New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-10-11
PROTESTANT MISSIONS IN SPAIN.

PROTESTANT MISSIONS IN SPAIN.
by THE REV. ANTONIO CARIAsCO OF MADRID.
The following abstract presents the main
features Of the very long paper OF the Rev. Mr. Carrasco
Of Madrid upon Protestant Missions 10 Spain;
In the midst OF the great conyul-ons frequent changes
and great disasters which have occurred spain during
thc last years, religious liberty acquired by the
revolution Of September 1863 been preserved intact
Tie change from the days OF intolerance. when men
we're Imprisoned for nine years for simply reading the
Scriptures without notes OF the Church great
brief review OF the siate OF the Spanish people viii
Judging whether tue work 81 eVangeIZatlon
among tnen Is Done IN a discerning way.
l. Tue Spsuiaris are peculiar people, marked by
acfense of .gunta against Hannibal the siege OF No
uanc.a the recovery SPAN from ,be Moore the des-
have proved their patriotism. Ia other resp cts there
difference between the inhabitants oi me dinef
the volatile Andalu ian, between the rough, adventurous
CalOnian aud The bOme-lOyng VIlencian the submis-
Arrdg0nian. The religion Spain has deeply influenced
its customs, laws literature and arts. and next 10 his
heart the Spaniard Tue sinister luQulitIon, the
bitter fruit OF tho religious INTOLERANCE, which
elects OF absolute monarchy and church
domination when pnndefed tue iand, nave
Charles v. and Philip H. and ground In the dust tho
wretched remnant The wonder Is that spain exists at
all after having endured for three centuries the system
OF Philip the Catholic seconded by the religious ideas
ofTOrquemada The religious state of the country
dscOurdging. The inhabitants are Roman Catholics
only in name, and while Rome relgns 10 an Official sense
ami In public life, iufdey eats out toe faith OF tho
Lord. The revolution has revealed this vacuum IN
Spanish hearts. Few Liberals and hardly any RepuOh
cans in certain provinces will hearAen a word Of re-
lgOD. Religion means 10 them, irom their experience
OF Catholicism, oppression OF thought and conscience
The 1.-THE Carlsts 10 include the fcryd follow
OF ROmanism their shooting OF prisoners their dash
ing out OF chdrens brains at the taking OF Berga, their
rosares, and the crimes their famous leader the
Cure Of Santa Cruz. have shaken the hold OF Catholicism
The moral state OF Spain is deplorable Its relg
ious condition Public opinion Is too nGugent to curO
one. The greatest crimes ana YuesJ acton 10 on
without scandllzng any one Enlightened men OF IRE
proachable lives aud pure morals suen as DE Castro,
Garcia BAnco, Fernando Gonzales QleFeuo ahd oteis
nave little following and less Imitation The peoples
lterature-the novel and the newspapers par IN
Spain WIN the hOIa STATE. INC suoJeSlo Vi tue 10
maGces, which have the largest circulation, are gener
ally the passions presented IN their most attract
I've FORM Many OF them have bandits as Their heroes
Most Of the newspapers ignore principles are reluctant
to tell the people the real TRUTH ana ned with at
lacks on persons, lbelous nsinuaons, direct accusa
lions. and downright falsehoOds.
The skepucsm OF spain must be attributed TO the g-
norance OF the pure Gospel ana the corruption IL due
to those who have taught the people to consider sin az
defects OF the Spaniards somewhat counterDa-
auccd by their natural Kindness intelligence, keen intu
itiyeness, sobrlety, bravery, and generosity
H. Tie progress made in the work Of evaneezing
Spain next TO be considered. Before the Revolution
OF '65 missionary work was necessarily for the most
part surrcpttOus and pTecarious Tracts and Tesla
ents distributed BY pious travellers ana secretly
William Green In Madrid, Valencia and the Baeario
Isles were fruitful. Tie candestine reprints OF the
q nd his original works were powerful for good
Christian Committee OF Edinburgh next tool the mat
ter In hand and selected Spaniards, among them Don
Jose Yasquez Don jose Gonzales Don Pablo sanchez,
and others, and Don Manuel MatamorOs was employed
by the Paris Committee Congregations were organized,
Evangelical publications circulated aud worship secretly
held Ia 1861 persecution Tie missionaries Sero
thrown in prison. and their work wenigh lost. When
the Revolution took place many eyangests fastened 70
SPAN from various countries Toe harvest was great.
There wellngh universal curiosity as 10 Protest
ant worship among the people, and the services lnsii'
Thousands Of BIOles Sold and the demand foI
tracts was greater than the supply. But there
were not funus enough 70 open chapel IN every city,
as should have been done, aud some JACK OF unity
appeared among the workers Many OF them siroye u
push themselves forward In tne nrst rank anu WOnd
not siuk their particular opnl0ns ana preach Christ
only As consequence OF the Lack OF ts hearty enort
OF all together many oluienes " men cav soou lfonse
closed. The foreign churches ana societies taking
part in the OF spain have been ia error IN
almost universally seLdns represenlauNcs ron tIen
own country instead OF employing sp1niards The Tat
ter can enter fully into the needs " their country
would inspire them with more confidence, ana ~
most cases. could work Advantage Foreign
eyangests prone 10 form imperfect understanding
OF the state OF feeling ana excessive hpeuhess 10 ca
aggerate the Results OF their aDOrs anu too often they
arr over ANXIOUS 70 kCI pOAiu'H Pl'C0 ia w
Tue e'~1gelsal iano.S 9pain ar S''t ma
frlcs 3D. the preaching Ching Of ne Word Tie mission OF
the London Tract Society Is known 90 all IL agent,
colpOrtcurs IN perfect order. Tie aao oil the
Scriptures Is satisfactory, aud L'fgc remttanees OF
aud south America. The rel giOus ira work IS nnder
the OF committee whose agent Is Lsign Arm
-
cooperative work in Spain viii be made between the
American tract Society aud tnat OF London Ihe pun
icatOns of tie American Society m well adapted 10
the character necessities OF tuc spanish people.
Great gratitude due the London Tract society aud
tue London Bible Society Tor tIer generous saeihees
and Tor tie hUeraity OF their provision oil feadihS
matter.
In the period Immediately after the Revolution every
place OF Protestant worship WAS crow led VITA lnqusI
tive visitors. Oa OF these formed the churches
The cations constituted under defined eecr-
sstCal iOrn, Presbyterian where those 81 Anda-
lusil, sustained by committee ln illnburGh. Inc
Church Of La MADEIRA Baa Of Madrid was constituted IN
september, 1870 followed by that OF Ii Plaza del SIMON
ia Madrid, with that o. Saragoss and that Ot CduinOs
These Two groups most Important IA the Peninsula,
united in the Assembly OF seville In 1871 A confession
OF faith was and approved IA the Assembly or
Madrid In 1914 Tue name adopted FOR tus cOniedera
ton of churches Tue spanish Crstan Clurch' In
the June Assembly OF 1873 lOur Presbyteces we're ap
pointed. The church IL governed Dy assemblies, Hbch
meet Annually, from these appointed tne pct
Inaneut committees watch direct the sltu mater. VI
each church during the year.
The Rev. Mr.. Dodge next read q paper pre-
pared by the Rev. H. II. Jessup, ID. D.. Brut syria.
" Protestant Missions among the Oriental Churches"
Ii is as follows: