S. ^YXier. Qli;k SANTIAGO CHILE_ 1894. ▼AT T- Chile iTission -> p?'Methodist I?\t!Epiacbpal Church.... — ' — — L ^ 1878=1893 K Jv ! jT" MISSION NOTICE f Copies of this pamphlet will be sent post paid rou 20 CE^^"S GOLD OH 50 LENTS CHILEAN CUREENCY ' BY Dr. Geo. H. LaFetra Washington, D. C. United States OR BY THE Imprenta Moderna, Moneda 131, Casilla67 Santiago, Chile Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2018 with funding from Columbia University Libraries https://archive.org/details/chilemissionofmeOOunse THE CHILE MISSION OF THE METH0DI5T EPISCOPAL CHURCH ■^il575?1593i^ SANTIAGO, CHILE PUBLISHED BY THE MISSION Publishing Dept.—131 Calle Moneda 1894 IMPRENTA 131 MONEDA DERNA 1544 SANTIAGO S\ d)i le. CONTENTS PAGE Preface. 5 Missionaries in the Field. 7 Church Members. 8 I. The Principle of Self-support . 9 II. Founding of the Chile Mission. 13 III. Discouragements of War. 23 * IV. The Transit and Building Fund Society.. 31 V. Progress of the Work. 35 VI. Santiago College. 49 VII. Episcopal Superintendence. 61 VIII. The Transfer of the Mission. 65 IX. Report of the Presiding Elder. 71 X. Estimate of the Work. 80 .1 PREFACE The mission work in Chile which had been under the management of the Transit and Building Fund Society of Bishop Taylor’s Self-supporting Missions, passed under the control of the Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church on the first of No¬ vember, 1893. This change has brought it into entirely new relations, and placed its administration in the hands of those who have not had great ac¬ quaintance with its progress. The General Missionaiy Society of the Church has now become responsible for its care and direction. The purpose had in view in preparing this brief sketch of the mission work in Chile under the methods of self-support, has been to make possible, on the part of those who have recently been brought into administrative i-elations with its management, a more satisfactory study of the results thus far accomplished than would otherwise be pos¬ sible. The limits of this pamphlet forbid any attempt to even mention the many interesting incidents of the THE CHILE MISSION OF THE M. E. CHURCH () work and remarkable conversions which have oc¬ curred, or to detail the religious work of the schools. Only the most important facts which are necessary in order to follow the history of the work have been recorded. Marvelous changes have taken place in the attitude of the people toward Protestantism during the decade and a half since the Mission was founded. The old conservatism of the colonial centuries held sway over the people long after national independence had been secured. God sent Methodism into this field at a time most important in the transition which the nation is making, from the old life to the freedom and achievement, thought and energy of modern progress. Some of the most difficult problems of the age are here seeking solution, and must be fought out on this soil first of all, for the whole continent of South America. I. H. L. Santiago, October 2, 1894. MISSIONARIES IN TRE FIELD DECEMBER 31, 1893 Rev. I. H. LaFetra. Mrs. Adelaide W. LaFetra.. Miss Rosina A. Kinsman..., Prof. T. W. LaFetra. Rev. Harry Compton. Mrs. Rebecca M. Compton., Miss Emma A. Grant.. Miss Emma S. Bard. Miss Emilie J. Day. Rev. James Benge. Mrs, Alice Benge. Mrs. Sarah P. Webster.... Rev. G. F. Arms. Mrs. Ida A. T. Arms. Miss Eva L. Shultz. Miss Mary Stout. Dr. W. C. Hoover. Mrs. May H. Hoover. Rev, R. D. Powell. Mrs. Emily Powell. Prof. E. P. Currier. Rev. Charles Beutelspacher Rev. W. F. Albright. Mrs. Zephine Albright. Prof. C. S. Winans. Mrs. Emma K. Winans. ... Miss Estella Rugg. Miss Rose Rugg. Miss Jennie S. Farwell. ... Miss Lulu M. Hutchins. ... Miss Marion A. Milks....... Rev. B. O. Campbell. Mrs. Esther L. Campbell.,. Miss Alice H, Fisher. Miss Emmah H. Sweetzer.. Rev. George R. Benedict. . Mrs. Alice Q. Benedict. Miss Ruth VanDeren. Rev. P. B. Cuppett. Mrs. Anna B. Cuppett. Santiago.... Santiago. ... Santiago.... Santiago .... Serena. Serena. Concepcion . Talca. Santiago,... Iquique. Iquique. Concepcion . Concepcion . Concepcion . Iquique. Serena. Iquique. Iquique. Santiago.... Santiago.... Concepcion . Antofagasta Coquimbo... Coquimbo... Iquique. Iquique. Santiago.... Santiago.. .. Santiago.... Santiago.... Concepcion, Concepcion. Concepcion. Concepcion. Iquique.. .. Iquique. Iquique . . .. Santiago.... Santiago.... Santiago.... 