Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1910-08-10
MEXICO'S RELIGIOUS CONDITION.
Or. PressIy Tells Of Mission Work There.
Roman Catholic Church i'm Mexico
n0n-chiStidn,

Rev. DR.. Neill Pressly, who has
served as missionary of the AS
sociate Reformed Presbyterian
Church in Mexico for more than
30 years, being the pioneer mis-
slonary of that denomination in
Mexico, delivered an interesting
and instructive address as the
First Associate Reformed church
here Sunday evening on the Cath
olic Church in Mexico. Having
labored in Mexico so many years
DR.. Pressly is thoroughly familiar
with and we'll informed as to con-
ditions there, and his address was
unusually interesting. He is an
entertaining speaker and the large
congregation which heard him
gave close attention.
In beginning his discourse the
missionary declared that "Roman
Catholicism in Mexico is nom
Christian" and that he had no
apologies to make for the state
ment. He then proceeded to show
why the Catholics in Mexico, as
in the Latin American countries,
Italy and Spain, should be term
ed non-Christians. In the first
place they worship idols, there
being images of worship in every
Catholic home in Mexico, both
rich and poor. They serve the
creature rather than the creator,
and are very earnest in their re.
liglous ceremonies. They have
no conception of God, His love
and His worship. They have been
taught that God is God of wrath
and vengeance, but they know
nothing of their responsibility to
God and know nothing of repen-
tance aud turning to God. They
have no conception of sin and it's
consequences. The Bible is not
known to the Catholics of Mexico
and there are no Bibles there ex-
cept those taken there by mission
aries and through the instrument
tality of the Protestant churches.
The Catholics are guilty of burn
ing Bibles.
Th Catholics of Mexico are not
Christians because there is no Sab.
bath day. no Lords day there,
Sunday is the great market and
pleasure day with them. In the
fore noon of that day which we are
commanded to keep holy the Mexi-
cans engage in buying and selling,
in the afternoon they throng TO-
gether to see bull fights, cock
fights, ball games, etc., and to
engage in gambling, drunkenness.
Some of the Catholic priests go to
see the cook fights, etc. At night
the theatre is the center of at
traction. They have no Sabbath
schools and the children are not
taught of God. Their RELIGION is
purely one Of Idolatry, superstition
and ignorance. The Holy Spirit is
not known in the Catholic church,
and how can a church, which
never breaches of the Holy Spirit,
be Christian church?
Before concluding his address
DR.. Presley told of the wor k
which has been done in Mexico by
the missionaries of the Associate
Reformed church since they en-
tered the field more than thirty
years ago. This denomination
now has a number of churches,
schools and hospitals there and
the work is encouraging. Many
of the natives have been converted
into Christianity and when they
have joined the church they be.
come consistent Christians. The
native preachers are doing very
effective work. The speaker made
strong pie for the work to which
he has given his life.
DR.. Presley has apparently
Jared we'll in Mexico. He is q
perfect picture of health. He il
a son of the late Rev. Dr.
John E. Presley, so well
remembered by older resi-.
dents in this county as strenuous
preacher. Dr.. Pressly engaged in
mission work in Tampico soon
soon after he entered the minis.
try. Tampico is still the center
of his work, which has greatly
enlarged in the 81 years and six
months he has spent there. States
vile Landmark.