New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-07-08
MISSION WORK IN MEXICO.
EXPORTS AND SPREAD OF PRoTEsTANTlsA'
RELIGIOUS CONDITION or THE PEoPLE-rHE RILEY
MovrurNT-pRyspY1ERIAN AND METHODIST

EXPORTS AND SPREAD Or PlfOIEciAN iAo'''
RELIGIOUS CONDITION or THE PEoPLE-rHE RILEY
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. AND METHODIST
MISSIONS.
IPRoM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE IhbcNs'i
MEXICO, June 2O.-Nexico is one OF the
newest fields for Protestant MISSIONS but is one Whorc
such efforts were greatly needed; and the WORK now
being done full Of interest and PROMISE the rension
OF the country Ia degraded type of Roman CATHOLICISM
and the mass OF the natives faithful and even ia'
members OF that comm 1nlon, although IL mas "eeH
of its political authority and stripped OF its great
As In many Catholic countries. however the hiore
gent classes are practically without religion save Us ney
retain the ccrcmonials OF the Catholic Chnrch 10 t"o
dignity 10 pageaus and make contracts more ohnhg'
The earliest of the modern movements OF REFORM was
the Riley mission. which was an enort 10 start w "
dependent churc founded correct Interpretation vi
SCRIPTURE with a reformed ritual ana charcn govern
meDt sdapted to the local needs. This movement
,no,gb f. Inns ALWAYS insisted strenuously on Its native
character as distin guishcd from other Protestant
churches. was begun and il controlled by "ie't''
Bishop Riley himself being Chiiian OF h"'o''0""
pareuta.e lie supported ut irst ny Tue A"'''
Foreign Mission Society b { subsequently assistance
from that body was Withdrawn. and the movement WIS
then adopted by the Protestant Episcopal th"ic" VI
America Their exact relations were, however never
definitely settled 1t always being in dispute "he'uer '
Church merely assisted deserving CHRISTIAN "'o
In an other country Bishop Riley claimed OF ""o'
the two lad organic connection ahd '"e hi''''f
Church held right To direct its policy. Uniortuna'eV'
the Bishops OF the Church has been suen rs
now TO require the question of authority to be dehev
settled for SUCH couaints affecting both his epcop"
authority and Li. financial prudence. have beeh MAUI
that the Episcopal Church hats found necessary 10 ~
point "A committee to visit Mexico ana examine '"'o "o
situation.
Tho visitors find tho Church injuriouSly Affected W
hism and disanection. The number OF assemblies nus
decreased and the good fellowship between II ana o'ner
Protestant denominations Il broken. Tie present CON
dton OF things unpleasant. aud probRpiy '"e "''
Will end In ecclesiastical annexaono OF the no'eH
by the Episcopal Church. which VIII then Organize os
lar missions out OF existing material "nich WIN NC :"
sympathy with other missions and have the same Gnu !"
view such step however, will probably arouse the
heated oppson of one element the Riley church, as
lie Bsnop laws stress on the distinctive national char
aeter OF the organization. aud has always f'p'eNo"u
himself aud his movement 10 lie ahtasobis"o 7" "0
foreign Protestant which he has olneu "e ID
the interest OF the sui jugation OF Mexico 10 oioeN III
nuence II not 20 political control
OF these various foreign societies the strongest mission
IL that OF the Presbyterian Church. Tue WORK oil 'ns
mission divided INFO two parts the central point o po
soutseru mission being the city OF Mexico ""e '"e
northern centres around Monterey o,Laca'eesS'"h
LUIS Potosl aud Joez There are seven MISSIONARIES III
ALL cr uding ana lady Teachers there are
fourteen ofe g altogether tn the hrd. IN
na1,tlon Tic e are thirty native ministers aud twenty
Teachers aud colporeurs The total menbersip VI the
sxty congregations 100 Each 81 the two missions
has theological seminary and girls training school,
and IN the CITY Of Mexico the mission has printing
pres. which last year turned out 100000 pages oil
nr,nted mattel the beng done mainly by the iheo-
loeica studentA The station IN the ely OF Mexico Is
directed by the Rev. NJ Green. formerly OF staten Island
The total value church property belonging 10 the
southc.n mission l. -l.s3o
e valuation Of the northern mission cannot he given.