187d 1880 1880 1888 1883 1888 1885 1886 1887 1888 1888 1888 1888 1888 1888 1889 1889 1889 1889 1889 1890 1890 1890 1890 1890 1890 1890 1893 1892 1892 1892 1898 1893 1898 1898 1898 1898 1893 1893 1893 8 THE CHiLE MISSION OF THE M. E. CHUHCH f £ k £► 0 (I ^ 0 2 M r ? |-= C OC V 0 . ?“TQ 1 05 ^ . ^ t Z 2 l»C > a c ^ a ^ 5 a c : ? ^ t iM ^ r t ,0 5 ^ p 2 B 0 ^ > a a : a ^ &> OChTj _, 32 Tj « r H-* ^ T 23 . S ; ; I : r^i : wC or to -1 (OX 00 h-l ox CO 0 rfi^ 00 Probationers re¬ ceived in 1893 Cl M Ul 1 h-l 1 0 1 h-l h-l 1 -t <11-1 Admitted to full membership CO CO 0 Cl M CJI OX 00 Cl to k-L CO CO 0 to 00 On the roll, Dec. 31, 1893 01 M M M 1-1 1-1 to to to -I -1 CO Members on the roll, Dec. 31, 1893 to ^ 1 1 1 1 1 1 ^ ;>>aths du! inf? the year 1 1-1 M r-i 1 lO 1 LO 1 Local Preachers 1 M 1 1 to 1 1 M 1 Exhorters, 720 t —1 0 bO 0 0 OX CJX 1-1 h-l to to 0 0 Cl ox ox 0 0 0 Adherents Cl M. 1 1-1 -1 0 1 to 0 1 1 1 1 1-1 Baptism, Adults j ff 1 1 1-1 h-l 00 1 1 CO CO CO ox cn Baptism, Children fcC 1 to i-i 1 to to -1 to to No. of Preachin,ar services, weekly STATISTICS OF CHURCH MEMBERSHIP-Uec. 31, 1893 the: chile mission —OF— iiidist Episcopal Cliiircli THE PRINCIPLE OF SELF-SUPPORT There exists much difference of opinion as to what ought to be understood by self-supporting mis¬ sions. A wholly erroneous conception of Bishop Taylor’s ideas of such work has pervaded the church and led to much criticism and opposition. There has been practically no difference of opinion between the Committee of The Transit and Building Fund Society and the missionaries in the field as to the methods of support, but the Mission has never been fairly tried on these principles for lack of means. What it has accomplished has been at larger expenditure of men and less of money than the plans contemplate. The only authoritative exposition of the funda¬ mental principles on which the Chile Mission has been conducted, is found in the charter of The Transit and 10 THE CHILE MISSION OF THE M. E. CHURCH Building Fund Society. The following statement is taken from the Articles of Incorporation of this society: “The particular business and objects of said society are to provide the ways and means, and to manage, appropriate, and ap¬ ply the same as follows, namely: “ I. To provide a suitable outfit for missionary preachers and teachers. ‘ ‘2. To pay their passage to foreign countries. “3. To pay the traveling expenses of pioneer evangelists in those countries. “4. To build or purchase dwelling-houses, school-houses, and houses of worship for the use of the missionaries. “5 Also to translate the sacred Scriptures and suitable re¬ ligious and literary publications into foreign languages, and to print and publish the same. “6. The funds of this society shall not be used to pay salaries of agents at home, nor of preachers or teachers in foreign coun¬ tries.” By this charter it is seen that the only restriction as to the expenditure of money for the work of the Mission, is that no contributions at home shall be used to pay salaries either at home or in the foreign field. 1. Under the first provision, funds of the society have been used to aid in furnishing some of the par¬ sonages and in the purchase of furniture and appara¬ tus for the schools. 2. Under the second provision the passage of mis¬ sionaries going to the field has been paid, and during the last few years provision was also made for refund¬ ing the expense of home passage to missionaries visit¬ ing the United States after five years of work, if they engaged to return again to the field. 3. Under the third provision the society has paid the traveling expenses of the superintendent, and could have provided for the traveling expenses of preachers who are engaged in pioneer work, had the The Principle of Self-Support 11 fiiiidw bfteu sufficient; and could also have paid the ti‘a,veliug’ expenses of teachers and preachers when changed from one station to another. 4. Under the fourth provision valuable school and church properties have been secured the estimated present value of which is |200,000, although so lai'ge an amount has not been expended for them. T). Under the fifth provision about .f3,000 were expended for printing presses and type for the Pub¬ lishing Department. As the Bible is published in ma¬ ny editions in Spanish by the American Bible Society and the British and Foreign Bible Society, there is no need of printing the Scriptures here. But there is the most pressing need for the publication of tracts in large quantities, and also religious and school books. The text books available for our educational work are far from