes to visit their abode.

 On the 29th I left Guaranda on my way to this town. You will see by the map, that in visiting Riobamba, I was going out of the straight road to Quito, but I was anxious to visit this place, if peradventure the Lord would incline the hearts of some here, as in  other places to receive the word of  God;  and, generally speaking, my wish is to pave the way for future operations, as well as to drop a few seeds whilst so doing, and thus to be a pioneer in your service, in the service of this people, and, I trust, in the service of God.  I told you that Guaranda, and the villages around it, lay upon the Andes; they are not, however, at the top, but lie on the western side or declivity of the great ridge, or Cordillera.

 After leaving Guaranda, there is nearly a whole day's climbing before you reach the top. Upon reaching the highest parts of the ridge, you have something like a plain, though of no great extent; and out of this plain, or rather this mountain, and from your very feet, rises the great Chimborazo. From Guaranda we turned our faces towards this great mountain, and began to ascend. As we approached it, it began to frown, and to forbid our drawing nearer. The rain, in a little time, began to fall very heavily; we pushed on; the hail succeeded, accompanied by vivid lightning, whose  rapid  flight,  from our elevated situation, we could trace from heaven to earth. To crown the whole, the loud thunder rolled along as if Chimborazo were tumbling down upon us. To pursue our journey, under such circumstances, would have been foolish, and perhaps fatal.

 We accordingly turned our backs upon the mountain, and began to descend, and to seek refuge in the first but we could come to. After some little time we descried a thatched cottage, but we could not reach it, as the descent to it from the ridge, along which the road lay, was too rapid for our mules. Another and another we had to pass in this way, without being able to take shelter from the storm. We at length found a house to which we could descend, and I rode on towards it, and made in­quiry if we could be lodged there. I received an answer in bad Spanish, saying, they did not under­stand what I said. I was obliged, therefore, to wait till the guide arrived, who understood the Indian language, and upon his putting the same question which I had put, we obtained refuge from the storm, and found, in our circumstances, the cottage converted into a palace.

 I thus found myself in a cottage belonging to one of the indigenous inhabitants of the country, and had thus an opportunity of learning some things which could not have been so well learned in any other situation. I found that the inhabitants of this hut understood only their native language; and learned that this was the case with all the rural inhabitants of these quarters. The language spoken is that of Peru, into which, through your bene­ficence, the New Testament has been translated, and part of which will soon be printed. The need of having the word of God translated into this language, is thus rendered more evident, and we see the field to be watered by it increased.

 Towards the evening the sky cleared up, and as the sun was setting, the aspect around became beautiful. I stepped to a little distance from the cottage, and reached the road on the ridge which we had left some hours before. As I walked back­wards and forwards in this spot, enjoying the serene and peaceful evening, I felt gratitude rise in my heart to the Father of mercies, for my protection and shelter from the storm. I had just gone over that beautiful hymn, of which the first and last verses follow:

 When all thy mercies, O my God,

My rising soul surveys;

Transported with the view, I'm lost,

In wonder, love, and praise.

Through all eternity to Thee

A joyful song I'll raise;

For, oh, eternity's too short

To utter all thy praise.

 I had just repeated this companion of my travels, and was beginning to descend to the cottage, when I observed a person coming up, mounted on a very good horse, and leading another still better. I wondered to see him bend his course to the unin­habited mountains at such a late hour, and had the curiosity to wait his approach, to make inquiry. "Pray friend," said I, "where can you be going this way at so late an hour?"—"I am seeking you," was the reply.—"Seeking me!" I replied.  "Yes," said he, "I have a letter for you from the Governor of Guaranda." I received and opened the letter, and read, in the language of friendship, that my good friend, dreading that I should be worsted by the storm, had sent an excellent horse for me, with orders to his servant to travel on until he should find me, at whatever hour it might be, and to see me safe in Riobamba. Whatever might have been my feelings before, they were, at least, now "lost in wonder, love, and praise." I should have mentioned, also, that the servant delivered me a little basket, which I found to be filled with pro­visions for our journey, and into which, also, the hand of friendship itself had dropped a few sweet cakes. All these things, under the circumstances in which I found myself, had a powerful effect upon my mind, and encouraged me anew to hope in God and to persevere in his service.

 In a few minutes we stepped down to the hut, procured some provisions for the horses, some repast for ourselves, and passed the night as comfortably as we could. Early next morning we began to prepare for our journey. I had given our hostess a rial now and a rial then to give her confidence in my honesty; for there is some distrust in regard to provisions bestowed upon strangers, and it is founded, I believe, on experience. Before setting out, I paid her all her demands, and gave her a little more; upon which she lifted up both her hands, and prayed for a blessing upon me, and thus we parted. After travelling for some time, Chimborazo looked out from the clouds, the first appear­ance of which, I confess, filled me with a kind of dread, more especially as I thought it frowned upon us again. As we went on, however, the day brightened, and we reached the mountain in due time, and took up our lodging in an uninhabited house on the side of it. During my evening walk the clouds entirely disappeared from the mountain, and it seemed to sit down in beautiful splendour beside me, and thus we became more than recon­ciled to each other. Next morning the same beau­tiful appearance was exhibited as we set out on our way to Riobamba.

 At midday we reached this place, which contains about 3000 inhabitants, with a considerable popu­lation in the villages around. I called upon the Governor, and presented him a letter of introduction which I had brought from the Governor of Guaranda. In this gentleman I also found a friend, and an encourager of our object. He directed me to the house of a friend, where I have a comfortable lodging. Upon stating to him my object, and showing him the advertisement which I wished to fix up in the public parts of the town, he ordered his clerk to fill up the blanks according to my di­rections, and then sent one of the Alguazils to put them up. He bought six New Testaments him­self, and during the two days of my stay here, I have disposed of 35 copies.

 Tomorrow I set out for Ambato, accompanied by a soldier, which the Governor has ordered to attend me by way of a guide and a guard. Considering the shortness of my stay here, and considering that many more New Testaments would have been bought had time been afforded, I thought it advisable to leave 50 copies in the hands of the Governor, who kindly undertook to dispose of them as circumstances offered. For the same reason I left 50 copies with him to be forwarded by the first opportunity to the Governor of Guaranda. I have also had another object in view in doing so, and that is to convert, as it were, these individuals into members and agents of your Society, the importance of which you will at once see.

 I have already noticed to you that the rural inhabitants of the district of Guaranda speak the Indian language only. The same also may be said of all the districts in this quarter, as far as Quito. I formerly stated to you, that in Peru a million of souls stood in need of the translation of the Scrip­tures into the Quichua language, and you now see how many thousands more may be added to this number. I have no doubt but the importance of the translation in question will lead you to extend your beneficence to the translating and printing of the whole Scriptures into this language. When I find persons, particularly clergymen, with whom I can communicate with confidence, I state to them what has been done in regard to this translation, and the use that may be made of it in instructing the indigenous inhabitants of this quarter, which is by far the most numerous class of the population. To such individuals I mention, also, the happy ef­fects produced by the schools in the Gaelic and Irish languages. I have succeeded in convincing many of the importance and practicability of edu­cating the native population, and am much encour­aged by the interest I find taken in this matter, by many persons of name and influence in the places I have visited. In this town, the prior of one of the convents, and the rector of the town, have pro­mised to forward this object as far as lies in their power, and on my part I have promised to forward them some copies of this translation as soon as they are ready.

 On the whole, there is great cause for thanks­giving, in seeing the Scriptures meet with so ready a reception in this quarter, and the more so when we consider that this is the first time this treasure has been offered them. Let us pray that the word of God may have free course in this place, and that it may be glorified.

 I remain

            Very Truly Yours

                                    James Thomson.

[1] BSA-D1-2-A. Also in James Thomson. Letters on the Moral and Religious State of South America. (London: James Nisbet, 1827), pp. 194-202.

Quito, 8th November 1824

Rev A Brandram

Quito, 8th November, 1824.[1]

 My Dear Sir,

Through the tender mercies of the Lord I arrived in this city yesterday morning in health and safety. The same gracious hand who has guided me hitherto has provided for me a lodging in this place, in the house of the Marquis de San José, where I enjoy all the comforts that kindness and plenty can  bestow. My last letter to you was dated the 31st  ultimo, from Riobamba, and detailed the   various  circumstances that occurred in my journey from Guayaquil to that place. It now remains for me, therefore, to state the particulars of my journey from Riobamba until my arrival in this city.

 Early on the morning of the 1st  current, I set out for Ambato, and arrived there safely in the af­ternoon. Ambato is a larger town than Riobamba, and may contain 5,000 people.  In this place I found  myself comfortably lodged in the house of the Governor.  My luggage, along with the New Testaments, did not arrive till the following morn­ing. Upon the arrival of the New Testaments,  I showed them to the Governor, and told him of my intention of advertising them for sale, and inquired in what shop or store I could conveniently do so. He answered me, by saying, that his own house was at my service for that purpose. I accordingly stated in the advertisement, that the New Testaments were on sale at the house of the Governor, and that the sale would continue but one day. It afforded me much satisfaction to see the interest taken in this matter by the Governor and by his lady, both of whom took great pleasure in showing the New Testaments to those who came to buy, and when I had to go out to pay or return a visit, they kindly supplied my place until my return.

 ou cannot but have observed the liberality, kindness, and encouragement I have met with from the Governors of Guaranda, Riobamba and Ambato, in the service of the Society. These circum­stances are very encouraging as to your future labours and expectations in this quarter, and are circumstances of which you will not fail to take ad­vantage. The three individuals mentioned, will be most ready, I am persuaded, on any future oc­casion, to forward in the most obliging and effectual manner the holy object of your Society. They will also readily lend their influence for the establish­ment of Bible Societies in their respective districts, as soon as a Society of a national character shall be formed in the capital, to which they may become auxiliaries. Of this Society in the capital, which I have much in view and at heart, I shall inform you afterwards, should it please the Lord to con­duct me safely to that place.

 That you may not, however, lose the advantages already gained by the acquisition of these gentlemen, as co-operators in your work, I shall here give you their names and addresses in the style of the country. "Sr. Coronel Carlos Araujo, Gobernador de Guaranda; Sr. Ambrosio Dávalos, Gobernador de Riobamba; Sr. Nicolás Báscones, Gobernador de Ambato." In the preceding addresses, I have given you verbatim what you should write in addressing any letter to them. The best manner of communicating with these gentlemen will be through Guayaquil, as that is the nearest port, and with which there is constant intercourse. During the time I remained in Guaya­quil, I stopped in the house of Messrs. Robinet and Wheelwright, and found there every facility afforded me in forwarding the work of the Society. If you would communicate with that house in your transactions with Guayaquil, Guaranda, Riobamba, and Ambato, you will find, I am per­suaded, all attention paid to your concerns.

 I mentioned above, that my advertisement stated the sale to last for one day only. I was, however, detained another day, and thus gave an additional opportunity for purchasing. The whole number sold amounted to forty-seven copies; but a small number, indeed, yet great as a beginning, and as an encouragement. I may mention, also, that the rector and several clergymen bought copies, and that I heard of no opposition.

