RELIGIOUS INFLUENCES
The Indians, whom the Portuguese found in Brazil, had not advanced in
civilization as had the Incas in Peru, or the Aztecs in Mexico. They were
more or less nomadic, although the different tribes kept within certain
general limits as did the North American Indians. Perhaps the bounty of
nature and the hot climate deadened the impulse to mental effort and
exertion that leads to a higher civilization. There are evidences of the
existence of the family relation and marriage customs, but polygamy was
practised. Cannibalism was common too; and it is said that they not only
devoured their enemies killed in war, but even ate their relatives as a
special mark of favour and consideration.
The Indians generally believed in three great or chief gods. The sun was
the god of the animal kingdom, the moon of the vegetable kingdom and Ruda
was the god of love and reproduction. In addition to these chief gods
there was a multitude of inferior deities who served various purposes.
The fact that there was some idea of a future life, or a “happy hunting
ground” in the beyond, is shown by the burial custom of depositing in
the grave of the dead warrior the bow and arrow, and vessels in which
to prepare food. It was also the custom to hang a number of friends or
relatives upon the death of a chief, in order that the departed might
have congenial company in the next world. The importation of negroes
from Africa also brought in a great deal of superstition, and a tendency
toward idolatry and fetichism, which can be traced in the religious and
moral customs even to this day.
It is impossible not to admire the early missionaries of the Roman
Catholic Church. They followed side by side with those adventurers and
explorers who pushed their way through trackless forests and almost
impassable swamps in their search for earth’s treasures. It was the
Jesuits who did most of the early evangelizing work in Brazil. This order
was more humanely disposed toward the natives than some of the orders who
accompanied the Spanish Conquistadores, for they endeavoured to protect
the natives from injustice. It was in the middle of the 16th century that
the members of this order began their evangelizing, work in Brazil. They
plunged into regions hitherto unpenetrated by white men. They went out
alone among the cannibal tribes who dwelt on these shores, and lived with
them. They learned the languages, and soon were able to preach to them in
their own tongues. These brave missionaries exhorted the Indians to lay
aside their practice of cannibalism and polygamous marriages, and adopt
the new faith. In order to appeal to their childlike natures every device
and paraphernalia of pomp and procession was adopted in their services.
Miraculous appearances and finds became common, so that sacred sites for
the building of the religious edifices were frequently located by this
means.
In order to give an unprejudiced view of the methods and purposes pursued
by the early Jesuit missionaries I quote from Baron de Santa-Anna
Nery,[4] himself a Catholic: “The Missionaries did not insist upon any
strict theological teaching, being sure that their orthodoxy would soon
be disfigured; they had but one aim in view, to render gentle and good
these unhappy human beings, who gave themselves up recklessly to every
impulse of their violent passions.
“The God of the Christians became for these imaginative savages the
awe-inspiring _Tupan_. Satan was incarnate in the person of the terrible
Anangá. Then they grasped a trinity, based upon the Catholic Trinity, and
composed of the sun, the moon and Ruda, the god of love. We took part
in our childhood at processions where fetich beliefs were mixed up with
Christian rites. The ingenious priests who invented ceremony certainly
did more than all the other preachers put together to perpetuate a
semblance of the Catholic faith amongst the Indians.
“When the Indians celebrated any saint’s day they erected an altar
in their hut upon which they placed an image of the Saint and at its
feet is placed the _Siare_. In front of the house they raise a large
thatched roof. Tables are set up and everything prepared for dancing and
merrymaking.”
In this way were the native Indians induced to adopt at least the
external forms of religion. It was not long until the majority of the
aborigines became nominal adherents of the new religion. Wherever a
tribe became baptized a church was erected in which to hold services,
and a priest was left in charge. These priests instructed the Indians
in rudimentary agriculture as well as theology, and the superiority of
the educated priest over the ignorant native soon gave him a position
of great vantage and influence. Power proved pleasing to the Jesuit.
