[The following propositions are taken from “The Syllabus of the principal errors of our time, which are stigmatized in the consistorial allocutions, encyclicals, and other apostolical letters of our most holy father, Pope Pius IX.” In reading these propositions, it should be remembered that the statements therein made are condemned as false. In other words, those who hold to the views expressed in these propositions are anathematized as maintaining heretical doctrines. As Rome never changes, the doctrines condemned by Pope Pius IX are still under the anathema of the church, and those therefore who advocate as true the principles contained in these propositions are necessarily under the ban of the church. The study of these propositions will therefore show the present attitude of Rome toward some of the fundamental doctrines of Protestantism.—Ed.]
15. EVERY man is free to embrace and profess the religion he shall believe true, guided by the light of reason. (Apostolic Letter “Multiplices inter,” 10th June, 1851; Allocution “Maxima quidem,” 9th June, 1862.)
17. We may entertain at least a well-founded hope for the eternal salvation of all those who are in no manner in the true church of Christ. (Allocution “Singulari quadam,” 9th December, 1854; Encyclical Letter “Quanto conficiamur,” 17 August, 1863.)
18. Protestantism is nothing more than another form of the same true Christian religion, in which it is possible to be equally pleasing to God as in the Catholic Church. (Encyclical Letter “Noscitis et Nobiscum,” 8th December, 1849.)
19. The church is not a true, and perfect, and entirely free society, nor does she enjoy peculiar and perpetual rights conferred upon her by her divine Founder, but it appertains to the civil power to define what are the rights and limits within which the church may exercise authority. (Allocution “Singulari quadam,” 9th December, 1854; “Multis gravibusque,” 17th December, 1860; “Maxima quidem,” 9th June, 1862.)
23. The Roman pontiffs and ecumenical councils have exceeded the limits of their power, have usurped the rights of princes, and have even committed errors in defining matters of faith and morals. (Apostolic Letter “Multiplices inter,” 10th June, 1851.)
24. The church has not the power of availing herself of force or any direct or indirect temporal power. (Apostolic Letter “Ad Apostolicae,” 22d August, 1851.)
27. The ministers of the church and the Roman pontiff ought to be absolutely excluded from all charge and dominion over temporal affairs. (Allocution “Maxima quidem,” 9th June, 1862.)
47. The best theory of civil society requires that popular schools, open to the children of all classes, and generally all public institutes intended for instruction in letters and philosophy, and for conducting the education of the young, should be freed from all ecclesiastical authority, government, and interference, and should be fully subject to the civil and political power, in conformity with the will of rulers and the prevalent opinions of the age. (Letter to the Archbishop of Fribourg, “Quum non Sine,” 14th July, 1864.)
54. Kings and princes are not only exempt from the jurisdiction of the church, but are superior to the church, in litigated questions of jurisdiction. (Apostolic Letter “Multiplices inter,” 10th June, 1851.)
55. The church ought to be separated from the state, and the state from the church. (Allocution “Acerbissimum,” 27th September, 1852.)
77. In the present day, it is no longer expedient that the Catholic religion shall be held as the only religion of the state, to the exclusion of all other modes of worship. (Allocution “Nemo vestrum,” 26th July, 1855.)
78. Whence it has been wisely provided by law, in some countries called Catholic, that persons coming to reside therein shall enjoy the public exercise of their own worship. (Allocution “Acerbissimum,” 27th September, 1852.)
The Decalogue
By G. B. THOMPSON
G. B. THOMPSON
It is related of an eminent lawyer that he was led to renounce infidelity, and become a believer in Christ, through a study of the decalogue. Speaking of this wonderful law, he said: “I have been looking into the nature of that law; I have been trying to see whether I could add anything to it, or take anything from it, so as to make it better. Sir, I can not; it is perfect. . . . I have been thinking, Where did Moses get this law? I have read history. The Egyptians and the adjacent natives were idolaters; so were the Greeks and Romans; and the wisest and best Greeks and Romans never made a code of morals like this. Where did he get it? He could not have soared so far above his age as to have devised it himself. It came down from heaven.”
