Chapter VIII: Part 8

I have noticed to you, more than once, the 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, in the whole of the journey from Lima to Bogotá, 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 a friendly intercourse, 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.

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.

* * * * *

_Bogotá, 1st March, 1825._

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 shewed 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 tranquillity are necessary to restore it fully. There is a mint here, which coins annually about one million of dollars, of the gold of Chocó, 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 Bogotá 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 Bogotá 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 97½, 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 then 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 and 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 get 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 Bogotá, is not as far down as Honda, but at a place called Fusagasugá. 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 Bogotá.

* * * * *

_Bogotá, 5th April, 1825._

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 tranquillity, 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.[6]

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 every one 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 Chargé 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 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.

[6] 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.

_Articles regarding the Formation of a Bible Society in Bogotá,
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. Joaquin Gomez and Dr. Mariano Miño, Members
of the Chamber of Representatives; Dr. Jose Maria Estevez,
Rector of the College of San Bartolomé; Father Joaquin Galvez,
Rector of the University; Father Mariano Garnica, 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 opinion
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
licences: 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 furnished 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 JOSE MARIA CASTILLO, Minister of Finance.

_Second Vice-President._

Doctor JOSE MARIA 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 JOSE SANS DE SANTA MARIA, Senator, and Comptroller of the
department of Cundinamarca.

_Secretaries._

Father ANTONIO MARCO GUTIERRES, 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.

* * * * *

_To the Committee of the British and Foreign School Society._[7]

_London, 25th May, 1826._

Gentlemen,

Agreeable to your wishes I sit down to give you a sketch of the progress, and of the actual state of education in South America. I shall begin at Buenos Aires, and shall take the different states in the order in which I travelled through them. When I left Buenos Aires, in May 1821, there were eight schools for boys in that city, supported by the magistrates, and all of them conducted, more or less, on your system. There were, I think, about as many more schools in the small villages around the city. These were also under the care of the magistrates, but had not been put upon your system at the time mentioned. I had visited some of them for the purpose of organizing them upon this plan, but the never-ending revolutions of that unhappy period, prevented the proper measures from being carried into effect for their improvement.

Upon my leaving Buenos Aires, the schools were put under the direction of a very respectable clergyman, who, I thought, would conduct them with much advantage, but, from his not being well acquainted with the system, or from his being peculiar in the application of it, the schools did not improve, but rather grew worse. This state of things lasted for several months, until the Society, which had been formed some time before my leaving that place, becoming re-organized, and arousing from its lethargy, began to take a particular interest in forwarding education according to this system. Much was done through this means; and, I am happy to say, that I have lately heard that the Society continues its useful exertions, and is likely to become more efficient from year to year. As you wish me to mention some individual or individuals in the different countries in South America with whom you could advantageously correspond in furtherance of your Christian object, universal education, I give you here the name of the Secretary to the above-mentioned Society, Don Bartolomé Muñoz. This individual is a clergyman of great respectability, he possesses a spirit of active benevolence, and is a warm friend to education. With this gentleman you may correspond with great advantage to the furtherance of your object; and I am sure it will afford much satisfaction to the individual mentioned, and to the rest of the Society, to hear from you, and to labour with you in this good cause.

I am not sure whether I mentioned to you in my letters from Buenos Aires, the circumstances of the meetings at the first formation of this Society, being held in the chief Franciscan convent of that city. This is worth mentioning, as it shows the liberality of priests and friars on the subject of education. The Provincial of the order, Don Hipólito Soler, lived in this convent, and was very friendly indeed to our object. The uniform kindness and courtesy which I experienced in my many calls upon him in his cell, I shall never forget. The Prior of the convent was also very friendly. To the list of our excellent friends among the priests, I must not omit the highly respected Dean of Buenos Aires, Don Diego de Zavaleta. The nephew of this gentleman, Don Ramon Anchorez, was also a very particular friend, and often encouraged me to go forward when obstacles lay in the way.