It was not long until the priests were really stronger than the civil
authorities, and a practical theocracy sprang into existence.
They fought for the freedom of the Indian. The colonists wanted to
enslave these poor natives, and make them work, willingly or unwillingly,
on the plantations which they themselves were too lazy to cultivate.
This was strenuously resisted by the Jesuit fathers, and by the church
authorities in general, and led to many hard struggles. So when we read
of the early struggles between the “Paulistas” and the Jesuits, one
cannot help but sympathize with the latter, for they were championing
the rights of the weak. And yet their motives do not seem to have been
wholly altruistic, for they eventually endeavoured to reduce the Indians
to a blind obedience to their own whims and will. Though they gave him a
great measure of peace, they made him a blind servant to the will of an
ambitious priesthood. The colonists continued their efforts to enslave
the Indians, and in the end the Jesuits were expelled for a time from
several of the states.
One of the most noted of this order was named José Anchieta, who was a
native of Teneriffe, and the son of a Portuguese nobleman. It was as
much due to his courage and genius as any other cause that the Jesuit
influence spread as it did and became established so firmly that it has
not been shaken even to this day in many sections of Brazil. He was
sincere, eloquent, learned and an indefatigable worker. He went among
the Indians, learned their language and acquired an almost superhuman
influence among them. He became looked upon by the natives as almost
divine. Water poured over his bones is said to have worked a thousand
miracles, and a few drops of it are reported to have turned water into
wine. Other men of power and influence there were, and a string of
missions was established among all the capitancias. These reached up
the Amazon to the uppermost limits of Portuguese territory, and even to
the region claimed by the Spanish Jesuits, where some minor conflicts
of authority ensued. The Jesuits founded a number of educational
institutions in Brazil, which have exerted a great and good influence,
and many of these exist even to-day. This is greatly to the credit of
this remarkable order.
Bahia has always been a great centre of church influence in Brazil.
There is one chapel in that city that was founded in 1582. It was
built upon a spot where a miraculous image of a Virgin was said to
have been discovered. And so one will find all over Brazil, as well as
in Spanish-America, churches whose foundation is built upon alleged
sacred spots, and many of them are now places for pilgrimages. One of
these is the church of Nuestra Senhora de Peñha, which can be seen on
a conspicuous height as one proceeds up the harbour of Rio de Janeiro.
This church is reached by a series of three hundred and sixty-five steps.
During one week in October thousands upon thousands of the natives visit
this sacred shrine, and many of them climb up all of these steps on
their knees as evidence of contrition, or act of penance. Everywhere
church _festas_ are celebrated, and many of these retain in a remarkable
degree the traditions of old. In Bahia the natives celebrate one
_festa_ occasion by gathering together all the donkeys of the city, and
elaborately decorating them with foliage and flowers.
[Illustration: CHURCH AT NICTHEROY.]
At Pará is celebrated a _festa_ which is noted in the country. The origin
of the celebration is generally described as herewith given. Two hunters
sought rest under the shade of a tree while returning from a hunt, and
fell asleep. A strange woman appeared to one of the men in a dream, and
told him to search in a thicket nearby. To his great surprise a beautiful
image of the Virgin was found near the trunk of a palm tree. The two men
were overjoyed at the find and presented it to the governor, who placed
it in the palace chapel. On a certain day it was decided to show the
image to the public, but the image had disappeared. A search disclosed it
in the same thicket. A second time it was placed in the palace chapel,
and a second time it found its way back to the thicket. This transpired
at least twice more, although tradition differs as to the exact number
of times, and then it was decided to build a chapel on that spot. This
was done. Miracles have been very numerous at this shrine. Its virtues
have so spread that thousands visit it, and a great procession is formed
each year with the statue occupying an important position in it. Everyone
joins in the procession, and the occasion is made a great event at Pará.
