longer time has intervened since I had the pleasure of receiving a letter
from you. Although I have not communicated with you directly during this
time, yet I suppose you are well acquainted with my various circumstances
in this part of the world, through means of my letters sent from time to
time to my friends in Edinburgh. Since my leaving my native country, I
have experienced much of the gracious goodness of our heavenly Father,
in directing my steps, in making darkness light before me, and crooked
things straight. The encouragements I have met with in my endeavours to
forward the Lord’s cause in South America, have been much greater than
could have been expected before the trial was made. I think a door has
been opened here which will never be shut, but which will, I trust,
from one year to another, open wider and wider, until it become, in the
Apostle’s language, “great and effectual.” Should I say, there are no
adversaries, and that all goes on prosperously, without any difficulty or
discouragement from any quarter,—should I say this, it would be nearly
the same as telling you, that a great miracle had taken place here, and
had changed the nature of man. You, of course, expect no such wonderful
accounts. At the same time, it is a gratifying thing to be able to
state, that far less opposition has been met with than was expected.
Difficulties, I believe, of whatever kind, will grow fewer and weaker as
Time runs on, bearing in his hand the torch of heavenly light; whilst,
on the other hand, means and opportunities of doing good will greatly
increase. It is surely a gratifying sight to see darkness fleeing away,
and the light of heaven breaking forth. You know there is no fellowship,
in any sense, between light and darkness, the one must give place to the
other. Wherever, then, darkness prevails, let the people of God look to
him who said, “Let there be light, and there was light;” and let them
use those means which he has appointed, under the full assurance, that
midnight shall give place to the dawning light, and that again to noon
day. That a great and happy change is about to take place in our hitherto
unfortunate, unhappy world, the Scriptures predict; and the days in
which we live say, “Lift up your heads, for this happy period draweth
nigh.” You who live in the land of Israel, whence the word of the Lord
is sounding out on all sides, see these things better than I can do in
this far distant country. From every corner of the earth messengers
are daily landing on your happy shores with tidings of joy. One says,
Babylon is fallen; another cries, the gods of the heathen are famished;
whilst a third shouts aloud, Satan falls like lightning to the ground. I
almost envy this felicity of yours; yet I would not exchange conditions
with you. Solitary and alone as I am here, I would not wish myself
elsewhere, because I believe I am placed where God would have me to be;
and, I trust, his work, in one shape or another, is all my concern. I do,
however, wish myself otherwise circumstanced. I should be glad to have
with me one or more with whom I could always communicate in the ways and
work of the Lord, and whose counsels and labours might prove a blessing
to me and to many. You, my dear brother, who dwell in Mount Zion, have
never experienced the disadvantage of being _thus_ alone. Should I come
into your thoughts when you bow your knees unto the God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ, I beg you to pray that grace, and mercy, and peace may
be multiplied unto me, and that the Lord’s work may prosper in South
America.
In my letters to Edinburgh since my arrival in this city, I have stated
the favourable reception I met with here from San Martin, and from
others in the government. Since that time, the state of affairs here, in
regard to politics, has considerably changed. San Martin has resigned
his authority in all its parts in this country, and is gone to Chile.
The Congress was installed on the 20th September, into whose hands he
delivered all the concerns of the government, and next morning, at four
o’clock, he set off for Chile. When he took the reins of government into
his own hands, under the title of “Protector of the Liberty of Peru,”
he promised to resign his authority as soon as a general Congress could
be assembled; and by his resignation at the time proposed, he justified
his sincerity in the eyes of the world. During the time he was in power,
reports were current that he was desirous to make himself king of
Peru. His conduct, however, has shown, that these reports were without
foundation. As far as my own affairs here are concerned, I should have
been glad that he had remained longer in the country, and, if I am not
mistaken, Peru would have been benefited by his stay. San Martin is an
intelligent and liberal-minded man. He is very desirous of promoting
the progress of South America in knowledge, and he is free from those
prejudices which hinder its advancement. The Congress has now been
assembled for several weeks, and has been occupied with various concerns
relative to the government of the country. From their own number they
have chosen three to discharge the duties of the executive government.