I have mentioned the labours of the Society in promoting Schools in that city. I must also mention, and very particularly, that the interest taken by the government, under the direction of Don Bernardino Rivadavia, greatly contributed to carry forward this noble object. The labours of the gentleman now mentioned, in instructing his countrymen in true political wisdom, by precept and by example, and his exertions in forwarding the cause of knowledge and general education, have mainly contributed to give to Buenos Aires, (what it indisputably enjoys) the first rank among the new American states. His name will ever be associated with the happiest part of the revolution of that country; and he will long be looked upon as its best benefactor. Accounts have just reached London, that this gentleman has been recently elected President of the United Provinces of the Rio de la Plata, an honour justly due to him as the regenerator of their independence of Spain, and of their dependance upon each other. We may, I think, fairly augur, that much good will be done in the advancement of education by this individual throughout the various provinces of the Union, at the head of which he is now placed. I think a letter of congratulation from the Society is justly due to him, and, from what I know of his sentiments, I have no doubt of his readily acceding to any plans the Society might suggest for the establishing of schools throughout the provinces.

Through the means above stated, the number of schools has greatly increased in Buenos Aires since I left it. The Rev. Mr. Armstrong, in a letter lately received by the Bible Society, reckons them to amount to about _one hundred_, and thinks they may contain about _five thousand_ scholars. In the letter now referred to, Mr. Armstrong states, that he had presented 500 New Testaments to these schools on the part of the British and Foreign Bible Society, and he expresses a hope that this precious volume is likely to be generally used in all the schools before long.

At the time I left Buenos Aires, there was a very good girls’ school, on the British system, containing 120 scholars. I have not heard particularly of this school since that time, but hope it continues to prosper as it then did. The person who organized this school was Don José Catalá, a native of Spain, and a zealous promoter of education. This gentleman was the first who studied the system at our schools in Buenos Aires. He was afterwards appointed to be master of the central school, and continued in that situation until a few weeks before I left that place.

I mentioned to you, in some of my letters, that I had paid a visit to Monte Video, where I was kindly received by the first ecclesiastic of that place, Don Damaso Antonio de Larañaga, a priest of a liberal and enlightened mind, and a friend to education. This gentleman laid the subject of the establishment of schools on the British system before the magistrates, and, in consequence, I was authorized to send a master to them, who was to receive a salary of 1200 dollars a-year, whilst engaged in establishing and superintending the schools. The person most qualified for this undertaking was Don José Catalá, already mentioned. He was, accordingly, sent there with a supply of the necessary articles for making a commencement. I received, whilst in South America, different letters respecting his progress, which was at first slow on account of the war in which that place was involved, and the scarcity of funds consequent upon it. Afterwards he was enabled to get on better. The last letter I had from him is encouraging, of which I shall give an extract:—

“The school which I formed here has produced upwards of eighty children well instructed in elementary education. These have given satisfaction to those best qualified to judge, and to the public in general, in two public examinations which have taken place. The number of children now in the school is 208. Two years ago, I formed a private school upon the Lancasterian system. It contains at present forty children belonging to the best families of this city, who pay for each child six dollars a quarter. The master of this school is a young man of excellent talents, and of good conduct. He attended the central school for a whole year, in order to learn the system well, and to approve himself capable of conducting a school upon these principles. He expected to be employed in one of the schools which the magistrates were about to establish, but as it was impossible for them to carry forward their purpose, owing to the disturbances of the times, I advised him to establish a private school. The young man had not means to do this, as he was the son of a poor widow. The Society, however, gave him lessons, slates, and pencils, and Mr. Noble gave him the wood to make the seats and desks. Thus provided, he offered to instruct, under the auspices of the Society, and by my direction,—elementary education, and also the principles of geometry, trigonometry, and geography, and to hold a public examination of his pupils every year. I am happy to inform you that the children are making very great progress, owing to the steadiness and fidelity of the master, and to the six well instructed monitors whom I sent him from the other school, each of whom knows more than any of the masters of this place.

“I am sorry to inform you that the master of the central school died about three weeks ago. In consequence of this misfortune, I have been obliged to take the school into my own hands until another master be appointed.

“I mentioned to you, in a former letter, that I had organized Mrs. Hyne’s school in Buenos Aires on the Lancasterian system, with this peculiarity in the arrangement, that the children are taught in English one day, and in Spanish the other; as she has scholars who speak these languages respectively, I sent her some of the lessons printed here for the use of her school.”

The school here referred to is kept by an English lady, and was just beginning when I left Buenos Aires. It was afterwards fully established on your system as above mentioned. I have had frequent information respecting the prosperity of this school, and am told that the youth of that city show a great desire to study the English language, and are making progress in it. Their parents have thus shown their desire for the education of their children, in instructing them in our tongue, and they have shown their liberality in sending them without scruple to be educated by an English lady belonging to the Protestant church.

