The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1871-05-24
Letter from Brazil.
Letter from Rev. G. Nash Morton to Roanoke Prosby
terry, through its Committee of Foreign Mis-
sions, Rev. ]. q. Davis.

terry, through its Committee of Foreign Mis-.
sions, Rev. ]. q. Davis.
CAMPINAs, BRAZIL, Jan. 10th, 1871.
My Dear Brothers,: -
1 received, short time ago, your kind letter
containing the resolution of our Presbytery Let
me express to you my sincere thanks for the words
OF sympathy and encouragement which the breth-
rem were pleased to send me. | thank God that
He has put it into their hearts to remember me at
the throne of grace, and hope that they will con-
tinue to besiege that throne, not for me only but
for all my missionary brethren in all parts of the
world. Oh that those who are set as watchmen
upon the walls of Jerusalem would never hold their
peace day nor night. Ye that make mention Of
| the Lord keep not silence; and give him no rest
till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a
praise in the earth"
[ have never regretted the step which have
taken. But on the contrary, rejoice that the
Lord has sent me to this field, which I regard as
the most encouraging one in the world.
Perhaps you would like to hear some particulars
with regard to our work, in order that you may
form your own judgment of the field. Not long
after my return from tile, visited for the first
time the city Of Lamera, (pron, leemara which is
distant from this place between hirtysix and forty
| miles. A colporteur in our employ had gone on
| ahead of me to sell Bibles, and to secure house
in which could preach. He could not get house
in the city, for the people were either afraid or not
inclined to favor us; but he arranged one in the
| suburbs. Nearly every house in Brazil has one
large room called Sala In the sala of this house.
belonging to German, he prepared for preaching.
The coporteur was very active in going from house
to house and inviting the people to come and hear
the gospel. When began to preach, at clock,
| there were very few listeners But in short time
| the room was nearly full, and there were many
people besides in the street. The door and window
opening on the street we're full. Protestant wor
ship was new thing, and, therefore, the people,
who were curious to know something about it,
hesitated to take any part in it, and hung around
the outside. Men continued to come out from the
city until | closed the services. After preaching,
distributed a few tracts. The congregation dis.
persed very quickly. A few persons remained to
| talk with me. After talking for some time, they
said | could get better room in the town, and
promised to assist me IN arranging one. The next
day the proprietors of the theatre gave us Cue key
of that building, and told Us it was at our service.
The Vicar was much disturbed at this sign of the
favorable reception of the gospel, and from that
prevent my preaching. He went to the chief of
police, called the delegado, to get him to stop me
from preaching, unless | could produce license
| from the government. The delegado sent me word,
through the coporteur, to come to his office, but
| took no notice of such an Unofficial message,
especially as [ saw through his trick. He was
treading on doubtful ground, and had need to be
cautious He was not certain whether he had any
right to interfere with me, and therefore, would
not commit himself to an official notification.
The first night preached in the theatre there
were great many people present. 1t was the
largest assembly have yet seen in Brazil. Never
before did feel such strong desire to know the
language of the country. There were before ms so
many eager faces and so many hungry souls The
Lord did not tail me in that hour OF need. He
that fed great multitude with few loaves and
fishes, made my small supply of words amply sufii-
cient to set forth the bread of life. spoke with
more readiness than had ever before been en-
abled to do and the hearers were very attentive.
In the midst of my sermon, however, a drunken
negro came to the door and made kind of defiant
noise. Eight or ten men arose from their seats
and went out. The disturbance was too great to
proceed with the preaching, so l stopped and
waited to see what would become OF the matter.
suspected that the priest had sent the negro to
break up the meeting, and, if possible to raise
mob, and [ have had no reason to alter my belief.
But those who went out, evidently spoke to him
in no ambiguous terms, for neither his stimulus Of
spirits nor his priesty commission was sufficient to
bring from him another sound He went his way,
and the hearers returned to their seats. When
everything became quiet, | went on with the SER
vices without any further interruption. That night
/ distributed great many tracts. The people
were very eager to get them, and seemed to be dis
appointed when | had no more to give.
The next day, as might be expected, the Vicar
was raving. was told that it was in the morning
he warned the people against going to hear me-
He also went down to the Court House and got
several lawyers to examine the law for him, that