Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1908-01-23

S62 are soldlers; 81 are in Bilibid
prison.
Apparently, the average American
does not find the atmosphere OF the
Islands conducive to church going. A
count was made, upon recent Sun
day, Of all the American men in at
tendance upon the city's 20 churches,
Roman Catholic and Protestant, and
the aggregate number was found to
be 416. AT the Columbia club were 81
and at the Luneta sacred concert were
1896. Over against these S92 (among
whom were doubtless many dupli-
cates) who were under religious or
wholesome" influences, may be placed
the count of 1895 in attendance upon
baseball games, races, etc. At two
similar resorts where the count could
not be made, the estimated number
was $50 more.
This does not mean that Manila is
an immoral city; in truth, l wac
amazed at the quetncss and orderli-
ness of it, and at the manifestly high
character OF the people. So far as l
could ascertain, the attacks upon the
morality OF Americans in the Philip
pines have been cruel exaggerations.
While they apparently do not lean
strongly to church-going, the men of
Manila yet manifest an alert interest
in the moral welfare of the city. The
project to build a hundred thousand
dollar Young Mems Christian associa-
ton building, with lodgings for hun
dred men, was made a civic matter,
and pushed through enthusiastically.
The Y. NJ. G. A., by the way, was the
first Protestant agency at work in the
islands, and it's splendid service for
the soldiers. now supplemented by
work for civilians, has continued to
this day, winning warmest praise in
all quarters.
Churches Get Together.
The first outstanding fact concern
ing the distinctively missionary work
of the islands by the Protestant
churches is the plan of cooperation
which was lately adopted. Profiting
by the experience of other mission
fields, the denominations early got
together to apportion. the territory, so
that duplication and conflict might be
avoided. In order also to present a
united front for Professionalism, COM
mon name, Evangelical churches"
was adopted, in place of the varied
and confusing UNCONVENTIONAL appel
lations. From the first there has been
substantial unity and cooperation
AMONG Tho tubn
already indicated, a superior body Of
sensible, capable men.
In the division of the islands among
the denominations, the Methodists
have the greater part of Luzon, north
of Manila, and the Presbyterians the
southern portion of the same island as
we'll as four other islands. The Dis
ciples of Christ also have four sta
tons in the most northerly part of
! LuZon. Since 1900 the Baptists have
occupied Negros, northern and south
ern Panay and the Island of Romblon,
with II missionaries and II native
congregations. Congregationalists are
located on the Island of Mindanao,
where they work in close cooperation
with the Presbyterians. The Episco-
palians have a work for the pagan
Igorrotes, and also for the Chinese.
Methodists likewise have mission
among the Chinese. The United
Brethren are strongly established
about San Fernando Spiritualists and
Christian Scientists have work in
Manila,
The total Protestant membership Of
the islands, reported to the Evangell.
cal Union last year, was $4,000, ex-
elusive of 10000 probationers record
ed in the Methodist church. The last
named body is witnessing an extraor-
binary growth; with only nine
Americans engaged in the Filipino
work-it now reports, according to
Rev. M. A. RAIDER, presiding elder, no
less than $4,000 members, including
probationers A curious fact about its
congregations, and those Of the other
missions, Is that two-thirds of them
are men, and of this number three,
quarters are young men. There are
500 licensed native workers in the
Methodist church, only few of whom
receive any financial assistance. This
characteristic of independence and
} self-support runs through all the
Protestant missions. The great bulu
of their churches throughout the
islands has been built by the natives
themselves.
Educational and eleemosynary eff
! fort on the part of the missions in
, cludes the Presbyterian hospitals a.
: Iloilo and Demaguete and the Sillimar
, Industrial Institute for Boys at the
latter place, the Protestant Episcopa
Dispensary and Settlement House il
Manila, the Methodist hospital anC
schools, the Jaro Industrial school O
the Baptists with about 800 students
and various training schools for ma
tive workers and periodical religion,
publications maintained by the dit
, ferent denominations.
, Copyright, by Joseph b. Bowles.)