The collection of relics in the form of wax arms and wax legs, with red
spots showing where deadly wounds had been healed, and wax heads with
red spots showing where sores or wounds had been cured is exceedingly
ghastly. The belief of the people in these traditions is no doubt much
less than in former times, and many who take part in the _festas_ now
probably do so principally because it is a custom hallowed by age.
It is surprising in travelling over the country to see the number of
shrines and small chapels which dot the wayside and crown the summit of
many hills. Some miraculous story is told about each one, and there is a
shrine or relic of some kind in each one which is greatly venerated. I
copy from a description given by Dr. H. C. Tucker, agent of the American
Bible Society in Brazil:[5]
“In the early history of Brazil a town was often founded by setting up a
Growing Stone, a Healing Cross or a Miracle-Working Image. These images
are often called “Apparecido” or “Apparecida,” from their “appearing” in
some cave, or wild forest, stream, or on the seacoast. It is supposed
that “The Lord of Matosinhos” appeared near that place from which event
the brotherhood of Bom (good) Jesus of Matosinhos had its origin. The
main temple or church, the seven chapels, oratorios, wooden figures
seated around a table representing the Last Supper, the image of Judas
and the great knife with which the pilgrims give him a dig as they pass
by, the Agony in the Garden, the rough wayside cross of hardwood bearing
a rude figure, dedicated to Our Lord of Matosinhos, with an inscription
showing that it began to work miracles about the year 1700; the gigantic
figures of the prophets, the carved work in wood and stone, the paintings
of various kinds, the instruments of the Passion, the miracle-room
with the large number of wax figures and hundreds of memorial tablets,
representing the miracles performed by the image; the side chapels of St.
Francis de Assisi, St. Francisco de Paula and others, the two pulpits,
the two boxes and two open confessionals, the representation of the
Trinity and the Burial of Christ, the altar tomb, covered with a board,
which when removed shows a full sized effigy of Our Lord of Matosinhos,
with angels kneeling around and praying, which is the grand object of
the pilgrimage and where the pilgrims prostrate themselves and kiss the
hand of the image with great devotion; on another side the cradle of
Bethlehem, above the fine silver chandeliers:—these are some of the many
curious things, in crude shape found in this church.”
Sunday is a holiday, just as it is in France and Spain. The stores are
usually open in the morning, but closed in the afternoon. The women go
to church service in the morning, and in the afternoon all go out to the
races or whatever other form of sport occurs on that day. Bull fighting
was long ago abolished in Brazil, and in fact has disappeared from nearly
the whole of South America. Easter Sunday is always a day for processions
and solemn service in all the churches. In fact nearly a week is given
over to the Easter ceremonies, when images of Christ and the Virgin and
sacred pictures are carried through the streets of nearly every city and
village.
The agents of the American Bible Society have traversed almost the entire
republic from one end to the other in their work of distributing Bibles
and Testaments. The colporteurs travel by rail, mule, steamer, canoe, or
any other way that will take them to their destination, and oftentimes
endure hardships almost as great as the Jesuit missionaries of old. Dr.
Tucker says: “It is painfully depressing to one engaged in offering the
Scriptures to hear three-fourths of them say: ‘I don’t know how to read.’
Another obstacle is the religious superstition of the people concerning
the Bible we offer them, and the belief so strongly inculcated by the
priests that they have no right to read even the version accepted by
the Roman Catholic Church.” In one town of Minas Geraes the priest read
a letter from the Bishop of Diamantina in which the people were warned
against the “false Bibles” and advised that the men ought not to be
allowed to stop at any place. This aroused the ignorant people to almost
a fury, and cries of “Away with these heretics, kill them, kill them,”
were heard from numerous throats. Many armed themselves with sticks and
even guns in their fanatical frenzy. No damage was done, however, for
cooler counsels finally prevailed, but it is indicative of the intolerant
spirit shown by the clergy—not to the work of Protestant denominations,
but to the distribution of the Bible by this non-sectarian organization.
