The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-04
MISSIONARY work IN BR AzIL.
Rev. w. III. Thompson BIames the
Catholics for the Condition of the
(,Ouutrw

Country.
Rev. w. III. Thompson, mission
airy of the Savannah Presbytery
to Brazil, addressed the congrega-
ton of the First Presbyterian Church yes
terday morning, and that of the Second
church last night on his work in that
country. He dealt largely with the re-
ligious conditions in Brazil and said many
things about the dominant church. HIS
denunciation of some of the methods and
practices of that church in Brazil were
SO violent that two or three of the con-
gregation of the First church, whose SYM
pathies are not against the Catholics, Left
while he was talking.
In speaking of the reasons that initiate
against successful missionary work in
Brazil, Mr.. Thompson named the ignor-
ance of the people. There is a popula-
ton of 100000 in that country, but of
these only 100000 can read. In the state
in which he lives, which has 10000 peo-
pie, five-sixths of the population cannot
read. The Roman Catholic Church, he
said, holds as one of it's tenets that ignor-
ance is the mother of devotion, but such,
lie says, is not the case, as ignorance IS
the mother of superstition. He holds that
the superstition of the people of Brazil
is due to the Catholic Church.
Mr.. Thompson asserts that the priests
do not allow the Bible to find it's way into
the hands of the people. They are thor
oughly unfamiliar with it, and do not
even know that it is the word of God
When one is shown a man he asks what
it is, and, when told, says he does not
believe there is any such thing. The mis-
sionary said the people are taught that
Professionalism is anti-Christ, and that
they will be doomed to eternal perdition
If they listen to the preaching of Pro-
testant.
The Brazilians are kept In this ignor-
ance, Mr. Thompson says. by the church,
though it has always professed to favor
education If education means blind
obedience to superiors he says the peo-
pie of Brazil have been literally educated
by the Catholics.
There is great Indifference, the mission
airy stated, to all religion. Men hear it
preached and see it practced in such an
entirely different way by those who
preach it, that they become Disguised and
say there is nothing in religion.
Inc immortality of the people is also one
OF the great impediments to the work of
the missionaries. Mr.. Thompson saws in
the state in which he is at work, n per
cent. OF the population is illegitimate. The
responsibility for this cannot, he saws. be
placed upon the lowest classes, for it be-
gins with the dominant church nearly all
OF the leaders of which in his state in Bra
I'll, he says, are grievously corrupt.
The religious condition of the country
was characterized as being the worst thing
with which the missionaries have to deal.
The Catholics, he says, have had full and
complete control of Brazil for three centu-
ries, and 1t is their doctrines that have
lead to the existence of the state of affairs
he depicted. The forgiving OF sins through
confession wes MADE light of by the mis-
sionary, who said such a doctrine but at
tracts the natural man, who may sin and
sin when he has the promise of being for
given by the mere acknowledgement of his
transgressions,
The missionary said the enlightened
Catholics of Brazil know better but that
the great masses indulge in idolatry.
Mr.. Thompson described the way in
which religious festivals are held in Brazil
saying they become the occasions for The
widest debauchery. Booths for the sale
of all manner of goods, places for the
sale of liquor, for gambling and for other
immoral purposes are had close by the
churches, ii being the idea 10 have any,
thing and everything to attract the peo-
pie.
The missionary told something about the
strength OF the Protestants i'm Rrazn
There are" he said, 10000 Christians In
the country" In the presbytery in which
he works there are $50 Christians. mos,
of whom are jealous and faithful. the av-
erage among them being better men than.
those found among the Christians Of mis-
country. He closed his talk by telling of
the difficulties that hedge the people bon,
and the pressure they have to overcome
before they can become Protestants. His
closing words were devotedsto a recital Of
instances 70 SHOW the ways in which many
of the people had been brought ro ~
Protestant churches