The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-01-03

in ignorance the people whose destinies
1t has had hand in shaping. But the
great question before the country today
is the education of the people. So We
are full of hope for the future.
Now this brings us up to the religion
OF the country.
A missionary should be interested in
everything that effects his people. He
wants to see their country developed.
He wants a stable government He wants
to see national prosperity, social and in
tellectual progress. In short, he wants
to see his people get themselves in hand
and attain unto the noblest aspirations
OF their souls. But tie great burden OF
his heart is to deliver men from the
bondage of sin, and bring them into the
liberty of the sons of God. When ne
puts men in touch with his great mind,
and makes them understand the inexilaust-
ible riches of his fathers heart, he has
put within their reach the power to solve
all their problems, and lead them to the
realization of their highest destiny.
l do not know that it is even desirable
to Americanize the world, the attempt
to do it would be worse than folly. But
to brng all men to know God and Christ
whom he hath sent, is desirable. 1t was
the hope of the prophets, the command
of Jesus, the inspiration of the Apostles
and is the purpose of his church. No man
has any business on the mission fields
who is not thoroughly convinced of the
truth of these propositions. l have faith
in men because / have faith in God.
believe in the future Of Brazil. because
see he has provided richly for a great
future and thought great things for
her.
l have said nothing about the sins
and corruptions of Brazilians, and | snail
not. 1t is enough to say they are sinners
as all men are, and have not the pure
gospel preached to them. Romanism Is
not Christianity if the apostles knew
what that was.
During my nine years residence in
Brazil, l have seen Romanism as it Is
l have seen what it can do for a people
in 400 years of fair trial, as fair as any
doctrine ever gets at any people, as fair
as l would ask for our beloved Method
ism. I feel, therefore, that l can say
without presumption that l know what
Rcmanism is.
To say that these are a degenerate
people and Rome must not be judged
| by what is done among them, Is very
poor excuse for a state OF things she is
ashamed to own before Protestants. 1t
is a reflection on that people, that, as
their friend, I resent What they are,
Rome, more than any other one influence,
has made them. Brazilian Methodists are
not degenerate. On the contrary, we
are proud of them and are ready to con-
pare them with the very best types OF
Christianity anywhere on the face of the
earth
But a high type of manhood cannot be
maintained long among any people who
are taught to worship a piece of bread,
to call upon the images of good men Ions
gene to glory, and trust in female di-
vinity for salvation. These things don't
make men, to say nothing of Christians
When the minds of men are so be-
wildered that they can be made to be-
lieve that images miraculously appear"
from, nobody knows where; that they
go out of closed churches and take up
their stand where they want new shrine
built; that they nod their heads in an
swer to questions, blink their eyes, sweat
and have hair that grows; that relics
work all sorts of miracles, and many other
such things too numerous to mention,
it should not surprise us if morals go the
wrong way.
Now these things do not go on only, or
even principally, in Brazil, they are TAX
ing place everywhere the breath OF Rome
has touched the life of people.
That other proposition we sometimes
hear, that the Protestant religion is not
adapted to Latin people, is without my
basis in facts as to Brazil. The last
census revealed the fact that there arc
300, 900 Protestants IN the country. Mis-.
sion work was begun there only about
so years ago. Our church has been there
some 81 years, and has about 5000 mem
bers and 10000 adherents. There are IN
the conference 5 self supporting stations
and circuits, some of which pay their
pastors $1,000 year. The last year /
was at conference our church in the city
of Juiz de Fora, with less than 200 men-
bers reported 100000 for all purposes
Such giving as that is not found every
day in North Carolina.
We expect to take Brazil for Christ.
/ can say today with conviction and
faith / never had before, / am not ashamed
of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, for it is the
power of God unto salvation to all meE,
but especially unto them that believe.
w. 3. LEE.
Greensboro, N c., Dec. %, 1908.