The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-04
Quotes an Account of a Previous
Religious. Controversy in
That Land.
FATHER YORKE TO DR.. BOVARD.
The Catholic Champion Repudiates the
Theory That His Faith Is Under
Suspicion.
The following communication has been


you please publish the inclosed article from
the columns OF the St. Louis Presbyterian OF
December 10, 1898? 1t is a complete refuJa-
ton OF Priest Iorke's assertion OF religious lib
erty in Brazil. The very essence OF RomaniSm
Is intolerant bigotry and feudiSh persecution.
Rome has never granted the right for other re-
ligionS to stand on par with her. A mission
airy from Brazil informed me that be was once
assaulted by a mob OF Romanists because he
did not take off his hat and kneel down when
the priest went past with his wafer-god. II it
had not been for q company of soldiers he
would have been murdered. Below I submit
the article that reveals the love OF RomanlstS
in Brazil for religious liberty;
The following letter WAS received December II
al The occ OF the secretary OF foreign missions
the southern Presbyterian church. 1t was written
from GarannunS. Estado de Pernambuco, Brazil
by Miss Eliza ". Reed, missionary of the
southern Presbyterian Church, and is dated No
yemb T 3. 1895
know where go begin. think il about the
18th of October that Dr. Butler and Mr.. Potter met
IN Recife o. call meeting OF preSbytery. Doctor
hurried nome. saying ne 1eit some uneaslneSS
abou, his family and the ChriSia he had left
here i'm Garanhuns, because company OF friars Of
Penha were expected there about that time
"These iriars are on holy mission: they go
from place 10 place building up weak churches,
hold nE continued :, rvices OF missas Tor number
az days-often erecting new church buildings.
They are undertaking THIS here IN Garanhuns. In
order to get the work done they have called in
from the country for miles around all the ignorant
fanatiCal people TO confession and mlsSa.
Women and men come barefoot from grea. dis
tauCeS and carry stoues and wood 10 the place
where the new building IS TO be erected. The men
are, most OF them, armed with long dagger-Iike
knives and great clubs. They come by thousands,
JrOng.Dg the streets and larEos OF the city an e-
Citabi-, sUperstitious crowd.
knowing how easily such a Gro Nd could be
turned into q mob DR. b der had cause TO feel
uneasy as - the 81 etv Of those he had left in
lo nm When the nome mail came, as he wished to
return then
Tor doctor 10 return 10 the city, eXpeCtin him
The first train. He did not come, nor did he
send any message. Wednesday 7 logan to be
somewhat uneasy. thursday night at prayer
meeting one OF the e derS 10 me that rumors had
reached the city Wednesday night tina Dr.. Butler
had held pubic discussion with the priest OF
Garanhuns; the people had risen against him, an
that Dr. Butler was nearly killed The elder i'm
mediately autographed to the doctor had waited all
day, but no answer had come.
Iii was Gtcatd TO send (by the first train one of
the deaconS TO Garanhuns- 81 LETT us early Fri
day morning He to telegraph TO us early
saturday morning, and 10 return Saturday night
IT. ne was not needed. The same morning l sent
for our American Consul, Mr.. tombstone, and told
him Of our trouble. h e offered once 10 help us
That day he sent TWO telegrams 10 Garanhuns, but
saturday hoping 10 hear from our messenger. No
word came.
Then Mr.. tombstone went with Mr.. and Mrs
Mccall and me 10 the Governor. The promise was
given by the State officers that should have
word from DR.. Butler and his family at the earliest
hour poSs BE; that special orders would be gwen
for their rejection, and that proper guard would
be furnished 10 take Mr.. Mccall and me TO Garan-
nuns bE the next Ialn. Inc promise was taith-
fully kept. At o'clock telegram came. They
are in peace. l return Monday" II was from our
deacon He was 10 return saturday il he was not
needed.
sunday morning we left the city at 8 O'Clock,
reaching Dr. Buffers house at half-past S tHat
night We dsmis sed the guard at the door Doc
tor was lust closing the evening service. We had
hardly been sea.ed when the house was stoned.
some OF the stones being larger than NV don't e
fists. In a few minutes soldiers appeared, saving
that the oense should not occur again; orders had
q nr hat r~arr,
I'VE found our friends had been under reign
Of terror Tor days. Their lives were publicly
threatened. As soon as these friars reached the
city they rubl.cly declared they would breal up
our work here and drive us from the city. For five
nights they openly taught THESE poor Ignorant
people that DR.. butler deceiving the people
Only Greeting they must give him was two stones
in each hand; that our Bible false; that doc
tor was an impostor: that they defied doctor to
prove MS btolv was true; finally sending an INV
tauon 10 him to prove that our Bible was true.