a. the data are hand. 10 the statistics given
,na. the uork IN the of Guerrero. where there
ARE ono scattered congregations but 10 Organization
owus to the ianatica hostility OF the NATIVES to rIo'cs-
,,tt.f and the persecution which ,tll prevails Tue
work however 4. going with courage, and wasony
few days that native preacher eft ID" capital Tor
that aed In spiie aud at the peril Of his hfo
Nor was hs Drawer, Of snoranco for he Ooara IN
| muulated hand tue work. Of moh violence
The Methodist mission Il under the supervision OF
B,.ho, Merrill Of Chcaso Il begun IN 1873 and Is
the latest missionary dea OF thai Church The country
Is cut up into eight circuits ana u IN the care OF eighty
.syon missionaries ali kinds native aud foreign the
local Assistants aud native cacbeFs Inc
latest eport gives total membership OF ~ including
Al OBJ probation. There twenty nso churches aud
hall, belonging To the mission. valued NJ 100000. aud Ia
addition tho Church par.onAgcs schools. aud other
| n,otrrty amounting to s3O523. The leading feature
ef the in-.on present perhaps the printing press
established at capital. which has been very pros
erou. and 4. now ~ the most Important Ia the
,rv doing work which compares fay Dfabiy with that
uf an, iol-,oe. tie busy press O this establish
ueut acre printed la-t year nnr" hu a,"ou~Vo pages
~ tisiu. matter which haze found their way to the
1910 Tract. aud religious Information OF sli kinds
nave been i-.ued, and sn illustrated ~ r,A ptlu'rd
ten has Ia -gcr circulation tbsn any other religious
| -, nnbi.nrd Ia spanish this continent The
,n,..ton CENTRES nj Mexico ana here There II c0Iu.
o.gs h.nse IN cnisters snd ground onoo occupied
by monastery where are church. the pflntihs onoe
AID the ro,ns iur he ioca ms-ion"rss Tue 'o-id"nt
nls.onA DT Buticfa uish"i great l"ni"hoo h"' ohJ
| yell
lie onth.rn Methodist seOPal church has its own
arrs with their wives and nunber OF native helpers
the ~ok 81 mission - What scatter ana has
Inc iva low rather aHrr,u, hnes 81 pocy the north
en- mi.-lon de,iriDg 10 plant '~ vigorous "en,'a,
while tho s"n,h~in church iato,~ ns p.h OF
making beginnngs AT many poh'N WIN 'n- nor" '"A'
ileso ,5sy develop into strong organizations IN ilme
In. American Hoard 81 Foreign Missions have Their
wor1 entirely north. and the statistics Of 1t are not
m. Ia summary statement OF the mission
wora nov earned on IN MeAlc,. except tha' mrg-
sri,ty IN Mcxico. shero Bibles arc d-triD-
utel aud tho ,sisiancr furnished tnc various so'l
cite. y the American Tract rociey aud the enort hht
L. pob,biy soon bc made 10y the bspsts TO orHahlIc
] mission Meato. TIC general oAtoDA u nope.uI
The uork-carfr'ion vi zeal and no longer encounters
,,ucb ,p,o-iflon Ioln either the Government or the
ns-se. Tue Catholic Church u bitterly hostile uul j.
,uble oi,inu through tie ordinary chaunelr oil innu-
| emce Tie missionaries. inde'd are more AFRAID OF
AMI Tho Mribi-is have nDnu-hing Goa iegaton, ~ tu
cafaisl .nd tsr forner IN particular have gathered
congrrs thsre ~hch would De OF iosP"o'Ao'o p'o
| purfnus IN .ny Protestant locality.
IL 1. nnneors-Ary to ada that III M"rlco "a everywhere
IrOtrHtaut missionary " "A ccutlc oI
riviinstiou Apart from the feliglous Nalue ol lhese
,ttn. their usefulness TO .Dcrty cannot 10 oVefest-
To who wishes to inform himself on
Inc nature and of the people he Vsihg the
,i,.r, sbnud ,,e Of all men a friend and panion.
r,uill,r with the speech mannerh hnd habits 81 tue
,.t,n knogiug their wants. bound 10 many oi theIn
v nrs oIa lie. Of mutual Interest geni LEHMAN ny odu-
cstion training and prOe.-on the Chri.tah missionary
a. "a rule the besi friend o traveller VINO 10 more
concerned learn the hrnn- OF strange pooPe '"A" !"
| mt
THE CCURIS.