In the preceding review of the schools in Buenos Aires, there is much to cheer the minds and hearts of those who interest themselves in the welfare of their fellow-men, and who use their best exertions for this end, in the way in which they can be most effectual, namely, in the instruction of the young. To see the youthful flocks increasing in numbers, and growing in the knowledge of the purest religion and morality, by reading and imbibing the sacred oracles, is a sight truly gratifying, and to hear of this will, I am sure, afford much satisfaction to the Committee of the British and Foreign School Society. It will also, I trust, lead you to renewed exertions on behalf of that country, and, knowing your readiness to do so, I beg leave to suggest the propriety of sending out a person possessing good talents, and well acquainted with your system, that he may be employed in extending education through the various provinces of these United States; and, in recommending this measure, I repeat my conviction, that the gentleman now elected President of these States, Don Bernardino Rivadavia, will take a pleasure in seconding your views.

I now turn your attention to the provinces of Mendoza and San Juan, as these form a part of the United Provinces of the Rio de la Plata. In March 1822, I visited these places, and found a very great desire existing there, in regard to education. Our excellent friend, Dr. Gillies, was at that time (and still is) residing in Mendoza. He had contributed much to create such a desire, and was very active in using every means for satisfying it. It was through his very urgent request, that I visited these places, I was much gratified with what I saw there, as regards a growing spirit of knowledge and liberality. The governor of Mendoza was very friendly to the establishment of Schools. A Society for promoting them was established a few days after my arrival, and a petition was presented to the Governor, that a small printing press, belonging to the town, might be placed at their disposal, that they might print lessons for the schools, and might otherwise gain a little for promoting their objects. This request was immediately acceded to, and the press and the types were transferred accordingly. A newspaper has been printed at this press for some time, and it has greatly contributed to enlighten that quarter. A girls’ school was begun whilst I was there, and measures were taken for establishing schools for boys, which were afterwards carried into effect. After these favourable circumstances had been some time in operation, a storm overtook our worthy friends. They were like to be overwhelmed by a spirit of fanaticism, which had raised itself against the promoters of education and reform, by those of a contrary mind. The enemies of righteousness prevailed for some time, but at length they stumbled and fell, and truth and improvement again appeared, and prevailed, and now reign in triumph. Those individuals who had combined together to benefit their country, and whose benevolent arrangements were thus for some time impeded; these very individuals are now the chief persons in the government, and are thus enabled to carry their measures into effect.

In the Province of San Juan I found many enlightened individuals who were warm friends of education. There were, no doubt, many of other feelings and wishes. A printed circular was sent to the different persons of note in that place by the Governor, inviting them to a meeting in his own house, for discussing the subject of establishing schools on your system. A good many attended, and some were for the measure, and some against it. The Governor was a warm friend to the object, and the meeting broke up by his signifying, that it was the intention of the government to use its best endeavours to forward this object. I left some Scripture lessons for the schools in that place, as I had done in Mendoza, the price of which, together with the expenses of my journey there, were paid by the Governors of these two places.

Before I leave San Juan, I wish to notice the meritorious conduct of Don Salvador Carril. In the meeting referred to, he was one of the principal defenders of our objects, and strongly urged the adoption of the proposed plan. Some time after, this gentleman was appointed Governor in that province. When holding that situation, he wished to use all his influence for the establishment of religious liberty in his native province. I have great pleasure in stating that in this _he completely succeeded._ He has thus had the honour of leading the way in this important matter, and of making his own province _the first part of South America, to declare for Religious Liberty_. The date of this _era_, for such it may be called to this new continent, is the sixth of June, 1825. The province of Buenos Aires has adopted the same wise and liberal policy, but the first honour is due to San Juan, and to its Governor Carril.[8] I must not omit to mention here, Mr. Rawson from the United States, and who has long resided in San Juan. His name is connected with every measure for the improvement of that country.

In regard to the other provinces of the Rio de la Plata, I can say very little, but I believe education is in a very low state in all of them. The names of these provinces are, Santa Fé, Entre Rios, Corientes, Paraguay, Salta, Tucuman, and Córdova. It is, however, very probable, from the general spirit diffused through these countries, that plans for the improvement and extension of education would be very favourably received, particularly under the recommendation and fostering care of the President, Don Bernardino Rivadavia.