Here we have an illustration of the truthfulness of the words of the psalmist when he declares that “the law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul.” This law did not indeed originate with man. The great original is in heaven, in the most holy place of the sanctuary, and will be the standard by which all will be judged at the last day.
Takoma Park, D. C.
Let Us Be Kind
LET us be kind;
The way is long and lonely,
And human hearts are asking for this
blessing only—
That we be kind.
We can not know the grief that men
may borrow,
We can not see the souls storm-swept
by sorrow,
But love can shine upon the way to-day,
to-morrow—
Let us be kind.
Let us be kind;
This is a wealth that has no measure,
This is of heaven and earth the highest
treasure—
Let us be kind.
A tender word, a smile of love in meeting,
A song of hope and victory to those
entreating,
A glimpse of God and brotherhood while
life is fleeting—
Let us be kind.
Let us be kind;
Around the world the tears of time are
falling,
And for the loved and lost these human
hearts are calling—
Let us be kind.
To age and youth let gracious words be
spoken,
Upon the wheel of pain so many weary
lives are broken,
We live in vain who give no tender
token—
Let us be kind.
Let us be kind;
The sunset tints will soon be in the
west,
Too late the flowers are laid then on the
quiet breast—
Let us be kind.
And when the angel guides have sought
and found us,
Their hands shall link the broken ties of
earth that bound us,
And heaven and home shall brighten all
around us—
Let us be kind.
— Lutheran Evangelist.
Temperance in the Home
By Augusta C. Bainbridge
AUGUSTA C. BAINBRIDGE
“Little feet, be careful
Where you take me to;
Anything for Jesus
Only let me do.”
So sang little Agnes while she cleared the breakfast table; and her face grew thoughtful as she asked, “How do my feet know where to take me?”
“Your will tells them.”
“How, mama?”
“Your will is like a telegraph operator. Its office is the brain, and when it wants your feet to move, it sends an order along the telegraph wires, the nerves, to the muscles, and they move your limbs.”
“Then I’m like a railroad.”
“Yes, dear, somewhat. You are like a railroad that is run by telegraph. The train despatcher is all the time sending telegrams to the conductors, telling them how to run their trains.”
“Who is my train despatcher?”
“Mr. Will. He is your train despatcher, and his office is in your brain.”
“Well, Mr. Will, you must make my train go right,” said Agnes. “I don’t want any accidents like the one they had at Erie the other day. Do body-trains like me ever have accidents, mama?”
“Yes, dear. When the office, the brain, is in good order, all goes well; but ‘a bad brain makes a bad man.’”
“Tell me about the brain, mama.”
“Come and sort the handkerchiefs and hose, dear, while we talk. You know your brain is in the skull. It is a soft, jelly-like mass, made of gray and white matter, divided in two parts called hemispheres. This part—see! hold your hands as I do mine—is the cerebrum.”
“The cerebrum, yes” (following the lead of her mama).
“Here” (moving her hands to the back part of her head), said Mrs. Ayers, “is the cerebellum, or little brain, and also the medulla oblongata.”
“The cerebrum, here; the cerebellum, here,” said Agnes, moving her hands in imitation of her mother; “and that other hard word, what is that?”
“Medulla oblongata,” slowly repeated Mrs. Ayers. “That is the part of the spinal cord that is within the brain.”
“Where is the rest of it?”
“It has a little pathway of its own down the back-bone. Put your finger on my cerebellum. That’s right. Now move your finger down the center of my back. That’s right. That is the path of the spinal cord. It reaches to the end of the spine, and sends out nerves, both right and left, to every part of the body.”
“The nerves, and this cord too, are like wires, mama, are they?”
“Yes; these little nerves go to every part of the body. Some of them carry messages of feeling, heat or cold, pleasure or pain; and some carry messages of motion.”
“What would wreck my train?”