 In one of my letters from Guayaquil I told you, that the 200 Bibles you had ordered me had not arrived in Lima when I left that place, and to my no small regret. I have, however, regretted that delay a thousand fold in the course of my journey.  I mentioned to you at the same time, that I had bought one Bible in Lima to carry with me, by way of a specimen, and to excite an   interest to purchase when a supply should arrive. All  my expectations in regard to this have been fully realized. The many offers I have had to purchase this Bible, have filled me with pleasure and with pain; pleasure to see so great a de­sire for the word of God, and pain in not being able to satisfy  that desire.

 Of the many occasions in which I have been so placed, none was so pleasing, on the one hand, nor so painful, on the other,  as that which I experienced with the Rector of Ambato. He had been to visit  me, and I went to his house to return his kindness.  After   experiencing much attention from him, he in a very for­mal manner urged me to sell him the  Bible.  I stated to him, upon this occasion, what I had been called on to state upon so many other oc­casions, namely, that the Bible I had was a kind of common property, that  my object in   carrying it with me was to show it to all, and to en­courage all who wished for it,  by informing them that a number of copies were coming, and that their desire would be realized in the  possession of this   precious  volume.

 He  however renewed his request, besought me to let him  have it, and urged his claim in the name of all his flock, for whose use he said he particularly wished it. My difficulty here was  great,  yet I considered  my reasons for not parting with this volume still great­er, and was thus obliged most unwillingly to with­hold what, under other circumstances I would most gladly have bestowed. He said, among other things, to induce me to yield to his request, that I would be able to find a copy in Quito, for he had learned that some had been sold here some time ago, as was actually the case, for 40 copies of the 500 sold in Lima were brought here. I told him that there were some doubts as to my obtaining a copy in Quito, but that I would make inquiry when I should arrive there, and in the event of finding one I should send him my own copy, and at the price at which I purchased the other. Upon these terms we came to an agree­ment, and he remarked that I should not make any hesitation in regard to the price, for he would willingly pay what should be charged.

 On the 4th current I left Ambato on my way to this city. There is a town called Tacunga or Latacunga about 20 miles distant from Ambato, and on the straight road to this place. From the consideration of having been much detained in my journey from Guayaquil, I wished to reach this city as quickly as possible, and on that ac­count I intended not to stop at Tacunga, but to push on to a village called Mulaló, and to pass the night there, in order that I might reach Quito on the following day. I was the more inclined to do so, as I understood that Tacunga was inhabited almost wholly by Indians, none of whom could use our books. Another arrangement, how­ever, had been determined on by a higher authority than mine, and for a purpose which you will pre­sently see.

 I  had scarce left Ambato, when a Friar travelling for Quito, came up with me upon the road. As he was accompanied by a servant only, and unencumbered with luggage, he could get faster on his way than I could, accompanied as I was by the loaded mules. We, notwith­standing, rode together for some time, and fell into various conversation. He urged me to go forward with him, and to leave the loaded mules to follow us, which, after some hesitation, I com­plied with, and we went on together at a gentle trot. His intention was to stop all night at Tacunga, as he had some concerns to arrange there. He kindly invited me to stay there also during the night, in order that we might go on together next day towards Quito, offering me a hospitable lodging in the convent of St. Dominic, to which he belonged.

 I still, however, thought it my duty to push forward, so as to reach Quito next day, and which I could not do if I stopped all night at Tacunga. Before we arrived at the place, in passing a river, my horse, upon reaching the bank, which was rather difficult of access, stumbled, plunged again into the river, and nearly threw me into it. I got safely out, though considerably wet. This circumstance determined me to stop at Tacunga till I got my clothes dried. Upon reaching the town, I went with my friend to the convent, where I got myself comfortably dried, and prepared for the journey. Before I was ready to set out, there came on a thunder storm, and by the time the weather cleared up, it was too late to set out. My good friends in the convent strongly urged me to pass the night with them, and which I consented to do.

 I found this town larger than I expected, and as I was to pass the night in it, I was anxious to seize the opportunity of offering the word of God to them, although I had not much confidence as to the success I should meet with. In carrying this purpose into effect, I found myself rather embarrassed. I was lodged in a convent, and knew not what disposition the friars might have to the distribution of the Scriptures, especially to their being sold in the convent. I wished my­self lodged elsewhere, and indeed anywhere else, but could not with any decency remove, as my friends loaded me with kindness. Had I known, upon my entering the town, that I was to have a sale of the New Testaments there, I would not have gone to the convent, more especially as I had a letter of introduction to the Governor and to another gentleman in the place.

 After some hesitation, I resolved to make an attempt where I was. I went pensively to the case in which the New Testaments were, took out one, and went direct to the  Prior to  show  it  to him, praying all the while as I went, that the God of heaven would  dispose  his  heart and  the  hearts  of the rest to befriend the circulation of his holy word. My  prayer was heard.  The Prior was much pleased with the New Testament,  and bought it. He showed it to one of the rest, and recommended it, whilst I did  not fail to put in  a word  to  the same  effect,   pointing out  the  advantages  of the Scriptures to all, and how more immediately it concerned them, as ministers of religion, to possess it, and to recommend it to others. Yes, said one of them, it is the very book which concerns us, and we would gladly encourage others to receive it. I then told them that I had a number of copies, and that I wished to expose them to sale in  that town. I showed the Prior the advertisement, and said, I should be glad to have the sale in the con­vent, if it were agreeable to him.  By all means, said he,  and immediately he filled up the blanks in the notices with his own hand, and sent a person to fix them up. 

 The advertisements were scarcely up, when one, and  another, and another came tripping in to purchase a New Testament. In a little, the buyers thickened,  whilst all the friars stood around enjoying, the sight, and warmly re­commending the sacred volume to all who came, and assisted me in the sale when occasion re­quired. The result was, that in two hours and a half, that is, till the night came on, I sold one hundred and four copies, which was more than I had sold in Guaranda,  Riobamba, and Ambato taken together, although I remained two days in each of these places. You see, by this time, I dare say, why superior arrangements called me to stop at this place, contrary to my own intention.

 Among others, whom the sound of our horn brought together, came the Vicar of the town in propria persona. Upon learning who he was, I made my obeisance, and entered into conversation with him, as to the advantages of the word of God, and the duty of making it known to all, and to my great joy I found in him also a friend to this object. At an early period of our sale, I brought out the Bible, of which I have spoken above, and for the purpose there mentioned. It had the desired effect. It arrested the attention, and could have been sold many a time. I told all who wished to purchase it, that there would arrive in a few months a number of copies, and that all would be supplied. None being able to obtain it, a little circle resolved to improve the occasion to learn what it contained, while a friar in the middle kept reading aloud for a considerable time. There was another attractive, namely, the Brief View of the Bible Society. This also drew the atten­tion, and was eagerly read. Their approbation of the object of the Society, and their wonder at the effects already produced by it, alternately drew forth corresponding expressions.

 You need not be told that I relished the scene before me, and enjoyed a high entertainment. I could not refrain from silent thanksgiving to the God above, as I brought out another and another parcel of New Testaments, to which I joined a fervent prayer, that on this occasion the word of God might be sown in good ground, and might produce in some thirty, in some sixty, and in some a hundred fold. I felt also my heart warm within me, whilst the contemplation of the British character, which was thus brought under review, called forth the just praises of my native land. O favoured isle! Gar­den of God! Where the fruits of righteousness grow more abundantly than in all the world beside. Peace be upon thee! In thee may the will of God be done—as it is done in heaven.

 By and by the night came on, and our sale closed. After which we retired to one of the cells, and entered into general conversation. We were all pleased with each other. My friends, on the one hand, seized every opportunity to show their kindness and attention, and  I, on the other hand, in return for their kindness, amused them with my mountain barometer, thermometers, and pocket compass, all of which were perfectly new to them, and highly entertaining. At a proper hour the friars retired to their cells, and I also retired to mine, where I passed part of the night in contemplating the scene which had just passed before me, and the rest in repairing the fatigues of the day.

 I told the Prior of the convent and the others, that the sale which had been effected in that place, so much greater than in  the other  places I  had visited in their neighbourhood, did  great honour to their town.  I took occasion also to return them my sincere thanks for the very active and friendly part they had taken in  this matter, and told them I should have great pleasure in communicating the same to the Society in London, and which I accor­dingly now do.  The Prior said that he should be very glad, upon any future occasion, to forward the objects of the Society as far as he could, and that in regard to  any  other  supply  of the Scriptures destined for Tacunga, he would  most readily take charge of them, and dispose of them according to the  directions  which   might   be  sent  with   them. The other Friars heartily seconded the Prior in all these matters. In   conversing   about   the   Bibles that were to come to them from Guayaquil, it was agreed that not fewer than fifty copies would be required  for Tacunga, and I   promised to write to Guayaquil in order that this number might be sent to them upon their arrival there from Lima.  At the same time I write to  Lima to forward a suffi­cient supply to Guayaquil of your second edition, which must, I should think, be already in Callao, or near it.

 In the preceding part of this letter, I gave you the names and address of some persons who would gladly carry forward your object in the places mentioned. I now add to this list another, namely, the Prior already mentioned, "El R. P. Fr. Manuel Peñaherrera, Prior de Santo Do­mingo de Latacunga." The person just named, as well as all his colleagues, will be most ready to establish an Auxiliary Bible Society in that place, when the proper time comes for doing so. I give you also the names of some others belonging to this convent, as my duty and my promise require of me, and could wish that in some corner of one of your monthly extracts or annual reports their names might be recorded, for I think they are worthy of it; and in seeing their names in any of these pub­lications I shall feel myself as discharged from what nearly amounts to an obligation, and which my feelings of respect and gratitude towards my friends led me into.

 The names are as follows: Padre Mariano Quintana, Padre Narciso Molina, Padre Matías Granja. To which I add, as the last, but not the least, my travelling companion, Padre José Celio. I now conclude this letter, the writing of which has been the means of my enjoying over again the encouraging scenes which I have endeavoured to describe, and which I lay before you that you may comply with the pleasing duty of rejoicing with those that rejoice. I only add, may God Almighty prosper you most abundantly in all your undertakings; and unto whom in all things be glory for ever: Amen.

             Yours Very Sincerely,

                         James Thomson.

[1] BSA-D1-2A. Also in James Thomson. Letters on the Moral and Religious State of South America. London: James Nisbet, 1827, pp. 203-215.

Quito, 19th November 1824

Quito, 19th  November, 1824.[1]

Dear Sir,

A considerable time has elapsed since the date of my last letter to you, and during the same period, if I remember right, I have not been fa­voured with any of your communications. So that, as far as mere exchange of letters is concerned, I am not so much in arrear as you may perhaps be thinking. It is true, indeed, that it is my part to write to you, rather than yours to write to me, but that again supposes that I have something worth communicating. Now, I am sorry to say that this has not been the case during my partial silence, a si­lence arising from a very natural cause, that of having nothing to say. I mean that I have had nothing to say about the progress of education in this quarter and though I have still very little to say upon that subject, yet, knowing you take a great interest in the well being of this part of the world, and in my feeble efforts to promote it, I think it my duty to let you know at least where I am, and what I am doing.

