Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1914-05-20
SEED SOWING IN MEXICO
Why Catholics does not want the Bible Read
and How They Would Prevent il.

Why uN'huuUo uVG0 Hui WuHt tU5 Uiut5 i1tQl
and How They Would Prevent il.
Down in southern Oaxacs
whore the sugar cane aud osstol
bean flourish, there is a large pop
u.atiou of honest IndiaLs who arf
truly liberal and anxious to know
the truth and follow it at any
cost when once they are satiefi.d
tha5 they have found it. Among
these honest people there went a
Baptist colpcrter named Lazarus,
who, like bis biblical namesaka,
is "frieud If Jesus" " Strapped
to the back Of his mule. Lazarus
had g large bundle of Bibles and
testaments, On market days in
each plaza he unpacked his bundle
and spread his wares among the
vsnders of eggs, vegetables and
other comm odItles.
On Ole of these days, Don Juan
{ We will call him that for shcrt)
ell-to-do farmsr from neigh
boring village, sqled a nice large
family Bible with gilt edges. 1t
was a fi,4e looking book, but D On
Juan did not recognize the title.
Lazarus explained to him briefly
that it was good book, the very
best in the world and it's possessor
would never have occasion to re
greet it's purchase. Don Juan
asked the price 1t was SO. He
said he would buy it on the word
of Lazarus and if he foucd it to be
good book, we'll and good; but
if not, then Lazarus would hear
from him. Don Juan began read.
ing it at home 1t surely was Nh.
like anything he had evar
read before. It said 80 much
about G. I'd and Jesus and some Of
the apostles that the village
"padre" ought to SEQ it, and tell
him whather after all twas wise
purchase So D,n Juan took thu
Bible to the village priest. Oae
glance was suffi ,snt. He took is,
aud tore out page after page, and
then. threw it down in the dirt,
and Frightened poor Juan with the
violence of his language. That
settled it for Jaan. He had been
deceived A Protestant had sold
him a Protestant book. He would
take it back, torn and mutilated.
and dem the raturn. of his
money. He had no difficulty in
finding Lazarus He told Lazs-
rus he had been mistaken. 1t
must be bad book because the
padre" had said 50. 1t was
Lazarus turn this time, aud he
asked Don Juan to point out
who're the hook said anything bad.
He even offered to give him back
bis SO If he could fld one verse
that was bad. Don Juan con-
fessed that he had not Rad it care.
fully. but he wanted his money
back anyway.
'A'l right" said Lazarus 81
shall gst she So for you. but the
man who tore the book and soiled
it will have to pay the money.
Lazarus went to shs "perfecture,"
she judge of the local police court
and told his story, showing the
mutilated Bible The judge, who
was a liberal man, and hated ia.
natlcism in every form, wrote a po-
lite note to the village priest. tell
ing him that inasmuca as he had
deliberately destroyed several dol
lars worth of another mau's
property, he certainly would not
object to paying for the same,
AVID if there was any question
about it, he could come into court
and explain why he did it.
Lazarus, armsd with this note,
sought an interview with the
PRIEST. It was granted, and the
padre" was quick to inquire tie
am )unt he owed "Three dollars
please' said Lazarus, land Hplease
rsmemcer shat neither you nor
any other can destroy the Word
Of God, for it is wristsn: "Titl
heaven and earth pass, one jot or
little shall in no wise pass from
the law"
The best part of the story is
that the soiled and: mutiIaed
Bible was kept after all by D Dou
Juan. aud it led to HIS converslo q
He ls q m9mber Of our ,hdrch at
Ejutla, aud the village prisss has
not attempted again to: bother
Lazarus in his good work of SOW
ing the good seed.-- Gorge H
Brewer. ;