satisfactory. The religious lit¬ erature of the Spanish language is nearly all Catho¬ lic, and the general literature is very largely pervaded with the teachings of French infidelity. There is not a juvenile paper known in South America. Probably no figures have ever been tabulated to show what proportion of the appropriations made to foreign missions is used for the payment of sala¬ ries of the missionaries, but it is surely safe to esti¬ mate that about one-fifth is used for property and in¬ cidental expenses and the remainder for salaries. It is the purpose of the self-supporting mission work to provide for the salaries of the missionaries from the “indigenous resources” of the field, and to expend the entire appropriations for other purposes, about one- fifth to be used for transit and other incidental expenses, and the remainder invested iu property for 12 THE CHILE MISSION OF THE M. E. CHURCH the schools and churches. If such apian can be made successful, it must be evident to all who care to (-on- sider the subject, that a vastly greater amount of work can be carried on with a half million of dollars under the plan of self-support than by any other method. The practical working of this plan would give the following results:— Twenty-five thousand dollars appropriated an¬ nually for ten yea.rs would yield f20,000 a year for property, and at the end of the period the mission would possess buildings and land worth $200,000. The remaining $50,000 would have been expended in traveling, repairs, insurance, and other incidental expenses. It is shown by the history of the mission that $5,000 expended in property will make possible the starting of a school or church work that will sup¬ port one missionary. Each year four new missionaries would be placed in the field and at the end of the period forty such workers would be employed. Each succeeding ten years would add forty more teachers and preachers. Had this amount been expended for salaries, it would have supported twenty missionaries all the time, with small investment in property. The results of the first ten years would perhaps show little gain for the self-sup]sorting method, but the sncceedina- ones would make the contrast very manifest It is needful, however, in forming a just estimate of such plan, to in(|uire whether the time and energy expended by missionaries in secui-ing self-support will be so great as to make it practically impossible to do much evangelistic work. To what extent this experiment has been success¬ ful in Chile will be shown in the following chapters. II FOUNDING OF THE CHILE MISSION After a remarkable evangelistic work of seven months among the Kafirs of South Africa, Rev. Wm. Taylor went to South India. He arrived at Bombay on the loth of November, 1871, and immediately be¬ gan evangelistic work among the thousands of En¬ glish-speaking residents of that metropolis. This work was entirely independent of any regularly or¬ ganized church or missionary agencies. God abun¬ dantly blessed these efforts and the work extended to other cities and towns. The converts were so many and the laborers so few, that in June, 1875, Mr. Tay¬ lor returned to England and the United States to se¬ cure and send out preachers to take charge of the young churches which had been organized, and to carry forward the gTeat work. So rajjid was the development of the mission that the General Conference which met in Baltimore in May, 1876, granted a charter for the organization of the “Bombay and Bengal Mission” into an Annual Conference, to be called The South India Conference. i\Ir. Taylor continued to labor in the United States until the latter part of 1877. He traveled exten¬ sively, preaching, selling his books, and seleifiing 14 THE CHILE MISSION OF THE M. E. CHURCH preachers for the India work. His attention had been called to South America, and on the 16th of October of that year, he set sail from New York for the west coast, by way of Panama, landing at Callao, Peru, on the 3rd of November. So far as he had anv deli- nite plans, his purpose in visiting these Spanish-Ameri- can nations was, to ascertain the condition of the people, the need of religious teachers, the number of English-speaking residents, and the possibilities of organizing work on the principle of the South India Mission. It was not his purpose to engage in evange¬ listic labors as he had done in Bombay, but rather to secure the cooperation of the English and Amei-ican residents in such work, to be developed by preachers whom he should send out. It