The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1871-07-05
AppREss OF REV. EDWARD LAVE.

spiritual COuuiIIOH VI DA1Aii, Az hi"y w "Si
to say few words respecting the country
itself The empire of Brazil contains more
than two-thirds of South America, and hai
a sea coast line, including its bays and inlets
of more than 5000 miles. Its forests ant
rivers are of the first magnitude, and it
resources of unusual variety and richness
The climate, especially in the Southern part
is very genial. The country along tht
sea coast being favored by the trade-wind'
of the South Atlantic, is not so warm as tht
same latitude in other countries, while ii
the interior, owing to its elevation, the
atmosphere is pure and bracing. The sol
is exceeding rich, and the productions variet
and important. The knowledge of these
facts is important to the Church and to the
missionary, inasmuch as they warrant the
belief that the future of this country will bt
more important than its past has been, ano
that God in His mysterious providence may
design it to be the abode of great -popula
ton, perhaps in the same way that He has
made this land the home of the millions oi
over crowded Europe. The present popula
ton of Brazil is estimated to be from seven
to eleven millions, including two or three
hundred thousand foreigners.
As far as my observation has extended
| Brazilian society may be divided into three
grades. The first consists of the mobiles, the
heavy land owners, and the professional men
These are in the minority, but they are the
governing class. They are generally well
educated, liberal in their opinions, but in.
different respecting religion, and especially
the spiritual doctrines of the gospel. The
second class consists of the small property
holders and the storekeepers, the latter being
very numerous. Education is at low ebb
in this order, yet some possess the rudiments,
and it is among these that the gospel thus
far has made most headway The third
class consists of the slaves and the Camarade
population. The slaves number from twelve
to fourteen hundred thousand. The CANA
rade population is mixed element, and sup
posed to be descended from the Indians and
the Portuguese. | may remark in passing,
that the Brazilian people are attached to
their country, upright in their intercourse,
hospitable to strangers, easy to approach on
the subject of religion, but lacking in indus
try and mechanical skill. The government
of the Empire is a constitutional monarchy,
the authority of the Empire being limited
by written constitution, and a Senate and
House of Deputies. Each province has in
addition its provincial regulations for in
ternal and domestic affairs.
But it is with the religion of the country
that we tonight have most to do. AS you
are aware this is united with the State, and
from its grossness may be properly termed
the Romanism of the Dark Ages. The rea-
son of this will be more manifest by recur-
ring to few facts in the early history Of
the country. About the time that Germany
and England were receiving the Gospel from
the Reformers and their followers, there was
transplanted to Brazil by the Portuguese
and Jesuit missionaries who entered the
country between 1900 and 1916, all the err
rors and abuses against which the nations Of
Northern Europe had protested; and it be-
ing the policy of Portugal, while Brazil was
a colony of that power, to prevent inter-
course with the other nations, the religion
thus transplanted was allowed to take root
and develope itself unopposed for more than
three hundred years. The sad fruits it has
yielded are to be seen on every hand. Lam
guage would fail to convey to you, my breth-
ren, even o faint idea of the horrible condi-
ton of things in that country. Suffice it to
say that the religion which claims to be the
religion of Jesus, is taught by the rude cross
by the roadside, while the doctrines of the
Cross are wholly unknown. 1t is taught by
pictures suspended on poles near the houses,
to which the inmates are taught to look for
protection-pictures of saints looked to for
salvation. 1t is taught by lewd shows which
are subversive of all sound morality. But
the Word of God-and l would have this
idea, my Christian friends, remain in your
minds-the Word of God is absolutely un-
known in Brazil, except where it has been
introduced by missionaries, tits never read
or explained to the people. We have no
Sabbath in that land In addition, the reli-
gious guides of the people are the greatest
sinners of the land, and have lost the re-
spect of their own people. How then can a
people who have not the Word of God, who
never hear it preached, who have no Sabbath,
attain to the knowledge of salvation? Man
ifestly, it is impossible. 1t is therefore with
reason we say that the people of this fair
land "sit in the region and the shadow of
death" But a change it is believed is now
going on. Romanism is gradually losing its
influence over the people, and ere long will
have to contend for its existence.
There are several causes operating to bring
about this result. First, foreigners are in
habiting the country in large numbers, with
railroads, factories, mining operations and
things of this sort. In sympathy these peo-
pie are Protestant. The effect is to break
down the barriers and open the way for the
heralds of the Cross. Then, the Copstitu-
ton of Brazil guarantees to non Catholics
the right to worship God according to their
accustomed modes of belief. There are two
or three parties in the empire, the Conserva-
tive, and the Liberal-the word "Conserva.
tive" meaning very different thing from
what it means with us. The Conservative
party are mainly allied with the Church
the Liberal party and press demand absolute
religious freedom, not only for foreigners
but for the natives, and they look forward to
the overthrow of the State Church
1t may be well here to notice the policy
of the government toward the Church. II
is very significant. By law the government
has suppressed all the converts in the en-
pire. Think of it, Christian mothers, when
you are tempted to send your daughters tc
converts in this land. Did you live in Bra,