“The greatest cause of the wrecking of real railroad trains is the use of alcoholic drinks; and in very much the same way alcoholic liquors—wine, beer, whisky, or any such drinks—put the brain, and all the nerves connected with it, out of order, so that the messages do not go right. Mr. Will might want to make his train go right; but when his office is in a state of confusion, or his wires are out of order, he can not do it.”
“I see, I see,” said Agnes; and off she went to carry the clean, freshly aired clothes to their appointed places, singing, with a clearer understanding,—
“Little feet, be careful
Where you take me to;
Anything for Jesus
Only let me do.”
San Francisco, Cal.
Old-Fashioned Neighborliness
THERE have been many good things that have come to lighten the burdens of the housewife in these days of modern ideas and thought, but we sometimes wonder if the soul of neighborliness of the old days has not been somewhat crowded out. We well remember in the long ago the afternoon visits to the neighbor down the road, the dropping in for a few minutes’ chat, taking along the knitting, perhaps, or the sewing. What good times those were! Those talks were not of the little tattles of idle rumors, but rather of common household talk that tended to knit closer and closer the bond of true neighborly spirit. There were the children conferences, which did as much to help them as the mothers’ meetings of to-day, with their frills and fancies. There were the interchanges of sympathies that drew hearts closer together, and helped to make things brighter. There were the little kindnesses, such as gifts of good things made from new recipes. The discussions about the flower beds, the exchange of slips, or a division of new flower seeds, were acts that sounded with the ring of true neighborly spirit that is too often lacking in our social atmosphere to-day. Think about this, and let us have more of the old-fashioned neighborliness. — Selected.
Our Reading
By Ellen G. White
LOVE stories and frivolous, exciting tales constitute a class of books that are a curse to every reader. The author may attach a good moral, and all through his work may weave religious sentiments; yet in most cases Satan is but clothed in angel robes, the more effectually to deceive and allure. The mind is affected to a great degree by that upon which it feeds. The readers of frivolous, exciting tales become unfitted for the duties lying before them. They live an unreal life, and have no desire to search the Scriptures, to feed upon the heavenly manna.
The youth are exposed to the greatest peril from improper reading. Satan is constantly leading both the young and those of mature age to be charmed with worthless stories. Could a large share of the books published be consumed, a plague would be stayed that is doing a fearful work in weakening the mind and corrupting the heart. None are so confirmed in right principles as to be secure from temptation. All this trashy reading should be resolutely discarded.—Mrs. E. G. White.
The Work in Spain
By FRANK S. BOND
FRANK S. BOND
SINCE April 1 we have conducted two series of meetings in the city of Valencia. Some of the seed sown seems to have fallen upon stony ground, and some of the fruit which appeared so quickly, and seemed so favorable, is now withering. I am thankful, however, to announce that several of those who have recently accepted the truth in Valencia are continuing steadfast in the faith. One man, twenty-four years of age, has been awaiting baptism for several weeks, and a number of others have acknowledged the truth. Experience has taught us that it is well to give those who are desirous of uniting with us plenty of time to prove their faithfulness to the message, before receiving them by baptism. The few brethren in Valencia are now holding their Sabbath-school in the home of one of the sisters. Brother Vicente Garcia, one of our colporteurs, who is now canvassing in that city and its vicinity, takes charge of the Sabbath-school.
A SCENE IN BARCELONA, SPAIN
With my family I came to Barcelona three weeks ago yesterday (November 2), to assist my brother Walter in holding a series of meetings in a new part of this great city. We have a good hall, centrally located and well lighted. With the help of some of our canvassers, we have distributed thousands of invitations, but thus far the attendance has been small. We have five night meetings each week, and there are some who attend regularly, and seem interested in the truth.