was very soon manifest that the cooperation of these foreign residents could, in most cases, be more readily secured in founding schools, or school, and church work combined, than churches alone. He vis¬ ited the principal cities of Peru and Chile, and the ports of Bolivia, and sailed from Callao for New York on the 13th of April, 1878, arriving after an absence of six and a half months. The immediate results of this campaign were these: x\t Coquimbo, Chile, he formed a committee of the principal English residents, who engaged to make ready a place for worship, and to raise funds for the support of a pastor. At Valpai-also, Chile, he formed a similar commit¬ tee among the merchants, who agreed to i-aise funds among shippers and captains, for the support of a chaplain to the seamen in the bay. At Mollendo and Iquique, Peru, at Antofagasta, b ounding of the Chile Mission 15 in Bolivia, and at Copiapo, in Chile, he formed com¬ mittees to make preparations for school and church work combined. At Tacna, Peru, and Concepcion, Chile, he made like arrangements for schools. These various committees undertook to raise funds to aid in starting the work, both in the way of part payment of transit expenses of the teachers and preachers and for fitting up buildings for schools and chapels; and at all of these places they kept their promises. On his return to the United States, Mr. Taylor made known throughout the church the results of his trip, and sought to awaken the interest of young men and young women in this needy and greatly neglected field. The response to his call for missionaries was prompt, and on the 1st of July, 1878, the first party of nine preachers and teachei’S, consisting of Rev. A. P. Stowell and wife. Rev. J. W. Collyer, Rev. J. W. Higgins, Rev. I. H. LaFetra, Rev. W. A. Wright, Miss [.rolia H. Waterhouse, Miss Sarah E. Loiigley, and Miss Cora E. Benson, sailed from New A^ork for Pana¬ ma and the west coast. The honor of starting the first regulai- Spanish preaching services in Chile belongs to the American and Foreign Christian Union, (formerly I'he Foreign Evangelical Society). For nearly thirty years aid had been extended by this society to preachers labor¬ ing among the English and American residents and seamen. Rev. Mr. Gilbert, chaplain at Santiago, in connection with his English work taught for some years a Bible class composed of Chileans, and in 18GG he began regular preaching in the Spanish language. 16 THE CHILE MISSION OF THE M. E. CHURCH Two years la,ter, work was begun at Valparaiso by RevL A. M. Merwiii, and at Talca by Rev. S. Sayre, two American missionaries who had been studying with Mr. Gilbert at Santiago, and in 1870 atCopiapo by Rev. S. J. Christen. In 1873 the work passed un¬ der the care of the American Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions, and has been supported by that Board ever since. Tjater, work was begun at San Felipe-, and Copaipo was abandoned. When Mr. Tavlor arrived on the coast the following missionaries of the Presbyterian church were in the field: Rev. A. M. Merwin and wife, Valparaiso; Rev. S. J. Christen and wife, Santiago; Rev. S. W. Curtis and wife, Talca; and Rev. Robert MacLean and wife, San Felipe. At only one of those places—Valparaiso—did Mr. Taylor try to start work, and that was among seamen, for whom nothing was being done. It was not his purpose to interfere with work already begun, but rather to try to reach those who were wholly neglected. TACNA, PERU (llOW Chile) LATITUDE 18° 36'' Tacna is an important town, lying forty mil-'s in the interior from Arica, its port, with which it is con¬ nected by rail. It is beautifully situated m the fertile valley of the Tacna river. Extensive sugar ]dan- tations lie farther in the interior in Peru and Bolivia. At that time Tacna was a point of large commercial importance on account of the sugar interests and the extensive caravan trade it had with Bolivia. In the war of Peru and Bolivia with Chile,—]87i>-1884,— the entire ])rovince, with the whole of the sea-coast Founding of the Chile Mission 17 of Bolivia, fell into the hands of Chile, and a new map of that region was made necessary. Bev. A. P. Stowell and wife and Miss Benson, who had been appointed to this place, arrived on July 24th, and soon had a promising and well-paying school in successful operation.