ISTIAN COOPERATION
IN
TIN AMERICA
SAMUEL GUY INMAN
Executive Secretary of the Committee on Cooperation in Latin America
Report of a Visit to Mexico, Cuba and
South America, March-October, 1917
PRINTED FOR PRIVATE CIRCULATION
COMMITTEE ON COOPERATION
IN LATIN AMERICA
25 MADISON AVENUE
NEW YORK CITY
CHRISTIAN COOPERATION
IN
LATIN AMERICA
(By
SAMUEL GUY INMAN
Executive Secretary of the Committee on Cooperation in Latin America
Report of a Visit to Mexico, Cuba and
South America, March-October, 1917
PRINTED FOR PRIVATE CIRCULATION
COMMITTEE ON COOPERATION
IN LATIN AMERICA
25 MADISON AVENUE
NEW YORK CITY
1117
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
FOREWORD . 1
I. INTRODUCTION
II. MAJOR IMPRESSIONS 6
1. THE PRESENT OFFERS AN UNPRECEDENTED OPPORTUNITY FOR
ENLARGING CHRISTIAN WORK.
The People are Increasingly Open-Minded.
A changing Attitude toward North America.
Our Entrance Into the War.
Growing Commercial Relations.
More Sympathetic Attitude toward Latin America.
Exchange of University Professors and Students.
Influence of Missionaries.
2. THE PAUCITY OF RELIGIOUS WORK Is EVERYWHERE EVIDENT.
General Lack of Interest in Religion.
Roman Catholicism Not Meeting the Need.
Evangelical Work Astonishingly Limited.
The Work among the Indians.
3. IN EVANGELICAL WORK THERE SHOULD BE MORE EMPHASIS
ON THE PRINCIPLE OF SERVICE.
An Evangelistic Program not Sufficient.
Latin America Needs a Gospel of Social Power.
Lessons from the Mexican Revolution.
Cooperation to Meet a Need.
4. THE TRAINING OF NATIVE LEADERSHIP Is THE GREATEST NEED.
The Results of Past Neglect.
Proposed Cooperative Educational Program.
People must be Reached through their own Nationals.
5. THE NECESSITY OF BETTER UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN FORCES
IN THE FIELD AND THE HOME ADMINISTRATION.
More Frequent Visitation of the Field.
Missionaries Should Be Kept in Closer Touch with the
Home Church.
More Definite Plans Needed.
Enlarging the Usefulness of the Committee on Cooper
ation.
III. THE COOPERATIVE PROGRAM IN LATIN AMERICA. 32
1. ORIGIN OF THE COMMITTEE ON COOPERATION IN LATIN
AMERICA.
2. AUTHORIZATION FOR VISIT OF THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY.
3. A REVIEW OF COOPERATIVE ENTERPRISES OPERATING AND
PLANNED.
4. QUESTIONS DISCUSSED WITH THE WORKERS IN THE FIELD.
CONTEXTS (Continued)
IV. MEXICO 38
V. CUBA ; 47
VI. PANAMA 53
VII. PERU 60
VIII. BOLIVIA 73
IX. CHILE 85
X. ARGENTINA 97
XL URUGUAY 109
XII. PARAGUAY 113
XIII. BRAZIL 122
XIV. CONCLUSIONS 152
1. OCCUPATION OF TERRITORY.
New Forces Needed.
Readjustment of Present Fields.
Care in Transfer of Fields.
Needs of Indians.
Financial Development.
2. EDUCATIONAL PROBLEMS.
Coordination of Educational and Evangelistic Work.
English as the Medium of Instruction.
Need of Specially Prepared Teachers.
Other Suggestions.
3. MESSAGE AND METHOD.
Attitude toward Roman Catholicism.
Union Evangelistic Campaigns.
Methods in New Fields.
Importance of Language Study.
Prejudice against Protestantism as a Foreign Religion.
Nationalism.
Unity and Diversity of Different Countries.
Op en-mind edness.
Growing Conception of Religion.
4. THE NEXT STEP.
Appendix. I. Itinerary of Mr. Inman's Trip 174
Appendix. II. Constitutions of the Regional Committee 175
Appendix. III. Membership of the Committee on Cooperation in
Latin America
Appendix. IV. Officers and Committee Chairmen of the Regional
Committees
Appendix. V. Evangelical Publications in Latin America
181
183
185
ii
FOREWORD
A familiarity with the exhaustive reports of the Panama Con
gress and its Regional Conferences, which so clearly state the
need of Latin America, and outline a strategic missionary policy,
is taken for granted in the present report. The Panama Con
gress settled once for all the question of the legitimacy of evan
gelical mission work in Latin America, and of the contributions
it has already made to the welfare of these nations. Only the
matters that seem most insistent and practical, a year after the
holding of the conferences, are here discussed. I have supposed
that both missionaries and those at home who are interested in
the technical questions of mission policy, desire, as a result of
my visit to the field, a critical study of our problems rather than
an encouraging resume of achievements. It would be a pleasure
to recount the unselfish service and the encouraging results found
in every country visited. The fellowship with earnest, faithful
missionaries and national leaders, who so wrap themselves around
one's heart, was a privilege continually met and profoundly ap
preciated. But such matters belong to another type of report.
The stress of the present world situation seems to justify the
arrangement of material, and the emphasis I have placed upon
what some of my fellow-missionaries would criticise as a "mix-
ing in politics." I only ask that each reader will bear in mind
the fact that the whole mission world is affected by the crisis
now upon us, and that it must influence our policies whether we
approve or not.
At the risk of some repetition, I have discussed, in the first
part of the report, the questions of primary importance at the
present time. Then follow the chapters on the different coun
tries, written on the field, which tell the story of the trip, with
impressions in the order in which they came. A closing section
re-emphasizes a few questions to which I desire to give special
prominence.
The deepest impression made upon my mind is that North
America has done so little in the face of such a gigantic, attract
ive, impelling missionary task. Not even the demands of a
world war must deter the Evangelical Church from enlarging its
program for these mighty lands, opened more than ever to us
because of the world war. Great Britain, realizing the future
greatness of Latin America, is saying to some of her choicest
sons now in the South, "Stay where you are ; you can do more
for the Empire by firmly establishing your country's influence in
those important lands than you can do by fighting in Flanders."
There is probably no part of the world where, when peace is
declared, the nations now at war will meet in such keen compe
tition. Every day brings a new realization of the importance of
these countries. Beginning at the Rio Grande and stretching on
down through Mexico, across the fruit belts of Central America,
across Panama, through Venezuela, Colombia and the Brazilian
tropics, over the abounding plains of the Argentine to the Strait
of Magellan, lies the largest stretch of undeveloped fertile land
and mineral wealth on the globe. Just as the most remarkable
developments of the Nineteenth Century took place in North
America, so the most wonderful developments of the Twentieth
Century will take place in Latin America. This is the crucial
hour in which to direct this development into the formation of
truly Christian nations.
I. INTRODUCTION
In the present world war, South America is the only continent
that has neither seen fighting nor sent soldiers to the front. At
the same time, she has been more peculiarly dependent on the
leading belligerent nations than any other continent. Sitting
apart, watching the world struggle between France, her intel
lectual mother, England, to whom she is held by steel bands of
capital, and Germany, whose materialistic "Kultur" and commer
cial energy have more and more influenced her in recent years,
South America affords a vantage ground for the study of the
present world crisis. Her reaction to this crisis is a particularly
illuminating comment on her character. Our entrance into the
war is causing a material change in her attitude to North Amer
ica, which has always had an important bearing upon our mission
work. Those who have studied the historic reasons for this atti
tude will appreciate what a University Professor sai*l to me in
Buenos Aires : ''By instinct, we hate you North Americans ; by
reason, we love you." Instinct and reason are struggling for the
mastery in the South Americans to-day as never before.
So I am particularly thankful for the decision which led me to
South America at this time, in spite of difficulties involved. I
was in Vera Cruz when the United States declared war, waiting
for a boat to Havana. On arriving at the latter city, I found
that Cuba had just followed the United States into the war.
Secret service men were everywhere, tying red tape tighter around
travel conditions ; nearly all passengers south had canceled their
reservations ; every one seemed sure there were U-boat bases in
Central America and Colombia, and friends advised my turning
north instead of south. But it seemed that if men were willing
to risk all for war, some should be willing to risk something to
preach the gospel of peace and good-will toward men. To the
Father of us all, and to the many friends who stood behind the
endeavor with intercession, is due the fact that every country
was entered exactly on the day called for by my itinerary made
out six months before. Every day of the nearly eight months
was a working day with from two to six meetings when not
traveling. No time was lost on account of sickness. In each of
the countries visited there was held a representative, unhurried
meeting of the interdenominational Committee on Cooperation ;
plans were put into operation for many cooperative enterprises ;
3 '
and practically every interview sought from presidents of re
publics to humble Christian workers was granted. The greatest
privilege of such a trip, then, is the strengthening of one's faith
in prayer.
"Away in foreign lands, they wondered how
Their simple word had power ;
At home the Christians, two or three,
Had met to pray an hour."
I left New York March 1 1 by rail, and crossed the Rio Grande
to Piedras Negras, Mexico. From there I traveled the entire
distance through Monterey, Saltillo and Mexico City to Vera
Cruz by rail. Our trains were preceded by pilot trains with a
military escort, and we did not travel at night. But the only
time I heard a rifle shot was when a friend fired his Winchester
to scare the crowd, while an accomplice shouted to all the pas
sengers, "Down on the floor!" and everybody got down!
The trip across the gulf and to Panama was ominous but un
eventful. The Canal Zone always gives the impression of effi
ciency, but in war times doubly so. No one visiting there, where
the army is supreme, can believe all that is said of our military
inefficiency. I spent two weeks making a survey of the Zone and
of the Republic. It was not permitted to land in Guayaquil on
account of the prevalence of yellow fever and bubonic plague.
After a week in historic Lima, "The City of the Kings," a visit
was made to Arequipa, most fanatical of cities, and then to far
away Cuzco, the ancient capital of the Incas. This part of the
trip was on the roof of the western world, at a constant eleva
tion of from eleven to fourteen thousand feet, and always in
the presence of snow-covered mountains as high again.
Crossing Lake Titicaca, the highest body of navigable water in
the world, one reaches La Paz, the quaint, isolated capital of
Bolivia, most picturesque of cities. From there to Antofagasta,
Chile, by rail, is a cold two days' journey, the thermometer reg
istering, on the first day of June, 17 degrees below zero at Uyuni,
only 1 8 degrees from the Equator.
In Chile, I visited all the important centers from the North
to the South, as far as Temuco, the center of the country of the
Arucanian Indians.
Snow usually blocks the Andes in July, but I was fortunate
enough to make that wonderful passage when there was just
enough snow to intensify the grandeur, but not enough to stop
our train. Instead of going immediately to Buenos Aires, as
most travelers do, I first visited the cities of Mendoza, Cordova,
and Tucuman. These are splendid modern cities. Tucuman, the
most northern city of Argentina, with 100,000 people, is particu
larly interesting and progressive. With a later trip to the great
southern seaport of Argentina, Bahia Blanca, I saw all the fron
tiers as well as the capital of this most progressive of South
American countries. After Montevideo, a thousand miles up the
Parana by steamer, brought me to Asuncion, Paraguay, far re
moved from modern life, in the very heart of the continent, and
one of the most interesting parts of the world. It was five days'
journey from there through a lonely country, seldom visited, to
Iguazu Falls, wild, mighty, awe-inspiring; fifty feet higher and
with a mightier volume of water than Niagara. Entering Brazil
from the Argentine border, we traveled eighty-eight hours by
train to Sao Paulo, and were still in Southern Brazil. Ten days
from Rio de Janeiro on an ocean steamer were necessary to reach
Para, the mouth of the Amazon. And there, on the equator, one
is nearer New York than to the southernmost point in Brazil !
The trip from Para to New York took thirteen days, on the first
German boat Brazil had put into service, arriving home Octo
ber 20.
My first visit to South America, after a ten years' residence in
Mexico, was made in the first six months of 1914. It covered
only the coast and capital cities. This last visit has included
trips to the two interior republics that have no coast line, Bolivia
and Paraguay, and a traversing from practically one end to the
other of six out of eleven countries entered. The impressions
on this second trip have not been contradictory to those of the
first, but supplementary and naturally more inclusive. On the
first trip I felt the unity of all Latin America, and the similarity
of the problems of each country ; on the second, the individuality
of each nation. On the first, the irreligion of the educated
classes, and the need for sending the best prepared missionaries
to work for them ; on the second, the hunger of the educated
classes for spiritual life, and the need of sending men capable of
training a native Christian leadership, able to supply this hunger ;
then the lack of fellowship and cooperation among the Protestant
forces, now the intense interest in cooperation ; then I realized
the indifference toward the social message of the gospel, now the
realization of the imperative of a program of service ; then the
abiding, ever-present prejudice against North America, now the
better understanding and growing regard for North Americans.
II. MAJOR IMPRESSIONS
Certain outstanding impressions of this last journey it seems
wise to enumerate at the outset before describing the different
countries which occasioned them.
I. THERE is AT PRESENT AN UNPRECEDENTED OPPORTUNITY FOR
ENLARGING OUR CHRISTIAN WORK IN LATIN AMERICA.
i. The People Are Increasingly Open-minded. -The people
of Latin America are doing more fundamental thinking than ever
before in their history. They have hitherto been ruled more by
sentiment than reason. They have rested on the glorious past of
the Latin race, have magnified the differences between Latin
Catholics and Anglo-Saxon Protestants, and have minimized the
great economic moral bases of American solidarity. They had
ceased to regard religion as a real factor in a modern life as they
were developing it. But this world war, with its rude shock to
their economic progress and to many of their philosophic the
ories, supposedly beyond attack, is compelling them to re-examine
their individual and national relationships and to restate their
theories. This spirit of inquiry, this willingness to listen, the
new readiness to seek after God, if perchance they may find
Him, impresses one profoundly as he talks with men of every
status from university professors to laboring men.
While I was in Buenos Aires, a professor in the university
was giving a series of lectures on Emerson and the significance
of the Unitarian and Puritan movements in New England. These
lectures made a pronounced impression. Many things that
Protestant missionaries would like to have said, this university
professor was telling the young men of Argentina. He told me
that he had been contemplating a congress on religions that
would face the problem of establishing standards of morality and
service in Argentine life. He was convinced that all of Argen
tina's religious forces, including Jewish, Mohammedan and
Buddhist, would send a representation to such a congress. He
had been wanting to get in touch with some of the Protestant
missionaries in Buenos Aires. They were so little known in
educational circles, however, that he had not found a way to ap
proach them. He had been contemplating writing to the Uni
tarians in Boston, inviting them to organize a church in Buenos
Aires which would appeal to the intelligent classes. He ex-
pressed a desire to talk with our missionaries about work among
the intellectual classes, and offered to guide them in avoiding
mistakes by which Anglo-Saxons could easily prejudice these
classes against their work.
In Chile, one of the richest men of Santiago came at night ta
the young pastor of a Methodist church, and cried out for help
in his spiritual struggle. The world war and the breaking up
of all that seemed permanent in civilzation had so upset him
that he felt he could not stand it longer. How must he think
about God, and how could he find peace in his heart, were the
outcryings of his soul.
I was impressed with the large number of individuals and or
ganizations that are endeavoring in some way to serve the peo
ple. The Temperance Society of Peru, which is composed of
some of the leading men of the country, is doing a remarkable
work. Some of our missionaries have been elected to member
ship, and are helping with the backing of these influential men,
to foster a program of service.
In Chile and Uruguay I found a large number of societies
promoting educational and charitable work which were quite
independent of the Government. In Argentina there are large
groups, ranging in their activities from discussions in university
halls to socialistic meetings among workmen on the street cor
ners, which indicate spiritual hunger.
2. A Changing Attitude Toward North America. In the past
Latin America has been ruled largely by Latin sentiment ; her
people have considered themselves apart from Anglo-Saxons and
opposed to their philosophy of life. They have held it to be un
patriotic to adopt the religion or any other features of North
American life. Propagandists like Ugarte have continually urged
the necessity of a closer relationship between the Latin-American
countries and the European-Latin countries in opposition to what
they considered the materialistic influence and political program
of the North.
This attitude is surely, though slowly, undergoing a change.
That the old bitter prejudice, so disheartening and disabling to
the average North American missionary, was disappearing, was
one of my most dominant impressions.
All throughout my tour, beginning at Mexico, I felt this
change in sentiment, but not until I arrived in Chile did it come
over me with full force. Three years before, I felt like leaving
Chile on the first train, for I heard on every hand unpleasant
references to the United States. The students of the universities
were particularly hostile. This time, when I called upon a pro
fessor in the National University, I was asked to address one
of his English classes ; later on, another ; till I found myself giv
ing a whole morning of talks. These led to a conference at one
of the big theatres, secured for the occasion by the university
students. The theme they wanted me to discuss was, "How to
Develop Closer Relations between the United States and Chile."
At the close of the lecture a full hour was spent answering their
eager and pointed questions. I spoke very frankly, analyzing the
good and bad in the Anglo-Saxon and the Latin, pointing out
why each had failed to understand the other in the past. That
session with these brilliant young people was a most delightful
experience. Their hunger for knowledge about North American
life, particularly concerning our universities, was amazing and
refreshing.
In Pernambuco I accidentally met the director of the Law
School that has trained the leaders of Northern Brazil for half
a century. He invited me to give an address to the students on
"Closer Intellectual Relationships between the Two Americas."
This occasion became quite a demonstration of international
friendliness, the official life of the city being represented.
In Paraguay, the deputation of four missionaries, which went
up to this far-distant land to investigate the wise initiation of
misson work, was taken in hand by the National Director of Pub
lic Instruction, its entertainment being directed by the Govern
ment. These people showed in many ways their real desire for
friendship with the United States.
The following editorial, published on July 4, 1917, in a leading
daily of Buenos Aires, shows what the United States's entrance
into the war has done toward changing this attitude :
"The circumstances in which we find ourselves to-day on this anniver
sary of the North American nation serves to define a double principle of
Americanism and democracy. This celebration in other years has been an
occasion for rejoicing only for the United States. She could with patriotic
joy stop in her march and contemplate with satisfaction the road traveled
since the days of that memorable declaration. . . . Other people joined
the celebration with a cordiality more official and diplomatic than real.
"To-day all is different. The United States, by the power of that great
republican virtue which is the supporter of the right, is for the whole
world not only a nation engaged in a knightly war, but an apostle in ac
tion. Some four years ago the Latin author, Ruben Dario, was able to
say, led astray by superficial observations, that the United States, which
had everything, lacked but one thing God.
8
"To-day this cannot be said, for the crusade of the United States and
the serene and eloquent words of Wilson have a religious character, now
that they intimate the abandonment and disregard of material interests in
the face of the defense of the ideal.
"Quietly, without the sound of trumpets or noise, the United States
has entered the contest, and thus it returns to noble France the generous
contribution of that great Frenchman, Lafayette, the American national
hero. If America stands for anything in the world and in history, it is
liberty. Other peoples have been formed by reason of conquest, or of
religion, but the Americans were born out of the idea of liberty.
"In this sentiment is found the unity of San Martin, Bolivar and Wash
ington. It matters little that history registers this or that disturbance,
and this or that variaion. That is the sentiment, and that is the thing
that after conquering all cruel tyrannies and retrogressive seditions, has
overcome all.
"So in the awful conflict which to-day is shaking the world the United
States is bearing the burden of all America, because she is on the side of
liberty. She is the big sister in years and in power among the American
nations. This place belongs to her, and worthily has she taken it."
For the first time in the history of a South American nation,
Brazil has openly declared that the prime reason for her taking
a serious political step was to follow the leadership of the United
States. In her note to the other South American powers, an
nouncing the breaking of relationships with Germany, she said :
"Brazil has never had, nor has it now, warlike ambitions. If it has
heretofore abstained from taking sides in the European conflict, it has
not been able to continue indifferent since the United States has been
drawn into the war without any further motives than simply those of
action in the name of international justce and order. . . . If up to the
present the relative lack of reciprocity on the part of the American repub
lics has deprived the Monroe Doctrine of its real character, permitting an
interpretation scarcely founded on the prerogative of sovereignty, the
present conditions place Brazil at the side of the United States of America
at this critical moment in the history of the world, and continues to give
our political relationships a practical form of continental solidarity."
In the same way Panama, in its recent declaration of war,
says that, "Neutrality is impossible in a conflict where the vital
interests of the United States are involved," and Cuba, Bolivia,
Paraguay and other countries have given voice to similar senti
ments.
The recent visit of the North American fleet under the com
mand of Admiral Caperton to South American waters has pro
moted these friendly relations in a remarkable way. In order
that the fleet might visit Montevideo when Uruguay had not yet
broken relations with the Central Powers, the Government pro
mulgated the following special decree, which will no doubt be of
great weight in future international relationships in America :
"It is hereby declared that no American nation will be considered
as a belligerent which is in a state of war in defense of its
rights against countries outside of this continent."
It was my privilege to be in Brazil, Uruguary and Argentina
during the American fleet's visit, and to witness one of the most
remarkable receptions that it ever received. In Montevideo the
whole city united in its entertainment. As the Minister of Public
Instruction of Uruguay expressed it to me : "I want you to un
derstand that this is no official reception ; it is a reception by the
people themselves. I have been working for closer relationship*
between my country and yours for thirty years, but I never im
agined it was possible for them to come in this remarkable way
so quickly. We are profoundly impressed with your Admiral 1
and with' your men ; the men are proving themselves models of
morality for our young men." The whole festive program was
practically directed by the Young Men's Christian Association,
to whom the Government turned over a large building near the
wharf, where it opened a reading room, a writing room, a recep
tion hall, a bureau of information, and a restaurant. Entertain
ments were given each night, mainly by the young people of the
churches and by social organizations. On the last Sunday night
of the visit, a remarkable meeting was held, lasting for nearly
four hours. The Dean of the literati of Uruguay, Dr. Juan
Zorilla de San Martin, said, in speaking to the boys : "We love
the United States as a great collectivity ; we love you as citizens
of the United States, but we want you to understand that we
love you as individuals. We talk of our common mother de
mocracy ; there is some one else still dearer to us our common
Father." Then, leaving the interpreter, he repeated in a charm
ing broken English the Lord's Prayer. It is worth while to note
that Dr. Zorilla is one of the leaders of the Catholic party in
Uruguay. Such a man speaking such sentiments on the plat
form of the Young Men's Christian Association is significant of
a new day in South America.
A university student, bringing greetings from his comrades to
the sailors at the same meeting, said : "I want to confess that
we students have had a great deal of prejudice against the United
States. We had feared that your country had political designs
upon South America. But all that we needed to show us that
these fears were groundless was to know you." The work of
the Young Men's Christian Association was so greatly appre
ciated that in a building campaign, launched a few weeks later,
10
they raised more than $100,000, four individuals giving $10,000
apiece.
The invitation for the fleet to visit Buenos Aires was only
given after a prolonged struggle between the people on one side
and the pro-German elements on the other. I was in Argentina
during the month of this struggle and have witnessed no more
interesting incident regarding national relationships during fif
teen years in Latin America. A demonstration directed by many
of the leading men of Argentina was given in one of the theatres
of the city on the 4th of July. Some of the addresses will be
come historic documents in American international relationships.
The meeting had the desired effect, in that the Government
agreed to invite the fleet.
Another reason for a closer friendship between North and
South America is the growing commercial relationships. Before
the war, South America received the capital for developing her
railroads, mines and other industries from Europe. She received
also a large part of her manufactured articles from the same
source. The Pan-American Financial Congress, held in 1915 in
Washington, provided for North America's doing largely what
Europe had been doing before. The establishment of North
American banks and agencies for our large manufacturing con
cerns in the principal cities of South America has had more in
fluence in promoting friendly relations than would be supposed
by superficial observation. It has also led to some interesting
social changes. For instance, in Chile, where workmen in the
past have been very badly treated, some of the North American
firms have set up new industrial standards. They have increased
wages and put in modern welfare work,, with workmen's cot
tages, clubs, and the prohibition of liquor. This welfare work
has hSd such splendid results that other firms have found it
worth while to send men to the United States to study such work
in order to retain their workmen.
The recent disposition of the United States to change its
attitude toward the Latin- American peoples from jingoism to a
real sympathy and appreciation, is another influence that is pro
moting international friendship. The wise utterances of Presi
dent Wilson in his Mobile speech, and on other occasions, have
gone far to assure the Latin Americans that we have no designs
upon their territory. Our staying out of Mexico when all recog
nized that, according to international custom, we had a right to
11
intervene, has had a remarkable influence on clearing us from the
suspicions long held by the Latin Americans.
The exchange of visits between university professors of North
and South America during these recent years, and the large num
ber of Latin-American students who have studied in North
American institutions, have made most important contributions to
this development of friendship.
There are now about twenty-five hundred Latin-American stu
dents in the universities of the United States, and this number is
rapidly increasing. Wherever one comes in contact with student
life, he is earnestly questioned about the cost and conditions re
lating to attendance at North American universities. In Chile
there is a flourishing student association that promotes relation
ships between students going to foreign schools and those at home.
The good reports that young people are sending back home about
their pleasing experiences in our schools and social circles, is fil
tering through all Latin America.
It is impossible to estimate the influence for closer friendship
of such professors as Dr. Jose M. Galvez, who has sent ten Chil
ean students to the United States in the last three years ; and
Professor Ernesto Nelson of Argentina, who has a most com
mendable plan for enlarging our educational relationships. One
would like to go into detail in this matter, telling of the contri
butions being made by distinguished educationalists like Ernesto
Quesada and Jose Ingenieros of Argentina, Olivera Lima and
Hilio Lobo of Brazil, Abel J. Perez of Uruguay, Dr. Villeran of
Peru, Andres Osuna of Mexico, and others whose far-reaching
service I have come to know and understand. The visits of some
of our own university professors to Latin America, such as Wil
liam R. Shepherd, Leo S. Rowe, and Edward A. Ross, have also
done great good. Such visits are forerunners of exchange pro
fessorships, which are all too slow in being inaugurated. The
only one I found in South America was between the University
of Washington and the University of Chile, a plan which is hav
ing most encouraging results.
The constant friendly influence of the missionaries through the
years must be set down here, although I am only mentioning' the
things that seem to me to have especially contributed to this
friendship since the time of my first visit. No man that has an
open mind can fail to realize that the work of such men as
H. C. Tucker, W. A. Waddell, John W. Butler, W. E. Browning,
and many others like them, has an influence for international
12
good-will impossible to calculate. A book might easily be writ
ten on what the evangelical schools are doing in interpreting
Latin and North America to each other. The Young Men's
Christian Association is particularly adapted to this work of in
ternational friendship, inasmuch as it reaches many of the in
fluential classes who are not yet willing to have relationship with
a work directly missionary.
2. THE PAUCITY OF RELIGIOUS WORK Is EVERYWHERE EVIDENT.
There Is a General Lack of Interest in Religion. Every ob
serving traveler visiting Latin America notices that the educated
classes of Latin America, having abandoned the only form of
Christianity that they have ever known, are fast becoming a
people without religion. I refrain from giving further evidence
on this point, since it is universally admitted. My recent investi
gations, however, have been startling in their revelation of the
way the working classes are abandoning the Church and drifting
into extreme socialism and an antagonism to all forms of religion.
In Mexico the revolution has brought about a widespread prop
aganda in favor of anti-Christian socialism, the result of which is
seen in the new constitution, which contains the most drastic re
strictions on religious activities ever written into a state docu
ment. In Cuba a recent book, which attacks Christianity, known
as "La Religion al Alcance de Todos" ("Religion in the Reach
of All"), has reached a circulation of 50,000 copies. It is said
that agnosticism is found even among field laborers. In Chile
there are continued labor disturbances, and a growing opposition
of the working classes to the ruling classes and to the Church
which many believe must end in a bloody revolution. In Argen
tina anarchists are very active among the workmen. The Cath
olic Church is so concerned about this movement that their priests
are addressing meetings of workmen on street corners. In Bra
zil there have been strikes and food riots in almost all parts of
the country this last year. In a recent strike at Sao Paulo, 1,000
rioters were killed. Eight anarchists charged with responsibility
for these strikes were deported from Brazil on the ship on which
I came home. They seemed to be perfectly innocent of the charge,
yet when I talked to them of religion, they flouted the whole
idea.
We can no longer say that the indifference to religion in Latin
America is confined to the educated classes. The laboring men
are awakening to their rights, and since they believe that the
13
Roman Catholic Church has been in league with the land barons
to hold them in subjection, they are developing an intense hatred
for Christianity as they understand it. Recently there appeared
on the streets of Asuncion posters reading "Abajo con Religion"
("Down with Religion"). A young student in the University
of Cordova, Argentina, a city noted for its faithfulness in the
past, and said to contain more pictures of the Pope than any
other city of its size in the world, told me that he was the only
young man in the university who acknowledged Christ as his
Saviour.
The Association of Liberal Propaganda, of Montevideo, pub
lishes a pamphlet containing the following:
DUTIES OF A GOOD LIBERAL.
Not to be married by religious ceremony.
Not to baptize his children.
Not to act as godfather at weddings, baptisms or confirmations.
Not to entrust to the Church or her adepts the education of his
children.
To be buried by civil rites only.
Not to have mass or prayers for the dead, and not to attend such
services.
Not to give money to church people under any form or pretext, not
even when the apparent purpose is benevolence or charity.
Not to identify himself with, nor lend his influence to, any religious
ceremony, directly or indirectly.
To keep far from the home and the family those who are called
"Minister of the Lord."
Roman Catholicism Is Not Meeting the Need. Even if the
Catholic Church were preaching a pure and undefiled religion, its
forces are not in any way sufficient to minister to the religious
needs of Latin America. In the Republic of Paraguay, with a
population of one million people, there are eighty-eight parish
priests, forty of whom are in Asuncion, leaving an average of
one priest for over twenty thousand people outside of the capital.
In Buenos Aires, with one million seven hundred thousand peo
ple, there are about fifty Roman Catholic churches. In Chile,
where the Church is better organized than in the other countries,
the Archbishop reports 700 parish priests, with probably 450 of
these working among the people. This would give each one a
parish of nearly 10,000 people. There are 500 churches and 619
'chapels, services being held very seldom in the latter. If there
are 700 places where regular services are held, that would mean
one for every 5> people.
These forces are now increasing by additions from Europe,
14
and since the Panama Congress the Roman Church has greatly
enlarged its activity. But their forces are not adequate even in
the countries mentioned, to say nothing of Ecuador, Colombia,
Bolivia, etc., where the Church is not so well organized.
Sr. F. Garcia Calderon, who is known to many Anglo-Saxon
readers through his book, "Latin America : Its Rise and Pro
gress/' in a later and more balanced study of Latin-American
life, says, in a chapter on religion:
"We do not find in Latin America either an elegant skepticism, a puri
tan religion, or even a mysticism like the Spanish. And her Catholicism
is a limited and official religion. We are witnessing the decadence of
traditional religion. The Church is being converted into a bureaucratic
institution. Its convents attract only those of inferior classes. The ro
bustness of creative convictions, which is the strength of the Biblical men
of North America, the deep interest in human destiny, the stern sense of
duty, the realization of the seriousness of life, do not disturb Latin Amer
ican Catholicism, sensual and linfatic. . . .
"A more active faith, more tolerant than European Catholicism in
which dogma is substituted for action, developed in the midst of an ener
getic race and notwithstanding the opposition of Rome, to-day repudiates
the faith of America, these Byzantine theological discussions, and seeks to
fraternize with all Christian sects which struggle against the invading ma
terialism. Henri Bargy calls this fusion of moral activities 'Christian
positivism' and finds in it a school of practical energy, a sincere desire to
fight for the right, forgetting subtle investigations concerning dogma.
Such a limited religious Americanism also fits the Latin South.
"This liberty of belief doesn't oppose the existence of a national re
ligion. Diverse doctrines will struggle with one another in the American
republics enriched by immigration. Religious disputes which incite ideas
and affirm convictions are preferable to plebeian quiet of indifferent souls.
Privileged and inviolable, the American Church grows weak. It develops
Jacobean hatreds, disputes with civic powers, and a stereotyped clergy.
The free discussion of religion, with the most perfect tolerance, will re
move Catholicism from the parasitical rites to convert it into an active
and conquering religion.
"In the political and economic order, our religious indifference is the
cause of indecision in opinions, of hatred of ideas, and of immorality.
. . . These different republics lack a creed. Their ancient life was linked
to a severe religion. The abandonment of Catholicism in democracies
without moral culture means retrogression to barbarism. ... In the
United States, puritanism is the perpetual defense against the plutocratic
immorality. In the Latin South, only a renovated and profound faith can
give to accumulated riches a national sentiment. An American servant
of Caliban, without clear ideals, coldly atheistic because of mental lazi
ness or indifference, would be an immense mediocre continent, that could
submerge, as did Atlantis, without leaving in human annals the memory
of a secret unrest, a hymn to the gods, or even a passionate skepticism
and tragic doubt." i
*La Creadon de un Continente, F. Garcia Calderon. Libreria de P.
Ollendorf, Paris.
15
Evangelical Missionary Work Is Astonishingly Limited. If
one visits only the capital and port cities of Latin America, he
will be impressed with the smallness of the evangelical work, but
when he visits the smaller cities and towns he will be appalled
at the lack of strength. In Mexico there are states with as many
as a million population where no foreign missionary works.
There are only 200 ordained ministers, both foreign and native, to
preach the gospel to fifteen million people a parish for each of
75,000 souls. Yet a representative of the Guggenheim interests
told me before the revolution that practically a million Mexicans,
one out of 15 of the population, were dependent on that and
allied corporations. To help Mexico teach the eighty per cent,
illiterate in her population, there are altogether 177 mission
schools. American capital has invested a billion dollars in Mex
ico. We have invested for missionary purposes little more than
a thousandth part of that amount. Panama is the center of one
of the most backward parts of the globe. In two of the five re
publics of Central America there is no organized Mission Board
doing any work whatsoever. Our missions support two schools
and one hospital in all of Central America. In little Panama,
which owes its very existence to the United States, there is only
one missionary preaching the simple gospel of Jesus to three
hundred and fifty thousand Spanish-speaking Panamanians.
There are four ordained missionaries in the Republic of Vene
zuela, trying to serve a population of nearly three million. To
educate the eighty-five per cent of her population who cannot
read and write, there are two little primary schools with an en
rollment of 88. In the whole history of this Republic only one
building has ever been erected for school purposes either by
Church or State, and that was a military academy. In Colom
bia, which is larger than Germany, France, Spain and Italy, there
are only two ordained Protestant ministers to every million of
the population. In Ecuador there is practically no established
mission work, and no Protestant church building has ever been
erected in that country.
In the northern half of Peru, a stretch of territory larger than
our thirteen original states, there is not one evangelical mission
ary. There are ten provinces in this historic Republic, all larger
than Holland, where there is no evangelical work. In Bolivia the
Evangelical Church has only 100 members. Great areas in Chile
and Argentina are still untouched by evangelical missionaries,
and only the fringes along the ocean and river frorits of Uruguay
16
and Brazil are occupied. There is not one American missionary
Society at work in the Republic of Paraguay. The greatest
stretch of unevangelized territory in the world is in the center
of South America, including the interior of Brazil, Venezuela,
Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Paraguay. An irregular
figure two thousand miles long and from 500 to 1,500 miles in
width would only include two missionaries. In Northern Brazil
there are seven states, with populations ranging from that of
Maine to that of New Jersey, with no foreign missionary.
As to evangelical educational work, one is simply appalled at
the lack of equipment and provision for faculties. It is a won
derful tribute to the power of Christian education and to the
sacrifice of the teachers, that our schools have been able to do
what they have with such meagre equipment. Some of the
school quarters are likely to be closed by the public authorities as
unsafe or unsanitary. Some of the teachers have never thought
of teaching before, and are acquainted only with antiquated meth
ods. But what wrings one's heart is to find teachers living on
such scanty allowances that not only their clothes are shabby,
but they themselves are constantly below par, physically and
mentally.
At Panama and at other missionary conferences recently, we
have been talking about universities and great colleges for Latin
America. When one sees what we have now and compares it
with what is ordinarily considered indispensable in the homeland
to educational enterprises, it seems ridiculous to talk of develop
ing these great institutions, unless our people are willing to un
dertake our educational program on an entirely new basis.
The Work Among Indians. There are 3,500,000 Indians on
the plateaus of Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia, including the former
Inca Empire. Practically nothing is being done for" them. Going
down into the valley of the Amazon " and through the lowlands
of Bolivia and Paraguay, there are many other millions of In
dians no one knows how many who still live in their savage
state, with no efforts made for them except those of the splendid
little band of missionaries of the South American Missionary So
ciety. I confess that on my first trip to South America, which
did not include visits to much of the interior, I was not greatly
impressed with this need, which now appears to me as the most
imperative of all of our missionary problems in that continent.
No American society is doing anything for the Indians. The
people of South America would gladly welcome our help ; in
* . 17
fact, they wonder why we do not undertake this service. It is
a blot on the missionary zeal of the North American Church that
we are undertaking nothing for these poor, needy creatures.
3. IN EVANGELICAL WORK THERE MUST BE MORE EMPHASIS
UPON THE PRINCIPLE OF SERVICE.
This opinion was strongly expressed in practically every con
ference I had with the workers. While recognizing, as all must,
that there is a continual necessity for publicly presenting in a
strong and definite way, the great fundamental doctrines of the
Christian religion, yet there is a growing feeling that this oan
never be done satisfactorily unless accompanied by a volume of
good works that will reinforce the message. In the past an ex
clusively preaching program has sometimes been considered by
missionaries as the one that would bring the quickest results. A
community service program, while it has appealed to many, has
been objected to because it did not bring the immediate results
demanded by the home constituency.
In this connection three things are worth noting: In the first
place, the preaching program alone does not always give quick
results ; secondly, it is often the missionary rather than the Board
which demands quick results ; thirdly, a Christian contingent is
built up both by the conversion of individuals, and by a gradual
raising of the moral tone of the surrounding community. The
great changes that have taken place at the home base in reference
to an adequate program of Christian service during the last few
years should be reflected by the missions on the field.
Missionaries generally are becoming convinced of the need of
an enlargement of method. One of the questions that I discussed
with groups of Christians everywhere was the strategic religious
approach to Latin Americans. The concensus of opinion of all
the groups was that Latin Americans would like to have a larger
emphasis placed where Christ seemed to place it on loving ser
vice, vivified through direct contact with God. All realized that
the hurt of these peoples is too deep to be healed by any mere
soap and water, or a bread-line or by lectures on hygiene. The
service rendered must lead communities to realize that our mis
sionaries are bringing to them a true water of life.
A program of mere discussion, however able, invites contro
versy and repels advances. Recently a young Chilean of the bet
ter classes became interested in the gospel. He wanted to join
the Church and become a minister, but controversial denomina-
18
tionalism kept him from a decision. "I will do anything for
Christ, but nothing for controversy," is the way he expressed it
to a friend. Educated Latin Americans friendly to the evangeli
cal movement have pointed out the necessity of a practical pro
gram. As a gentleman in Asuncion said, "If you come here to
found a ftew sect, we have no interest in you; but if you come
to help us solve our educational and moral problems, we will bid
you a hearty welcome." A conservative missionary in one of our
conferences said that we might as well expect to convert these
people to Mohammedanism as to the program which we Protes
tants are now proposing to them.. When one considers the very
small impress we have so far made on the great mass of Latin
Americans, he wonders how far such a statement is exagger
ated. Whether we like it or not, it is very evident that without
more than a preaching program, we may be in cities like Buenos
Aires, Havana, Lima and Santiago the rest of the age, and still
the people will be ignorant of or indifferent to our presence.
A professor in the Normal School in Peru said : "The kind of
religion we would accept would be one that emphasized beauty,
love and service one that takes you away from fear. I left
the Catholic Church because they were always talking about the
iiifierno. Maybe it will be as horrible as they say, but I propose
to have at least a little respite from it. We want something en
couraging, not an everlasting threat. Teach us a religion that
exalts life and service and we will accept it."
Latin America needs a religion that will help solve the national
problems as well as those of individuals. In discussing with a
thoughtful Chilean the question of a probable uprising of the
common people of that country against the privileged classes, he
said that the only hope he saw of preventing it, was that the
Protestant Church might develop sufficient strength to bring
about the reforms necessary by educational methods. It is the
only hope for the solution of a large number of industrial,
economic, moral, social and political problems that multiply so
rapidly in these countries. With the mistakes of the Ango-Saxon
countries as a guide, the new industrialism might be developed
so as to prevent the exploitation of women and children or the
clashing of labor and capital ; and to encourage the development
of proper philanthropic organizations, of eleemosynary institu
tions, of recreative facilities for the young and of an educational
system that will put morality first ! But Protestantism is far
from even realizing its possibilities, much less from making a
19
practical contribution to the working out of these problems in
most of Latin America.
The revolution in Mexico is going to teach our Latin-Ameri
can churches a good many things. Already it has driven the
churches there together, forcing them into a cooperative program
of service that before the war seemed impossible of realization.
The last national convention bristled with suggestions for service
to the people. The many new problems of education, of social
betterment and of physical improvement which Mexico faces, is
making the churches realize that they will not appeal to the Mexi
can people unless they prove themselves capable of providing
practical help in this time of reconstruction. The leaders of the
different denominations at the recent National Convention laid
the map of Mexico down before them and asked what was neces
sary to reach every part of the country with a gospel that would
save in the present world as well as in the future. A readjust
ment of denominational territory was considered of no more im
portance than a readjustment of the Church's program in order
that it may serve the whole people. It is doubtful whether the
present large cooperative program would have been reached in
years if the revolution had not broken up much of the old pro
gram, exposed the folly of denominational narrowness, and made
unprecedented opportunities for a united evangelical church in
Mexico, the only kind capable of fully entering these open doors.
The need of getting together, exposed in Mexico by revolution,
has been made clear by slower forms of evolution elsewhere in
Latin America. What the appeal to avoid denominational over
lapping has failed to do, the facing of great need, clearly demon
strated by indisputable facts, is beginning to accomplish. The
extension of our work into great, needy fields has been the appeal
that has brought our Christian forces in recent months to a
friendly division of territory in Mexico, Cuba, Panama, Peru,
Bolivia, Argentina and Paraguay. For it was only by this wiser
distribution of forces that unoccupied fields could be entered.
A similar motive has controlled the adjustments in the matter
of literature. As soon as the need of souls that are perishing
comes to be studied, a united program for literature is made easy.
Such a program will provide for union book depositories in Mex
ico City, Havana, Santiago, Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro,
with union papers in Mexico City and Lima.
So it is that whenever the service side of Christianity is
strongly felt, cooperation is made easier. When the evangelical
20
churches in Latin America begin to feel the demand for a service
program, as the European and North American churches have
felt it since the beginning of the war, more than ever their leaders
will welcome it. Specially trained missionaries and proper equip
ment are necessary for its inauguration. If every Board could
send at least one well-balanced missionary, specially trained in
social service, to each of its Latin-American fields, and if an
adequate literature on the subject could be made available for the
national churches, remarkable results would soon be seen.
4. THE TRAINING OF NATIVE LEADERSHIP Is THE GREATEST
NEED.
There is no doubt that practically all of our missionary prob
lems revolve around this one of the proper training of leaders.
Missionary leaders who studied the Latin-American field for the
first time at Panama, almost immediately pointed out this as the
supreme need. Every Regional Conference emphasized it. Yet
not until I had made this visit did it seem to me of such absolute
importance, the one clamoring need. The strength of the Church
in Brazil is a constant illustration of the results of the good train
ing of ministers. The Presbyterians entered Colombia four years
before they entered Brazil, but the difference in result is tre
mendous. Many things account for this difference. But who
can doubt that if the same emphasis had been put on a trained
native ministry in Colombia (where to-day they have not one
ordained native), as was the case in Brazil, that the former coun
try would be far better off to-day? Peru and Bolivia are diffi
cult fields. But if the Methodist and Evangelical Union mission
aries had carefully trained a number of native preachers, would
they not be able to count to-day more than 500 members in these
two countries ? They have been working in Peru for a quarter of
a century and have altogether only five ordained Peruvian min
isters, none of whom has ever received any training except that
gotten by accompanying a busy missionary for a year or two.
A worker in Chile told me that in seventy years the Church there
had not developed a single leader whose influence was felt outside
the ranks of the humbler classes.
