s which have
encompassed our path, I can sometimes hardly credit all that the Almighty
has permitted us to accomplish within the last year: a large edition of
the New Testament almost entirely disposed of in the very centre of old,
gloomy, fanatic Spain, in spite of the opposition and the furious cry of
the sanguinary priesthood and the edicts of a tyrannical, deceitful
Government; moreover a spirit of religious enquiry excited, which I have
fervent hope will sooner or later lead to blessed and most important
results. Till of late the name most abhorred and dreaded in these parts
of Spain was that of Martin Luther, who was in general considered as a
species of demon, a cousin-german to Belial and Beelzebub, who under the
disguise of a man wrote and preached blasphemy against the Highest. Yet
now, strange to say, this once abominated personage is spoken of with no
slight degree of respect. People, with Bibles in their hands, not
unfrequently visit me, enquiring with much earnestness and with no slight
degree of simplicity for the writings of the great Doctor Martin, whom
indeed some suppose to be still alive. It will be as well here to
observe that of all the names connected with the Reformation, that of
Luther is the only one known in Spain, and let me add that no
controversial writings but his are likely to be esteemed as possessing
the slightest weight or authority, however great their intrinsic merit
may be. The printing, therefore, of tracts in the Spanish language, of
the description hitherto adopted, appears to be pregnant with no good or
benefit whatever. Of what might be the result of well-executed
translations of judicious selections from the works of Luther, it is not
my business to offer an opinion.

Before commencing this journey to Andalusia I must take the liberty of
making one humble request to my friends of the Bible Society, which is to
be patient. It may not be in my power to send them for a long time any
flattering accounts of operations commenced there. I shall be surrounded
with enemies, bitter, malignant, and powerful, against whose efforts it
is very possible that I may not be able to stand my ground; or the books
which I carry with me may be seized and sequestrated, in spite of all the
plans which I have devised for their safety. The great failing of
Protestants, in general, is a tendency to spring suddenly to the pinnacle
of exultation, and as suddenly to fall to the lowest bathos of dej