The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-11-23
PEOPLE OF BRAZIL
THEY ARE officially SLEEPING,
SAYS BISHOP WILSON.
CITIES BEHIND THE TIMES
EXCEPT ST. PARLO, WHICH is
MODERN IN NEARLY ALL RESPECTS.

One of the Finest Electric Plants
in the World There-PeOpIe Have
Not Recovered from Old Country
Tyranny and Are Slow and Slug
Eish-MissiOnary Work Progress
ing and Methodist Church Num-
bers $500 Brazilians-NearIy All
the People Are CathOlics-Of High
err Standard Than FiIipinOs-Bish-
Op Wilson Left Before Panama
Colombia Trouble.
Bishop Alpheus w. Wilson of Balti-
more, senior bishop of the Methodist
Episcopal Church, South, was the guest
yesterday of Rev. H. C. Christian,
pastor of Wesley Monumental Church.
Bishop Wilson has been in America
only few weeks, having just returned
from Brazil where he has been in
charge of the work of the church. To
a representative of the Morning News
he spoke interestingly of the country
in which he has been laboring.
THE Brazilians are a very interest
ing people" he said. ''They are near
ly all Roman Catholics, rendering d.
rect allegiance in spiritual matters to
the Pope. They are seemingly in a
state of lethargy in all lines, both
physical, mental and spiritual. 1t is
the characteristic of all people who
have been under the domination of
Spain or kindred countries.
They are dead officially and have
little or no conception of morals. 1t
seems as though the conscience of the
entire country is slumbering, and the
people seem unable to distinguish right
from wrong. We have made very good
Roadway in waking their moral and
spiritual nature, and to-day the Metho-
dist Church numbers more than $500
members in Brazil.
"Our missionaries are received kind
ly, though with a somewhat stolid in
difference in a great many cases. The
people listen to our sermons and our
lectures and then return to their old
modes of living again. Our greatest
drawback is the climate. This in most
sections is extremely unhealthy to per-
sons just coming into the country. To-
day we have a number of missionaries
to Brazil in the United States, whom
we have been compelled to recall from
the active field until they can build
up their health again.
ST. ParIO a Modern City.
"They are far behind us in most
WAYS and their cities would be con-
sidered a joke by the average Ameri-
can. There Is one exception, however,
and that is St. Parlo. This city Is
thoroughly modern in all respects and
would be a credit to any country. All
the most modern Improvements have
| been introduced and the people seem
to appreciate them.
Their electric plant in that city is
one of the finest of any city in the
world. Electric lighting is Installed
| in nearly all the public buildings and
| in many of the private homes. Elec-
| trio cars are whizzing up and down
| the streets as they are in this country,
and the streets themselves present
| thoroughly modern appearance.
THE buildings are modern in most
respects, especially the public struc-
| lures. OF course the high sky-scrap-
ers have not yet appeared but there
is no need for them as yet. They have
| built their buildings solidly and with
an eye to their beauty. Taken as
whole. st. Parlo is a thoroughly mod
"The other cities are still modelled
after the old style. They have the old
| slow and sleepy appearance, and not
many of the modern improvements
Each city has one or two modern APP
nliances. but those are so few that
| they serve simply to throw the old
style buildings into great contrast.
Higher Than Filipino People.
When asked concerning the mental
status and mode of living of the ma
tive Brazilians, Bishop Wilson stated
that they were a civilized people,
though they had not yet nearly reach
ed the level Of any of the great natlons
of the world. In speaking OF them ana
the Filipino people he said:
"rThe native Brazilian would consid-
or himself far in advance of the FIJI
ipino. and rightly so. He Is by no
means a. savage, though still far be-
hind the more enlightened people:
tyranny has ground him down and
education has been prohibited until IL
&c almost forgotten in many cases. They
are still much better than the Fill
Pine. ,..,..
of Portugal. That kingdom, though
harsh with it's territories, did not grind
them down as mercilessly as did Spain.
As a result the Brazilian is consider
ahly in advance of the F1lipinos. But,
taking them as a whole, ] should say
that they are III dllliOob CNSAS ASSRSSst
rouch like the Spanish-American peo-
ME. as we have come to know them"
Bishop Wilson left South America
before the recent trouble between Pan
anna and Colombia had reached a
crisis. or was really anticipated. AS
result he could give no information
regarding the feeling among South
Americans regarding the revolution
and the United States recognition of
the new republic.
Meth odist Church increasing.
In speaking of the Methodist Episco-
pal Church, South, Bishop wilson salo:
suficiently long to get fully in touch
with the church progress. All the in
formation that / have concerning It Is
from letters that have received from
~ a. IN very dourishing condition.
believe that the records will show that
during the past year, in all our terri