This is not the fault of the ministers themselves, but of the
missions that fail to provide the proper training. I asked the
assistant pastor of a large church in Chile, of which a missionary
was the pastor, if he were a graduate of the seminary. No, he
had had two or three years at the side of one of the missionaries,
21
being- instructed in the Bible and watching the missionary work,
and had then gone into 'the ministry. When I pressed upon him
the need of going to the seminary and urged that he could never
expect to do a large service unless he was thoroughly prepared,
and that it would be worth while for him to delay his ministry
several years more to acquire this preparation, he replied : "What
can I do? The work is here to be done, and the missionaries
insist that they cannot do without .me. There are not nearly
enough men to go around now, so I must stay by the work."
This has been the story all through our mission work in Latin
America. Young men with a few years at the side of a mission
ary, without any training in thinking through problems, without
any ability to develop an independent policy for their churches,
lacking even the power to digest a book, have been thrust into
service. That they often make mistakes that drive them from
the ministry, that they never get away from the apron-strings
of the Mission, and that they cannot reach- people who do inde
pendent thinking, is little of their fault.
What few seminaries or training schools have existed in our
missions have been conducted by men who are overburdened with
other work. The director of the Methodist Seminary in Argen
tina is, in addition to his work as superintendent of an important
district, treasurer of the largest mission in South America, and
chairman of the Church Building Association ! There is not a
seminary in all South America to which even one professor is
giving all his time. The students likewise are generally -loaded
down with outside work, so that their studies are only secondary.
A Proposed Program of Cooperation. It is necessary that for
this inefficient system a vital program of real training should be
established. Should it cost the shifting of every missionary from
all the churches and schools now opened, with a complete reor
ganization of the entire work, we ought to pay the price. In
some missions it would have this result if they had to bear the
whole burden. But by the cooperation of all missions concerned,
it can be effected without putting on any one church a burden
greater than it is able to bear.
The program for South America, as suggested by the deputa
tion holding the Regional Conferences, consisted of union semi
naries in Lima, Santiago, Rio de Janeiro and Montevideo. The
latter was proposed as a graduate seminary, a "Faculty of The
ology and Social Sciences," where the best graduates of the other
schools and ministers already in the work could get advanced
courses that would thoroughly fit them to be the Church's leaders.
The Union Seminary in Chile has been organized for several
years and only needs strengthening. The one in Lima should re
ceive immediate attention. The one in Brazil is well along the
road to organization. As the only one in Portuguese and des
tined for the use of all Brazil, where the Evangelical Church is
larger than in any other field, it should have a specially strong
faculty. The general opinion of the workers is that the Graduate
Seminary should be begun immediately, and that no single enter
prise in all South America will more advance the interests of all
than this one. A committee has been working on the project,
and several Boards have expressed their interest : The Methodist
Episcopal, the Presbyterian U. S. A., the Young Men's Christian
Association, the Disciples of Christ, the Congregationalists and
the Southern Methodists. The missionaries in Spanish-speaking
South America are unanimous in their advocacy of the plan.
Some opposition has developed in Brazil, principally for two
reasons : some have thought that its success meant the providing
of a second-rate training school in Brazil; others object, also,
that the similarity of Portuguese to Spanish is not close enough
to permit the free attendance of Brazilian students. Even if
Brazil refused to unite upon the scheme, the school should be
established. When established with a strong faculty, especially
if Brazil was represented on that faculty, the graduate seminary
will attract Brazilian students. Both the General Assembly of
the Brazilian Presbyterian Church and the Conference of the
Methodist Church in Southern Brazil have endorsed the sem
inary.
It is impossible to estimate the influence that a center of sound
scholarship like this will have on the elevation of the whole Evan
gelical Church in South America, as well as the respect it will
command for our cause among outsiders. The reasons for its
location in Montevideo, The Hague of South America, are dis
cussed in the section of this report on Uruguay. Located there
in a natural center, it may be influential, not alone for the pro
fessional training, but in the production of Christian literature.
If the entrance qualifications are made as high as they should
be, there will be few theological students at the outset. But
there are undoubtedly young men in state institutions who will
prepare for the ministry when a real training is made available.
Many men now in the Government and other leading positions
23
could have been won for the ministry if there had been a theo
logical seminary which challenged their abilities and offered them
a life program. Ministers also who long for added preparation,
and who, but for language and financial difficulties, would study
in the United States, will take advantage of the opportunities of
this seminary. Even if the student body is very small at first,
the faculty can well occupy its time in the development of Chris
tian Literature and delivering apologetic lectures to the public.
Many difficulties arise in the establishing of such an institution.
There is always a temptation, in view of such genuine hindrances,
to delay. But the best judgment Dr. Browning and I have been
able to gather strongly recommends a beginning of the enterprise
next year. There is a suitable property in Montevideo that can
probably be rented very reasonably. A small faculty can make
a start. Permanent buildings and rigid plans should await de
velopments.
The Union Seminary of Mexico was opened in Mexico City in
May, with three professors giving their whole time and the fol
lowing churches cooperating: Presbyterian U. S. A., Methodist
Episcopal, Congregational, Methodist Episcopal South, Presby
terian U. S., Disciples and Friends. A beginning in cooperation
in the theological education has been made in Porto Rico, and
the consummation of the plan only awaits the display of a little
persistence. In Cuba, where the need is outstanding and the
difficulties not so great, definite plans have not been worked out,
but doubtless soon will be. A theological department can readily
be provided in connection with the proposed international and in
terdenominational college at Panama for Central America, Co
lombia and Venezuela.
The prompt carrying out of these practical plans present no
great difficulties. With holy boldness and zeal every project of
them could well be established in three years, and thus be
achieved the one thing that would make the development of the
native Church absolutely sure.
The People Must Be Reached Through Their Own Nationals.
Another phase of the problem of leadership is pointed out in
the following, from Rev. E. M. Foster of Arequipa :
"As I look around me T find that about sixty per cent, of my ordinary
male congregation are journeymen shoemakers. The remainder are em
ployed in unskilled labor of various kinds. The better class people are
practically untouched. I do not for a moment wish to indicate that these
dear souls are valueless, for they are not. They have their work to do in
preparing the soil for the reconstruction of society, but they cannot do
24
more. Ignorant and still largely superstitious, they are not the stuff from
which leaders are made, and the need of capable leaders is one of the
greatest drawbacks to the work in Peru to-day. If this country is to be
adequately evangelized, it must be by a native church directed by native
leaders, and for the creation of these leaders we must have schools.
Those will lead best who have been longest under our influence and
training."
Visitors to Latin American who have seen many Government
officials and others of the intellectual classes in the evangelical
churches of Japan, China, India and other fields, often speak of
the lack of such in our Latin-American churches. One reason,
no doubt, is found in the fact that in none of these lands is there
such opposition to our work as there is in Latin America. To
be an evangelical in Latin America often costs a man his position.
The constitutions of most of the countries provide that a Presi
dent of the Republic must be a Roman Catholic. This prejudice,
however, is not a sufficient explanation. The national evangelical
leaders have not had the training to present the gospel to the
educated classes. But the national, rather than the missionary, is
the one who can best do it, once he has the training.
We need to change our conception of the missionary task in
many of these fields. Missionaries are doing much work that
they had better be training nationals to do. The Chilean workers
were right in protesting against sending several new foreign
missionaries without making any provision for the increase in
Chilean ministers. It would seem that missionaries who are sent
hereafter to Latin America, except to some of the newest and
most backward fields, should increasingly be specialists sent out
to do some particular work in connection with the training of
leaders or with the development of the native Church.
V. THE NECESSITY OF BETTER UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE
FORCES IN THE FIELD AND THE HOME ADMINISTRATIO-N.
Everywhere I was impressed with the fact that missionaries
knew little about what is in the mind of their home Boards, and
had the feeling that the Boards gave too little study to their field.
Of the great interdenominational and union movements that at
present so dominate the missionary administration at home, there
is little understanding on the field. Few knew anything about
the work of the Annual Foreign Missions Conference, the Home
Missions Council, the Missionary Education Movement, the
Board of Missionary Preparation, the development of union in
stitutions and united churches in other mission fields. While
some Boards carefully provide their missionaries with literature
25
on interdenominational topics, I found that many workers had
not even received the reports of the Panama Congress, and based
their grotesque ideas of it on misrepresentative pamphlets which
have been carefully distributed through all Latin America.
The Necessity of More Frequent Visitation of Fields. This
lack of close relationship between the home base and the field is
due partly to the infrequent visits of home representatives. The
Presbyterian Mission had been established in Chile for nearly
fifty years before a secretary of the Board visited it. A number
of missions had never had a visit from any one connected with
their Board. The great number of Christian travelers and sup
porters of missions who have helped so much to keep the Church
in the Orient and the Occident connected, have been absent from
Latin America. When secretaries do go, they sometimes hurry
through, so that they get very erroneous views of conditions.
Even the churches with Episcopal supervision suffer greatly.
The Southern Methodist Bishop for Brazil has not been able to
attend the last two annual conferences, and former visits have
been all too brief to decide momentous questions which are be
fore that body. The resident Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal
Church has such a tremendous territory that it is impossible to
give it adequate attention. As for the policy of changing bishops
every few years, it is hardly too strong to say that it has worked
havoc in the Church's organization.
Let us not think that we save money by not sending repre
sentatives of the Mission Boards more often to Latin America.
The traveling expenses home of any number of missionaries
could have been saved if a wise secretary had visited their field
and helped them solve the difficulties which drive the missionary
to an abandonment of his work. Many workers are wearing their
life out in uncongenial positions when they might be -doing, with
marked success, another work, if only there was some one with
authority and judgment and love' to see that such adjustments
were made.
There is also the element of loneliness. It was worth a trip
to South America to grasp the hands of some of the lonely mis
sionaries in Bolivia, Southern Chile, and Northern Argentina;
and in the Amazon regions, workers whose eagerness for news
from the outside world and for information concerning devel
opments of the Church in its progress toward unity and service,
touches one's heart profoundly. Some of these workers have so
identified themselves with their field that they are more saddened
26
than helped by their occasional furloughs. Returning to North
America, they find their own secretaries carrying great burdens
and only being able to give them a few minutes of time now and
then, snatched from other important duties. They are rushed
around from one church to another, making speeches to audiences
that are often unsympathetic. The brusqueness of old friends
is so different from the suavity of the Latins with whom they
have been living that they feel strangely out of place. Financial
limitations or an ignorance of how to make the contacts do not
permit them to spend their time amid spiritual and educational
influences that would restore their souls. So, after a hard ex
perience of church campaigning and a visit with the home folks,
they return to their fields, sometimes greatly discouraged. And
so goes on the tremendous loss of efficiency that is caused by a
lack of understanding between the missionary and his home con
stituency.
It seems imperative that there shall be less "desk administra
tion" and more personal visitation by Board administrators in
Latin America. These countries are changing at a tremendous
pace. My three years' absence left me amazed. No field in the
world offers quite the complications, at least religious and politi
cal, that Latin America does. Money will be saved, time will be
saved, friction will be saved, souls will be saved, by such per
sonal visitation. A trip to Latin America does not now involve
any great difficulties. In nearly eight months of travel I did
not miss one appointment. Our Christian business men and
women should be encouraged to make these visits also. They
could be of great assistance to the work and, at the same time,
could see a new and interesting part of the world.
The service I have been able to render on this trip has seemed
to me to outrank that given during all the rest of my service
with the Committee on Cooperation. Our committee can only
render its best service by supporting frequent personal contacts
with the field. At the earliest possible moment the Executive
Secretary should visit that part of the field not yet touched:
Central America, the Antilles, Colombia an 1 Venezuela. It is
heartening to know that our Educational Secretary for South
America, Dr. Browning, will be continually visiting among the
workers of that continent. Many have expressed the hope that
the Chairman of the Committee on Cooperation may soon make
an extended visit to the field.
The Need of More Definite Plans. Many missionaries seem to
27
feel that their Boards do not have a definite, concrete plan for
developing their field ; and, vice versa, Boards are often doubtful
as to the definite lines of advance missionaries believe necessary.
In many cases it appears that the program is simply "to do
with their might what their hands find to do." As one experi
enced missionary says :
"Unhappily in Brazil few plans exist for religious work. Each denom
ination, and it might be said each worker, does what seems best to him
without referring the matter to any one else, with rare exceptions. In
certain places new missionaries substitute the older ones, and on account
of lack of direction upset plans and tried projects, introducing new ideas
and new objectives, many times exactly opposite to the older ones. The
result of all this is easily perceived. In place of advancing the work, it is
retarded."
How can this matter best be remedied ? When one presents a
project to the Mission Boards, he is often told that nothing can
be done till the matter is submitted to the field. On the other
hand, one of the most frequent questions asked by missionaries
was, "What does the Board plan to do?" I think most of our
Latin-American missionaries push oft" on the Boards too much
of the responsibility. They ought to take it for granted, where
not indicated directly to the contrary, that their Boards are in
favor of a forward program in their own missions, and they
would want to have their proper share in interdenominational en
terprises that faith still removes mountains, and that good strat
egy is still, "First ponder, then dare."
On the other hand, the Boards should do their part. If they
must keep the missionary poor, it is not equally necessary to keep
him humble. Let him see visions and dream dreams. The work
is not suffering from too large plans, but from too small ones.
When a missionary has most of his contracts for twenty years
with people who go to bed hungry every night, he cannot be ex
pected to realize the growth of the Church in other places, and
the possibility of commanding great resources by projecting a
really great program. Especially is this true if the Board, while
making great calls on the home Church, is through the years
writing him letters of caution. How much more stimulating it
would be to encourage each mission to submit an inclusive pro
gram for development ; then, for the Board to take this as a
basis, enlarging, balancing, verifying and adjusting it in accord
ance with the method followed in the case of other projects con
ducted to-day in the homeland.
28
After two years of investigations and conferences which have
rarely been equalled on any other mission field in thoroughness
and scope, there is no lack of material for making a careful plan
for the next ten years for each Latin-American field.
Such a definite program is imperative, not only for the sake
of the field, but for enlisting the high-tide of interest in Latin
America now found both among the prospective missionaries and
among missionary supporters.
President Wilson is said to favor "speeding up the war." We
must speed up our missionary work in Lattin America. There
have been won barely 100,000 church members so far. 1 At this
rate, it will take a millenium for the accomplishment of the task
before the evangelical churches. This ought not to be true.
Enlarging the Work of the Committee on Cooperation. How
ever, if we are to "speed up" our war, there is need not only that
every Board and Mission individually do its utmost, but also that
their work be increasingly coordinated through a "Central War
Council." My tour has shown me that the Central Committee on
Cooperation in Latin America and the Regional Committees have
a far larger field of service than we have even suspected. Be
sides acting as a Board of strategy to plan certain united move
ments in schools and presses and territorial occupation, we should
contribute more largely to keeping up the morale of the men at
the front. Contracts with interdenominational committees can
not be expected to take the place of that with their own Boards.
But in the matter of keeping the workers informed, by literature
and personal correspondence, of the advance movements of the
Kingdom, the Committee on Cooperation could make a most val
uable contribution that would be deeply appreciated by those far
removed from such movements. Letters and articles to evangeli
cal and secular papers on the field would do much in this direc
tion. Much literature distributed free by philanthropic and edu
cational movements could be gotten into the hands of the work
ers with no more expense than the time employed in collecting it.
This service should be extended to helping the missionaries on
furlough, and the Latin-American pastors, who are increasingly
planning to visit North America.
1 It can be fairly said that we have had half a century to experiment.
The South American Missionary Society, which backed Allan Gardiner,
was founded in 1844. David Trumbull landed in Valparaiso in 1846. Dr.
Kelly began his work in Brazil in 1855, while H. B. Pratt wejit to Colom
bia in 1856.
29
The Regional Committee will become increasingly valuable aids
to the individual Boards. Three of these had been delayed in
their organization by opposition from those who misunderstood
the purpose of the whole cooperative movement. These misun
derstandings have been removed by personal visitation. Before I
reached one field, a prominent missionary declared that the com
mittee's program should be blocked. When he discovered that
the committee had no secret scheme or preconceived plans to
force on his field, he became one of the most helpful contribu
tors. At the present time each Regional Committee is well or
ganized. The confidence of members in one another will increase
as they work together ; at present the work is largely limited to
the development of certain interdenominational institutions. Soon
they will be working together on the more difficult questions in
volved in the development of the National Church, those of self-
support, of the relations between missionaries and nationals, of
the administration of missionary and national funds, and of the
projection of the Church into the unreached classes. These Re
gional Committees will be of incalculable help to Boards at home
in solving all such problems. It would dignify the work of these
committees if Boards would request their missionaries to refer
certain problems to their regional organizations.
I found some cases where Boards had never indicated to their
workers that they recognized either the central or regional Com
mittees on Cooperation as helpful agencies in solving their prob
lems, yet at home these same Boards are active in supporting the
central committee.
If each Board would encourage its representatives to regard
their membership on the proper Regional Committee as a serious
part of their work, they would feel more like giving the definite
time necessary to this service. Many union enterprises suffer be
cause those responsible for them are loaded down with other
work in their own mission, and no provision has been made for
the time and money spent in attending interdenominational con
ferences and in serving union institutions. Yet this service is con
sidered not only legitimate, but indispensable in the work . of
Board secretaries to-day at home. Why should it not be so in
the field? The Regional Committees need funds for the efficient
performance of their tasks, and an increasing number of men to
be set aside to carry on specific details of their interdenomina
tional work.
Funds invested in the program of cooperation bring large fle-
30
turns. Probably no money Mission Boards have spent in Latin
America for a long time has been more wisely used than that
which paid the expenses of representatives from the field to the
Panama Congress. Wherever one meets a worker who attended
the Congress, he immediately recognized a spirit of progress,
open-mindedness and faith, who can be counted on for coopera
tion and advance. It was very striking to see how much those
workers, when delegates to the Congress, had grown since I saw
them at their work three years ago. I was often told that even
the questionaires sent out were a great stimulant to workers who
were there to face questions and make investigations that had
never occurred to them before. It seems well established that the
work of the Committee on Cooperation so far has been earnestly
worth while.
With this encouraging record, and ever remembering that its
functions are "consultative and advisory, not legislative or man
datory," the Committee on Cooperation in Latin America should,
I believe, seriously face a much larger program than it has here
tofore conceived to be its duty.
31
III. THE COOPERATIVE PROGRAM IN
LATIN AMERICA.
The failure of the World Missionary Conference to discuss the
problems of Latin America, and the growing interest in these
lands on account of the opening of the Panama Canal and other
Pan-American developments, led the Foreign Missionary Confer
ence of North America to appoint, in 1913, a committee to or
ganize a small conference on Latin America. At this conference,
held in New York in 1913, a committee was appointed to deal
with questions of cooperation in Latin America. This committee
was afterward enlarged by practically all the Boards working in
Latin America officially appointing members of it. The Panama
Congress was an outgrowth of the work of this organization,
which came to be called the Committee on Cooperation in Latin
America.
After ten days of facing the tremendous needs of Latin Amer
ica, the Panama Congress felt that it was necessary to develop a
great united advance in these countries. The Committee on Co
operation was asked to make itself thoroughly representative of
all the Christian forces of Europe and North America serving
Latin America, and to act as a continuation committee for the
Congress. The war prevented the organization of the European
section, but the North American section began its work at once.
Immediately after the Panama Congress, deputations visited all
parts of Latin America and held Regional Conferences, at which
time were organized Regional Committees on Cooperation. The
findings of the Panama Congress and the Regional Conferences
proposed a number of different steps along the Ifnes of the de
lineation of territory, cooperation in the production of Christian
literature, evangelical education, and an adequate training for the
Christian ministry.
The visit of which this is a report, was undertaken as Execu
tive Secretary of the Committee on Cooperation in Latin Amer
ica, in connection with this program, as is shown by the following
letter from Mr. Robert E. Speer :
"As you are about to start on the visit to Latin America, under instruc
tions from the Committee on Cooperation in Latin America, representing
the American Mission Boards working in the Latin American countries,
32
it may be well for me, as Chairman of the Committee, to hand you this
formal note of authorization.
"The deputation which visited South America after the Panama Con
gress, held in February, 1916, recommended in its report to the Committee
on Cooperation in Latin America that, as soon as it could be arranged,
you as Secretary of the Committee should be commissioned to make a
tour of the entire mission field of Latin America with sufficient time for
full conferences with the Regional Committees for study of the problems .
on the field and for unhurried personal conversations with the workers
and to bring to them and to the churches the assurance of the interest
and support of the Mission Boards at Home and of the desire of the
Latin American Committee, representing the Boards, to be of help to the
missions in whatever way might be found practicable. This recommenda
tion of the deputation was approved by the Executive Committee of the
Committee on Cooperation and subsequently by the full committee at the
annual meeting in January, 1917.
"The understanding of the Committee on Cooperation is that you will
bear its greetings to all the missionary agencies working in Latin America,
and assure them of the committee's desire to be of any possible service to
them. Please make clear that the committee is not an external agency,
but is simply the cooperative activity of the different Boards, and that its
function is simply to provide a channel for efficient effort in those activi
ties where the Boards find it to their interest and the interest of their
work to act cooperatively. You are desired to meet with the Regional
Committees in the various fields, to confer with the missionaries in the
freest and fullest way, to learn from them their judgments and desires,
and to bring back to the Boards and to the Committee on Cooperation a
report as to what can wisely be done in forwarding the work in Latin
America."
The trip was probably the most inclusive that has been made by
any representative of an American missionary organization. It
was eminently worth while. With only a few hours face to face
with workers, misunderstandings, both as to local matters and
the cooperative program, were removed which otherwise might
have delayed the cooperative program for many years.
In regard to the Committee on Cooperation and the Regional
Committees, I endeavored to make at least the following points'
clear :
1. That all committees are primarily, for conference. Any one
that is willing to sit around a council table and discuss the ad-
vancement of the Kingdom need not hesitate to accept member
ship ; that no member promised to do more.
2. That no action of either committee was more than a recom
mendation to the various cooperating bodies, to be approved or
rejected as they saw fit.
3. That unanimous cooperation was not necessary ; if any two
or more bodies wished to enter a cooperative enterprise, and
33
others, for reasons of polity or otherwise, did not care to entei
there should be no embarrassment on either side.
4. That they do not in any way take the place of the Board
and the Missions and their direct relationship between one an
other. The Committee on Cooperation only assumes authorit
to direct when the constituent bodies request it in special cases.
5. That the Committee on Cooperation has no extraneous pro
gram or pet schemes to force on the field. No plan will b
pushed that does not commend itself to the best judgment of th
field.
6. That the Committee on Cooperation is not an irresponsibl
body, created by a group interested in a special program, but i
officially representative of the Mission Boards which have ead
appointed its member.
7. That the judgments of the Regional Committees, composei
of the leading workers in the country, while not mandatory, wil
have great weight with the home constituency, and that these ar
the natural bodies in which the Boards' expect all interdenomi
national matters to receive attention.
In only two cases had the Regional Committees already beei
able to completely organize, and in each of these there was a hesi
tation as to methods of attaining the desired ends. It must b
remembered that organized cooperation among missionary bodie
in Latin America is practically a new thing. There are no prece
dents to guide. Workers felt hampered by not understandin|
their Boards' wishes, or just how far the missionaries themselve
were to lead. Doubtful matters were cleared up and the completi
organization of Regional Committees in Mexico, Cuba, Peru
Panama, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina (including Uruguay and Para
guay), and Brazil, was accomplished along the definite planning
and in many cases actual beginning of the following cooperativ<
movements :
MEXICO: A Union Theological Seminary;* a Union Printing
Plant; a Union depository and paper; delimitation of territtory/
CUBA : Union Depository ;* allocation of a missionary for hi:
whole time as Secretary of the Committee on Conference it
Cuba ;* a better distribution of forces ;* a Cooperative Social Ser
vice Program.
PANAMA : An International Union Christian College ; a bettei
division of work.*
PERU: A division of the field into three parts among the 'thre<
Societies ;* a Union paper ;* a Union Theological Seminary.
34
BOLIVIA: A division of territory;* a participation with Peru
in the Union paper*, and a Union Seminary.
CHILE : An interdenominational Academy for the education of
the Church's children ; a Union Normal School ; a strengthening
of the Union paper and of the Union Theological Seminary;* a
Union depository in Santiago.
ARGENTINA : A Union depository in Buenos Aires ; a Union
educational work* and a division of territory between the Meth
odists and the Disciples of Christ.*
BRAZIL : Union Theological Seminary ; a Union depository,
and a University Federation* of the evangelical schools in Brazil.
PORTO Rico, the one other center where a Regional Committee
is organized, was not included on this trip. There is a mission
ary giving all of his time to the secretaryship of the Committee
on Cooperation in Porto Rico, with the Union paper, a Union de
pository and several interdenominational, educational enterprises.
A much longer list of projects could have been approved, but
it was thought best to push nothing that the field is not ready
for and the accomplishment of which is not entirely feasible im
mediately.
The Committee on Cooperation in Latin America now has three
secretaries, all missionaries allocated by their Boards to the spe
cial service, as follows: Executive Secretary, Samuel G. Inman,
25 Madison Avenue, New York ; Editorial Secretary, George B.
Winton, 2211 Highland Avenue, Nashville, Tenn. ; Educational
Secretary for South America, Webster E. Browning, 2126 Calle
Chana, Montevideo, Uruguay. Two missionaries are giving all
their time as secretaries of Regional Committees : Sylvester
Jones, Egido 12, Havana, Cuba; Philo W. Drury, Apt. 423,
Ponce, Porto Rico. Juan Ortz Gonzales has just been allocated
'to the Literature Department of the Central Committee as trans
lator. George P. Howard of Buenos Aires is giving half of his
itime as Continental Secretary of the World's Sunday School As
sociation.
The following questionaire was used as the basis of meetings
with the Regional Committees and in conferences with various
groups of workers.
1. How far have the findings of the Regional Conference on Survey
and Occupation been carried out? What further steps are necessary to
attain these recommendations?
*Projects marked with asterisk are already begun.
35
2. Is it desirable to make a scientific and thorough study of your field
at this time? If so, what is the most practical plan for its accomplish
ment?
3. What phases of the gospel need the greatest emphasis at the pres
ent time?
4. How can evangelical work more largely influence the life of the
community at large and raise the moral standards of those outside the
church attendants?
5. Is the time ripe for a united evangelistic campaign in your field,
and, if so, what should characterize its preparation, conduct, and conserva
tion of results?
6. How far have the Regional Conference Findings on Education
been carried out, and what practical steps are necessary for the comple
tion of the program outlined?
7. What suggestions have you concerning the work of the newly ap
pointed Educational Secretary of the Committee on Cooperation in Latin
America?
8. What facts and tendencies in government education do you consider
most significant from the point of view of missionary education?
9. How can theological education in South America be strengthened?
10. How can the carrying out of the Regional Conference Findings on
Literature be assured?
11. What suggestions have you concerning the work of the newly
appointed Editorial Secretary of the Committee on Cooperation in Latin
America?
12. What suggestions have you concerning the new books that the
Committee on Cooperation proposes to prepare on (1) Apologetics; (2)
Personal Work; (3) Community Betterment; (4) Religious Education;
(5) a Bible Commentary?
13. Is a Union Depository practicable and desirable in your field?
14. How can a larger number of Christian leaders be developed?
15. What more can be done toward the establishment of self-support
ing and self-propagating churches?
16. To what practical conclusion does the study by the Panama and
Regional Conferences concerning woman's work point?
17. What is the judgment of the evangelical forces and the public in
general concerning the Panama and Regional Conferences ? How widely
are the reports of these gatherings being circulated?
18. Is your Regional Committee satisfactorily organized and are its
relations with the various missions arranged for the best service? Can
the present officers and committeemen give sufficient time to the work to
carry out the cooperative program projected, or should provision be made
for allocating men for certain parts of the work? How may the Com
mittee on Cooperation in Latin America best serve the work on the field?
19. Are there any marked changes taking place in the Roman Catholic
Church in your field? What is the general attitude of government officials
and prominent citizens toward the evangelical work at the present time?
20. Is interest in religion growing among the working, the commercial
classes, the student classes, professional men and officials?
*21. How far are the questions of Socialism, industrial development,
the land problem, immigration, and similar problems influencing your
field?
22. What effect is the European War having on the people in general
and on the enlargement, financing, and spiritual life of the evangelical
churches?
36
23. What changes are taking place in regard to national spirit and
international friendship ?
24. What are the outstanding needs of your field? What particular
considerations do you desire to have brought before the missionary so
cieties and the home constituency?
My notebooks are filled with information concerning each of
these questions, and it has been a difficult task to select material
for a report. The following chapters were written in the coun
tries they describe, and it has seemed best to give them as first
written rather than reorganize the material in a more logical but
less personal way.
37
IV. MEXICO
I spent four weeks in Mexico. Entering at Piedras Negras,
my old home, I had several days at that city, in Saltillo and
Monterey, eight days in the capital, and four in Vera Cruz,
thus traversing practically the length of the Republic. As soon
as I had succeeded in getting away from all the fears incurred as
a result of two years' residence in the United States, I traveled
about with little less discomfort than usual. At Havana I got
my first New York papers and found on the first page, "Washing
ton Rumor of Mexican Revolt Concerned over Report Carranza
has been overthrown Washinigton out of Communication with
Mexico City for Several Days." On that very day the papers in
Mexico City were reporting the details of the war discussions in
Washington, and there was absolute calm in the National Palace,
where General Carranza was as serenely transacting business as
ever.
I had been anxious to see the General again and learn whether
he had really changed, since the time when as Governor of the
State of Coahuila, I knew him. Then we talked by the hour
over the problems of education and taxation, when nothing was
further from his mind than becoming a soldier. His faith in the
common Mexican seemed to me then to be ideal. I remember
his telling me about what his old grandfather did when there was
a dispute between him and another citizen about the mayoralty.
To settle the latter, the people who were in favor of one side
were asked to line up on one side of the plaza, and those opposed
on the opposite side. The majority ruled.
In Coahuila our families visited back and forth and the Car-
ranzas were as good neighbors as we ever had. Sefiora Carranza
and the two young lady daughters were quiet, unpretentious
people of what we would call the upper middle class. When the
fighting got so bad that the General had to put himself at the
head of his troops, and it was no longer safe for the rest of his
family to stay in Mexico, it was our sad privilege to take them
in our carriage across the International bridge into Texas. In
its center, where the monument marks the boundary between the
two nations, the husband and father bade good-bye to his loved
ones. After witnessing that scene, I could never believe stories
attacking his moral character.
So it was a real pleasure to find him here as the President-
38
elect of the nation, the same simple, honest man with the same
quiet purpose and the same dogged determination that I had
known before. Reports indicate that conditions are steadily im
proving since the beginning of the constitutional regime.
I found everywhere a cordial regard for the work of Protestant
Missions. This is natural, when so many of the officials have
been educated in evangelical institutions. I found men occupying
prominent positions everywhere I went who had been pupils in
our mission schools, or who had known the work and had reason
to be thankful for what it had done.
It is in the hands of these young fellows that one finds the
destinies of Mexico at the present time. They are often, very
often, without experience, yet they are forward looking fellows.
The young mayor of Piedras Negras came to the night classes
in the People's Institute not over six years ago, when he could
scarcely read. It is not surprising, therefore, to find that he has
all kinds of schemes in hand for night classes, public baths, read
ing rooms, and similar facilities along the lines he saw worked
out at the Institute. And he is not only willing but really hunger
ing to be led by those who can show him how to improve his
people by these modern means.
On finding it necessary to ask some favors of the superin
tendent of the Pullman Service of Mexico, I discovered the posi-
'tion was held by a young man who several years ago had worked
in the railroad shops in Piedras Negras. He appeared at my
office one day and said that his life was such a failure that he
had decided to put an end to it ; but something he had seen in
our reading room gave him a little hope, and if I thought it was
worth while for him to live, he would be willing to follow my
exact directions, like a physician's prescription. We prescribed
how he was to spend his time, his attitude of mind, and every
detail of his life. In a little while people were remarking on the
change even in his features. He became the brightest pupil in
our night classes, the leader in his labor union, and about a year
later joined the Church. I had lost track of him for some time,
and now find him in this high position.
These are illustrations of work done by the People's Institute
during six years of revolution, when it has never been closed.
It confirms by actual experiment, during a most difficult period,
the value of this kind of work for Latin America. It was organ
ized in order that the community as a unit might receive the
impact of our Christianity, and appreciate the social and political,
as well as the theological significance of the teachings of Jesus.
39
The uniqueness of the Institute does not consist so much in its
methods of service such as night classes, circulating^ libraries,
out-door gymnasium, cooking classes, community debating clubs,
lectures on social, educational and religious themes, and such
things. It consists rather in the persistent insistence that this
movement is of, for and by the people. It was because the insti
tute said to the people, "We are here to help you solve your prob
lems, to lose ourselves in your life and your struggles," instead
of saying, "We are here to ask you to help us build up an organi
zation which we, as foreigners, have found to be the saving
quality in our own nation's life," that the work became known
and loved, in a remarkable degree by its own community.
Sitting in the reception room of the People's Institute after
having examined its work, then Governor now President Car-
ranza, said that if there were twenty-five such institutions scat
tered over Mexico the problem of revolution would soon be
solved. And that sentiment has been echoed by large numbers
who care little for the propaganda of a foreign religion, but who
recognize the saving power of a Gospel such as is there ex
emplified.
The Mexican question is not the case of a revolution that must
be squelched, but an evolution that must be guided. We might
as well settle down to the fact that it is the problem of slowly
changing a nation into the image of God a God whose very.
name is unknown to one-fifth of the population and whose Book
can not be read by four-fifths of its people. The Mexican people
are not to blame for the chaotic condition of their country.
There are great underlying causes for the present unrest. A
strong dictatorship might keep those causes beneath the surface
for a time, as it has in the past, but this will only postpone the
settlement of these questions, which must be settled right before
revolution permanently disappears from the country. These ques
tions are primarily moral and economic, rather than religious
and political. The Mexican does not care so much about the right
to vote as he does the right to live. He does not need so much
a change in his creed as he needs a change in his morals. The
land baron and the priest have continued their unholy alliance
from the days of the Conquistador es till the present, playing
alternately the one into the hands of the other, to keep the people
in ignorance, superstition and debt, so that the exploitation, both
by padre and amo, would be sure and easy. Out of this system
of exploitation there have grown up a thousand minor evils. The
burden has become greater than the people are willing to bear,
40
in these days when enlarged educational advantages, developed
in spite of these feudal conditions, have gradually opened the eyes
of the ever increasing middle class.
Along with this new industrial and social order, for which the
people have been fighting, there must come another thing if
Mexico is to become a strong nation, a thing which the people
have not yet seen, viz, moral stamina. No scheme for dividing
the great landed estates among the people, no enactment of laws
for the amelioration of the peon, no free press or suffrage, will
solve the question unless there is an instilling of the great moral
principles taught in the Sermon on the Mount. As Col. Roosevelt
said to the Brazilians : "Character must ever outrank genius and
intellect. The State can not prosper unless the average man can
take care of himself ; and neither can it prosper unless the aver
age man realizes that, in addition to the taking care of himself,
he must work with his fellows with good sense and honesty, and
practical acknowledgment of obligation to the community as a
whole for the things that are vital to the interests of the com
munity as a whole."
This viewpoint of life is entirely new to the Mexican. It is
not fair to say that he is incapable of appreciating it, for he has
never had it presented to him. Clericalism and vested interests
have, both by example and precept, taught him the opposite all
through the centuries.
Missionary experts have said that Mexico is a more difficult
field than China or India. There are many reasons for this,
among which is the fact that the thinking men of Mexico, having
become disgusted with the rottenness of the priesthood, have
turned from the Roman church and believe that there is no re
ligion for them. The fact that the work of Protestantism has
been carried on largely among the lower classes, causes them to
consider it as unworthy of their attention.
But certainly there is a better day ahead. Present conditions
are compelling us to realize that the call of Mexico, so long un
heeded, must be answered. And it must be answered by the ap
plication of the Gospel of Christ to the great moral and economic
problems which await solution in that beautiful land of sunshine
and shadow.
If we had done this as consistently as we have developed her
natural resources, there would be no Mexican problem. The
United States assigned to pay for the troop movements to protect
our border last year the sum of $130,000,000. This amount would
place in every town and city of Mexico with more than four
41
thousand people a People's Institute, a college, a hospital and a
church, all magnificently equipped, and sustain an ample corps
of workers in all these institutions for a period of ten years ; and
over and above this it would enable us to provide for the endow
ment of the public school funds of each of these municipalities
with the sum of $750,000, the annual interest of 6 per cent, on
which would be more than the Mexican government has ever
paid for education in any single year of her history.
The National Convention of the Evangelical Churches was held
in Mexico City March 28 to April 2. There were present, secre
taries or other representatives from almost all the Boards in the
United States doing work in Mexico, it was the first time it had
been possible to hold such a gathering for six years. Because of
the revolution, the Regional Congress, planned to follow Panama,
likewise was not able to meet before this time.
At a time when many in the United States earnestly protested
against the holding of the convention because of the political con
ditions and difficulties of travel, there had assembled more than
one hundred officially appointed delegates, and probably double
that number of visitors, to face the problems of advance for the
evangelical work in Mexico. One faithful Mexican minister from
Sonora had traveled some two thousand five hundred miles to get
to the conference, and several had come at least half that distance,
while of course the delegates from the United States had doubled
it.
While the delegates from the Mission Boards insisted that the
gathering be conducted by the Mexican brethren themselves as
one of their regular national conventions which have been held for
some 20 years, the latter were equally insistent that it should be
considered as a part of the movement fostered by the Committee
on Cooperation in Latin America and passed the following reso
lution :
"This Convention is called 'national' because it only includes the
Mexican people, but its organization is on the same basis as the
Panama Congress and the Regional Conferences that followed."
The Mexican brethren who were elected as officers showed
themselves highly capable. The seven minutes' rule for discus
sion was often changed to five for each speaker, in order to give
all a chance. The discussions were of the highest order.
During the four days of the Convention eight reports on the
same subjects studied at Panama were presented. These were
all of high order, and one of fifty pages on "Message and Meth
od" had been printed at the expense of the Committee itself.
42
Co-operation was the central idea in all these discussions, and
the plans suggested at the Cincinnati Conference in 1914 were
generally the basis. At that conference, where most of the Boards
and missionary representatives met, there were few Mexicans
present. At Cincinnati no adequate measures were taken to ex
plain to the leaders and churches in Mexico the meaning of the
division of territory suggested, the union of evangelical papers,
theological seminaries, and other movements agreed upon by that
body. There had, therefore, been some opposition to the plan
by the Mexicans, who thought that the Mission Boards were in
terfering with the sovereignty of the native churches. These
points were all discussed in the frankest way. It was pointed out
that the Mission Boards were only trying to arrange the. work
for which they were particularly responsible so that there would
not be great duplications of work in some fields and no work at
all in others. There are, for example, some cities where there
are many workers, and whole states of a million population with
out one foreign missionary. When the few Mexican leaders
who had opposed the division of territorial responsibility under
stood what it really meant in the program of Mexican evangeli
zation, and that it was not proposed in any way to invade the
rights of independent, self-supporting congregations, they became
enthusiastic supporters of the plan.
To illustrate the point that the plans made at Cincinnati were
not final, but only the beginning of an arrangement for the com
plete occupation of Mexico, one of the speakers told the story
of the conference between Secretary of State Bryan and the
Japanese ambassador, concerning Japanese immigration. When
it seemed that the deliberations had come to a deadlock, the am
bassador said: "Well, Mr. Secretary, is this your last word?''
And Mr. Bryan replied, 'There is no last word between friends."
In this spirit the representatives of the Southern Methodist
Church called together, under the presidency of Bishop Denny,
the representatives of the Congregational, Disciples of Christ,
Friends and Presbyterian bodies to consider an amendment to the
distribution of the responsibilities proposed at Cincinnati which
would give them a more compact territory, and provide also for
a more thorough covering of the whole field. The fine spirit of
comity was shown by every one present voting to submit the pro
posal, as an amendment to the Cincinnati plan, to the Mexican
churches and to the several Boards for consideration.
There were many meetings like the above between representa
tives of the Mission Boards. In fact, it may be said that there
43
were two parallel gatherings going on throughout the week the
National Convention and the conferences between Missionary
Societies.
The revised plans for the Union Seminary ask each co-operating
body to contribute a sum not exceeding 3^ per cent, of its annual
budget for Mexico to the maintenance of the institution, and to
appoint a member of the Home Committee in the United States,
and representatives, according to the size of its contribution, to an
administrative council in Mexico. Five Boards having already
agreed to enter the new organization, a meeting of the adminis
trative council was held. Dr. John Rowland, of the Congrega
tional Church, was elected president for the first year : Dr. Wil
liam Wallace, of the Presbyterian Church, U. S. A., and Dr. O.
W. E. Cook, of the Methodist Episcopal Church, were elected
professors. The school is to be opened in splendid rented quar
ters in Mexico City on May ist. All of the organization at first
is temporary in order to give the boards who come later a voice
in the permanent work of the school.
When the question of a union printing plant was suggested,
it was found that there were only two of such plants in operation
at the present time. So strong was the spirit in favor of com
bining them all that, when some difficulties were encountered
Bishop McConnell, whose church has one of the two large plants
now running, moved that it be declared the sense of the meeting
that the Methodist Episcopal plant should be closed out in order
to 'go in with the proposed union organization. The plan adopted
proposes a joint printing plant, joint paper and joint book de
pository. To attain this a society will be formed with $25,000
(gold) stock divided into five hundred shares. This will be of-
'fered to the participating Boards in proportion to their annual
Mexican budgets, and can be paid for outright or in instalments
with six per cent, interest on deferred payments. The Board of
Directors will elect the editor-in-chief of the paper and each com
munion will have its representative on the editorial staff. This
society will also publish union Sunday School literature.
It is not surprising that the representatives of the Mission
Boards took these practical steps in co-operation, when the action
of the National Convention itself is considered. The Mexican
Church in these years of trial, deprived largely of missionaries'
help, have come to a new sense of their responsibility and power.
The new national spirit which is taking hold of the country is
evidenced in the church, which will become increasingly vigorous
and independent. Among the twenty-one recommendations made
44
by the Convention in favor of an aggressive co-operative program
to take advantage of the wonderful opportunities now presented
to the church are :
1. The formation of a Committee on Cooperation, composed
of one national worker and one missionary from each communion
or society working in Mexico. The provisional committee named
by the Convention met the last day and named its officers and
committees to begin work immediately.
2. That the National Conventions be held under the auspices
of this committee.
3. That an Interdenominational Council of Education be
formed; that a movement be started toward a Mexican Evangeli
cal University ; that the normal schools of Mexico be merged into
four two for young women and two for young men.
4. That there be formed a united publishing house for all the
churches, which shall publish the organ of the Mexican Evangeli
cal Church, and a> young people's paper something like the
"Youth's Companion" ; and that philosophical works, treatises
on Protestantism and its practical results, and literature that aids
young people in solving their problems, be brought out as rapidly
as possible.
5. That plans for the establishment of interdenominational
hospitals and dispensaries be studied.
6. That institutional churches, settlement work and People's
Institutes like the one in Piedras Negras, be established.
These findings are truly representative of the best leadership
of the Mexican Church itself. Foreigners composed much less
than half of the official list of delegates and the discussions and
conclusions were almost entirely those of the Mexican brethren.
They represent their profound conviction after days of facing the
present-day needs. There was plenty of difference of opinion
and at times no lack of feeling, with all sides of important ques
tions presented with force and fidelity. This only served to make
more profound the impression that the final unity on these pro
posals means that the Evangelical Churches are thoroughly de
termined to move forward as one to meet the opportunities and
responsibilities thrown upon them by the universal awakening of
the people caused by the revolution.
Evidence is found on every hand that the leaders of the new
life of Mexico look to the Evangelical Churches and schools as
their strongest helpers.
There had been much concern over the new constitution's re
strictions on religious work. President Carranza and other of-
45
ficials stated to us clearly, however, that the constitution would
not be allowed to affect adversely the Evangelical cause. Later
reports, several months after the constitution has gone into effect,
indicate that it has made no difference in mission work.
The sufferings of the last few years and the great opportunities
brought about by the revolution have driven the churches in
Mexico together in a way which would scarcely have been pos
sible by any other means. The leaders spread out the map of
Mexico before them and said : "The great question before us is,
not how we can push our own work, but in the face of unheard
of opportunities, how we can see that every man in Mexico is
given an opportunity to know Christ." And when the conven
tion had come to that unity, the Spirit's presence was felt as
though we were near another Pentecost. With a provision for
adequate training of the Mexican ministry, the production of
church literature, and the division of territorial responsibilities
so that the whole field shall be covered, a constructive program
is outlined for the Evangelical Churches to take their legitimate
part in the great era of reconstruction. If the union projects
are supported, and each Board properly supplies its recognized
territory with evangelistic, educational and institutional workers,
encouraging the Mexican Church to assume an ever-increasing
proportion of these responsibilities, we will soon find a new na
tion at our southern border.
