The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-12-01

are Indians. Guatemala has more
the two million population. and OF
these about 1.5OsO,o00 have no white
blood The Indians are divided up
into tribes, and many OF the tribes
have a mixture of Catholicism and OF
their old faith. They nave their
priests. but they also have medicine
men and fire and devil worship. ms
is so of the clutches. who are 1esceno-
ed from the Toltecs. who ruled MeNi-
co before the Aztecs. There are sew
eral hundred thousand OF them
The Indians of Guatemala are nat
urally devout. The greater support or
the church comes from them. and
see half-dozen red men to every
white man in the churches 1t is per-
haps due to the Indians that the wor-
ship of to-day is so ful! or superstl-
ton. The statues in the churches are
gorgeously decorated. In some places
the Christ is clad in wooden gown
like a monk. and nearly everywhere
the wax Maionnas have gowns or
brocaded silk, and their heads are dec
grated with jewels
AS il is now the church is very poor
and with the opposition of the govern
ment II is difficult to support the
clergy. The priests are not free to
speak as they please. and the power
and wealth which they had in the past
have disappeared. AS to protestant
mission work. there is some carried
on by the Presbyterians. the Metho-
dists and the Eyangelists. 1 am
Presbyterian mD self, but / really be-
lieve the best work can be done here
by the Catholics. and that Central
America should be given over to them
What is wanted is not a new falth.
but a regeneration. revifiying and mod
ernizatIon of what the people believe
now. and this can be much more
easily and effectively accomplished by
our Catholic Church as it is to-day.
The Theatre and the Bull Ring.
But you must not think that Qua
temsla is all churches 1t has q fine
theatre and n well patronized bull
ring. The theatre is named after Co
lumbus. and its building was MOD
eled after the Church Of the Madeisine
in Paris. IL has 2 subsidy from the
government. and stars are brought
in from Italy. Spain and Mexico.
The bull ring is right near the Cen
trail Railway Station. and during the
afternoons to see the fun Now ana
then bulls are imported from Spain
TO contest with the Guatemaian bulls.
and some OF the chief Spanish bull
frntcrs come here TO take part. As a
rule. however. the animals used are
oxen. with now and then an old bull
for a change
There are always good bands at the
bull lights. and the city has plenty
OF music. The military banda play In
the parks. and on sunday afternoons
rich and poor walk about there and
listen 70 popular and classical airs.
Mule street Cars
There is also plenty OF driving and
a little eutomobiling. but Joy riding
= largely confined to the rich. The
only street cars are Old-fashioned
trans drawn BY mules. and t-e cars
10 at such irregular Intervals that
one can hardly tell when thes viii
some Besides. they are usually hiled
sith Indians and half-breeds. which
many consider unpleasant The fares
are equal to two-thirds Of cent OF
our money. but the street car company
pays no dividend
AZ to the main drives. one IL TO the
aippodrone. where Is the race track
ana Temple % Minerva. and another
- out ove- the Boulevard de Reforma
% the national museum tbs boule-
vara Is ore % the fine roads Of Gen.
trail America. ~ h. several hundred
feet wide. and has four driveways d.
..s,s -. ~ov-s Of trees a nd areensward.