The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-03-31

CHc Iobheu NJ HlIil
Il want to be your servant forever"
Their first child was a boy. He was
called Jacques de Lassi, and Bruhiere
was his godfather.-Adapted for the
Argonaut from the French of Theo-
dore de Banville.
MISSIONS in PUERTO RICO.
Progress Which Has Been Made by
Various Protestant Denominations
in Caring Spiritually for These
New Dependents.
OF the religious bodies that are to be
represented at the Ecumenical Confer
ence of Foreign Missions. to be held in
New York in April, Disciples of Christ
We're among the very first to reach
Puerto Rico and to enter upon work
there. Selecting San Juan as being the
center of influence of the island, the
Rev J. A. Erwin and Mrs. Erwin OBJ
tanned what is, perhaps. the best build
ing available in the whole city, short
of actually constructing one. Here
they opened religious services, and
day and Sunday school. Their work,
while it has had it's drawbacks, has
been successful from the start. Social
as well as religious work has been un-
dertaken, and the Christian Institute,
as it is called. has already come to be
one of the features of San Juan.
Presbyterians have work at three
different points in Puerto Rico. The
poins are San Juan, Mayguez and
Ponce. That at Mayagu,z is perhars
the most interesting, it being eiuca-
tional as well as religious. So rIany
pupils came that the school has been
| self supporting almost from the start
| record quite unlocked for. The fore
| most Presbyterian preacher on the
island is the Rev. DIR. ]. Milton Greene,
who was sent by the Synod of Iowa
| and his maintenance guaranteed. He
| Is an eloquent preacher and UNDER
| stands the Spanish language and char
| acter. An elderly man. he has inspired
confidence, and his services in San
Juan are growing in influence and at
| tendance.
| EPISCOPAL WORK.
| Protestant Episcopal work on the
island has had not a little help from
the official classes and from army
chaplains. Such of the military post at
San Juan as ever attended church SER
vices at all, went from the very first
to the Episcopal. Then the Rev. Henry
Is. Smith. who was chaplain of Theo-
dore Roosevelt's Rough Riders, went
to San Juan as chaplain and mission
airy, and his prominence and influence
counted for much. There has been for
some years at Ponce Church of Eng
land congregation. That affiliated at
once. of course. Lately Bishop Whipple
OF Minnesota has paid a visit to the is
land. and while there, licensed four lay
readers to hold services in as many in =.
| terror towns of the island, and now the
board of missions has appealed for $25,-
900 with which to erect churches.
Congregationalists early took a
unique position in Puerto Rico. Their
educational society-not the one bear
ing that name, but the American Mis-
| sionary Association, which has educa-
tional work among cOlored people OF
the South, and whites among the
tennessee mountains, opened two
| schools. one at San Juan and the other
at Lares, in the mountain section of
the west coast. In the latter case they
transported school benches on the
backs of mules, the alcalde and coun-
ell paying the bill. so delighted were
the Lares authorities at the idea of
having a school, The Congregational
| aim is normal, that is, to train those
who are fitted to become teachers in
the public schools. The school at
Lares has been self supporting from
the first, so far as rent, salaries and
running expenses go. Eight teachers
were sent from the United States, and
there is a superintendent of Congre-
gational schools for the island.
BAPTIST MISSIONS.
Baptists have preaching stations at
both San Juan and Ponce, their gener-
al missionary being the Rev. II. +. Nc
Cormick. According to all accounts he
has met with success. He has been
ordered home to attend the Baptist an
niversaries at Detroit in May, and to
make an exhaustive report at that
place and time. What gave Baptist
missionaries a close insight into affairs
was their assistance in the distribu-
tion Of government relief that was
bestowed Immediately after the HURT
every part of the island and into CON
tact with many people. They
utilized the advantage and their work
has been helped in consequence.
Several points about work in Puerto
Rico are to be noted. One is that the
people are eager to learn, to own
Bibles. to hear the Gosrel Another is
that they are not confused by the null
titude of sects that have taken up
work among them. They understand
the situation as well as we DO at home.
Still another is that 'he Roman Catho
lie authorities are most considerate.
They assert their rights and their
sufficiency as a church. but they do so
with full recognition of the principle .
of religious liberty. And Furthermore
that there is no competition of the Diff
ferent religious bodies. There is a
complete understanding among Presby-
terians, Baptists and others. as to
where each shall work. The day of
| perfect comfy Is not here yet, but it Is
| as near to Puerto Rico as anywhere,
| perhaps nearer. 1t Is one of the pur-
poses for which the Ecumenical Con-
| ference on Foreign Missions is held to
| further this cause of denominational
| comfy. At the conference will be dele
| gates from every missionary society In
| the world, almost. At any rate 1t will
be the largest gathering Of mission
| workers the world ever saw. It's aim Is
| to study the methods of missions; that
Is. how the Christian may best influ-
ence and afterward lead the non
| Christian.