46
V. CUBA
On account of close proximity and intimate relations with the
United States, Cuba in many respects offers fewer difficulties for
American missionaries than any other Latin-American country.
With an adequate program, there is no reason for not expecting
the Protestant Church to be the dominant religious influence in
that island in the next decade or two. Unfortunately, the pro
gram of the missionary societies there has not been a well-
rounded one. The missionary societies did not follow the same
plan in Cuba as they did in Porto Rico, when, after the Spanish
War, they began their work by dividing territorial responsibility
and entering into a cooperative program. The Regional Con
ference held in Havana found it necessary to clear away much
suspicion concerning cooperative work. This was accomplished
in a most encouraging way, however. Among the interesting
plans was that for a thorough survey of the Island. An agent
was employed to make this survey, and spent some time in the
latter months of 1916 on the Island for this purpose. When his
survey was completed, there was called a meeting of the secre
taries of the mission boards doing work in Cuba, together with
the members of the Committee on Cooperation in Cuba to go
over the survey, and outline a cooperative plan for advance
ment along all lines.
This important meeting was held in Havana, February 6-9,
1917. There were present from the United States, Dr. L. C.
Barnes, Prof. G. N. Brink of the Northern Baptist Home Board ;
Dr. John Dixon and Mr. J. E. McAfee of the Northern Pres
byterian Home Board ; Dr. Charles T. Tebbetts of the Friends'"
Board; Col. E. W. Halford of the Laymen's Missionary Move
ment, and S. G. Inman.
Unfortunately, this splendid plan for facing up to the whole
situation in Cuba and planning a united program for the en
largement of the work was marred by the unsatisfactory work
of the survey agent. The Southern Methodist missionaries with
drew from the Committee on Cooperation in Cuba because they
resented some of the statements made in the survey. When it
was pointed out to them, however, that the survey was in a
tentative form and had been kept from being published until the
Committee had gone over it, they said that the principal reason
for their withdrawing was that they were not in favor of the
program of cooperation as it was being developed in .Latin Amer
ica. No doubt there have entered into the matter certain ques
tions at the home base. We can only hope that these brethren
will soon be- willing to return to the Committee and take their
rightful place in this organized effort to unify and advance the
cause of evangelical Christianity in the Island.
To carry out the plans that were outlined in this meeting, the
Friends' Board was requested to allocate Rev. Sylvester Jones
as secretary of the Committee of Conference in Cuba. It was
my joy to receive a cablegram on my second visit to Cuba, say
ing that this request had been granted. So I spent the time at
my disposal with Mr. Jones in outlining his work.
The depository for literature in Havana which was planned
has already been opened, with Mr. Jones in charge. He is also
doing a splendid work in visiting among the churches, promot
ing the spirit of unity and pushing the plans adopted by the
Committee on Conference in Cuba, a resume of which is given
below :
Education
The consideration of Christian education, especially that part
relating to the training of the ministry, was given a large place
in the discussions of the Conference. The suggestion made for
a training school of higher grade to prepare young men for the
ministry included three distinct propositions : First, the possibil
ity of establishing one such school in connection with an exist
ing school of high grade ; second, the advisability of having two
such schools, one at Cristo, Oriente, and one at Candler College,
Havana ; third, the establishment, at a convenient point, of a
theological faculty composed of competent professors represent
ing the different denominations, and dedicated, if possible, ex
clusively to the training of ministers.
It was voted, that the Educational Committee together with
the Executive Committee be instructed to consult with the au
thorities of educational institutions to see if it is possible to as
sociate any existing institution in the proposed Theological
Training School.
It was voted that the Educational Committee be asked to with
hold its further report until it may consider in conference with
the Executive Committee the practicability of holding during the
coming year, a general conference on educational problems to
48
which may be invited the educational leaders of all the evan
gelical bodies and of their supporting Boards.
Literature
1. For the Depository: That the Executive Secretary, under
the direction of the Executive Committee, be asked to correspond
with the International Sunday School Association, the American
Tract Society, and the American Bible Society, with a view to
determining how much financial help may be expected from
them ; that the Committee on Cooperation in Latin America be
appealed to for such support as may be gained under its auspices ;
that such balance as may be necessary to complete the budget
be apportioned on an equitable basis among the several missions
to be served by the Depository and that each be requested to
supply through its Board, or otherwise, its proportion of this
balance.
2. For the Union Paper: That the Executive Committee be
encouraged to proceed with the plan for the Union Paper at
such time as its financial support can be reasonably assured and
that the Executive Secretary be encouraged to correspond with
the Committee on .Cooperation in Latin America and with in
terested friends in the attempt to secure necessary financial as
sistance.
Social Work
There was recognized the widespread desire among the mis
sions in Cuba for advance in social service and the need of pro
tracted study of the complicated problems involved.
The following was approved in principle and the Committee
authorized to proceed with further correspondence and study :
1. Appeal to the supporting Boards concerned to make the
proper provision for the development of social service programs ;
such programs are in mind as these now projected.
2. The recognition of the value of the orphanage now con
ducted at Cardenas under independent but distinctly evangelical
auspices, unofficially related to the- Presbyterian U. S. Mission,
and an appeal to all the evangelical forces for their moral sup
port of this enterprise in its projected industrial home for de
pendent children.
3. The advancement of the playground movement, in connection
with all missions desiring to cooperate, it being understood that
members of the Committee have made special studies in this field
49
and are prepared to supply information and advice to any who
may apply to the secretary of the Committee.
4. The establishment of settlement work in connection with
missions desiring to advance into this field, especially in cities.
5. Correspondence with the several missions from this Com
mittee in explanation of methods of conducting savings banks in
connection with Sunday Schools, as approved by experience where
th value of the project has been demonstrated.
6. The establishment of reading and amusement rooms in. con
nection with churches and schools.
7. The organization of charitable work under evangelical
auspices in such a manner as to inspire with the evangelical
motive and spirit the humanitarian impulses of the well-to-do
people of the several communities, and so as to insure the truest
economy in such benevolence.
8. The utilization of volunteer help, both Cuban and foreign,
in the several communities, especially among women and in wel
fare work for children, it being understood that the Committee
can supply suggestions of methods for the carrying out of these
plans.
9. That the several denominations be urged to make larger
provision in the programs of their annual and "other stated meet
ings for inspirational and educational features, and that in con
nection with these gatherings ministers' wives and women mis
sion workers be assembled for institutes and conferences on
home problems.
10. That the Executive Committee be asked to consider the
importance of incorporating in the plans for a Training School
for Ministers an industrial program which shall offer opportuni
ties of self-help for students.
11. That the Committee on Education be requested to include
in the investigations which it is now making with the view of
adopting a program of education for the Island, the question of
adequate provision for industrial training under evangelical au
spices both for boys and girls, and that the Committee be asked
to confer with the Committee on Social Work in this interest.
12. That the Committee on Social Work be directed to col
laborate with the Executive Secretary and the central depository
in the securing of translations and the distribution of social
service literature for the use of all workers desiring to cooperate.
13. That the Committee on Social Work be authorized to se
cure by means and from sources approved by the Executive
50
Committee, such limited funds as may be required for corre
spondence and to cover other incidental expenses connected with
the discharge of its duties, it being understood that such expendi
tures shall be made in connection with the office of the Execu
tive Secretary, this officer and the Secretary of the Committee
on Social Work collaborating as they may determine in the in
terest of economy and efficiency.
Evangelism
Full mention was -made of the needs and opportunities along
the lines of the work of this Committee. The following recom
mendations were adopted :
1. That an evangelistic team be organized which shall consist
of three or more workers specially and severally equipped for
preaching, singing, and the conduct of conferences on social
work ; that their respective Boards be asked to release for this
service under the direction of the Committee on Evangelism
R. L. Wharton and others named, for such evangelistic cam
paigns as may be arranged among the missions desiring their
'services.
2. That the Executive Committee study the matter of secur
ing eminent educationalists and other Christian leaders to de
liver apologetic lectures before groups not now reached by the
Evangelical Churches in Cuba, and that the committee, of which
President King, of Oberlin, is Chairman, appointed for the con
sideration of this same matter in other Latin-American fields,
be consulted.
Cuba is progressing commercially by leaps and bounds. Her
relationships to the United States are very close. There is every
reason for pressing the present interest in an enlarged mission
ary program. Personal questions, denominational rivalries, and
narrow interpretations of the Gospel have no right to longer stand
in the way of a comprehensive program of service which the
people are so ready to receive.
One encouraging sign is that after a secretarial visit to the
Island, the Disciples of Christ Board has decided to lessen the'
denominational competition by turning their work over to another
church, and withdrawing from the field. This is the first definite
move for an international readjustment of fields that has been
made since the whole question was agitated by the Panama Con
gress'. There are further plans of adjustment now being consid
ered by the Northern and Southern Presbyterian Boards, which,
51
if consummated, will further simplify missionary administration
in Cuba. Three strong Boards giving large attention to Cuba,
and the other five transferring their work to some of the near-by
countries that have no Board's help, would be an arrangement
much more just to Latin America.
The survey of the Island will be re-written in the light of
further facts now being gathered. This will still further aid the
making of a new program which Boards will no doubt wish to
immediately inaugurate.
52
VI. PANAMA
Strangely enough, almost the only part of Latin America not
provided with a Cooperation Committee was Panama, where the
Congress on Christian Work was held. I found the workers in
that polyglot community rather unfamiliar with what others were
doing, but anxious for closer cooperation. A Committee on
Cooperation was organized with all forces represented. Respond
ing to the unanimous request of the workers, I made, with the
assistance of the local committee, a survey of the Canal Zone
and of the cities of Panama and Colon. A complete report of
this survey is on file in the office of the Committee on Co-opera
tion in . Latin America, and is open to the inspection of Board
officers and other interested persons. A brief resume of its
main findings is given herewith :
North Americans
Among the white North Americans residing on the Zone and
employed by the Panama Canal or the Panama Railroad, the great
moral problem is that of providing clean, wholesome amusement
to meet the competition of open dens of vice in the nearby cities
of Panama annd Colon. The Zone itself is free from undersir-
able resorts.
It is felt that the United States Government could easily bring
pressure to bear that would be effective in cleaning up the re
sorts of these cities, if so disposed.
All organized recreation in the Canal Zone is in the hands of
the Bureau of Clubs and Playgrounds, which is an agency created
for the purpose by the Canal Government, and whose administra
tion is in the hands of the Y. M. C. A. Seven club houses are
operated in buildings erected by the Government and supported
partly by the Government, and partly from the proceeds of mer
chandise and privileges sold on the premises. Their program
differs in many respects from the work of a local Association in
the United States, with a greater emphasis upon the physical and
social and less on the educational and religious. It can readily
be seen that conscientious secretaries have no little difficulty in
being faithful at the same time to Government requirements and
spiritual ideals. Considerable criticism is directed toward the
work of the clubhouses by local religious authorities, chiefly on
53
the ground that some of their Sunday activities interfere with
the program of the churches, and that the moving pictures dis
played in the clubhouses are not always such as can be approved
by the churches.
The secretaries recognize the legitimacy of much of this criti
cism as long as their organizations are called Young Men's Chris
tian Associations, and some believe that while they are under
obligation to the Government to provide the recreation and run
the refreshment stores for all the Zone, religious and irreligious
alike, they should not bear the Association name.
Better than a change of name, however, would be the employ
ment of special secretaries to push religious and educational work,
which the present force, under pressure of commercial business
they must handle, are quite unable to do.
Besides the clubhouses, the following agencies have work
among the Americans : The Union Churches, Episcopal, Roman
Catholic, Southern Baptist, Bible Society, Christian Scientists.
There is some overlapping at Cristobal-Colon, where there is an
Episcopal Church and a Union one. Some also at Ancon-Balboa,
where there are Episcopal, Southern Baptist and Union churches.
On the whole, however, the work on the Zone is well-distributed,
and there is little duplication of effort. This is largely due to
the fact that the Union Church includes in its interdenominational
organization Congregationalists, Disciples, Dutch and German
Reformed, Lutherans, Methodists, Presbyterians, many Baptists,
some Episcopalians and others. Its organization is collegiate in
form. One Executive Committee supervises the work of all four
congregations, while local committees direct minor matters in each
church. Three pastors are now employed.
There is no need of any new organization to take up work for
the Americans. The Union Church is self-supporting. It will
need help only in its building campaign from the United States,
and is worthy of such assistance.
West Indians
This group, numbering 51,000 in all, are negroes from Jamaica
and Barbados. Most of them, men, are employed as laborers
and mechanics on the canal and railroad.
They are herded together in crowded tenements in Panama and
Colon, bad housing and bad morals being found together, as in
other cities.
The marriage relation is loosely regarded, and while there is
54
very little prostitution as we kribw it, there is a well-recognized
system of concubinage for support.
To influence the moral life of the young people the Church
and not the home must be accepted as the best agency of ap
proach. There is much possible along institutional lines among
these people.
Gambling and the dens of vice of the terminal cities are the
worst enemies of the negro.
The following organizations have churches among the West
Indians: Baptist (Sou. Convention), Baptist (National), Baptist
(Independent), Wesleyan Methodist, Methodist Episcopal, Chris
tian Mission, Seventh-Day Adventist, Salvation Army, Episcopal,
Plymouth Brethren, Church of God, United Methodists. There
should be a more clearly understood division of responsibility
among the various organizations among the West Indians.
Between the Wesleyan Methodist and the Methodist Episcopal
forces, an awkward situation is emerging. The Methodist Epis
copal Church has recently taken up work among the West In
dians in Panama. Speaking as a representative of the Wesleyan
Methodists, one minister thinks this regrettable. He suggests
this problem as a matter for immediate conference between the
two bodies of Methodists.
A readjustment of the work of the Southern Baptist Home
Board and that of the National Baptist Convention could profit
ably be made. There is a good deal of feeling between the work
ers of the two bodies, although in the United States they work
satisfactorily together. All Methodist work under one Board,
and all Baptist work under one Board, would greatly improve
the situation.
The Churches should unite in the solution of the educational
problem of the West Indians. The best of the present numerous
inefficient private schools might be taken over by the Churches,
and others organized ; all of which could be directed by a super
intendent appointed by them.
Institutional work is a crying need in Panama City and Colon,
where housing conditions are so bad, and where there are no
libraries, playgrounds, recreation centers or night schools for
industrial training.
The Panamanians
By the Panamanians is meant the non-American white and
mixed residents outside the Canal Zone, particularly in Panama
55
and Colon. These are the people who direct the life of the Re
public, and determine in large measure its moral and ethical
standards. Most of the wealthy class are white. They are the
leaders and hold most of the political offices.
The Panamanians are completely engulfed by the horrible
housing conditions with their lack of home life, and by the open
vice that surrounds them everywhere.
Education is neglected, there being but four public schools in
the city of Colon. There are two institutions in the Republic
above the grammar grade, the National Institute and the Normal
School for Girls. The National Government has re'cently passed
a resolution providing for the founding of a Pan-American Uni
versity based on the National Institute. Each government in
the Pan-American Union is to be invited to contribute.
Amusement and vice are nearly interchangeable terms in Pan
ama. The Roman Catholic Church is connected commercially
with vice, and the Protestant Church has not yet developed a
voice strong enough to speak against it.
The lottery is under Government auspices, and its profits go
to help the bishop and the educational and charitable institutions
of the Roman Catholic Church. One competent authority states
that eighty-five per cent, of the store-rooms in the downtown
section of Panama City are occupied by places that sell liquor.
When such a condition is found in a place where lotteries and
prostitution are given governmental recognition, the moral en
vironment may be easily imagined.
Panama grants religious freedom, but recognizes the Roman
Catholic Church to the extent of contributing to the support of
its seminary. This support was continued until recently, when
Congress cut it off on the ground that no seminary exists ! There
are seven Roman Catholic churches in Panama City, (population
65,000), with twenty-two priests, while Colon (population
25,000) has four churches and five priests. An estimate by a
man who should know places the number of priests in the whole
Republic at seventy-seven. The country districts are almost en
tirely neglected.
The Republic, with the exception of its foreign elements, is
the recognized field of the Methodist Episcopal Mission. The
Sea Wall Church is the only one organized thus far. The first
Spanish worker outside of Panama City is soon to be sent to
David, an interior town of 6,000 people. This work will be sup
ported by the Union Church, but under the direction of the Meth
odist Mission.
56
The Sea Wall Church conducts regular evangelistic, educa
tional and institutional work, the full development of the latter
now awaiting the completion of the new building on the sea
shore in the rear of the church, which will cpst $30,000. It is
three stories high, with gymnasium and entertainment hall in
the basement, day school for children and night commercial school
on the street floor, and the top floor as the residence of the super
intendent of the Mission. This modern plant and social service
program will give the Sea Wall Church, well-located across from
the National Palace, a great opportunity to enlarge its influence
among all classes in the city.
It is hoped that the Methodist Episcopal Board will be able
to answer the call of this Mission so that several other churches
can be opened in Panama City, in Colon (where property is al
ready owned), and in many needy towns in the interior. It would
seem advisable for this Mission, in view of its being the only
one engaged in Spanish work, to concentrate on this tremendous
field now so neglected, and turn over to others the work it now
has among the West Indians. But doing this, and getting other
agencies engaged in work among the West Indians to recognize
the Spanish field as peculiarly that of the Methodists, much dupli
cation of effort might be avoided in the future.
Besides the extension of the work of the Methodists, two other
projects seem to be imperative to meet the needs of the Pana
manians, to clean up the moral life of the Isthmus, and to make
its wide-reaching influence Christian. These are, ( i ) a Young
Men's Christian Association, and (2) a Union Christian College..
Panamanians and Americans are unanimously in favor of hav
ing a Y. M. C. A. in Panama City. This Association would be
for Panamanians, and its work would be conducted in Spanish.
Thus it would bring very few American soldiers to the building,
but it would greatly raise the moral level of the community, and
finally make impossible the open dens of Vice which exist not
only in one district but all over the city of Panama.
The project of a Union Christian College in Panama was first
suggested at the Panama Congress, but nothing has been done
toward making it an accomplished fact. The workers on the
Isthmus feel that it would do a great deal for Panama, and that
Government aid could be secured for the site. In the five re
publics of Central America and in Panama, Colombia, Venezuela
and Ecuador there exists no evangelical institution for training
Christian workers, and only three schools that go beyond the
fifth grade. The school in Panama therefore should be made a
57
training center for Christian workers, as well as having high
school and junior college courses in Spanish for those who may
wish to pursue advanced work. Also an agricultural department
could be established through cooperation with the experimental
stations now being maintained on a large scale by the govern
ment in the Zone. Other government specialists could also be
secured for special teaching.
The advancement of missionary work in all of the neglected
countries of Latin America, the influence of the Canal Zone
itself in various parts of the world, the betterment of Christian
life among Americans here, the uplift of the Republic of Pan
ama- all point to this as a strategic move.
United States Soldiers
Panama is now and always will be a military post of the first
importance. It is imperative therefore that measures taken for
the welfare of the men here be capable of producing a moral
bulwark that will be permanent and lasting. At the time the
survey was taken there were 8,000 soldiers on the Isthmus, and .
this number was expected to increase to 25,000 within a short
time. As it is now there is probably no place on earth where
everything so combines to throw the soldier into the midst of
the most horrible dens of vice.
Economically the enlisted men form the lowermost strata of
Zone society. Civilians there are exceptionally well paid, and
only the commissioned officer is able to maintain an economic
(and hence a social) equality with them. The Army officer is
socially desirable because of his education and large amount of
leisure. But he does not associate with the enlisted man, and
this has a strongly deterrent effect on the efforts of civilians,
who value their own social standing, to do something for the
coommon soldier.
The Clubhouse secretaries believe they could do many things
for the men if they were allowed to take charge of the welfare
work in the camps with well-equipped quarters, and could have
in Balboa and Colon large clubhouses where several hundred sol
diers could find recreation and beds. There has been much lost
motion between the local Clubhouse secretaries, Army Y. M. C. A.
men, chaplains, churches and others interested in the prob
lem, which might be remedied by the appointment of an authori
tative commission to propose a comprehensive program after a
thorough study of the subject.
58
Getting the cold shoulder on the Zone, the- soldier goes to Pan
ama or Colon, where entertainment is especially devised for him
and he is made welcome. Here he finds the saloon, the brothel,
the opium den and all other hideous forms of vice spread openly
at every turn. He becomes enmeshed in the net of vice spread
for him, and the result is utter moral disaster.
Several Army officers called to my attention the fact that a con
siderable part of their commands were young boys just within
the Army age limit whose educational progress has stopped.
These officers strongly recommend the establishment, under Y.
M. C. A. or other auspices, of classes in which ambitious boys
may add to their educational equipment. This would encourage
the men to utilize their spare time in beneficial ways, and would
make them better citizens upon their discharge from the Army.
Baseball and other sports are indulged in to some extent, but
the various sports are not well organized, so there is no general
competition between the different posts.
A Chaplain is provided by the Government at each post of suffi
cient size to warrant it. They have direction of all social, recre
ative and religious life among the men. They are furnished with
suitable quarters for their work, including usually a moving-pic
ture outfit. Very few of the men attend Church services regu
larly, although services are held at most of the posts.
American Churches on the Zone could do> much for the soldiers
by giving them special invitations to attend socials and other
activities of the church, and in organizing clubs among enlisted
men for various purposes.
All those who have made a study of the situation united in
recommending the extension of the Y. M. C. A. influence into
the Army posts themselves, and into Panama City and Colon,
where the men go for recreation.
Summing up, the survey indicated especially the following
needs : A larger idealism in the clubhouse programs ; an encour
agement of the Union Church work by prividing new buildings ;
the better adjustment of fields and a more comprehensive program
for the West Indians; the extension of evangelical work among
Panamanians ; the establishment of an International Union Chris
tian College ; the opening of a city Young Men's Christian Asso
ciation in Panama ; the moral cleaning up of Panama and Colon,
with adequate provision for encouraging the moral and spiritual
development of the United States soldiers on the Zone.
59
VII. PERU
My visit to Peru lasted from May 6, when I landed at Paita
for a few hours, to May 27, when I left Puno for Bolivia. I
spent one week in the capital, Lima, and five days in the city of
Cuzco. The other time was given to the smaller towns and to
Arequipa.
Paita, the most northern city of Peru, is destined to be a place
of great commercial importance when a railroad is built from
the sea to the headwaters of the Amazon. This woul<4 give Peru
a direct route to the Atlantic and Europe, which, considering her
pending difficulties with Chile and Ecuador, would be of enor
mous importance for military strategy. The railroad would also
make a route from Lima to Iquitos, the eastern Peruvian city,
without going, as is now necessary, via Panama to New York,
thence shipping to Para, in Brazil, and then three thousand miles
up the Amazon to Iquitos. .
At Paita I found that the agent of one of the big companies
was a former pupil of the "Institute Ingles" of Santiago. Al
though there is no evangelical work at Paita, this young man
is doing much for the moral life of the community. He is only
one of the many illustrations found all along the West Coast, of
the wide influence of the Institute.
The Senator from Paita, Coronel Zegarra, was on board with
us coming from the U. S. A., where he had been to interest capi
tal in the building of this railroad. His father was Minister for
Peru to the U. S., so the young son took the civil engineering
course in Troy School of Technology. He then returned to his
own country and worked under Meggs, building the railroad
from Lima to Oruro, afterward working on the road fom Guay
aquil to Quito, and finally going to Panama, where he served
under De Lesseps several years. As a boy he stood by the side
of President Lincoln, when he saw the defeated troops of the
North returning from the battle of Bull Run. He is an illustra
tion of the type of liberal men one finds in Peru. Unfortunately
these men are in such a minority that they are able to do very
little.
I traveled along eight hundred miles of the Northern Coast o:
Peru without passing any evangelical worker. This is one of the
greatest stretches of territory to be found facing any sea where
60
there is not one single representative of an evangelical missionary
society. In all Peru there are only twenty-nine foreign workers
and eight Peruvian ministers. Of the foreign workers,, six men
are ordained ministers, three are professors, five are young lady
teachers, four are nurses, and ten are wives of missionaries. No
repetition of these figures would convey to one the awful paucity
of "workers in Peru; he must travel over thousands of miles of
territory before it is burned into his heart.
I had the opportunity of a personal visit with all of the foreign
workers except four, who were up in the mountains. I also vis
ited all of the churches and missionary schools in Peru with the
exception of the two centers in Huanuco, where Mr. and Mrs.
Smith of the South American Evangelical Union are at work, and
in Huancayo, where Mr. and Mrs. Snell of the Methodist Episco
pal Mission conduct a school. In Lima I had one general meet
ing for all of the Christian workers and church members ; another
meeting with the national workers only, at which we discussed
their relations with the foreign workers and the problems in
volved in developing the national Church. Another meeting was
held with only the foreign workers present, and two meetings of
the "Committee on Missionary Cooperation in Peru." In addition
to these engagements, I preached in Spanish to every evangelical
congregation in Lima and Callao. In fact, I believe there are only
two organized churches in Peru that I did not have the privilege
of addressing.
Outside of missionary circles I interviewed the President of the
Republic, the Minister of Education, several professors in the
universities at Lima and Cuzco, editors of the daily papers, a
number of business men, the American Minister, and various
other professional men. I found in Lima a very peculiar sit
uation.
The Catholic Church is awakening to the fact that it must carry
on a much more active campaign. The law that was passed last
year giving other religions outside of the Catholic Church the
right to hold meetings in Peru has awakened the Romanists to
the fact that a great deal of their influence is slipping away from
them. The Panama Congress, and especially the Regional Con
ference at Lima, with the great representative deputation of evan
gelical leaders present, has had a profound influence. They are
therefore exerting every means to hold the people to the Catholic
Church. Many new methods are being tried. On the other hand,
there is a group of liberal men in Lima who realize the necessity
61
for breaking away from the old conservative life and for intro
ducing new ideas. These men seem to be in contact with modern
ideas in education, economics,, social service, and government.
They have done something to forward these ideas, but when their
efforts are checkmated by the Church authorities, they lack the
stamina to stem the opposition and push forward to victory for
reform.
Educational conditions in Peru are far from satisfactory. Sev
eral years ago, as the result of an address given by Dr. L. F. Vil-
leran, four professors from the United States were brought to
Peru to introduce modern educational methods. They found it so
difficult to make any headway, however, that two of them left al
most immediately. A third, Professor McKnight, became the Di
rector of the Normal School for Men in Lima. He did a magnifi
cent work, and one finds his pupils, who almost worship him, scat
tered in different parts of Peru. The Church became dissatisfied
with Professor McKnight's administration, however, and forced
him out. The progressive men of the country say that Professor
McKnight's retirement was one of the greatest blows to education
that Peru has ever received. It only illustrates the difficulty with
which any reforms are carried forward in that country.
The national annual budget for education is a little over
$1,000,000. With a school population of 900,000, there are 147,-
ooo pupils enrolled, with an average attendance of 96,000. There
have matriculated in all the Government schools above the fifth
grade some 3,600 pupils, 1,700 of whom are in the four university
centers at Lima, Trujillo, Arequipa and Cuzco. There are 2,160
in private schools, making an entire enrolment of pupils in schools
above the fifth grade of 6,790. Altogether there are 2,276 Gov
ernment schools, with 3,246 teachers, only 325 of whom have had
normal training; this in a country with a population of from four
to five million people.
In Porto Rico, with a million population, there are nearly two
hundred thousand children in the public schools. In all Peru
there are only three public schools for girls with classes beyond
the fifth grade. These three normal schools are all under the
direction of nuns, and it is practically impossible for Protestant
girls to be admitted into any of them. What an appeal for the
enlargement of the Lima High School of the Methodist Mission,
the only Protestant Girls' School in Peru, into a great center for
the training of teachers and of other Christian leaders among the
women !
62
One of the live topics of educational circles in Peru at the
present time is the effort to develop a Catholic university in Lima.
The school has just been opened. It is supported by the Govern
ment, but is meeting with great opposition. A bitter controversy
is now on in the press between its defenders and those interested
in the Government university of San Marcos, and in the further
development of liberty of conscience and academic freedom.
A resume of the liberals' arguments is significant of the think
ing in this country, so long under the absolute domination of the
Church :
1. They claim that the new university is illegal, according to
the laws governing public instruction. It plans to provide only
one faculty, that of letters, whereas the law requires that every
university in the country should have at least two faculties, which
must function simultaneously. No guarantees are made of the
qualifications of the teaching staff, who, in fact, are woefully lack
ing, whereas the law requires that university professors should
be doctors of the faculties in which they teach.
2. It is contrary to the present tendency to suppress the three
provincial universities and centralize higher education in the Uni
versity of San Marcos.
3. It would tend to increase the number of lawyers in the
country, of which class there is already a plethora ; and these
superfluous lawyers would all tend to be strong adherents of the
policy of the Church.
4. The new university would inevitably arouse and foment
religious bitterness. The title "Catholic," which the new uni
versity had adopted, lacks all meaning, since the University of
San Marcos was as thoroughly "catholic" as any state institution
could be. The priests' place was in the pulpit and not in a chair
of secular learning.
They plead its scientific impossibility, since no religious organ
ization can constitute a university, the very soul of which must
be free investigation, and since a "Catholic" university can never
enjoy intellectual autonomy, but must of necessity fit all its in
struction into the limits of a prescribed mould and exploit it in
the interests of an ecclesiastical theory.
Leaders of liberal thought, like the editor of El Comercio, con
sider the issue a test of the direction education in Peru will take.
If the Church insists on pushing it, the liberal element, who have
so far not broken directly with the Church, will find themselves
compelled to do so.
63
In view of such a situation, it is not difficult to see the tremen
dous need of the immediate development of evangelical schools
in Peru. Missionary Societies sustain the following at present :
The Callao High School, opened some twenty years ago by the
Methodist Episcopal Church. The classes are practically all in
English except those of the primary school, which are held in a
separate building several blocks away. This High School gives
a special emphasis to commercial courses. Its graduates are found
in the principal business houses of Lima and Callao. The school
has not been able to contribute to the development of the national
Church as much as might be hoped. Its building is old, and it is
hoped that plans for a new one, either in Callao or Lima, may be
consummated soon.
The Lima High School is conducted by the Woman's Board of
the Methodist Episcopal Church under the direction of Miss Love-
joy, assisted by two other American teachers. This school has
been in existence for some time, but has recently had a most mar
velous growth under the new director, who has rented new quar
ters and reorganized the school along progressive lines. The
children of the Minister of Education and of other members of the
Cabinet, as well as many other prominent families of Lima, are
found in the school. The attendance could easily be doubled if
there were room. It is devoutly hoped that the Women's Board
will be able to arrange for a permanent property which will ade
quately house this school and enable it to embrace the unlimited
opportunities for development. In the present rented .quarters
there is only room for eight boarders, when there could easily be
one hundred.
Miss Love joy has recently passed the examinations in the Uni
versity of San Marcos, which gives her school government stand
ing. The spirit of the school is most excellent, both spiritually
and educationally. As the only evangelical girls' school in a
republic where there are altogether but three state schools beyond
the fifth grade, for girls, it deserves the strongest possible backing.
The South American Evangelical Union has conducted a prim
ary school in another part of the city, but has recently turned this
over to the Rev. and Mrs. John MacKay, who arrived some six
months ago to represent the Free Church of Scotland. Mr. and
Mrs. MacKay are the first missionaries this Church has sent to
Peru, but it expects to enlarge its corps of workers and take a
good share of the responsibility for the evangelization of the
country.
64 .
Mr. MacKay is an illustration of what good preparation means.
He was an honor student in Aberdeen College ; afterward took
two years of theological work in his own Church's seminary in
Scotland, which were followed by two years in Princeton Uni
versity ; then he made a trip through South America, concluding
with a year's residence in the University of Madrid. In Madrid
he came in contact with the leading minds of Spain, and learned
to know intimately the spirit of the young Spanish students. He
has just been given the degree of Doctor of Laws without ex
amination by San Marcos, the oldest university in America.
Besides these three schools in Lima and Callao, the Methodist
Episcopal Board conducts a school up in the mountains at Huan-
cayo, and a small orphanage is conducted by the South American
Evangelical Union on their farm near Cuzco.
In this connection should be mentioned the night classes for
Christian workers which are conducted in Lima three times a
week, the missionaries of the different Societies conducting them.
The South American Evangelical Union has planned for some
time to develop a Bible School at Cuzco, where special attention
will be given to the training of ministers who will work amongst
the Indians and the agricultural peoples of the sierra. It has been
suggested that this institution train workers for Bolivia also, and
the faculty become a kind of board of strategy for Indian work in
general.
The immediate educational needs of Peru are the purchasing
of property and of .the proper equipment for the Girls' High
School in Lima, which should call for the investment of some
$100,000; the better equipment of the High School in Callao; a
building for the Boys' School which will grow out of the present
primary school conducted by Mr. MacKay. The Methodists might
well join their forces with the Free Church in the development
of a college for young men in Lima. There might be some con
nection made between this college and the proposed theological
seminary, which is one of the greatest needs for evangelical work
in Peru. The ministers that are occupying the pulpits at the
present time have had no opportunity whatever for training, ex
cept in off-hours with missionaries and through studyin'g by them
selves. The results of such haphazard training can be seen in the
churches themselves. It is foolish to think of evangelizing a coun
try like Peru without making adequate plans for the education of
the ministers.
65
Cooperation in Peru
Nowhere may be found more striking evidences of the results of
the Panama Congress and of the cooperation movement than in
Peru. When I was here three years ago ! found that the South
American Evangelical Union and the Methodist Episcopal Mis
sion workers lacked a great deal of being in harmony. While
some of this feeling still remains, the result of the two meetings
of the Committee on Cooperation while I was there are most prom
ising. The following resolution concerning division of territory
was passed:
"(1) This Committee expresses itself in favor of territorial re
sponsibility in the field.
"(2) As a general plan, the Committee recommends that the Board
of Foreign Missions of the Methodist Episcopal Church be held re
sponsible for the region of the Central Railway of Peru; the Evangel
ical Union of South America for the region of the Southern Railway;
and the Free Church of Scotland for the region centering on Trujillo
and Cajamarca.
"(3) The Committee recommends that the capital of the Republic
be regarded as common ground for all Societies working in Peru."
These general lines of division will be sufficiently definite for
the present. If another missionary Society comes in to help
occupy Peru within the next few years, there will be plenty of
territory for it to take. It would probably be better for these
three Societies to occupy the whole territory, however, if each
of them could enlarge its forces sufficiently. The Free Church
expects to send out several new workers as spon as definite plans
for their use have been made. The South American Evangelical
Union has recently reorganized its Board in England. The work
ers on the field hope that it will do more than it has in the past,
though they realize that the war is going to make it very difficult
for the Union to send reinforcements soon. The Methodist Epis
copal Church has a most important field in the center of the Re
public, and should treble its forces in Peru within the next three
years.
Besides this agreement on the division of territory, the Com
mittee decided to have a union periodical, the others coming in
to help support El Cristicmo, which is now published by the
South American Evangelical Union. This paper is already one
of the best in Latin America, carrying various departments on
hygiene, agriculture, and world news, as well as defending the
rights of evangelical Christianity,, and containing literature of
66
evangelistic fervor. The paper is now only a monthly ; it should
be made at least semi-monthly. The Committee also decided to
make every effort to develop the union theological seminary at
the earliest possible moment.
After these decisions, Mr. Ritchie, Chairman of the Peruvian
Committee on Cooperation, accompanied me to Arequipa, Cuzco
and Bolivia. In conference with Bishop Oldham and the mission
aries of the Methodist and Canadian Baptist Churches, it was
agreed that Bolivia would unite with Peru, both in the proposed
union paper and with reference to the theological seminary. This
is a most encouraging fact. Such a combination assures a strong
paper and a good school for the preparation of ministers, which,
otherwise, on account of the very meagre forces in these two
countries, might be difficult if not impossible.
To reach Arequipa from Lima, one needs to take the boat for
two days to Mollendo, and the train from there for about five
hours' ride more. Arequipa has the reputation of being the most
fanatical city in Peru, but a great change has taken place in the,
last few years. Missionaries are not now troubled by fanaticism
so much as by indifference. The Evangelical Union has had its
work in Arequipa for about fifteen years, and yet its church has
only a membership of about twenty. Mr. Foster has been en
deavoring of late to do some social work, having opened a read
ing room, and a room for games for young men. In such a staid,
conservative community years of experience are showing that a
simple preaching service will not get a hold of the people. Out
of the eight baptisms Mr. Foster had last year, six were from
this young men's club. One of these young men went to work
in a mine near by. He was such a splendid workman that the
manager asked him from where he came. He told him about the
little club Mr. Foster had formed, and said that was where he
had learned habits of industry. The manager sent the young fel
low back to get twenty other members of the club, practically
wiping out the organization in Arequipa. They all went out to
work at this mine, where the manager arranged a reading
room and a clubhouse for them. He told Mr. Foster later that
he would take all the men that he could send him. A work like
this, instead of closing, should be multiplied all over Peru.
The trip from Arequipa to Juliaca is one of the most beautiful
in the world, having in view from seven in the morning until
about three in the afternoon the lofty snow-capped peaks of
Misti, Pichu Pichu and Chachani, all of which are of over 20,000
67
feet elevation. In Juliaca we slept in the cold, rarified air 13,000
feet above the sea. The next day we traveled for twelve hours
through the beautiful valley of Vilcamote toward Cuzco, and
made our first acquaintance with the sturdy Quichua Indians, all
that remain of the wonderful Inca empire the Spaniards de
stroyed. Some twenty years ago the first missionaries, two Eng
lishmen, went to Cuzco. They were not allowed to stay, however.
On their second visit they established themselves in business and
gradually won the confidence of the community, after which they
dropped their business and have been giving all their time to mis
sionary work. Fanaticism has largely died out now, and Cuzco
is becoming a liberal center. The work of the Evangelical Union
has been against great odds, and the church has at present only
half a dozen members. There have been two nurses located in
Cuzco for some time. They have done a splendid work, all the
way from taking care of maternity cases to pulling the teeth of
the priests. This nursing work is done by the Evangelical Union
in all of its centers. The nurses do a great deal of good and
break down prejudice, but there is a need of bringing their influ
ence more directly to bear on the development of the Church
itself.
Cuzco, the ancient capital of the Incas, certainly impresses one
as being an ancient city. The fine mission property of the Evan
gelical Union and the new electric light plant seem to be about
the only modern buildings in the whole community. The Uni
versity and other schools are housed in old monasteries. The
most disreputable municipal offices that I have ever seen in any
part of the world are found in Cuzco. The streets are paved
with tremendous cobblestones, and the open sewers in the center
of each street give out the foulest of odors. China itself cannot
equal Cuzco for its smells. One is simply astounded to find a
city in America so backward in everything that we consider neces
sary in modern life. There is a crying need for some kind of
institutional work that will bring people together to face prob
lems of sanitation, hygiene, city beautifying, and moral uplift of
the community. Certainly evangelical Christianity has a message
to a community of this kind. This message can hardly be deliv
ered through preaching services held in a little, barren hall on
the second floor of an insignificant building. I know of no greater
opportunity anywhere than to open a social center in this needy
city and to call the young men from the University and other pro
gressive centers to enter into service for their community.
68
I had a conference with the University students and suggested
to them this kind of work, which seemed to delight them. Mr.
Millham, of the Evangelical Union, was present at this confer
ence, and I trust the mission will be able to work out something
.along these lines. Professor Geisecke, President of the Uni
versity of Cuzco, would no doubt be willing to help. He is the
last one left of the four Americans who were engaged to improve
Peru's educational system several years ago. He is a wideawake
young man from the University of Pennsylvania. He has mar
ried a Peruvian lady and thoroughly identified himself with the
community.
In Cuzco one is at the center of the Indian population of Peru.
iRiding on horseback through a most wonderful valley to visit the
Urco Farm, conducted by the Evangelical Union, we had oppor
tunity of seeing the Quichuas in their old haunts, where they
Ihave lived for many centuries. Here one finds the ruins of great
temples and fortresses and wonderful terraces running up the
'mountainsides a thousand or so feet, the latter still under cultiva-
.tion, which were probably built by pre-Inca peoples of whom we
have no knowledge.
How have the mighty fallen ! In the old Inca days the In-
dians' salutation as they passed one another on the road was a
(reference to their two fundamental laws. The first traveler would
say : "Thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not lie." The other would
ireply : "Nor shalt thou do either of these." The modern saluta-
'tion is, "Ave Maria purissima" and the reply is, "Sin pecado
iconcebida" ("conceived without sin"). Above the door of the
* Catholic Church on the main plaza of Cuzco next to the Uni
versity are these words in bold letters :
"Come unto Mary, all ye that labor and are heavy laden,
And she will give you Rest."
Any one who wishes to understand how the Indians are ex-
ploited by government officials and priests should read "Aves Sin
Nidos" ("Birds without Nests"), a novel by Madam Clorinda
Matto, a native of this district. The plot is developed around a
brilliant young lawyer, supposed son of the Governor, and a
young Indian girl, who is being reared by a philanthropic Span
ish family. When they fall in love with one another and are
about to be married, it is revealed to them that they are both chil
dren of the same priest. "We were born Indians, slaves of the
priest, slaves of the Governor, slaves of the Chief, slaves of all
who have a club to drive us. Indians ! Yes. Death is our beau-
69
tiful hope of liberty/' So exclaims one of the characters, and
the story is not overdrawn.
The Mission farm at Urco is doing a great work, both for the
spiritual and material interests of the Indians. Mr. Payne, the
director, is exactly suited to his task. He has had both practical
experience in farming, and is a graduate of an agricultural school.
He recently brought down wheat from Canada, which is bearing
nearly ten times more to the acre than the native wheat, which
was being eaten up by the rust. The night that I was on the
farm the head of the Agricultural Department of the Government
was there looking into Mr. Payne's work, and wanting to buy all
the wheat that he had, so that the Government could distribute
it as seed among the farmers. Mr. Payne was recently asked by
the neighborhood to go to Lima and interview the President of
the Republic concerning the building of a good wagon road
through the valley. His mission was successful and the President
had just wired him that Congress had passed the bill setting aside
funds for this road.
They have an orphanage on the farm which cares for about
twenty children. Mr. Payne, although he has not had any medi
cal training, is doing a magnificent work for the sick. There are
no physicians for miles around, and he has to do everything, even
to the most delicate surgical operations. The sick are brought
to his little dispensary from the Indian settlements all over this
part of the country.
SOME PROBLEMS
A More Permanent Missionary Staff. The Evangelical Union
has sent out during the last twenty years about fifty workers to
Peru, most of whom have returned home for various reasons.
One of the difficulties in these mountainous countries is the alti
tude. It is very necessary to consider the physical condition of
missionaries who are sent to the mountain regions where people
are compelled to live at an altitude of from ten to fifteen thousand
feet. The matter of furlough and of rest periods on the coast
should be very carefully considered for missionaries working in
these altitudes. The only Methodist missionary in Peru who has
returned for his second term of service is Mr. Archerd. The rest
of the staff have only been in Peru from two to three years. Mr.
Ritchie, of the Evangelical Union, is just completing his tenth
year, and is the senior missionary in all Peru. The advancement
of the work greatly depends on the permanency of the missionary
forces.
70
Development of National Leadership. The Evangelical Union
las only one ordained Peruvian minister. The Methodists have
ifour Peruvian rninisters after all these years of evangelistic and
school work. There has been no way of training ministers, and
2ven the "ministers who are now ordained recognize that they are
limited at every turn because of their lack of preparation. It is
impossible for them to get an entre into the better circles. Their
work is necessarily confined to the lower classes. Not only must
way be found for training national leaders, but also for putting
.larger responsibility upon the native church. The missionaries do
nost of the work and practically all of the planning. The present
:hurch of the Evangelical Union in Lima is just now beginning
;o pay the incidental expenses of light, etc., without touching the
natter of salary for the pastor. The Methodist Church at Callao
is doing better than any of the others in self-support. In the
meeting that I held especially for the Peruvian workers, they re
quested a representation on the Committee on Cooperation, which
.iad not yet been granted to them, saying that if this Committee
vvas to work out the problem of development of the national
Church, certainly the members of their Church should have some-
:hing to say about it.
