New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1902-03-12
FROM LUJz0N I.
JULIUS FRELlN WRITES AN INTERESTING
LETTER FROM THE PHILIPPINES.
TEACHING ENGLISH 10 THE 1GGARoTEs.
EXCELLENT DESCRIPTION OF CONDITIONS
e. PREVAILING IN NEW POSSESSION.

/ =
PREVAILING IN NEW POSSESSION.
Through the kindness of Prof. G.. A..
Grussendorf we are permitted to take the
following extract from q letter written
to him by Julius Frelin, who has been
commissioned by the government to help
civilize the Fillpinos. It shews the in
side history OF what is gong on there
that is not obtainable through the news
papers. .-... 55s.1s as:@-as> i:
find myself thrown from the very
centers of civilization into the very
depths of what may call barbarism, in
the midst of men and women whe seem
to abhor the way of civilization, cut off
from all that is good, living the life of a
hermit and teaching twenty-five naked
Iggorotes how to "habla'' Americana,
quot an easy task assure you) yet I am
pleased with the efforts my "Little Brown
Brothers" are making to master the in
trlcacies of our language. You probably
have already learned that I was stationed
among the hills of Benguet; hills noted
for their health, wealth and beauty, a
description of this province during the
dry season is worthy of the pen of the
poet, or the brush of the artist, but dur
ing the wet or rainy season tables are
turned, the gods become angry they open
the fountains of heaven and upon poor
Benguet fall torrents of water, the other
wise insignificant mountain streams be-
come torrents rolling their waters at a
terrific speed, they become too swift to
be crossed in any way, the few bamboo
bridges that may have been improvised
during the dry season are washed away,
you find yourself cut off froms all COM
munications with the outer world, and
unless you have laid up a good supply
provisions starvation stares you right IN
the face, and stilli rains, you ask your
self els Benguet gong to, be%washed off
the earth?" 49,
I am quite pleased with ~sny presen,
situation, although I admit It frankly r:
would not want it to be a prominent
affair, life is too short and I have not yet
reached that stage of perfection where
man sacrifices himself soul and body for
the good of his fellow men, but I be-
lieve will relish two years on these
islands; think of it six months of nv
service, / of it, gone and it seems it was
but yesterday I was bidding you good
bye; we are constantly being thrown in
with something new, and when I have
mastered the language of the Iggorotes,
I will find myself in condition to gain
heap of knowledge, which some day
may prove of some value to me; life is
forever changing its aspect as we study
the customs and habits of these people,
and not only this but we find right here
among these primitive people the So
luton of great many questions, for in
stance:
Having been brought mp Catholic, I
could never we'll understand the why and
wherefores of the reformation" never
thought much Of Luther" but T was
not on the islands three months before
| it dawncd upon my mind that ssLuther''
with his reform was needed on these
islands; for the Catholic Faith on these
islands is in bad state of degeneracy, a
mere matter of form and name, financial
problem; 1t is perfectly awful, the dead
are refused burial because the bereaved
family is not able to pay good sum Of
money in advance; the marriage cere-
meny too costly a luxury for the poor
remains of dear ones thrown into the
"Bone Yard" because the friends or
parents are not able to pay rent on their
grave or vault, these are only few in
stances I. could quote Thousand others;
but under American rule things are slowly
lettering themselves, many q priest has
been ordered by q commanding officer to
bury some poor man or women without
pay, to make two loving hearts happy
without muneration, the Filipinos, that
lis the Christian Tribes are intensely re-
/ ligious, the facts and fundamental truth
of the church Of Rome have been we'll
grounded in them; yet their faith as /
have already limited at seem merely q
matter Of form, q mere outward DISPLAY