The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1896-05-05
D|Az, THE BAPTIST MISSIONARY.
WHAT HE HAS ACCOMPLISHMENT
IN CUBA.
Shot at i'm His Pulpit, Arrested and
Jailed-Hc Has Organized Churches
and Sunday Schools and Started
Cemeteries
New York Sun.

New York Sun.
Alberto j. Diaz, the Baptist mis-
s'onary, has been driven into the se
by Spanish troops, put in jail 70
preaching the gospel, his clothin,
torn from him by q mob aud has beef
shot at in the pulpit. He has con
verted 5000 people in 10 years. Hi
history is remarkable story of mis-
: siOnary work.
He was born near Habana Al year
ago and was one of "a children, hi.
mother having married at the age O
IL. His father was Habana apothe
cary OF some means, and $4,000 wa,
spent on Albertos education. He wa.
graduated from the University O
Habana in both literary and medica
departments aud began life as physi
clan. Shortly after he was graduated
the "ren Years War" broke out and
Diaz went into the camp of the rebels
and was made captain Of cavalry
One afternoon he was sent ahead Of
his command to find q camping place
for the night The Spanish troops
cut the two men off from their com.
panions and drove Diaz and his com
q panion to point of land that made ont
into the sea. When darkness came on,
the two rebels drove their horses into q
thicket, dismOunted and lashing their
beasts, sent them ahead, hoping the
Spanish troops would persuo the rider
less horses in the dark. But the
Spanish troops halted at the thicket
the two men on the point of land and
could capture them at daylight.
Diaz knew that capture meant
death, and during the night he and
his companion dragged o log out of
the woods and pushed out to sea upon
it. They calculated that current
would carry them down the coast out
OF harms way, but at sunrise they
found themselves at sea out of sight Of
land. They drifted about without
food or drink until Diaz's companion
and was drowned. Then DiaZ became
unconscious from exhaustion, and
while in this condition he was picked
up by fishing vessel and transferred
to another craft bound for New York.
he arrived here penniless and friend
less. He found support as o reader
in cigar factory employing Cubans.
He boarded in Brooklyn, was stricken
with phneumonia, and it was thought
he would die. Miss Alice Tucker, a
Christian worker, boading in the same
house with Diaz, left Now Testament
In his room, which resulted, so he SAYS,
in his conversion, and impelled him to
missionary work.
Upon his recovery Diaz was bap-
tized in Gethsemane Baptist church,
Willoughoy avenue, Brooklyn, and
was sent by the congregation-the
rebellion having ended-as colpor-
tenr to Cuba. Later he was aided by
the female Bible society of Philadel-
phia, after which the Hon, Mission
board of the mthern Baptist conven-
NJ; T..
with a box Of Bibles for missionary
tour in the country. On the train a
Spanish official arrested him, suspect
ing that as Diaz had oeen rebe |, the
box contained dynamite and not Bibles.
Diaz was taken to the nearest prison
and placed in one cell, while the box
OF Bibles was carefully deposited in
another. Notwithstanding contrary
orders from the Jail keepers, he
preached, prayed and sang loud
enough for all the other inmates to
hear him. He protested that he was
an American citizen, having been
naturalized while in the United States;
he sent word to the American consul
OF Habana, and in three days Secre-
tary James q. Blaine effected his re-
lease. Afterwards the captured Bibles
sold at a premium, one having been
bought by the mayor who had con-
victed Diaz, and Diaz later had the
satisfaction Of converting the mayor
and the jailer.
On another occasion Diaz and two of
his assistants. Godinez and Herrera,
went to Guanabacoa to hold an open
air meeting, when the three were
arrested and taken before the mayor
on the charge that they had not given
notice of the meeting as the Spanish
law requires. They were followed by
a throng Of sympathizers, infuriated
and ready to mob the officers in charge.
The crowd surrounded the prison, and
Diaz was obliged to appear on the
Jail balcony and deliver an address
dissuading his adherents from an at
tempt at rescue. A day after, the re-
quired notice of the meeting was
found in the mayors office, where it
had been mislaid.
One day while Diaz was preaching,
so he states, shot from behind and
above was fired. The ball, passing
close to the intended victim, struck q
boy in front OF him. The screams of
the wounded boy arc3sed cries of Kill
the Protestants!' "ShoCt the hereticn
Diaz and his broth was mobbed, their
clothing was torn off, and bruised and
bleeding, they were carried before the
mayor. He ordered his police to see
them safely on the cars for Habana.
Later priest was convicted OF firing
the shot into the meeting and sent to
Spain for punishment.
On holiday as Diaz was passing
along the seashore near Habana, he
met two men fishing. He began
talking OF Christ to them. A party
of merrymakers stopped to listen
Others joined the party and soon peo
pie came from distance. Diaz warm
ed to his subject and the crowd be
came still larger. While he was speak
ing two policemen stepped up to his
stand. Encouraged by their presence
and thinking they were there to protec
him, Diaz waxed eloquent. When ht
had finished he was placed under
arrest, charged with preaching in the
open a!:, and he spent several days il
jail.
He has organized in Cuba 80 churche
and stations and 26 Sunday schools
He has 25 assisting clergymen. Sever
of his churches have membership O
1000. He has over 5000 teachers ar,
pupils, and annually he baptizes 800 o
400 persons.
The Southern Baptist church bough
for Diaz q theatre in Habana at a cos
of 100000 1t seats 5000 persons. Il
this building he converted his mother
and he says that 80 overcome was h
with Joy that he forget the usual Ger,