Salaries of Native Ministers. The cost of living in Peru, as
n other countries, is continually rising. It is impossible for the
native ministers to buy books and in other ways to advance them
selves with their present salaries. The missionary Boards will
lave to face this question in Peru, as well as in other Latin-
American fields. Some way must be worked out by which the
:hurches may share this responsibility with the Boards, and also
oy which the ministers shall be trained in the principles of thrift.
NEEDS
I sum up a few of the most prominent ones :
1. An adequate building for the Girls' High School in Lima.
This school has turned away fifty pupils in the last three months
for lack of room. Its opportunities are limitless with proper
equipment.
2, Church buildings in Lima. Now that the constitutional
imitations have been removed, the Methodist Episcopal and the
Evangelical Union churches should have buildings in the capital
at once. It will be a great day when the first representative Evan
gelical church building is erected in Peru. I should think that
these buildings in Lima should include rooms for social work. In
71
the part of the city where the Methodists have their work
should have one hundred thousand dollars for a representativ<
building that would speak for all Protestantism.
3. Arequipa. The enlargement of the Institutional work re
cently begun, either in adequate rented quarters, or, better still
in a building specially erected for school and institutional work
is a great need.
4. Cuzco. There should be the immediate erection of the
hospital for which the Evangelical Union already has some offei
of funds. The beginning of a community service and a bettei
place for the evangelistic meetings are also needed.
5. The Union Theological Seminary in Lima. According tc
the agreement with the Bolivian workers, they will also unite ir
this institution. The present night school may serve as a basis
But at least the Methodists, who have the largest work, should
soon send a man specially for this work, and the other missions
should either do this or arrange to release a missionary now or
the field for a good share of this time.
6. The Union Paper. I understand that plans for this are
practically ready to be put into operation. This will contribute
much to the whole evangelical cause.
7. An Enlargement of Forces by all three Societies. This is
imperative. Now that territorial responsibilities have been fixed,
it is easy for each Board to calculate the number of new w r orkers
needed to approach a proper occupation of its field. Every reason
for mission work in any part of the world can be urged as a call
to needy Peru.
72
VIII. BOLIVIA
Bolivia is a mighty land of 514,000 square miles; its estimated
;ensus of 1915 was 2,800,000. A more recent correct estimate
A^ould probably be two millions. At least fifty per cent, of the
copulation are pure Indians. The whites number 231,000. La
Paz, the capital of the Republic, has about 80,000 people. There
ire three missionary Boards doing work in Bolivia, the Meth
odist Episcopal, the Canadian Baptist and the Bolivian' Indian
Mission.
The Methodist Episcopal work is the largest and centers in
!^a Paz and Cochabamba. The Canadian Baptists have evangeli-
:al missionaries in those two centers and in Oruro. The Bolivian
[ndian Mission, an independent organization, having its headquar-
.cers in New Zealand, does work exclusively among the Indians,
with headquarters at San Pedro. The only educational work is
ander the direction of the Methodist Episcopal Board in La Paz
and Cochabamba, in both of which cities there is an "American
Institute," organized under Government patronage several years
igo. These schools have developed very rapidly, and are favor
ably known all over Bolivia.
The American Institute is organized after the model of boys'
Boarding schools in the United States. All thfe features which
make such school life pleasant and of profit to the boys have been
ntroduced in the institute, such as literary societies, school publi
cations, athletic associations, the Boy Scout Movement, reading
:lubs, etc. The effort of the faculty is to make this a genuine
American school, a worthy representative of American educa-
;ional standards. The institute receives boys from all social
classes ; merchants of small means, wealthy miners and ranchers,
.nechanics, men of official circles in the Government, tradesmen,
nembers of the President's Cabinet, military men of all ranks,
^-Presidents and many Congressmen send their sons to be edu-
:ated there. There are 100 boarding pupils, who come from even
:he remotest parts of Bolivia and the adjoining republics, some
}f them traveling for over a month by mule, boat, stage and train
:o reach the school.
When, with the approval and support of the Bolivian Congress,
a second school was opened in Cochabamba, the third city in size
n the country, provision was made for 150 pupils, but when the
73
school opened its doors it had an enrollment of over 250. Re
quests have come from five or six other Bolivian cities urging
that American schools be established there.
Up to three years ago the Government gave these schools
subsidy of about $12,000 gold annually, which supported them ii
a splendid way. Recently, however, this subsidy has been cu
off by the Government because of the financial crisis following
the outbreak of the European war, and it is now owing thret
years of this subsidy to the schools. This failure has brought the
life of these splendid institutions to a crisis, and they will have
to close their doors if the Methodist Board does not come to theii
rescue. It will no doubt do this, and thus confer a real blessing
on the schools, since they will be able to present evangelica
Christianity freely, a measure not now permitted by the Gov
ernment.
On arrival at La Paz I met Bishop W. F. Oldham and Dr
W. E. Browning, our newly elected Educational Secretary for the
Committee on Cooperation. Dr. Browning was aiding Bishop
Oldham in a thorough investigation of conditions in La Paz. One
of the great needs is property. The school now has to occupy
three separate properties, which require a total annual rent o1
$4,000. This big outlay has made it impossible to attend to many
other needs, which, in certain departments, are most glaring.
Bishop Oldham had just invited the Canadian Baptist Mission to
cooperate with his Church in the future development of the
school. They have already helped some in the teaching, and the
relations of the two Missions are delightfully harmonious. Mr.
Baker, of the Baptist Mission, is now in. Canada submitting the
question to his Board. His report, of some twenty pages, gives
an admirable history of the institution, and a statement of its
present needs and opportunities. It is hoped that the Baptist
Board will cooperate, and that the school in La Paz, as well as
the one in Cochabamba, will continue with strength. With a
more positive religious influence, these schools would contribute
to the development of a strong native ministry, which is a crying
need. The school has suffered in the past on account of frequent
changes of teachers, which has meant, among, other things, that
the faculty have not been able to penetrate into Bolivian life. The
majority of the instruction is given in Spanish, although English
is widely used. The dormitory facilities for the young men are
really pitiable.
New property is an imperative necessity. Standards for the
74
faculty should be maintained at a high degree, and only those
with educational training should be sent as teachers, if the school
is to compete with the magnificent new Government schools and
with the splendidly equipped Jesuit schools. The Director of
Government Education told me that the real reason for withdraw
ing the subsidy was that a faculty representing the best of North
American education was not maintained, and that an adequate
equipment was not provided.
We had a meeting of the Committee on Cooperation of Bolivia
in La Paz, Saturday, May 26, at which were present Bishop Old-
ham, Dr. W. E. Browning, and Rev. John Ritchie of Peru, be
sides the representatives of the Methodist Episcopal and Canadian
Baptist Mission in Bolivia. The interests of the work in general
were discussed. Here, as elsewhere, the great need is for an
educated ministry. At present the Methodists have only four
Bolivian preachers and the Baptists one. None of these has had
theological training. The two missions in Bolivia are very weak,
and cannot expect to establish a training school for their minis
ters for some time to come. The advantages of cooperation with
Peru in this matter were discussed, and seemed to be very great.
Peru and Bolivia have more or less the same class of inhabitants,
with an especially large percentage of pure Indians. They are
closely connected by railroads. There is a friendly national feel
ing between the two countries. A resolution was passed agreeing
to unite with Peru in a Union Seminary in Lima. Bishop Old-
ham and Dr. Browning were asked to discuss this matter with
the missionaries in Lima on their coming visit there.
The same reasons pointed to the advisability of uniting with
Peru in a union periodical. It was agreed that all the missions
should unite in the production of El Cristiano, at present pub
lished by the South American Evangelical Union in Lima. Mr.
Ritchie, the editor, being present, practically all the details were
decided upon.
It would be difficult to overestimate the importance of these
two actions. The small missionary force in Bolivia and Peru
could hardly expect to develop these two movements in an effi
cient way, but together they will be able to build two strong insti
tutions. Later, when this matter was presented to the Committee
on Cooperation in Peru, they took the following action :
1. In view of the urgent need of preparing a gospel ministry which
shall be adequately equipped for work among the educated classes as
well as among the more humble social strata of the national life, we do
75
hereby earnestly recommend the establishing in Lima of a union theo
logical seminary.
2. Inasmuch as the Republics of Peru and Bolivia have many interests
in common, and have no international problems that would make union
Christian work difficult, we do hereby express our desire, and do recom
mend, that the missions now at work in Bolivia be invited to cooperate
with the missions in Peru in making this union seminary the center of
advanced theological instruction for both Republics.
3. It is understood that the establishing of this seminary in Lima shall
not in any way hinder the establishing in Cuzco of a Regional Bible School
for the instruction of the workers of the Evangelical Union of South
America, and their preparation for the school needs of that region. We
would even recommend that in this Bible School in Cuzco, special atten
tion be given to the preparation of men for work among the Indians of
the two Republics, and that the interested missions unite in this effort.
4. It is also understood that this seminary in Lima shall be a feeder
for the more advanced instruction offered in the Union Theological Sem
inary to be erected in Montevideo.
A very delightful part of this visit to La Paz was the dinner
on Saturday evening in the American Institute, at which were
present all the Christian workers in La Paz and the four guests
from abroad. There was inspiration in the thought that we could
meet up here on the roof of the world, coming from so many
places, and plan for the extension of the Kingdom in the needy
land of Bolivia. God grant that it may lead to increased service
in this cold, black, sad country !
At a second meeting of the Committee on Cooperation we dis
cussed the question as to what kind of a religion the Latin
Americans would be willing to accept. One of the missionaries
that had been longest on the field said that we might as well try
to convert these people to Mohammedanism as to Protestantism
as we were now presenting it. Our forms and manner of pre
senting the gospel were so foreign to the Latin temperament that
he did not believe that we would ever be successful in reaching
large numbers until we lost our Anglo-Saxon mannerisms and
thought and felt with the Latins.
Another reported that one of the leading Bolivian citizens re
cently gave an address at the American Institute in which he
brought out the point that if the Bolivian is to be converted, it
would be through a program of service. Those present generally
agreed that the Evangelical Church must depend less on the
pulpit and more on service to the community. We should not
at present expect to force our form of organization on the Latins,
but the great question is what form of organization the Church
will take in these countries. The North American missionary
76
must lead, and, at the same time, put the burden of responsibility
upon the Latin. This difficulty makes it of the greatest impor
tance that the best prepared missionaries be sent to Latin
America.
The evangelical churches seem hardly to have touched the life
of La Paz, so far. The combined congregations on Sunday night
did not reach 100 people. The Canadian Baptists, after long
years of work, have only twelve members in the city. Altogether
in Bolivia there are about 100 members of the evangelical
churches. Most of the missionaries are new. Few have had any
special preparation before coming to their field. Their Spanish
is not such as to draw educated people to the services. One is
impressed with the lack of organization and of definite plans,
both in'evangelistic and educational work. The field is so under
manned that the splendid men who are there find it impossible
to do their work properly or to get time for any larger program.
It is heartrending to think that a whole nation is dependent upon
this limited force of workers.
The Methodists have two missionaries and three Bolivians en
gaged in evangelistic work, with churches at four points having
50 members in all. The Baptists have three missionaries and
one Bolivian pastor doing evangelistic work in three centers,
with less than 50 members altogether. Only one Bolivian has
sufficient preparation -for ordination. No means are provided for
preparing men for the ministry. No property is owned by the
missions. Neither mission is working among the Indians. It was
a real shock to find that there was a country on the globe where
so little Christian work is being done.
Bolivia is now developing rapidly her state educational meth
ods, at least in three or four centers. Several years ago, when
she recognized the need of this, she did her best to get a Protes
tant Missionary Society to lead in the new program. But we were
not ready. So she has recently invited a number of Belgian
teachers to organize and direct her school system. They are now
doing the work that Protestant missionary educators would be
doing if we had been ready, and they are doing it well, educa
tionally, but their influence is against the gospel. I know of no
finer normal school in all South American than the one recently
opened in La Paz. The director of this normal school, Sr.
Rouma, one of the best educators in South America, took me
all over the normal school and explained his plans to develop
primary and secondary .education in the Republic. There are
77
now only 55,000 pupils in the Government schools in Bolivia,
with an annual budget of $1,000,000 for a population of over
2,000,000. It will be many years before the present educational
activities will be felt outside of a few cities.
One of the greatest needs for La Paz is a Christian hospital.
The Government several years ago started to build a good hos
pital, but never completed it. If a Christian organization were
willing to take it in hand, they would no doubt turn it over to
them. In fact, the liberal Government is progressive and willing
to be led in different ways to improve conditions. I had some
helpful interviews with Government officials and with the son of
the President (the President being out of the city), and received
many expressions of desire to cooperate with us in philanthropic
work. There is a splendid opening for a Young Men's Christian
Association in La Paz.
The following extracts from official utterances are interesting
as showing the temper of the present Government. It seems a
far cry from the time, fifteen years ago, when Mr. Paine was
nearly killed by a mob for preaching in Cochabamba.
From the President's message, August 6, 1916:
"In its actual organization, very few results are promised from
the seminaries in Sucre, La Paz and Santa Cruz ; it seems neces
sary to help these establishments as a convenient method of im
proving the national clergy, the deficiency of which is not only
noted in the provinces, but also in the principal cities of the Re
public. Touching this point, it is necessary to call the attention
of the public authorities to the tendency of foreign priests who
reside in the country, each day augmenting, to direct the political
movement of the parties and to take a prejudiced attitude in the
elections, even using the sacred pulpit to carry on their propa
ganda. The Government understands that if the clergy wishes
to conserve its merited social prestige and if it wishes to fulfill
its novel evangelical mission, it should not mix in politics, be
cause the real pastor cares for his sheep with equal solicitude
and without distinguishing colors ; it might be well for the cleri
cal authorities to show the clergy that in place of multiplying
the political divisions and fomenting social prejudices, their activ
ities would be more meritorious if they endeavored to conserve
for their religion the Indians of the country, who, for some time
past, have become the object of solicitude on the part of ministers
of other communities."
From the Annual Report of the Minister of Instruction, 1914:
78
"On account of the great growth of liberal ideas in these last
days, the ecclesiastical studies have lost much of their prestige,
so that in the Seminary of La Paz since 1910 only three students
have concluded its courses that is to say, have been ordained
priests. In the present year of 1913, there are only nine pupils
three who have come in from the fourth year secondary, three
from the philosophical courses, and three in theology."
The Bolivian Indians were included formerly in the Inca Em
pire. This Empire extended from Quito on the north through
Peru and Bolivia to Santiago del Estero on the south a distance
of more than three thousand miles. The Aymaras, much less-
numerous than the Quichuas, inhabited the region around Lake
Titicaca. They lead a similar life to the Quichuas, and formed
part of the great Inca Empire. Sir Clements R. Markham, who
gave a lifetime to the study of these peoples, is the accepted
authority concerning them. He estimates that in the three Re
publics fifty-seven per cent, of the inhabitants are Quichua In
dians, counting Ecuador with 1,500,000, Peru with 4,000,000,
and Bolivia with 2,000,000. This would give, in round numbers,
more than 3,500,000 Quichuas. 1
The Seventh-Day Adventists have the only organized educa
tional work for these Indians, located some twelve miles from
Puno, Peru. There are now about 500 Indian children being
educated there. The work was begun by an Indian named Co-
manzio, who, when he learned to read and write, said, "This
ought to be good for others as well as for me," and began a
school for his compatriots. The Adventists afterward took it
over and developed it into the present splendid work. Their peo
ple have gone out into the surrounding country and opened
schools which are doing much for the elevation of the people.
Evangelical work among them consists largely of independent
efforts. There have been some notable journeys by missionaries
through Bolivia ; one made by Mr. Milne and Mr. Penzotti,
agents of the American Bible Society ; another by Mr. Will Paine,
a brethren missionary who has reported his journeys in a book
called "Pioneering in Bolivia." 2 Mr. J. H. Wenburg, as agent
of the American Bible Society, has traveled extensively among
the Indians of the lowlands of the east. At the present time Mr.
John Linden, an independent missionary, who has been working
Incas of Peru, Sir Clements Markham; Smith Elder & Co., Lon
don.
^Pioneering in Bolivia, Will Payne and Chas. T. W. Wilson, Echoes of
Service, London.
79
in San Pedro de Jujuy, is among the Indians fourteen days'
journey from La Paz.
The Bolivian Indian Mission has five couples at the present
time on the field. Mr. George Allen, head of the mission, is at
present in the United States soliciting funds. The missionaries
live on a pitiably small financial margin. They seldom -return
to the field after they once leave. I was told that at times they
have to get along on three to five dollars a week. Their work
is very greatly limited in this way. They cannot be assured of
permanent workers nor look forward to a well-directed educa
tional program, probably the Indians' greatest need.
Another most interesting work is the Guatajata Farm, at Hua-
rina, Bolivia, on Lake Titicaca. This was founded by an Italian,
Antonio Chirioto. He lived in the United States for a number
of years, becoming a naturalized citizen. Afterward he went to
Argentina and engaged in the flour-milling business, likewise
conducting a mission there. He sold this business,, and, hearing
of the needs of Bolivia, went to that land. He soon died, leaving
his fortune of $32,000 gold for the formation of the Peniel Mis
sion, which should conduct an agricultural and school work for
the Indians. This fund was placed in the hands of three trustees,
business men and missionaries of Bolivia, and the work started
out with great promise. Minister Calderon, representing Bolivia
in the United States, gave $500 to the work ; the State voted
$2,000 per annum ; the President of the Republic asked Mr. Wen-
burg to direct the work, and called at the missionaries' resi
dence to discuss it. Newspapers published many sympathetic
accounts of the work, one of which is a letter from Minister
Calderon, in which he says, among other things, "The sum left
by this good man is not very great, but the object to which it
is given could not be more worthy of help. If a foreigner, with
out any interest in Bolivia, and moved exclusively by noble senti
ments toward the Indians, has left a fortune to be employed in
favor of these, would it be possible that we, the Bolivians, shall
not do something to contribute to the success of such an impor
tant work ? The national progress, happily helped along by peace,
the importance of railroads, and the growth of our riches, make
us more than ever desirous to raise the miserable condition of
our people, composed in the larger part of these unfortunate
Indians, victims of unmentionable abuses and oppression. No
people can possess the benefit of liberty and general happiness if
each one of its inhabitants does not enjoy the same privileges
80
which will make them become intelligent citizens, capable of tak
ing their part in the common material and moral progress. It is
no exaggeration to say that the present condition of the Bolivian
Indian is a national disgrace and a terrible indictment of the good
name of the Republic. It is, therefore, a sacred duty on the part
of every good Bolivian to look for the means of doing away with
this disgrace, and converting into active forces the thousands of
Indians who to-day are a millstone around the neck of a civilized
society."
This work, so auspiciously begun a few years ago, has encoun
tered all kinds of difficulties. The trustees seem not to have
managed their responsibilities very well; difficulties have come
up between them and the directors ; the Government has become
dissatisfied with the small amount of educational work done and
has withdrawn its support. Most money was wasted in buying a
motor-boat, which proved to be unusable ; the funds destined for
school work are being paid out in interest for a large amount of
land, much of which is not usable. The directors have been
changed several times, and at present they are "looking for an
other member.
I have not found a sadder situation than this one in all South
America. It gives point to the fact that unquestionably the best
way to do a permanent work in these countries is to organize it
under a strong mission Board which has a permanent constit
uency, and has developed a policy of management that assures
permanency and a business-like expenditure of funds. As one
studies the Indian work, he is impressed with the fact that, while
the independent workers have really made great sacrifices and
have gone through these lands sowing Scriptures and Christian
tracts, yet there is a lack of permanency of the work. The poor
Indians are sometimes only won to evangelical work long enough
to incur the hatred of the community, and then the worker
moves along to another field, abandoning them to the persecutions
of the parish priests.
In Jujuy, Argentina, I am told that there are five different
agencies working among the Indians. The workers come and go,
throughout this whole territory. What is needed is a number of
permanent centers, well-established, and with a definite policy
that will continue through the years, educating the Indians not
only in spiritual things, but aiding them, baffled by their contact
with civilization, to solve their economic and social problems.
In any plans that shall be made, it should be remembered that the
81
Indians are a distinctively agricultural people ; they -need to be
better fitted for a close relationship to the soil.
United States Minister O'Rear believes that we might induce
the Rockefeller Foundation to do something for the Indians, espe
cially in view of their awful physical degradation, brought about
by the use of alcohol, the coco leaf, and various evil influences
working to destroy them, physically as well as spiritually.
The best book on social conditions in Bolivia is "Pueblo En-
fermo," by Arguedas, who,, because of the unmerciful exposure
of his country's weaknesses, is compelled to live outside of his
native land.
Concerning conditions among the Indians, Sr. Arguedas says :
"Blinded by different contradictory creeds, under the material and
moral influence of the priests, the patrons and public officials, his
soul is a deposit of rumors from time past. When the flower of
his race was shut up against its will in the heart of the mines, he
wasted away rapidly, gaining the help and sympathy of none.
This hate has accumulated so that the race has lost its best char
acteristics. To-day the Indians are the object of general ex
ploitation and general antipathy. When this exploitation in an
aggressive and brutal form arrives at a maximum and the suf
ferers have come to the point when they have gotten beyond the
power of human forbearance, then the Indian rises, forgets his
manifest inferiority, loses the instinct of conservation, and, listen
ing to his soul, replete with hatred, looses his passions and robs
and assassinates with terrible vigor. Authority, patron, power,
priest, nothing exists for him. The idea of reprisals and punish
ment, if it occurs to him, acts only as on the fiendish tiger, es
caped from his den. Afterward, when he has given free rein ta
all of his passions, let the soldiers, the priests and the judges
come and kill and rob it makes no difference ; and certainly
they come. Certainly they kill, they rob, they violate, they sow
terror on all sides. Those who escape death are taken before law
yers and judges, well-read, whose occupation consists in showing
the terrible apparatus of the law. The Indians are put in obscure
gaols, and taken out once in a while under the armed vigilance of
soldiers and made to work ten hours a day without food sufficient
to sustain their poor, weak bodies after so much privation."
There could be no stronger appeal to help these poor, benighted
people than the following document, only one of many similar^
published in El Comercio, a leading daily of La Paz :
82
"To THE PRESIDENT OF THE HON. COUNCIL OF THE PROVINCE OF ARQUE:
"It is my painful duty to report the following shameful charges against
Isidore Claros, priest of Quirquiavi:
"In a sermon, he told the Indians that those who obeyed the municipal
ity were savages, adulterers, and excommunicated ; that neither the
municipality nor the President had anything to do with the Church. He
recently ordered the Indians to close up a street which the municipality
had opened.
"He demands from the Indians taxes he has not the least right to
demand.
"In less than a month he has collected from Manuel Beltran $56 for
burial rites and $32 for masses, and now threatens to send his Church
officials to take charge of the property of the widow.
"From Gavino Checa, another poor Indian, he demanded $12 for having
pronounced a blessing over his deceased sister, but Checa, not being able
to pay, the priest seized four of his sheep and intends to take possession
also of three llamas, the property of the deceased sister.
"From another widow, this heartless wretch has extorted $32 for masses
and responses.
"He thinks that, being parish priest, he is the owner of all the prop
erty of the Indians, whom he fleeces extravagantly in the face of public
outcry. He goes to their preserves in search of sheep, which he secures by
saying a few prayers over their belongings in order to keep away the evil
spirits. He intrudes into the huts and performs these ceremonies against
their wishes. He brings them from their ranches and makes them marry
against their will, just for the money it brings him.
"In August last, he whipped a poor widow named Maria Tola from the
church to her house, because she had informed the municipality that he
had extorted $32 from her. He left her, saying : 'That will teach you, to
go to the municipality.'
"The man does just as he pleases, and says he fears nobody and no
authority."
Besides "Aves sin Nidos" and "Pueblo Enfermo," I have read,
during my trip through the Highlands, the History of Bolivia and
the biography of Simon Bolivar. Four books 1 more calculated to
throw one into the blackest pessimism, would be hard to find.
Bolivia had some ten different constitutions between her birth
as a Republic, in 1825, and her war with Chile, in 1879. Of a ^
her many Presidents, scarcely one completed his term or died a
natural death.
General Bolivar is sometimes compared to Washington, and
rightly in many ways, for he rendered a great service in freeing
his people from the despotism of Europe. But the study of his
life is far from a moral inspiration. His egotism, pessimism and
1 Aves Sin Nidos, Clorinda Matto de Turner, F. Sempere y Cia, Barce
lona.
Pueblo Enfermo, A. Arguedas, Vda. de Luis Tasso, Barcelona.
Compendia de la Historia de Bolivia, A de Uribe y Cia, Madrid.
Simon Bolivar, Intimo, F. Sempere y Cia, Barcelona.
83
immorality are too continually evident for him to be a model for
the South American youth.
Too much reading of such literature, and too much witnessing
of the pitiable life of the Indians of the Andean Plateau might
burden one's heart until it broke.
84
IX. CHILE
My visit to Chile was one of the most satisfactory of the whole
trip. The Chilean Committee on Cooperation had outlined in
detail my daily program for every day of the four weeks that I
spent in that Republic. Either the president or secretary of the
Committee accompanied me in visiting practically every evangeli
cal center of importance from Antofagasta to Temuco.
From Antofagasta, the center of the nitrate district, which has
waxed fat on war profits and developed into a modern city with
spiritual needs greater by far than the one worker there can possi
bly supply, I went south on a coast boat. I was enabled thus to
visit briefly several evangelical centers before reaching Valparaiso.
The Presbyterian (U. S. A), and Methodist Episcopal Boards con
duct practically all the work from the extreme northern border
of Chile to Temuco in the south. In the southern section of the
country the South American Missionary Society, the Christian and
Missionary Alliance, the Southern Baptists, Adventists and Pente-
costals are working. Between the Presbyterians and Methodists
there is practically no duplication of work, but all the way down
this narrow country their fields alternate, making it necessary in
visiting either work to cover nearly the whole country.
The progressive city of Valparaiso, with 250,000 people, has
been deeply affected by the evangelical work. Much of this is due
to the excellent foreign colonies, mostly English, that have so
splendidly supported the religious and philanthropic institutions of
the city, which include the well-equipped Anglican and Union
churches, the Young Men's Christian Association and the Protest
ant Orphanage. It is no doubt due to the example of the foreign
colonies in the various cities, as well as to the missionaries, that
such a large number of educational and philanthropic societies are
now being formed by the Chileans themselves. This differentiates
them as a progressive people with ability for leadership.
The country itself has not been so prosperous for a long time
as at present. The exports for the month of June were $20,000,-
ooo and the imports only $2,000,000. Naturally this influences
exchange and works a hardship on missionaries and other for
eigners whose basis of living is calculated in American or Eng
lish gold. The Chilean peso, which has been worth about eighteen
cents gold for the last several years, is now worth twenty-five
85
cents. Prices have not come down in proportion ; on the con
trary, they are rising all the time.
Such organizations as the Sociedad de Instruction Primaria,
composed of a number of the better middle-class men, who are
giving time and money to the establishment of primary schools,
are aiding the Government to grapple with this tremendous prob
lem. At present there are enrolled 338,000 children in the Gov
ernment primary schools, with 448,000 more children of school
age without any facilities for instruction.
The Chilean Government has been recently developing savings
banks with great success. The manager of the Valparaiso Branch
claimed that Chile is second to France in the percentage of its
inhabitants who had savings accounts. Chileans own various
commercial enterprises which in other Latin-American countries
are in the hands of foreigners. In most of these countries the
school desks are imported, but Chile makes her own. Most of
her shoes, even those with North American marks, are made at
home. Chileans are also investing heavily in commercial enter
prises in Bolivia and Argentina. They are intensely patriotic,
and have probably the most clearly defined national characteris
tics of any country in South America. Their national motto is
"By Reason or by Force." Their conception of their nation as
expressed to me by one of their leading Government official's
while I was being entertained at his home, may be summed up as
follows :
"Chile is the only country in America that has a parliamentary
form of government. This explains why they have so often escaped
revolution when there has been plenty of provocation for it. The
present President was compelled to change his cabinet eight days
after his election, and call to the Ministry of the Interior the leader
of the Opposition Party. According to the constitution, the President
has the same power as the President of the United States, but since
the civil war, in which Balmaceda, the President, was defeated in a
contest with the Congress, the real power in Chile has been the
Congress.
"In 1910 Chile had three Presidents, two dying in office within a
month of one another, and the third being elected by Congress, and
yet there was not the least sign of a revolution.
"Chile is, in a sense, ruled by an oligarchy, but it is an oligarchy
of those who have become rich and influential by hard work, rather
than an oligarchy of the old Spanish families. The present President
is a self-made man. The Government pays a pension to the widows
of four former Presidents.
"The national spirit in Chile is very strong. Not long ago the
Government voted $10,000,000 for new school buildings. A North
86
American friend wished me to go in with him and secure the contracts
for these buildings, but I assured him it would not be possible, be
cause the national spirit would not allow people outside the country
to erect such buildings. If the Government had given him these con
tracts it would have incited a revolution.
"Chile has a strong military force without militarism. All young
men from 19 to 21 must serve a year in the army. This gives Chile
15,000 new soldiers every year, and enables her to put 300,000 trained
. men under arms at short notice.
"You may laugh at me when I say that Chile is the freest country
on earth; we are not kept from doing anything that is legitimate; we
want our Government to have more authority, but it will not assume
as much as we think it should. The Monroe Doctrine, as my friend
Prefessor Bingham says, is obsolete, and it is the one thing that is
keeping North America from progressing as it ought in Chile. Do
you realize that Chile is the only country that has ever really shed
blood to protect America from Europe? That was when Spain en
deavored to reconquer Peru in 1864. Chile had no reasons whatever,
except altruistic ones, for helping Peru, but she went into the war
immediately and suffered heavily. The fleet of the United States lay
in the harbor of Valparaiso while the Spaniards bombarded the city,
refusing to raise a hand to help South America against a European
foe"
I only wish that investigation indicated that the picture was as
roseate as my friend paints it. Many people claim that the Gov
ernment is in the hands of an oligarchy of some hundred fam
ilies, which oppress the poor to such an extent that a revolution
is imminent.
In no country in Latin America has the evangelical propaganda
placed more emphasis on schoools than in Chile. Some of the
best known schools in the Republic are conducted by the Prot
estant Missions.
Valparaiso is the center of a most interesting parochial school
system. La Escuela Popular has been maintained by the Pres-
"byterian Mission, North, for many years. It reaches the chil
dren of the church members and others of the artisan class. Be
sides the large central branch, which has courses from the
kindergarten up through the eighth grade, there have been estab
lished seven branches in different parts of the city, with a total
matriculation of about 1,000. There is a constant demand for
the extension of these schools, not only in Valparaiso, but in other
parts of Chile. This is due to the fact, (i) that Chile has placed
her educational emphasis on secondary schools and more than
half of the children of primary age are without school privileges,
and (2) that the superiority, both educational and moral, of the
missionary primary schools over Government schools is generally
recognized.
87
The fact that La Escuela Popular places emphasis on Bible
teaching and invites all of its pupils to the Sunday School and
preaching services, which are held in the school building, seems
to be no drawback to the attendance, which is always as large as
the premises will permit.
In every city and town visited in Chile, the need for primary
schools was very evident. It was not difficult, therefore, for one
to sympathize with the urgent appeal of the missionaries in Val
paraiso and other places for the development of a normal school
which would make possible the multiplying of evangelical prim
ary schools.
In Santiago one finds an entirely different missionary educa
tional situation from the one in Valparaiso. There are no prim
ary schools in the former comparable to the Escuelas Populares,
which reach the Church's and other poor people's children. There
are, however, two large boarding schools in Santiago, and several
in other centers, whose influence reaches out through Chile and
to the other republics of the West Coast, which minister to chil
dren of the higher classes. The Santiago College of the Meth
odist Episcopal Church, for girls, and the Institute Ingles, of the
Presbyterian Church, North, for boys, have a dominating influ
ence among the schools of the capital. Each has a splendid
equipment, although greatly in need of enlargement. Many dis
interested observers believe that these two institutions have been
the greatest force for righteousness in Chile.
I spent several days in each of these schools, and it would take
many pages to tell of the splendid work they are doing. Some
criticism has been made of the schools because neither of them
has largely touched the life of the Evangelical Church in Chile.
Their teaching is entirely in English. They draw their patron
age from the higher classes, who are able to pay expensive
tuitions. Thus they are not only entirely self-supporting, but earn
enough to continually enlarge their equipment.
At times scholarships have been given to evangelical children,
but as these come from the uncultured classes, the results have
not always been satisfactory. Bible instruction and a warm
Christian spirit is maintained in the classrooms. Great good is
done by sending out into the community young people who, if
not definitely committed to the Protestant Church organization,
are sympathetic toward it, and maintain high moral ideals. Cer
tainly such work is eminently worth while.
I found, however, a lack of coordination between the evangel-
istic and educational work in Chile which at first was difficult to
understand. With such efficient educational institutions and an
unusually strong force of evangelistic missionaries, one is per
plexed at not seeing a more rapid growth of the Evangelical
Church. I came to believe that the reason is that the missionaries
are educating one class of people, and evangelizing another class.
Where the church schools do help to educate the church's chil
dren, it is only in the primary grades. There is no way of taking
them on to the higher grades where they would be either trained
directly as Christian workers or developed into intelligent Chris
tian laymen.
So while on the one hand the general community has felt the
higher moral ideals taught influential young people in Christian
boarding schools, on the other hand, the Evangelical Church has
not challenged the attention of the better classes. It started with
the humbler classes, and has remained on that same low intel
lectual level.
The remedy is evidently a provision for secondary schools for
the Christian community, with first-class professional schools for
training the Church's ministers and teachers, continuing at the
same time the splendid work of those schools which are influenc
ing the nation at large and raising its moral ideals. It will be
seen later that the Regional Committee adopted plans to carry
out these lines of development.
The missionaries in Chile are re-studying, with an open-minded-
ness that is refreshing, the whole evangelical program.
In a conference with twenty-five ministers and teachers in
Santiago, the fact was brought out that there are a great many
organizations among the Chileans themselves that are endeavor
ing to serve the people. The University students are planning a
building, for which they have already collected a hundred thou
sand pesos, in which the students from outside Santiago will be
given a home. They are also organizing classes outside the Uni
versity to help their fellow-students from the Provinces to meet
the examination requirements. The problem for the evangelical
workers is to get in contact with these philanthropic organiza
tions, and to lead them along the lines of Christian service.
In such circles the idea prevails that the Evangelical Church
is simply another ecclesiastical organization like the Roman
Church. Many evangelical leaders have come to believe that an
emphasis on the program of service and on the national church
idea would win many Chileans to the Protestant cause who are
now working for their country's uplift. The oldest missionary
present, speaking on the importance of the native leadership, said :
"It would be a blessing to the Chilean Christians if all of us mis
sionaries would clear out of the country!" Of course, he only
meant to express in the strongest terms his convictions on the
need of a national church.
I had a most interesting meeting with the national workers in
Santiago. They had appointed a committee beforehand to care
fully work out the questions they wished to raise. The following
is a summary of their discussions :
1. Preparation of a National Ministry and the Seminary. The
Chilean ministers have not had an opportunity to prepare themselves
for their work, and hence they are very largely incapable of leadership.
The Seminary is doing something toward remedying this, and yet its
organization is loose. To do its best work, it should have two or
three men who would give all their time to it. The Boards have
failed to provide scholarships for young men. There are a number
of young men who are now ready to go to the Seminary if there
were any way for them to pay their expenses.
2. Relations between Foreign and National Workers. In spite of
lack of funds to sustain students in the seminary, to pay ministers a
living salary and to open new work, the Boards were using extra
funds to send more foreign missionaries. This is in direct opposition
to the recommendation of the Regional Conference in Santiago, which
emphasized the need of more national workers. Some thought that
there should not be any more foreign missionaries sent to Chile for
a while. The majority opinion, however, was that missionaries should
only be sent when the number of national workers was proportion
ately enlarged. It was agreed that this proportion should be one for
eign worker to five national workers. The foreign missionaries now
on their way to Chile for the Presbyterian Mission will mean that
there is actually less work done in extending the Church itself, as at
least the house rent of these missionaries must come out of the pres
ent budget allowed for the extension of evangelistic work. The rent
of a house for one of these new missionaries would pay the entire
salary of a Chilean minister.
3. Salaries of National Workers. Some felt that there was entirely
too much difference between the salaries of missionaries and Chilean
ministers. The general opinion, however, was that the missionaries
are earning all they are getting; that they were faithful, and the
Chileans had no desire to have the missionaries' salaries lowered.
They do feel the necessity of their own salaries being raised. One
minister had to live on one or two meals a day; another had six sons
that he would like to follow him in the ministry, but decided that they
could not enter a work that did not give one support enough for
proper clothes, or the education of his children. One of the reasons
that there are so few young men entering the ministry is because the
salaries paid do not allow a decent living.
4. Larger Participation of National Workers in Administration. If
90
a national church is to be developed, Chileans must have something
to say about how mission funds are spent. The national workers
have made this claim for many years and are just now beginning to
see the results, for .to-day, in both the Methodist and Presbyterian
Churches, Chileans have representation on the Finance Committees.
5. Literature and Its Distribution. The need of a united depository
for literature is of paramount necessity. As for the kind of literature,
stories are particularly needed. They will have a much larger circu
lation than theological literature, and will convey the truth to the
hearts of many more people.
The educational missionaries in Santiago have formed close re
lationships with the national educational leaders. Several have
been called upon to teach classes in the University. It is a great
pity that Mr. McLean, of the Presbyterian Mission, just as he
was beginning to give all his time to work with the educated
classes, had to accept the directorship of the Institute* Ingles. Our
missionaries, who have such cordial relationships with educational
circles, should be given time to cultivate them. If the two mission
schools of Santiago should unite, as planned, in furnishing a
college course, it would give the evangelical cause a still larger
influence.
The Young Men's Christian Association has just sent a secre
tary to Santiago to open a student branch. The Methodists have
recently begun a hostel for young women who attend the Univer
sity. This most promising work meets with the approval of the
State educationalists, and should have larger quarters. This year
they had twice as many applicants for rooms as they could accom
modate.
Where the national educational leaders are so sympathetic, the
evangelical cause should be pushed among the student classes.
This would involve not only an intensive work amono- them, but
a strengthening of the evangelistic leadership and the provision
of better church buildings. A young Chilean pastor was recently
appealed to for spiritual help by one of the leading men of the
city. The minister visited him in his home, but was greatly per
plexed about inviting him to the dingy little hall where services
are held, lest the gentleman be turned against the whole cause
before the Gospel Message was fully understood.
The Concepcion evangelical work is well established. The
Presbyterian and Methodist Churches both have good buildings,
and the Methodist Boys' School has one of the finest plants of
any evangelical school in South America. It is not at present
being used to its capacity, and I should like very much to see it
91
made into an interdenominational school for the training of the
Church's children.
Temuco, in southern Chile, is the center of the Araucanian In
dians, the only tribe of aborigines in South America that success
fully resisted all attempts to conquer them. They finally became
annexed to Chile by their own consent in 1885. Their evangeliza
tion is in the hands of the South American Missionary Society,
founded by Allan Gardiner. The Mission has a well-developed
industrial, educational and evangelistic work. It received Govern
ment recognition in 1903, in the shape of a grant of land for an
agricultural school.
Many of the graduates of the schools of this Mission are en
gaged in teaching, evangelism and other activities, in many cases
bearing the expenses and furnishing the equipment themselves.
The work is suffering deeply for lack of support. The splendid
hospital is entirely closed, since the two English physicians have
been called to the colors. No new evangelistic missionaries have
been sent out for twenty years. The workers have just received
word from headquarters that their already reduced allowance must
be still further curtailed this year. Some way should be found to
advance this most worthy work among the most virile Indians of
the continent.
Besides the Indian work in Temuco, which is a city of 30,000,
there are evangelical churches sustained by the Methodists, Chris
tian and Missionary Alliance and the Pentecostals. At a meeting
of the local workers and those from several towns around, there
was a frank discussion of the denominational overlapping which,
not to use a stronger term, is very noticeable in this district.
Among the suggestions made for the betterment of the work at
that meeting were the following:
1. Closer cooperation in Southern Chile, where denominational
rivalry disturbs progress.
2. An effort should be made to reach the intellectual classes. Pub
lic conferences and lectures in theaters and other places were recom
mended.
3. Literature is needed to interest the educated classes. Particularly
translations of some of the best evangelical novels. Also a clean,
non-doctrinal periodical for young people.
4. Better preparation of national workers. An international theo
logical seminary, where candidates for the ministry can get as good
preparation as lawyers, physicians and engineers are getting, is im
perative.
5. The establishment of a primary school at the side of every
church.
92
6. A general intensification of evangelical work in order to combat
the recent very active literary propaganda of the Roman Catholic
Church, which is directed against the Protestant cause.
The Union Theological Seminary, organized three years ago
by the Presbyterian and Methodist missions, has done a surpris
ingly large work, considering the handicaps under which it has
labored. It now has about ten students, who represent all grades
of preparation, as so far it has not been found practicable to have
entrance examinations. Classes are held in dark and dismal quar
ters, with practically no library or other equipment. Six mission
aries give part of their time as instructors in the institution, but
no one has it as his special work. The presidency has alternated
annually between the two missions.
All the workers realize that the time has arrived when the in
stitution must be strengthened by two or three professors being
set aside for all their time, and an adequate building erected.
Mission Boards can do no one thing for Chile that is of such
importance as carrying out the recommendation of the Regional
Committee on this point.
The meeting of the Advisory Committee on Cooperation in
Chile was held in Santiago after I had visited all the fields. A
remarkable spirit of unity prevailed. It was one of the most
fruitful meetings of my entire trip. The following extracts from
the minutes of that meeting show the most important items in
the new program:
Report of Committee on Message and Method: It was felt that the
Churches might have a larger influence if they would enter into social
or institutional work. A trial might be made by renting a building
and forming boys' and girls' clubs, gymnasium classes, night classes
in commercial subjects, mothers' meetings, musical programs, confer
ences, etc. This work should be under the supervision of a Board of
Directors, to be chosen from the laity. In Valparaiso the Missions
are trying to connect the schools more closely to the Church through
visits by the teachers to the homes of the pupils. The wives of the
missionaries are teaching a half-day in the school each week in order
to allow the teachers to make these visits. More Bible Women are
needed. A simultaneous evangelistic campaign on a national scale has
been found impracticable, but simultaneous meetings were held in
Santiago, Concepcion and Valparaiso during Easter week. Evangel
istic meetings could probably be held successfully in these centers if
an outside man could be secured to conduct them. It was decided to
invite Rev. G. P. Howard, of Buenos Aires, to conduct meetings for
'two weeks in each center. The appointment of Robert Elphick, D. A.
Edwards and R. C. Scott to prepare for this campaign, was approved
by the general committee.
93
Report on Church in the Field: The chairman reported that there
is a marked change occurring in the Roman Catholic Church; that it
is more active and aggressive. It is multiplying its schools, even ad
vocating the education of every child in Chile. There has been an
abandonment of certain practices in the Church. It is more careful
of the wines it advertises and has eliminated processions. All this
means a rise in the general level of Christian work. The attitude of
Government officials is favorable to the school work of the Missions;
there is a growing interest in Christianity, but not in religion. "Any
thing for Christ, but nothing for controversy," was the stand taken by
many.
Report on "Heraldo Cristiano": (This is a union paper, supported
by Methodists and Presbyterians). The chairman reported a deficit at
present. The periodical change of editors was not satisfactory. Sev
eral urged the appointment of a permanent editor, regardless of de
nominational connection, in order to give the paper a consistent
policy. It was decided to recommend to the Missions concerned that
a permanent editor be chosen. A more versatile and progressive
editorial policy is needed.
Report on Literature: The chairman of this committee reported
the following plan for a depository: To form a joint stock company
with a capital of 40,000 pesos in shares of 100 pesos each selling
250 shares with 50 per cent, paid up and the balance subject to call,
annually, at the rate of 5 or 10 per cent, if needed. The committee
proposes to sell the majority of the shares as follows: Presbyterian
Mission, 80; Methodist Mission, 80; Committee on Cooperation in
Latin America, 40; American Bible Society, 20; Y. M. C. A., 15; the
Valparaiso Tract and Bible Society offering to contribute 700 pesos.
No one shareholder shall be allowed to hold more than 45 per cent,
of the total issue of stock. Each shareholding Mission or organiza
tion shall be entitled to one director, who shall have one vote for
every ten shares held by the Mission. Each shareholder shall receive
or bear the profit or loss in proportion to the amount of stock held.
