The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-05-09
MISSI0NsW0RK IN CHILE.
A Talk by Rev. DR.. Allls, Of tho
Foreign Missions.
THE UPPER AND LOWER CLASSES,
And tho Difference between Them.
How the Missionaries Work and tho
Schools they hnvo EstaDilshcd..-op.
position from tho Catholic Church
they Have to Contend with...Im.
morality Among tho Chilean
Youth.

nv tHc ECCoHu iUous tctlaii SiuiGh
yesterday morning and at tho First Pres
byterian church in tho evening, Rev.
DR.. ]. NJ. Allis, ono Of the missionaries
kept in Chile blythe. Presbyterian beard
OF foreign missions, gayo talk on his
field Of mission, Chile.
IIc first said that ho had been glad to
meet, during the two years he lad been
absent from Chile, SO many pooplc who
wero interested in missionary work.
Ho was particularly grateful for tho
cordial reception ho had met with in
Wheeling. IIc wished to emphasize tho
thought, that in what no and his CO.
laborers were doing in Chile they repre-.
scented tho Presbyterian church, and
that the members OF that church, as tho
watchmcn, had right to know OF tho
traveller, what signs OF return for tho
work done there existed in foreign lands.
He would explain everything, ho said,
80 they would havea correct conception
Of the work, its progress and its needs.
/ "Chile," he said. "is considered only
small country and its missions only a
small part Of tho foreign missions do.
partment. But VIC must remember
that tho work in Chile Is small part OF
the tremendous work to be done among
the lberian peoples, that is, tho inhabi.
!. tants Of Spain and Portugal and OF the
countries whose inhabitants speak the
languages Of the lbcrian peninsula.
These comprise sixty millions Of people.
"By the developments OF Providence
We have come into close relationship
with these people, and when we mako
our plans in reference to one particular
mission, whose work is to be done
among them, wo must make them In
reference to the whole. II only bust
ness mon OF the United States under
stood, they would know that the best
business Investments arc investments
made along the lines OF Christian effort.
Business men sometimes say they don't
want the business OF the South Ameri-
can republic; that they don't know
whether the people will pay their bills,
and that they have very strong doubts
that they will. To bring about Il
better feeling We must have mutual
confidence, in governmental and bust
ness relations.
This little republic is destined to
play large part in the future. In
looking at its people we may observe
them from two points OF view and
divide them into two groups. One of
the groups is the upper class, descended
from the old Spanish Dons, OF those
who came over with Pizarro and OF
those OF the same class, who have come
over since. These arc the people OF
whom prominent clergyman Of the
church OF Rome said, that it was owing
to their lmpiety, their want OF religion,
that the present state Of affairs existed.
The condition OF affairs is, however, not
the fault Of the people, but in the train
ing they have received Tor tho last three
hundred years.
"All the lawyers, phi yscians, bankers,
members OF Congress and men holding
high governmental positions come
from these upper classes. Tho lower
classes seem to have been the servants
formerly of the lower classes, and con-
sttute that portion OF the population
that does the work. Thus We have on
one side the proud, wealthy upper
class, and the uncared for, despised
lower class. But besides these there is
growing artisan class. recruited from
the lower, class and from those OF tho
upper who have lost their fortunes and
are compelled to earn the means OF
livelihood.
Looking at the people in another
direction, We find TWO groups, one de-
voted to tho Roman Catholic church,
tho other one which has broken with
the church. Those OF the higher classes
who havo adhered to the church are
women. There are moro OF the higher
class who have broken with the church
than there are OF the lower, because the
lower classes arc more superstitious.
When men, trained as are those OF the
upper classes, leave the church OF their
fathers, they lapse into in6delity or
downright indifference. They think
other forms OF religion arc only other
forms OF the same old useless faith they
have been brought up under. Talk to
them OF the restraints OF the gospel, and
they will not listen to you. Under tho
Roman Catholic church they had but
little restraint, and separated from it
they have none. OF tho higher re-.
straint which we wish to teach them,
they want none"
DR.. Allis spoke very strongly OF the
moral-corrupting literature that is sold
in Chile, and lamenscd the TACT that in
Santiago some time ago newspaper
published q translation OF Ingersolps
Mistakes oil Moses" The plan OF the
missionaries is not to attack the Cath
olic church. They might get a good
many people out to hear them if they
did, but would do little good. Hc had
but lately read couple OF circulars,
issued by the priests, condemning tho
books and pamphlets OF the mission
aries, and calling on the people not to
buy them nor to read them. The meet
ings are held in theatres, vacant houses,
warerooms, or in tho billiard rooms of
hotels. The singing and the preaching
is understood by tho people, but the
prayers are not comprchended so we'll,
the people having been taught to recite
prayers, but not 10 pray. They seek to
spread a healthy literature among the
people, and DR.. Allis said no wondered
that no enterprisins American pub
Usher had thought Of having the Eng.
lish and American novelists translated
into Spanish. He Thought good bust
ness could be donc in such literature,
and instanced Gillian woman, who
had gone into bookstore in Santiago
and asked for something besides the
Spanish and French stuff sho had got
so tired Of.
In Santiago the missionaries have a
college, the only high grade Christian
school in Spanish South America. Tho
tuition is not free, and the school