The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-03-18

Delegation From Every Society to At
tend the Conference.
GOOD WORK IN PORTO RICO.
Gac Disciples Of Chris, Among the
HRS, 40 lscac., Tbcre-Icnpic
Eager to Learn, TO Own BIZ
bics, 10 Hear the Gospel.

OF the religious Bodies that are 10 be
represented at rila EcrIcli.cai Conference
on Foreign Missions, 10 be he'd il New
York In April l1Lcctre,cs c. Christ We're
among the very first II reach Porto "a
co and TO enter upon WoriI there. +caIeci-
ing san Juan IS being the centre OF IL
1luenue Of tho island tlre KSV. J. a. Erwin
and Mrs. II'w.n obtained waat is, per-
maps, The best building available in the
whole city, short OF actually construct
ing one. Here they opened religious ser
vices and a day and a Sunday-scllool.
Their work, while 1t has had its draw
backs, has been successful from the start
Social, as well as religious. work has been
undertaken, and the Christian Institute
as 1T is called. has already come TO be one
OF the features CT sln Juan.
WORK OF PRI1S5l TIlRLANS.
Prestytcr;ans have work at three DIFF
ferent points in Porto Rico. The 20 nts
are san Juan. MayaSucz ana Ponce. Ina:
at Mayagut: is. perhaps. the most inter-
esting, it being educational as well as re-
ligious SO many pupils came that the
school has been self-surrportinS almost
from the start, a record quite unlocked
for. The foremost Presbyterian preacher
on the island is the Rev. DR.. j. Milton
Greene, who was sent by the Synod OF
Iowa. and his maintenance guaranteed.
Tie is an eloquent preacher and under
ter. An elderly man, he has inspired con-
1iGence, and his services in San Juan are
growing, in influence and attendance.
Protestant Episcopal work on the Is
land has had not a little help from the Of
fetal classes and from army chapl2ins.
Such of the military post at San Juan as
ever attended church services at all, went
from the very first to the Episcopal. Then
the Rev. Henry B. Smith, who was chap
lain of Theodore RooSevelts Rough Rid
ers, went to San Juan as chaplain and
missionary. and his prominence and in
Huence counted for much There has been
for some years at Ponce a Church OF
England congregation. That affiliated
at once, of course. Lately Bishop Whip
pile. OF Minnesota. has paid visit to the
Island, 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 s25,
900 with which TO erect churches.
THEY WANT SCHOOLS.
Concregat.onalists carly took unique
position in Porto Rico. Their tduca-z
tional society-not the one bearing that
name. but the American Missionary -Asso-
citation, which has educational work
among colored people of the South, and
whites among the Tennessee mountains.
opened two &schuols-one at San Juan
and the other at Lares, in the mountain
case they transported school benches on
the backs OF mules, the alcalde and coun-
Gil paying the bill. SO delighted were the
lares authorities at the idea of having
school. The Congregational aim is nor
NAL, that is. TO train those who are fit
ted TO become teachers in the public
schools. The school at Jares has been
self-supporting from the first, so far as
rent, salaries and running expenses go.
Eight teachers We're sent from the United
States, and there is superintendent OF
Congregational schools for the island.
Raptists have preaching stations at
both San Juan and Ponce, their general
missionary being the Rev. H. =. Nc
Cor,nick. According to all accounts. he
has met with success. He has been or
dered home to attend the Baptist ami
versaries at Detroit in May. and to make
an exhaustive report at that place and
time. What gave Baptist missionaries
close insight into affairs was their as
sistance in the distribution of Govern
ment relief that was bestowed immedi-
ately after the hurricane. This distri-.
button took them tozevcry part of the ISL
and and into contact with many people
They utilized the advantage. and their
work has been helped in consequence.
7. M. c. A AT SAN JUAN
Young Mems Christian Association
wo,lsers won't to Porto Rico when Cen
cral Miles and the first troops went. and
they have ever since maintained head
quarters in San Juan. In the general
scheme for building naval homes for
sailors at all principal naval stations,
the,s have designated San Juan as one to
be cared for some time in the future.
Several points about work in Porto
Rico arc to be noted. One is that the
people are eager to learn. TO own Bibles.
to hear the gospel. Another is that they
arc not confused by the multitude Of
tects that have taken up work among
.ke.n. They understand the situation as
we'll as we do at nome. Still another
Il that the Roman Catholic authorities
/ kre most considerable. They assert their
uEhb and II heir sun ciency as q church,