You will observe by the line at the top, that I am in the city of Quito, and I shall now state to you why I am here, and what  I am  engaged  in. You know how the war has raged for some time past in Peru, and that Lima has been for a con­siderable time in the hands of the enemy. I am not sure that I have expressed myself correctly in saying the enemy, a term applied by each party to the  other, but which in the mouth of a neutral is an impropriety of speech.  I beg leave to justify myself in this, by informing you that I am not a neutral in this contest, as all my feelings and my wishes are on the one side, and of course the other side is the enemy.  I leave you to find out at your leisure what side I am on, and shall proceed to give you what information I have to communicate re­lative to our concerns, the concerns of education.

I left Lima in the beginning of September, with the intention of not returning to it for some time. The immediate cause was the impossibility of moving forwards in our work under the pressure of existing circumstances. The very utmost that could be done was to keep hold of what we had obtained, and even that was done with great diffi­culty. Our model school in Lima, at the time I came away, contained about 200 children, a num­ber somewhat less than what it contained some months previous to that time. This decrease is owing to the great poverty that existed there, on the one hand; and on the other hand it arose from a natural fear in the parents lest their children should be picked up on their way to the School by the recruiting parties, a fear not altogether groundless. I may mention here, that there is another School on our plan, containing about 80 children.

You know that, for a considerable time back, I have had a desire to pass through that part of this Continent where I now am, but I was prevented from doing so, by the difficulty of leaving Lima in the state in which things were, and by the prospect of making a rapid progress in extending education over Peru. At the time I came away, the diffi­culty referred to was removed, and the prospect in regard to the other circumstance mentioned was altogether blasted, at least for a time. The diffi­culty I have noticed was the want of a proper master, in whose hands I could trust the school with confidence. The school, however, at my leaving Lima, was in the hands of a good master, with an assistant to aid him, whilst the superintendence of all is in the hands of my excellent friend the  Clergyman, of whom I have often spoken to you with approbation. From this good friend, not­withstanding these favourable arrangements, I was obliged to tear myself away. He urged me to stop, and would at length only hear of my going away in the expectation of my early return, and in the hope of my visit to England being turned to the advantage of the schools in Peru, as I trust it will, should I have the happiness to reach your favoured country.

I thought it advisable, and my duty, to seize the time that thus offered for verifying my long-intended journey. You know, I dare say, that it was not the mere desire of jaunting that led me to propose this journey to myself. The two objects which have hitherto more immediately engaged my attention in South America are those which form the work respectively of the British and Foreign Bible Society, and the British and Foreign School Society. With these two objects in view, I left Lima for Bogota the capital of Colombia. Though I can never lose sight of any one of these two objects, yet that of the Bible Society is the main one in this journey.

I have been very much pleased with my journey, in the prosperity I have had in the distribution of the sacred volume. I have observed a very general desire to possess this book, and I have had the pleasure of seeing great numbers flock together, not to receive it as a present, but to buy it. Of  upwards of 1500 New Testaments which I had at the outset, not many remain. I had no Bibles, and was very sorry for it, as, from its being generally asked for, I am sure I could have sold many copies. It is gratifying to know that a supply of them may be expected in the course of a few months; and with this prospect I have revived the spirits of many who evidently felt disappointed when I told them that I had none.

It is truly a pleasing sight to see so many eagerly seeking after God; and it cheers the head of the poor traveller, as he moves along now through the woods, now over the mountains, to think that he is the means of cheering the hearts of others, by putting into their hands the only book which can effectually cheer the heart with solid com­fort. I refer you for further particulars regard­ing the circulation of the Scriptures to my letters upon the subject to the British and Foreign Bible Society.

Before I speak of the state and progress of edu­cation in Quito, I shall mention two circumstances which have occurred to me since I left Lima. I notice these because they are encouraging, as it respects the progress of education, and because they tend to prove what I have so often stated to you, that there is a very general desire throughout this country for extending the benefits of education to all, and with all possible speed. The circumstances referred to occurred in Truxillo and in Guayaquil.

In both these places I received proposals from the magistrates to remain among them, in order to es­tablish schools on our plan, and to promote the objects of education in general. In both cases I had a struggle with my feelings, though not with my judgment, in declining the honour offered me. Though my duty bade me pursue my journey, yet, in consequence of these proposals, I cannot help taking an additional interest in the progress of edu­cation in the places mentioned; and through the intercourse that took place upon this subject during my short stay in these tours, I expect some good will result, of which I shall afterwards inform you.

I come now to speak of the state and prospects of education in this city. The state of elementary education here is, at present, very low, but its prospects are more encouraging. Perhaps you are aware that the Colombian Government is taking active measures to extend education over all their share of South America. Some time ago a Central School on the Lancasterian plan was established in Bogota, the capital. This school was set a-going by a friar who had been banished from his native country on account of his then-called revolutionary principles, and who had learned the system during his exile. Upon his return to America he established this school in the capital, which has now existed two or three years.

It is the wish of the govern­ment to put a model school in the capital of each department, and from these schools to send out masters to all the towns and villages the department contains. For this purpose the friar I before men­tioned, has lately arrived here, and is getting his school-room prepared. I have had several con­versations with this individual, and have been much pleased in observing the very lively interest he takes in the education of youth, as well as in the general progress of knowledge throughout his native country. It is delightful to shake hands with such persons, and to unite one's heart with them wherever they are found. I augur much good from the establishment and direction of schools by a person of this character. I do from my heart wish him great success, and a success equal to the desires of his own benevolent mind. The Intendant or Governor of the department is an excel­lent man, and very desirous of the progress of knowledge throughout this quarter. He is urging forward the school with all diligence; and to supply the children with books, he has bought of me 50 New Testaments.

The next thing I have to notice is of some in­terest, and respects female education. You are aware, that the education of this sex is very limited in South America. It is so in Quito, as might be expected. From the consideration that this is a large place, and the chief city of a large and populous district of country, I was very desir­ous of doing something towards establishing a  female school or academy here. I spoke to the Intendant and others upon the subject, and found them all willing to do whatever was practicable in carrying into effect such a desirable object. The plan I proposed was, to send for a well-instructed person or two from England, in order to establish at once a school or academy of the best descrip­tion; and I promised to do, on my part, all I could to procure such persons upon my arrival in Eng­land. My proposition was very favourably re­ceived, and a plan was immediately thought of for carrying it into effect.

The want of funds was the only obstacle that occurred, and where to find them was the object to which the attention of all was directed. At length it was discovered that there was a certain religious house in the city which had good funds belonging to it. This house is not a nunnery, though it is somewhat allied to it. It is what is here called a Beateria; and if one were called upon to give it a name corresponding to its nature, it might be called a House of Idleness. This name, at all events, would suit the character given me of it by the Intendant. To get this house and its funds was now the object of consideration, and a petition to the general government of Colombia was thought of for that purpose. You know that respecting a matter of this kind, it is ne­cessary to interest the female sex themselves in it. I accordingly spoke with some ladies upon the sub­ject, and found them very anxious to lend their  influence to obtain the object in question.

I am lodged and very kindly treated in the house of the Marquis de San José, and I wished that the Mar­chioness should take the lead in this affair, as a matter of courtesy on my part, and principally be­cause she is the person of most influence in the place. I stated to her the plan proposed, of esta­blishing a school or academy in the style of those in England, and was happy to find that she entered heartily into it. The way ultimately fixed upon for carrying forward the plan is this: The lady before mentioned, along with some female friends, is to draw up a petition to the Intendant, begging that something may be done for establishing a fe­male academy in Quito. As soon as this comes into the Intendant’s hands, he will state his opi­nion upon the subject, strongly recommending it, and pointing out where the funds may be obtained for the purpose. The petition thus prepared is to be put into my hands, and I am to have the honour of laying it before the Vice-President in Bogota upon my reaching that city; and such is the interest taken by the Government in these matters, that I have no doubt of its complete success.

                                                I remain, my dear sir,
                                                            Very sincerely yours,
                                                                                    J. Thomson.

[1] James Thomson. Letters on the Moral and Religious State of South America. London: James Nisbet, 1827, pp. 215-223. Twentieth Report  of the British and Foreign School Society (1825), pp. 123-126.

Quito, 24th November 1824

Rev A Brandram

Quito, 24th November, 1824. [1]

 Dear Sir,

 My last letter to you was written from this place, and dated the 8th  current, the day after my arrival. I then stated to you what had occurred to me from Riobamba until my arrival in this city. I shall now, therefore, proceed to give you an account of the reception your cause has met with in Quito

 When I set out from Guaranda on my way to Riobamba, I left four boxes of New Testaments behind me, partly because I was going out of the straight road for Quito, and partly because mules could not readily be had to carry them. These boxes I left in the hands of my good friend  the Governor, who kindly undertook to forward them direct to this city. Upon my arrival here, I found that these boxes had not arrived, although there was more than sufficient time. I waited for them with some impatience, especially as I had disposed of the contents of those I had brought with me, so that there remained  none in my hands for sale in this place. During this delay of the New Testaments I had many inquiries for them, as it had got abroad that I had brought with me a good supply for this city. At length a part arrived, when I learned that the delay was owing to the owner of the mules.  I gave notice publicly of the sale, as I had done in other places, and in a short time all  were sold, amounting to 137 copies.  After these were all gone, the inquiries after them continued, and I had to put off the inquirers, with telling them that there were two more boxes expected every minute. Day passed on after day without the arrival of these, until I was beginning a second time to think them lost.

 Yesterday  afternoon, however, they safely arrived, and as soon as they were opened 80 copies were paid for and carried off by a highly respected clergyman. Fifty of these were for the use of the schools here, and were purchased on account of the government, agreeably to an order given to that effect some days previous to their arrival. Twenty-five of the 80 were purchased at the request of the  Provincial of the Convent of St. Francis, for the  express purpose of putting a copy into the hands of each friar in the convent.  I noticed in my last the triumph of our cause in the convent of St. Dominic, in Latacunga, and it affords me no small pleasure to be able to record what I may call a triumph of a similar kind, as just mentioned, regarding the Franciscans in this city. To which I may add, that the respected clergyman I before referred to, has orders from, I believe, all the con­vents to purchase one, two, or more Bibles for them on the  moment of their arrival. The  remaining five of the above mentioned eighty were for par­ticular friends.

 I have noticed to you, in my preceding letters, the desire manifested in the places I have passed
through, for the whole Bible. This desire has also been manifested in Quito, and in a strong degree. In order to increase this desire, rather than supply the wants of these places, I have written to Guaya­quil, directing the 50 Bibles which I formerly ordered from Lima to that place, to be sent to these parts, in due proportions; only ten or twelve of these will come to this place, and these are already bespoken. I have also ordered to be sent to the different towns mentioned in my former letters, a considerable number of copies of the small New Testament, and of the Books of Psalms, Proverbs, &c.; the proportion for Quito is 200 of the former, and 200 of the latter; these I expect will meet with a very favourable reception, and will fall short of the demand for them. I have thus, you see, distributed the whole of the supply sent me as mentioned in your last letter, yet this supply, so distributed, will prove inadequate to the wants and the demands of these quarters.

