Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1898-03-31


and began his labors in Cuba as a col
porteur of the American Bible Society.
a hall on the Prado is occupied as a
chapel, and is very comfortably and
neatly fitted up. 1t has seating ca
pacity of from 200 to 500, and fire.
quently Oh Sunday evenings has been
nearly filed. The law requires that
the door be kept open during service.
Thus, while the noise from the street
is often disturbing, the pa8sers-by are
attracted by the singing and come IN
to hear the Gospel which the church
proclaims from desk and pulpit. Ser
vices are held here every Sunday in
the morning and evening, and on
Wednesday and Friday evenings. A
Sunday school is also held at 10 a. m.
every Sunday. Services are also main
tained in two suburbs, Jesus del Monte
and Cerro. The former place Is large
ly occupied by the families Of journey
men cigar makers, and the work is
chiefly among the poor. But, as often
since the day that the common people
heard the Master gladly, there is an
interest and a zeal shown by this lit
tie company of humble souls that puts
to rebuke the Indifference Of those who
are rich in this worlds goods. The
population of the other suburb, Cerro,
is, to great extent, composed of Eng
lish speaking people. How far they
sustain the work there | have not yet
learned, but it is a sad fact that some
Americans in Cuba are hindranee
rather than help to the evangelical
ton of the island. Coming from a
country where they have enjoyed the
blessings which are the result Of re-
ligious light and freedom, instead of
helping with their example and intu-
ence those who are struggling through
tremendous difficulties toward the
light, they seem to live merely tor
business or pleasure, freQuenting bull
fights and other places Of amusement
on the Lords day, q Cuban as the
Cubans in an Indifference to religion,
which conveys the impression that the
light is not worth struggling after.
There are, however, noble exceptions
which prove the rule, and which stand
as beacon lights in the midst Of the
darkness
Matanzas is sixty miles from Ha-
vana-about two hours by rail. The
ride is most interesting-full Of novel
ty to one coming from the States.
You see hundreds Of thousands Of
palms and banana trees-sugar cane
i'll abundance, plantation after planta-
tion-palms in groves and avenues
and scattered over the fields bananas
in gardens and IN hedges. These are
the most common trees, and are Of all
manner of use to the people. Many
of the houses, which ale generally OF
the rudest construction, are made en-
tirely-from floor to roof-out Of the
palm tree. Many are thatched with
palm leaves and walled in with 'yag-
ua" Gower part of the palm,Ieaf), sug-
gestive of those which Stanley de-
scribes in Africa. a large proportion
of the country people are negroes, who
seem not to have risen above a very
low grade of civilization. Their deg
radiation represents the little that has
been done for the moral elevation Of
the people by the Romish Church dur
ing the centuries that it has had un-
disputed sway over the comparatively
small area of this island with the gov
ernment to enforce its requirements .
The wagon road between Havana and
Matanzas is very rough, and few wa
gons are seen, except great two
wheeled carts drawn by four-some-
times six-oxen. One is struck by
the number of pack horses, heavily
laden, which are led, tied together
head to tail, or whipped up in drOves,
ike the mules in southern Europe, or
like the camels in the East. It was a
novel sight, at the railroad stations, to
see fresh cocoanuts offered for sale,
and to watch the passengers as they
sliced off the end, drank the milk, and
then threw the fruit away.
All along the line, at the stations
and on the train, are soldiers, in order
to guard the road from the depreda-
tions Of the celebrated bandit chief,
Manuel Garcia. There were from half
dozen to a dozen always in the car
with meat one time more soldiers
than passengers. About twenty miles
from Matanzas place was pointed
out to me where, only ten months be-