The Board of Directors shall 'choose the manager. It is proposed to
rent a store-room in the center of the city and handle school supplies
as well as evangelical literature.
Report of Special Committee on Education: The opinion is unani
mous that the Seminary shall have first place among the various
union projects which the Boards have been asked to support. The
proposed building will require $30,000 U. S. gold at the exchange rate
of five to one.
An administrative council of six members should be appointed,
which would elect the president and other members of the faculty and
outline the policies, in conjunction with a Home Committee, to be
appointed by the cooperating Boards. Representation on the Admin
istrative Council shall be in proportion to the amount of capital in
vested.
It will be expected that national workers be represented in the
faculty to as large a degree as practicable.
In order to carry out the plan already agreed upon of establishing
a primary school in every city and town where the Missions have a
Protestant church, it is necessary to have a Normal School for the
94
preparation^ of teachers. The need for these primary schools is so
great that if we had the teachers and the necessary funds, primary
schools could be opened at once in forty towns where there are
churches and chapels. The committee therefore recommends the be
ginning of a Union Nortnal School in Valparaiso. An estimate of
about $25,000 was made for securing necessary property and meeting
running expenses for the first year. The original expense shall be
borne equally by the Missions which join in the enterprise, and the
administration shall be in their hands.
To meet the present urgent need, and until a building and teachers
are provided, the committee recommends a yearly grant to the Escucla
Popular in Valparaiso of 2,400 pesos ($600 U. S.) for rent of a build
ing suitable for dormitory, and of 5,000 pesos ($1,200 U. S.) as a schol
arship fund for ten girls at 500 pesos each.
This committee recommends that the Colegio Americana, in Con-
cepcion, be made into an academy on an interdenominational basis,
similar to our Church schools in the United States, with the definite
aim of preparing young men for Christian work. In order to make
this possible, it will be necessary to provide free tuition for poor
students who are to be chosen from the boys of the churches and
primary schools. An endowment will be necessary to secure the
financing of the institution and the extra equipment necessary. The
plan would include an industrial" department, which would afford a
means of partial support for the boys as well as teach them a useful
trade. This committee would suggest that the Committee on Educa
tion be empowered to work out the details of this plan.
This committee recommends that in connection with Santiago Col
lege and the Instituto Ingles, a junior college course be begun. For
the present two extra teachers, one for each school, will provide for
this course. The Directors of the two institutions named are asked
to work' out a plan in consultation with the chairman of the Com-
mittee^ on Education. The financial support of this course would come
from the fees and contributions of the Mission Boards, looking for
ward to a permanent endowment. The class-rooms of the Union Sem
inary will be available for the use of the students in this course.
Report of the Special Committee on Institutional Work: This com
mittee reported that, in their opinion, institutional work should be
opened in two centers in connection with the Presbyterian Mission
iin Valparaiso, and in connection with the Methodist Church in Santi
ago. The committee recommended that a Board of Directors be
chosen among the laymen, and that this board secure a manager for
the work. The committee endorsed the work-yard recently opened
; by the Salvation Army, and expressed their desire that other cities
:provide such aid as this work-yard gives to the man out of work and
in need of food and a bed.
The committee also adopted a constitution, which will be found
given in full in an appendix to this Report.
Here is a strong, virile program, involving strengthening the
theological seminary, the reorganization of an existing school
into an interdenominational academy for the education of the
95
Church's children, a union normal school, the development of a
Christian college from the two existing schools in Santiago, the
establishment of an Evangelical book-store in the capital, and
the beginning of institutional work in Valparaiso and Santiago.
This does not involve the expenditure of a very large amount of
money, because every project is built on an existing institution.
If the home constituency will back these plans, ten years from
now will see the Evangelical Church exerting a much greater in
fluence on this republic.
Morally speaking, Chile is a very needy land. While her
Roman Catholic clergy probably are intellectually superior to those
of any other South American country, yet the Church, in com
bination with the land barons, is shamefully exploiting the people,
and doing little to teach them that morality and religion are
directly related. While one quickly learns to love the Chilean
people, and to admire their strength in many things, he cannot
close his eyes to the terrible social conditions, where most of
the "better-class" men support concubines, and the Cholos live
in the most promiscuous relationships ; to the intemperance which
is rapidly eating out the vitals of the race ; to the prevailing dis
honesty in commercial life ; to the opposition of the laboring
classes; and to the appalling lack of a religion that inspires un
selfishness and spiritual longings. I know of no country in Latin
America which needs more, or has a better basis on which to
build a strong Evangelical Church.
X. ARGENTINA
I spent five weeks in Argentina. Entering from Chile by the
Andes mountains, I visited the western metropolis, Mendoza.
From there I went by way of the progressive city of Cordova
to Tucuman, the "farthest north" of Argentine cities. Turning
south through Rosario, Santa Fe and Buenos Aires, I visited
Bahia Blanca, the southern metropolis. Thus I saw Argentine
life not only at its capital, but in the principal centers on its
frontiers.
Each one of these frontier cities is full of modern improve
ments, and by its hustle, 'pride and progress reminds one of the
western cities of the United States, with the advantage possibly
on the Argentine side. This may be because the Federal Gov
ernment gives more substantial help in city building in Argen
tina than in the United States. At any rate, it seemed to me
that there are a greater number of monumental public buildings
in the Argentine cities, fewer unpaved streets, more strict build
ing regulations and infinitely better park systems. Even in a
little town like Posadas, with 15,000 people, on the frontier be
tween Argentina and Paraguay, there are a well-kept plaza, a
splendid municipal government building, a good two-story rail
way station, paved streets, artistic holders for the electric street
lamps, and a capable police force.
Taking only one department of national life, viz., hygiene, we
find a thorough system of education on the subject in every part
of the country. In the public schools, charts, publications and
moving pictures are used; a series of books is published by the
Department of Health at popular prices. One called Higiene
del Obreror (Hygiene of the Laborer) not only takes up tubercu
losis and other similar diseases, but treats of the dangers of
alcoholism, relationships between laborer and employer, and many
other interesting questions. Infant mortality has been reduced
from 18.5% in 1874 to 9.9% in 1913 (London's is 10.44%), an d
total mortality from 22.71% in 1894 to 15.5% in 1913. Similar
advances have been made in many other departments of life.
The impression one gets as he visits the frontier as well as
the more populous centers, is that Argentina is a well-organized
country, a country that has found itself, a country that is going
somewhere and knows where that somewhere is.
97
Yet it is only at the beginning of its development. It has two
hundred and fifty millions of acres of tillable soil, and only fifty
millions under cultivation; an extent of territory which, if as.
densely populated as Italy, would contain 360 millions of people.
Buenos Aires, the third greatest city in America, the second port
in America, has the finest newspaper building in the world, sub
ways, fashions, motor-cars, clubs, parks, that make the stranger's
eyes 'fairly bulge out with surprise.
Unlike other Latin-American countries, the population of Ar
gentina is almost purely of European stock. About half of all
the pure whites in Latin America live in Argentina and Uruguay.
The few Indians that remain are now found entirely separated
from the rest of the population, inhabiting only the Chaco (the
district north of Tucuman), and Patagofiia in the extreme south.
Argentina is doing for the old European Latin races what the
United States has done for the old European Anglo-Teutonic
peoples. Ninety-two per cent, of the foreigners of Argentina
are Latins, Italians and Spaniards predominating. In Buenos
Aires in 1913, out of 50,700 births only 15% were of Argentine
parents. In 1911, 225,000 foreigners entered the country. The
melting pot boils here south of the equator with as much fervor
as it does in the United States.
The attorney of a great railway system, a former Minister of
the Interior, said to me that when he came to a difficult point of
Argentine law, he generally went to the court records of twenty-
five years ago in the United States, and would nearly always
find that the matter had been faced by us. "We are practically
repeating your history, and our problems are your problems of
twenty-five years ago," he said.
One is impressed with two other characteristics of Argentina,
her egotism and her materialism. Egotism is a common trait of
youth, of success, of the self-made man. Among nations it is
akin to patriotism. But it is trying on the patience to have it
everlastingly displayed on all occasions by the most educated as
well as the most ignorant. Garcia Calderon's idea that South
America is developing a new Latin race receives little support
in Argentina. "That's all bosh good enough for books, but it's
not fact. We in Argentina are not developing any Latin race ;
we are developing an Argentine race." This was said to me by
one of the leading sociologists of Argentina. "We are not Latin
Americans, we are not South Americans, we are Argentines,"
said another intellectual leader. In a conference to discuss edu
cational questions a young university professor said, "The fact
is that we haven't anything to learn from other countries about
educational systems." A few are found who recognize the limi
tations of their country, but the majority seem to reason like the
old slave who mentioned that his master was the greatest man
that ever lived greater than Washington, greater than Lincoln.
"Well, anyway, he isn't greater than God," argued his companion.
"No," was the reply, "but he is young yet."
What kind of men are being formed here, and how are the
Evangelical forces contributing to the shaping of this rich young
nation, its schools, its press, its social fabric, its government ;
its moral and spiritual ideals in the home, the store, the street
and the farm?
Practically all visitors are struck with the materialism of the
average Argentine. As one says, "Here the people are so indif
ferent to all religions that they have no time to be hostile to any.
There is perfect liberty, authorities and people alike seeming to
look on religious work as an amiable form of insanity." The gov
erning classes are openly opposed to the Church. The educational
leaders are largely atheists or materialists. The laboring men
are developing a socialism which has as one of its strongest
planks opposition to religion. Roman Catholic authorities, as
well as other religious agencies, and a few of the national lead
ers, are painfully cognizant of these facts.
A cataloging of the evangelistic forces doing work in Spanish
in Argentina is difficult. There are many small organizations,
independent workers and individual congregatioons. Some of
these are doing great good. The influence of others is toward a
wrong interpretation of the Gospel by the community, which re
gards them as more fanatical than the Roman Church. Some of
the churches of foreign communities are gradually realizing their
duty toward the people among which they live, and are opening
work in Spanish. The regular mission boards that are members
of the Committee on Cooperation in Latin America, doing work
in Spanish, are the Methodist Episcopal, Southern Baptist, Dis
ciples of Christ, Christian and Missionary Alliance, and the Evan
gelical Union of South America. The Methodist Mission is the
oldest, and easily predominates, having more than twice the work
that any one of the other organizations has nearly as much as
all others together. Their churches are established in all parts
of the Republic. They maintain the only three mission boarding
schools, and the only theological seminary except that of the Bap
tists, and the only orphanage except that of the South American
Missionary Society.
99
The Southern Baptists have the next most widely distributed
work, with seven missionary families. Their work is entirely
evangelistic, with the exception of a few day schools and their
theological seminary in Buenos Aires. They have their strongest
work in Buenos Aires and Rosario, extending west to Mendoza.
The Disciples of Christ so far have work only in Buenos Aires,
but are planning to extend through the northern provinces and
into Paraguay to Ascuncion. The Christian and Missionary Al
liance has nineteen evangelistic workers in Southern Argentina.
The Evangelical Union of South America has six missionary
families. Its work is largely in the province of Buenos Aires.
The Brethren of England have a very large work in Argen
tina, but their statistics are hard to get. Most of their congre
gations are attended by voluntary pastors who earn their living
at other work. One of their leaders told me, however, that they
had forty paid workers and the largest membership of any Church
in Argentina. They generally keep to themselves and reject any
cooperative plans, though there are notable exceptions. Their
program is entirely individualistic. The American Brethren have
a good local work in Rio Cuarto, with two missionary families.
The Salvation Army has a very extensive work in Argentina. It
is not only rescue mission and charity work, such as the Army
does in the United States, but also that of an evangelistic nature,
such as any church would do. Its philanthropic plan is encour
aged by the Government and by many leading citizens who grate
fully appreciate it. The Y. M. C. A. has an outstanding work in
Buenos Aires with its own well-equipped building which houses
a large City Association and a Student Association which has
done the most notable work among students in Latin America.
These forces do not begin to occupy the territory. If all the
missionaries, preachers, teachers, and other evangelical workers,
native and foreign, were placed in the Province of Buenos Aires
there would be only one for each 6,500 people. In Buenos Aires,
with 1,700,000, there are fewer than twenty churches and halls
for Spanish-speaking services. In Bahia Blanca, with 100,000
people, there is one resident Protestant minister, and there are
no teachers. In the provinces of Mendoza, San Juan and San
Luis, with 457,584 inhabitants, there are five ordained ministers
and a few volunteer helpers, with eight churches. The country
districts, from which we draw most of our ministers, are prac
tically unreached in Argentina. And if we think of the unreached
classes of people, space would hardly permit of their mention.
100
The question of territorial distribution has not occupied the at
tention of the forces because it has been thought that there was
little question of duplication of work while there was so much
land remaining to be possessed. The great advantage of having
an agreement covering territory is to get all parts of a country
occupied not to repress the organizations in the extension of
their work. A well laid out plan of occupation, with each organi
zation accepting certain territorial responsibilities, would greatly
hasten the evangelization of the land. Some of the organizations
would object to entering into any agreement that would exclude
them from any territory, but probably all but one would be will
ing to have certain spheres of influence recognized. An arrange
ment of this kind, starting from Buenos Aires, might locate the
Methodist work through the northwest to Tucuman and west to
Mendoza ; the Baptist work west to Mendoza, and to the south ;
the Evangelical Union and the Christian and Missionary Alliance,
the Province of Buenos Aires and south ; the Disciples of Christ,
the three northern provinces in the direct line to Paraguay.
Buenos Aires, Rosario, and other large cities would, naturally be
open to all whose strategy seemed wise to call for their occupancy.
The same kind of a cooperative program in education would
put Argentina where she ought to be in the matter of evangelical
schools. It is hard to understand how so many organizations
that have always stood for educational work in other fields have
failed to establish it in Argentina. The Government has done
more in Argentina than in any other Latin- American country for
education, but even in Buenos Aires 40 per cent, of the children
are out of school. Fifty per cent, of the Argentine population is
illiterate. High prices for land, difficult government regulations,
competition with the best government schools none of these
things in other countries has kept the Church from establishing
her own school for her own children and for the moral inspira
tion of other educational enterprises. It should not do so in
Argentina. But if the evangelical cause is to catch up with the
average in other Latin-American countries, to say nothing of do
ing what the others recognize as their obligation, it will have to
be through a well-coordinated plan, which will include not only
union institutions but the assignment to each of the organizations
certain special schools for them to develop, and in certain dis-
' tricts. It is to be hoped that the new movement of the Metho
dists and Disciples toward a union educational work will be the
forerunner of a general plan which shall include every evangelical
agency in the country.
101
As already stated, only the Baptists and Methodists have theo
logical schools. The Disciples of Christ have already begun to
cooperate with the Methodists in their school, and there is a pro
posal for the Evangelical Union to do the same. The Seminary
has no professor who gives all his time to the work. The course
is in great need of strengthening, and the students should be
given better foundation before being accepted. When the new
International Union Seminary shall be established, the mission
aries are in favor of the existing seminary in Buenos Aires be
coming more of a boarding department of Ward Institute for
prospective ministerial students, and a Bible School for those not
prepared to take the higher training. The Missionary Alliance
Mission has recently announced its intention of opening a Bible
School at Azul. There will always be a need of such schools to
train the humble minister, the colporteur, and other workers wha
cannot take the advanced training of the Seminary, but who are
just as much needed in the economy of the Kingdom as the in
tellectual leader. In the movement now being promoted in all
parts of Latin America for well-organized theological seminaries
with stiff course of study, no one should think that this means an
elimination of the training school for the more humble workers.
Experience shows, however, that it is generally exceedingly dif
ficult for the two to be conducted together.
Argentina is particularly fortunate in material for a strong min
istry, through the great number of young men who have inherited
through their foreign parentage and a long line of ancestry the
best traditions of Protestantism. On meeting the present minis
ters, one is immediately impressed with the great number, much
larger than in any other Latin- American country, who come from
Protestant stock, generally Lutheran, W T aldensian or Non-Con
formist.
In a certain sense there seem to be few problems in mission
work in Argentina. At least, few outside of the administrative
problems w r hich each individual organization must face 'for itself.
One receives a cordial welcome from the workers and is invited
to speak to the people on general inspirational themes. But he
experiences little of the feeling that here as in some other fields,
workers are grappling with the great common problems of terri
torial occupation, of social service and community betterment, of.
union evangelistic effort, of adjustments between missionary and
state education, of guiding common yearning toward a united
national church, etc.
102
While Argentina is undoubtedly the most progressive, mate
rially speaking, of all Latin-American countries, in evangelical
leadership, it is the least aggressive. Compared with Mexico,
Cuba, Porto Rico, Chile, and Brazil, it is far behind in evangelical
education, having only three small boarding schools with a total
of less than one hundred boarders. Excluding the schools con
ducted by Air. Morris, in Buenos Aires, which are not under mis
sionary control or support, there is no evangelical school of any
thing like the influence that several such schools have in each of
the other countries named. There is no evangelical hospital.
There is no regularly organized institutional work conducted by
any evangelical church. One worker said to me that the church
in its fifty years of existence cannot be said to have produced
any native leader, outside those of foreign parentage, educated
in foreign lands, whose influence extends beyond limited evan
gelical circles. There has been no cooperation in the production
of literature,, in planting schools, nor in the delimitation of terri
tory. There had been, until the Panama Congress, no organiza
tion for the workers of the country except an afternoon and even
ing meeting once a year, which could only hold all concerned by
having it strictly understood that it was only for the develop
ment of the spiritual life, with no discussions allowed on comity
or practical cooperation.
The only effort that has ever been made to get representatives of
all the evangelical forces of the country together to study unitedly
the problems of the churches was the Regional Conference follow
ing Panama. As is well known, that conference failed to receive
the cooperation of a large number of the Christian workers. The
reason dated back to the period of organization of the Panama
Congress. The change of name of the Congress and the so-called
Caldwell resolution was the provocation of a protest by some forty
Argentina workers, who thought they saw in th'ese two things a
"surrender to Rome." These brethren were further stirred by be
lieving the Organizing Committee of the Congress did not pay
any attention to their protest, as the letter in answer to it, sent
to the first signer, was not reported to the others. The Depu
tation from Panama that held the Regional Conference in Buenos
Aires was able to convince some of the protesters that the Com
mittee on Cooperation was evangelical and orthodox. Others,
however, among whom were some of the most influential men in
the evangelical movement, continued their opposition with full
force. The Continuation Committee of the Regional Conference
103
was only able to perfect its organization a few weeks before I
arrived in Argentina. The committee was called "Junta Ev an
gelica Central" (Central Evangelical Council) instead of the com
mon name Committee on Cooperation adopted by other Regional
Committees, hoping to make the way easier for some to enter. At
least four societies had refused to elect members at th time of
my arrival at Buenos Aires, and there was at the time of the
writer's visit still a good deal of confusion about the whole matter.
The president of the English-Speaking Pastor's Association of
Buenos Aires invited the Christian workers of the city to meet
me at the Scotch Church. After my address we had a discussion
as to the possibility of Argentina doing what I had told them
was planned in Chile, Mexico, Cuba and Porto Rico, for a union
depository for Christian literature. Those present seemed to
favor the matter. While some of the objectors had considered
it wise to stay away from the meeting, lest it be considered that
they were endorsing Panama, yet all but, one of the organiza
tions that had not yet appointed representatives on the Coopera
tion Committee were represented. The question naturally arose
as to through what agency the plan for a union depository might
be developed. This brought out a general discussion of all the
past differences in regard to Panama. Several stated that they
had no further objections to cooperating since they had learned
that their protest sent to New York had been given due consider
ation. Others that if they could have assurance that "Bulletin
Four" was not still binding, they would be ready for a forward
movement ; at least one other maintained that Panama was the
most colossal mistake, the most retrogressive movement ever made
in Latin America, and the further missionaries stayed away from
it the better off they would be. I assured them that the Commit
tee on Cooperation had no special schemes to foster, that it only
pushed those part of the findings of the Panama Congress that
appealed to the best judgment of Missionaries and Boards. That
the whole Congress was only an incident (though a large one)
in the cooperative movement in Latin America, and that if it
would help any one's conscience to leave out references to Pan
ama in their constitution the Central Committee would make no
objections. Between that time and the meeting of the "Junta,
Evangelica Central" its executive committee agreed to change the
constitution, leaving out references to the Panama Congress, but
keeping in all that was essential to an efficient committee on co
operation. So at the meeting of the Junta, July 25-26, there were
104
representatives present or excuses sent for all evangelical forces
in the Republic, so far as I know, with the exception of the
Southern Baptists, the Plymouth Brethren, the American Breth
ren, and the Missionary Alliance. The latter two have no work
near Buenos Aires, and I am afraid did not receive the invitation
in time to arrange for representation.
A very fine spirit prevailed during the two days' session of the
Committee, and for the first time there was a frank exchange of
ideas and a definite planning for certain cooperative enterprises.
A number of times during the sessions the presence of the Spirit
was specially manifested. Over and over again the earnest desire
for a forward movement, with all united, was expressed. One
worker said that he spoke for many when he referred to the great
lack of fellowship in the past ; that sometimes it had so discour
aged him that he was on the point of giving up the ministry ; that
there sat a brother worker who just announced that he had been
in his same city for twelve years, and to-day was the first time
they had ever met ; that such conditions must not continue.
The principal discussion of the first day was concerning the
constitution of the new organization, and the general principles
of cooperation. I was given opportunity to explain at length the
work of the Central Committee and. the principles and methods
of cooperation, as worked out on other mission fields. This was
the more necessary in Argentina, for it had fewer representatives
at Panama than any other country where cooperating committees
were organized. There is only one man on the Committee who
was at the Congress. There was unanimous agreement to the
constitution as finally adopted.
The second day was given to discussion of cooperative plans
in literature, evangelization and education. It was decided to
establish a union book depository, with a sales room in the central
part of Buenos Aires. The project was received with great en
thusiasm. The following will, no doubt, participate, taking shares
more or less in proportion to the amount of their work. The
Methodist Episcopal, Southern Baptists, Evangelical Union, Dis
ciples, Anglicans, Scotch Presbyterian, Y. M. C. A., Y. W. C. A.,
American Bible Society, Salvation Army, the Gospel Press.
The Committee on Cooperation in Latin America is asked to
take a certain number of shares, and individuals will be solicited.
If Boards will back the enterprise, it will not only do much for
the distribution of Christian literature but be the means of draw
ing the workers together along other lines as well. What is
105
needed is some practical demonstration of cooperation that will
show that united effort does not mean either sacrifice of prin
ciples, or the other man always getting the best of you. The most
lamentable thing about the work in Argentina is the suspicion
with which different brethren regard one another. By trusting
one another in some cooperative enterprise like the proposed book
store, that faith in one's fellow- workers, always so necessary, will
be developed.
The matter of the union of some of the papers, especially the
ones published by the Methodist Episcopal and the Evangelical
Union, which is already interdenominational, was discussed, as
well as the uniting of several presses. But the time is evidently
not ripe for this. There are eighteen evangelical papers published
in the Argentine. There are six different hymn books in use.
Mr. Torre, of the British and Foreign Bible Society, made a
profound impression by his report of the union evangelistic
services he attended in Sao Paulo, Brazil. A committee was ap
pointed to study the question of organizing such in Buenos Aires
and other cities. The time is ripe for such an effort and it would
bring great blessing to the churches.
Dr. Browning, our new educational secretary, was present, and
rendered invaluable aid in the discussions. His work was ex
plained and he was given a hearty welcome by .the committee.
The need of better trained ministers was emphasized by him, and
the Junta unanimously passed a resolution endorsing the proposed
International Faculty of Theology and Social Sciences.
It is pleasant to report that in spite of the difficulties of co
operation among the force in general, during my visit the Meth
odist Episcopals and Disciples of Christ come into very close
unity in their educational program and the occupation of terri
tory. It will be remembered that some time ago the Disciples
of Christ brought the matter of extending their work into the
provinces of Entre Rios, Corrientes and Misiones, Argentina, and
into Paraguay before the Committee on Cooperation, and that the
Committee left it to them arid the Methodist Episcopal Board, wha
had previously occupied this territory, to adjust. At a meeting
of the two missions, on July 10, the Methodists magnanimously
agreed to cede all their rights to territory in the Republic of Para
guay and in the provinces of Corrientes, Misiones, and Entre
Rios, with the exception of the narrow strip along the Uruguay
River and International railroad up to Concordia. This latter
strip was only retained because of its close proximity to their
work in Uruguay.
106
Acting on an invitation of Bishop Oldham, who unfortunately
was not in Argentina at the time of my visit, these two missions
also considered the question of uniting in the development of
Ward Institute, a Methodist day and boarding school that is in
the beginning of its development. The two missions decided to
recommend to their Board a joint financial and teaching respon
sibility in the development of the school into a first-class institu
tion that will be a feeder for the Theological Seminary, and also
provide a primary and secondary education for children of church
members and the general public. It is hoped that the two Boards
will take up the work of making this a representative institution
for evangelical education in the greatest city in Latin America.
The Disciples of Christ are already cooperating in the Institute
and the Ministerial Training School to the extent of furnishing
one teacher. They have just voted to take their full half share in
the Ward Institute. A temporary board of control, consisting
of the foreign missionaries of the two Boards teaching in the
Ward Institute and one other representative from each mission,
was formed to advise with the faculty until the Boards should
appoint a permanent committee.
The last interview I had before leaving Buenos Aires was with
the University professor, to whom I referred in the opening chap
ter as delivering lectures on New England Protestant life and de
siring to organize a religious congress to face the moral needs
of Argentina.
This professor's open search for spiritual truth for himself and
his people was not unlike what I found in other leaders of in
tellectual life in Argentina. But they are not aware that the
Evangelical Church has anything for them. I left on the river
steamer for Asuncion, with the appeal of these men heavy on my
heart. Is not the Gospel of Christ for them also? Will not the
Evangelical Church of Argentina enlarge its program, and so
present Christ to them, as well as to the humbler classes, that He
will be to them the fairest among ten thousand, the One alto
gether lovely ?
With such intellectual leaders, with many philantropic agencies,
with publications like El Mundo Argentina, which gives weekly
selections from the Scriptures, with many other organizations and
individuals who have the spiritual interests of their country at
heart, the Evangelical Church could "show the way^of the Lord
more' perfectly." There are now a few men within the circle
of Argentine evangelical workers who are well qualified for such
107
leadership, and should be set aside for it. Then mission boards,
after earnestly facing the question of the best way to enlarge
their work to serve the whole nation and reach every class, should
send other men who are specially trained for such service.
The call of Argentina is not the plaintive call of Ecuador or
the Congo. But it is no less imperative. South America cannot
be won unless its most progressive nation is won. A progressive
nation with a complex and diversified life cannot be won with
out an inclusive program that will project the Gospel into every
department of that life. At least one representative church build
ing, accompanied by an educational or institutional work sufficient
to compel the attention of the general community, should be
established without delay in the cities of Rosario, Mendoza, Cor
dova, Tucuman, Santa Fe, Parana, La Plata and Bahia Blanca.
In Buenos Aires a like program should be carried out in the sev
eral different parts of the city, located according to an agreement
among the forces that will provide for every section being reached
with an outstanding Christian service.
108
XI. URUGUAY
Uruguay is the smallest of the South American countries, but
probably the most advanced intellectually. One-third of its pop
ulation is found in the city of Montevideo (population 400,000),
which is considered by many as the greatest center of intellectual
life in South America. Not only for this reason, but because it is
a small country, free from international jealousies, much the
same as Switzerland is in Europe, it has become the home of a
number of international organizations, and a favorite center for
holding international conferences. It is the only place on which
the International Student Organization of South America could
agree upon as headquarters. A young priest in Peru told me that
he as just returning from his advanced Theological Course in
Montevideo, where the Salesian Fathers were sending their men
from all parts of the continent for advanced training. The Con
tinental Committee of the Young Men's Christian Association,
after careful investigations, have located their headquarters in
Montevideo, as have several other organizations.
The open mind prevails in a peculiar way in Uruguay. A good
deal of social legislation has been recently passed. There is meet
ing at present a constitutional convention to revise the constitu
tion so as to give a larger influence to modern democratic life.
Among the many reforms which this constitution is expected to
provide is the separation of Church and State. The government
supports the only approach to a Woman's University that I know
in Latin America.
Evangelical work probably has a larger influence in Monte
video, and it has been suggested as the best place for the inter-
Memorial Church there is the best Protestant church building in
South America, and probably has the highest intellectual average
in its membership, which includes University Professors, Govern
ment officers and other leading citizens. For these reasons Dr.
Webster E. Browning, recently elected by our Committee Educa
tional Secretary for South America, has been located in Monte
video than in any other city in Latin America. The McCabe
national Union Theological Seminary.
Dr. Browning, who has lived in Chile for more than twenty
years, was at first somewhat doubtful about Montevideo's being
the best place for his center, but after several months' residence:
109
there he is entirely convinced that it is the best place for his
headquarters. In two days' time he can reach Santiago, Chile ;
in one day he can reach Southern Brazil; in a night he is in
Buenos Aires ; in two days in Paraguay ; and when the small gap
is completed on the Argentine-Bolivian Railway, he can reach
LaPaz in five days. He and his family in their five months' resi
dence have already become identified not only with the evangelical
forces, but the general intellectual life of Montevideo.
This is as good a place as any to speak of the work of our
Educational Secretary. The recommendation for his appointment
was made by the Deputation holding the Regional Conferences
in South America. His work was outlined by our Committee as
follows :
"To study carefully the existing evangelical schools, their curricula,
influence on the native church and community, and their relationship
to government education; this to be done as far as possible by per
sonal visitation of schools. To help these schools, as far as they may
whole-heartedly desire such help, in improving each of the above
named points; to help standardize the curricula of mission schools in
a given country, relating them in a helpful way to one another and
to the government schools; to encourage improvement in the teaching
forces by means of educational conferences, private study, etc. ; to aid
in the federation of mission schools in certain districts; to encourage
union schools where desirable; to give special attention to union
educational enterprises fostered by the Committee on Cooperation;
to help evangelical schools to secure the best teachers; and to seek
to influence government schools as to the moral purpose of education
as viewed by our Christian religion."
Dr. Browning met me in LaPaz, and we were together part
of the time in Chile, and Argentina, and for all the trip in Uru
guay, Paraguay and Brazil. The fellowship with him meant more
than is possible to express, and his experience as the Director of
the Institute Ingles in Santiago, made his counsel of special help
in dealing with problems of cooperation, especially those of edu
cation.
The beginning of such a work as we had in view for him is
naturally difficult, and details are hard to define, but during our
travels the importance of his work was greatly emphasized, and
we were able to see with ever-increasing clarity just what his
program should be. An illustration of his work is his visit to
LaPaz and Lima with Bishop Oldham when the Bishop requested
him to especially examine their educational situation in these cities
and recommend to him the best solution of their problem. He
performed this service in a way highly satisfactory to the Bishop.
110
In the near future he will be occupied with the organization of
an evangelical Teachers' Institute for Argentina, Uruguay and
Southern Brazil, aiding Ward Institute in the new program as
planned by a union of the Methodists and Disciples in that in
stitution, helping the Girls' School in Montevideo in its new build
ing enterprise and giving assistance to the organization of the
International Union Theological Seminary. He can be called at
any time by any mission school or mission board to help in the
solution of educational problems.
All during our trip he was busy helping the teachers in the dif
ferent missionary schools in the solution of their problems. One
looks forward with joy to the new element of strength that he
will bring to the evangelical schools and to the whole cooperative
work in South America.
In view of the progress made in reaching the intellectual
classes, the following notes on a meeting held with the workers
in Montevideo are interesting :
"Educated Latin Americans are not rejecting religion, but they
are rejecting the dogmatic presentation of it. Great national lead
ers in Uruguay recognize the necessity of a religious basis in life.
Roman Catholicism does not disturb us. Its leaders are not suffi
ciently strong for their persecution to amount to anything. A
deed of helpfulness does a great deal more to promote the evan
gelical cause than most of our sermons do.
"One of our pastors has succeeded in bringing the intellectual
classes to the Church. He has preached not dogmatism, but life,
and it has appealed to the cultured people of the city. Others
have preached to believers, and while they have built up these be
lievers, they have not reached the outsider. Some of our oft-
repeated religious formulas mean nothing to the man outside the
Church. We should use lectures in public places more, for a
Latin considers that he is compromising himself in entering into a
form of worship with the Protestant, but he is willing to listen
to a lecture.
"The missionary must be intellectually equipped to do more
than merely refer to the authority of the Bible. For the edu
cated Latin does not recognize its authority, and considers our
constant quoting of it as an attempt to prove our case by refer
ence to our own hypothesis. A program of community service
can always secure his support, and if the Protestant Church does
not present its plea in such a manner as to identify itself with
111
this spirit of service, it can hope for little progress among the in
tellectual leaders of the nation."
The Methodist Episcopals and Southern Baptists are the two
sufficient missionary forces in Uruguay. The Waldensian Col
ony forms a strong Protestant influence. A number of their
young men have graduated from the National University, and no
doubt the high-grade theological seminary like the one planned
for Montevideo will find among these youth of strong evangeli
cal traditions a number of students.
112
XII. PARAGUAY
A journey from Buenos Aires, up the river Parana a thousand
miles, through Northern Argentina and Paraguay to La Asun
cion, and down through the heart of the Republic to the Argen
tine border by rail, is a unique experience in travel. This trip
developed into the visit of a deputation, instead of that of an
individual. Dr. W. E. Browning, Educational Secretary of the
Committee on Cooperation, Rev. Tolbert F. Reavis and Rev.
Clement M. Morton, of the Disciples Mission Board, joined me,
making what is probably the most representative company of
Protestant Christian worker's that ever visited faraway Paraguay
to investigate the problem of bettering its spiritual life. From
letters of introduction which Dr. Browning carried to ex-Presi
dent Schaerer and from my acquaintanceship with several promi
nent citizens whom I had met at the Pan-American Scientific Con
gress at Washington, we were immediately received as practically
the guests of the Government. The General Director of Primary
Instruction was designated to attend us during our visit. We
were received in unhurried audience by the President of the Re
public, by the Minister of Foreign Relations, by the Minister of
Public Instruction and Worship, and by other prominent officers
and citizens. The wonderful archives of State, rich in rare manu
scripts and valuable historic documents, found only here, were
opened to us. A choice collection of books and pamphlets on
Paraguay was made for us without cost. Official automobiles
were placed at our disposal. Had we been special representatives
with plenipotentiary powers from the United States Government
we could have received no more careful attention. Our hearty
reception by the Paraguayans was no doubt helped by the way
our own Minister, the Hon. Daniel F. Mooney a good Ohio
Christian gentleman welcomed us. Among his many attentions
was a breakfast at the Embassy, at which were present a unique
combination of cabinet ministers, educationalists, and representa
tives of Protestant Christianity in Asuncion consisting of the
Uruguayan Captain of the Salvation Army and Mr. J. A. Davis,
a recently arrived Independent missionary. From the fellowship
at this breakfast and on other occasions, I took our warm recep
tion to signify a real desire which the better elements of Para
guayso long isolated from the rest of the world felt for help-
113
ful intercourse with the outside world, and especially with the
United States.
The following extracts from an editorial in El Diario, the lead
ing daily of Asuncion, express this hunger, which is really
pathetic in its intensity :
"There has just visited our country a private mission of distinguished
North American educationalists who, in representation of different uni
versities and educational institutions of that country, are studying the
South American countries, their systems and organization, at the same
time that they are collecting other data no less interesting, relating to
the general culture, history and social conditions, present and future.
'As was well said by one of our distinguished guests, these countries,
and Paraguay especially, a new and little known country, which offers
a vast field of action to progressive initiation, are not only beginning to
awaken a very live discussion and interest among the business men, but
also among the students, professors and intellectuals who, with relative
frequency, visit from time to time these places and study them. The
work of spontaneous and authorized propaganda that these emissaries of
North American culture are making, and the drawing together to which
they are contributing by the double relationship of material and intel
lectual exchange, cannot be less than beneficent and helpful in all ways.
"On comparing their personal experiences with their knowledge, either
resulting in rectifying or amplifying this, such students are placed in a
condition to lend invaluable and disinterested service to the common
cause of the American peoples, and there is no doubt but that they will
have a profound influence on directing toward us a great reserve of
energy and of useful factors which we so much lack in order to push
the development of these countries.
"The halls and centers of culture of the United States are a gigantic
workshop of actual activity where there is operating one of the greatest
transformations destined to influence the progress of the whole continent.
For over us are poured the treasures, not only of her pockets, her work
benches and the commerce of her multi-millionaires called to excloit our
natural riches, but also the spiritual treasure and the high-grade educa
tion of her universities and colleges, molders of character, real human
factories productive of a sane and strong race, cultured and moral.
"We welcome, then, these messengers representing the friendship and
love of the North American educationalists who, with methodic labor,
patiently and silently, are also efficient collaborators in our own progress."
Because so little is known of Paraguay, it may be helpful to
refer with some detail to its past and present.
History
More than any other country I know, is the understanding of
the past of Paraguay necessary to appreciate the present. Asun
cion, the capital, was destroyed, and the country almost depopu
lated a half century ago. What one now sees is practically the
114
development from 1870. In Spanish colonial history, Asuncion,
founded in 1537, forty-three years before Buenos Aires, was, dur
ing three centuries, recognized as a most important center, Para
guay being the site of the famous Jesuit Missions. In 1811 inde
pendence from Spain was declared. Soon afterward Dr. Francia
became Dictator, and ruled with the iron hand of despotism till
1840. He refused to have relations with the outside world, even
closing the Paraguay River to international traffic. His subjects
were only allowed to refer to him as "El Supremo,"* and when
he appeared on the streets every one else had to retire to their
homes and close their doors. Carlyle calls him one of the great
est men of his age.
Francia .was succeeded by Lopez the First, who ruled in a
paternal manner, establishing relations with the outside world.
He constructed the first railroad and telegraph line in South
America. At his death, in 1862, he was succeeded by his son,
the second Lopez, who was obsessed with the idea that Paraguay
should dominate South America. It required the combined forces
of Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay, fighting for six years one of
the bloodiest wars in history, to conquer Paraguay. This was only
accomplished after the population had been reduced from about
1,000,000 to less than 300,000 only about one-tenth of the sur
vivors being men. This meant practically the beginning anew of
the building of the nation. This must be always kept in mind
when we find the country so far behind in its physical and spir
itual development.
The National Resources
With such a climate, practically every product of the torrid-
and lower temperate zones is easily produced. Oranges are
grown with less effort and risk in Paraguay than in any country
in the world. Enough oranges rot on the ground every year to
pay the national debt. The highest average per acre of cotton
produced anywhere in the world is in Paraguay. And yet this
crop is practically undeveloped. The yerba mate, or Para
guayan tea, is famous the world over. As for grazing lands, an
old cattleman from Texas assured us nature complies with prac
tically every need. The forests are filled with valuable timber.
In the midst of such natural luxury, the people have been con
tented to live without further exertion than was necessary to
*See the fascinating romance "El Supremo," by Edward Lucas White,
published in 1916.
meet their own needs. Unsettled political conditions have kept
out foreign capital. But now, with signs of a stable government,
foreign capital, especially North American, is beginning to in
vest largely. A syndicate, composed of the Armours, the Sulz-
bergers and other packing companies, has recently bought some
850,000 acres of land on the Paraguay River near Asuncion,
planning to stock the property with cattle and to put in a large
packing house and tannery. For the latter, the famous "que
bracho" wood of Paraguay, now considered the best known ma
terial for this purpose, will be used.
In estimating the natural resources of this country, its won
derful river system, making navigation easy in practically every
part of the country, cannot be too strongly emphasized. With a
stable government,, a healthy immigration, and the aid of foreign
capital and modern methods, the most enthusiastic friend of Par
aguay would hesitate to prophesy all the possibilities for its ma
terial development.
At present, however, Paraguay is very poor. Her currency
consists only of paper money, and it takes a dollar of it to buy
a daily paper, two and a half to ride on a tram, five for a cup
of tea, and seventy dollars for an hour's ride in the recently
imported Fords! Hotel rates are from $100 to $150 a day, and
a pair of shoes costs around $400. Exchange jumps up and
down rapidly. When we were there it figured out a little less
than three cents gold to one peso paper.
The exports and imports of the year 1912 were $9,586,333, as
compared with $56,852,233 of Bolivia, the only other inland re
public of South America, and $841,002,814 of Argentina, the first
country of the continent in foreign trade.
At present there are 469 kilometers of railroad in Paraguay.
Plans call for the building of a line from Borjas to Iguazu Falls,
on the Brazilian border, to connect with the line from Sao Paulo.
There is another line to run north to connect with the Brazilian
line direct to Rio de Janeiro. In fact, it is hard to see how Para
guay, in the heart of the continent, can help becoming the cross
road for many great international highways.
The Population
There has been no reliable census taken recently, but the best
estimates places the population at present at about one million.
A Paraguayan author, speaking of the recuperative powers of
Paraguay's population, refers to "the natural family, the product
116
of unions which do not acknowledge more laws for their forma
tion than that of the attraction of the sexes free love, in short,
such as was practiced in the country districts of Paraguay before,
and much more after, the war. If to this we add the quality of
the climate, the lack of worry which the dedication to business
and the desire for luxury bring, the complete absence, in the in
terior, of social distinctions, and the promiscuity in which live
the families, always large, of the country districts, there will be
found a satisfactory explanation why Paraguay, practically with
out immigration, grew from 94,000 people in 1788 to 950,000 in
1865 ; and how from 300,000 at the end of the war in 1870 we
are able now to register 1,000,000."
The results of war, with the unbalancing of the sexes, is seen
in the number of illegitimate births. The census of 1910 shows
6,038 legitimate births and 8,387 illegitimate; that of 1913, 6,739
legitimate and 9,638 illegitimate. A priest told me that about
80 per cent, of the children presented for baptism in his parish
were illegitimate. A Salvation Army officer said that he finds
young men converts willing to give up drink, gambling and other
vices, but when the social sin is touched, they refuse to go further.
He believes that the race is degenerating, and unless something
can be done toward social purity, there is little hope for the de
velopment of a strong nation. Undoubtedly immigration of the
right kind would be a great source of strength.
The people of Paraguay are peculiarly attractive, "simpatico"
with the open smile and warm hospitality generated by a be
nignant climate, in spite of suffering and poverty. They create
the kind of atmosphere that, once breathed, will always attract
again, no matter how far one wanders. Here there is no preju
dice against the foreigner, but on the other hand, every desire to
have him feel at home. The laws of the country are framed to
give him every protection. Not even the question of religion
seems to be raised in the extending of a hearty welcome.
Paraguay is bilingual. The official language is Spanish, but
practically every one, from the President down, speaks Guarani,
and for the great majority it is the language of the home. As
this Indian language has no terms for abstract ideas, it is not im
probable that its use is detrimental to the development of the
highest ambitions among the people. It is not recommended that
foreigners entering the country learn Guarani. The Jesuits re
duced the Guarani to writing, printed books in it with presses
and type manufactured in their missions. A new book of Guarani
117
poems appeared when we were visiting Asuncion. But it is a
language practically without a literature.
I did not come into contact with the pure Indian population of
the Gran Chaco, of which there are from fifty to seventy-five
thousand, among whom the South American Missionary So
ciety is conducting a significant work.
The Climate
Even a man from southern California could not fail to praise
Paraguay's climate. Dr. Moises Bertoni, a Swiss naturalist, who
has lived in the country for two decades, establishing an agricul
tural experiment station on the Upper Parana, and giving his life
to the study of Paraguay's natural resources, says : "We will
begin by a categorical statement, dictated by long observation and
ample comparisons. Within the limits of practical possibility,
Paraguay fulfills all the conditions of an ideal climate." Al
though Asuncion is only two degrees from the Tropic of Capri
corn, it is not subject to malaria or epidemics of any kind, and
those used to the temperate zones find no particular health risks
here. The maximum temperature in summer reaches 42 Cente-
grade, but at the same season at night the thermometer dropped
to 1 8 to 20. The maximum in winter, if such it can be called,
is 24.
North American colonists, looking for new homes, could hardly
find a more inviting climate or productive soil. A few Christian
families from our land could be of great service to the Para
guayans in showing the meaning of practical Christianity.
