The Indianapolis journal., 1899-02-26
WORK OF PROTESTANTS
WHAT THEY ARE DOING IN PORTO
RICO AND EASTERN CUBA.
Natives Of the Former Islands Not In
fists Progressing at Santiago.


Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
NEW YORK, Feb. 25.-Three Protestant
organizations from the United States and
the Young Mems Christian Association have
begun to hold religious services at San Juan,
Porto Rico. A fair proportion of this effort
is directed toward American residents, in
cluding soldiers, for the Porto Ricans are
not taking as kindly to religious effort as
are the Cubans. A recently arrived mission
ary from New York writes back to his or
ganization that the situation is critically
delicate "Unwise and precipitate enthu-
siasm," he says, "can easily lead to mis-
takes which will take years to correct. The
island is wide open to missionary effort, 1t
is true but there must be patience. Results
will come slowly here. Before 1 came here
1 had misgivings, and my stay here has con-
firmed them" The four religious bodies at
work are the Episcopalians, who have be-
gun regular services with the Rev. H. A.
Brown, now chaplain of the Eleventh Regu-
lars and formerly chaplain of Governor
Roosevelt's Rough Riders, in charge. The
service seems to be chiefly for United States
officials, a large proportion of whom belong
to that communion. Baptists have begun
service with the Rev. H. p. Mccormick in
charge. He is a general missionary, and
will remain here only until additional work
ers can be sent from the United States. He
has spoken at many public functions, and
made an excellent impression He breaches
In Spanish or in English with equal facility.
The Christian and Missionary Alliance hold
both Spanish and English services in hall
with a Rev. Mr. Swanson in charge. Not
many Porto Ricans attend, but majority
xry1,o 40 fJon ocrIi icH, ba
Young Mems Christian Association work is
under the direction of Frank L. Smith, who
is a member of Hanson-place Baptist
Church. Brooklyn. He works in the hos
pitals breaches in the tents and maintains
a soup kitchen. General Henry, General
John Eaton and General Grant were all at
his services last Sunday evening. Concern
ing the attendance it can be said that the
American has increased while that OF the
Porto Rican, in search of something new,
has fallen off. This is true also of the serv-
ices maintained in the theaters on Sunday
nights by the Colonial Christian Associa-
ton, as the Young Mems Christian Associa-
ton has come to be known here.
Santiago and Guantanamo are the two
places in eastern Cuba where religious work
inaugurated by churches in the United
States has made itself felt. Baptists are
leading, though a Methodist missionary ar
rived at Santiago a few days ago, sent by
Secretary Leonard, of New York, and
Bishop Ninde who have been there for the
last week looking over the field. The Rev.
II. r. Mosely, who represents the white
Baptists of the North and is supported by
the American Baptist Home Mission So
ciety, and the Rev NJ. ID. Campbell,
Jamaica negro, who represents the colored
Baptists of the United States, are in San
tiago, the former to take charge of the
work until some helpers are sent there from
Mexico and the latter TO plant a church
made up of Cuban negroes and Jamaica inn
migrants who have gone there in consider
able numbers The recently arrived Meth
ou1St missionary is q native Cuban and is
rapidly making up tor lost time and get
ting congregation as against the Rev. Mr..
Mosey, who came here from Mexico Great
crowds flock to the new services, but they
nave zeal without knowledge. Last Sun
day afternoon a great crowd went from the
Baptist Church three miles to the San Juan
river, Where eleven candidates were i'm
mersed. The baptism took place at the foot
Of the bloody and historic San Juan hill,
where the fight of July L occurred. The
scene was a picturesque one. There We're
about three hundred on the banks of the
river facing San Juan hill, the Spanish
forudcations on the other hill. There were
Cubans negroes and Americans. The San
tago Baptist Church has now above one
hundred baptized members. but the fear is
expressed that much of the work done has
been hasty and will prove unstable. In
these churches the lower and middle class
Cubans mix socially without regard to color
There is little danger of race conflicts, for
CubanS black and white mingle indiScrim-
inately. The upper classes that refuse to
do so are small in numbers.
The people have petitioned the Baptists
to start school, and the missionary in
charge has recommended the same to his
society in New York. The school was
started some time since, but it is indiffer-
emily officered. There are nearly three hum
dred pupils, with an average attendance Of
hn hos hao .Nf@J ~,
textbooks from the beginning. Business
men, some of them Cubans, have made
that lady teacher be secured from the
United States to be at the head of it. Both
at Santiago and Guantanamo there is to be
purchased at once central sites, and upon
them will be begun the erection of perrna-
nent churches. in part to be paid for by
contributions from native Baptists and the
balance from American churches
The Rev. William H. MCGEE, of Louis
vile, sailed last Wednesday for Havana to
work in that city under the American
Church Missionary Society The Rev. w.
II. Nelson, of Shepardstown, w Va, went
to the same city under the same auspices
at the end OF last month. These priests
Will take up the work which Senor Jose r.
Pena, lay reader, maintained in Havana
throughout the entire war. A large room in
the best part of Havana has been rented
and fitted up for Episcopal services.
Tue ualSS VI MAY 20 10 20 nave peen nXeu
on for the Grand Rapids Mich, convention
of the Young Mems Christian Association.
This convention is the international biennial
one, and will be attended by about one
thousand delegates from the United States
and Canada.
Rev. Stephen S, Wise, a leader among
American Zionists. says that in Jerusalem
there are now above 11.OOO American Jews.
The feeling toward Zionism in Europe is
changing. 1t was once thought to be ro-
mantle folly. Now its opponents. the Rev.
Mr.. Wise says, fear it. Agricultural pur-
suits in Palestine are increasing, and the
barren ground is being made fertile with
good results. No branch of the proposed
Zionist bank has yet been started in this
country.