Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1892-11-09
BISHOP WILSON.
His Visit TO Brazil to Held the Annual
Conference.


Conference.
THE MISSION WORK IS FLoUR1SHING.
Bishop Alpheus w. Wilson, OF the
Southern Methodist Church, says theI
Baltimore Sun, has returned to his
home, 1919 Bolton street, Baltimore,
Md, after an absence of four months in
Brazil. Bishop Wilson went to Brazil
early in July last to hold the Brazilian
Annual Conference, which met August
18th in Juiz de Fora-a name which
means judge of the outside-and to IN
spect the Southern Methodist mission
stations in the new republic.
He travelled all through the southern,
central and eastern parts of Brazil. and
found that the missions are in good
condition, the missionaries are doing
steady work, and there is noticeable
Improvement all along the line. The
church's missionary force consists OF
about fourteen men, and ten are in the
field now, the others being temporarily
absent. The Bishop says Brazil is
magnificent country for missionary
effort. The greatest need of the church
in that country is more men for the
ever-increasing work.
The principal stations of the South
ern Methodist Church are at Rio, Juiz
de Fora, Sac Paulo, Pira Cicaba and
CAPT Vari These places are in the
States of Rio, Sac Paulo and Minas
| Garaes, all of which border ON the sea
and are in the central and eastern
parts of the republic. From these
points as centres the mission work
radiates SO as to cover a large territory.
The stations have a membership OF
over 900, and the number of people
reached is very much greater. The
work was established in Brazil in 1877,
but for long time was in languid
condition, only one or two men being
at work there. In the last six or eight
years, however, greater interest in
the Brazilian mission has been
awakened.
| Bishop Wilson says the possibilities
for development in Brazil are wonder
full. The resources of the country are
great, and if an active, aggressive
policy should be carried out the com
try would, he thought, get out of debt
in five years and would rapidly become
rich. The resources of the country
have hardly been touched. 1t is rich
in mining properties, has the capacity
to produce enormous quantities of cof-
fee. and, large as it's production of that
berry now is, it is hardly anything in
comparison to what could be produced.
Other interests could be developed to
great profit. 1t could, he thinks, be
made one of the richest countries on
The globe. One of the country's great
needs, he said, perhaps its greatest
need at this time, is labor. While he
was there the question of Chinese labor
was being discussed, and q bill was
passed by the Brazilian Congress tC
provide for the admission of Chinese
| luLO tiic COuntl y. uGii ~ VI liiO PCOlhe
: prefer European immigration, but
realize that they cannot get it in suffi-
! cient quantities to help to any great
, degree, and that all the desirable
European immigration is coming tC
, the United States. The Chinese who
are expected to go to Brazil will be em
ployed on the cotton plantations. The
population of the country is heterogen
Gus, there being a great MANY Germans
and Italians and a good number OF
) Americans. The German element in
the population is a good one. The
English population is not great, but
; the English are strong financially and
have considerable influence in the com
mercial, mining and railroad interests
; of the country.
, The Bishop sailed from Rio on the
steamer Finance, of the Brazilian and
United States Mail Steamship Com
, pany, September 0, and arrived in
Brooklyn on Wednesday night. He
was delayed by a railroad wreck on his
| way from New York to Baltimore, and
did not reach home until Thursday
night He will remain at home for two
or three weeks, when he will go to
Arkansas to preside at a conference
. meeting.