 To meet this demand, we must have recourse to your second edition of the Bible, of which you have advised me, and of which I expect a good supply is already on the way to Lima, in that city, and also in Guayaquil, I have given the necessary directions for sending proper quantities to each place. The city of Quito is large, and contains upwards of 50,000 inhabitants. It is also surrounded by a populous country, of which it is the capital and the centre. On this account I have ordered to it 500 copies of the whole Bible, with a request to our correspondent in Guayaquil to remit 500 more, if the wants of the latter place will admit of it. I have mentioned to you the names of different per­sons who offered to manage your concerns in some of the places I have passed through, and I am happy in having it in my power to say, that you have found a warm friend and an agent here in the Marquis of San José, a gentleman of the first respectability in this city, on account of his personal character, and on account of his large possessions in this quarter.

 From this gentleman I have received every friendly attention during my stay under his hospitable roof. He allowed me to sell the New Testaments in his own house, and encouraged his friends to purchase them. In consequence of his readiness to take the charge of the Society's con­cerns here, I have ordered the supplies for Quito, already mentioned, to be forwarded directly to him. You will also please consider him as your correspondent for this quarter, and can address to him accordingly. His address is "Sr. Manuel de Larrea, Marqués de San José, Quito." I spoke to this gentleman, also, regarding the formation of a Bible Society for the district of Quito, whose seat should be in that city. Into this matter he entered fully and cheerfully, and promised to do everything in his power to commence and to carry for­ward such an establishment, as soon as a suitable opportunity should offer for doing so. I spoke also to the Marchioness regarding a Female Bible Society, and had the pleasure of being assured by her, that nothing should be wanting on her part to set such a Society on foot. I have thus endeavoured to place things in such a state as to induce the hope that the concerns of the Bible Society will not be neglected here, but carried forward in a prosperous manner.

 I should have mentioned also, that several gentlemen, with whom I con­versed about the circulation of the Scriptures, and about a Bible Society, much approved of both, and expressed their readiness to lend their aid in these matters. I trust these favourable circum­stances, which form an encouraging commencement in this interesting and populous district, will be followed by results truly beneficial to all the inhabitants here, and gratifying to the members of the British and Foreign Bible Society.

 There is a circumstance indirectly, or rather I should say directly, connected with our main object, which I should not omit to state to you. I carried with me two copies of the late Bishop of London’s Evidences of Christianity, in Spanish. These I bought in Lima about the time I set off, in the expectation of their doing some good in the course of the journey. I showed this work to the Marquis, who immediately bought it. This he eagerly read, and was highly gratified with its contents. I could have sold the other copy frequently, but refused to sell it, as I intend to carry it farther on, and to dispose of it in some other place. The Marquis lent his copy to several of his friends, who were also much gratified with perusing it. From less to more, the interest in this work was carried, till it was resolved to print an edition of it in Quito by subscription, and this subscription is to be solely among the ladies. This, you see, is a feeling very friendly to the cause of religion, and of the Bible Society.

 I suppose I need not to tell you, that a work on the evidences of the Christian religion is not a little wanted in many parts in this country, as there are many who are verging towards, or are already gone into, deism. On this account, as well as on others, it behoves the friends of Christianity to bestir themselves in behalf of South America. The present is a very interesting and also a very critical period for this country. Much, very much, may be done at present, through prudent and zealous means, to instruct and confirm the wavering, and even perhaps to bring back those who have aposta­tized from the faith. If these measures were con­nected with means of instruction, as far as can be done, regarding the true principles and practices of Christianity, as taught in the Holy Scriptures, a very plentiful harvest, through the blessing of God, might be reaped. If it should please the Lord to spare me, and to enable me to reach my native land, I trust I shall find many ready to lend their aid towards such a sacred object.

 I stated in one of my letters from Lima some time ago the printing of the Apocrypha, that though it could not be done by the funds of the Society, yet that some bookseller friend of the Bible cause might print it, in order to its being sold with the Bible. I mentioned also at the same time that no loss would be incurred in doing this. I am now bold to speak more positively as to the matter from comments I have met with in the sale of the Scriptures. From the great demand there is for the Bible, I am certain that no loss would be incurred in printing an Apocrypha. On the contrary a profit, if wished might come from this undertaking. It is probable that the arguments I formerly made to this matter may not have been sufficient to produce an edition of the Apocrypha. If so I trust what has now been stated in connection with the accounts formerly given of the desire for the Bible, will lead, in one way or another to the accomplishing of this matter. What a pity it would be to check in any manner zeal and interest at present felt here by anything which we have it in our power to prevent.

 I come now to speak upon the subject which I would much rather decline, but which duty calls me to lay before you, I come in short to blame the Society, and the cause of complaint is this. A considerable number of the copies of the New Testaments sent me in the Spanish language have a sheet or half a sheet in French. This has been the means of placing me repeatedly in very awkward circumstances. After selling a copy for a Spanish New Testament, it has been brought back on account of this defect. The first time this occurred was in Ambato, and it did not surprise me that such an accident should have happened with one copy among so many. In Latacunga two or three were observed with a similar defect. Upon examining the rest of in my possession, I found the number of copies in this situation considerable. I was hence under the necessity of the noticing this circumstance to the purchasers and in some cases of giving an allowance accordingly. It is only in the Paris edition that I have observed this defect. I hope this matter will be well looked into in what copies you may send in future. It is a matter for which the Bible Society is responsible, and no saving should be thought of which may incur the risk of such an oversight in the binding of the volumes which issue from its stores. You will easily perceive that the evil does not stop with the copies I referred to, as an equal number of French New Testaments must of necessity be interleaved with Spanish. I know you will forgive the freedom of these remarks. We are all engaged in the same holy cause and have only one desire, namely, that the word of God may have free course and be glorified. Let us therefore ....., and in love stir up each other, that nothing arise which would hinder or retard this blessed ...... which the Lord has graciously called us to labour.

 26th  November, 1824.

 I have now disposed of 300 copies of the New Testament in this city. May the Lord follow with his abundant blessing this seed which has been sown, and cause it to bring forth a hundred fold. Today I set off for Popayan, and trust that He who has preserved me thus far, will con­tinue to me his blessing to that place, and thence onwards. I shall endeavour to drop a few seeds as I go along, and pray that these may fall into good ground.

                         I remain,

                                    Very respectfully & sincerely Yours,

                                                            James Thomson.

 [1] BSA-D1-2A. Also in James Thomson. Letters on the Moral and Religious State of South America. (London: James Nisbet, 1827), pp. 223-230.

Popayán, 1st January 1825

Popayan, 1st  January, 1825[1]

 You will perceive, by the date of this letter, that it is a month later than it ought to be, ac­cording to our epistolary agreement. You will not wonder at this delay, when you consider that I am in the middle of a long and incommodious journey. The day on which I should have written you, I was travelling from Otabalo to Ibarra, and of course had neither leisure nor convenience for conversing with you. I now seize the oppor­tunity of a few days rest which I enjoy in this city, to write you a few lines.

You will probably be expecting some account of the country in which I now am, and through which I have lately passed. I shall endeavour to satisfy your curiosity in some measure upon this point. I shall begin with Guayaquil. That place contains from 12,000 to 15,000 inhabitants, and is situated upon a river of the same name. There are regular tides in the river opposite the town,  twice in  the  24 hours, and the  same also takes place for a considerable distance above the town.     The spot on which the town is  built is very low, being only a very little higher than the river at the time of high water. The weather here is very hot, considerably more so than in Lima. This, together with a low and somewhat marshy situation, makes the  place unhealthy,  particularly in   the rainy season. I could not help observing, however, during the short time I was there, that the   want of cleanliness in the streets, and on the banks of the river, are circumstances which contribute, in my opinion, at least one half to the unhealthiness of the town. This port is the place on   the   Pacific  which  at  present affords more articles of exportation than any other, and every succeeding year will make it more so.

The cocoa from which the chocolate is made is the principal article, and of this several shiploads go annually to Europe, besides what is used in Peru, Chile, &c.  It is through this place that all the towns, as far as Quito, are supplied with European goods, and through this place also should  these  towns be supplied  with the  Holy Scriptures, and with other works which may contribute to enlighten and to benefit them with respect to time and to eternity. I have made arrangements there by which the Scriptures may be supplied to these quarters in future.

The town of Guaranda is high up on the Andes, and within a few miles of the great Chimborazo. It enjoys a temperate and healthy climate, notwith­standing its proximity to the Equator. I need not state to you the causes of this, as you are well aware of them. I may, however, say that Chimborazo exerts a considerable influence in moderating the heat which might be expected in this quarter. If you should ask me more particularly what I think of the climate, I would say, judging from my own feelings, that it is cold. So I felt, it to be, but that arose partly from my having just come from a very hot climate. It is curious to observe the different feelings of two persons met together on the declivity of the mountains, the one ascending from Guayaquil, and the other descending from Quito. If you ask one of them regarding the climate, or weather, he says it is very cold; and if you ask the other, he says it is very warm; and so they respectively feel from the opposite climates they have come from. Guaranda is situated on the western side of the western Cordillera of the Andes.

You will observe that the word Andes, is the general name of all these mountains, and Cordillera means the high ridge or line of moun­tains running nearly north and south. There are two great Cordilleras which extend from Cuenca to about 100 miles to the north of Popayan. To the south of Cuenca and to the north of the department of Popayan, one of the Cordilleras disappears. In going from Guaranda to Riobamba, you first ascend the western Cordillera to the top. On this top is the base, of Chimborazo. The road is close along the base of the mountain and you would think you could lay your hand upon it. From this spot it does not appear a very high mountain, and the reason is obvious, as this spot itself is at a great elevation.[2] The whole of Chimborazo, ex­cept perhaps, a few yards, is covered with snow—everlastingly covered. Having reached this top, you see, for the first time, the eastern cordillera, vying with the western in height.

You then descend down till you come to Riobamba, which is situated in a level plain between the two ridges, and at nearly an equal distance from both. The whole of my journey, from leaving Riobamba till my arrival in this city, has been in this great valley, between the two cordilleras of the Andes. In two days or three after leaving this place, I will have to cross the eastern cordillera on my way to Bogota.

The two principal towns between Riobamba and Quito, are Ambato and Tacunga, and of which I have spoken in my letters to Mr. B.; the former may contain 5,000, and the latter 6,000. The greater part of this population consists of Indians, who all speak the ancient Peruvian language. The largest town in the whole of this extensive valley, between the ridges of the Andes, is Quito. It is a city of 50,000 inhabitants and upwards, and will not yield to any city in South America in point of population, except to Lima and to Buenos Aires. Its public buildings are much superior to those of the latter place, and not much inferior to those of the former. Its site is unfavourable, as it is placed on an uneven piece of ground.

In travelling from Quito to Popayan you ex­perience a great variety of climate. Sometimes you have the unmitigated heat of the torrid zone; at another time you might imagine yourself in the neighbourhood of one of the poles rather than the equator; and again at other times you have a cli­mate of the most delightful kind, equally removed from the extremes of heat and of cold. One of the coldest nights I passed on the journey, was within a few yards of the line. You will wonder, perhaps, at this variety, but I will explain it to you. Here and there, during the whole course of this long valley, from Cuenca to Popayan, you have, rising out of the one Cordillera or the other, an enormous snow-capped mountain.