This triumvirate is to continue until a constitution be drawn up, and
a new Congress assembled, composed of representatives chosen in every
province of Peru. This complete representation of the country cannot
be obtained whilst the Spaniards are in possession of a considerable
part of it, as they actually are at this moment. At present there is
great distress felt here by the government, for want of money to carry
forward the operations of the war. This appears to be the chief obstacle
in preventing the general independence of Peru. Troops are not wanting,
as, in addition to those brought by San Martin, and those who have
since been raised in the country, General Bolivar has sent about 2,000
well-experienced troops from Quito, as affairs in that part have now been
brought to a favourable conclusion. The English merchants here have just
given the government a loan of 70,000 dollars, by way of helping them out
of their difficulties. An expedition sailed some weeks ago for Arica,
and we anxiously look for the result. All that part of the country is in
possession of the Spaniards, as well as nearly all the best provinces
of the kingdom. Notwithstanding the possessions which Spain still
holds in Peru, the independence of the country is not at all doubtful.
It may, indeed, by the mismanagement of the Congress, or by some other
misfortune, be retarded, but it must ere long completely prevail. I
believe there are no remains of the Spanish arms now existing in America,
except those in our neighbourhood, and about 1500 men in the isles of
Chiloe. What a change, in this respect, has taken place within these few
years past! And let not this revolution be considered as a small matter
by the man of benevolence and the Christian. The interests of religion
and of humanity are very closely connected with it. That once dreadful,
now innoxious house, the Inquisition, reminds me, as I daily pass it, of
the happy change which has taken place. True it is, that the Spaniards
have now put down the Inquisition throughout their dominions; still,
however, there are many inquisitorial things yet subsisting in Spain that
do not exist in the independent states of South America. Every effort has
been used by Spain to retard the progress of knowledge in America. These
days, however, have now gone by, and light of every kind begins to dawn
on these countries. My own opinion is, that the nations of South America
in a few years will far outstrip many of the nations of Europe. The
people here, to a certain extent, are conscious of their ignorance, and
are desirous of wiping out that stain which Spain has left upon them.
I have hitherto been speaking of the progress of knowledge in general
in South America, and its probable results. I shall now say something
of the progress making in the knowledge of religion. You know, of
course, that the Roman Catholic religion is the only religion professed
in this Continent—as it once was the only one in Great Britain.
Many are beginning to see through this system, and to find out its
inconsistencies. I wish I could also say, that all who see thus far,
have attained to the knowledge of the true religion, as laid down in
the New Testament. This, however, is not the case. On the contrary, I
am sorry to say, that deistical principles are espoused by the greater
part of those who get out of the trammels of popery. A good many in the
higher ranks, particularly in the army, are of this way of thinking. This
state of things need not surprise us. It is perhaps the natural result,
or transition, in those places where no other religion is known than
the one professed in this country. A man begins to see the absurdity
of the Catholic system, and from his infancy all that is religion with
him has been connected with it. In giving up this system, he gives up
with religion itself, as considering popery and it the same thing.
From these circumstances, I conceive this to be the most favourable
time for introducing, as far as can be done, the holy religion of
our Lord Jesus Christ. The present is the time for labouring in this
field, by introducing the Scriptures, and by every other means which
prudence may dictate. Prejudice is growing less every day, and this is
the result of the revolution. There is even a perceptible difference
between the different parts of this Continent in regard to the decrease
of prejudice. In Chile there is less than in Lima, because it has been
longer independent. Again, there is still less in Buenos Aires than in
Chile, for the same reason. Having mentioned Buenos Aires, I cannot
leave it without eulogizing it, in almost the highest degree, in regard
to the progress it is making. One reform succeeds another in rapid
succession. They are just about to put a stop to monachism, and to take
the church property into their own hands, paying the clergy out of the
public treasury. It is said also, that they are about to pass a law
for religious toleration. In every respect Buenos Aires now holds the
first rank among the cities and countries of South America. To have
one place thus stepping forward by way of pattern to the rest is of
immense advantage. There are several periodical works of a superior kind
issuing from the presses in that city. In these every subject is freely
discussed, prejudices attacked, and reforms proposed. The liberty of the
press is enjoyed and acted upon there in the same manner as it is in
England. The articles published in the Buenos Aires papers and magazines
find their way gradually into the papers of Chile and Peru, and thus
prepare the way in these places also for following up, ere long, the
same reforms and arrangements that are now going forward in the pattern
city I have mentioned. In this city, also, the liberty of the press is
enjoyed to a considerable extent. This, however, only commenced about two
or three months ago, upon the dethronement of the principal Secretary of
State. This individual, though a great friend to reform himself, and from
whom I met with every encouragement, wished to keep these things in his
own hand, at least for some time, and to grant the freedom of the press
by degrees. The plan of ecclesiastical reform published in Buenos Aires
was also published in the public paper of this city. Various other things
of a similar nature are thus indirectly brought under the consideration
of the people of Peru; and coming from Buenos Aires, they are better
received than they would be, coming from any part of Europe, especially
from a Protestant country. We had also an attack upon the friars of Lima
the other day, in one of the publications of this city, whose editor is
one of the Secretaries of Congress. These things you will consider as the
fruits of the revolution in South America; and the time fast approaches,
when we shall see still more abundant fruits, and those too of the best
kind. The Lord reigneth, let the earth be glad!