* iQUiQUE, PERU, (now Chile) latitude 20° 12'15" Iquique is a coast city, and is the center of large commercial interests, and of the rich nitrate in¬ dustry. At that time the nitrate t business was but beginning, and the place was small and unattractive. Rev. J. W. Collyer, who had been appointed to this plai-e, arrived July 25,1878, and was not long in get¬ ting to work. After a few weeks of labor he wrote: “This is the place of places in all Peru; the richest, the wickedest, and the most inviting to the missionary. I would not exchange it for any I know of. The work is opening grandly. I hold services on shipboard every Sunday morning, and have a good congrega¬ tion. My work on shore is progressing as finely. The promise of the future is so great for a good, thorough work, that I am calling upon all to praise the Loi’d together with me and exalt his name.” * The Record of Valparaiso. Sept. 7, 1878. published the fol¬ lowing information concerning Mr Stowell and party; “In ad¬ vices received from them they speak very highly of the reception they met with from the people. They are much pleased with the city, the friends they have formed, and the prospects of the field. The work is opening for them far beyond what they anticipated. ” f The analysis of the caliche, or nitrate deposits of this region gives the following results: Sodium Nitrate.65. per cent, Sodium Chloride (common salt) . 29. ” ” Sodium Sulphate.3. ” ” Sodium Iodide.0.6 ” ” THE CHILE MISSION OF THE M. E. CHURCH i« COQUIMBO, CHILE, LATITUDE 29°, 57' Coquimbo, the port of Serena, is located 198 miles north of Valparaiso, and nearly all its business inter¬ ests are in the hands of the Eno-lish residents. It has a, fine harbor, and is the wintering station for the Pacific squadron of the British navy. It is connected with the interior northward and southward by two lines of railway. Rev. J. \V. Higgins, who had been appointed to this place, arrived July 29, 1878, and received a most hearty welcome. A room had already been seen red and fitted up at an expense of about |500 gold. The Chilian Times of Valparaiso closed its report of the opening exercises with these encouraging words: “ Altogether the church at Coquimbo promises to be a permanently useful institution, the uusectarian character of which, and the manih st activity and zeal of its pastor, will doubtless make it a blessing, not only to Coquimbo, but also to various other places in the province, to which it is intended that the pastor shall pay periodi¬ cal visits, so as to render the sphere of his usefulness as wide as possible. The successful results of Rev. William Taylor’s visit may well induce man\' other places on the coast to try what they can do in the same way.” The congregation has continued to give a fair support to the pastor ever since. VALPARAISO, CHILE, LATITUDE 33°, 1', 53" Valparaiso is the most important port on the west coast of South America and has about 120,000 inhabitants. It is the chief distributing point for the coast and interior trade and is connected with San- Founding of the Chile Mission 19 tiago and the south by rail. The large wholesale importing houses are mostly English and German. The English residents number over three thousand and the Americans some three hundred. As early as 1844 a. request had been forwarded to New York that a minister might be sent to this port to gather a congregation of English and American residents and sea-fariug men. The Foreign Evan}i;eli- cal Society took up this request, and on Dec. 25,1845, Rev. David Trumbull arrived in Valparaiso to begin the work. The congregation thus gathered has con¬ tinued to grow in importance and influence. In 1855 it built the first Protestant church edifice in Chile and became wholly self-supporting. In 1869 it moved into its present beautiful and commodious church, situated on one of the principal thoroughfares. Its organization is undenominational. Dr. Trumbull continued to be the pastor for over forty-three years, until his death, in 1889. English Episcopal church services had been held in nrivate houses and at the consulate with more or 1 less regularity from an early date, and in 1858 the present substantial and modest edifice was erected. The harbor of Valparaiso is so deep and so ex¬ posed to the open sea and wintei* northers that only one pier has been built at which vessels can discharge their cargo. They nearly all anchor in the bay, and the sailoi-s oidy come on shore by special leave. It was chiefly to jjrovide for religious services among these seamen who have no opportunity of at¬ tending services at the churches on shore, that Mr. Taylor ai-ranged to send a chaulain to Valpai-aiso. Rev. 1. H. LaFetra arrived at this