THE GOSPEL TRIUMPHANT.
It is often claimed that the progress of the gospel is slower and more
difficult in Catholic countries than in outright heathen lands. Such
statements can be answered only by an appeal to the facts in the case.
What are the facts? The Foreign Mission Board of the Southern Baptist
Convention has been conducting operations in Brazil for about thirty
years. It has been doing work in China for more than sixty years.
During all the time since work--was opened in Brazil, the Board has had
about three times as many missionaries in China as it had in Brazil,
with the result that at the present time we have 9,939 members of our
churches in Brazil, as against 9,990 members of our churches in China.
We have worked less than half as long in Brazil and with one-third of
the missionary force. Last year with a missionary force one-third as
large in Brazil as it was in China, there were 635 more baptisms in
Brazil than there were in China. There were 1,534 baptisms in China and
2,169 in Brazil. The same sort of comparison between our work in Italy
and Japan would make the same showing. This is not to make a
prejudicial statement concerning the work in any field. We make it
simply to show that the gospel does succeed remarkably in the Catholic
countries. The fact is, the rate of progress is far greater in the
Catholic country than it is in the heathen land. The gospel does
succeed in Catholic countries. What is said here of the work of this
one Board can be said just as truly of the others.
It was our privilege to witness some remarkable demonstrations of the
power of the gospel while we were in Brazil. About 3:30 o'clock one
afternoon we arrived in Genipapo in the interior of the State of Bahia,
after having ridden since early morning upon the railroad train through
a mountainous country which, with its tropical vegetation, held our
keenest interest. We were met at the station by some members of our
church, who escorted us to the home of Polycarpo Nogueira. Mrs Nogueira
is a very devout Christian. Some years ago she learned that her mother
had embraced Christianity. Mrs. Nogueira set out upon a journey of 130
miles on muleback to her mother's home for the purpose of taking out of
her mother's heart her belief in the gospel. She succeeded in shaking
her mother's faith and also the faith of her brother. She now
determined to prepare herself to combat this Baptist teaching which was
spreading over the country. She marked passages of Scripture which she
proposed to use against the Baptists. But when she used them she grew
ashamed because she became conscious of the fact that she had
misapplied the Word which she then gave deeper study. The Word of God
took hold of her own heart and she in turn was converted. Her first
thought was concerning her mother and brother 130 miles away. Again she
took the long journey on muleback in order to lead her loved ones to
Christ. She was able to re-establish her mother's faith, but to this
day her deep regret is that her brother does not believe.
We had a great service at the church that night. The crowd was so large
that we held the services out in the open. Seven stood to confess their
surrender to Christ. The good deacon of the church was so thoroughly in
the spirit of the occasion and in such sympathy with me that he
declared he could understand my English. He really seemed to catch it
before the missionary could interpret it.
On the following day we reached St. Inez, the station at the end of the
railway, and spent the night in a poor excuse of a lodging house called
the Commercial Hotel.
At 7 o'clock on the following morning, which was Sunday, we started on
horseback for Arroz Novo, an excellent country church fifteen miles
away. A young brother named John Laringeiro (John Orangetree) had
brought horses for us. Before his conversion he was an arch persecutor,
and since he has become a Christian he has been called upon to suffer
even more bitter persecution than he ever inflicted upon others. He is
struggling to care for his mother, and as the pastor of the church at
Rio Preto, he is a most acceptable gospel preacher.
It was a fine ride into the country, over hill and mountain and
deeply-shaded valley. After we had ridden about half the length of our
journey several brethren from Arroz Novo (New Rice) met us to escort us
to the church. A mile or two further we were met by another company,
who swelled the number of our dashing cavalcade to about twenty-five.