Education
The schools were practically closed during the war with the
Triple Alliance. In 1870 there were less than one thousand chil
dren in school in the whole republic. In 1902, there were 285
schools, with 24,752 pupils ; in 1910, 508 schools, with 52,200
pupils; and in 1916, 1,047 schools, 1,481 teachers, and 80,142
pupils. This includes public and private schools. In the public
schools the boys go to school in the morning, the girls in the
afternoon, and there are night schools in the capital for boys and
men. The pupils have the custom of wearing a uniform dress,
which makes a beautiful appearance when they are all together,
and keeps down class distinction. There are 7,000 children en
rolled in the primary schools of Asuncion ; some 4,500 are in the
first year and only 95 in the 6th year. There are three National
118
Colleges, the one in Asuncion enrolling 645 pupils in its six-
year courses. Those in Villa Rica and Pilar enroll 68 and 77
pupils, respectively, in their three-year courses. To enter these
schools, the completion of the six-year primary course is re
quired. The same entrance requirements prevail for entrance into
the normal courses, which lead to a teacher's diploma with three
more years of work. There are five schools where normal courses
are given, which graduated last year 101 teachers. The University
consists of the faculties of law, pharmacy, notaries and obstetrics,
and enrolled 206 students last year. Its classes and those of the
Colcgio National are held in the same building.
When one is told that the national budget for education in 1915
was only 8,047,000 pesos, or about $236,000 gold, he is surprised
to see the splendid showing that is made by the self-sacrificing
men and women who are giving themselves to the training of
the future citizens of the nation. Teachers are poorly paid, their
salaries often being three or four months behind. No wonder it
is reported that some in the country districts must get others to
help them make out their application blanks, and that while they
can add and subtract, they cannot divide and multiply. I was told
of one teacher who replied to a parent that told him he wanted
his boy taught decimals, "What ! do you think if I knew that
much I would be teaching here for 350 pesos ($10 gold) a
month ?"
The government has been providing forty scholarships a year
for students to study abroad, but since the European war began
the lack of funds has forced them to withdraw these scholarships.
Every friend of Paraguay sympathizes with the following ap
peal by a Spaniard who has spent many years in the country :
"It would be a fountain of incalculable redemption, here above
all places, to send into the country a heroic regiment of one hun
dred teachers a hundred teachers full of sympathy, capable of
gaining the love of the children, consecrated to the task of sowing
in these young hearts the seeds of sincerity and liberty of ideas.
But these teachers are they in Paraguay ? Are they in America ?
Are they anywhere in this great vale of tears ?' j5i
Religion
The religion of the State is the Roman Catholic. But the
Church here is poorer than in any other country in South Amer
ica. Francia took away its power, making the Bishop and clergy
*"E1 Dolor Paraguayo," Rafael Barrett, Talleres Graficos "El Arte,"
Montevideo.
119
subject to him. Since then, the Church has been unable to re
cover. It is dependent upon the Archbishopric of Buenos Aires,
although the contrary was once true. The total annual budget
provided by the State for its support in 1915 is $278,000 paper,
or about $8,000 gold. The Bishop's salary is put down as $12,000,
or about $700 gold a year. There are reported in the official
statistics of 1914 a total of eighty-four parish priests, forty of
whom live in Asuncion, which would make an average of one
priest to every 20,000 of the population outside the capital. It is
not surprising that religion is discredited by the intellectual
classes, and has little moral influence on the lower classes. Not
long ago posters appeared on the street corners which read,
"Abajo con la Religion!" ("Down with Religion"). Practically
none of the government officials or of the teachers in secondary
schools have any respect for the Church. . Many people assured
me that concubinage was universal. "No one knows any differ
ence; there is no one who can say to others that this or that is
wrong, because all are guilty" is the way one man put it. It
is not immorality, but unmorality. Climate, historical conditions,
and the lack of a strong Church which holds up moral ideals, are
explanations given of sad conditions which must be changed be
fore the nation can become strong. Only a religion that teaches
how to win the difficult fight for character will .solve the problem.
Even granting that the present State religion were doing that, it
is evident that eighty-four priests are entirely inadequate to cope
with the problem.
The Protestant Religious Forces
At a conference of workers in Asuncion, the following bodies
were represented: The Salvation Army, the South American In
land Mission (Mr. John Hay's Society), the English Brethren,
and a new Independent North American Mission headed by Mr.
J. A. Davis. These independent organizations, whose funds are
too limited to allow them to do a vigorous work, are all the bodies
doing work in Paraguay, with the exception of the Anglicans, who
maintain one chaplain for the English colonies, and Mr. Grubb
and his splendid staff of workers located among the wild tribes
of the Chaco. An excellent account of this mission is given in
Volume I. of the Panama Congress Reports.
The Methodist Episcopal Mission formerly had a church and a
good school in Asuncion, but many discouraging circumstances
caused them to close the work several years ago. At a conference
in Buenos Aires between the Methodists and Disciples, the former
120
agreed to surrender their claims to territorial rights to the Disci
ples, who plan a vigorous occupation of the Paraguayan field in the
near future. It is hoped that the Young Men's Christian Associa
tion may soon open work in Asuncion also, and thus a joint social,
educational and religious program commensurate with the needs
of the capital city of the Republic be projected. As Asun
cion has remained practically untouched by Protestantism so far,
it offers a unique opportunity for working out such a program.
The situation in Paraguay probably more than in any other South
American country calls for long, hard, elementary work in char
acter-development. As the national leaders are now awakening
to this fact, one of the greatest services can be rendered the peo
ple by helping these leaders to formulate the right kind of an
educational and moral program. The opportunity for such service
is so marked that our deputation believed that the first step to
be taken would be to have a missionary enter the University,
establishing educational and personal relations with the group of
men who are directing the nation's life. After a thorough study
of conditions and the founding of firm friendships, his next step
might well be the establishment of a model school for boys. In
the building erected for this purpose, community services may be
held in the evening, with lectures, social meetings, debates, games
and reading, where the meaning of Christianity in daily life of
the individual and of the nation will be clearly exemplified, thus
making Christ a reality to a people who have become deadened
to the appeal of ecclesiasticism. The evangelistic appeal will
come naturally and be continuously presented as a part of a life
which is in Christ. When one center has demonstrated its power
to help and to save, calls that will surely come from others can
be answered.
All over South America missionaries are feeling that the policy
of beginning evangelical work in little hired halls on back streets
among peope who must always depend on others for help rather
than be instrumental in helping others, has been a mistake. In
a virgin field like Asuncion it is worth while trying the experiment
which seems to be nearer to Jesus' practice of first establishing
friendly relations by helping some one, and then leading him to
the deeper secrets of the Kingdom. A few Christian missionaries
with broad training, deep sympathies, and a vision of a real
Christian program for the national life, should in the next ten
years have as great an influence in directing the young life of
Paraguay as Verbeck and his companions had in Japan half a
century ago.
121
XIII. BRAZIL
I have often told audiences that Brazil is a continent in itself
larger than the United States, but I will hereafter speak with
new unction on the subject. I think I have been the first mis
sionary visitor to start in at the south and go to the extreme
north of Brazil. No one can have an idea of the immense extent
of that great country without making that trip. From Uruguay-
ana, on the Argentine border, to Sao Paulo, which is still in
Southern Brazil, it is eighty hours solid travel by train. It is
another twelve hours to Rio de Janeiro ; and then by boat it is
four days to Bahia ; two more days to Pernambuco, and then five
more to Para, at the mouth of the Amazon. Para is two days
nearer to New York than it is to Uruguayan Brazil ! If I had
gone very far inland, there would have been still other more won
derful impressions of distance to record. Trips to Campinas and
Piracicaba, and to Juiz de Fora and Lavras, gave me opportunity
to see some of the best Brazilian country and the most effective
evangelistic and educational work of our missions.
I was enabled to meet a very large number of workers in Bra
zil. In Porto Alegre, I found all the Methodist workers of
Southern Brazil gathered in their annual conference. I met there
also most of the workers of the Episcopal Church, as it is the
center of their activities in Brazil. In Sao Paulo a meeting of the
representatives of all the missions interetsed in the Union Theo
logical Seminary was timed for our visit there. Besides that, we
had two days' session with the pastors of the city. In Rio de
Janeiro we had a representative meeting of the Committee on
Cooperation in Brazil. Three days were given to this meeting
and to the one with the pastors of Rio de Janeiro. In Pernam
buco the Sunday School Convention of Northern Brazil was timed
for my visit. In all these meetings, as far north as Rio de
Janeiro, I was accompanied by Dr. Browning, our new Educa
tional Secretary, who took his full share in all conferences and
public meetings. It was a source of satisfaction and power to
have his wisdom and fine spirit in the meetings. He made friends
everywhere, for himself and for the cause of cooperation. I had
seven weeks in Brazil, one in the south, one in Sao Paulo and
vicinity, two in Rio de Janeiro and vicinity, one in Bahia and
Pernambuco, and four days in Para.
- 122
Brazil leads all other Latin-American countries in Protestant
ism. This may be due partly to her history. The first foreign
missionaries ever sent out by Protestantism were sent to Brazil
on the invitation of Villegagnon, the head of a French colony that
had established itself on an island which can be seen from Rio
de Janeiro and still bears the name of that unprincipled leader. 1
The purposes of the colony seemed at first to have been, like pre
vious Latin colonies, half religious and half political. The year
after its establishment (1855), Villegagnon sent to Geneva the
request that missionaries should be sent to the colony. A solemn
service was held in the Cathedral in Geneva in honor of these
messengers, and the church of Calvin appointed two missionaries,
Peter Richer and William Chartier. Along with them went sev
eral young laymen who were to labor among the Indians. One
of these, De Lery, afterward wrote a detailed history of the expe
dition. On their arrival at Rio de Janeiro, they joined the colony
on Villegagnon Island, and held the first Protestant service ever
held in America, when Richer preached on the Fifth Psalm :
"One thing have I desired of the Lord." One of the young lay
men, Du Pont, declared at this service that the reason why he
and his fellow-travelers had risked the dangers of the ocean was
that "they might found a church reformed according to God's
Word." Villegagnon soon fell under the Roman Catholic in
fluence, however, and began to quarrel with the ministers about
certain doctrines. Soon a large part of the colony, including the
ministers, returned home. Five of the men were put off the boat
when it was some twenty leagues from shore and compelled to
make their way back to land in a rowboat. At first they were
well received by Villegagnon, but afterward he accused them of
being spies, and had three of them killed. Some of the young
men made their way into the interior and did work among the
Indians. They were bitterly persecuted by the Jesuits and finally
disappeared. Thus, in Roman Catholic South America was the
first Protestant mission founded and the first Protestant martyrs
suffered.
The second endeavor to found the Protestant Church in Brazil
was made by Holland, which occupied Northern Brazil, with Per-
nambuco as a center, from 1624 to 1654. Under the wise leader
ship of Maurice of Nassau, nephew of William the Silent, the
colony prospered greatly. He gave the first decree of religious
1 See Parkman's "Pioneers of France in the New World" for detailed
account.
freedom ever issued in America some say in the world. When
the Portuguese regained their independence from Spain, they also
drove the Dutch from Brazil. A cultured Brazilian gentleman
said to one of our missionaries that the greatest misfortune that
ever befell Brazil was the expulsion of the Dutch; that if they
could make such a garden out of that land of rock and marsh
where they live, what might they not have done with a country
like Brazil!
The first Protestant church erected in South America was
built in Rio de Janeiro in 1819. The English insisted that this
right should be accorded them in their first commercial treaty
with the new empire. After great opposition from the clericals,
it was conceded. The outward appearance of the building was
not permitted to be like a church. It was rebuilt after the found
ing of the Republic, with ecclesiastical architecture, and stands
to-day on Rua Barbonas.
The papal nuncio, in arguing with the king against granting
the permission for the church, when he failed to secure his point,
then asked that the Inquisition be established to take care of the
heretics the new chapel would make. But the Bishop of Rio
favored granting the permission, for, he said, the English were
not a religious people, but very jealous and tenacious. If per
mission were not granted they would make a great question out
of it. But if granted and the chapel was built, no one would
attend it afterward.
Among noteworthy missionary visitors may be mentioned Allan
Gardiner, who visited Brazil before he founded his mission
among the Fuegians, and Henry Martyn, who landed at Bahia
on his way to Persia. He took his Latin Vulgate in hand and
went to the old Franciscan monastery, still the largest building
in Bahia, and argued with the padres as to the necessity of teach
ing the Bible to the people. When one ascends the high hill on
which the monastery stands to-day, and sees the innumerable
crosses on the three hundred and sixty-three church spires of the
city, he can well understand the feeling of Martyn as he ex
claimed, "Crosses there are in abundance, but who will lift up
the Cross of Christ?"
Brazil is the only country in South America that has separation
of Church and State. Her political life has been much less turbu
lent than the Spanish-American republics. Her separation from
the mother country came more naturally, as did the founding of
the Republic, which came a quarter of a century later than it did
124
with the Spanish-American countries. The spirit of the Portu
guese, as contrasted with that of the Spanish, probably influ
enced Brazil toward liberalism. They were the leaders in
discovery and trading in the fifteenth century, with a broader
outlook on life than the Spaniards, who were more directly con
nected with the papacy.
The development of the positivist cult in Brazil is an interest
ing sidelight on her liberal tendencies. This movement was
begun, it seems, in connection with the agitation for a Republic.
It flourished to such an extent that a positivist temple was
erected in Rio de Janeiro, where services - are still held. The
progress of the movement was manifested by its influence upon
the constitution of the states of Amazonas, Parana and Rio
Grande do Sul, the last-mentioned being promulgated under posi
tivist suggestion in the name of the Family, the Country, and
Humanity. Their liberalizing influence has been felt in many
acts, such as protests against the crucifix in the Supreme Court
room ; against the Church's control of the cemeteries, and in
the proposal of divorce laws. The national census reports some
three hundred members. Positivism has ceased to have the seri
ous hold on the intellectuals of the country it once had.
The present Protestant missionary work was most fortunate in
its beginnings. Dr. Kalley, a pious Scotch physician, who was
greatly persecuted in the Madeira Islands, where he first began
to preach the gospel, came to Brazil, and soon had a strong work
established. He emphasized self-support and national leadership.
The churches he organized along Congregational lines have de
veloped other strong congregations from both centers where he
preached, Pernambuco and Rio de Janeiro. The Presbyterians, who
were the second missionary body to begin work, had as their
pioneer missionary Dr. A. G. Simonton, who was a strong man
intellectually and greatly emphasized a well-prepared ministry.
He mastered Portuguese as probably no other missionary has
ever done, and his sermons are still so popular that the royalty
on them is a substantial part of the support of the Presbyterian
seminary. This seminary is by long odds the best in Latin Amer
ica. It has been established for thirty years and has produced
men like Eduardo Pereira, Erasmo Braga and Alvaro Reis, who
are well known, not only in Protestant circles, but also to the
general public in Brazil.
Dr. Pereira is the author of the most popular grammar in
Portuguese, widely used in the public and Catholic schools of
125
Brazil. He is one of the finest Christian gentlemen that one
could meet anywhere, and would adorn society in any of our
American cities. He was fortunate in investments in property in
his home-town of Sao Paulo when it was yet in its infancy as
a commercial center, and these, with the royalties on his books,
have made him more than a well-to-do man, enabling him to- do
much for the Kingdom. He has always given his time wholly to
evangelical work. As the head of the Independent Presbyterian
Church, he is also director of their theological seminary, and is
well known in Sao Paulo as a strong force for righteousness.
Dr. Erasmo Braga, who wrote the account in Portuguese of
the Panama Congress, is well known in Brazil as a literary man.
He has been connected with the Jornal do Commercio and other
prominent Brazilian papers, and is now editing a monthly review
called O Reforma. His book on the Panama Congress has re
ceived favorable reviews in the leading journals of Brazil. Dr.
Braga gives most of his time to the Presbyterian seminary in
Campinas, but he receives no salary for the great burden that he
carries there. He is employed by the National College to teach
English, and lives on what he receives for that work. I know of
no finer example of the sacrifice of a man of talent for the cause
that he loves than this.
Dr. Alvaro Reis, the pastor of the great Presbyterian Church
in Rio de Janeiro, is a real force in the moral life of the city.
His church has nearly a thousand members, among whom are
prominent physicians, lawyers and Government officials. It is a
fine example of the way the gospel can break down lines of caste,
for it has many poor members also. Its annual offering is some
ten thousand dollars. I attended the celebration of the fiftieth
anniversary of the founding of the first Sunday School in Brazil,
which took place in this church. An all-day program was held
on the National Independence Day, which happened to correspond
with the Sunday School anniversary. The program was divided
into seven sections, lasting about an hour each, with intervals
for social intercourse. Delegates were present from the twenty
Sunday Schools that the church conducts in different parts of
the city and its suburbs. Addresses were made by many promi
nent men and pastors from other churches. The pastor was
everywhere at once, encouraging, greeting, introducing, and, as a
master host, seeing that everyone enjoyed himself. I have never
shared in a finer social occasion in one of our great city churches
in North America. Dr. Reis is an author of ability; some of his
126
works have been published in the official organ of the Historical
Society of Brazil.
These three men are mentioned because, as delegates to Pan
ama, they are perhaps best known outside of Brazil. But there
are many others who might also furnish an illustration of the in
fluence of evangelical leaders in the community.
Brazil is the only country in Latin America where the native
Evangelical Church sustains a hospital. This occupies beautiful
grounds in the suburbs of Rio de Janeiro. It took the Church
fourteen years to complete the structure, which cost, with
grounds, $100,000. It is splendidly equipped. The. pity is that'
the support has not been sufficient of late to allow it to take its
capacity of patients. No mission funds have gone into the hos
pital. Dr. Reis, who is the presdent of the institution, however,
made an appeal to me to bring the needs of the hospital before
the friends in the United States. It is a shame to see this mag
nificent plant almost without patients, when there is such a large
ministry that it could perform if its annual budget were enlarged.
Another magnificent work of charity conducted under evangeli
cal influence, though a private institution, is the Santa Teresa
Dispensary and Home for the Poor in Rio de Janeiro. It was
founded and is largely supported by Dr. Francisco de Castro, a
prominent Brazilian attorney. Dr. Castro was a good Roman
Catholic when he lost his wife and was left with several mother
less children. Protestants were the only ones from whom he
could get help in taking care of the children. In a visit to Eng
land later, he was greatly taken with the orphanage and free
clinic work there. He married the English nurse who had taken
care of his children, and they together founded the Santa Teresa
Home. The work consists of a day school, a dispensary, a nurs
ery, and relief work for the poor. The enthusiasm of Dr. Castro,
as he shows one over the magnificently arranged home, knows
no bounds. The kindergarten and day-school program is most
practical. A large amount of relief work is done. The fact that
a person is needy is sufficient to win the heart of this good man.
As the work goes on, probably more of the self-help idea will
be introduced. The entire expense of the work last year was
$25,000, half of which amount was given by the founder him
self. Dr. Castro recently joined the Episcopal Church in Rio,
the rector of which, Dr. J. G. Meem, is strongly seconding him
in the work of the institution.
Another mark of the strength of the Evangelical Church in
127
Brazil is the number of directors of public institutions who are
either members of an evangelical church or were educated in
church schools. This is particularly true in the state of Sao
Paulo, where for more than twenty years Mackenzie College has
been training the leaders for the political and educational life of
that most progressive of Brazilian states.
One of the outstanding figures of Brazilian life is Dr. Jose
Carlos Rodriguez, former editor of the Jornal do Commercio, but
now occupied with literary work. While Dr. Rodriguez has never
joined any of the Protestant denominations probably because
of their sectarian differences yet he is one of their recognized
champions. 'He was requested by the Government, in its plans
for historical literature for the celebration of the centennial in
1910, to prepare a work on the Non-Catholic Religions of Brazil.
He accepted with the understanding that he was to have absolute
liberty in the preparation of the work. The result is a priceless
little volume, which gives in detail the story of the French and
Dutch Protestant propaganda, of the positivist movement, and of
the modern evangelical mission work. Dr. Rodriguez believes
that the greatest need of his country is a knowledge of the Bible.
He also believes that the reason the Bible is not studied more
is because people do not understand how to approach it. He is
therefore giving his time now to the preparation of an introduc
tion to the Bible. Soon the evangelical cause will have a schol
arly work contributed by one of the best South American journal
ists, explaining to the educated classes what the Bible is and
why it challenges their attention.
One finds several of the evangelical churches in Brazil with
their own national organizations, conducted independently of any
foreign control. The Northern and Southern Presbyterian
churches joined their forces many years ago, the first meeting of
the General Assembly being held in 1910. Its business is con
ducted on a dignified business basis that is worthy of the national
organization of a church in any country. It has a home mission
ary society, which supports work in various parts of Brazil. Its
business is entirely conducted by Brazilians. There has been
worked out recently, in a most harmonious way, a satisfactory
division of labor between the national church and the foreign mis
sionaries, which provides that, as a general rule, neither workers
in the national church nor the missionaries of the Board shall
be members of both corporations at the same time. Exceptions
are made when a presbytery has less than five members, when it
128
may invite one or more missionaries to membership. No mis
sionary serves as pastor of a presbytery church, and the mission
does not employ members of presbyteries as evangelists, except as
these shall be loaned for a certain limited time. The ecclesiastical
authority of missionaries is final in their particular field, but the
licensing of ministers and the recommendation of students for the
seminary is limited to the presbyteries. Presbyteries and missions
exchange reports annually. In cases where a church is in condi
tion to join a presbytery, with the exception of a small part
of its financial support, the mission may be requested to aid it
on a sliding scale. Transference of work from one body to an
other is provided by the local congregation, the presbytery or the
mission taking up the matter with the court concerned. The mis
sion, on opening work in new districts, at first consults with the
nearest presbytery. A permanent committee from the two Pres
byterian Boards and the Brazil General Assembly looks after the
carrying out of this agreement. While the agreement has been
in effect only a year, it now looks as though it would prove a
very happy solution to the difficult problem which arises when
the native church is ready to assume a certain amount of responsi
bility for the evangelization of its people, and yet is still in need
of the help of missionaries.
Many believe that if the missionaries had been as willing sev
eral years ago to put responsibility and authority on the national
leaders as this new agreement shows, the schism in the church,
which has been such a blight on its growth, would have been
averted.
It will be seen that this agreement provides that the mission
aries shall do the real pioneer work out on the frontiers where
churches have not yet been developed, while the Brazilian pastors
have the work in the cities and towns where the congregations are
strong. This is the reverse of the ordinary situation found in
Latin America. One is surprised to find no American Presby
terian missionary, for exampje, in the capital of the Republic or
in Sao Paulo, a city of 500,000 population. And yet he at once
recognizes the wisdom of this arrangement when he finds that
the Brazilian pastors are men of such training and character that
they occupy as high a place in the community as any foreigner
could possibly hope to do.
The Congregationalists, Independent Presbyterians and Bap
tists each have their independent national assemblies, but I have
referred particularly to the Presbyterian because of the way they
129
have worked out the relationship between the missionaries and
national workers.
The evangelical schools of Brazil are recognized by the public
men of that country as an educational force of importance. The
property of the secondary schools is valued at one and a half
million dollars. Mackenzie College owns nearly half of this.
The rest is divided between the Methodist school at Juiz de Fora,
the Southern Presbyterian at Lavras, the Baptist colleges at Rio
and Pernambuco, the Presbyterian Girls' School at Curityba, the
Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Campinas, the Methodists'
girls' schools at Piracicaba, Bello Horizonto and Petropolis, the
Episcopal College in Porto Alegre and the Methodists in Uru-
guayana, and a few other schools which I was not able to visit.
The Federal Government by legislative enactment recognizes the
degrees of the schools of Dentisry and Pharmacy of Granbery
College. The state legislature has just agreed to recognize the
Agricultural School at Lavras. In the recent military parade in
Rio de Janeiro, the student companies from Mackenzie and Gran-
berry were taken to Rio and appeared in the review on the same
basis as the students from the most important Government
schools. When President Lane of Mackenzie College died, the
state legislature adjourned and he had the largest funeral that
ever took place in Sao Paulo. Dr. Joao Sampio says of the Meth
odist Girls' School in Piracicaba : "This college was the mother of
reform for public instruction in the State of Sao Paulo. It was
there that Dr. Prudente Moraes was able to examine and appre
ciate the application of modern pedagogical methods brought
from the United States, thus preparing his spirit for the great
work which he had occasion to initiate as governor of the state."
(Sao Paulo, since Governor Moraes's time, has led all the other
states in education.) While many Brazilians believe that in the
interior illiteracy is growing in spite of the efforts of the Gov
ernment, the schools started by Dr. Waddell in the interior of
Bahia and taken over by the Government, recently are recognized
as the best practical effort that has been made to combat illit
eracy. So the story might be continued, showing that in all parts
of Brazil except the interior country, where there is no education
of any kind, evangelical schools have been recognized as leaders
in solving the educational problems of Brazil.
Another proof of the strength of the evangelical movement in
Brazil is the large number of self-supporting congregations. In
one district in the state of Rio de Janeiro, out of thirty Baptist
130
congregations twenty-six are self-supporting. The Congrega
tional churches have been practically self-supporting from the be
ginning. The Methodists have more self-supporting churches in
Brazil than in all the rest of Latin America. The Independent
Presbyterian Church, with over six thousand members, has never
received any support outside the country. Brazil has been for-"
tunate in having sensible leaders who recognized that indepen
dence in ecclesiastical government depends upon independence in
financial support.
Independent financial support means, of course, independence in
church government also. One of the first things that impresses
a visitor when he enters into conference with the workers in Bra
zil is that the men who take the lead in discussion and who have
most to do with the shaping of policies are the Brazilians. The
counsel of the foreign missionary is accepted only so far as it has
the appeal of wisdom. While an antagonistic feeling is scarcely
ever shown toward the Boards or their agents, yet the viewpoint
taken, both by missionaries and nationals, is that of the Brazilian
church and not that of the foreign agencies, which are recognized
as only aiding in the development of the national church. This
cannot be said of the conferences I have attended in any* other
South American country.
There is not time to point out other evidences of the strength
of the Brazilian Church and to emphasize the lessons it can teach
our other missions in Latin America. And it must not be thought
that the Brazilian Church has no problems, or that there remains
little for missionary societies to do. The needs are enormous,
and it is doubtful if the nation will be evangelized in the next
several centuries if no more than the present rate of progress is
maintained. The schism in the Presbyterian Church has delayed
the progress of all churches in Brazil in a most marked way.
There is now only one Protestant Christian to every five hundred
Brazilians. Sao Paulo, said by the workers there to be the capital
of Protestantism in Brazil, has a population of 500,000, with 2,000
evangelicals. One may truthfully say that the influence of the
church is far beyond its numerical strength, but these figures loom
large, in view of what is left to be done. Outside of the states
of Sao Paulo, Minas Geraes, Rio de Janeiro, the Federal District
and Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil cannot be said to be occupied in
any adequate sense. The great interior states of Goyaz, Matto
Grosso, Parana, Santa Catarina and Amazonas have not a dozen
preachers, all told. Northern Brazil is one of the most neglected
131
fields on earth. North and west of the San Francisco River lies
about two-thirds of Brazil, which is itself half of South America.
There are only twenty-nine missionaries in this whole territory,
thirteen ordained men, thirteen wives and three women teachers.
The Southern Presbyterians, the Southern Baptists and the South
American Evangelical Union are the Boards working there, with
the exception of the Y. M. C. A., which has one secretary in Per-
nambuco. There is one state with over a million people where
there is only one native pastor. Altogether there are only thirty
Brazilian pastors in this field. Two-thirds of the region is cov
ered with virgin forests, through which wander native tribes who
have never heard the name of Christ. The Amazon and its
tributaries furnish ten thousand miles of navigable w r aters to
reach the eight millions of people living in this territory. One
of the states of Brazil is as large as England, France, Germany,
Belgium and Holland, together. Another is four times the size of
Texas. In spite of the great need of the whole territory, fifteen
out of twenty-nine missionaries are located in the city of Per-
nambuco. There are seven states with a population ranging from
that of Maine to New Jersey, which have no resident mission
aries. If China had the same proportion of missionaries it would
have only half the number that are there at present, and India's
staff would be reduced two-thirds. There is one medical mission
ary, and people come to see him from five different states. When
he travels on the train, they wait at every station for him.
In the whole state of Ceara, which has the best climate and
the most progressive people of all Northern Brazil, there is just
one evangelical worker a Brazilian pastor. In Porto Rico,
which has the same population, but only a fraction of its area,
there are two hundred and eighteen national workers and one
hundred and thirty-six foreign missionaries. The whole district
lies within the Equator and eight degrees south, and diseases of
the tropics are rampant, except in a few of the coast cities, where
modern sanitary improvements have been installed. There are
about eighty-five per cent, of the people who cannot read and
write. The problem that the Government is contending with is
enormous, and some Brazilians believe that the illiteracy is grow
ing instead of decreasing. Not an evangelical school of college
grade exists in all this district. I raised the question with the
workers of inviting another society to enter the territory. The
Southern Presbyteran Mission has not sent a new evangelistic
missionary to this field in twenty years. The Evangelical Union
132
of South America, since it took over the work from the "Help
for Brazil Mission," five years ago, has sent no new missionary,
and maintains only two at the present time. The Southern Bap
tist Mission has considerably strengthened its force here, having
sent five new men to this field in the last five years. Thus, the
situation is not at all encouraging, then, for the evangelization
of Northern Brazil in the immediate future. The workers are
insistent on new forces. They would, however, deprecate the
entry of new denominational interests. Dr. Pereira suggested at
Sao Paulo that the Presbyterians make a division of territory be
tween the national churches and the missions, and that Northern
Brazil be considered mission territory and Central-Southern Bra
zil the part for which the national churches shall be responsible.
If the three Boards now working in Northern Brazil cannot im
mediately strengthen their work, then it seems to me that other
Boards of like ecclesiastical policy with those now working there,
say the Northern Baptist Foreign Board .and the American
Board, should be invited to help in the enormous task. The
climatic conditions are hard, but foreigners are scattered every
where over the Amazon Valley for the sake of rubber, brazil
nuts and cattle. The missionary enterprise should not then hesi
tate. Ceara would be a better city for the establishment of a cen
tral educational work than the city of Para, as the climate is more
bracing. Still, in Para, Manaos, and all the great district of the
Amazon, yellow fever has been stamped out for several years.
Frequent furloughs would be necessary, and people from south
ern climates should be selected as missionaries.
The following communions, mentioned in the order of their
coming to the field, are working in Brazil. The Congregational-
ists (1,400 members), with Rio de Janeiro and Pernambuco as
centers. This work, begun by Dr. Kalley, has been a Brazilian
work, maintained largely by the members themselves. There is
a growing relationship between them and the Evangelical Union
pf South America. In Pernambuco, the work of the two has been
practically united. The Presbyterians, U. S. A., support mission
aries in the states of Bahia, Parana, Santa Catarina, and Matto
Grosso. The Presbyterians U. S. have missionaries in the states
of Pernambuco, Minas Geraes and Sao Paulo. They cooperate
with the Presbyterian General Assembly of Brazil, which has
churches in the above-named states, in the Federal capital, in
Rio Grande do Norte, Parahiba, Ceara, and Para. (Total, 14,000
members.) The Southern Methodist Church is in the Federal
133
capital, and in the states of Rio de Janeiro, Minas Geraes, Sao
Paulo, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul (7,000 members).
The Southern Baptists are in Amazonas, Para, Pernambuco,
Bahia, Rio de Janeiro, Espiritu Santa, the Federal capital, Sao
Paulo, Rio Grande do Sul, and probably others (14,000 mem
bers). The Episcopal Church is in Rio Grande do Sul and the
Federal capital (1,500 members). The Independent Presbyterian
Church has churches in most of the states where older Presby
terian work is found (6,500 members). The Evangelical Union
of South America is in Sao Paulo, Goyaz and Pernambuco (350
members). The Young Men's Christian Association has a widely
extended and influential work in Brazil, with associations in Rio
de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Rio Grande do Sul and Pernambuco
(3,000 members).
There has never been any formal agreement entered into by
the evangelical bodies concerning territorial occupation, looking
to the occupation of the whole country. At several times two
different bodies have made certain agreements. When the Epis
copal workers first came to Brazil and were looking for a field,
the Presbyterians, U. S. A., agreed to retire from the state of
Rio Grande do Sul in favor of the Episcopalians. The Northern
and Southern Methodist churches agreed to their boundaries in
South America, the former taking Spanish-speaking and the lat
ter Portuguese-speaking South America. The work developed by
the Northern Church in Rio Grande do Sul was transferred to
the Southern Church, which now counts this as one of its most
fruitful fields. The Presbyterian U. S. and Methodists have an
agreement over the work in the state of Minas Geraes. The Bap
tists, Methodists and Presbyterians have an understanding con
cerning work in the state of Bahia. The British and American
Bible Societies have a distinct limitation of territories between the
two which works admirably. Most of the territorial division has
been simply by "gentlemen's agreements." That there is not more
overlapping is due mainly to the immensity of the territory and
the smallness of the forces. Brazilian workers do not seem to
feel the necessity of facing this question at present, as it is being
faced in most of the other Latin countries. I am convinced,
however, that a careful survey of the whole field would reveal
many ways -of more complete occupation without enlargement of
forces. Such a survey would also help toward a better determi
nation of the fields which should be left to the mission Boards
and of those which should be cared for by the Brazilian Church,
134
a question of great importance in the minds' of some of the na
tional leaders.
Regarding territorial problems in Brazil, it must be kept in
mind that there are three divisions southern, central and north
ern. Southern Brazil, as regards evangelical work, consists large
ly of the state of Rio Grande do Sul. Between it and Sao Paulo
and Rio there are the states of Parana and Santa Catarina,
which are very weak evangelically. They feel quite separated
from Rio and even from Sao Paulo, which is three days by rail
from them. This feeling of separation is more marked still in
Northern Brazil. In Pernambuco, the first and last message of
the workers is a warning not to forget that Northern Brazil is
a different field from Central Brazil. When one has traveled for
six days on the ship from Rio to Pernambuco, and then five more
too Para, he does not need to have it proved. Workers who go
from the north to the south never return ; they are lost to the
north. Hence the northern workers object to sending their young
men south to be educated for the ministry. Conditions in the
north are so different that the workers there object to having
their policies determined by the force in the south. While it
seems desirable that the whole work in any one country should
be closely knit together, yet the northern field for some time to
come will have to be considered as very largely a field in itself.
As suggested before, this whole matter needs to be closely
studied and conclusions reached after data from all the fields are
in hand. At present, the opinions of workers in Northern and
Southern Brazil are opposed ; neither is thoroughly cognizant of
the situation in the whole country.
In other parts of Latin America missionaries are located largely
in the great cities. In Brazil they are often found in the small
towns in the interior. The Presbyterian missionaries in Per
nambuco have their educational and medical work in towns of
less than 10,000 people, one day's ride into the country from the
capital city. In the state of Bahia there are seven foreign mis
sionaries, all except one of whom are located in the interior. Their
greatest educational center in North Brazil is in the heart of the
forest, two days on mule-back from the railroad. It is said in
defense of this policy that Bahia, for example, was for years one
of the most barren of mission fields, but since the work be^an to
be pressed in the interior it has become one of the most fruitful
of all the fields. Twenty years ago the Methodists left the easily
accessible coast country and opened new fields in the great state
135
of Minas Geraes, which now form the stronghold of their work
in Brazil. One of them finds the largest congregation developed
in small towns or in the country itself, where the whole district
has been brought under the influence of the gospel. Some have
expressed the conviction that Brazil will be evangelized from the
interior outward, and not from the coast inward. If it be ob
jected that this policy is against the strategy of the apostle to
the Gentiles, the missionaries reply that Paul probably preached
in the cities because it was there the people were most willing to
hear him. In going to the country in Brazil, modern missionaries
are following the same principle.
The best' exemplification of the other policy is the work of the
Baptists, in Pernambuco. Their extensive itinerating work in sev
eral of the northern states is all conducted from the cities of
Bahia and Pernambuco. In the latter place they have the best
organized centralized mission that I have visited. Five mission
ary families live in the mission compound,, a beautiful property,
well suited for the work. Here they have their general school,
with special departments for training ministers and teachers, who
are sent out to all Northern Brazil. They have the largest min
isterial class in Latin America, between twenty-five and thirty.
The students are all self-supporting, either through the printing
shop, pastoral service or other work. Each of the five mission
aries is a specialist one an educator, another a theologian, an
other an evangelist and what probably accounts more for the
efficient organization than anything else one a specialist on the
business side. Only one man has no specific duties on the com
pound, but all the others, with him, take their turn in itinerating
work. Their trips in visiting the interior churches last from
three to eight weeks. One man is kept busy holding Bible insti
tutes in the country churches. A very large percentage of the
churches are now self-supporting. The constant visits of the mis
sionaries to these churches keeps them progressive, preventing the
falling back which so often happens, when a church becomes
financially independent and is then left without stimulus of mis
sionary visitation. A church extension fund was begun last year
by the missionaries, who put into it $250. The churches were in
vited to subscribe for shares of $125 apiece, which would entitle
them to a loan when the fund was in condition to grant it.
Already the fund has accomplished wonders in helping churches
to help themselves. Every organized Sunday schoool class in
the Baptist Church in Pernambuco is paying for a share in instal-
136
ments, which means they will soon have one of the few special
Sunday school buildings in Brazil. On an itinerating trip through
the country last month, the missionary had turned over to him
$125 from various little funds which different congregations had
collected, but were keeping idle because they were not large
enough to begin an undertaking.
Between these two methods of work, representing roughly
diffusion and concentration, there will always be a difference of
opinion. Both are right ; both are necessary. The more one sees
of mission work, the more he is convinced that it is not so much
the method, but the man that counts. The same man who built a
great educational institution in the wilderness of Bahia would
have also developed a great influence in the capital city. The
missionary who is loved and followed in the city, will draw peo
ple to him in the country. This is not saying that men have not
their special gifts and should not be given work where these
can be used to the greatest advantage. The efficacy of mission
work could be doubled by taking the round pegs out of square
holes and the square ones out of round holes, putting each mis
sionary into his respective place, eliminating friction and round
ing out service. But men of capacity, of soul, of whom the peo
ple take knowledge that they have been with Jesus, always attract
and influence the people. Other men may have better methods
and finer equipment, but their work is always dead, dead, dead!
The great advances of modern missions only prove the more
surely that one drop of red blood is of more value than all or
ganization, and that without Christ working within us all is
failure.
Denominationalism has been very strong in Brazil. Doctrinal
questions of baptism, predestination, apostolic succession, etc.,
have occupied a large part of the church papers and many thou
sands of pages of the Christian literature in Portuguese. The
defense of views on these doctrines seems to be considered fully
as important now as it was fifty years ago in the United States.
A new day is dawning, however. Such movements as the new
University Federation and the Union Seminary mean that the
missionary forces will be occupied in a more aggressive campaign
against the common enemy rather than in magnifying their own
differences. This, if remarks made to me in many quarters mean
anything, will gain a much larger respect for the evangelical
cause among the public at large.
If the money spent in controversial literature had been spent
137
in the production of standard works of durable value, the Portu
guese would not now be nearly so needy in this important field.
The schism in the Presbyterian Church to which reference has
been made occurred in 1903. The three principal questions in
volved were: The Church's educational policy, especially as re
lated to Mackenzie College and the Theological Seminary; the
relationship of the missionaries to the National Church, and the
Church's attitude toward Masonry. The churches that withdrew
under the leadership of Dr. Eduardo Pereira were formed into
the Independent Presbyterian Church. To-day it has some 7,000
members and maintains a splendid school and theological semi
nary, and a home mission Board that helps many weak churches.
The various union committees and organizations growing out of
the work of the Committee on Cooperation has brought about a
movement for the union of those two churches, and the time does
not seem far distant when it will be an accomplished fact. Work
ers in Brazil often made the remark to me that if the Panama
Congress had done nothing but bring about the splendid fellow
ship which now exists between these two bodies, it would have
been worth all that it cost in time and money.
If the example of this division in Brazil serves to save other
churches from a similar catastrophe, it will not have been alto
gether without benefit. The Brazilian leaders are very anxious
about this matter. Both Dr. Pereira and Dr. Reis referred often
in our conference to the fact that they saw these divisions com
ing in Chile and Argentina, if a better understanding did not
develop between missionaries and nationals. Dr. Pereira said :
''Panama should do great things in saving divisions in the young
churches on the field. There is great harm in sporadic efforts at
independence. Now is the time to prevent great shocks between
missionaries and nationals. We must not have these shocks, for
it means that the work suffers. It is easy to understand how
they come. In Chile, for example, young men of the lower class
have been given two years of Bible study and then sent out into
evangelical work. These Chilean rotos are of strong blood. What
can you expect? Without real education, they are soon going
to assert their independence. The missionary knows they are not
capable of leadership, so he opposes giving the authority. And
then comes the division." Dr. Reis said, in his eloquent, dram
atic way: "I pray you not to stifle these young, struggling
churches groping toward independence in Chile and Argentina.
It would be the greatest of crimes." Both he and Dr. Pereira
138
agreed that the only way to solve the problem of independence
was by an educated ministry. Experience in Brazil shows this.
If the independent church had not been under the leadership of
an educated ministry, it is hard to tell what might have been the
results. As it was, the results are bad enough. At the time
of the division, the church had a strong influence among the lead
ing people of the state of Sao Paulo, the most progressive in
Brazil, and it looked as though in a few years Protestantism
would count among its members the best people of the state. With
the strife that followed the division, multitudes have become in
different to religion, and the whole cause of evangelical Chris
tianity has received a blow from which it will take many a long
day to recover.
The chairman of the Committee on Cooperation and Unity for
the Brazilian Regional Conference told me he started at the prep
aration of the report of his committee, believing that it would
be impossible, even undesirable, to have one evangelical church in
Brazil. But his investigations proved to him beyond doubt that
this was the only thing that would bring Brazil to Christ.
It was encouraging to hear so many workers testify that the
Panama Congress had brought a new spirit to the evangelical
work in Brazil. "Old schisms are being healed ; missionaries and
nationals are feeling closer to one another. The things that used
to divide us are things that now unite us. If the Congress does
nothing more than to establish a union seminary for Brazil, it
will be worth while." These are among the grateful expressions
one hears from the workers. The Panama Reports have been
sympathetically reviewed by the newspapers, and even quoted in
Congress.
Several of the keenest students of the evangelical cause ex
pressed deep solicitude over the fact that the Brazilian church
has not awakned to its sense of duty to the community at large,
nor to its responsibility for the general moral condition of the
people. Some of the most important Brazilian churches are lo
cated in the midst of prostitution of the vilest kind, so that one
wonders if it would not be better for youns: people to stay at home
than to go to church, when they are thus compelled to pass
through districts infested by the most revolting forms of vice.
The Methodist Church has" opened the only two institutional
churches in Brazil, and the institutional department of one of
these has recently been closed. The People's Central Institute
of Rio, in charge of Dr. Tucker, is doing a magnificent work, in
139
which it is receiving the support of many public men of the city.
The same work is condemned by some of the church leaders, who
believe that only the preaching from the pulpit is gospel work.
There is great need of literature in Portuguese, which will
awaken the Brazilian church to what is being done by the church
in other parts of the world along social lines. Dr. Magalhaes
of Rio de Janeiro says :
"We have in Brazil many poets, many orators, many artists, many
journalists, but rare are the public men who dedicate themselves to social
studies. Few indeed are the books which treat of questions concerning
national economy. We frequently see our scientists forgetting their pros
pects of a real and irrevocable immortality and electing rather the ephem
eral laurels of romance and of the theater."
Here, then, is one of the great opportunities for the evangeli
cal movement, save what this same author calls "The Great Sick
Man of South America." So far it has never occurred to earnest
students of their country's ills (and Dr. Magalhaes is sympa
thetic toward the gospel) that religion has anything to do with
the cure of this national infirmity. He mentions four remedies :
(i) Obligatory military service; (2) The Boy Scout movement;
(3) Well-balanced education ; (4) Constitutional government.
The necessity that- the Church take a vital interest in commu
nity life has been emphasized by a Brazilian gentleman of high
standing in the following declaration : "Political conditions in
Brazil are rotten ; that the next President of the Republic will
probably be an old man, .a mere figurehead, to be used by the
politicians, among whom are the Secretary of State of Sao Paulo,
and the old man's -son, a young doctor. Labor troubles, too, are
becoming very prominent now. In a recent strike in Sao Paulo,
about one thousand men were killed when soldiers fired for an
hour into the mob. A group of newspaper men took the part of
the laborers, who wished to have their wages raised. Immedi
ately prices were raised twenty to twenty-five per cent. One Ital
ian in Sao Paulo, who has been recently made a count by the
Italian King because of his enormous contribution to the war
fund, controlled all the flour industry. His boats run to Argen
tina and other countries to bring in his wheat. Foreign invest
ors have done much to corrupt politics by paying enormous sums
as bribes. In Brazil, street cars are called 'bonds,' because when
the English company put in electric cars at Rio there was a great
scandal in connection with bonds sold by a Government official,
and so people called the cars bonds. 'Brazil is a hospital presided
over by a lot of lunatics,' is the way one man puts it.