Week before last, the king and queen were visiting for several days in Barcelona. This was the queen's first visit here. Extensive preparations were made for their reception. The city was beautifully lighted for the occasion. Men, women, and children came out attired in their very best apparel. Hundreds of thousands thronged the wide, shady streets of beautiful Barcelona, all bent on getting at least one look at the king and queen. By this demonstration we were compelled to think, How different is the interest manifested by the people in the soon coming of the King of glory! How few care to learn the truth with reference to that glorious event! How few are putting on that inward adornment of Christ's righteousness, which will admit all those who are thus clothed into the presence of the Lamb and his holy angels!
We have been encouraged by recent reports of reinforcements sent into Mexico. When we see so much done for that field, which has a smaller population than Spain, we are encouraged to believe that additional help will soon be provided for this country. We need ministerial help, and also a good corps of American canvassers. Spain has more than forty provinces which have never been touched with our literature. Here are numerous large cities and towns where the sound of the message has never been heard, with eighteen million people to whom this truth must be carried. To make this message known to these millions who have for so many centuries been steeped in the superstitions of Roman Catholicism, is a task of large proportions. We are thankful, though, that the battle is not ours. He who has commissioned us to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature, has also promised, “Lo, I am with you all the days, even unto the end.”
My brother is spending a few days this week in the ancient city of Zaragoza, which is about three hundred fifty kilometers [two hundred seventeen miles] inland from Barcelona. His object in going there is to purchase a canvassing license for one of our colporteurs, and to help him get started in the work there.
Recently I received a good letter from a Baptist gentleman. This man lives in the mountains of Aragon, in the province of Teruel. It was my privilege to visit with him and his family a little more than a year ago, for a few days. We had several good studies together. He says, in part, as follows: “I am very thankful for having known more of the Lord's Word, and I desire that my family may become willingly convinced. When I have time, I read to them some with reference to the promises which God has made to those who love him and keep his commandments, and the punishment with which he threatens those who are unfaithful to his Word.”
He heartily invites us to go to his town, and offers us his home in which to hold meetings.
Thus we can see that the good work is gradually extending in the land of the “Don.” Our health and courage are good. We ask an interest in the prayers of God's people for the work in Spain.
Barcelona.
General Meeting in Honan, China
By J. J. WESTRUP
J. J. WESTRUP
October 24 the believers from the different mission stations in Honan assembled for a nine-days' general meeting in Cheo Chia K’ou. We had four meetings each day. Our native brethren drank in the truth, and often a brother or sister was in private prayer, pleading with God for grace to comprehend these eternal truths.
From Daniel 2 they saw that the four universal kingdoms have already played their rôle; that the last universal kingdom had been divided into ten kingdoms; and that the next great event would be that stated in verse 44: “In the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed.” It was shown clearly how Daniel 7 had already been fulfilled, and that the glorious hope of verse 27—“The kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High”—will very soon be fulfilled. Matthew 24 was explained verse by verse, and all saw that in the prophetic history we have reached the last part of the twenty-ninth verse, and that the next great event will be the shaking of “the powers of the heavens,” and then the coming of the Son of God in glory. Kindred truths in Revelation were considered in the same way, and our brethren saw clearly that these scriptures point to the end of all things and the soon coming of our Saviour.
When the subject of the tithe was presented, the brethren saw their duty and privilege to give one tenth of their income to the Lord. From the study of the law, the Sabbath, and the spirit of prophecy, they comprehended that “the commandment is holy, and just, and good;” that “the law is spiritual;” that it is a “law of the Spirit,” hence the law and the Spirit can not be separated; that in breaking the law a person loses the Spirit, which is why there were no prophets in the church from the third century until 1844; and that as soon as a people began to keep the Lord’s Sabbath, which had been trodden under foot, the Lord raised up a prophet. The subject of the nature of man was presented, and it was clearly shown that God only is immortal, and that eternal existence can be obtained only by faith in Jesus Christ.
GROUP OF BELIEVERS ATTENDING THE HONAN GENERAL MEETING
These and other truths filled the hearts of the brethren with thanksgiving, and strengthened their faith in the Word of God, as they saw the prophecies fulfilled14to the very letter. Some who had been Christians for many years in the China Inland Mission wondered why those preachers did not search into these blessed truths, and feed their people on them, instead of filling their sermons with so many useless tales.