With respect to the climate of this place, you know, we are here fairly
within the torrid zone, the latitude of this city being 12° 2′ 51″ S.
A few days ago we had the sun vertical here, as he passed us on his
way to the southward. Notwithstanding our proximity to the equator, we
enjoy a very agreeable temperature. In the winter the sun but seldom
makes his appearance; in spring he shows himself more frequently; and in
summer he throws off reserve, and from his vertical throne looks down in
all his magnificence. From ten o’clock till two, it is pretty hot, but
about this hour a refreshing breeze springs up from the south, which is
very agreeable. It is generally said, that it never rains in Lima. This,
however, is not quite correct. It does rain a very little in the winter
season; but the drops, when they can be recognised as such, seem to have
passed through the finest rain sieve. It is, in short, rather a kind of
mist than rain, although at times it may be called by the latter name;
and when it is so, the people of Lima call it a heavy shower. Before I
came here I frequently heard this climate denominated unhealthy. The
tertian ague prevails a good deal, but on the whole I do not consider
this an unhealthy place. For my own part, I never enjoyed better health
than I have done since my coming to this city. Blessed be God for this
precious blessing!—There is one thing of a rather terrifying nature to
which this place is subject, I mean earthquakes. There is no place, I
suppose, more subject to them than this city. We have had several shocks
since I came to it; the greatest was on the 14th September. I was awaked
at a quarter past three o’clock in the morning by a _most dreadful_
noise. I was at no loss to know what this noise was, considering the
part of the world I was in. This noise continued for a few seconds, and
increased. The shock then followed, and made all the house shake, as if
the whole were coming to the ground. A loud hollow noise followed this
for a few seconds, and on its ceasing all was tranquil as before it
commenced, and those who had fled out of their houses quietly returned.
These phenomena are of frequent occurrence. There are, I believe, about
thirty earthquakes here in the course of a year. Those, however, which
throw down houses and produce other ravages are rare. Once in fifty years
seems to be about the period of those terrible visitations, and with
considerable regularity Lima has suffered severely at the return of this
fatal period. The city of Quito to the north, and of Arequipa to the
south, have also their periodical visitations.
* * * * *
_Lima, 2d December, 1822._
Some weeks ago a Committee of the Congress was entrusted to draw up
the _outlines_ of a political constitution for the country. This has
been accomplished, has been presented to Congress, and ordered to be
printed. The Congress is just now engaged in discussing it, article by
article. A good deal of interest is thus excited and kept up regarding
the subject, and, in consequence, the Congress-hall is daily well
attended by all classes. The discussion of the article on the form of
government, and that on religion, have excited the most attention. The
form of government has been unanimously declared to be republican,
agreeably to what I hinted to you in one of my late letters.—In “the
outlines,” the article on religion runs thus: “The religion of the state
is the Catholic Apostolic Church of Rome.” One of the members of the
committee wished to add the word _only_ or _exclusive_, but the rest not
agreeing to it, he entered his protest. On this account, as well as from
the general interest of the subject, the matter was keenly discussed.