port July 80,1878, 20 THE CHILE MISSION OF THE M. E. CHURCH and began work among the fleet. The ships’ captains heartily cooperated with him in the work, and services were held regularly on board some vessel in the bay every Sunday morning, and much visiting on board and in the sailors’ boarding houses and hospital on shore, was done during the week. The support was ample. CONCEPCidN, CHILE, LATITUDE 36°, 49', 37" This beautiful city, 356 miles south of Santiago and nine miles from its port, Talcahuano, is the chief commercial center of the south of Chile, and must continue to increase in importance as the rich frontier agricultural regions in that zone are brought under cultivation. Rev. W. A. Wright, Miss LeliaH. Waterhouse and Miss Sarah E. Longley, after spending some days at Valparaiso, arrived at Concepcion x\ugust 9, 1878, but on account of delay in the arrival of school fur¬ niture sent from New York, they did not begin school work until September 2d. The patronage was large, and the work has grown vastly in importance. ANTOFAGASTA, BOLIVIA,(nOW Chile) LATITUDE 23°, 40' A month after the sailing of the first company of missionaries, a second party of four left New York. Rev. A. T. Jeffrey and wife were appointed to Antofagasta for church and school work. They ar¬ rived August 30th. and began school on the 23d of September. This town was at that time the chief ])Oi*t of Bolivia and the center of important nitrate and mining interests. Since then a, railroad has been built into the rich silver mining regions of Huanchaca Founding ot the Chile Mission 21 and Hnantajaya, in Bolivia, and a reducing estab¬ lishment, the largest on the coast, has heen erected. The school paid well from the beginning. COPIAPO, CHILK, LATITUDE 27°, 22', 30" Kev. L. 0. Smith and wife were appointed to Co- piapo, and arrived at that place on September 1st. This charming little city is situated some forty miles from Caldera, its port, and is connected by rail, the lirst railway ever built iu South America. It was constructed by William Wheelwright of Newburyport, Mass., in 1851. It is the business center of what was at that time a very rich silver and copper mining region. Services were begun at once and a school opened soon after. MOLLENDO, PERtJ Bv the steamer which left New A'ork on the 30th 9 .' of October, other new missionaries set sail for Panama, and two. Rev. Magnus Smith and wife, were appointed to school and preaching work atMollendo, Peru. Mollendo is the coast terminus of the railroad which passes Arequipa, the most important city in southern Peru, and reaches Puno, on Lake Titicaca, where steamer is taken to reach the interior of Boli¬ via. By the same steamer Rev. Charles Birdsall and wife arrived at Aspinwall (Colon). Such was the beginning of this mission on the west coast of South America, and everywhere the opening of the various stations fully justified all the expectations which had been awakened. The preach¬ ers and teachers received hearty welcome and sympa¬ thetic cooperation on the part of the English and 22 THE CHILE MISSION OF THE M. E. CHURCH American residents and encouraging words from Dr, Trumbull, pastor of the Union Church of Valparaiso. There was not a station that did not give every rea¬ sonable promise of early if not immediate self-support. The five mouths that remained of the year after the arrival of the first missionaries at their stations had brought much encouragement to the laborers, and the outlook was promising. But the year closed with a heavy shadow over us cast by the dauk wings of the death angel. Mrs. Lucius C. Smith, engaged with her husband at Copiapo, after a short illness of typhus fever, sweetly fell asleep in Jesus, on Saturday, Dec. 28th. Heaven came nearer to us in this far-off land when we knew its pearly gates had opened to receive the redeemed soul of one of our little band. Ill DISCOURAGEMENTS OF WAR CONFLICT BETVVEKN CHILE, PER^ AND BOLIVIA The year 1879 opened with bright promises for the development of the Mission. The Lord had sig¬ nally blessed the work and we had every reason to believe the Master would enable us to do vet better things for this field. Early in January reinforcements reached the coast. Miss Edith R. Collyer joined her brother at Iquique, and Rev. Charles H. Hoffman and wife and Rev. Oscar B. Krauser reached Valparaiso on the 6th of that month. They w^ere under appoint¬ ment to work among the numerous German colonists in the far south. They proceeded at once to Puerto Montt and from there journeyed overland to Puerto Varas and Osorno on lake Llanquihue. They were soon at work in their new field. The country was prosperous. Rich silver and copper mines were giving employment to thousands of laborers and yielding large profits. The bank issue of paper money wms slightly depreciated but gold and silver w^ere still the legal tender. But the wmr clouds gathered thick and dark overthe coast from Tumbez to the Magellan Straits. 