Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1888-02-22
Professionalism in Mexico.


From the Independent.
The General Conference of Protest
ant missionaries in Mexico, held in the
Capital of that Republic, last week,
ought to call general attention both to
the field and the work, on our South
ern border.
AS field, Mexico is of peculiar in
terest to US, and the necessity is upon
us of occupying it. Mexico is our
Next Door Neighbor," and is as un-
like our other neighbor on our North
ern border as Spain is unlike England.
We have Roman Catholicism in Canada
millions strong in both countries
but the Catholicism of Mexico is of
widely different type. 1t is of the
same type as that which prevails gen.
orally in the rest of the American Con-
tinent south of the Mexican Republic
"a low type, having its strength, not
in the purity of Christian life and doc
trine, but in the gross superstitiOns it
fosters, and in it's conformity to the
characteristics of the people. There is
no harder field on earth than among
the South American Catholics. The
missionary can easily secure a more
unprecedented hearing among the can
nibals of New Britain or New Guinea
for the pure Gospel than among the
South American Catholics. If Mexico
is at present a more hopeful field than
Columbia, or Brazil, or Chill, it is be-
cause the influence of the civilization
of our own country has affected in
large measure its ignorant, lndolent
half-Spanish masses. The results Of
this influence are conspicuous in the
growth, under the Republic, of the
element of order and stability. A rev.
olution in Mexico is not now a monthly
occurrence. Government does not yet
represent in the land of the Aztecs
what it represents in the United States
but it has a grip which promises and
procures advance in self-contrOl. An
awakening national life is seen in the
slow infusion of energy into the chan
nels Of commerce, and in the develop
ment of the natural resources of the
country.
Professionalism has done much in the
last fifteen years to open the way fol
aspiring Mexicans to a worthier future
The Gospel it breaches is in such mark
ed contrast to the Gospel Catholicism
breaches; the life it produces is so diff
ferent from that which Catholicism
produces; its morals are so much bet
ter than the morals of the masses o
Catholics, that it comes as a great ligh
in the midst of darkness. A Jesui
who recently gave the results of hi
observations in Mexico, during a tOu
of the country, grew quite merry il
describing the small results of Protes
tantism. He compared it with a he
whose Office is to awaken the stupi
and sleepy. This Office is assured,
not an unimportant Office in a lam
like Mexico. The people need to b
reused, and if the flea can sting ther
into an honorable activity it is at leas
as valuable as the more respectful
chanticleer. That Professionalism
arOusing the people this Jesuit write
unwittingly shows in describing tn
, new vigor with which Catholicism is a
, ways improved where Professionalism
| introduced.
What is needed now is a considerab
/ increase in the force of Protestant mi
siOnaries in Mexico. The results thu
/, far are anything but discouraginl
4 With only about a hundred Ordaine
missionaries upward of $50 congreg
? tons have been organized, with 18,0C
!. church-members and $4,000 adherent
: We hope the Conference in Mexico Gil
t will stimulate our churches to larg
e efforts. The field is at our door, al
{. it will we'll repay vigorous cultivatiO