New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-03
GLIMPSES OF BRAZIL.
PRoTESTANTIsM AND EDUCATION.
MEAGRE RESULTS OF MISSION woRK-PREsBY-
TERRAIN ENERGY - MEDIAEvAL CONDl-
r1oNs-wHAr EDUCATIONAL SUI
FRAGE WILL d.
fyRox ST AFT CORRESPONDENT OF hErRIBUNr'I
FRAGB WILL d.

Brazil that it is hardly to be considered In the
field. Out Of population OF l4,Ooo,ooo thcTe
may be $4,000 Protestants-only meagrc hand
full to show for fifty years Of mission work Inc
results are however much larger than the statistics
Indicate the most important work conducted
in the interest of Professionalism being the dis
Sribution of Portuguese Bibles among population
that cannot read the fragments of the Latin text
TO be found in the Catholic mass books. The
British and the American Bible Societies entered
upon this field of labor fifty years ago. TWO
translations have been used he Almeida version
nv the American Society. and the vugate by the
English Society. The latter translation is the
better first, because it reproduces the Roman
Catholic Bible and therefore exctes less prejudice
here: and secondly, because the Portuguese text
is more modern and smoother. The A'melHa
version is not good Portuguese, and Protestant
missionaries take exception TO many OF It's aWk-
ward phrases For example. the word repent
in Acts III is rendered by fazei penitenclo' or
make penance, thereby justiiying the Roman
Catholic doctrine Of penancc. which PROFESSIONALISM
seeks to antagonize in Brazil. The necessity LOT
a revised edition of the Almeida version is most
urgent, and missionaries here. while awaiting
action by the American Society. are using as lar
as possible the English Socetys translation oil
the Vuleate. These two agencies, In the course
of fifty years. have distributed hundreds al tnou-
sands of Bibles printed in the vernacular. NO
obstructiors have been placed in their way py
the municipal or State authorities. These transla-
tons have been sold at the lowest possible rates.
and thousands of copies have been given away
So dense is religious ignorance in this part OF inc
world that hundreds of Brazilians who have re-
ceived these translations have admitted that
while they knew that there was Church. they
had never heard that there was Bible.
The first Protestant church established in Brazil
was the English chapel in Rio. This was ouilt
In 1922, between Antonio and Castle hills, undcr
treaty stpulations providing for its cost by duty
on British imports, and prohibiting the use OF
bells. The structure was designed to bear as
sliqht resemblance TO a churc. possible. and
care was taken to surround il with high fence
and to conceal it from Catholic eyes. This church
is now feebly supported by the English residents
It has never undertaken any serious mission WORK
There are two or three other charcls with English
chaplains in the coast towns. There is German
Evangelical church in Rio. very small and IN
pretentious. which was built the result Of
mission work begun in 1897. There are other
German Protestant churches in localities where
colonies have been established When Germans
are induced to emigrate from Europe by the agents
of Brazilian colonization societies promises are
made that Protestant places of worship Will he
provided if required. These promises are almost
Invariably broken.
PRESBYTERIAN mission work has hrcn carried 90
with great energy in certain portions OF Brazil
The first station established by Dr. Haley IA
Scotch physician, in 1858, and conducted ~ hhh
with zeal and earnestncss until his death II was
known as the 1greia Ev ngelica flumnense, ana
was independent OF UNCONVENTIONAL control. Scr
vices were conducted in Portuguese, and native
congregation was gradually formed -Four years
ago q church was built at cost of S@5,oOO, ana
a native minister breaches there every Sunday 10
a large Portuguese congregation. branch mis-
sion has also been opened at Pernambuco. Al
American Presbyterian missionary, the Rev Mt.
Simonton began work in Rio q year after Dr.
Kalleys arrival and a self-supportins native cor
cregatOn, with Portuguese minis er ana IA SUD
stantal church OF roughly dfesSe granite nov
hear testimony C the success of his WORK. Dr.
Blackford and other missionaries followed: ana
i'll $50 both branches of the Presbyterian Nhlfch
in America were represented here III the WORK OIL
cvangelization Stations have been eSt 'bssa 'd
in the eleven provinces OF Ceara, MaTdnDaO. fcf-
pambuco Sergipe, Bahia, RIO de JdnelrO, MlhaS
Geraes, Parana. San Pauo, Goyaz and Rio Grandc
do Sui. Outdoor preaching has been c9nGnc,rN
in all these provinces, and wherever there has
been sufficient encOur cement offered mission has
been opened In 1887, by permission OF the TWO
American Assemblies, the two WINS Tepfe.en'lns
the Northern and the Southern Churches ana sup
ported by different hi. SOnary agencies formed a
Brazilian Synod of four Presbyterics There were
then thirty-two ministers, native ana American
with ten candidates Tor orders. There were SiAtN-
three churches with 5000 native commitments
contributing from $4,000 10 $4,000 toward the
support of the work. There were also thirteen
schools including two very succcsSiul INSTITUTIONS
for bows and girls in San Pauo and Caniplnrs.
In all these mission stations and schools Portu,
euese is the only language spoken; ana sevcIa
religious publications issued In the same
tongue, the "Pupito Evangelico" being under
she personal direction Of the Rev. l.. X. Lane.
Moderator of the Synod. Various works have
been translated into Portuguese and published as
tracts including "Cclibao Clerical a work
written by Antonio Diego Feilo, Regent OF tie
Empire during the minority OF Dom Pedro II, ana
subsequently ordered to be burned by the Roman
Catholic authorities. Such titles as LaboulaNes
Future Of Catholic Nations and Scymours
Nights With the Romansts" attest the aggressive
character of Presbyterian mission work In this
stronghold of Catholicism: To the honor OF the
Catholic Church in Brazil be it said that these
1erce controversalists have been allowed absolute
religious liberty in their missionary enterprises.
Their services have not been interrupted. Their
schools have not been closed. Their presses have
not beef stopped even when prntlng tTaG psu do
Catholic clergy and the corruption and fallibility
of the Church.
1885, only TO suspend operations seven years after
ward. In 1872 they made new start, and they
now have two churches in Rio, one Of which
cost $53.5 800 and is the finest Protestant structure
in Brazil They also have large girls school
here, and are conducting vigorous evangelical
ton work in the Provinces Of Rio de Janeiro.
Ninas Geraes and San Paulo. There is a Baptist
mission in Rio, with branches AT Bahia and other
ports the work having been recently undertaken.
Two Protestant Episcopal missionaries have been
sent out to renew. the efforts inst made by thai
body thirty years ago 10 plant churches in Roman
Catholic Brazil No hlndrance has been offered 10
the opening of missions by any Of these religious
communions They have been required To make
their churches as much like private houses as
possible and To conceal them from public view
and ordinarily they are not allowed
10 ring Protestant bells on Sunday: but
their work has not been interfcred with, but has
been regarded with cynical contempt Only in
mountain villages have these Presbyterian and
Methodist missionaries ever met with open
sistance from fanatical zcalos, and these expert
enccs have been rare.
No work ever offered less encoura cement than
this for OF rresolute purpose and infirm faith