24 THE CHILE MISSION OP THE M.E. CHURCH The events which led to this disastrous war can be briefly stated. On the lOth of August 1 866, a treaty of limits had been ratifled between the governments of Chile and Bolivia fixing the 24t hdegreeof south la¬ titude as the boundary line between the two countries. The treaty further specified that “Notwithstanding the territorial division herein stipulated, the republic of Chile and the reyjublic of Bolivia will divide equally the revenues which may be derived from the export of guano already discovered at Mejillones and wherever else it may be discovered between the 23rd and the 25th degrees of latitude, as also the export duties re¬ covered on v^hatever minerals may be discovered in the same country.” * The treaty further provided that the method of disposing of the guano and the amount of export du¬ ties to be charged on other mineral products should be determined by common agreement between the two nations.! It was in this same year, 1866, that the nitrate deposits were discovered by Chilean explorers and this event probablj^ led to the forming of the treaty. On the 5th of September the first concession for exporting nitrate and borax was granted by the Bolivian Gov¬ ernment. On that day a charter was granted to a company of Chilean capitalists called “La Sociedad Esplotadora del Desierto de Atacama” with the exclusive right to extract nitrate for a term of fifteen years. Nitrate of soda had also been discovered in the * See Art. II of the Treaty of 1866, f See Art. V of the treaty of 1866. Discouinffenients of IFcir 25 Peruvian territory lying- a little farther to the north, and the high officials of that country, who had enrich¬ ed themselves from the guano exports, thought to make the nitrate industry a government monopoly, as the guano industry of the Chinche and Lobos Islands had been. To attain this end they wei-e con¬ stantly intriguing with the Bolivian Government. Februai-y 6th, 1873, a secret treaty,* offensive and defensive, was formed between the two countries and on the 27th of November of the same year, the Presi¬ dent of that country promulgated a law levyingatax of ten (‘euts a nuint.a.l on nitrate exnorts. This was 1 j. in violation of treaty stipulations with Chile. The Chilean Government remonstrated and tliedi])lomatic corres])ondeuce resulted in a new treaty which was ratified on the 6th of August, 1874. It was stipulated in this treaty that the export duties on minerals from the zone between the 23rd and 25th degrees of latitude should not be increased during atermof 25 yeai'sand that the persons, industries and capital of Chilean subjects should not be subject to any other tax what¬ ever during this period.! During the yeai-1878 the Municipality of Antofa¬ gasta levied a municipal tax of three cents pei- quintal on the export of nitrate, and on the 17th of December of that year. President Daza of Bolivia:, ordered the collection by foi-ce of the export duties of ten cents per (piintal levied by the general Govei-nment on nitrate exports. The agent of the Company refused * The Gi ovviug Powei of tlie Republic of Chile. A.G.Browue. New York, 18S4 ; p. 4h. 1 See Art. IV of the treaty of 1874. 26 THE CHILE MISSION OF THE M. E. CHURCH to pay the tax which then amounted to over f90,000. He was pursued by the police and took refuge in the Chilean Consulate. The military force of Bolivia took possession of the nitrate works and they were adver¬ tised for sale by auction on February 14, 1879. On that dav the Chilean Government landed a military force large enough to capture the place and has never withdrawn its authority. On the 26th of February President Daza, of Boli¬ via, declared war against Chile and began active pre- ])arations to retake Antofagasta and hold her entire littoral. Peru now found herself compelled to take part in the conflict. In compliance with the secret treaty which had existed with Bolivia since 1873, she began extensive preparations for war. A military force was sent to Iquique, and arms were shipped to Bolivia and her war vessels put in commission. The