The Washington herald., 1911-01-02

Portraying in vivid truths the sacrifices
and hardships of the small army Of mis-
sionaries doing Gods work in Central
republics. Rev. Thomas UToole. a mis-
sionary of the Church of God. yesterday
told of conditions and crisis facing these
countries to-day.
Throughout the past ten years Of his
life. Rev. Mr.. O'Toole has devoted all
Of his faith and energy among the ma
tives, particularly in Central America,
and is now spending the holidays. after
a long ordeal OF work. with his relatives
at 2oc3 New York avenue northwest.
For a large part Of thirty years. he
has at various times been associated with
the missionary work. learning the eleven
different tongues represented by the ma
tives. and learning their customs and
life.
Unfamiliar with Conditions.
That the great majority Of the people
in this country to-day are totally un-
familiar with the trials which mission
aries are forced to face. Rev. Mr.. O'Toole
gave a scanty picture Of his career as a
missionary. He pointed out the real OBJ
stacles which the missionary has to face
in doing his work. the fevers. earth
quakes, revolutions. Imprisonment. and
persecution.
1T is the mistaken opinion among
Americans, that the missionaries who go
to those countries and give their lives
to Gods work." he said, finally get used
to these unnatural conditions. Unless
1 am an exception among all the others,
it is impossible to get used to the fevers
and earthquakes, above all other things
There are some things that human ma
ture rebels at, and the deadly fevers and
malaria, which come without notice and
wreck so many hundreds of lives. are
always the main obstacles that face the
missionary when he goes to these coun-
tries"
Rev. Mr.. O'Toole has passed through
four different kinds Of fever. has been
in a dozen earthquakes has been a politi-
cal prisoner during various revolutions.
and has suffered persecution. all of which.
he says, is the common lot Of the average
Missionary.
Lack Of Leadership.
He deplored the lack Of leadership in
the different governments. which make
revolutions SO common. These revolu-
tions will never cease" he said, until
America assumes control Of the govern
mentS. The Spanish-American is so built
that he is not able to grasp situations,
there is no force or organization in his
system, and petty jealousy and rivalry
are the real causes Of the numerous rev.
olutions which have become such a set
back in our work.
IF there were a few strong leaders
among them who would simply rise up
ana command the situation, demanding
that the revolutionists stay in their own
corner, We would soon see changes all
around"
Rev. Mr.. O'Toole said that although
it was the popular notion that the Ro-
man Catholic Church is predominant in
Spanish America, it was mistake.
Most of the coast sections were under
the influence of the Catholic Church. he
said. but all of the interior countries
and most of the natives and Indians
who were Christianized belonged to the
Protestant church, which is to-day doing
the greater part of the work of Chris
tianizing those countries.
Cause of Atagonism.
All Of the Catholic missionaries are
Spanish born. he said. and this very
fact sets them against the Americans
and against the growth and industrial
improvement.
During his early days in the mission
ary work, he said that at various times
his life has been threatened by Roman
Catholic missionaries merely on account
of religious beliefs.
Rev. Mr.. O'Toole will stay in Wash
ington indefinitely before returning to
his work. He represents the Pentacostal
Mission movement, which has its head
quarters in Nashville, Tenn. and it's
Western branch, commonly called the
Church of God mission movement, at
Colorado Springs, Colo.