It is evident that the cold reigns uninterrupted on these towering summits, as the snow, its certain signal, is over spread over them. Of course when the wind blows from  these,  it temperates  (or  perhaps  somewhat more)  the  heat   of   the  sun   wherever it  passes. Any place situated near these mountains is neces­sarily temperate, or cold.  The coldest place in the whole road, is a place called  Tiupuyo, some  20 miles  south  of   Quito,  because there you have Cotopaxi on the one side, and right opposite on the other you have Ilinisa, both  of which  are always covered with snow.  I have thus noticed to you the cause of the cold,  and shall now point out what is the cause of the heat in those places where its effects are most felt. Wherever there is a deep valley with sloping mountains around, and no towering summits covered  with snow, for a considerable distance, there you have a climate of the same kind as is met with in the same latitude on the sea coast. As to the temperate places I have spoken of, they are always to be met with in the absence of these snow-covered mountains on the one hand and the deep valleys, on the other.  In these tracts the climate is delightful in the extreme, all the year round, in none of these parts have you Spring, Summer, Harvest, and Winter, but one uniform temperature from one end of the year to the other. In most of these places there are periodical times of rain, which form what they call the Winter, whilst the dry season is called Summer. The farmer there may sow when he chooses, and may have his harvest in any month of the year; notwithstanding, however, there is some order at­tended to in this respect, but it is not uniform in all places.

[1]It is not clear to whom this letter was sent by Thomson. It is not in the BFBS archives but was included in Thomson's  Letters on the Moral and Religious State of South America. London: James  Nisbet, 1827, pp. 230-236 (BM).

 [2] The top of this ridge, or cordillera, cannot be less than 17,000 feet above the level of the sea. On arriving at this height, I recollected what I had often read of, that persons at great elevations felt much difficulty in breathing. I resolved to try the correctness of these accounts: and for this purpose, I alighted from my horse, and with a heavy great-coat on, I walked with a quick pace for half an hour. The result was, I felt not the slightest inconvenience in breathing.

Bogotá, 8th February 1825

Rev A Brandram

Bogota, 8th February, 1825.[1]

Dear Sir,

 Since my last communication to you from Quito, I have had a long, and by no means an agreeable journey. The distance from Quito to this place is considerable, the roads are very bad, and in passing through one district, there is no inconsi­derable danger. The district or province to which I to share is that of Pastos, which has at different times been in a revolutionary state, and at present it is but ill tranquilized. We were accompanied by a military guard through the whole of that district, and which in some places amounted to forty men. The good hand the Lord upon me and upon my companions we all arrived safely in Popayan towards the end of December. On the 29th ultimo, I arrived safely in this city, and now seize the first oppor­tunity that offers of writing you a few lines, to inform you of occurrences in these parts since my last, of the 26th November.

 I intimated to you in the letter last mentioned, that it was my intention to drop a few seeds as I went along, or in other words, to endeavour to circulate the sacred volume, as opportunities might offer, in the course of my journey. I ac­cordingly posted up my notices in those places, where I stopped for half a day, or upwards. In these country villages a great sale was not to be expected. The inhabitants are in general poor, and very few of them are addicted to reading. Some copies, however, were thus  put into circu­lation, and in such places, and under such circum­stances, I always think much has been done if a kind of beginning has been made. I shall, in a fu­ture communication, state to you the number sold in each place, and the respective sums received since my leaving Lima. I would give you this account now, were it not that the scantiness of my time at present will not allow me to extract these notices from  among my  notes. I have now disposed of all the New Testaments I brought with  me from Lima, and those which I found awaiting me in Guayaquil. I bless the Lord for having coun­selled me to undertake this journey, and thus to put into circulation a considerable number of copies of his holy word,  and which would not likely have been accomplished, but by means of making a complete tour through these quarters. I have thus cause of gratitude to Him who distributed his favours to whom he will, for having honoured me with a share of this angel-work, of commu­nicating the revelation of God to man. I shall be glad also to know, that  the plan I have taken meets with the  approbation of the Committee of the British and Foreign Bible Society. I thought much about  this journey before undertaking it, and prayed much to the Lord to counsel me in regard to  it.    And now,  looking back over the road I have travelled, and reflecting on the num­ber of copies of the word of life, now in the hands of many people who had never before seen it, I feel my heart drawn out in thanksgiving and praise for all the way by which the Lord hath led me.

 My labours in distributing the sacred volume on  this journey must now terminate, because I have no more to distribute. In the multitude of my thoughts within me upon setting off from Lima, it occurred to me that I  might, after reaching this place, extend my journey in your service to Gua­temala, and from thence over-land to Mexico. Two objects I had in view in reference to  this; the one was the circulation of the Scriptures, and the other was the procuring translations   of the New Testament into the native languages of those parts. Of this latter object I wrote you   some time ago.  This intended journey, however, must now be given up, for various reasons.    The first is, because I have no more copies of the  Scrip­tures to distribute;  the second is, because I feel doubtful if it would meet with your approbation to incur the expense of travelling through  those parts, with the single object of procuring the translations referred to;  the third reason is,   the happy change which has taken place in Peru, in the termination of the war there, and which induces me to visit England as early as possible, that  I may again return to Lima without loss of time, in order to carry on the work of the Lord there, according to the grace and strength he may he pleased to afford me. I trust in the Lord that we shall have an opportunity of seeing each other face to face, before many months elapse, that we may talk over all the doings of the Lord, in making his word to circulate in this country and in every place, and that we may make arrange­ments for benefiting South America yet more ex­tensively.

I have spoken of the termination of the war in Peru, and this to me is no small subject of thanksgiving; for the deliverance of the country from the Spanish yoke, and the rapid progress of the Lord's work, are closely identified. I wrote you from Guayaquil some months ago respecting this identification. It was then I gave you an account of the battle of Junín, and of the very important effects that followed. I then also ven­tured to speak of what were likely to be the ultimate and not very distant results of that battle. All these things the Lord hath now brought about, in scattering those who delight in war and op­pression, and in commanding the destroying sword to return into its scabbard.—Rest and peace to this destroying instrument—and for ever! May it never more be drawn in this country, to cut in sunder afresh the peace and the progress of man! I send you an account of this late event in Peru, which I think will prove interesting to you and to your friends.

I expected to find, on my arrival here, a large supply of Spanish New Testaments, which I thought you would have found an opportunity of forwarding to some correspondent in this quarter. I have spoken with Mr. Henderson, the British Consul General here, upon the subject, and he informs me that there are neither Spanish Bibles nor New Testaments in this city, and that there is a demand for them. He also informs me, that he wrote about three months ago to Mr. Dowson, a correspondent of his, requesting him to forward some to this place. You will please make inquiry of Mr. D., who lives in Welbeck Street, if he has sent any; and in the event of none having been sent, have the goodness to forward to this city, as early as possible, a supply of each of your editions of the Spanish Scriptures. I have talked with Mr. Henderson upon this subject, and think he will be a very suitable person to manage your concerns here, and to correspond with you. He takes a particular interest in this matter, and desires me to assure you of his readiness to do all that lies in his power to forward your good work.

 In expectation of writing to you again before long,

             I remain,

                         Very respectfully Yours,

                                                 James Thomson.

[1] BSA-D1-2-A. Also in James Thomson. Letters on the Moral and Religious State of South America. (London: James Nisbet, 1827),  pp. 236-240.

Bogotá, 25th February 1825

Rev A. Brandram

 Bogota, 25th February, 1825.[1]

 Dear Sir,

 In my last letter to you of the 8th current, I promised to give you soon after an account of the number of New Testaments disposed of in each place in the course of the journey from Lima to this city, and now proceed to do so [see list below-ed.].

Of the above number you will perceive that 148 have been left at different places for sale. Of course the sum of 1473 dollars, two rials, has been received and for 1488 copies, being about a dollar for each. Those in extra binding, noticed in the above list, are what remained of 60 copies received from Mr. Jerauld, of Valparaiso, and of which I wrote you formerly. Of the stock I had in common binding, the greater part was of the Paris edition, and these were sold at one dollar each. The rest were of the London edition of 1821. As these latter were printed on finer paper, I judged it best to put an additional price upon them, with the view of clearing the original cost of the whole, with the expenses incurred in the carriage and the distribution. This circumstance, together with the occasional lowering of the price, from the binding being in some instances injured by the carriage, will enable you to account for the difference in the respective prices affixed in the above list. There was a preference given by the purchasers to the Paris edition, from its being charged lower, and the last of them was sold in Quito; so that during the rest of the journey all the New Testaments were of the London edition, and were sold at 12 rials each. To the above account add 3 dollars, 4 rials, received for the Bible sold here, which will make in all 1476 dollars, 6 rials.

 I have noticed to you, more than once very favourable reception given to the Scriptures in these parts. I am now to state to you an exception, and it is in a quarter where it should not have been found. The only person whom I found un­friendly to the circulation of the Scriptures without notes, from Lima to Bogota, was the Bishop of Popayan. I have stated his opposition in gentle terms, for truth re­quires it. I heard, soon after putting up the ad­vertisements for the sale of the New Testaments, that the Bishop had spoken against the reading of them. I called upon him to know whether it was so or not, and to learn what were his objections. I had visited him before, and had had a visit from him in return, so that we were, on this second visit, on terms of some acquaintance, and we therefore entered freely into the subject of the sale and dis­tribution of the Scriptures. I mentioned to him what I had heard, and inquired whether I had been correctly informed, he then told me the whole of what had occurred upon the subject. He said, a person who had bought one of the New Testaments, brought it to him and asked his opinion as to his using it. The person was a priest, and he named him to me. The Bishop, upon his opinion being asked, rose and brought the Acts of the Council of Trent, and pointed out to the priest the article there, prohibiting the use of the Scriptures without notes; He concluded, however, by telling the priest that he might keep his New Testament and use it. This, said the Bishop, is all that oc­curred upon this matter. He said farther, that it was not his intention to oppose the circulation of the New Testaments in any other way.  If any person chose to buy them, he would not interfere; but if any one should ask his opinion upon the mat­ter, he would refer him to the same article, as his duty required him to do.

 I said that I understood the article in question was as he had stated it, but that when I considered how many among all ranks of the catholic clergy made no account of that article, but freely encouraged the circulation of the Scriptures among their flocks, I was inclined to think that the article was qualified by something subsequent to it, or that it was not generally con­sidered as in force. He replied to this, that there was nothing subsequent to alter the force of that article, but rather to strengthen it, and that what­ever others did, he considered his duty to be, to follow the rules of the church in that and in all such matters, as every good Catholic ought to do. I said that I saw the force of what he said, consider­ing what were the principles of his faith. I added, that notwithstanding his reasons, I could not but be sorry to see any opposition to the circulation of the Holy Scriptures, a book which God had gra­ciously given to all, and which should, of course, be studied by all. I observed, also, that I was fully persuaded that very great advantages would arise from a general reading of the word of God, and from these considerations I conceived it to be my duty to put them into the hands of all, and to call upon all to read them with serious attention. "Amen," replied the Bishop, "I also am of the same opinion. I am sure that it would be advan­tageous to all to read the Scriptures, but then let them be read with the necessary directions. If Bibles and New Testaments were to come here with the notes, I would be the first to promote their circulation." Our conversation was extended a good deal further upon this subject, and embraced the usual topics of this question, but which it is unnecessary here to repeat.