I went, as you may well suppose, to hear what should be said on both
sides, and to see the result. The first who ascended the tribune to speak
was a clergyman, carrying in his hand a book about the size of a New
Testament. He began by stating, that it was his sincere desire that all
men might be of the Roman Catholic church. He then stated that the only
proper way, in his opinion, of bringing men into the church was, not by
force, nor by persecution in any shape, but solely by persuasion, by the
force of reason. After speaking a few minutes to this effect, he went
on to treat of the article as stated in the “outlines.” He regretted
the divisions among Christians, and the distinctive names one body and
another had taken. He then opened the book he had in his hand, which I
now found to be one of the Bible Society’s New Testaments, in Spanish.
He read the 12th and 13th verses of the first chapter of the first
Epistle to the Corinthians, and proceeded to make some remarks upon the
passage, and to apply it to the article in question. It appeared to
him, he said, very like the divisions censured by the Apostle Paul, to
see the article stated in the words, _Roman_, _Catholic_, _Apostolic_.
Having done this, he proposed that the article should be stated in this
manner:—“The religion of Jesus Christ, is the religion of the state.”
He then made some observations upon the propriety of stating it in this
way, in preference to the way in which it stands in the outlines, and
so concluded. As might have been expected, this alteration or amendment
was opposed. My memory is not so faithful as to give you the various
speeches upon the subject, but a great deal was said on both sides of the
question. In particular, the member of the Committee who had protested,
defended what he had done in a long speech, in which he paid but little
respect and fewer compliments to us foreigners. He concluded his long
story by saying, that he was so full of matter upon this subject, and
felt so much interest in it, that he could still speak four whole days
upon it. Another speaker got up with a volume of the Bible in his hand.
He turned to two passages in the law of Moses, where the children of
Israel were admonished to deal kindly towards strangers and foreigners,
and concluded by a short comment upon the passages in reference to the
subject in hand. In a country like this, where all the natives are of
the Roman Catholic Church, every thing that is said upon toleration has
a direct reference to foreigners, for it is never for a moment supposed
that any of the natives will leave the Roman Catholic Church to become
Protestants. The introduction of foreigners into the country, and the
consequent advantages and disadvantages of it, entered deeply into the
debate. I shall refer only to one speech more upon the subject. An
aged member, and a clergyman, rose up and said, “Gentlemen, this is
the first time I have risen to speak in this house, and it is not my
intention to detain you long. I understand,” said he, “that the grand
and principal features of our religion are these two:—To love the Lord
with all our heart and strength, and to love our neighbour as ourselves.
We must then take care,” continued he, “that our zeal for the _first_
of these two commandments does not make us overlook the _second_. Now
I ask, whether foreigners residing among us are to be considered our
neighbours or not. If they are, then we ought to love them. Gentlemen,
I have nothing further to add.” After being fully discussed, the votes
were taken. First, whether the article should stand as stated in the
outlines, or be altered. It was carried that it should remain as stated.
The next question was, if the word exclusive should be added, and it
was unfortunately carried in the affirmative. The article now stands
thus:—“The Roman Catholic Apostolic Religion is the religion of the
state, and the exercise of every other is excluded.”
We are not to be surprised that the matter has ended in this manner;
perhaps we should rather wonder that there was any one of the members
of the Congress disposed to speak, or even to think on the side of
toleration. The members who are friendly to religious liberty, may amount
to one third of the whole, or, perhaps, somewhat more than one third, and
they are men of influence and respect in the country. These made a less
vigorous stand for toleration at the present time, from the consideration
that what is done now in regard to the sanctioning of the basis of the
constitution, is only provisional. The Spaniards, at present, possess
many of the best provinces of Peru, and these provinces have, strictly
speaking, no representatives in the Congress. The manner of proceeding,
in reference to these provinces, was this:—The natives of each province,
residing in Lima, met and chose members from among themselves to
represent the province, until such time as the enemy be dislodged, and
they have freedom to choose their own representatives. As soon then as
the country is free, the present Congress will dissolve itself, and a
general Congress will be immediately elected, and the outlines now under
consideration will be presented to the new Congress to be examined, and,
if judged necessary, altered. There is, therefore, still some hope,
that toleration may have a place in the Peruvian constitution. During
the interval, the press may forward the good cause, as there is perfect
freedom for speaking and printing any thing upon the subject, on both
sides of the question. We may, indeed, call this freedom of speaking and
writing upon the subject, a kind of toleration; at all events, it is a
prelude to it.