Doctor sent word that he would gladly accept
the INVITATION with the understanding that;
u. The discussion must be public-in the house
OF the priest or the Judges Office
90 The audience must be from the leading citi-
gems of the place; the Judge the Sheriff the Mayor
and city Council must be present, no others.
3. The subject confined to the Bible.
The priest Sent word he would accept the CON
dluons The hour was marked tor II A. NJ, Tues
day, october 70 Later word sent that so
cussIon that no private house would hold them
they must have II IN The church.
arise Dut tne cltlzens Who came TO escort him as
sured him that they were in good faith and prom
lsed MIN ful protection. just here let me say we
OF the city were innocent Of the treason
Tuesday at II O'Clock DR.. Butler was escorted
70 the church by some OF the leading men of
the place. Every influential man OF the
town was in church waiting for him one of
the friars met him and asked what he wanted
Doctor said he did not want ANYTHING he had
come by invitation OF the priest TO discuss the
truth OF our Bible. The friar said, Wen. no NOT
an invitation Then replied DIR. Butler Il viii
leave One OF the citizens spraug up saving OF
course it is by invitation: we have them nrinted
here in our pockets and they showed them
They began the discussion. Itlasred TWO EOnrs
GU side hSd g.thered all ignorant, excited mob OF
ahout 5000 prope, every one OF that 5000 armed
the women with bags filed with stones the men
with gre at clubs and long knives. They we're tber,.
because Mohaay night he rest had sen word ali
through the country for all good Catholics 70 ne m
the church October % at II y. NJ as the Protest.
the church.
DIR. Butler requested the Judge to mark the time
giving each one hai an hour at first and then ten
minutes 10 reply. The priest objected, but was
com eiled 10 consent. Doctor ALWAYS uses the
priests Bible. He took that and one OF our own.
The friar acknowledged that it was approved bv
the Archbishop of Brazil.
~ think Or. Butler realized that il was probably
his last opportunity TO preach the GOSPEL TO such
an audience; and he did il. He com bated the con
fession, the primacy OF Peter. worship of images
purgatOry, ceIlbacy OF the priesthood, fast DAYS
and the perpetual vrginity OF Mary The doctor
stood with Bible open before him and took his
proofs from the priests version while our Rfbie
was compared and found to be the same.
"In the priests reply he stumbled around, and
finally proved thai 1.-The Bible is the only rule
OF faith OF the Catholic church" lhis own words)
but they must obey the tradition OF the fathers.
II q did touch points presented by DR.. Butler
till he came the Virgin Mary He said the
Bible taught 1.-THE woman should bruise the ser
pent's head and closed by repeating a piece Of
child's poetry ADO Z The Virgin being virgin be-
the birth and after the birth and forever and
he slapped his hands
Ill was responded to by voice within crying,
Long live holy relglon down with the
PrOtestantsr In an instant the waiting mob out
side rushed in, their terrible cry OF XIII him -
rising loud and clear through the city. one OF the
audience. citizen. brother of the station agent,
aimed pist oil at DR.. Butler. IL was struck aside
by another true citizen mot Christian who said
=. o. you or ! die, DIR. Butler never! lmmedi
aiey the officers OF the CITY, the best citizens and
our ten Christian men, closed around DR.. Butter
They got him safely TO the Sherihs house and
guarded him until the mob was quoted Later on
IN The evening they brought him home ana sta
TONED guard OF SO diers here to protect him and
his family.
THE whole city is talking of the discussion;
some who were1ndifferent until now are studying
Their Bibles to see If these things are true. All OF
the citizens who heard ID discus SION declare there
was only one side 10 IL; that the priest in no way
ehaSrned that the priest could do nothing but
Dluder OUT the Bible is not the only rule OF faith
Oi the Roman Ca holic church, "
MISS Reeds story concludes with an account of
the PUBIC burning few days after OF all the Bibles
anu frotestant books that could be found by order
Oi the priest. Miss Reed concludes:
III was Necessary TO have the soldiers at our door