14U
"The new law which grants suffrage to those who can read and
write and have certain property may mean an aristocratic ten
dency. Public opinion is against reform. A friend recently tried
to have prohibited the selling of obscene literature on trains.
The Literary Club to which he belongs said, 'No, this would be
a reflection on the fine gentlemen who manage the road.' Dr.
Bandera, elected as a delegate to the White Slave Convention in
London, prepared a report on conditions in Brazil, but was not
allowed to publish it. He died a disappointed man because his
hands were tied in his efforts toward reform."
Medical Work
In Brazil, as in other Latin-American fields, few medical mis
sionaries are maintained. The Presbyterians have one physician
in the state of Bahia and one in Pernambuco; the Baptists have
two in Northern Brazil. There is no question about the need for
greatly enlarging this force. In Recife, a city of 250,000, there
is no trained nurse, and no physician in whom the missionaries
can have full confidence. The Presbyterians recently sent a phy
sician into the interior of Bahia, largely because the missionaries
were living several days' journey from a doctor. The health
conditions of Porto Alegre remind one of those of the great in
terior cities of China. The city water is taken out of the same
stream into which the sewerage, an open drain, is emptied. The
city was full of smallpox when I was there, but no effort was
made to isolate the cases or enforce vaccination. The Rocke
feller Health Commission recently inspected the city and offered
to put it into first-class sanitary condition if the authorities would
guarantee to continue the work. -The offer was declined. Any
one can practice medicine by simply paying the required fee
charged for a license. In Bahia, Recife and Para one sees the
most horrible sights of poor people eaten up by disease, with no
remedy in sight. If such are the needs of the coast cities, what
must the condition be of the far-off interior! A dozen medical,
missionaries scattered through Northern Brazil would do more
than anything else to commend the gospel to the people.
Educational Problems
"I predict that before you brethren get out of the country, you
will come to this conclusion : Brazil's greatest need is education
schools, beginning with the primary and running clear on up into
the university." Thus spoke one of the workers to Dr. Brown-
141
ing and me in the first conference we had in Brazil, down on
the southern border.
The last conversation I had in Para, under the beating rays of
an equatorial sun, was about the need of education in the great
Amazon Valley. In the states of Para, with more than a million
people, Amazonas, three times as large as Germany, and in the
territory extending on through Peru to the Pacific Ocean, there
is not an evangelical school, and few of any kind whatever. Yet
this is the Amazon Valley that Agassiz predicted, on his visit in
1868, would be the center of the world's civilization. In Para,
the modern city of 200,000 people, the average attendance of the
schools numbers 4,000. In the interior of the Amazon Valley
there are practically no schools. The reply to a question about
the establishment of an evangelical school in Para was that it
would meet with all kinds of difficulties, because grades and
diplomas were matters of pull and favor. As an illustration, the
fact was cited that a law had been recently passed, through the
influence of a director of a private school, making it extremely
difficult for students to secure their passing marks. When they
fail, he guarantees to have them pass if they take a course in his
school. He is also teacher in the Government gymnasium and is
prepared to make good his promise.
Returning from this conversation to the ship, I picked up Dr.
Megalhaes's pamphlet on "The Great Sick Man of South Amer
ica," and read:
"The great mass of our people present the saddest state of illiteracy. It
is not erroneous to calculate more than eighty per cent, of our fellow citi
zens who are not even able to read and write. This percentage is so
excessive, so deplorable, placing us in a position greatly inferior to other
cultured nations of America and the world, that one of our distinguished
men has recently proposed to change our name from Brazil to Analpha-
bctalandia (the land of illiterates)."
And the illustrious Bomfin makes this impassioned appeal
to his people :
''Let us make a campaign against our ignorance. There is no other
way to save this America of ours. Our many expedients and our polit
ical wisdom have now contributed all they are able to give. That progress
which some count by tax receipts, others by the number of ships, and
others in the extent of mines operated, not only is badly defined it is
false and illusory. Progress must be made by society in its totality;
and this is only attained by the education and culture of each social
element.*
* America Latina, Manoel Bomfin, page 400.
142
The evangelical movement has gained the gratitude of the
Brazilian people for its splendid contribution to this campaign.
I am sorry there is not space in this report to review the splen
did work done by each of the fifteen boarding schools which I
visited, with property valued at one million and a half dollars.
But here one can only touch the problem of cooperation, which
is the most vital of the many to be faced.
The first literature ever issued by the Committee on Coopera
tion in Latin America, a circular dated in 1913, called attention,
among other cooperative possibilities in Latin America, to a pro
posal made by Dr. S. R. Gammon of the "Institute Evano-elico"
of Lavras, for a federation of the evangelical schools of Brazil.
After several years of informal discussion of the plan, both by
the Boards and the Brazilian workers, a conference was called
which met last December at Sao Paulo and formally adopted a
scheme of federation. Every considerable school in Brazil was
presented. The proposal was made to form an Evangelical Uni
versity Federation, which means, in Portuguese, somethiog that
is trying to be a university and isn't yet. This federation was
to consist of all superior schools having more than ten pupils,
and of all preparatory schools having more than twenty pupils.
The federation was to have under its care all primary schools
and all minor superior and preparatory schools willing to be en
rolled. It was to be governed by a council consisting of one
representative of each membership school and one representative
of each Church or Board having no membership school, but
schools under the care of the Federation. The council was to
have a governing committee presided over by a chancellor, and
to do its work through committees on courses, text-books, exam
inations and diplomas, these matters being the sphere of the Fed
eration's control. Property, finances and discipline were to re
main exactly as at present. The Federation was joined by four
superior schools and eleven preparatory schools, a large number
of primary schools, and incomplete superior and preparatory
schools were put under its care. A primary school was defined
as comprehending the first five years of school life, a preparatory
school the next six ; and a superior school was to require at least
eleven years of antecedent school life and to offer at least two
years of study.
The advantages of such a federation are too many to mention.
Brazil has no university. There are a number of strong profes
sional schools, but they are not coordinated. This federation of
143
evangelical schools, with the strengthening of the present institu
tions, and the opening of law, medical and teachers' colleges
would give the evangelical churches the one university in the
largest country in Latin America. With the circle of professional
schools completed, with uniform courses and examinations lead
ing from secondary schools to professional courses, Government
recognition could be secured, thus placing the graduates on the
same footing as those of the Government professional schools.
A federation representing four or five thousand pupils, with a
trained corps of teachers working on a well-organized plan of
education, would in a few years exert a tremendous influence on
the whole educational program of Brazil. One item in the pro
gram adopted at Sao Paulo is the establishment of secondary
schools, as rapidly as possible, in every state that as yet has none.
The workers are very much in earnest about the development
of this plan. They point to the recommendations of the Panama
Congress, of which so much has been said in the homelands, of
two or three real universities in Latin America. Here is a chance
to make this talk become a reality. After deliberation in repre
sentative Brazilian conferences, both in Sao Paulo and Rio de
Janeiro, a resolution was passed calling for the help of the Com
mittee on Cooperation to raise one million dollars for the realiza
tion of the plan. Half of this amount would go to strengthening
the existing schools, the Engineering School of Mackenzie, the
schools of Pharmacy and Dentistry of Granbery, the Agricultural
School at Lavras, and the establishment of the proposed Union
Theological Seminary. The other half million would be for the
opening of new schools of law, medicine and education. This en
tire fund would not be expended for some ten years. The gov
erning committee of the federation have the whole expenditure
carefully calculated.
The committee, in pointing out the fact that they are not ask
ing for unreasonable things, show the strength of the present
evangelical educational work in Brazil, the value of the property
of present secondary schools being a million and a half dollars,
with five thousand students, and a magnificent corps of teachers,
and with recognition everywhere as an important force in Bra
zilian education. With such a start, they claim that it will be
easier to develop a university in Brazil than anywhere else in
Latin America. Here are one-third of the people and one-third
of the territory of Latin America, and the largest Protestant com
munity besides.
144
Not the least of the advantages of such a university federation
should be the securing of a definite permanent recognition of
evangelical schools by the Government. Our schools have felt
deeply the truth of the following observation of one of Brazil's
leading literary men :
"The mania. to undo the work of predecessors affects everything, few
being willing to wait the long time necessary to judge as to the good or
bad results of a measure. We are a great people for continually trying
new things, new experiments, sometimes advancing wonderfully and other
times failing tremendously, but never taking definite, constructive measures.
"The recent reform of education, for example, will strangle every pri
vate incentive, in a country where it ought to be encouraged by every
possible means, controlled only by a strict inspection of the public power,
as is done in the United States."
Several years ago the federal law allowed private schools, hav
ing a certain amount of money invested, or of realty, and con
senting to conform to the prescribed course of instruction and
submit to official inspection, to give diplomas that were of equal
value to those given by the Government schools, and that would
admit students bearing them to the official schools of professional
grade law, medicine, engineering, etc. Let it be borne in mind
that all of the professional schools are official, and that no man
who has not a diploma is supposed to be allowed to follow any
of the learned professions. There was, of course, a great deal of
red tape about all this official business ; but it worked fairly well
and would have given good results with slight modifications.
Some schools, however, began to trade in diplomas, selling
them for a price and demanding practically no study of their
students. The scandals were frequent, flagrant and increasing.
Instead of seeking to put an end to the abuses and improve the
law that was workable, the congress decided to have an entirely
different law and put an end to all of the privileges of private
schools. Under the new law, no school can secure these benefits
save under conditions that are practically impossible.
Private schools can now secure, under certain conditions, an
official board of examiners fifteen strong, with varying qualifica
tions of unfitness. The expense, however, will run from three
to five thousand dollars for a year.
When they lost official recognition, five years ago, they were
glad to be free from the red tape; at first there was a falling off
in attendance, but most of them now have gotten back to the
largest enrollment.
The state government has just passed a law giving full recogni
tion to the Lavras Agricultural School.
145
Granbery College was given recognition of her professional
schools by legislative enactment, so that when she lost, with other
schools, the recognition of her gymnasium, granted by executive
decree, she still held the recognition of the diplomas of her
schools of pharmacy and dentistry.
In December, 1916, the Evangelical University Federation, on
the initiative of representatives of the existing seminaries, pre
sented to the churches and the Mission Boards in Brazil a plan
for a union seminary. It included the formation of an Evangeli
cal Theological Association, which will be composed of official
representatives of the several evangelical churches and Mission
Boards, each denomination to choose two and each Board one.
The Association will fix the number of professors, never less than
four, who will be appointed by it on nomination of the various
churches. The Association will have power to appoint directly
any professor whose services it considers of great importance
to the seminary. The Association will make an annual budget
for the seminary, including expenses of the professorate, and
excluding expenses with the students, and will assess the churches
and Board to furnish the funds needed. Each denomination will
maintain its own students.
The faculty of the seminary will consist of all the professors,
one of whom will be chosen by the trustees to preside.
The Association will arrange with the evangelical schools the
organization of a sufficient preparatory course to give a right to
matriculation in the seminary.
The chancellor of the Evangelical University Federation will
convoke for Sao Paulo a meeting of the representatives appointed
by the several corporations to organize the Association and ad
vance its ends.
The chancellor, being advised of the appointment of most of
the representatives of Boards and churches, convened a meeting
of the provisional board for August 28 at 10.30 at Mackenzie
College, to take advantage of the presence of the representatives
of the Committee on Cooperation in Latin America without
awaiting the final action of the Methodist and Southern Presby
terian Boards, both of which had approved the plan in general.
After recognizing the above plan as the basis of their delibera
tions, and declaring that their decisions were taken ad refer
endum, the trustees adopted the following preamble :
146
We consider that the preparation of a suitable national evangelical
ministry is the great necessity of the Evangelical propaganda in Brazil
and the only means of implanting the Gospel in the national life.
We consider that for this purpose we should choose a center of national
and evangelical life where the spirit may broaden in the concept of one
and the other.
We consider that the preparation implies the need, not only of a solid
training in theology, but also of a solid and fitting training in preparatory
studies as an inseparable foundation.
We consider that such a result is at present realizable only by the
hearty cooperation of the Evangelical elements that labor in the evangeli
zation of the country.
It was then resolved :
That the seat of the Seminary shall be at the Federal capital ;
That at least 16,000 square meters of land should be acquired ;
That a principal building shall be constructed with assembly hall,
library, four class rooms, two offices ; a dormitory for at least thirty-two
students with study and bed-room or each pair of students ; dining, rest
and receptions rooms and kitchen; and four professor's houses. The cost
of the plan was estimated at $100,000.
It was resolved to make a. general appeal to the Brazilian
Church, and by means of the Cooperation Committees to the
Boards, for this sum. Mr. Inman promised to take the matter
up with his committee.
Revs. Waddell, Reis and Tucker were made a committee on
ground, plans and buildings, and Revs. Waddell, Reis, Pereira,
Tavares and Souza a committee on the constitution of the semi
nary and the steps preliminary to incorporation.
The seminary course was fixed at three years.
The faculties of the existing seminaries were requested to pro
pose a curriculum for the new seminary.
Under Article IV. of the plan, it was resolved that :
1. The number of Professors shall be four, occupying the chairs of
Old Testament, New Testament, Theology and Ecclesiology. All theologi
cal subjects will be divided between these chairs.
2. These professors shall give themselves wholly to the work of the
Seminary, including the preparation of the necessary literature.
3. The professors shall receive equal salaries and in Brazilian currency.
4. Homes for the professors shall form a part of the Seminary prop
erty.
5. There shall be four substitute professors who may be pastors or
ministers otherwise employed.
Under Article VII. of the plan, it was resolved:
1. To establish a course of philosophy of two years for gymnasium
graduates, graduation from which will give matriculation in the seminary.
The curriculum of this course will be determined by the directors of the
147
schools which give it, subject to the approval of the Seminary Trustees.
Mackenzie in combination with the Independent Presbyterian school will
organize the course. Grahbery, Lavras and Ponte-Nova are considering
the matter.
2. In case candidates present themselves for matriculation in this
course who have not had the complete gymnasium course but have had
other courses, the Philosophy Faculty will see what preparatory study they
need and if possilbe arrange a course for them.
The East Brazil Mission, by letter and by its representative
for itself and for its Board ; the representatives of the Methodist
and Presbyterian (North) Boards, and of the Committees on
Cooperation, declared that they had every reason to think that
the resolutions taken would be highly satisfactory to their corpor
ations.
There are now seven theological seminaries in Brazil. There
seems to be no doubt that all of these except the two Baptist
Seminaries will enter the new organization. Three of these are
supported by Brazilian churches. The Presbyterian Seminary has
a good property at Campinas, and some endowment which, if
used, would enable them to take more than their proportionate
share. It is hoped, however, that the churches will raise the
money without selling the properties. It would be a calamity to
close such an educational plant as that at Campinas, the first mis
sion school in South America, which for fifty years has been a
great influence in all that surrounding community. Without
doubt the plan will meet with the hearty support of the Bra
zilian churches, which will desire to take as large a financial part
in the enterprise as possible, probably half of it. The Mission
Boards will be asked to supplement their offerings, and this
should be done with enthusiasm, as soon as the churches deter
mine how much they can raise.
Before passing from the subject of education, mention must be
made of at least one more of the interesting projects ahead a
girls' college in Rio de Janeiro. The Woman's Board of the
Methodist Church (South) plans to put in $150,000 for the estab
lishment of such a school. This is not sufficient to secure the
amount of land that is needed and to provide otherwise for
future development. We had a conference with some of the
workers concerning the desirability of making a union enterprise
of several Women's Boards, as in case of the great women's col
leges in China and India. It is to be hoped that some such coop
erative plan may be worked out for Brazil.
148
Literature
Much of the time in each conference with missionaries, and
in the meeting of the Committee on Cooperation in Brazil, was
given to the important question of literature. There is no union
press or union paper in Brazil. The Baptists have a well-
equpipecl press in Rio de Janeiro. The Methodists have a press
in Juiz de Fora, which they are now preparing to move to Sao
Paulo and enlarge into a fine modern plant. There are several
other small presses. The number of church papers is legion.
There is coming to be more and more a unanimous sentiment in
favor of union in the three divisions of the work of producing
Christian literature in Portuguese: (i) Printing, (2) the prepar
ation of manuscripts, and (3) distribution. The time did not
seem ripe for any definite plans regarding the first, but the sec
ond and third divisions of the work were advanced very mark
edly. After a most careful discussion of the whole matter, the
following decision was made by the Committee on Cooperation
in Brazil :
1. That the Committee on Cooperation in Latin America be requested
to appoint a companion to Dr. Winton in publication work for the Portu
guese section, with residence in Brazil. The Brazilian Committee will
present a nomination for this position at an early date.
2. That a sub-committee on literature be appointed by the Committee
on Cooperation in Brazil, which shall be authorized to execute all work in
reference to translations, adaptations and manuscripts, and the publication
and circulation of the same.
3. That there be established in Rio de Janeiro a central literature de
pository, called the Brazilian Center of Publicity ( Centre Brasileiro de
Publicadade), with the right to open branch depositories. For this pur
pose there be organized a holding company with an initial capital of
50 contos (about $12,500 U. S.), divided into five thousand shares of ten
milreis each, with the privilege of augmenting this capital. The stock
will be offered to the Mission Boards, Bible Societies, and national
Churches. The Committee on Cooperation in Brazil will be in general
responsible for the enterprise. The bodies concerned are requsted to
secure the allocation of Mr. J. W. Clay, of the Methodist Publishing House
at Juiz de Fora, as agent of the new concern.
4. That a bibliography of Portuguese literature be prepared, similar
to the one on Spanish literature, by the Committee on Cooperation in
Latin America.
5. That an illustrated family paper be published, instead of the re
view suggested by the conference of pastors at Sao Paulo. This has been
planned for some time, and it is hoped that the man appointed for the
publication work might also have this as part of his work.
The National Institute of Sacred Literature is an organization
recently formed by Professor Braga and other literary men of
the Evangelical Church, along the lines of the Institute of Sacred
149
Literature formed by President Hooper of the University of
Chicago. Besides publishing Reforma, a creditable journal
which occupies itself with social, literary and educational ques
tions, the Institute has published several important pamphlets. It
has a most interesting program before it, and has received as
members some of the foremost men of Brazil. It should be a
most useful organization in the carrying out of the program for
a Christian literature in Portuguese. There are a number of men
connected with the evangelical church who are recognized by the
public in general as men of literary talent. We should see that
these men are used as occasion offers to produce literature along
a well-marked out program directed by the Committee on Co
operation. One such man has recently fallen heir to an estate,
and has offered to dedicate himself to the work without charge.
In private conference with the Committee on Literature, all
these matters were gone over, and a detailed program arranged.
With financial backing, the way is now open for a united effort
for the production of a first-class, permanent, Christian literature
in Portuguese. The committee is fortunate in having as its
chairman Dr. Erasmo Braga, who brings to the task not only en
thusiasm, but a well-recognized standing as a man of letters.
His book on the Panama Congress,, "Pan-Americanismo As-
pecto Religiose," has received most favorable criticism in the
Brazilian papers.
While no definite steps were taken for the uniting of papers
and presses, there is little doubt but that the way has been opened
for this, and conference with leaders secured promises that these
matters would soon be brought to the fore.
There is a particularly large field open for cooperation in Sun
day School literature. The Brazilian Sunday School Association
has a comprehensive scheme for the production of books for the
aid of teachers and officers, and a resolution was passed requesting
our committee to help in this program. The Methodists, who
have given much attention to the production of Sunday School
lesson helps, are furnishing these entirely for several denomina
tions. In the enlargement of their plant, other denominations
might help financially, and an interdenominational board of ed
itors could be created for Sunday School literature.
Other Questions of Cooperation
As in some of the other countries, I found that the work of the
Committee on Cooperation in Brazil was little known outside the
capital. Unfortunately the president of the committee had been
150
absent most of the time since the Regional Conference. In the
meantime, the Evangelical University Federation had been
formed and was pursuing an active program, with no connection
with the Committee on Cooperation, which was supposed to be
the official representative of all evangelical bodies in matters in
volving cooperation.
The leaders of the Federation were present at the recent meet
ing of the Committee on Cooperation in Rio de Janeiro when it
was officially constituted, however, and cordially agreed that the
Federation be considered the Cooperation Committee's Sub-
Committee on Education. Thus the possibility of a confusion of
forces in cooperative work has been defeated, and all are har-
- moniously united in the one Committee on Cooperation in Brazil,
which is recognized as being the clearing house for all interde
nominational and union activities.
Some of the other actions of the committee at its recent meet
ing were : "Recognizing our great deficiency in caring for the
orphan, that we appeal to the Committee on Cooperation in Latin
America to assist in raising a fund of 500 contos (about $125,-
ooo) for the fo'unding of a worthy orphanage, with a manual
training school annexed,, in Rio de Janeiro." A Committee on
Survey and Occupation was appointed, which, it is hoped, will be
able to work out some of the problems already suggested along
this line. If the inclusive plans for the federation of the evan
gelical schools with adjustment of courses, etc., are to be carried
out, some one will have to give most of his time to it for the
next two years at least. It is to be hoped also that the chairman
of the general Committee on Cooperation in Brazil may be able
to give some definite time to promoting the general interests of
cooperation in Brazil. We must certainly comply with the re
quest of the Brazilian Committee for a man to give his whole
time to the development of Christian literature in Portuguese.
The far-reaching programs for cooperative educational and lit
erary enterprises for which Brazil has asked our committee's
backing, challenge us to heroic effort. Their accomplishment
would have a splendid effect on all Latin America. More space
has been given to reporting conditions in Brazil than to other
countries because the evangelical work has developed so much
more there. The lessons of that development can be of great
help to the whole field. Visits of some of the Brazilian leaders
to the churches in other countries would be helpful, as was
shown by the work of some of these men on their way to and
from the Panama Congress.
151
XIV. CONCLUSIONS
OCCUPATION OF TERRITORY
There is need for the entrance of some new Mission Boards
into the northern part of South America for the occupation of
these greatly neglected fields. The only organized Board that is
doing any work in Ecuador is the Christian and Missionary Al
liance, which has made little progress so far and does not contem
plate any educational or institutional work. There is deep need
for a Board with a comprehensive evangelistic, educational, in
stitutional program to enter Ecuador. Some of the faithful in
dependent missionaries there would no doubt cooperate in such
a program. The ability of the Free Church of Scotland to
largely develop its work in Peru will decide whether or not it
will be necessary to invite another Board into that country.
Northern Brazil is one of the most neglected fields in the world.
A new Board could find a large work there. But it should be
one that would coordinate its work with one of the three existing
bodies there so as not to introduce new denominational confusion.
The Presbyterians (U. S. A.) and the Methodist Episcopals, the
two Boards who have the largest work in South America, could
do much more by a better distribution of their forces. It would be
preferable for the Presbyterians to enlarge their forces in Vene
zuela and Colombia rather than to invite other Boards into these
greatly neglected countries. The Methodists might redistribute
their work, principally in Chile, so that it would be confined to
a triangle, the base of which would run from Buenos Aires
through Mendoza to Valparaiso, the second side on up the Pacific
Coast to Lima, and the hypothenuse from Lima through to LaPaz,
Tucuman, Cordova and Buenos Aires. This would involve little
more than an exchange of territory with the Presbyterians in
Chile. It would make it very much easier for Episcopal super
vision and for closer relationships between all Methodist workers.
I do not believe that Latin America can ever be occupied until
each Mission Board has adjusted its territory, not only in rela
tionship to others who occupy a particular field, but in regard
'to its work as a whole, in all these countries. The most important
thing in considering territorial questions in Latin America to
day is not the avoiding of denominational rivalry, but a more
scientific distribution of forces in order that every part of the field
shall receive the Gospel.
152
Where there is an exchange of fields, the independence of the
churches must always be considered. Harm has been done to this
whole question by not properly guarding this point. There is no
particular objection to a Church's maintaining its old ecclesiasti
cal relationship when the denomination leaves a certain field, if
that Church is willing to pay the price of self-support and self-
propagation. In fact, this is a very good way for the responsibil
ity of self-support to be put on congregations. A Mission Board
has no right to exchange people from one communion to another.
They only have the responsibility of spending the funds entrusted
to them in the way that it will reach the most people with the
Christian message. They can and should change their workers,
schools and institutions from one place to another when it seems
best for the economy of the Kingdom of God. But individual
Christians should be left to decide whether they will change their
ecclesiastical relationships or not. Time is the best arranger of
these matters. Congregations should never be forced. Often,
however, it is only in the mind of the missionary that a congrega
tion is so indoctrinated in a particular denomination that they
"rather die than surrender their convictions." If no undue pres
sure is brought to bear from either side and the law of love is
supreme, the' problem of the new relationship will be solved by
the churches themselves.
The Needs of the Indian. The needs of the Indians has been
discussed under the section on Bolivia, and in other parts of the
Report. Over against the tremendous neglect of the Indian is the
fact that no American Mission Board is doing anything for their
alleviation.
I came in contact with three classes of Indians: First, those _of
the Andean highlands, remnants of the old Inca empire which
ranged from Quito to Argentina, lovers of the soil, numbering
more than three millions.
Second, the Araucanians of Southern Chile, numbering about
one hundred thousand, a strong, independent race, only recently
voluntarily surrendering to Chilean authority ; also agricultural
people.
Third, that great unnumbered host of Indians, largely remnants
of the Guarani savage, ranging through the lowlands of Bolivia,
Paraguay and Brazil, reaching on up into Venezuela, Colombia
and Ecuador. They are uncivilized, some practicing cannibal and
other most primitive customs.
The Araucanians and the wild tribes of the Paraguayan and
153
Argentine Chaco are being reached by the South American Mis
sionary Society. While their splendid work is nothing like as
large as it should be, it is better to trust them to enlarge their
forces sufficient to serve all these fields. But American mission
ary agencies can no longer ignore their responsibility for other
tribes. The Boards having work nearest these Indians are nat
urally the first ones to look to. These are in Colombia and Vene
zuela, the Presbyterian U. S. A. ; Peru and Bolivia, the Methodist
Episcopal and Evangelical Union ; Brazil, the two Presbyterian
Boards and the Southern Baptists. The following six centers are
suggested for strategic stations from which the work could
spread: (i) Central Peru; (2) Highlands of Bolivia; (3) Matto
Grosso, interior Brazil; (4) on the Rio Negro, Brazil; (5) on
the eastern slope of the Andes, Colombia ; (6) Upper Orinoco, in
Venezuela.
The constant formation of independent groups to evangelize
these Indians is proof of the deep interest in them ; and much as
we lament the beginning of such work, which practically always
finally results in disappointment to all concerned, we may expect
its continuance till our strong Boards organize a work through
which such interest can be expressed. It seems to me that a
meeting of the representatives of the Boards mentioned, with
such other agencies as would be particularly interested, should
be held, when a program for Indian work would be outlined. If
individual Boards are not able to undertake it, let it be done by
a cooperative organization.
Financial Development. Not among the least noticeable of
Latin-American advances is its growing financial ability. While
the war affected the South American countries very seriously at
first, they are now recovering, and lessons recently learned will
probably make them permanently more independent from foreign
bankers. As we have been forced to make our own dyes, Latin
America has been forced to do a thousand things for itself that
it -had never done before.
The three recent building campaigns of the Young Men's
Christian Association are an indication of the fact that evangel
ical institutions may expect to more and more largely share in
the prosperity. In a few weeks' campaign following one another,
they raised an average of $100,000 in each of the cities of Monte
video, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo. A member of the Episco
pal Church in Rio de Janeiro gave $25,000 last year to a char
itable institution for which he is largely responsible. One of the
154
evangelicals in Rio de Janeiro, who helped largely in erecting the
$100,000 hospital built by the Brazilian churches, with recent ad
vances in property is probably worth to-day a million dollars.
The English, American and other foreign colonies are also a
source of financial help, especially in charitable and educational
enterprises. Workers in Valparaiso and Rio de Janeiro have re
cently been collecting substantial amounts from them for insti
tutional work. Latin Americans are coming to take more seri
ously their responsibility for building up their communities, and
as they increasingly see the value of the Evangelical Church's
ministry to their people, will back it financially. Dr. Olivera
Lima, of Brazil, has recently given his private library of 33,000
volumes to the Catholic University at Washington. Other nota
ble philanthropies are being announced with growing frequency.
The sooner we can get the evangelical movement supported on
the field, the sooner will the people consider it their own. I be
lieve we should increasingly appeal to well-to-do Latin Ameri
cans, who are charitably inclined, to contribute to evangelical en
terprises.
EDUCATIONAL PROBLEMS
Problems in Coordination. Latin America, like all mission
fields, has found it difficult to keep the evangelistic and educa
tional work properly coordinated. In the schools in Chile, edu
cational work has been done with one class and evangelistic with
another. The great need is to bring both educational and evan
gelistic work to bear on the same problem. In the report on
Chile, this was pointed out in connection with Santiago College
and Institute Ingles. Some think because these schools are not
contributing largely to the upbuilding of the native church, that
they should be closed. But it is hard to understand how any one
could feel this way when they know that thousands of young
people have been helped to better life and how community morals
have been raised by these schools. They should be continued and
enlarged, I believe. They are conducted practically without mis
sion funds, anyway, except for the property furnished. Their
work is more than legitimate ; it is absolutely necessary.
But these schools, charging high rates of tuition, which is their
only means of support, and reaching the better class of children,
must not be expected to do the work of educating the Church's
children, when these are from the lower classes. Such children
do not find the atmosphere of the school congenial, nor do they
355
with their lack of culture recommend Protestantism to the chil
dren of the higher classes.
There must be schools for our own children for the purpose
of leading them into intelligent Christian service in Church and
State. To reach a lower class by evangelism and to educate them
till the church becomes intellectual, as has been done in Brazil,
may even be better, as some claim, than to first appeal to the
educated classes. But to evangelize the lower classes, and not to
educate them, is only pursuing the mistake of the Roman Catho
lic -Church.
To educate the Church's children, when these come from the
poorest classes, costs, money. It costs money in this country,
when they come from the better classes. Why should we expect
schools to be self-supporting in South America zvhen they are not
in any other part of the world?
Boards congratulate themselves on having self-supporting
schools, when they fail to realize that this self-support has often
meant the commercializing of the school that the director must
run it as the patrons say and not as missionary purpose dictates.
If not this much, it at least means that the principal reason for
missionary education the development of the Native Church-
is not being accomplished. I am well aware that there is a dan
ger here that some mission schools are pauperizing the people
by. giving them education which costs nothing. I can illustrate
my point, however, by citing, as an example, Ward Institute of
Buenos Aires, which the Methodists and Disciples of Christ are
now beginning to develop jointly. If they say to the director that
the school must be self-supporting, except the property furnished,
he will be compelled to develop it along the lines that he finds will
attract the greatest number of best-paying pupils. If the pur
pose of the school is clearly outlined, however, with its principal
object the development of the Argentine Church, its courses and
personnel will be different. While always emphasizing self-sup
port, yet with the missions standing back of the enterprise finan
cially, it can carry out its own ideals and not be swerved by those
who only seek their own purposes. But unless it has financial
backing, no director will be strong enough or Christian enough
to keep it to the purpose of uplifting the Church.
English as the Medium of Instruction, A number of mission
schools in Latin America .give their courses in English instead
of the language of the country. The principal reason is the one
of expediency, that more pupils and better paying ones are thus
156
secured. Other minor reasons are that there are better text
books in English, that teachers from the United States can be
gin immediately their work without waiting for language study,
and that the North American educational system should be in
troduced into Latin America. As to this latter, a few hours spent
in Teachers College these days might lead to questioning this.
Of course, it is easier not to be required to learn another lan
guage or to study another educational system, but the principal
reason for the English basis is the financial one. But does it give
the best missionary results ? The following objections are among
those that are urged against it:
1. Pupils cannot go from Mission schools to Government
schools for their professional training., as courses are entirely dif
ferent, and proficiency in their mother tongue is lacking.
2. Study in a foreign language does not give opportunity for
development of the finest spiritual qualities along natural lines.
Few pupils in these schools ever join the Church, and those of
church families are lost to the cause by commercial attractions.
3. The North American teachers, using their own language
and modes of thought, never come to appreciate and enter into
the life of the people whom they are endeavoring to educate.
Such a system also tends to short-term service, with teacher com
ing and going without abiding interest in the school.
4. A national institution cannot be made of a school that
teaches in a foreign tongue. Such practice is unwise in countries
where the national spirit is strong and the national language
deeply regarded. Stronger nations like Argentina prohibit abso^
lutely the teaching of most of their courses in anything but the
national language, and its own history must be taught by a native
Argentine, and Spanish by one for whom it is a native tongue. 1
Calderon expresses the feeling of many when he says : "To
tolerate in our schools as the principal language an exotic tongue,
to consider cosmopolitanism as a definite condition in Argentina
or other American democracies, is to forget the national for the
foreign, tradition for modern importations, which is to accept an
immoral society." :
Need of Specially Prepared Educational Missionaries. Most
of the missionary teachers in Latin America are entirely without
1 Those particularly interested in these regulations can secure a report
on the subject by Dr. W. E. Browning, by addressing the office of the
Committee on Cooperation in Latin America.
z La Creacion de un Continente.
157
preparation for school work. A large part of them have been
transferred from evangelistic work, and others have gone to the
field simply to do their part in the conversion of a needy people.
And yet there is no place on earth where one faces more diffi
cult questions of curricula, discipline and administration. The
state educational system far more resembles the French than the
North American, both in its courses and in its fundamental or
ganization. There is no college, in the North American sense.
From the sixth grade on an average, though each country dif
fers, the pupil goes into the liceo or colegio civil, which is some
thing like our low grade academy. Most of the work given in
our colleges is given in the first years of the professional schools
in Latin America, which, instead of having three to five years,
generally include seven years. The question of how to better
bridge the gap between the liceo and the professional school is
now giving much concern to state educators. Another problem
is the choosing between two radically different theories of educa
tion or making a happy combination of the two.
The missionary may have been accustomed to a system which
was devised to develop the freedom of the individual student,
who is allowed to select his own courses and choose his own way
of mastering the material, the theory being that liberty is so pre
cious that it is worth while to risk all failure, to avoid all prece
dent and restraint, in order that each personality may develop
along its own lines. But in countries where the Jesuits directed
education for centuries and have stamped their theories so thor
oughly on the thinking of the people, as is the case in Latin
America, the theory of discipline and not liberty prevails. This
puts emphasis on memory and tradition. It means a centralized
system of schools rigidly conforming to narrow, authorized cur
ricula for the masses, and specialized schools for the privileged
classes. This results in culture and power of argument, but a
lamentable lack of initiative and self-reliance.
These differences of educational theories account largely for
other differences which the educational missionary must take
into account.
The Anglo-Saxon worships the "naked truth." For the Latin,
truth must be dressed and made beautiful. Simpatico, which
cannot be translated into English, is the greatest character-de
scribing word in Spanish. You are simpatico if you are charm
ing in manner, appreciative of others, graceful and cultured. You
are not simpatico if you choose to blurt out the naked truth rather
158
than hide it behind graceful phrases, even in response to cate
gorical questions. Probably the greatest problem before the mis
sionary to Latin America is to produce a character which will
combine the truth-loving Saxon and the beauty-loving Latin ;
in other words, who will be like his Master, "full of grace and
truth."
What kind of a curriculum is needed to make the most of
national characteristics, and at the same time to develop inde
pendence of judgment, sterling honesty and reverence for truth,
doing away with the idea that education is to fit a man only for
professional and governmental careers, and inspiring men to take
part in solving the economic and social problems of their land?
The tremendous industrial changes which are taking place in
all parts of the world have a most ominous sound in Latin Amer
ica, as the revolution in Mexico, a protest against the old indus
trial and moral slavery, abundantly witnesses.
It is difficult to conceive of the missionary educationalist not
taking full cognizance of the pressing problems everywhere sug
gested by this economic revolution, which, if not in all the re
publics so outwardly expressed as in Mexico, is nevertheless just
as surely present.
For the Evangelical Church itself there is no class of educa
tional problems so pressing as those connected with the training
of its ministry. How to dignify ministerial training so that it
will be recognized by the public as on the same plane with train
ing for the professions of the law, medicine, and diplomacy, is a
problem that must be earnestly faced. Those taking part in the
organization of the proposed Faculty of Theology and Social
Sciences at Montevideo will have an opportunity to break new
ground here.
The problem of dignifying religious instruction is faced, how
ever, not only by those in theological seminaries, but by every
missionary educationalist in the religious instruction given in
each mission school. Opinion among Latin-American mission
aries varies as to the advisability of making such religious instruc
tion compulsory, but all agree that it should be made so attract
ive that students would regard it as the most important course
in the curriculum.
If we should allow ourselves to turn from the more general
to the specific educational problems in Latin America, a mere
cataloguing of them would be ominous. A few that are particu
larly pressing are coeducation, a balancing of foreign and native
159
teachers, acceptance of Government subsidies, coordination of
courses with these of Government schools, activities of teachers
in other branches of missionary work, attention to be given to
American and other foreign colonies, long and short-term teach
ers, and the many vexing questions connected with the securing
of finances for carrying out an adequate educational program.
In countries like Paraguay, Ecuador, Colombia, etc., where as
yet governments have not succeeded to <iny extent in organ
izing a public school system, if the educational missionary has
training in school organization and administration, he can render
great service to governments usually quite ready to accept expert
help from any source.
With this brief hint of the problems before the missionary
teacher in Latin America, it is easy to understand how great is
his need for the very best pedagogical preparation.
Other Suggestions. Out of many suggestions received for
the betterment of mission schools, this section will be closed
by mentioning only three others.
Local Advisory Boards have been tried with success by several
of the Mission schools recently. Latin Americans and foreign
business men especially interested in education are asked to form
these Boards and to help share the responsibilities for building
up these schools. This has a good effect, both in making the
community feel that the school is not so largely a foreign affair,
and in giving to the director the helpful advice and backing of
representative men of the community.
Other educational workers suggested Home Committees or
Boards of Trustees something like those which act for Nanking
University or Mackenzie College, which would serve to give the
schools on the field a special connection with those at the home
base who were able to study with them in detail their problems.
More permanency in the teaching force is necessary if our
schools are to do permanent work. The list of directors of some
of the schools in South America would be as formidable as that
of the Presidents of Venezuela. No argument is needed to show
the impossibility of a school's carrying a connected program of
studies and a definite policy which will get hold of the community
in the right way if directors are changed every year or two.
Every new man that comes in has different ideas, and much time
is taken in changing courses and policies.
160
MESSAGE AND METHOD
Attitude Tozvard the Roman Catholic Church. The question
of the attitude of the Committee on Cooperation toward Roman
Catholicism which became such a live issue in the preparations
for the Panama Congress, hardly came up during my whole trip.
In Argentina, the change of name of the conference and the Cald-
well Resolution were mentioned, but this would probably not
have been true if the answer to the protest of the Argentine
workers had been circulated as it was expected it would be.
Difficulties, both in Argentina and in Cuba, which are the only
two countries where the Committee on Cooperation has not
moved steadily forward, are due largely to opposition to co
operative programs between the different Protestant bodies ex
isting before the Panama Congress, and not to the question of
the Congress' attitude toward Roman Catholicism. The reports
of the Panama Congress which so clearly defined this attitude,
the accomplishment of the Committee on Cooperation in the last
year, and the realization that it is made up largely of the admin
istrators of the Boards that are supporting the missionaries in
Latin America, seemed to have largely convinced the few mis
sionaries who had questioned it before, that the movement could
be nothing but evangelical.
Probably the greater reason for this question not being brought
up, however, was because all realize that there are so many grave
problems in the evangelical cause itself that must be faced if the
Church does its whole duty toward Latin America.
The issue between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism is
clear and distinct. Every evangelical Christian should be ready
to state these vigorously and dispassionately when occasion de
mands it. There is no one who understands the least thing about
conditions in Latin America that doesn't realize that those are
the last countries where there can be any compromise on this
question. The progressive leaders of national life themselves
would be the first to condemn any winking at these abuses where
by the established Church has so hindered progress through the
centuries. Yet the more evangelical leaders study the multiplied
problems before them to-day, the less are they inclined to "ma
jor," as a university student would put it, in polemics. Firm in
their convictions, fully assured of the righteousness of their
cause, ever ready to defend it when occasion really demands it,
they chose to devote themselves to working out a program that
161
will turn all men to Christ and His three laws of Service, Sacri
fice and Love.
Union Evangelistic Meetings. There never was such hunger
for spiritual things in Latin America as there is to-day. This
means opportunity for evangelistic meetings such as we have
never had. In only three of the eleven countries visited did it
seem to me that the time is not ripe for a great united evangelis
tic campaign. The experience at Sao Paulo last year, when all
the churches together rented the largest auditorium of the city,
and with the preaching of the local pastors shook the whole com
munity and brought great blessings to the churches, shows what
can be done. "With all thy getting, get evangelism." This re
port has discussed largely technical questions, but all understand
that the passion for souls must be in and around and above all
these matters. Union Evangelistic meetings will not only save
souls, but they will revivify the Church. Where personal and de
nominational differences have disturbed the work, union efforts to
save others will be the best way to save the whole cause.
The time is ripe for the Committee of Evangelism of each of
the Regional Committees to organize such campaigns, both local
and nation-wide. These plans might well include apologetic lec
tures by visitors from other countries, as have been so often
recommended recently, and visits from such evangelists as Mr.
Sherwood Eddy, to which workers are eagerly looking forward.
Probably as these lines are written, George P. Howard, of the
World's Sunday School Union, is leaving Argentina for Chile,
for a campaign under the auspices of the Committee on Coopera
tion in Chile.
Entering New Fields. There is an encouraging unrest among
the missionaries in regard to the whole method that has been pur
sued in the past in presenting the gospel. The ordinary way of
entering a new field has been to begin the meetings in the house
of some humble family or rent a little hall on a side street, and
attract the humbler classes by music, fellowship and help. Many
think we would have been very much nearer toward winning
Latin America if we had entered the fields appealing to the in
dependent classes who could think for themselves, and were able
to contribute something to building up the cause. Religious con
ditions in Latin America where the Roman Catholic Church has
had such a hold, are different, both from the Home Mission work
and from the work in foreign lands among the heathen. We
have, however, largely taken either the method used on the home
162
frontiers, or the method used in heathen countries, as the one
for Latin America. We have failed to realize that a State Church,
Christian at least in form, with a people accustomed to magnifi
cent edifices and a stately worship, with a natural prejudice
against the matter-of-fact Anglo-Saxon and the cold, unfamiliar
Protestant forms, constitutes a problem differing from that of
any other field.
With these things in mind, as noted in the report on Paraguay,
a deputation has recommended to the Disciples of Christ, who
are going into this new field, that they should at first send a man
to quietly study conditions and form friendships. This can prob
ably be best done by entering the university for the first year.
After friendships have been formed, a well-trained educationalist
will be sent to open a model boys' school, which will be used
at night for community service. Later a churchly church build
ing will be erected that will appeal to the Latin religious sense.
If a number of missionaries go into a new community and pub
licly announce a campaign to convert the people to a foreign
creed, violating religious traditions by using evangelistic methods,
in rented store buildings, it is not difficult to understand that
the stronger, more conservative elements are set against the work.
Some missions have pursued the policy of having workers reside
in a community for some time before beginning open work. It
has proven a good policy.
A chapter could be written on the need of Evangelical Church
buildings that will draw and not repel the Latin American. In
a book full of humor and philosophy, describing a Latin's visit to
North America, Laboulaye tells of a visit to a Congregational
church: "When I arrived, the service had not begun. Nothing
in the world is sadder than a Protestant church. Wooden benches,
dark walls, no pictures, no flowers, no candles ; but some, yes,
much ef sadness which freezes the feelings. One would say that
it was a service for the dead. No, I am mistaken ; there was one
adornment a board on which was written in enormous ciphers
the number 129."' If the poor Latin felt this way on visiting
one of our city churches in New York, what must be the feeling
of the ordinary Latin American in visiting the average shabby
Protestant meeting-place in his own country.
I have been impressed recently with the value of certain of
our missionaries taking work in the national universities. A mis-
1 Paris en America, E. Laboulaye, V. Acha, Barcelona.
163
sionary who is doing this in Buenos Aires has found it of great
advantage, not only in improving his language and saturating
him with the national spirit, but also in giving him valuable op
portunities for discussing Christianity with the educated classes.