 A Catholic's reasoning upon this subject I conceive to be very short & to him very certain. He has simply to refer to the article already mentioned in the Council of Trent, and there is an end of it. It is needless to reason with him on the justice or propriety of that article, as he considers himself prohibited from calling in question these acts, and to change his mind one jot upon the matter is at once to unhinge all his catholicism. (see below)

 I am labouring what I can to establish a Bible Society here, and it is that alone which keeps me longer in this city. I am not yet sure whether I shall succeed or not, but my next letter will inform you.

             In the meantime, I remain,

                         Very Truly Yours,

                                     J. Thomson.

 Postscript. Please address the Bibles and Testaments for Mr. Henderson, as mentioned in my last, to the care of Mr. Watts, H.B.M.G. Carthagena.

[1] BSA-D1-2-A. Also in James Thomson. Letters on the Moral and Religious State of South America. (London: James Nisbet, 1827),  pp. 240-243.

Bogotá, 1st March 1825

Bogota, 1st March, 1825.[1]

 My last letter to you was written from Popayan on the 1st of January. I informed you at that time of some of the circumstances that oc­curred to me in the way, and gave you some ac­count of the peculiar situation of the country from Guayaquil to Quito. I shall now resume this de­scription, which I was obliged to break off abruptly in my last. I remained about three weeks in Quito, experiencing the kindest attentions from many friends. The remembrance of my short stay in that place will always be agreeable. Thanks be to God for providing me friends in every quarter, and may they all be fully rewarded for all their kind­ness. I had several very interesting conversations with the Rector, and with some of the Professors of the College in that city, upon religious subjects; and one of the Professors who understands English begged me to let him have, at any price, two works I carried with me. These were Jones's Biblical Cyclopedia and Stewart's Philosophy of the Human Mind. He said that if I could not spare both works, he particularly wished for the first, as being in the line of his profession as a clergyman, and because he wished to examine the subject of religion, not merely from their own writers, but from ours also. I let him have both of them, with which he was much gratified. These gentlemen belonging to the College, whom I have just re­ferred to, manifested an excellent and liberal spirit in regard to the improvements necessary in their mode of education in the seminary to which they belong. There are about 300 students in this college.

 Nothing very material occurred in the journey from Quito until arriving at the province of Pastos. This province has been for a long time past in a very unsettled state. It has repeatedly raised the standard of rebellion against the existing Govern­ment, and has as often been reduced to subjection by the force of arms. At each time it has suffered severely, and at present it resembles a deserted country; the finest fields and pastures are met with, without a single head of cattle. This province is still but ill at rest, and may be said to be subdued and reduced, rather than tranquillized. A proof of that is to be found in the banditti which exist in it. At the time we passed, there were three or four of these parties in different places, and one of them consisted of one hundred men.

 On arriving at Tulcan, which is about three days journey from the city of Pasto, the capital of the province, we had to take with us a guard of ten men. We passed from Tulcan to Pasto, without meeting with any enemy. But from what we heard afterwards, we may con­sider ourselves as having made a providential es­cape, as there was a party of 16 men seen in these quarters, a few days after we passed. In the city of Pasto, there is constantly kept a body of about a thousand men; some of these are employed in searching out and in persecuting these banditti; and some of them are employed in escorting the mail and travellers from that to the province of Popayan. The Governor of Pasto gave us an escort of forty men, and which was judged neces­sary from the general state of the province, and from a recent occurrence. This occurrence was the assault and murder of a merchant travelling from Popayan to Pasto, notwithstanding his having an escort of twelve men with him. The soldiers we brought with us behaved very well; we kept a good look out, and mounted our centinels every night, particularly in that spot where the murder was committed, and where we passed the night. Had we fallen in with any of these parties we would have been hardly put to it, and had we been worsted, we should certainly not have escaped with life. From this, however, and from every other danger on the journey, the Lord delivered us. For all these mercies, I feel my heart stirred up with gratitude and thanksgiving, and I feel a desire more than ever to devote my whole life to the service of God, and to the service of mankind.

I have already stated to you the unquiet state of the Province of Pastos, and its desolateness in consequence. The City of Pasto, the capital, affords also a melancholy proof of this desolation. Its population has been reduced from 15,000, to, perhaps, not more, than 4000, and in every street you meet with numbers of houses waste and un­inhabited, with all the wood of the doors and win­dows torn out, and which was used by the military for firewood. You are not to consider this revo­lutionary spirit as extending throughout the country, but as confined exclusively to that province.

 Upon my arriving at Popayan, I found there an English medical gentleman, of the name of Wallis, who has been upwards of twenty years in the country. Dr. Wallis showed me much kindness; he was very friendly to the circulation of the Scrip­tures, and aided me therein as much as he could.  The number sold there was very small, considering the size of the place, on account of some little op­position from the Bishop, of which I have spoken in one of my letters to Mr. B. The topography of Popayan is worth noticing. It is situated in a very large plain, called the valley of Cauca. It is by far the largest plain in those quarters, the Cordilleras separating farther from each other there than in any other part, and the space between them, is, in general, even, or nearly so. It is watered by a beautiful river, called Cauca. The population in the whole valley is exceedingly small, considering its size and fertility. There is little doubt, I think, but it will one day become a place of great popu­lation and importance. Its climate is healthy and delightful, with an everlasting summer, and its pro­ductions, taking one part with another, include every thing, from wheat to the sugar-cane. There is no part of Colombia which I have yet seen, nor, perhaps, of America, in which I could wish to live in preference to Popayan.

 No part of South America, I believe, has felt more severely the effects of the revolutionary war than the city of Popayan and its neighbourhood. The city was taken and retaken, I believe, fourteen times, and there is scarcely an individual in it who has not a long tale of woes to relate, either of himself or of his friends. It has now enjoyed peace for some time, and is beginning to regain its former state, but years of tranquility are necessary to restore it fully. There is a mint here, which coins annually about one million of dollars, of the gold of Choco, and from the mines of the province of Popayan. There is also coined there twenty thousand dollars of silver. The Director of the Mint is a gentleman of the name of Pombo, a literary man, and who has published two or three elementary works for schools, of considerable value.

 From Popayan to Bogota there are two roads across the cordillera, but the one to the south is the best. This is called the Pass of Guanacos, and lies nearly east of Popayan; the other is called Quindiu, and lies to the north. The cold on the top of the mountain is generally pretty keen. The ascent from Popayan is gradual, but the descent on the other side is rapid, and you pass quickly from a very cold climate to a hot one. It is a frightful road in some places. You have frequently to ascend and descend very steep places on this side of the mountain, from the many deep glens made by the rivers which you pass. You may be said to be riding up stairs and down stairs in these places, and in several of them it is literally so. The mules are wonderfully steady, being accustomed to these roads, so that they very seldom slip. Some years ago an Italian doctor, passing that way, was so frightened with the going down these stairs, that he mounted his mule the reverse way, with his face backwards, and then leaned him down flat upon the mule. This attitude, together with his three-cocked hat and queue, afforded no little diver­sion to the muleteers who conducted him. This kind of road continues till you come to the town of La Plata, and after that you have a much better road, the greater part of which is in the great valley of the river Magdalena, and one of its contributaries.

 The usual stages or places where you hire mules, on the way between Popayan and Bogota are La Plata, Neiva, and La Mesa. In most places the mules are scarce, on account of the great number of these animals destroyed by the war. At proper distances on the road there are houses called Tambos, which are the inns of the place. These houses consist of a roof erected upon poles, and without any walls, so that they afford shelter from the rain, but not from the wind and the cold. The town of La Plata is pleasantly situated on the banks of a river of the same name, on the first lowlands after getting out from the great mountains. There is a great deal of fertile land about the place, affording a great variety of productions, including the sugar-cane, but these fertile lands are almost all lying waste. The river La Plata, about ten miles below the town, joins the river Paez, a river on the banks of which we travelled a good deal, and across which we passed repeatedly.

 The La Plata and the Paez are nearly of the same size, and make a fine stream when united. When these two streams unite, the whole goes by the name of Paez. After travel­ling two days on the banks of the Paez, we saw it fall into the Magdalena, and lose its name there.— From the town of La Plata the heat begins, and when you  reach the Magdalena it is very great, and continues so all along the banks of the river. This is decidedly the hottest place I ever was in. The thermometer every day rose to 97f,  and re­mained there two or three hours together. I was in a constant state of perspiration during the 24 hours, except, perhaps, from 2 o'clock in the morn­ing till 8. This was the only respite, if respite it might be called. At Neiva we left the road and the mules, and took to the river, down which we went for some days. From Neiva to Honda the river is navigable in what are called balsas. The balsa consists of long poles or trunks of trees laid close to each other, with others laid over them cross-wise, and again, above this row, or above an additional one, is a kind of flooring, made of the bamboo flattened, out. The wood of which these balsas are made is exceedingly light, and very well adapted for the use.

 In this vessel there is not a single nail used, nor a single  rope. The poles are tied together with what are called bejucos, which is a species of plant that grows abundantly in these quarters, and resembles a rope   in length and thickness. With these, which are of all sizes, the whole work of nails arid ropes is performed.  Over the balsa is raised a roof, thatched with what  the wood affords. This protects the luggage as well as the passengers from the rain. In this rude vessel we passed some days and some nights, sailing when we had light, and at night fastened by one of these ropes to a tree. The river was very shal­low at the time we passed, so that we frequently got aground in  the middle of the stream, at which time our boatmen, or bogas as they are called, had to jump into the water and push us along. There was another evil of a worse kind which we had to encounter, namely, the trunks of trees sunk deep in the bottom of the river, sometimes appearing above the water,  and sometimes not. It re­quires a good deal of dexterity to steer among these at times, as the current perhaps draws you straight to them. Against one of these sunken  trees we drove one day, and fortunately broke it with the blow. The shock pitched our bogas into the river in a  moment, but they were immediately again on board.  This blow, however, broke some of our wooden ropes, and we were under the necessity of fastening ourselves to a tree till we got repaired. The bogas got into the wood, and got, quite at hand, other ropes of a similar kind, cut them down, repaired the bark, and in an hour's time we were again at sea.

 The general landing place for travellers for Bogota, is not so far down as Honda, but at a place called Fusagasuga. Here you leave the river, and begin to ascend the hills, and afterwards the mountains, and sensibly to change your climate from extreme heat to temperature, but a temperature which, under these circumstances, feels quite cold. On the last day's travel to this place, we began early in the morning to ascend the mountain by a steep and rugged road, closely wooded on both sides. We kept ascending till about noon, when we reached the top, and the wood disappeared. Here I ex­pected we would have had, as usual, to descend again, but quite otherwise. On the top of this mountain is a large beautiful plain, and at the farther end of it stands the city of Bogota.

[1] See Popayan letter--1 January 1825. This letter was sent to the same person as the letter from Popayan.  Letters on the Moral and Religious State of South America. London: James  Nisbet, 1827, pp. 243-252. (BM)

Bogotá, 5th April 1825

Rev A. Brandram

Bogota, 5th April, 1825.[1]

 My dear Sir,

 I had the pleasure of writing you on the 25th of February last, and of giving you an account of those places, in which the Holy Scriptures were distributed in the course of my journey. I no­ticed to you at the same time, the only instance I met with of opposition to the circulation of the Scriptures without notes. I also informed you of my endeavours to bring about the establishment of a Bible Society in this city.