Pamphlets of every shape, size, and name, are issued from the press. In
these every subject is handled, and abuses and prejudices are attacked
with freedom and courage. The poor friars are not overlooked in these;
almost every body is against them, and none seems to rise up in their
defence. One of the members of Congress has made a motion for the
reformation of the Convents. The bill he is about to bring in, contains
four articles. The first is to allow all those to leave the Convents who
wish to do so. The second is to allow no one in future to become a friar.
The third is, that the government should take possession of all their
property, and allow them out of it what is necessary for their support.
The fourth article is, to make them all live in _one_ convent, instead of
occupying _fourteen_, as they now do. This you see is a bold proposition,
and, if carried into effect, will be a great step in reformation.
At the time the article on religion was under consideration, a certain
individual went about with a paper containing a petition to Congress,
praying that the Roman Catholic religion might be the religion of the
state, _and the only one tolerated in the country_. The last part of
the petition was the object he had in view. He obtained a number of
signatures to the petition, and without loss of time laid it before the
Congress. It was, however, not allowed to be read, and several were for
calling this individual to account for his officiousness. This medical
gentleman (for he is of that profession) has been sadly handled in the
pamphlets of the day for this conduct; so much so, I think, as to keep
him from being forward to engage a second time in such an undertaking.
I have already mentioned how freely all matters are discussed in these
pamphlets. One of them has just begun to give a history of the Popes.
From the specimens already published, this history promises not to be
very honourable to the personal character of the Popes, neither does it
appear intended to strengthen their pontifical authority and influence,
but quite the contrary. There was a monthly magazine published in London,
during the despotic reign of the present Ferdinand. In this work there
was given a history of the Popes, and I believe what is publishing here
just now is copied from the work I have mentioned. This magazine was
called El Español Constitucional. It was written by one of those who had
fled from Ferdinand’s despotic hands. He was a liberal man, and writing
in London he felt himself under no restraint in speaking of the abuse
of the Church of Rome. There was another periodical work in the Spanish
language, published some years before it, called El Español. This was
also printed in London, and was written with the same liberality and
spirit. Both these works have reached South America, and have been a good
deal read; and, as you may suppose, they have served considerably to
enlighten the people of these countries.
I have mentioned, in some of my late letters, the very gratifying
circumstances of the rapid sale in this city of 500 Spanish Bibles,
and 500 New Testaments. These were all sold off in _two days_, and as
many more could have been sold in the two days following, but there
were no more, and thus many were disappointed. From this cheering
circumstance, I am daily looking with great anxiety for a considerable
number of both Bibles and Testaments, expected from the Bible Society.
The above-mentioned circumstance is truly encouraging, as no desire at
all comparable to it, has yet been manifested in any other part of South
America for the Holy Scriptures. From this, and some other occurrences, I
am led to anticipate that the word of God will, indeed, have free course
in this place, and let us pray that it may not be circulated only, but
that it may be glorified also. I have another thing to relate to you,
perhaps more cheering still. It is this: the nearly confident expectation
of getting the New Testament introduced throughout Peru as a school book.
I trust this expectation will not be disappointed, but verified in due
time. Every thing promises fair at present for its accomplishment.
As soon as the Bibles got into circulation as above-mentioned, there was
some ferment excited from reports that it was not fairly printed from the
Spanish version of Scio, as indicated in the title page. This report was
raised, or at least increased, by the discovery of a typographical error
or two. An honest priest actually burned the Bible he had bought on the
discovery of one of these oversights in the printing. The consequence of
this stir was an examination of the Bible Society’s edition, by comparing
it with the edition printed in Spain. The result of this examination
was highly satisfactory, as the London edition was found to be an exact
reprint from the latest Spanish edition, with the exception of some
slight oversights in passing through the press. About the time this
matter was under consideration, the deputy Archbishop (for there is no
Archbishop here at present) having learned that a certain priest was
likely to say something from the pulpit against the reading of the Bibles
from London, sent a message to him, telling him “not to preach any thing
against the reading of the English Bibles.” By English Bibles he meant
Bibles from England, for the Bibles were in the _Spanish_ language.