The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-13
PANAMA CANAL WILL
BENEFIT MISSIONARIES
Protestants Will Increase Efforts
to Convert the People of
Latin-America.
MUCH WORK UNDER WAY

Special to the Indianapolis Journal
NEW YORK, Dec. 12.-The Panama canal
being assured, as is believed. missionary
enterprises affecting Central and South
America are exceedingly active. The neglect
of South America by Protestant agencies,
which has long kept the United States In
greater ignorance of the continent south Of
us than of Asia and Africa, 1t is declared,
must come to an end. Methodist, Presby-
terrain and Episcopal Churches in this coun-
try, and the Church of England and sew
eral of the Free Churches in Scotland Eng
land and Ireland are stirred up by the
canal project. Representatives of the pro-
gressive spirit in several of the South
American republics are now in the United
States and in England appealing for recog-
milton, and declaring sentiment back at
their homes is ripe for American ideas.
Appeals being made for missionaries.
Inquiries are making about the sending Of
young men from Brazil, Chile and even
from Colombia to colleges here, and one
promoter Is in New York seeking business
arrangements which will permit young
Venezuelans to obtain positions by which
they may support themselves by work dur
ing the day and enter upon study at night.
The news of the canal treaty and the dig
ging of the ditch by American money ap-
pears to have set loose the whole liberal
element of these Latin countries
Religious bodies that already have con-
siderable work to their credit In South
America the Methodists, the Presby-
terians and the Episcopalians of this coun-
Baptists have four workers in the Argen-
tine, the Moody Bible Institute four In
Uruguay. and the Christian and Mission
airy Alliance in Chile. American Presby-
terians have had a mission station in Bogo-
| Ia, Colombia, since 1885, and have there
| above two hundred members. They also
! Mcdellin, Colombia. and In Caracas, Ven
ezuela. In Chile they have five stations
| and in Brazil their stations line the coast
| from Rio Grande do Sui northward to
| lege. at San Paulus. in central Brazil
which mas theological school, and which
| is supported in part by Congregationalists
| In Bahia, on the Atlantic coast, where a
| pile of Bibles was recently burned in the
streets, Presbyterians have been at work
| since 1871. Bahia is a city Of 10000, with
two mosques, thirty fetish temples. eighty
| Roman Catholic churches and one Pres
| byterian mission having 40 members. Sc
| many pagans are there that the raising OF
goats for their sacrifices is among tn.
| Church in the United States has prosperous
| missions in the Argentine, in Uruguay. IN
/ Peru and In Chile, while Methodists South
| are at work I'm southern Brazil
| Twelve years ago two young Virgins
| students went to southern Brazil, there e
| learn the language. They have now about
| twenty churches. theological seminary
| and their mission is one of the foremos
| forces IN the State OF Rio Grande. BishoI
kinsolving Is one of the principal citizens
| and has been invited TO be the guest OF som,
| of the chief officers of the Republic Of
| Brazil. The Church of England Is workine
| i'm the Gran Chaco, In northern Paraguay
1 where are the famous Chaco Indians. Their,
| are 1S,0O0,000 people In South America tina
/ are In touch with Protestant forces in on,
| form or another. In all republics saw,
| Colombia entire freedom of worship OBJ
| tains. and I'm the latter such liberty will
IL is hello by Protestant leaders IN tn,
| United States. become effective by reason
| of the influx OF American ideas along witt
| American money ans men TO complete thu
| isthmian canal.
The Industrial Missions Association o.
| America Is something quite new In mission
| ford workers i'm foreign fields employment
by which they may earn their own support
| They will thus to be burdens upoI
the churches at home aud viii have loca
control of their own affairs, (which 4
| claimed to be better than control by dis
tant organization. The association vii
also undertake to AFFORD market Amer