 By the last packet for England, I sent you a copy of No. 29 of "The Constitutional," a newspaper published in this place, and which contained an advertisement relative to the subject in question. By that ad­vertisement, you would see that something was doing in the matter, and from the respectability of the gentlemen who are there mentioned, you would perceive that we had met with some valu­able supporters, and that there was a prospect held forth of succeeding in this object. I now send you Nos. 30, 31, and 32, of the same paper, which will point out to you the different steps we have taken, and you will be able to notice also the progressive encouragement we obtained. You will perceive by the two last numbers that our Society at length obtained a fair and firm es­tablishment. I say a fair establishment, because the whole of our transactions were done in open day, and because all who wished to state their objections were not only permitted, but encou­raged to do so. Our meeting on the 24th was very well attended, and consisted of the most respectable class of the community in this city, both clergy and laity. We had, on that occasion, a very warm and interesting discussion of the point in question.

 A professor in one of the colleges was the first who spoke, a man of very respectable talents, and commendable for his Christian virtues, but withal full of Catholic prejudices. This gentleman opposed our object, as being contrary to the acts of the general councils of the church, and as being injudicious and hurtful, especially under pre­sent circumstances. The next who spoke was the very respectable rector of the principal college of this city. In this gentleman we met with a warm friend to our Institution, and we had the pleasure of hearing him reply to the objections of the preceding speaker. Both these individuals are clergymen. The next who spoke was also a clergyman, a well known and eloquent preacher in this place, a man full of zeal, and who adorns his profession by a very exemplary conduct. This gentleman opposed our plans, as the first speaker had done, and even went farther, and said, that under existing circumstances, he considered it improper to have a general circulation of the Scriptures, even with the notes affixed. This last observation relieved us a little, in respect to the opposition we met with from this individual, as it was plain that, as a Catholic, he proved too much, and thus overshot his mark, and injured his cause, inasmuch as he carried things farther than either the Pope or the Council of Trent. This ended our opposition, or at least finished the list of our opponents, for no other individual present spoke on that side of the question.

 The gentleman, however, who had spoken first, was so full upon his subject, that he rose again and again to ad­vocate his cause, until it was necessary to reply to him from the chair as to order, and to the giving an opportunity to others to speak as well as him­self. Several gentlemen spoke in succession, and warmly advocated the cause of the Bible Society in general, and pointed out to the meeting the consistency of the object of the Society to be es­tablished, with the laws and customs of the people of Colombia, and stating at the same time the great advantages that would certainly arise to their country, from a general circulation and reading of the word of God, not encumbered with notes, but in its own native simplicity, as it was delivered by the Almighty to mankind. The two Ministers of Government who were present, Mr. Gual, and Mr. Castillo, very ably, and at considerable length, defended and supported the object of the Society, and pointed out that there was nothing of a clandestine nature in the establish­ment of this Institution, but that it had the full and open approbation of the Executive Govern­ment of the country, and also of the ecclesiastical authorities.

 After our plans respecting the Society had thus been clearly and openly stated to the assem­bly, and nothing kept back, and after we had heard all that was to be said in support of its adoption in Colombia, and also the objections urged against it, the sense of the meeting was taken by vote. The question put amounted to this: Is it compatible with our laws and customs, as Colombians, and as of the Roman Catholic church, to establish a Colombian Bible Society in this capital as a national Society, and whose only object is to print and circulate the Holy Scriptures, in approved versions, in our native tongue; and does such a Society meet with the approbation of this assembly? This question was triumphantly carried in the affirmative, and almost unanimously.

 I need not tell you how much pleasure I enjoyed in witnessing this triumph, nor how many anxieties previously entertained respecting the result of these meetings, were at once laid asleep, or were changed into that tranquility, that peace and joy, which arise from seeing the name of the Lord glorified among men. I know you will partici­pate in the same feelings, and will hail the es­tablishment of this Society as a new era in South America. See here one of the happy effects of the political revolution! And it is but one of many, some of which are already visible, and the rest come on in their natural order and beauty. Bless­ed be God, who doeth all things according to the counsel of his own will, who maketh the wrath of man to praise him, and who in due time saith to the wars, as to the winds and the waves, peace -- be still! and thus leaving us in the midst of the calm, to exclaim, Who is a God like unto our God, who bringeth order out of confusion, and who maketh waters to spring up in the wilderness, and streams to flow in the desert?

 Our last, meeting to establish the Society was held yesterday afternoon, and  consisted of those  who had subscribed as members of this Institution. The President, Vice Presidents,  the   Treasurer, and Secretaries, were chosen at this meeting, and you will  find their names in the paper, No. 32, I now send you. These gentlemen, you will see, are of the  most respectable  inhabitants of this place, and this gives at once a tone and a stability, to  our Society. Besides   the preceding office­ bearers, there was chosen a Committee, consisting of twenty, one half clergymen and the other half laymen. The gentlemen elected into the Com­mittee, are also of the   same highly respectable class as those whose names you have mentioned in the paper.  It is intended to publish, as soon as possible, an account of the origin and actual state of the Society.   

 Along with this will be published the Rules and Regulations adopted, the names of the office-bearers and committee, and a list of sub­scribers. To all of which will be added a short address to the people of South America, upon the object, and the advantages of the Society. I have much  pleasure in saying that the subscriptions already amount to 1380 dollars. I  should  not omit to mention to you, that all the meetings upon this matter have been held in the chapel of  the University, which is in  the principal Dominican Convent of this city. The Rector of the University and the Prior of the Convent have been and are our very warm friends and supporters. With the former the subscription paper lies, and is daily obtaining additional subscribers. One of our secretaries is also a Dominican Friar, is secre­tary to the University, and formerly filled the office of secretary in the district tribunal of the Inquisition of this quarter. It is this gentleman who has written all the articles in the Newspaper about the Society, and what you read in the English part is merely a translation from the same article in Spanish, as written by him.[2]

 I have now to say a few words respecting the conduct on this occasion of Mr. Gual, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and now President of the Bible Society of Colombia. I wish to speak of the conduct of this gentleman in the highest terms, and in doing so, feel that I am not using the voice of flattery and adulation, but complying with the precept of rendering to everyone his due. It is an act of injustice to withhold the praise that is due to any one, when a proper occasion offers of mentioning it. I had occasion to call upon him at different times, in regard to the preliminary steps for setting the Society on foot, and notwith­standing the hurry of business in his public situ­ation, I always found him ready to spend a few minutes in listening to the propositions made to him as to our mode of acting in this matter. He also cheerfully attended and presided at all our meet­ings, and constantly defended, with much judgment and eloquence, the glorious work of circulating the Holy Scriptures in their natural beauty, in every corner of his native land, over all this continent, and finally throughout the world.

 Mr. Castillo, the Minister of Finance, also warmly advocated our cause, and these two gentle­men, as well as the Minister of the Interior, have given 50 dollars each by way of donation, and are, besides, annual subscribers of 20 dollars each. The Vice-President has also given us a donation and his subscription of 24 dollars.

 I have much pleasure in noticing to you that Colonel Hamilton, H. B. M. Commissioner to this Government, and Mr. Henderson, the British Con­sul-General, have lent the influence of their names and of their purses to the forwarding of our So­ciety. Colonel Campbell also, the British Charge d'Affaires, just arrived in time to be present at our last meeting, and both he and Mr. Henderson were chosen members of the committee.

 I have requested Mr. Gual to write a few lines to Lord Teignmouth, by way of introducing our new Society to a friendly correspondence with that great and venerable Society over which he has so long presided, with so much honour to himself, and with so much advantage to mankind. I expect Mr. Gual's letter to-morrow, and shall forward it with this. He is going also to write a few lines in order to begin a correspondence with the Amer­ican Bible Society.

 I have now been detained in this city consider­ably longer than I expected upon my arrival here, but I have the satisfaction of thinking, that my stay has been prolonged in the forwarding of a good work. I now set off immediately, and expect soon to have the pleasure of seeing the friends of the Redeemer's cause in the United States; and not very long after, if the Lord will, I hope once more to behold my native land, and to salute there my friends and brethren in Christ Jesus.

 Pray that grace, mercy, and peace may be upon me. I pray that these may be multiplied to you, and thus for the present bid you farewell.

             I always remain,

                        My dear Sir,

                                    Most Sincerely Yours,

                                                            James Thomson.

 P.S. Your letter of the 16th July 1825 has been forwarded to me from Lima, and came into my hands on the 20th ultimo.

 Articles regarding the Formation of a Bible Society in Bogota, extracted from "The Constitutional," a weekly Newspaper published in that City, in Spanish and English,

17th March, 1825.

 On the 15th instant, at half-past five in the afternoon, a public meeting took place in the Chapel of the Uni­versity of this city, at which were present Dr. Pedro Gual, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs; Dr. An­tonio Malo, Member of the Senate; Dr. Joaquín Gómez and Dr. Mariano Mino, Members of the Chamber of Representatives; Dr. José María Estevez, Rector of the College of San Bartolomé; Father Joaquín Galvez, Rector of the University; Father Mariano Gárnica, Prior of the Dominican Convent; Dr. Nicolas Quebedo; and the Secretary of the University. The meet­ing was assembled at the instance of Mr. Thomson, Agent of the British and Foreign Bible Society, with the view of establishing a Bible Society in Colombia. The Rules for the proposed Society were read, and after some observations from Sr. Gual, it was resolved unani­mously to call a general meeting on Sunday next, the 20th instant, at four o'clock in the afternoon, in the same place, in order to take into consideration the ad­vantages or inconveniences of such an establishment in Colombia; to obtain the general consent for the incor­poration of a Society similar to that which has been the source of so many spiritual benefits to the human race in Europe, Asia, and Africa; and of which a correct idea will be given to the public by means of the press. In the mean time, it is distinctly stated, that the sole and exclusive object of this Society is the dissemination of the Holy Scriptures throughout the world.

24th March, 1825.

On Sunday last, the 20th instant, the meeting took place which was advertised in the constitutional of last week, for the purpose of establishing this valuable and important Institution. Upon this occasion eloquent and appropriate speeches were delivered by Sres. Gual, Castillo, and Herrera; and, after a debate of consider­able length, it was agreed to convene a general meeting, by means of circulars, for this day, (Thursday,) at four o'clock in the afternoon. The principal object of this invitation is to place the basis of the Society on the most permanent and respectable foundation; to hear the opinions, and be benefited by the judgment of the gentlemen who may assemble; and to determine definitively upon what may appear most suitable and in conformity to the state and relations of Colombia. By the blessing of Heaven we hope, to see accomplished the desires of those who have devoted their wisdom and love of their country to the promotion of so benevolent an undertaking. — We will have the pleasure of publish­ing a report of the speeches delivered on the occasion, also the rules and regulations of the Society, together with the objections that may be urged against it.

 31st March, 1825.

