Smyrna times., 1892-11-02
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III tSica, Is -LCsCI-JCG 0y IL i. G0rJ0n.
Rev. VIM. Is. Gordon, pastor of ST.
Peters Church, this town, for a num-
Der of years, and leaving here 81 years
ago to superintend the mission that
had come under his church in Mexico,
to which work he had been selected
by Bishop Williams, delivered an in
teresting account of his experiences in
that country, in St. Peters Chapel,
Monday evening. $500 miles in
sOuthwesterly direction, he said, brings
us to an El Paso, on the Rio Grande,
with electric cars, electric light, and
that push and activity which the peo-
pie down there designate by the ex-
pressiVe phrase, git up and git" By
simply crossing the river to the Mexi-
can side, you are brought in contact
with state of civilization that carries
you back 300 years.
You see a big stone house with a
higL steeple, and fine dwelling ad-
joining-the cathedral and the house
of the priest-the rest, adobe houses.
Here is revealed the secret of their
condition. They haven't the ambi-
tlOns, aspirations nor idea of individ
ual liberty and success that character
ICES the freedom, civil and religious,
that comes from the protection under
the Stars and Stripes. For generations
1t has been, so that if they made
money, it went into the hands of the
priest or the Government, and so
they have been kept down. Thus they
have learned to expend but little
energy, and hence, after the middle of
the day, the people are mostly abed,
taking their siesta, and in most cases,
for the time the stores and shops are
shut up. The Mexicans who have
gone over to the Texas side, and got
ten away from their old associations
and surroundings, are developing the
characteristic push of the Yankees.
This state of things has existed so
long in that country, that it will be
difficult for them to arouse to new,
broader and more independent life
Next to their frequent revolutions, he
thinks the chief agency in bringing
them to their poor, listless, depressed
state of life, to be their religion. The
priests prefer to keep them in ignor.
ance because they can better practice
on their credulty. Their religion is
idOlatry in its fullest form, for they
worship images Just in the same man
ner of other idol wOrshippers, who
have no semblance of the Christian
faith, and in the times of freshets or
other calamities, the priests bring out
the image in the same method of the
Fetch worshippers of Africa. Souls
are prayed out of purgatory at so
much a bead, according to the means
of the bereaYed person, and an instance
was given where contract was made
to get out whole batch at once for
$500.
The PrOtestants, who observe the
worship of Christ, rather than his
image and that of his saints. carry in
conjunction with every mission the
schOOl-hOuse, to foster education.
cleanliness of habits and individual
freedom. These are growing and ex-
tending to most every important place.
The Liberal Government, that has
succeeded in getting in power over
the Clerlcals, protects them in their
efforts to elevate the people. Diaz.
the President, who is a strong man in
both military and civil matters. he
thinks one of the greatest statesmen
llNihb' IL duulllUu 10 DrOaQ lQtelIl-
gence, he is thoroughly imbued with
patriotism, his whole object being to
improve, strengthen and advance his
country. He has no interest in Prot
eslantism as such, for this is not his
faith, but he sees wherever thew are.
there is development, and hence. he
protects them from the mobs that have
been from time to time, excited bv
priest craft to drive them out.
Under the Liberal and progressive
government of Diaz, Mr.. Gordon sees
great future for Mexico. In the last
decade, the advance has been most
marked. The people have the capac-
ity where they have the protection
and incentive, and there is nothing to
prevent Mexico, when relieved of the
incubus that has bound it down. to
rise to high place, for it has natural
facilities equalled by few countries.
Five and half years ago, when he
went to Mexico, there were only 1900
miles of railroad in the whole nation.
now there are $500 miles-three lines
entering the country from the United
States, three from the Capital to the
Gulf, and others in the direction of the
Pacific Ocean.