New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-10-08
wih four Indians laden with this precious treasure h
sef riding upon muis had trsversed mountain pstis

the department Of Vera Paz bad found the fair already
in eeiviiy few minutes sfisr my arrival icaad m p
self standing behind counter in the open fr calling ths
seutcn Of the people who crowded BY the nest books
or the sheves beh nd ne Among those who lger
70 purchase the spanish New Iestan mt
isnetr Indian shepherds from the Rghlani districts Of
QuesalteDaIgo They were rough uacouth looking men
clad in wooden garments, OF their msnnfsc
ture. Like stephens and othos travellers, CONSULTED
that they must b. quite untutnred. | inquired, hos
ever If they could read and TO my surprise sni
low they Opened the Sacred Book aud real hlently
In correct and soporous Cssihan the words O divine
rirstion The solution Cf this enigma At once most
Interesting trait in the Aztec character and fact OF tue
rcniest importance ihe more 20 that the pure In
dian actually compose three niths OF the ene POP
ulston of these States which il roughly estmated az
100000 Ii is this Full thrce CENTURIES ago the 0eneso
lent Las Casa, the Indians friend b al maIn as
10 procure relief and instruction for the poor Indians
then moet cruelty oppressed. Under the patronage OF
Donna Isabella, lis sovereign. he incorporated sc1oSs
among them by royal or nance. and having server N
generation he returned 10 Spain 70 die As mslt nave
been expected the schools which he had planted soon te
into decay. for this preate had mtaOrs HE was one
Of those stars in the dark armament OF Ppsh night
rounding gloom. But tao Indians had been tau hit TO
reed and their honor be il recorded in the long dearh
Of books and teachers they have to this day pesersd
tbs knowledge then impaired having taught their children
from generation 10 generation for than 900 years
Are rot facts like these the greatest encouragement that
could be given those anxious TO extend to them pure
Bible which they already able TO real and will be
sure TO APPRECIATE But to return the fair Aler sci
ling hundreds Of books was Illegally ordered oy
Priests, to refrain felt it my duty to protest and under
took further journey of four days, alone in order to
reach the City OF Guatemala and appeal to the supreme
authorities Of the State. The Government there, CON
posed rarity of in6de Liberals and partly of servle
Priests could not say nay and would not extend to
me the foil justice that claimed viz the Liberty to con
dered 10 leave the State refused TO obey. An eccles
sstca ediet was then promulgated and read
fir, m every parish pulpit in the lani. Ihis proved
powerful blast proelaimng the paramount mpor
lance of the Bible above every book, and the m lst
extensive and economical mode of advertising my books
could possibly have been devised Among the intel
gent classes Dc mand thereby created out OF curl
osy and the edct constituted but feeble barrier to the
desire for books and religious knowledge among the more
ignorant bat thirsng people. Favored by Divine Provt
depce md assisted by influential natives determined TO
settle in the Capital itself finding by experience that
ecclesiastical influence could be eecualy resisted
at it, head quarters than in the Provinces Great
ouposition was offered to this design it was
known was again repeatedly ordered to quit the State
and nothing but tissue OF signal provdences ana reSo
Sptures had bee illegally detained at the Custom House
and the intervention of the British Consul could not AZ thar
time procure its transfer TO my hands Having oarneyed
into Vera PaZ to bring up my wife TO the capital was
much troubled on account of Scriptures which
had among household effects fearing they 100. would
be taken away fom declined TO smugge them into
the city advised and preferred 10 cast myself up
on the God of Providence who had already so often
brought me through similar trials. When we neared the
city rode and presented my the Custom House
officer al the gate offering 10 open anything he pleased
and urging that he should send my goods 70 the Gus
tom House there was nothing chargeoble with duty
He acceded to my request. when the Indian bearers
came M he al once pointed 10 containing Scrip
lures With q trembling hand assisted him to force
up the lid in the open road, fearing the worst hneel
ing beside the box he took up New Testament, IN
qniring what il was I told him Is it the same book
"that was seized at the Custom House the other day
he inquired | said il And why was il seized Is
"it bad book p added he. explained to him It's true
character and the why certain interested classes
were anxious 10 keep out of the hands Of the people
lie seemed to understand me- but hesitated what to do
lifted up prayer the OF hearts, and then beg
eed bis acceptance Of the copy he had IN his hand hand
ING another to one Of his children who stood by. The
GOOD man then muteed something about the Priests who
win neither teach the people themselves nor suffer any one
else do and taking upon himself the responsibility
OF the act ne permitted me to take in all my effects tn
out further examination Half hour aerward he re-
eeytd order to send any goods oil mine 10 the custom
house to be searched One Indian had Jagged behind
with his load and il duly scrutinizedi IT, however
consisted chiefly Of culinary utensils, which there was lit
tie difficulty in passing through Their hands. Inc lae.