It was dashing, too, for they were hard riders. It was a very joyous
and cordial reception committee. Finally we rode into sight of the
church, winch is located on a high hill commanding a grand panorama of
the mountains. As we approached we saw two long lines of people
standing facing each other in front of the church. The men were on one
side and the women on the other--about 600 of them. As we rode up the
congregation sang a hymn to give us welcome. We dismounted when we
reached the end of the two lines and walked down between them to the
church. Now it is the custom in Brazil upon festal occasions to strew
the meeting place with oleander and cinnamon leaves and to throw rose
petals and confetti upon those they wish to honor. These good people
observed this custom generously that day. A wide space of the ground in
front of the church was strewed with leaves, and they showered such
quantities of rose petals and confetti upon us that we were beautiful
sights by the time we reached the door.
We entered the very creditable church building into which the people
now poured until every foot of space was occupied. There was hardly
room left for me to make gestures as I spoke. It was ten o'clock. The
people had been present since four engaged in a prayer meeting. We
began the service immediately. The Spirit of the Lord was upon us to
preach the gospel. Afterward we called for those who wished to make
confession of their faith in Christ. We pushed back the people a little
bit in the front and the space thus made vacant was immediately filled
with those who wished to confess their Lord and Savior. We saw that
others wanted to come, so we asked them to stand where they were. All
through the audience they rose. Then began the examination of these
candidates. Numerous questions were put to them by the missionary and
the pastor of the church. Sometimes as many as twenty-five or even more
questions would be asked an individual so great was the care exercised
in examining those who wished to become members of the church, and what
impressed me most was the fact that after every question they could
think of had been asked, they would ask if anyone present could endorse
him. Whereupon someone, if he could recommend the candidate would,
after a brief speech of endorsement, make a motion to receive him.
Over to my right rose a young woman who was the most beautiful woman I
saw in Brazil. Her name was Elvira Leal. She had been favorable to the
gospel for some time and had suffered cruel persecution from her
father. The tears streamed down her face as she spoke, saying, "You
know my story and what I have been called upon to endure for the
gospel's sake, but this morning I must confess the Lord. I cannot
resist the Spirit longer." I learned that her father, in order to force
her to give up her faith, had dragged her across the floor by her hair.
He had brandished his dagger over her heart, threatening to take her
life; he had forced her to break her engagement to be married to the
young preacher, John Larinjeiro, who had brought the horses for us; he
had declared he would kill both of them rather than to allow them to
marry, and at the time we were there she was compelled to live in the
home of a neighbor, so violent had become her father in his opposition
to her adherence to the gospel. That morning, however, she said though
she knew it involved suffering, she would follow her Savior at whatever
cost.
By the time the missionary had finished examining this woman, a man had
crowded near to the front and indicated that he wished to say
something. It was John Larinjeiro's brother. He said that for two years
he had been impressed with the gospel, but because of the persecution
in his own home he had held back. When years ago his mother had been
converted, he went to persuade her to give up her religion. Persuasion
failing, he persecuted her severely. She finally told him that his
efforts were of no avail because she could not give up her faith in
Christ, yet if he would take the Bible and show her where she was
wrong, she would give it up. He secured a gospel circulated by the
priest and also "The Manual of Instructions for Holding Missions" and
both of these confirmed his mother's faith, and he had no more to say.
The Word impressed itself upon his heart and he became sympathetic to
the gospel. Then trouble arose. His father-in-law, he said, had
threatened to take his wife and children from him and to put him out of
his own home. His wife had persecuted him and declared she would leave
him if he made the confession he desired to make. He said that he did
not know what to do, but had come forward to ask us to pray for him.
Then the congregation fell upon its face, as far as such a thing was
possible, and prayed. I could not understand all they said in the
prayers because they were spoken in Portuguese, but so mighty was the
presence of the Spirit and so irresistible was the appeal sent up to
the throne of Grace that I knew before the prayers ended what the
result would be. As soon as the prayers were concluded, the man stood
up and said, "News travels quickly in this country. It may be that when
I reach home I shall find my wife and children gone, but whatever may
be the cost, I cannot resist the Spirit today. I must confess my Lord
and ask for membership in the church." Of course, he was received. A
letter received from the missionary some months later informed me that
the father-in-law had carried out his threat and did take away the wife
and children.