Many times the books were forcibly taken from the colporteurs and burned.
It also shows how different the Roman Church is in Brazil from our own
land. In the United States the Roman Catholic clergy encourage education
and the reading of the Scriptures to all of their flock. They maintain
parochial schools at great expense in their efforts to educate the
youths. They unite with other organizations in common efforts to upbuild
and better the world. Some of the most severe critics have been members
of that church from other countries, who have visited Brazil, and other
countries of South America.
[Illustration: THE BEAUTIFUL CHURCH AT JUIZ DE FORA. A SHRINE ON TOP OF
THE MOUNTAIN.]
The Brazilian prides himself on his forbearance and generosity. So far
as I could observe there is absolute freedom of worship throughout the
republic. So far as official attitude goes, at least, that statement is
absolutely true. It is quite possible that missionary efforts in remote
districts might encounter a fanatical outburst, but, in the populated
centres, missionaries are undisturbed, and they are allowed to prosecute
their work free from open molestation; and everywhere that efforts have
been made greater or lesser congregations are being built up.
The Methodist Episcopal Church South has the greatest number of
missionaries at work in Brazil, this field having been given over to
it by the Methodist Episcopal Church. It has a number of missionaries
stationed in several different states, and in some places has built up
fair-sized congregations. Along with its religious work it conducts
a number of very excellent schools, which are doing a work that can
not be measured by material standards, for education is the great
need of the country. In particular, it has established schools for
the education of girls, and in this work it has been very successful.
Many families send their daughters to these schools in preference to
the government institutions. The O Granberry College of Juiz de Fora,
which welcomes both sexes, has been mentioned elsewhere. In the same
city is the Collegio Mineiro Americano, a very worthy institution with
an able faculty, in which about three hundred and fifty girls receive
instruction. Another very excellent girls’ school is conducted at
Petropolis, where they have a beautiful location up on a hill overlooking
the city. Other schools are located at Piracicaba, Riberão Preto, Bello
Horizonte, Rio de Janeiro and Porto Alegre.
The Presbyterian Church of the United States was one of the first
denominations to begin work in Brazil. It soon gained a large number
of adherents and founded that excellent institution of learning in São
Paulo, Mackenzie College. Some local disagreements among the native
members split the church, and one branch broke off from the parent
society in the United States. This society still maintains a separate
organization and has a number of congregations, but the rupture was an
unfortunate occurrence. The Baptists have also begun work in several
of the states. They have established schools for young boys and girls
in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Pernambuco. The Anglican Church has
churches in several cities, but does not prosecute missionary work, as
its churches are primarily for communicants of that denomination residing
in the country. The Protestant Episcopal Church also has organized a few
societies through missionary effort. There are quite a number of German
Lutheran Churches in the three southern states where the Germans have
settled, but they do not attempt any work outside of the German-speaking
population. One of these churches will be found in nearly every
community where there is a considerable German colony.
The Young Men’s Christian Association has entered the Brazilian field in
a number of places. At the present time it has associations organized
in Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Porto Alegre and Pernambuco, with college
chapters at Mackenzie and Granberry Colleges and the Military School
in Porto Alegre. It is, I believe, doing a good work on the broad
lines adopted by that great world-wide organization, where people of
varying beliefs can unite their efforts for mutual profit, and also
for the general good of the communities in which they live. There is
a great field for this work, in my opinion, in this land where there
is so much religious indifference among the men, who seem to leave
the religious work almost entirely to the women of their families. At
present these institutions are cramped in their work by lack of funds,
but the secretaries, who are young Americans, are energetic in their
efforts and are doing the very best they can with the resources at their
command. They aid very much in the fraternizing of the native and foreign
elements of the communities. It is an age of almost complete religious
indifference, at least among the men of Brazil; and any movement that
will rouse the people from this lethargy, either within or without the
Roman school, will be beneficial to the country.