now ordered by the civil authorities to give or se no more
copies of the sacred Scriptures Feeling bound to obey
magi-Iate was greyed at the thought oil refusing e
frequent applications that received till occurred 10 me
that though I must neither sell nor gre was still at
liberty to lend appropriated number OF copies and
thus met the demand II is notable that did not need
10 resort to this plan very long before decree passed
taking the power to prohibit books out OF the hands
OF The clergy and making regular civil process neces
sary In every case which set at liberty After
this having established my legelrgh Iregulary received
boxes OF bibles but then they secretly passed
through the custom house, and went at night to the
house of friend and transferred few cope. % my
natives carry swords and raper without which they dare
not venture forth after dark. always used the bible
openly in my school which after been repeatedly closed
BY the Municipality in process Of time also success.
fully established and my legal night te conduct ~ vndi
Gated before the highest tribunal in the land But the
long and sharp and at one time was only the
sudden ouiburst of Pronunciamento revolution that
rescued from imminent peril of personal violence and
sudden expulsion from the State The liberal minded
natives supported me throughout for the sake OF the IN
strrctiou OF their children By Of my scholars the
Bible was introduced into their homes and in one case
even into convent Of nuns who greatly interested
in its yerusa My pupils OF all kinds were at last ABOVE
100 in number including some 90 adults | read the
Scriptures occasionally in the cottages OF the poor ana IN
the haunts of the most abandoned who ever listened %
the word with serious demeanOr and invariably thanked
me for what they pleased 10 term my cOndesce
In private in my hired house, had also some very
interesting classes Of adult Bible Students Al who had
open intercourse with me were excOmmunicaten ana t
once fearful plague made contagious u tho
seventh remove, with but little effect was all me
while thought 20 be in danger OF Assassination Twas ne
Quenily denounced from the pulpit and the pres ana
though some plots having this object came % my know
ledge, the Lord wonderfully preserved BIS servant am
believe the general fears Of my friends were greatly eh
aqgerafed At length the 3ls OF March, 1876, was
onSe more suddenly ordered quit the State within .
hours the Archbishop having refused 70 return 20 me
Capital while was there. resisted a. before using az
legal M ans have the order repealed. second TINE
arreald 10 the Supreme Court Of Justice and 70 the
siprise Of sl and % my than any, obtained
az the lat moment the award Of VIZ ~
Habeas COrrus which the same court had retusei me
three years before Thus legally protected sought heef
from intending violence IN the house Of friendly toreign
Consul bui being Induced feise precnse % l9aye ne
sanctuary on the following morning was nmedlaieiy
s,rrouIdfd BY soldiers and mlrched 20 the Auanc coe:
where arriving after eight days wa Pped 10 Baze ID
Brfi.i Honduras Here soon shared IN The precautions
Of the Bapt- Church which had prosPered 80 as = eEe
The jealousy e Protestant Episcopal Clergy, By "a" -
tatLshed and remained sik mouths ia prson, |iere
occasionally read the Spanish Scripture an tf.es y
me OF nv criminal companions tw yefn lnin aef
mr. arrival there Mr. Hendcrson ard lst the settlement