At length the setting on foot of this establishment has been obtained, and its advantages will soon be known to those who are alike the friends of the religion of Jesus Christ, and of the true enlightening of the people. Endeavours were made to bring together all the principal persons of this city, by issuing upwards of 300 cards of invitation; and notwithstanding the smallness of the Chapel of the University, there assembled in it two-thirds of those invited. It is our intention to pub­lish the speeches then made, together with the dis­courses offered us by some gentlemen who had not time to deliver them upon that occasion. This we promise to do with the greatest correctness possible. The opposition which has been made to this beneficent Institution by sinister interpretations of its object, is not to be won­dered at, nor that strife of opinions which has already been manifested upon this important subject. It is, however, strange that any public writer should have said that it would be better to print two millions of copies of the Catechism, (the only book of instruction afforded to the people by our old oppressors,) than to print and circulate the Holy Bible. It is not suitable in itself, nor is it consistent with our upright motives to excite contention.

 The exclusive object of the Bible Society which has been established in Colombia is, to facilitate to all Colombians the reading of the divine word, in our own native tongue, from approved ver­sions, such as that of Father Scio, or that of the cele­brated Torres Amat, which has just been published in Madrid with all the necessary licenses: and this object will be accomplished without in any degree infringing upon the Articles of the Council of Trent. If this plan draw forth opposition—if this object is capable of pro­ducing bitter and extemporaneous censures, then we will be under the necessity of classing the people of Colombia with the most uncivilized people of the world. This Bible Society has been established with the con­sent and approbation of the most distinguished persons, actually entrusted with the Executive Government of the Republic, and the Ecclesiastical Government of the Archbishopric, to whom it belongs exclusively and without dispute to watch over the spiritual and temporal happiness of the people, and whose fidelity none without injustice can call in question.

 7th April, 1825.

On the 4th current there assembled in the Chapel of the University, those Foreigners and Colombians who have so generously contributed to the formation of this establishment, and whose names will be published upon another occasion. Rules and Regulations for this So­ciety were read, and were unanimously approved of as the laws of its organization. In conformity to these Rules, the subscribers proceeded to the election of President, Vice-Presidents, Treasurer, and   Secretaries, when the following gentlemen were duly elected.

 President

Don Pedro Gual, Secretary of State, for Foreign Affairs.

First Vice-President

Don José María Castillo, Minister of Finance.

Second Vice-President

Doctor José María Estevez, Prebendary, and Rector of the College of St. Bartholomew.

Third Vice-President

Doctor Juan Fernandez de Sotomayor, Rector of the College del Rosario.

Treasurer

Don José Sans de Santa María, Senator, and Comp­troller of the Department of Cundinamarca.

Secretaries

Father Antonio Marco Gutiérres, Secretary of the University.

Doctor R. N. Cheyne.

 In the same manner the members present proceeded to vote for a Committee consisting of twenty indivi­duals, one half of whom are Clergymen. The Society wished to place among its principal office-bearers the virtuous and worthy Governor of the Archbishoprick; but this gentleman, with his accustomed moderation, declined this honour, and very properly noticed, that the third article of the Rules reserved to the Ordinary of each diocese, the right of examining the edition of the Holy Scriptures that should be published by the Society, in conformity with the decrees of the councils; and that the exercise of this power would prevent him, as Governor of this diocese, from accepting of the ho­nour that this respectable Society wished to confer upon him.

 It was then resolved on to print, as soon as possible, in the form of a pamphlet, the speeches made at the last meeting, the Rules and Regulations of the Institution, a list of subscribers, and the transactions of the Society. It was also agreed upon that the advertisements of the Society should be made through "The Consti­tutional," in consequence of its Editors having cheer­fully employed their pages in promoting this Society. Finally, it was agreed on that the Subscription List should lie with the Rector of the University, at whose apartments all who wish to subscribe, may have an op­portunity of doing so, on any day from eight to nine o'clock in the morning.

[1]BSA-D1-2A. Also James Thomson. Letters on the Moral and Religious State of South America. London: James Nisbet, 1827, pp. 252-261.

[2] These articles from the newspaper are added at the end of this letter, as descriptive of the state of the country in regard to these matters.

Bogotá, 7th April 1825

Rev A. Brandram

 Bogota, 7th April 1825

My dear Sir,

 It was my intention to leave this city yesterday for Carthagena, but some circumstances having induced me to put off my journey till tomorrow. This delay enables me to send you a translation of the rules and regulations of the Bible Society of Colombia, and which want of time prevented me from doing on the 5th. current when I last wrote you.

 Rules and Regulations of the Bible Society of Colombia

1st. This Society shall be called the Bible Society of Colombia.

 2nd. Its sole object shall be to print the text of the Holy Scriptures and to promote its circulation; in the first place in Colombia, in the second place in South America, and in the third place throughout the world, so far as it means may reach.

 3rd. The editions of the Scriptures published by the Society shall all be from approved versions, and sanctioned by the Ordinance of the Diocese.

 4th. Every person who subscribes one dollar a quarter, or four dollars a year, shall be a member of the Society.

 5th. Every person who makes a donation to the Society of 50 dollars shall be a member for life.

 6th. Every person who subscribes five dollars a quarter, or twenty dollars a year, shall be a director of the Society

7th. Every person making a donation to the Society of two hundred dollars shall be a director.

 8th. An executor paying a bequest of two hundred dollars, shall be a member for life, and if the sum is five hundred dollars, he shall be a director.

 9th. The directors may attend and vote at all meetings of the Committee.

 10th. Subscriptions and donations however small will be thankfully received. The names of those who subscribe will be registered in the books of the Society, with the respective sums they contribute, and will be published in the annual reports.

 11th. All the affairs of the Society shall be managed by a Committee of twenty persons, residing in Bogota, or its neighborhood, the half of whom shall be clergymen and the other half laymen.

 12th. The Society shall have a President, three Vice-presidents, a Treasurer, and two Secretaries; and these also shall be considered as members of the Committee ex officio. Five members of the Committee shall go out annually, and these five shall be those who have attended the monthly meetings with least frequency.

 13th. The Society will hold the general public meeting on Ash Wednesday of each year, at which the President,  Vice-presidents, Treasurer, Secretaries, and Committee shall be elected. The accounts of the Society shall be presented at this meeting, a compendium of its labours in the year preceding shall be read, and some of the members of the Society will address the meeting, upon the object, progress, and success of the Institution.

 14th. There shall be printed each year immediately after the general meeting a report of all the matters of the Society, with the list of subscribers and benefactors, and a copy of this shall be delivered the gratis to each of the members.

 15th Besides the annual general meeting of the Society, there shall be an extraordinary general meeting, whenever three-fourths of the Committee shall judge it necessary, and of this extraordinary meeting notice shall be given in all the newspapers of Bogota at least a fortnight before the day of the meeting.

 16th. The Committee shall have a meeting on the first Monday of every month, in order to treat of general concerns of the Society. In absence of the President and Vice-presidents, a chairman shall be elected for the time. In order to form a quorum five members must be present, including one of the Secretaries.

 17th. All matters at monthly and general meetings shall be determined by a simple majority. The minutes shall be taken by the Secretary, and signed by the President of the meeting, and by himself.

 18th. The Committee is authorized to nominate for honorary members, those persons who render important  services to the cause of the Bible Society. It may also name life members and directors.

 19th. The Society shall keep a store well supplied with Bibles and Testaments, which shall be sold at the cost prices.

 20th. The Committee may reduce the price of the Scriptures to the poor, or give them gratis, when they perceive their circumstances require it.

 21st. It is strongly recommended to the Committee to form Bible Societies auxiliar to this, in all the departments, and principal cities of Colombia, in order that these societies may contribute of their funds in support of this central and national Society, and in order to promote the circulation of the Holy Scriptures in their respective districts.

 22nd. None of these rules shall be rescinded nor altered except at a general meeting, and at the recommendation of the Committee.

 I have just room to add that

            I remain,

                        Very Sincerely Yours,

                                                James Thomson.

London, 30th August 1825

Rev A Brandram

Red Lion Square, 30th. August 1825

My Dear Sir,

I have the pleasure of sending you my account with the British and Foreign Bible Society. I have, as you will see, charged myself with the cost price of the 1636 New Testaments which I sold on the way from Lima to Bogota. The difference between that and the sum received for them still leaves the deficiency of about £70  in the expenses incurred in my overland journey from Guayaquil to Carthagena, and which overland journey and expense I could have avoided but for this object, as I had two offers of a free passage from Guayaquil to Panama. I have placed to my debit the £90, the amount of the bill drawn at Falmouth to pay my passage from Carthagena to England. That sum I considered as a loan from you.

You will observe that I am in arrears with the Society £266:19.-  I am expecting letters from Lima by every packet, with drafts for salary owed me by the Peruvian Government. Upon receiving of these I shall lose no time in clearing off the balance of our account.

I have brought with me some books for you from Peru. These consist of grammars, dictionaries, etc. in the following languages: Quichua (Peruvian), Chilian, Moxa, Aimará, Puquina, Guaraní, and Brazilian. I shall send you these to Earl Street in due time as a small addition to your valuable library.

            I remain,

                        My Dear Sir,

                                    Very Truly Yours,

                                                James Thomson.

1826 - 1827: England

1826

London           14 January1826 

London           18 January1826          

London           25 January1826 

London           6 February 1826

London,          25 February 1826       

London           22 May 1826  

London           25 May 1826 English

London           25 May 1826 Spanish

Greenwich       3 July1826                  

Greenwich       4 August 1826           

1827

London           8 January 1827

London           10 January 1827

London           15 January 1827 

London           18 January 1827

London           30 January 1827         

London           7 February 1827

London           20 February 1827 

Falmouth         24 February 1827

London, 14th January 1826

Thomas Pell Platt Esq.

24 Northampton Square, 14th January 1826

Dear Sir

            I beg leave to put into your hands the books referred to in my letter to Mr Brandram of the 30th August last. They are, as then stated, for the Library of the British and Foreign Bible Society. Their titles are as follows.

1. Arte de Vocabulario de la Lengua Quichua General de los Indios del Peru, que compuso el Padre Diego Torres Rubio de la compañia de Jesus. Y añadio el Padre Juan de Figueredo, de la misma compañia. - Reimpreso en Lima, año 1754.

2. Doctrina Christiana en las Lenguas Quichua y Castellana.

3. Tercer Catecismo y exposicion de la Doctrina Christiana, por (31) Sermones, para que los Curas y otros Ministros prediquen y enseñen á los Indios, y á las demas Personas. - Lima 1773.

4. Arte de la Lengua General del reyno de Chile, con un diálogo Chileno Hispano, muy curioso. A que se añade La Doctrina Christiana, esto es, Rezo, Catecismo, Coplas, Confesionario, y Pláticas; Y por fin un Calepino Chileno Hispano mas copioso.

5. Arte de la Lengua Moxa, con su Vocabulario y Catecismo, compuesto por el M. Re. P. Pedro Marban de la Compañia de Jesus. - Lima, 1702.

6. Rituale, seu, Manuele Peruanum, et forma brevis administrandi apud Indios sacrosanta Baptismi, Penitenciae, Eucharistae, Matrimonii, et Extremae unctionis sacrosanta. - Per Re. P. F. Ludovicum Hieronymum. - Neapoli, 1607.  In Latin, Spanish, Quichua, Aymará, Puquina, Guaraní, - and some parts in the Moxa  and Brazilian languages.

            With best wishes for the increase of your Library, and for prosperity to you in making the Word of God known in every language under heaven.

            I am

                        Dear Sir

                                    Very respectfully yours,

James Thomson.