Numerous others stood to make confession, and the examination continued
far past one o'clock, 'till twenty-one were received for baptism. This
marvelous outpouring of the Spirit of Christ enabled us to see with our
own eyes the power of the gospel demonstrated in the saving of souls in
Brazil.
After the service we went to breakfast in a house near by. The crowd,
according to custom, came into the dining room, as many of them as
could, to hear the conversation while we sat about the table. The walls
of the building were made of mud, the floor was the bare ground, in the
corner of the room, surrounded by a mud puddle, stood a water jar,
around which the chickens were picking. I kicked a pig out of my way,
accidentally stepped on a dog, but nothing daunted, fell to with good
will and ate, asking no questions.
After a few hours' ride, upon our return journey in the afternoon, we
reached the town of Olhos d'Agua (Fountains of Water) through which we
had passed upon our outward journey in the early morning. There is a
very good church at this place which has suffered cruel persecution.
Upon the doors of every Protestant house in the town have been painted
black crosses. They were placed there at night by the Catholics to keep
the Devil from coming out. The black cross of derision has become a
mark of honor in that community. We were greeted by a splendid audience
that night and the gospel again was honored. More than a dozen people
accepted Christ and made confession of Him.
I was greatly interested in Brother Raymundo, who is the leading member
of this church. Formerly he was a great persecutor. He was an enemy to
Antonio Barros, who is now a leading member in the church at Arroz
Novo. Barros was converted at Lage, and when he met Raymundo he greeted
him, at which Raymundo was greatly surprised. Barros explained his
action by saying that he had found Christ and wanted to live at peace
with all men. The fact that his enemy should embrace him and beg his
pardon greatly impressed Raymundo. Upon the invitation of Barros,
Raymundo attended the meeting that night. He was touched by the gospel
and was converted. He now had to experience the same persecution he had
inflicted upon others. His enemies wrote to the merchants in Bahia and
told them that he was out of his mind. So persistent was their
persecution that he was compelled to give up his business. His credit
was destroyed by these reports. He moved away from Olhos d'Agua, but
when the native pastor left the place recently Raymundo returned in
order to hold the work together. He now makes his meager living by
trading, and through great sacrifice leads the congregation in a very
acceptable service.
We returned to St. Ignez by ten o'clock that night, tired and happy
over what our eyes had seen and our hearts had felt. It had been a day
of triumph for the gospel.
On Monday we started on our journey for Santo Antonio. When we passed
through Genipapo we found Brother Polycarpo Nogueira at the station. He
had come to ask about a passage of Scripture I had pointed out to him
on the night when we stayed in his home We had urged him to accept the
gospel and he hesitated. I quoted to him, "Everyone, therefore, who
shall confess me before men, him will I confess before my Father in
Heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him, will I deny before
my Father who is in Heaven." Mat. 10:32, 33. He told us about a
wonderful meeting held in the church on Sunday, in which one had been
converted and many others were deeply interested. He himself was
evidently moved upon by the Spirit. May the word we gave him lead him
to Christ.
Some hours further on we passed through Vargem Grande, where we have
another church. Several people boarded the train to accompany us to
Santo Antonio. One of them was Fausto de Almeida. When the ex-priest,
Ottoni, visited Vargem Guande some years ago to preach the gospel this
man Almeida, with a great crowd of boys equipped with tin cans, met him
at the station. This troupe escorted Ottoni to the church and stood
outside making as much noise as possible. He offered the ex-priest a
loaded cigar, which Ottoni declined with kindly thanks. The minister's
conduct was so gentle and kind that Fausto, when he bethought himself,
went home in a rage, became intoxicated, and in order to vent his
wrath, went out into his back yard and fired his pistols. A little
later one of his sisters was converted, and by her good testimony not
long after that when she died, he was greatly impressed. Another sister
was converted and gave him a Bible, which he read and in which he found
the message of Christ. He obeyed his Lord, and in spite of violent
opposition on the part of his wife, is today in a faithful and
effective way, building up the church at Vargem, Grande.