The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-01-23
BIBLES FOR FILlPlAOS.
Clergyman's Expert
ences in Luzon.
The Morals Of the Place Somewhat
Of a Shock.
Found Ready Sale for
His Bibles.
Encouragement For Work
Among Natives.

J. Goodrich. of Manila, the first agent
there of the American Bible Society, New
York, arrived there November 20, 1899
He and his wife took an abundant stccf
Of Bibles and Testamenss not only In
Spanish and English, but In some Of the
unnumbered languages and dialects thst
scholars must grappls with. TRANSACTIONS
Into Tegslog, Visaynn, and Paugasinan
having been begun.
He has forwarded 10 the American
| Bible Society an account Of his first ex-
periencss. "Our first Impressions Of the
chief harbor Of Lusop," he writes, "were
very pleasant. In the background lofty
and wooded mountains seemed like senti-
nsis guarding the fifteen or twenty miles
Of fertile, low-lying lands covered with
tropical vegetation which lie beyond ths
city along the Pasig. This whols valley
| Is veritabie garden Of beauty.
"Nanila, the far-famed, looked II ks
| village, 90 did It's HOUSES nesslet hat among
tie trees and scatter themselves along the
water front. Away to cur left (north-
west, stretched the bay covered with ship
ping from all over ths world. There
swung the Jap anese alongside the Chi
nese ensign. while the Russian, strange
to say. floated quietly near by. England
and Germany are hsre, after their custom
of being every where. But beyond the
shipping and lifting its huge head over
all, seemingly cut OF and Suspended
where the ssa touches the SKY, was
Ararst. The natives soberly informed us
hat % 10 ha nf fun In
time. At our right lies the placs whose
name will always make an American
stand up straight and feel brave-Cavite.
Some Of Spain's submarine navy can still
be seen showingItheir maftheads from the
| water. Ait ogsther, and far syav this IL
the most beautiful harbor We have seen;
true, 1t may bs. because We already love
1t for cur work lies here. Prejudice
would be In some degree excusable In
such case.
eve were recommended to q hotel,
where we put up for the night; rate %
for the two. AZ half-past eight every one
La supposed to be of the streets and all
| places of tusiness closed. At half-past
eleven We were awakened by onths and
revolver shots. We found a fuil-1edged
| fight going on In the bar room situated
Immediately beneath us. Mrs. Goodrich
was very nervous and worn cut with the
long trip, and when the fracss was
followed up all the night long, with the
nau seating sounds Of the sick mesa Of the
drunken in an adjoininE room, you may
known that We felt anything hut amiabIe
toward our land lord the next morning.
fn "A fhA 20 h. hot ur
| than . Eowsry gam bling hell; indeed IL
| Is hard to lind respe ctable place to stop
| in the city, 90 many are the aayen.urers
and whiekey psople.
eve lad expected TO stay at the hotel
at least week, until we could look about
and find . suitable house, but We gave
notice. and bright and early started TO
tnd quiet resting plaos. We scar ched
| until noon, and tina only thing we found
was couple Of Iooms above q livery
stable. with the privilege OF meals at an
adjoining house. We decided to take this
at IS q day until We &C uld find something
telter. We have so far seen nothing SO
good nor any thing cheaper. There Is a
great congestion OF popuia ton here, and
1t will In no degree .abete. There are
some army people, officers wives, etc..
| but many are coming here for business.
The great lumber firms are here to es-
tablish mills and begin work as soon az
IL Is safe to proceed inland. Mining 10
repr sseptsd not only by miners and D fos-
peotors. but BY representatives Of large
mining firms at home. The pearl indus
TRY is 20 be pushed among the southern
| Islands. Not only is every available
house taken In Manila, but they are talk
| ing building upon every side. Land
bought on the outskirts Of Manila today
will In six months be worth double.
sin regard to Christian work and cir
eulation Of the scriptures, l have som
ferred with the agent of the British and
Foreign Bible Society and find that they
have actually circulated q tn ousand a
month for the pas. twelve months, and
| they have not gone outside Manila. Yet
there Ia ready sale Of Bibles here. met
Yesterday family from an interior town.
They were bright, Intelligent people.
They told me that soms years ago the
priests levied q tar upon the town %
build cathedral In Manila. The people
reteilsd the soldiers came out and burned
the village to the ground. anasing the
people shamsfully. Tat whole town 10
Protestant There ars several other fam
lilies In Manila from there. and they are
all in the church me citing at the Soldiers
Institute. The natives are bright and
quick; scores Of them speak English al
ready. They are natural musicians. Yes
terday took q turn through the native
market and in one Of the stores l saw .
| harp. Upon request the lady played mu-
sio that would have done credit to .
Bro oklyn drawing-room. IL Is quite COM
mon to hear qaartstts of male voices
hsrmonizing bsautifully. We found .
Filipino band at Shanghai. China, en-
ploy ed by the municipality, and l under
stand that there IL also one ct Houolulu.
1 have yet 70 talk with native that can
not read spanish,
4 "In regard to the work i should like
to undertake. A good man should be So
cured who could spend his time on the
ships In the harbor. The British and
Foreign Bibls Society have two just SUCH
men at Port Said, where they can only
catch such vessels a. stop there. Most Of
tie passing ships go right through the
canal and cannot be touched. met one