The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-10-12
WAYS OF THE FILIPINO
INTERESTING LECTURE DELIVERED
BY THE REV. ARTHUR BROWN.
Conflict of Arms Is Over, but Conflict
of Morals Remains, He Says
Religious Problems.

REV. arthur Brown, ID. D., or New York,
secretary of the Board Of Foreign Missions
of the Presbyterian churches, spoke last
night at the Second Presbyterian Church,
corner of Pennsylvania and Vermont streets,
on THE Church in the Philippines" A
year ago DIR. Brown was sent on a tour of
inspection around the world by the Board
of Foreign Missions, and in the course of
the tour spent about three months in the
Philippines studying the religious and COM
mercial conditions of the people. DR.. Brown
was accompanied by his wife, and together
they visited the larger islands of the group,
studying more especially the religion of the
people. Manila was the first city visited,
and from there DIR. and Mrs. Brown went
inland and later to the other islands.
In his lecture last night DR.. Brown began
by describing the physical conditions of the
islands. Contrary to a prevalent idea that
the islands are almost wilderness, he said
that although the mountains heavy
with timber, the valleys and coast lands
are well cultivated in fields of tobacco and
hemp. There is a charm in the landscape,
he said, which impresses itself upon the
mind, for the islands are the most beautiful
in the world.
DR.. Brown then spoke of the people Their
life is not a strenuous one, he said, and they
cannot understand why an American is al
ways wanting to work. They given to
Incidence, partially because of the tropical
climate and partially from the ease with
which they can make living. The soil of
the land is very fertile. and there is prac-
tically little difficulty in raising enough to
live with ease. The people are contented
with the goods of to-day, and do not trouble
about the morrow. DR.. Brown cited an in
stance in which school teacher wished to
have his trunk hauled to neighboring viii
lage, and, though the street was lined with
truck carts, the natives could not see why
they should push the load four miles under
hot sun, and refused to do it.
RELIGIOUS CONDITIONS.
The speaker then went into the religious
conditions of the Filipinos.
They are many times characterized as
treacherous and incident. How could any
thing else be expected he continued, when
they have been under Spanish rule for three
hundred years? How can they be moral
when the children of the priests are allowed
TO play in the streets 1t is unjust to COM
pare them with ourselves. who have spent
500 years in development. The native is
simple, affectionate and frank, but his heart
is like the. soil-if hate is sown, hate is
reaped; and likewise, If love is sown, love
is reaped. They never forget ali injury
until revenged."
There is a great problem for the Amer
lean people in the Philippines" DIR. Brown
declared. 1.-The problem is, in what spirit
are the Americans to meet the task of
civilizing the Filipin0S. The nations of the
world are much interested in knowing what
America is going to do. Before the Spanish
war, the speaker said, two-thirdS of the
world had not heard of America, and il
they had, they did not have a conception of
the power of the nation. But the war star
tied Europe and Asia and brought America
from insignificance into prominence among
the powers Of the world. The nations are
asking now, said DR.. Brown, what does
America stand for In the Orient?
The policy OF our country so far toward
the new acquisitions has not been altogether
good. The tariff laws are strangling COM
merce. as Is the law excluding Cinnamon
from the confines of the islands. The China
men are the only people willing TO work in
the tropical heat, and the law consequently
has shut out the only industrious people
who can bring the land forward In COM
merce.
The great question of what we are going
to do with the Philippines resolves itself
into two propositions, DIR. Brown believes.
The one policy is whether or not America
is going to assume selfish attitude and
employ them for her own purpose. The
other policy is to make them a trust of
civilization and bring to bear upon them
all the influences that in the course of time
will establish them as modern civilized
people.
THE RELIGIOUS PROBLEM.
The religious problem, DR.. Brown said.
is the one that must be solved first, in or
der TO bring about the evolution. The Ro-
man Catholic Church, he said. is rotten TO
the very bottom in the Philippines. The
saloons, gamblers and riff-raff of America
are congregating i'll the cities of the islands.
The great need is the gospel that will enter
the hearts of the people and bring them 10
a standard equal TO that of America. Ii
can only be done by the Protestant Church.
There is already work being done there,
and the people are eager TO receive the gos-
pei. coming in great crowds on Saturday
nights and remaining over night TO be pres
| ent on the morrow. The missionaries are
| taxed to the limit and more are needed.
| There are about 1900 baptized men and
women in the islands. The conflict OF
arms is over" concluded the speaker. but
| the conflict OF morals remains-the fight
against right and wrong. l believe it is for
| our American churches TO solve
Tomorrow night DIR. Brown will speak
before the synod at the First Presbyterian
| Church. His subject will be the religious
| conditions in Asia. where he made even a
more comprehensive study than in the
| Philippines.