The times., 1899-11-07

Inc regular autumn meeting OF the
Churchman's League of the District of Co
lumbia was held last night in Epiphany
Church parish rooms. The programme of
the evening included an address by John
Howe Peyton. on the religious situation in
the Philippines, after which refreshments
were served.
A prayer by Bishop SatterIee opened the
meeting, over which Louis j. Davis pre-
sided. Several new members we're elected
to the league.
President Davis addressed the league
briefly. He congratulated it on the large
number of members present, and reviewed
the work of the league since the last meet
ing. He concluded by introducing tie
speaker of the evening.
Mr.. Peyton is a member of the National
Council of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew,
and secretary in charge of work among
the soldiers in the United States Army.
He enlisted in the army at the beginning
of the Spanish War for the purpose of do
ing religious work in the ranks, and was
mustered out as a sergeant at its close.
He was later sent to the Philippines where
he has acquired great deal of interesting
information,
Mr. Peyton referred to his enlistment in
the Army at the beginning of the Spanish
war He Travelled through the South and
visited seven camps after he received his
discharge. He was then sent on a three
months trip to the Philippine Islands. He
reached Manila on April % and before his
return visited many of the islands of the
group. He said he had made an earnest
effort to find out the actual conditions and
did not have much to do with officials.
1t was impossible to give any reliable
statistics about the Philippine Islands. He
had never seen anything to compare with
their fertility and natural beauty. The ma
tiYes live almost entirely on rice, fruit,
and fish. The climate he found very much
more pleasant than he expected. The
temperature was uniform and the heat not
unbearable. In regard to the population
of the islands Mr.. Peyton said that the
statistics which had been made public in
this country were very unreliable, and the
estimate of eight or ten millions might or
might not be correct. 1t would take at
least twenty-five or thirty years for Amer
the Philippines. There were some sixty
dialects spoken. The Spanish language
was not spoken by the natives TO any con
siderable extent outside of the larger cit
les. The people were all Malays.
II is estimated that there are one and
one-half million of people in the tribe with
whom we are now at war He thought that
this tribe might be able. so far as their in
telligence was concerned to govern them
selves if they were protected by a stronger
Government, but it was perfectly ludicrous
to say that they could govern the whole
group of Islands.
The finances of the Islands are controlled
by the English The Moros in the Sulu
group are the only natives in the islands
who have not been affected by Romanism.
They are Mohammedans.
There are 100, 900 Chinese coolies in the
islands, and according to the speaker, they
were the only ones in the islands before
the Americans entered who had any ener-
gy. Many OF the Chinese have nominally
accepted the Christian religion. but their
only object in doing this seemed TO be to
enable them TO marry native wives.
The speaker said that the control of SpaiI.
was due more to the work Of the Roman
Catholic friars than to the military power
exercised. The natural disposition of the
natives was TO yield 10 any authority with
cut opposition, and he believed that had il
not been for the oppression and misrule
OF Spain, there would not now be the diff
ficulty that there is.
He remarked at length on the devout-
ness and deep religious fervor of the ma
tives, and ascribed it 10 their early and
constant religious training. He had often
seen men PROSTATE themselves and kiss the
ground in front OF a church altar. We'll
dressed women he had seen drop on THEN
knees at the church door and crawl tC
their seats. No one ever left a church dur
ing service, and at these times the churches
were always crowded.
The effect of this religious teaching had
rendered the natives like children. Their
minds we're entirely undeveloped In other
respects. The chastity of the women out,
side Of the larger cities was all that could
be desired. The whole people were mos
remarkably moral. During his stay there
Mr.. PeytOn never saw one intoxicated ma
tive The people were also cleanly Not
withstanding that the natives are deyout
moral, and cleanly, they are childlike and
incompetent for self government
The universal testimony was that tbs
priests themselves led very bad lives
They had broken all their vows of chastity
and ceibacy, he declared
The secular power in the islands had
always been subjugated to the ecclesias-
tical power.
Mr. Peyton paid high tribute to the
personnel Of the American Army. The
men were brave and energetic. but in re-
Iigion and morals they are decidedly lack
ing. He believed it impossible for ouI
Government to properly control the mora
and religious life of the Army. He was
seHt there to work with the chaplains
but the first one he came in contact viii
was a Mormon elder. When he left the
islands. there were only five chaplain:
in our army. Mr.. Peyton said he would
be glad to see the Government leave thi.
| work entirely to the churches of this
country.
The Brotherhood Of ST. Andrew was be-
ginning work among the soldiers there
| and the results promised to be very bene-
fetal
The sentiment of the meeting was ex-
! hibited by heartily applauding the declara.
ton on the part of the speaker that h,
believed the English speaking races were
going to dominate the countries OF the
East. and that America had been provi
dentially led in going to the Philippines
and that he did not believe We would eve
come away from there
At the conclusion of the address a rfs
ing vote of appreciation and thanks wa!
rendered Mr. Peyt0n for his efforts. anC
the members of the league repaired t,
the upper rooms, where a collation. wa.
| served.
THE HOLY CROSS COLLEGE.
Papers of Incorporation Filed VIII
the Recorder.
Late yesterday afternoon the articles o