More than once the brethren expressed their longing to go out and tell these living truths to others. O that many may soon have the privilege of hearing these blessed truths! that they may believe, cease from following the commandments of men, and turn to God with all their hearts, keep his commandments, and by living faith in Christ be purified and made white, so that they may be ready to receive their Saviour, who very soon will come in his glory, with all the holy angels. We praise God for our blessed hope in Jesus.
A few were prevented from attending the meeting on account of the bad roads. It took some of our brethren two and one-half days to travel a distance of thirty-five miles. The great difficulty they had in reaching our place of meeting, and the fact that our brethren are looked down upon by the heathen and other Christians, is an evidence of their earnest effort to get into the kingdom.
“O, there’ll be joy when the work is done,
Joy when the reapers gather home,
Bringing the sheaves at set of sun,
To the New Jerusalem.”
Praise the Lord that we have such an inspiring truth to give to this people! Sister Allum and my wife held meetings with the women once each day, and spoke to them about the Sabbath, prayer, the time of trouble, our blessed hope in Jesus, etc. The native sisters were much blessed, and greatly enjoyed these meetings, as they felt free to express their feelings of joy and appreciation.
We had two blessed testimony meetings. As we listened with thankful hearts to these simple but powerful testimonies we felt richly repaid, and it seemed as if all our past trials in China vanished as mist before the rising sun. O what joy to hear that the Sun of Righteousness had dispersed the darkness and filled these souls with the light and power of God! Some testified to having overcome the opium habit—one of the hardest to overcome. The empress of China, a few months ago, issued an order that all who expect to hold office in her kingdom must overcome the opium habit within six months. Many officials have not yet tried to overcome it, as they probably think they are not able to do so. A few have died in their effort to overcome, while a few have succeeded. What some of these officials have not been able to do for the sake of office and love of money, these simple but precious souls, by the grace of God, have done for the sake of, and love for, Jesus.
As we listened to these and other testimonies of victory, tears of thankfulness filled many eyes. And it touched all hearts when the boys from our church-school stood up and resolved to serve the Lord faithfully. One boy said: “Last year at our general meeting I stood up and confessed that I had been disobedient to my parents, and then resolved that I would not disobey again. To-day, as I look back upon the year gone by, I know that I have been disobedient many times; but from now on, by the help of God, I want to be an obedient child.” Children in dark, heathen China are taking hold of the truth. Let those of our dear young people at home who seem to be loitering step quickly into line, remembering that “many that are first shall be last.” Christ is in the most holy place; the investigative judgment is very soon to be finished. May we all be ready.
Those of our brethren at home who seem to hesitate to obey the command, “Go ye into all the world,” because it may involve sacrifice, should have seen these faces and heard these testimonies.
We think of Jesus leaving his glorious home and coming to this dark and dreary world, rejected and treated shamefully even by his own. “Who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Our sacrifices are nothing, compared with those of Jesus. And as we, too, think of the joy that is set before us, we shall not allow any sacrifices or obstacles to hinder us, but quickly come up “to the help of the Lord against the mighty.” There is no greater joy in this world than to lead souls to Christ. We feel that Matt. 19:29 is partly fulfilled in our cases already. May the Lord richly bless all our dear brethren, and may we all very soon meet in the glorious kingdom.
*Shang Tsai, Honan, China.
Missionary Work in Korea and Africa
KOREA gives a clarion call for workers to take up the work made possible by the receptive attitude of the people. Japan is developing her material resources, but there are many instances where their treatment of the Koreans leaves much to be desired in the interests of justice. The spread of Christianity continues at a remarkable rate. The problem is to give the proper training to those who seek entrance into the church.
In Africa the Kongo state has nominally been handed over to Belgian control, but without sufficient guaranty of a correction of the existing abuses. Natives may still be cruelly oppressed, and equal rights of commerce and unhampered missionary work may still be denied. In Abyssinia the closed door has been slightly opened to admit the Bible.
