Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1882-08-24
NOnr Next Door Neighhnr. -


Eaton gives in the Advance the follow
ing interesting description of a north
ern corner of the Land of the Monte
zumas."
This is the title of chatty and rather
entertaining volume of travel by the
late Bishop Gilbert Haven, describing
his trip through Mexico. But the book
is disappointing to one who expects to
lind in its pages any clear account of
what has been accomplished by Protest
ant missions in that country, or even
any study of the character and capaci-
ties of its inhabitants, which might en-
able the reader to forecast for himself
the probable results of faithful Christian
labor among them.
The title, however, of this work, by a
citizen of the United States, is very
happily chosen, not only in the view of
the traveller, the railway builder, the
merchant and the statesman, but also,
and especially, from the standpoint of
our evangelical Christianity Its per-
tinence and force are at once apparent to
any one who, in the spirit of willing
disciple, considers the changed condi-
ton of affairs to the southwark.
1t is not very long since we discovered
the New West" with its rich resources,
yet we have learned to set high value
upon that part of our domain. 1t al
ready contains many thriving towns and
cities; population is pouring in, and
various educational and evangelical
agencies are there successfully at work.
1t was our rapidly-extending railway
| system that introduced to our knowl-
edge and occupancy this northern half
of the old empire of New Spain, which
was embraced within our territorial
limits, but not before explored nor its
value appreciated The same active
and powerful agency is still at work,
proposing to match, if not surpass, its
former achievements by covering the
old empire south of the Rio Grande
with network OF railways. The en-
terprise is the more certain of accom-
plishment, in that it receives large pc
cuniary assistance from the Mexican
Government which is no longer imperial
or monarchical in form, but republican.
closely patterned after our own land,
and seeking, by the adoption of liber-
al policy, to secure a material prosperity
like ours. Our keen-sighted manufac-
turers and dealers in mining and rail-
way stocks discern the signs of the
times, and are preparing themselves
for the advance all along this southern
| line.
But does the Christian republic rea-
lie that the parties of track-layers are
already far across the border, aiming
for the city of Mexico by the two great
lines of the Mexican Central and the
Mexican National, and that the former
is running its locomotives nearly two
hundred miles from Ell Paso del Norte,
the latest bulletin from the point being.
Five miles of track laid in the last
four daysr' Are the churches of our
faith awaking to see their opportunity
and their obligation?
Take this one State of chihuahua, al
ready opened, and soon to be compile
tely traversed by the Mexican Central.
1t has population of 100000, rather
more than one-tenth of which is in It's
capital city of the same name. In physi-
cal features and resources, in mines and
agriculture and grazing lands, it resem-
bles Colorado and New Mexico. Its
climate is milder IN winter and not less
healthful than that which they possess.
Before the railroad turned things around
this city was far out on the frontier
from the city of Mexico, with "burro-
backs" its only means of transportation
for more than thousand miles. Yet
it is well-built, with stone sidewalks and
paved streets, supplied with the best of
water from the mountain stream tapped
miles away, lighted recently with gaso-
line lamps, and beautiful with parks
and shaded avenues.
The people are of mixed Spanish and
Indian blood, in all shades of color.
Some of the darkest have very intelli-
gent faces which seem to show a more
stable character than many faces of
fairer hue indicate. 1t must be remem-
bered that Juarez, ''the best President
Mexico ever had" was an almost pure
| blooded Indian. All, even the humblest
| laborers, are very courteous in manner,
and seem to be kind in disposition
Certainly the best of order usually pre-
walls. Whatever may be true in the
charges of Incidence and improvidence
brought against the masses of the
people, their actions do not indicate
native languor of body, for they move
with the quick, nervous step that char
acterizes our countrymen.
The city has started a public library,
and has gathered two thousand children
into its free schools, besides those under
private instruction, and some thirty
young men studying in the United States
, Its shOp-keepers are beginning to learn
English, and are shortening their mid
day "siesta' under this new pressure
from the outside. People from the
United States are ilocking hither, not
only to try their fortune in the mines
and to speculate in city lots, but to open
shops and start manufacturing. Mexico
imposes heavy duties on manufactured
| goods, but admits machinery almost
without charge. She also admits books
and periodicals duty free Within
few weeks the government has removed
the export duty on silver which was
serious burden on mining industry.
| Yet, until the writer came here in
April, under the auspices of the Ameri-
can Board, there was not q single Pro-
tcstant missionary in all this State, no
one even to conduct religious service
in English for the American residents.
If it were not foreign soil the Home
Mission Boards of the United States
would before this have sent men in here
and the foreign societies, which have
had most encouraging success hitherto
in the larger cities of the Republic ap-
preached by way of Vera Cruz, and pre-
pared to occupy this newly opened re-
gion. But the Presbyterian Board cour-
| teously agrees to leave this particular
field TO the care of our Congregational
churches. That society has had its
men in Mexico scarcely ten wears. vet
| 1t reports over five thousand church
members, or more than one-third of the
number enrolled in all its fields together.
The Methodist Episcopal church has
had scarcely less wonderful success.
The Episcopalians show large results
The lands of the Roman Catholic church
in Mexico have been contscated, the
JeSultS and nuns baniShed, the priests
! forbidden to wear their robes on the
| streets, marriage has been made a civil
contract, and a system of public instruc-
| ton introduced. The lower orders of
\ the people still crowd the old churches
and cling to their gross superstitions.
/ but the more enlightened classes do not
attend service, and seem to have no re-
/ ligiOn. The sad facts show that all need
gospel which shall have power to re-
new the life; something more than an
/ education that shall inform the mind
and make secure good government
4 ~ l.,