The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-12-12
WHY THE BIBLES WERE BURNED
TRUE STORY OF AN INCIDENT IN
THE Philippine ISL NDS-
PRIESTS HAD NOTHING TO DO
WITH THE DESTRUCTION OF
PROTESTANT VERSIONS OF THE
BIBLE.

Some time ago a number of nom
Catholic papers in America and Eu-
rope spread the news that Catholic mis-
sionaries in the Philippines had burned
the Bible. Here is an authentic report
of one who is in position to know,
living as he does at the place where
the deed was supposed to have been
perpetrated. 1t was sent to F. Mar
House, Techny, ILL.,, by Father w. Fin
nemann, who is member of the same
congregation, the Missionary Society
of the Divine Word.
Tayum, Illocos Sur, p. l.,
July %, IA.
Dear confrere-
The report Of the Protestant papers
in Vigan about the burning of the
Bible is a striking example of how
these gentlemen write history" From
January Is of this year, there was at
Vigan, Capital Of Ilocos Sur, a provin-
cial exhibition or fair. The two Prot
estant sects represented in Vigan, the
Methodists and the Christian Mission
had their booths and among the things
for sale were chiefly Bibles. They did
not "go" very well. A Bible agent Of
Manila told me some time ago: ''In
the beginning of the American occu-
patton the Filippinos bought the Bible,
with avidity, but when they saw that
all contained in the Bible was already
known to them, they ceased buying
| it."
But the Bible society of Manila
| wanted to get rid of the thousands of
copies which they had in store. They
hit upon a very original method to
get them among the people. The
| Movies" had to help them out. An
auto loaded with Bibles and a moving
picture machine was dispatched to
Illocos Sur. They passed through all
the more important towns. In Ban
| gued near by, the Life of our Lord"
was given twice, one evening gratis,
the other evening at the price of a
copy Of the Bible. On the Sth of jan
uary the show was given in Vigan, in
the chapel of the Christian Mission.
AS in Tayum the auto was a fine
means of advertising, since autos are
rare birds in this neighborhood. 1t
slowly moved through all the main
streets and man with loud voice
invited all to come to 'the holy lee
ture'
Mr.. Hanna conducted the show and
gave his explanations. Adults had to
pay 10 centavos 6 cents) and received
two gospels, children paid centaVos
and received one gospel. These books
had to be shown when passing the
entrance and nobody was admitted
without them. The Bibles were thus
used as tickets. Many, of course, only
paid because they wanted to see the
pictures.
Among those that visited the "mov-
ing picture chapel" was Mr.. Fidel
Reyes, an excellent Catholic who him
self has small cinematograph. When
Mr.. Reyes saw the large number of
Catholics, who, attracted by the Life
of our Lord" were forced to listen to
all the blasphemous things Mr.. Han
ma had to say against their religion,
his indignation was reused to high
pitch and he decided at once to do
something to counterfeit the enemy's
plans.
He knew quite well that his fellow
citizens were good Catholics, for de-
spite the efforts of ten years the two
sects have not made any appreciable
Roadway in Vigan. Mr.. Reyes without
talking the matter over with anybody
announced at once an exhibition at his
own place for the following night. 1t
was his own plan which he carried
out unaided. 1t was the exact reverse
of Mr.. Hanna's method. He refused
money and demanded as the price of
entering his show from adults two
gospels, from children one. In this
manner he received 500 Bibles in one
wanted to see the show, willing to pay
the price in money, but was refused.
The following day Mr. Reyes went
to the Jesuit Fathers and told them
how he had gathered the 500 Bibles.
They were amused by his ingenious
plan. And one of them mentioned,
| laughing, the best thing he could do
with them was to burn them. This
was done on January IL. When the
/ afternoon instruction was over the
| children carried the 500 volumes to
| the rear yard of the cathedral and
| started a CHEEKY bonfire, enjoying the
performance as much as any boys
would This is the story of the burn
| ing of the Bible.
The Catholic missionaries have been
blamed for it. The report which ap-
peared in the "Racimiento Filipino, .
says that $500 Bibles were burned.
According to the "Taegliche Rund-
schau' the number was 1900, Mr..
i Hanna states that only 500 were
| burned.
The Catholic missionaries have
neither burned the Bibles nor demand
| ed their burning. There we're not
thousands of invited spectators, only
the children who came from their
catechism class and few people who
just happened to pass by were pres
ent.
AS to the value of the Bible the fol-
lowing statement will suffice
i If these Professionals had as much
reverence for their Bible as we, they