The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-01-19
CHURCHES IN PORTO RICO.
The United States Has Become Pos.
sessed of Fifty Fine
Structures.

The United States government is own
or of half a hundred fine churches, and
more than so converts, parish houses,
end other church buildings. This state
ment is made on the authority of Rev.
w. H. Sloan, who returned recently
from Porto Rico, where he has been
looking over the field as an advance
agent for the American Baptist Home
Mission society, which has its head
quarters in this city. 1t was in the bust
ness office of the secretary of the in
terror of the island that Rev. Mr.. Sloan
held the English service, the first in
San Juan, an account of which was tel
egraphed here. Concerning it Mr..
Sloan says:
''The secretary told me that every
church building of every kind on the
Island of Porto Rico was held in fee
simple by the Spanish government. He
said the titles were in his office, and not
in the hands of the Catholic church.
With the transfer of sovereignty from
Spain to the United States the transfer
of title passed, and hence the United
States is the owner of these buildings,
Holding so beyond dispute, he offered
me church or two.
-ss At -Mayaguez, a thriving city OF
&c, 900 situated in the southwestern
part of the island and not far from
where Gen. Miles landed, there was
building at the time a very fine new
church. 1t was a steel frame, with
spire complete. When news of the
landing of Americans arrived, the
workmen laid down their tools, and
those tools were still scattered about
the building when | was there. Hold
ing services in the place, some of the
people good-naturedly told me l might
take the building and finish it.
Il notice that the military power in
the island has ordered the Roman Cath
Ole authorities to cease the issue of
pronunciamentoes against Protest
ants. | am glad this order was not in
force while l was there. Before the
vicar of Ponce, the highest ecclesias-
teal authority on the island, issued
such warning against me, | had diff
Guilty in getting congregations. The
first service | held in San Juan | got
a congregation by going into the park.
mounting a seat and beginning TO read
the Scriptures. In other places | had
to take time to advertise myself. I'm
mediately the people were forbidden to
GO to hear me, and the long and strin-
gent order was published in the San
Juan newspapers. | found myself
known everywhere, and the people
focked in great numbers to hear me.
[ saw no attempt to obey the wears
orders. Everybody welcomed me. The
EDITOR of the paper which published
the Wears order added laconically be-
low it: We are seeking the truth. What
Is truth?'
81 do not attribute the great out
pouring Of people to hear me TO any
ardent religious tendencies. but rather
to their curiosity and their desire to
honor an American. The people are
very grateful to Americans. Their 10y
atty to us is quite remarkable. AS
in most Spanish countries the women
do practically all the church going to
Catholic services. Frequently | had ten
times larger congregations han did the
Catholic church in the place. preached
in theaters for the most part. Con-
corning the Catholic conditions in Por-
20 Rico, l am bound to say that they
are much superior to those in Mexico.
where | have labored for - years.
think there will not be the slightest
trouble about Protestants getting a
firm foothold in the island within
very short time. The people are poor
and cannot build such churches as are
here in New York, but then such
churches are not needed in that warm
climate. IN. y. Herald.