Omaha daily bee., 1915-06-22
COMES BACK FROM
CENTRAL AMERICA
Eulalius Groh, Returned Missionary,
Tells Of Conditions in Hon
duras and Guatemala.
QUEER CUSTOMS OF COUNTRY

E:ulallus n. Groh. returned missionary
from Honduras and Guatemala, gave an
address on Christian work in those
countries in place Of his usual sermon in
St Marks Lutheran church last evening.
and made a plea for moro missionaries
to 20 to these difficult fields.
''Of the five republics OF Central Amer
tea. Honduras opens tie doors the widest,
but Is the most difficult field ssid Mr..
Groh These five republics are Guata-
mala, Honduras San Salvatore, Nicara-
qua and Costa RIGA.
In San Salvatore there are numerous
little congregations OF believers who were
established by workers from the Amer
lean Bible society and the British and
Foreign Bible society. but these congre-
cations are mostly without pastors.
Travelling about the country IL very
difficult IN Honduras, much more 90
than IN Guatemala. In the latter country
there are good roads. There IL not even
a railroad crossing the country from the
Atlantic TO the Pacific side When we
want 20 make a trip we go Co the town
hall and hire Indians 20 carry our bag
gage. This costs q trifling sum. and we
can often SOW gospel seed a. we walk
along with these hired baggage carriers.
Few Wagon Roads.
In Honduras there are hardly any
wagon roads at all The railroad mileage
of the country Is fifty-four miles, and a
train runs on this road every other day.
The government OF Honduras is not as
stable rs that Of Guatemala. We had
the latest revolution In Honduras only
four years ago. In Guatemala, on the
other hand, President Cabrera has ruled
with an iron hand since 1895. He is the
Porfirio Diaz OF GuatAmalE. Many sus-
pected OF plotting against him have been
| imprisoned and executed and others have
been exiled and had their property con-
fiscated. One plot nearly succeeded. A
largo quantity OF explosive was dis
charged under a street where II was
known he would pass. The horses and
coachman were blown to pieces, but the
president escaped unscathed.
His firm rule is "a good thing for thu
country and for the evanselization Of the
people. During recent smallpox epi-
demic he called to his palace a man with
whom i was working. DR.. c. f. secord.
known to many in Omaha, and had him
vacctnate thousands of Indians
silver has disappeared entirely from
circulation in Guatemala. There is only
paper and nickel money. As conss-
quence its value has deprecated until
now 81 In Guatamala money IL worth 6
cents in United States money There are
eight Guatemala reals in a Guatemala
dollar. Each real. therefore. is worth
about two-thirds of cent in our money.
Their smallest coin is the auartilla.
which, at the present state OF deprecia-
ton, would be worth Just one--sixth Of
cent In United States money.
Place on Walk Indicates Rank.
Down there the people do not keep u
the right but take their places on the
sidewalk according to rank. You must
decide instantly as each pedestrian ap-
proaches whether he IL above or below
you In social rank. II above, you give
him the inside of the sidewalk. A woman
also invariably takes the inside. unless
she be a baretooted woman or one carry
ing a burden. and the poor Indian is
pushed out into the street
"In Honduras silver still orculates,
and a Honduras dollar is worth about
10 cents gold. They always speak of
United States money as gold.
THE Indians In these countries are not
like those in North America. They are
really the support OF the country and
characteristically hard workers. You will
often see them walking along tho trails
bearing heavy burdens on their backs
and weaving hats as they walk.
zone cannot see these people without
feeling a great desire to carry the gospel
to them. And they. in their simple way,
are very hospltabls. II we come TO a re-
mote mountain villege at night and knock
} on the door of a house or hut and ask
for lodging they at once receive us
cheerfully and trustfully. OF course. we
, carry our own hammocks in which I,
sleep, for generally we wouldn't care t