The Sudan has been entered by the gospel messengers from the southwest and the east, and preparations are being made for the coming conflict between paganism and Mohammedanism.—Missionary Review of the World.
In Rhenish Prussia
By GUY DAIL
M. GLADBACH.—The first of the season's mid-winter German meetings was the seventh annual session of the Rhenish Conference, held in M. Gladbach, December 23-27. This was the largest assembly of our people ever convened in Rhineland. More than five hundred of our brethren left the workshop and factory, to be present at the feast of good things offered by the conference. There was no special outside attendance, it being the holiday season.
The laborers' reports showed that the Lord had richly blessed their efforts the past year, for a greater number had accepted the truth in this field during 1908 than in any previous year. Three hundred eighty-two persons were baptized, and twenty-three were taken into church-membership by vote. Not only the workers, but also the individual members, have been richly repaid for their exertions in behalf of the spread of the message, and that, too, in the face of constant and bitter opposition. As the truth becomes better known, the clergy and spiritual leaders of the people are more active in warning their flocks against the special message to be proclaimed at this time, and we can see plainly that the dragon is wroth with the woman, and goes out to make war with the remnant of her seed. While we gain a goodly number of additions, we lose many members; for our numbers increased only from seven hundred sixty-four to ten hundred thirty-eight during the past twelve months. This shows that men are rapidly changing leaders.
Although Russia no longer is a part of the German Union Conference, still there is mission territory enough in Austria and in the Balkans to more than use up the union income. To enable the union quickly to develop the Galician field in Austria, the Rhenish Conference nobly voted fifteen hundred marks from its tithe toward a fund for this enterprise. Furthermore, henceforth the Rhenish field will annually place a tenth of its conference poor fund at the disposition of the German Union Conference, thus strengthening the union poor fund, just as the conference poor fund is made up largely by a tenth of the local poor fund of the churches. Our churches and companies were recommended to comply with the regulations laid down by the German Union Conference “Church Manual,” which deals with many questions concerning church organization, church order, church discipline, etc.
Owing to the urgent need of additional class-room, we are now erecting a new school-building in Friedensau. Toward this enterprise the brethren at the conference raised seven hundred ninety-two marks in cash and pledges.
The tithe, all of which has not yet been reported for the year, will probably be about ten thousand five hundred dollars, or just enough to cover the year's expenses.
Brethren H. F. Schuberth, O. Lupke, and R. G. Klingbeil, as well as Dr. E. Meyer and the head lady nurse from Friedensau, gave the local workers much appreciated help, and assisted in the public lectures. The health food demonstration, conducted before the audience, was a success. Brother John, of the Hamburg Publishing House, rendered valuable aid to the general canvassing agent, as well as to the thirty-five colporteurs who were at the conference.
All business was conducted harmoniously. The Spirit of God was especially near Sabbath afternoon, when Brethren W. Varlemann and R. Kumpel were ordained to the gospel ministry. The people in general expressed their joy at being able to meet together, and partake of so many rich spiritual blessings.
The nominating committee's report was unanimously adopted. Elder F. E. Frauchiger was again chosen president. He and the three ordained ministers, four licentiates, eleven Bible workers, and forty-seven canvassers, go out with new hope and cheer to gather in the harvest God may give them during the coming year. Remember the Rhenish-Prussian Conference, with its six and one-half million inhabitants, at the throne of grace.
GUY DAIL
Spain
By Walter G. Bond
ZARAGOZA.—Yesterday I came here to help one of our canvassers secure permission to canvass in this province. Zaragoza is a city of about eighty-five thousand inhabitants, located in one of the most fertile vegas of the kingdom of Aragon. According to the monkish historians, Zaragoza was founded by Noah’s grandson Tubal, in the year 242 post diluvium. The former name of the city was Salduba, and is said to mean, in Chaldaic, “the property of Tubal,” or “the city of the sun.” Be this as it may, its strategical importance did not fail to attract the eye of Cæsar Augustus, who walled the city, and quartered here several legions of his soldiers. It then took the name of Cæsarea Augusta, which was converted by the Moors into Saracosta, to become finally Zaragoza.