The missionary who has taken a degree in the national university
will find that he has an entrance into many new circles because
of the respect he has shown for national institutions.
Importance of Language Study. One of the best things about
taking this university course will be its aid to the missionary's
language. Most missionaries, when they arrive on the field, find
it exceedingly difficult to get the proper kind of teacher. Then
they are associated largely with the lower classes, who speak the
language incorrectly. Not being capable of distinguishing, they
form many bad habits of speech which cling to them all the rest
of their life. In all of the missionary's preparation there is
hardly anything as important as language study. The man who
speaks the language well will have an entre into 'every circle.
This is particularly true in these lands, for the sixth sense of
the Latin American is language. No man can have the* largest
influence that does not use with precision and correctness the
Latin tongue.
Among the young missionaries, the one who speaks the best
Spanish that I heard on the trip had spent a year in the Uni
versity of Madrid before coming to the field. There has been a
recent movement among the Spanish universities to attract for
eign students. At Madrid they have built a large dormitory,
where it is easy for a foreign student to live with small expense
or -make his way by teaching. It would be a splendid thing for
many of our missionaries to go to the University of Madrid for
a year before taking up their work in Latin America.
There are no missionary language schools in Latin America.
Very few of the Mission Boards pay any attention to language
examinations or the way their missionaries get the language.
This is partly due to the large number of English schools that
Missions have organized in Latin America, and to" the general
idea that because this is America, most everyone either speaks
"English or wants to speak it. A language school in connection
with the international Faculty of Theology and Social Sciences
would help greatly solve this, one of the most important mission
ary problems. The new missionary on the field often wastes
months of precious time in language study, and, finally discour
aged with his instruction, depends on "picking it up." Until
164
language schools or some definitely organized facilities are avail
able, it is of the utmost importance that missionaries to Latin
America have some language training before going to the field.
Prejudice Against Protestantism as a Foreign Religion. A
peculiarly interesting comment on this matter of the missionary's
language was made to me by several Latin Americans when they
pointed out the fact that often the native ministers, after long
association with the missionaries, came to use much of the for
eign order in their speaking. Several said that they could not
enjoy the preaching of these native ministers because they used
so many foreign forms. This, of course, contributes to the feel
ing that is largely held that Protestantism is a foreign religion
and that those who embrace it are in a way denying their own
country and identifying themselves with, North America.
We must do everything in our power to get the people to real
ize that we are preaching not a national religion, but a universal
religion ; that we come to convert them, not to North American
ideas or North American language, but we come to convert them
to Christ, the universal Savior; that Christianity needs the
peculiar emphasis of the Latin American as well as the Anglo-
Saxon, the Oriental and all other nations, to make up its perfect
whole. Dr. Warnack used to say that Americans read the great
commission, "Go ye into all the world and teach the English
language to every creature." This has been far too true of our
missionary work in Latin America. No one can deny that, as one
missionary expresses it, many reforms and many great ideas have
ridden into the country on the back of the English language;
that there is a strong demand for the teaching of English which
our mission schools can legitimately gratify ; and that English
literature will do much to inculcate moral ideals. But we will
never have our largest influence in Latin America as long as we
remain foreign, preferring a foreign language and seeking to in
culcate foreign ideals. The objection most often heard about our
mission schools is that they are little parts of North America set
down in Latin America. They teach the English language ; they
display the portraits of Washington and Lincoln rather than
those of the national heroes; they inculcate the ideals of a for
eign nation ; and they even call their institutions by unfamiliar,
unpronounceable foreign names.
To overcome this criticism it seems important that mission
aries increasingly do two things : ( i ) Read the national literature
which discusses these problems. One who has not kept in touch
165
with it is surprised to find how many of the larger problems mis
sionaries are facing are being discussed in the Latin-American
press and in books appearing constantly these days. Great help
will be received from a continued following of the national mind
as it appears in what people are reading. (2) Form friendships
with the leaders in national life. These men are surprisingly easy
of access, and appreciative of the opportunity to discuss their
problems with the foreigner who shows an intelligent sympathy
with them.
Nationalism. On this matter, the book on nationalism by the
Argentine author, Ricardo Rojas, is enlightening. 1 He defines
nationalism as patriotism which has as its territorial and political
base, the nation. Its elements are solidarity, the consciousness of
tradition and of language. He regards as "active factors of na
tional dissolution" Jewish schools where lessons are given in He
brew, or colleges of religious congregations, Protestant establish
ments and German and Italian educational institutions which obey
foreign governments. Discouragingly he describes a growing
"cosmopolitanism in men and ideas, the dissolution of the old
moral nucleii, indifference concerning the public business, and in
creasing forgetfulness of traditions, the popular corruption of
language, ignorance of our own territory, lack of national soli
darity, anxiety for riches without scruple, the worship of the most
ignoble hierarchies, the disdain of higher accomplishments, the
lack of passion in 'struggle, the lowering of suffrage, supersti
tious regard for exotic names, and blasting individualism and
depreciation of ideals."
The school is for Rojas the protector of nationalism, "as
the Church confronts a crisis and the family is not yet a power
ful factor. A school completely Argentine will realize a miracle
of national transformation. The pedagogical state, an inquisitor
that will not tolerate foreign doctrines nor hostile patriotism with
in its territory, will require of the immigrant that most heroic
of tributes, the renouncement of his old home."
While the missionary cannot always agree with the extreme
expressions of nationalism, he must always be sympathetic toward
it. He must be willing to lose his Anglo-Saxon life that he may
find a new life among the people to whom he has given himself.
Of course, he will always retain that stern Puritan regard for
truth and righteousness. But he will lose the outer forms which
*La Restauracion Nacionalista, G. Mendesky e Hijos, Buenos Aires.
166
set him off from the people with whom he is laboring, and take
on the characteristics that are best in them.
Unity and Diversity in Latin-American Countries. Closely al
lied to nationalism is the other question of the unity and diversity
of the various Latin-American countries. It is one of the most
interesting and complex of all questions, and can only be men
tioned here. We do well in our missionary work to consider
Latin-American problems as one. As the Conference of Latin-
American Nations meeting at Lima, in 1847, to consider their
mutual problems, declared, "These American Republics, united
by bonds of origin, language, religion and customs, by the com
mon cause which they have defended, by the similarity of their
institutions, and above all, by their common necessities and recip
rocal interests, cannot but consider themselves as parts of the
same nation." The fact, however, that they have not been able to
accomplish this union, signifies unquestionable differences. The
more one studies these countries, the more distinct does each
stand out by. itself. Argentina is cosmopolitan and commercial;
Chile belligerent and ambitious ; Brazil patient and open-hearted ;
Peru dreams but fears to act ; the countries immediately north
and south of Panama confide in lyrics and tropical riches ; Mex
ico is too divided for any word to describe her ; Cuba and Porto
Rico are interesting examples of Anglo-Saxon influence on Latin
ideals.
There are two political schools in Latin America: one advo
cates unity among Latin-American nations because of the com
mon needs for protection against the materialistic and political
ambitions of the United States. As a corrolary to this, they ad
vocate a combined unity with Latin Europe based on the glories
of the Latin race. An active campaign is carried on by this
school on both sides of the Atlantic. Manuel Ugarte, the most
radical apostle of this school, says :
". . . It is evident that nothing attracts us toward our neigh
bors of the North. By her origin, her education, and her spirit,
South America is essentially European. We feel ourselves akin
to Spain, to whom we owe our civilization, and whose fire we
carry in our blood ; to France, source and origin of the thought
that animates us ; to England, who sends us her gold freely ; to
Germany, who supplies us with her manufactures ; and to Italy,
who gives us the arms of her sons to wrest from the soil the
wealth which is to distribute itself over the world. But to the
167
United States we are united by no ties but those of distrust and
fear." 1
Calderon, the ambassador of Peru to France, is another en
thusiastic member of this school. Referring to Pan-American
Congresses, he says : "The Iberian nations confess publicly their
enthusiasm for Pan-Americanism, as does the Yankee Republic
its spiritual enthusiasm. Platonic declarations are succeeded by
useless promises. The desired fusion of Saxons and Latins does
not advance. In Buenos Aires, Americo Lugo, a delegate from
the Plains, denounces the expansion of tlie North. In dailies and
magazines, eloquent thinkers condemn these rhetorical organiza
tions which preach union while Saxon ambition dismembers Pan
ama, agitates Nicaraugua, and overturns Mexico. ... At the
same time that North American vessels enjoy commercial privi
leges in the Panama Canal, they limit the commercial liberty of
the peoples of the Pacific. Will they not be able to make a dec
laration in the future limiting the amount of European capital
which can be invested in each republic, or determine the numeri
cal importance of the current of immigration? Thus successful,
they would impose on free peoples a hard tutelage. For moral
suasion they will substitute an imperative catechism." :
I have already shown how such views concerning North Amer
ica are being revised in these days. As to the theory that Latin
America must maintain close relationships with Latin Europe on
the basis of historic kinship and glories, one finds many pro
tests, especially among the leaders of thought in countries facing
the Atlantic. Dr. Ernesto Quesada replied to my question about
Argentina's contribution to the formulation of a Latin soul : "We
are not developing a Latin soul ; we are developing an Argentine
soul. It is all bosh to talk about our being linked up with the
rest of the Latin peoples because of some ancient history. We
are fighting our own fight, with our faces forward and not back
ward."
Dr. Colmo, author of the best Sociology 3 yet published on Latin
America, expresses the same views : "Instead of Latin- American
countries getting closer together, as we develop we are getting
further apart. What particular interest has life in Ecuador or
Colombia to me? I wanted to get a book that was published in
1 El Porvenir de la America Latina, pp. 93, 94.
2 La Creacion de nn Continente, pp. 29, 31.
3 Los Paises Americanos, Alfredo Colmo, Hijos de Reus, Madrid.
168
Bolivia not long ago. Not a book-store in Buenos Aires could
give me the address of a book dealer in Bolivia. I had to write
to Spain to get it. In this practical age when each nation is
developing its mental and material resources, the national spirit
is growing, and we need less and less to unite for protection
against outside encroachment."
Missionaries will be constantly sensing the play of such ideas
as having an important bearing on the method of presenting their
message.
Open-niindedness. Independence of thought, which the Cath
olic Church has opposed, is largely responsible for that Church's
losing its influence in Latin America. The evangelical churches
will just as quickly find their influence gone if they cease to stand
for such independence. It was not encouraging to be told of a
number of missionaries who had come to the field during the last
five years and were now back home, because of their independent
judgments.
We have no message for Latin America if it is not an exalta
tion of the truth and an insistence upon progress in spiritual
things. It is natural to expect that conservatism and liberalism
will be found in our missionary forces in Latin America as God
has ordained that they shall be found balancing one another in
all parts of the world. We only need to keep an open mind as
our Master did to realize that truth will set us free for service
wherever needed.
There is a great need for free play of ideas in restless, grow
ing nations like we find in Latin America. We should be anxious
to always be worthy of the following from a distinguished Ar
gentine :
"... Thus liberal Protestantism, leaving to man his best aptitude
and amplitude for lay progress, has formed the colonizing races which,
by their greater resources dominating nature and exploiting the soil, have
enriched and extended themselves to all continents. In the same way
Catholicism, repudiating profane science, and captured by attention to
public worship, has separated the best energies of man, has withdrawn
him from improvd means of agriculture, commerce and industry, from
personal cleanliness and public sanitation, from earthly justice and civil
morality."
"The Metropolis did us greater harm by prohibiting in America the
cultivation of ideas and the sentiments of tolerance than it did us by
prohibiting the cultivation of the vine and the olive. If the primary cause
of the progress of man is the thought of man which modifies his senti
ments and forms his character, a man limits his progress in the degree
to which he limits his thought. So the fundamental cause of the back
wardness of Spanish America, and of Spain itself was, and is yet, the
restrictions of thought by an absurd religion.
169
"The spirit cultivated by one idea only, like the field sown with only
one seed, cannot produce more than one kind of fruit, one kind of ideas
and sentiments, the same that have been sown. The Disciple of the
Jesuit, with one side of his spirit filled with narrow ideas, and the other
empty; with lights aglow and lights prohibited, is like a nun, the nun
with a lean ^spirit, half in darkness and half in superstition as Renan
defines her, 'Very religious, and at the same time very little instructed,
consequently very superstitious.' A mule with an unbalanced load, which
leans constantly to the side of the greater weight, finally leaves the road,
and strikes across the country. Thus the political or religious sectarian,
unbalanced by his one-sided provision of ideas, abandoning the right
road, traversing foreign territory, is comparable to intellectual mules un
evenly loaded with good and bad ideas. Thus narrow and superstitious
Catholicism, the open enemy of profane science, and the advocate of lay
ignorance, develops a spirit incapable of self-government, because it is
educated in dogmatic intolerance and spiritual slavery, which are the
spiritual father and mother of this Spanish perverseness which we knew
in 1810 and the Cubans knew in 1900. In the same way liberal Protestant
ism develops those spirits with self-rule, tolerant in action because they
are educated to be tolerant in thought." 1
Inclusiveness of the Christian Message. The present world
war points out the danger of the theory that we can do our re
ligious work in certain circles and ignore the rest. As mission
aries we have often felt that we had no call to relate ourselves
to, or study the life and tendencies of, the intellectual classes,
most of them hostile to religion and seemingly impossible of con
version.
In Latin America, missionaries and diplomats from the same
countries have seldom had any close relations, and too often mu
tually regard one another as difficulties in the way of promoting
international friendship. What is having a more vital influence
in shaping character than the present economic and commercial
movements? Often the very men who are planting these new
commercial enterprises are the ones from whom we expect the
financial support which will sustain our mission work. Yet there
is too often a feeling that the two activities are entirely without
relationship. We must recognize that great economic and politi
cal movements often remove difficulties and open doors that the
missionary propaganda had worked in vain for many years to
accomplish.
Does not God use the foreign Christian business man who
raises moral ideals in business, the foreign professor who in the
agricultural experiment station directs the development of a more
1 Adonde Vamosf Agustin Alvarez, "La Cultura Argentina," Buenos
Aires.
170
wholesome country life, the faithful government agent who seeks
to cement more closely the ties of international brotherhood, the
same as He uses the foreign missionary?
Furthermore, is there not a kinship between the Bible-reading
Christian and the man who reads Victor Hugo as a spiritual ex
ercise every night before retiring, the man who works early and
late to better the schools of his community, the devout Romanist
who leads in the work of an orphan asylum, and even the Social
ist agitator and the university professor who bitterly attack all
Christianity because they have only known the kind that is op
posed to progress and freedom? Our contacts have been infini-
tesimally slight with such men as the Buenos Aires professor
who interests himself in a Congress of Religions, or with the
Director of Public Instruction in Uruguay, who in a notable book
says:
"Another of the factors which in the most fundamental way can co
operate to secure to the American citizens an elevated culture as beauti
ful as it is sane, which would give a high and invariably moral ideal,
making possible the solidarity which is pursued as a high purpose of its
collective existence, is the adoption of a religious creed so pure that it
can protect in its sanctuary all the most noble aspirations ; so ample that
in it are found all creeds; so tolerant that in it all the faithful mix their
prayers an indispensable complement of popular education, a factor of
resistance and energy that will bring to a realization the elevated objects
of the young countries of America.
"I know that my ideas will collide with the radicalism of some and
the skepticism of others. But I understand that one of the greatest bene
fits of liberty of thought is to express one's ideas when he has the con
viction that in them is enclosed a truth, although such truth may oppose
the beliefs, the prejudices or the superstitions of others. ... I desire
to reserve for the child in the school this shield (religion). I wish to
leave him this treasure of resistance which shall maintain his faith, tone
up his enthusiasm, give him absolute possession of himself, assure to the
future warrior the harmonious integrity of his activities which the col
lective life of America imperatively demands.
"Thus death will not mean the sterile and final end, but the echoes of
a life consecrated to right, truth, beauty and love, forming the glorious
harmonies of a psalm which even in these sad moments may be simul
taneously the psalm of an intense life Which beautifies the psalm of
eternity." *
The Evangelical movement in Latin America has so far felt
few of the powerful lessons which the world war is teaching the
churches nearest it. But we must pray that in some way God
will give them to her. The impassioned appeal of Harry Emer-
1 America, pp. 120, 127, 138, Abel J. Perez, "El Siglo Ilustrado," Mon
tevideo.
son Fosdick to North American churches is likewise applicable
to them in Latin America :
"We are challenged by this war to a renovation of our popular Chris
tianity, to a deep and unrelenting detestation of the little bigotries, the
needless divisions, the petty obscurantisms that so deeply curse our
churches, to a new experience and a more intelligent expression of vital
fellowship with God. Unless we can answer that challenge, there is small
use of our trying to answer any other.
"The saddest aspect of Christian history is the misrepresentation of
Christ and the spoiling of His influence, not by irreligious men but by
the official exponents of religion. The belittling of religion by its devo
tees is the most tragic narrative of Christendom. The unhappy story
began with the Master's earthly ministry. As He emerged among a
people where the minute disputes of rabbis were so large a part of piety,
how great in contrast was religion as it appeared to Him ! It meant to
Him an inward fellowship with God so close that to tell where He left
off and God began is like discerning the air's fragrance from the sunlight
on a radiant day. It meant to Him a thought of God that sent Him out
to the help of men with a love no sin could turn aside and no ingratitude
could quench, and with a hope that shone for Him on desperate days
like a beacon from below the line of the horizon, advertising from afar
that the haven was at hand.
"A thoughtful Christian cannot fail to see that when our Lord comes
now to us, in the crisis of this terrific war, He finds us too, with our
petty emphasis on the technicalities of sectarian religion, poorly prepared
to understand the spiritual greatness of His message, unready to interpret
it to a world whose footsteps, lacking it, have manifestly taken hold
on ruin.
"To-day the Christian begins to see how much greater a thing re
ligion is than he used to think, how deep its fountains lie in human souls,
how unescapable is the spirit's thirst, like the homing instinct of the bird,
for the God from whom it comes.
"The application of this truth to the churches' missionary program is
manifest. The cause of missions has too often been presented in its sig
nificance for individuals alone; it has been pictured only as the snatching
of souls one by one from ruin. But this crisis in the world's life chal
lenges us to balance our view of missions with a more social concept of
their meaning. The missionary enterprise is the Christian campaign for
international good-will."
THE NEXT STEP
Present world conditions have opened Latin America to the
gospel as never before. To-day we have an opportunity to atone
for the awful neglect of the past. A program of sacrificial serv
ice and spiritual emphasis, a well-prepared national leadership,
a better coordination of the missionary agencies at home and on
the field, a closer union of all evangelical forces, and a larger
sympathy with national ideals of Latin Americans, are the things
that my journey have indicated as necessary for taking advantage
of the present unprecedented opportunity.
172
For bringing these things about, the Committee on Cooperation
in Latin America, representing the combined council of the forces
involved, bears a grave responsibility. The one practical step
which would more largely contribute to the realization of every
other need, would be the prompt provision of a worthy supp'ort
for the union educational and literary enterprises recently begun
or projected. This would require at the lowest estimate two and
a half or three million dollars. This is certainly not a large
amount to request, in view of past neglect, and all that to-day we
are realizing is involved in making Latin America safe for
democracy and for Christianity.
The only question involved is the one of Faith.
173
APPENDIX I
ITINERARY OF MR. INMAN'S TRIP
March 12, leave New York by rail for Mexico.
March 16 to 24, Northern Mexico.
March 26 to April 2, Mexico City.
April 5, leave Vera Cruz via Ward Line for Havana.
April 11, leave Havana via United Fruit Co. for Colon.
April 15 to 30, in Panama and the Canal Zone.
May 4, arrive Guayaquil.
May 9, arrive Callao.
May 10 to 24, in Lima, Mollendo, Arequipa, Cuzco.
May 25, leave Cuzco for Puno; across Titicaca.
May 26, arrive Guaqui and LaPaz.
May 31, arrive Antofagasta, Chile.
June 1 to 25, in Santiago, Valparaiso, Taltal, Concepcion, Temuco.
June 26, crossing the Andes; arrive Mendoza, Argentina.
June 27 to July 30, in Argentina, visiting Mendoza, Cordova, Tucu-
man, Rosario, Buenos Aires, Tandil, Bahia Blanca, Santa
Fe, Parana. Also in Montevideo during this month.
July 30, leave Parana via river steamer for Asuncion.
August 2, arrive Asuncion.
August 2 to 8, visiting Asuncion, Encarnacion and Posadas.
August 9 to 16, trip to Iguazu Falls.
August 18, leave Posadas for Southern Brazil by rail, visiting Uru-
guayana, Santa Maria, Porto Alegre, Sao Paulo, Campinas,
Jaguary, Rio Clara, Piracicaba, Juiz de Fora, Lavras.
September 6, arrive Rio de Janeiro.
September 15, leave Rio de Janeiro via steamer for North Coast.
Sept 18 to 28, visiting Bahia and Pernambuco.
October 3 to 7, in Para, sailing for New York via Lloyd Brasiliero.
October 20, arrive New York.
174
APPENDIX II
CONSTITUTIONS OR AGREEMENTS UNDER WHICH
THE REGIONAL COMMITTEES ON
COOPERATION WORK
ARGENTINA, URUGUAY AND PARAGUAY
The organization shall be called, "The Central Evangelical Board
of the Rio de la Plata."
Its objects shall be:
1. To unite all the evangelical forces of the Rio de la Plata in
order to secure comity and efficiency in the missionary operation of
the territory involved.
2. To serve as a means of communication, (1) between the evan
gelical forces of the Rio de la Plata, and (2) similar groups in other
regions, (3) Missionary Societies of other countries.
3. To make a scientific survey of the field and to carry out the
results of the same.
4. To serve as intermediary or committee of consolidation between
the various evangelical bodies when the interested parties desire its
intervention.
5. To attend to any other subject which may be referred to it.
MEMBERS
1. The members of the Board shall be named by the different
organizations on the basis of two representatives for each evangelical
group or missionary society, and one representative for each national
evangelical organization not included in these two groups.
2. After the definite formation of the Board, it is authorized to
admit to its number the representatives of any other evangelical group
which in its judgment should have participation in the Board.
3. The President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer will be
elected by the Board. These four, with three other persons desig
nated by the Board, will form the Executive Committee. These will
continue in their positions for one year, or until their successors are
elected.
4. The Board will meet annually, or at the call of the Executive
Committee.
5. The powers of the Board are advisory and consultative, not
legislative nor mandatory.
BRAZIL
1. The name of the Committee shall be, "The Brazilian Committee
on Cooperation in Latin America."
2. The objects of the Committee shall be:
(a) To cooperate with both the American and European Sections
of the Committee on Cooperation in Latin America in carrying into
175
effect the findings of the Panama Congress on Christian Work in
Latin America, and whatever further plans said Sections of the Com
mittee on Cooperation may propose for the extension and efficiency of
Christian work in Brazil.
(b) To promote in every way possible cooperation in policy and
practice between the Christian organizations and forces at work in the
Republic; and whenever desired by them, to act as a Board of Refer
ence and Counsel for the parties concerned.
(c) To cooperate with similar regional committees throughout
Latin America in considering plans that may be proposed from time
to time for the building up and extension of Christ's Kingdom in
these countries.
(d) To make a constant study and survey of the needs in Brazil,
and furnish to the central Committee on Cooperation results of their
investigations to be communicated to the Churches and Boards con
cerned.
(e) To make arrangements for Christian Congresses at such times
and places as may be deemed necessary and advisable.
3. The powers of the Committee shall be advisory and consulta
tive, not legislative or mandatory.
4. The membership of the Committee shall consist of one repre
sentative from each Board of Missions, and two from each evangeli
cal denomination recognized as being at work in Brazil by the Ameri
can and European Sections of the Committee on Cooperation in Latin
America.
This Committee may co-opt members to represent special phases of
evangelical work not represented by the regularly constituted mem
bers; their number shall not exceed fifty per cent, of those already
appointed.
5. Each denomination, Board or Committee may determine for
itself the manner of choosing its representatives.
The term of appointment shall not be for a longer period than three
years. All members may be eligible for reappointment.
6. The executive officers shall be a President, Vice-President, Re
cording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, and Treasurer. These
shall constitute an Executive Committee to call meetings of the full
Committee, and attend to matters of urgency, and 'furnish each mem
ber beforehand an agenda of the business to be transacted at any
meeting.
CHILE
I. The name of the Committee shall be, "The Advisory Committee
on Cooperation in Chile."
II. The objects of the Committee shall be:
(1) To help carry into effect the findings of the Panama Congress
on Christian Work and of the Santiago Regional Conference.
(2) To promote cooperation in policy and activity between the
Christian organizations in Chile.
(3) To act as a Board of Reference and of Arbitration when in
vited to act by the parties immediately concerned.
(4) To cooperate with the Committee on Cooperation ^ in Latin
America at the home base, and also to collaborate with similar Com
mittees on Cooperation throughout Latin America.
176
(5) To supply information concerning Chile to any Christian or
ganization soliciting data.
(6) To make the necessary arrangements for Christian congresses.
III. The powers of the Committee shall be advisory and consulta
tive, not legislative or mandatory.
The Committee may offer suggestions and make recommendations
to Home Boards or to the Missions on the field, directly through its
executive officers, as well as through their representatives on the
Committee.
The Committee may appoint sub-committees, composed not only of
its own members, but also of other competent persons, for carrying
out any of its objects.
IV. The membership of the Committee shall consist of:
(1) One representative of each Evangelical Christian organization
operating in Chile, appointed to the Committee by the organization,
for a period not exceeding three years, but eligible for re-election.
(2) Additional co-opted members, representative of important
phases of the work or missionary interests not otherwise represented,
and not exceeding in numbers more than fifty per cent, of the directly
appointed representatives.
V. The officers of the Committee shall be a President, Vice-Presi
dent, a Secretary, and a Treasurer, who shall be elected by the Com
mittee. The Executive Committee shall be composed of the President
and Secretary of the Permanent Committee, and of the Chairmen
of the sub-committees.
VI. The Executive Committee shall meet once every three months.
VII. The sessions of the Committee shall be held at least once a
year, and oftener, if necessary, at the call of the President.
An agenda shall be sent to the members before the meeting, con
taining notice of all important business to be dealt with, known to
the executive officers, so as to permit members to confer with their
field committees if necessary and they so desire.
VIII. Amendments to this constitution shall require for their
adoption a two-thirds vote' of the members present at any meeting
of the Advisory Committee on Cooperation in Chile. Notice of such
amendment shall be sent to each member of the Committee not less
than two months preceding the meeting at which action is con
templated.
CUBA
Extract from the Findings of the Regional Conference in Havana.
WHEREAS, The Congress on Christian Work in Latin America re
cently convened in Panama, without dissenting vote, continued the
existence of the Committee on Cooperation in Latin America, en
larged its membership to include one from each body sending and
maintaining workers in Latin America, adopted and already has pro
vided an ample budget for the support of the work of the Committee
for its first year, elected an executive officer to carry forward its
work, and invited each country or group of countries to join in the
further study of the Christian work needed to be done in Latin Amer
ica by the appointment within their respective territories of advisory
or consulting committees of Latin-American and foreign workers;
177
RESOLVED, That this Regional Conference, in Cuba convened, in
connection with the Congress on Christian Work in Latin America
should take action to secure for the Christian work and workers in
Cuba such touch with the Committee on Cooperation as may be de
sired by the workers in Cuba; and,
RESOLVED, That in order to establish and maintain this volun
tary and helpful relationship, it approves the organization of a Com
mittee of Conference in Cuba, representing unofficially the Christian
work and workers in Cuba, this Committee to have consultative pow
ers only, except as any plans discussed by the Committe shall have
been approved by the Mission Boards sending and maintaining work
ers in Cuba, and except as these Boards request the Committee of
Conference in Cuba to assist them in any specific work in their behalf.
PERU
I. The name of the Committee shall be, "The Committee on Mis
sionary Cooperation in Peru."
II. The objects of the Committee shall be:
(1) To help carry into effect the findings of the Panama Con
gress on Christian Work, and of the Lima Regional Congress.
(2) To promote cooperation in policy and activity between the
Christian organizations in the Republic.
(3) To act as a Board of Reference and Arbitration when invited
so to act by the parties immediately concerned.
(4) To cooperate with the Committee on Cooperation in Latin
America at the home base, and also to collaborate with the similar
Committees on Cooperation throughout Latin America.
(5) To make a complete missionary survey of Peru.
(6) To supply information concerning Peru to any Christian or
ganization soliciting data.
7. To make the necessary arrangements for Christian Congresses.
III. The powers of the Committee shall be advisory and con
sultative, not legislative or mandatory.
The Committee may offer suggestions and make recommendations
to Home Boards directly through its executive officers, as well as
through their representatives on the Committee.
The Committee may offer suggestions and make recommendations,
to either field or home officers of missionary organizations, in the
interests of cooperation and comity, without awaiting the invitation
to do so.
The Committee may appoint sub-committees, composed not only of
its own members, but also of other competent persons, for carrying
out any of its objects.
IV. The membership of the Committee shall consist of:
(1) One representative of each Evangelical Christian organization
operating in Peru, appointed to the Committee by the organization,
for a period not exceeding three years, but eligible for re-election.
(2) Additional co-opted members, representative of important
phases of the work or missionary interests not otherwise represented,
and not exceeding in number more than fifty per cent, of the directly
appointed representatives.
V. The executive officers of the Committee shall be a President,
178
a Vice-President, and a Secretary-Treasurer, who shall be appointed
by the Committee.
VI. Sessions of the Committee shall be held at least annually, and
an agenda shall be sent to the members before the meetings, con
taining notice of all important business to be dealt with known to
the executive officers, so as to permit members to confer with their
field committees if they should so desire.
VII. Amendments to this constitution shall require a two-thirds
majority vote of the members present at any meeting of the Com
mittee on Missionary Cooperation in Peru. Notice of proposed
amendments shall be sent to each member of the Committee not less
than four months preceding the meeting at which action is con
templated.
PORTO RICO
I. Name. The name of this organization shall be, "The Evangeli
cal Union of Puerto Rico."
II. Object. The object of the Evangelical Union of Puerto Rico
shall be to promote cooperation among the various evangelical de
nominations represented in Puerto Rico in every form of Christian
activity, and wherever desirable and possible, to promote organic
union.
III. Membership. The Union shall be composed of the evangelical
denominations embraced in the Federation of the Evangelical
Churches in Puerto Rico and such other bodies as adhere to the
Scriptures as the Word of God, to the scriptural doctrine of the
Trinity, manifest the spirit of Christ, and seek to apply His principles
to their lives and to society, so far as these bodies may desire to
enter the membership of the Union, and the Central Conference Com
mittee, by a two-thirds vote, receives them.
IV. Officers and Committees. (1) The administration of the Union
shall be in charge of a Central Conference Committee, representing
the various denominations of the Union.
(2) The Central Conference Committee shall consist of one mem
ber for each constituent denomination and one additional member for
each 700 members in full communion or major fraction thereof, who
shall be appointed by their respective denominations.
(3) The Central Conference Committee shall elect the following
officers: President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer, who
shall perform the duties corresponding to their positions, and who
shall be considered the officers of the Union.
4. The Central Conference Committee shall appoint sub-committees
composed in part of its members and of such other persons as the
Central Conference Committee may appoint. Among these sub-com
mittees there shall be the following: Committee on Christian Educa
tion, Committee on Christian Literature, Committee on Evangelism,
and Committee on Social Reform. These committees shall present
written reports annually, reviewing the work of the past year and
presenting recommendations for the new year.
V. Meetings. The Central Conference Committee shall meet the
first week of December of each year, at such time and place as it shall
179
determine, or on call of the Secretary on advice and consent of the
President .and two other members.
VI. Dues. The administration expenses of the Union shall be met
by an annual assessment of two dollars for each unit of representa
tion in the Central Conference Committee.
VII. This constitution may be amended at any annual meeting of
the Central Conference Committee by a two-thirds vote of the con
stituent members.
180
APPENDIX III
MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMITTEE ON COOPERA
TION IN LATIN AMERICA
ROBERT E. SPEER, D.D., Chairman, Board of Foreign Missions of the Pres
byterian Church in the U. S. A., 156 Fifth Avenue, New York City.
RT. REV. WILLIAM CABELL BROWN, D.D., Vice -Chairman, 916 Park Ave
nue, Richmond, Va.
BISHOP LUTHER B. WILSON, D.D., Vice -Chair man, Board of Foreign Mis
sions of the Methodist Episcopal Church, 150 Fifth Avenue, New
York City.
SAMUEL G. INMAN, Execcutive Secretary, 25 Madison Avenue, New York
City.
REV. WEBSTER E. BROWNING, D.D., Ph.D., Educational Secretary, Calle
Chana, 2126, Montevideo, Uruguay.
REV. G. B. WINTON, D.D., Editorial Secretary, 2211 Highland Avenue,
Nashville, Tenn.
JAMES H. POST, Treasurer, 25 Madison Avenue, New York City.
E. E. OLCOTT, Chairman Finance Committee, Desbrosses Street Pier, New
York City.
E. T. COLTON, Chairman Committee on Survey and Occupation, Interna
tional Committee of the Y. M. C. A., 124 East 28th Street, New
York City.
HENRY CHURCHILL KING, D.D., LL.D., Chairman Committee on Education,
Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio.
REV. L. C. BARNES, D.D., Chairman Committee on Literature, 23 East
28th Street, New York City.
S. EARL TAYLOR, LL.D., Chairman Committee on Home Base, 150 Fifth
Avenue, New York City.
MARSHALL C. ALLABEN, Woman's Board of Home Missions of the Pres
byterian Church in the U. S. A., 156 Fifth Avenue, New York City.
MRS. ANNA R. ATWATER, Christian Woman's Board of Missions, College
of Missions Building, Indianapolis, Ind.
REV. ENOCH F. BELL, American Board of Commissioners for Foreign
Missions, 14 Beacon Street, Boston, Mass.
REV. GILBERT N. BRINK, D.D., American Baptist Home Mission Society,
23 East 26th Street, New York City.
FRANK L. BROWN, World's Sunday School Association, 216 Metropolitan
Tower.
REV. J. G. BROWN, D.D., Canadian Baptist Foreign Mission Board, 223
Church Street, Toronto, Ont.
Miss CARRIE J. CARNAHAN, Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of the
Methodist Episcopal Church, Shady Avenue and Walnut Street, Pitts
burgh, Pa.
REV. S. H. CHESTER, D.D., Executive Committee of Foreign Mission of
the Presbyterian Church in the U. S., 154 Fifth Avenue, North, Nash
ville, Tenn.
181
REV. E. H. RAWLINGS, D.D., Board of Missions, Methodist Episcopal
Church, South, 810 Broadway, Nashville, Tenn.
REV. PAUL DE SCHWEINITZ, D.D., Moravian Missions, 20 Church Street,
Bethlehem, Pa.
REV. CHARLES L. FRY, Pan-Lutheran Society for Mission Work in Latin
America, 846 Drexel Building, Philadelphia, Pa.
REV. D. D. FORSYTH, D.D., Board of Home Missions and Church Exten
sion of the M. E. Church, 1026 Arch Street, Philadelphia, Pa.
REV. R. H. GLOVER, D.D., Christian and Missionary Alliance, 690 Eighth
Avenue, New York City.
REV. WILLIAM I. HAVEN, D.D., American Bible Society, Bible House, New
York City.
Miss MABEL HEAD, Woman's Missionary Council, M. E. Church, South,
810 Broadway, Nashville, Tenn.
Miss MARGARET E. HODGE, 319 South 41st Street, Philadelphia, Pa.
REV. S. S. HOUGH, D.D., Foreign Missionary Society United Brethren in
Christ, 404 Otterbein Press Building, Dayton, Ohio.
MRS. WILLIAM F. MCDOWELL, 1936 Sheridan Road, Evanston, 111.
REV. A. McLEAN, LL.D., Foreign Christian Missionary Society, 222 West
Fourth Street, Cincinnati, Ohio.
REV. M. T. MORRILL, D.D., Board of Foreign Missions of the Christian
Church, C. P. A. Building, Dayton, Ohio.
JOHN R. MOTT, LL.D., 124 East 28th Street, New York City.
JOHN R. PEPPER, 86 Madison Avenue, Memphis, Tenn.
REV. T. B. RAY, D.D., Foreign Mission Board of the Southern Baptist
Convention, 1103 Main Street, Richmond, Va.
*REV. C. J. RYDER, D.D., American Missionary Association, 287 Fourth
Avenue, New York City.
REV. FRANK K. SANDERS, D.D., Ph.D., 25 Madison Avenue, New York
City.
REV. GEORGE SMITH, Evangelical Union of South America, 135 Isabella
Street, Toronto, Ont.
Miss CLARISSA H. SPENCER, National Board, Y. W. C. A., 600 Lexington
Avenue, New York City.
ELDER W. A. SPICER, Seventh-Day Adventists, Tokoma Park, Washing
ton, D. C.
REV. CHARLES E. TEBBETTS, American Friends' Board of Foreign Missions,
Second National Bank Building, Richmond, Ind.
REV. CHARLES L. THOMPSON, D.D., Board of Home Missions of the Pres
byterian Church in the U. S. A., 156 Fifth Avenue, New York City.
REV. JAMES I. VANCE, D.D., Fifth Avenue and Church Street, Nashville,
Tenn.
MRS. KATHERINE S. WESTFALL, Woman's American Baptist Home Mission
Society, 2969 Vernon Avenue, Chicago, 111.
REV. L. B. WOLF, D.D., General Synod Evangelical Lutheran Church, 21
West Saratoga Street, Baltimore, Md.
MRS. MAY L. WOODRUFF, Woman's Home Mission Society of the Meth
odist Episcopal Church, Allendale, N. J.
^Deceased.
182
APPENDIX IV
OFFICERS AND CHAIRMEN OF SUB-COMMITTEES
OF THE REGIONAL COMMITTEES
Argentina and Uruguay
Chairman, Rev. Charles W. Drees, Calle Junin 976, Buenos Aires.
Vice-Chairman, J. Monteith Drysdale, Paseo Colon 161, Buenos Aires.
Secretary, B. A. Shuman, Paseo Colon 161, Buenos Aires.
Treasurer, Dr. Robert Nyo, Paseo Colon 161, Buenos Aires.
Bolivia
President, Rev. J. E. Washburn, Cochabamba.
Secretary, Rev. A. Haddow, Casilla 402, LaPaz.
Brazil
President, Dr. H. C. Tucker, Caixa 454, Rio de Janeiro.
Vice-President, Rev. John G. Meem, Caixa 763, Rio de Janeiro.
Corresponding Secretary and Treasurer, Rev. J. W. Shepard, Caixa 828,
Rio de Janeiro.
Recording Secetary, Rev. F. de Souza, Rua Andrade Neves 103,
Nictheroy, E. do Rio de Janeiro.
Education, Dr. W. A. Waddell, Mackenzie College, Sao Paulo.
Literature, Erasmo Braga, Caixa, 133, Campinas.
Chile
Chairman, Rev. Ezra Bauman, Casilla 795, Concepcion.
Vice-Chairman, Rev. J. H. McLean, Apartado 77-D, Santiago.
Secretary, A. E. Turner, Casilla 88, Valparaiso.
Treasurer, Col. W. T. Bonnett, Santiago.
Survey and Occupation, A. R. Stark, Casilla 568, Valparaiso.
Education, Rev. W. A. Shelly, Casilla 67, Santiago.
Literature, Rev. C. S. Braden, Casilla 67, Santiago.
Message and Method, Rev. C. M. Spining, Casilla 309, Valparaiso.
Aborigines, Rev. Percy E. Class, Casilla 400, Temuco.
Church in the Field, Rev. J. H. Mclean, Apartado 77-D, Santiago.
Colombia
President, Rev. Walter S. Lee, Barranquilla.
Secretary, Rev. Thos. H. Candor, Apartado 100, Barranquilla.
Cuba
President, Rt. Rev. H. R. Hulse, 15th and 8th Sts., Havana.
Vice-President, Rev. A. B. Howell, Cristo, Oriente.
Executive Secretary, Sylvester Jones, Egido 12, Havana.
Treasurer, T. H. Harris, 106 O'Reilley St., Havana.
Survey and Occupation, Rev. A. B. Howell, Cristo, Oriente.
183
Literature, Dr. J. Orts-Gonzalez, Sagua la Grande.
Education, Robert Routledge, Egido 12, Havana.
Evangelism, Rev. W. L. Burner, Apartado 105, Matanzas.
Social Work, Rev. H. G. Smith, Sancta Spiritu.
Mexico
President, Dr. John Rowland, Apartado 117 Bis, Mexico City.
Secretary, Rev. J. N. Pascoe, 4a de Balderas 47, Mexico City.
Literature and Publication, Rev. V. D. Baez, Institute Metodista,
Queretaro.
Education, Rev. R. A. Brown, Coyoacan, D. F.
Evangelism, Rev. L. Garza Mora, Laurens Institute, Monterey.
Social Service, Rev. Epigmenio Velasco, Gante 5, Mexico City.
Peru
President, Rev. John Ritchie, Apartado 1277, Lima.
Secretary, Rev. Hays P. Archerd, Apartado 408, Lima.
Panama
Chairman, Rev. W. H. Evers, Box 156, Ancon, Canal Zone.
Secretary, Rev. S. H. Loveridge, Culebra, Canal Zone.
Survey and Occupation, Rev. Sidney S. Conger, Box 291, Balboa, C. Z.
Education, Rev. F. T. Parkei\, Box 262, Cristobal, Canal Zone.
Literature, Rev. Chas. W. Ports, Box 108, Ancon, Canal Zone.
Evangelism, Rev. James Hayter, American Bible Society, Cristobal,
C. Z.
Porto Rico
President, Rev. G. S. Detweiler, Box 57, Santurce.
Secretary, Rev. Philo W. Drury, Apartado 423, Ponce.
184
APPENDIX V
PARTIAL LIST OF EVANGELICAL PAPERS IN
LATIN AMERICA
Argentina
EL ESTANDARTE EvANGELico. (16-page weekly.)
Editor, Dr. Chas. W. Drees, Calle Junin 976, Buenos Aires.
EL CRUZADO. (8-page bi-monthly.)
Editor, Salvation Army, Victoria 452, Buenos Aires.
EL TESTIGO. (24-page monthly.)
Editor, H. Strachan, Mision Evangelica, Tandil, F. C. S.
EL EXPOSITOR. (16-page monthly.)
Editor, Rev. S. M. Sowell (Bapt), Calle Est. Unidos 3928, Buenos
Aires.
EL SENDERO DEL CREYENTE. (20-page monthly.)
Editor, Mr. French (Brethren), Salta 2343, Rosario.
EL MENSEJERO. (8-page monthly.)
Editor, H. L. Turner (Chr. Alliance), Mision Evangelica, Azul,
F. C. S.
LA SENDA ANTIGUA. (8-page monthly.)
Editor, C. H. Miller, Saladillo, F. C. S.
LA REFORMA.
Editor, Rev. W. C. Morris, Palermo, Buenos Aires.
Brazil
EL PURITANO.
Redactor, Rev. Alvaro Reis, Rua Silva Jardim 23, Rio de Janeiro.
O ESTANDARTE.
Redactor, E. Carlos Pereira (Ind. Presb.), Caixa 300, Sao Paulo.
O JORNAL BAUTISTA.
Redactor, Rev. S. L. Ginsburg, Caixa 352, Rio de Janeiro.
O TESTEMUNHO.
Administrador, J. W. Clay, Juiz de Fora, Minas.
NORTE EVANGELICO. (4-page weekly.)
Director, W. M. Thompson, Garanhuns, Pernambuco.
REVISTA DAS MISSOES NACIONALES.
Redactor, Andre Jensen, Rua Barata Ribeiro 295, Rio de Janeiro.
Chile
EL HERALDO CRISTIANO.
Editor, Rev. J. H. McLean, Casilla 2037, Santiago.
Colombia
EL EVANGELISTA CRISTIANO.
Administrador, A. M. Allan, Bogota.
185
Cuba
EL BAUTISTA.
Director, J. V. Cova, Zulueta 36^, Havana.
EL EVANGELISTA CUBANO.
Director, S. A. Neblett, Matanzas.
Mexico
EL ABOGADO CRISTIANO.
Administrador, R. A. Carhart, Apartado 115 Bis, Mexico City.
EL FARO.
Administrador, Carlos Petran, Apartado 305, Mexico City.
Peru
EL CRISTIANO.
Editor, Juan Ritchie, Apartado 1277, Lima.
Porto Rico
PUERTO Rico EVANGELICO.
Administrador, P. W. Drury, Ponce.
186