In both ancient and modern times, it has been the scene of strife and destruction, and its name is associated, in the annals of the Peninsular War, with one of the most celebrated sieges ever sustained by any city. In 1808 a French general besieged the town, asserting that he would soon reduce it; but all his military skill proved of no avail against the headstrong Aragonese. A second siege, begun on December 21 of the same year, has few parallels in history. During this siege, La Virgen del Pilar was proclaimed captain-general of the Spanish forces. A centennial exposition, in honor of the event, is now in progress here. Last week the king and queen and prime minister came to the exposition. During their visit they again proclaimed La Virgen del Pilar the captain-general of the Spanish army. Accordingly, three silver cords, the ensign of the captain-general, were placed on the arm of the image. How different from this is the Leader of the soldiers of the cross! Instead of an image of stone, we have as captain the true and living God, who made heaven and earth.
One hundred years ago a French army of eighteen thousand men bombarded the city, and terrible were the results. To-day, one lone colporteur is beginning a far more important campaign, by scattering tracts and papers, filled with the third angel’s message. During the siege, several proposals of capitulation on honorable terms were made to the Spanish; but they always responded, “Zaragoza no se rinde” (Zaragoza does not surrender). So to-day, though this whole country is filled with idolatry and superstition, and though the battle goes hard and slow, by God’s help the soldiers of the cross will never surrender until the battle is won, and the Life-giver comes to give the victor’s crown. We earnestly ask the prayers of God’s people for this needy field, that more laborers may be found to help in carrying the message to its waiting millions.
WALTER G. BOND.
Central America
By A. L. PHILBRICK
GUATEMALA.— The work in general seems to be taking “homeward” strides here. But personally I have been much occupied, trying to master a new tongue. You doubtless know some of the difficulties of learning a new language. Being in a country so wholly Spanish gives one the feeling that doubtless prevailed in the time of the building of Babel. Notwithstanding the difficulties, we are making some progress, and are now able to make necessary purchases, and when talking to some one who knows a few words of English, we are able to get along fairly well.
One of the great difficulties encountered here in presenting the truth is the fact that the people have been so long taught the beliefs and superstitions of the Catholic Church. The training has been of that type which undermines faith in the Bible. Thus we are left without much to use in convincing them of the true way. The superstition is appalling. There is always a concourse of people, making their way to the cathedral, candle in hand, who bow down to images of wood, stone, or even mud. The craftsmen in the shops make these images, paint them pretty colors, and send them to the cathedral, and perhaps these very men go with lighted candles, to say their prayers to these same images. Often the church parades march all night,—poor, tired, sin-sick souls, seeking rest, and yet refusing it.
When a man thinks he can obtain eternal life by paying a certain amount of money and burning so many candles, it is no small undertaking to convince him that he needs to practise a life of self-denial. To these people, religion is no barrier against sin or crime, but rather a license to practise them. This seems to them an easy road, as they follow the desires of the mind and heart. For example, we have a native helper16who we are convinced regards very lightly, to say the least, the eighth and ninth precepts of the decalogue, yet would not think of going to bed without smoking a number of cigarettes, and then saying prayers before a lighted candle and an image. I have used every argument to convince her that dead people can not walk around, but seemingly to no avail. She still persists in saying that we are nightly visited by numbers of restless spirits, and she thinks we ought to burn some candles. Every kind of candle will not be accepted; it must be made of dirty, stale grease, the odor of which is unpleasant to one not accustomed to such things.
It seems that the only way in which we can overcome such unreasonable superstition is by educating the people away from these ideas. This seems a slow process. But we are of good courage, and believe that the Lord has some souls here whom he would have us seek out.
Each day it is plainly to be seen that the enemy is at work darkening the minds of the people, to make sure they will not accept the truth when it comes to them.