Chilean Minister at Lima asked the Peruvian Government to formally declare her neutrality but this was of course refused, and the existence of the secret treaty with Bolivia soon became known. In view of these events President Pinto, of Chile, foi-mally declared war against Peru on the 5th of April, 1879. Thus began one of the most cruel and sanguinary wai s of modern times, and it did not ter¬ minate until nearly five years after, when the treaty of peace was signed on October 20th, 1883. The Chi¬ lean forces were successful in nearly every battle whe¬ ther on land or sea. Bolivia soon retired fi-oni the conflict and Peru was sadly humiliated, her navy destroyed and her richest territory wrested from her. t/ V Bolivia lost all her sea coast and became wholly A. Discouragements of War 27 an inland connt-ry. By the treaty of peace, Peru agreed to cede to Chile in perpetuity the rich nitrate bearing province of Tarapaca and to give Chile pos¬ session of Tacna and Arica for ten years, a vote of the inhabitants then to be taken to determine to which country they should belong. The country getting the province it was agreed should pay to the other •f10,000,000.* This vote has not yet been taken, however, and Chile still retains possession of the ter¬ ritory. The effects of this five years’ war on our Self-sup¬ porting i\Iis.«!ion was disastrous in the extreme, and had it not been for the self-sacrificing earnestness of our missionaries would have been its complete over¬ throw. The conntrv became greatlv embarrassed, business enterprises were everywhere crippled; the Goveimment issued la,rge amounts of paper money which was made a legal tender for the payment of all debts whatever the date and terms in which they might have been contracted, according to a law of the loth of April, 1879.t This curso forzoso has been the great millstone about the neck of Chilean prosperity ever since. The effect of this action on the part of the (tovernment was to cause a rapid and permanent decline in the value of the currency and open a field for speculation in exchange. At the close of the war the paper dollar (peso) was worth about 80 cents gold. This depressed con dition of the country and de})reciated value of the cui-rency made self-support much more difficult and * The Growing Power of the Republic of Chile, p. 73. t Authorization on the back of all Government bills. 28 THE CHILE MISSION OF THE M. E. CHURCH uiicei-taiii. The support which we received during the earlier inoiiths of the work was not less than the salaries paid by the Missionary Society. But the contributions for the pastors and receipts for tuitions were now reduced in amount and depreciated in value. But still greater calamity befell the Mission in the entire suspension of the work in the region which was the theatre of war. The foreign residents upon whom both our schools and church work depended largely for support, hastily fled to other parts of the(“oast, or left for their own countries, ere the ports were blockaded. Our men, however, were too heroic to desert the field. Rev. J. P. Gilliland and wife who were on the wa v out to open fleet work at Mejillones found that the port was blockaded. They stopped at Lima, and after¬ wards labored at the Lobos Islands until peace re¬ turned. Mr. F. Humphrey and wife, who had come to take the place of Mr. A. P.Stowell and wife at Tacna,* went to Santiago and helped to start a school there. Rev. J. W. Collyer and sister, of Iquique, went to Co- quiinbo and afterwards to Lota. Rev. A. T. Jeffrey and wife, of Antofagasta, wenl to Valparaiso and took the work among the seamen. Rev. 1. H. LaFetra, who had been there for nearly a tmar, went to Santiago to take up Fnglish church work, which had been aban¬ doned nearly a year before by the Episcopal chaplain. Rev. Mr. Quick. Rev. Magnus Smith, of MolWdo, was lying sick with fever when that port was bombarded. * On the table land north of the city, one of the hardest fought battles of the war took place on the 26th of May, 18S0 The Chi¬ lean army here met the combined forces of Pern and Bolivia. So overwhelming was the defeat of the allied armies, that the Boli¬ vian forces retired into the interior and took no further part in the war. Viscoura^eiiients of Wiir 29 He was cari ied out of town on his bed, but the excite¬ ment and exposure brouglit on a I’elapse and a few days later he died there. This event, the saddest in the history of our mission, was but one of many calamities of the w'ar. His sorrow-sticken widow re¬ turned to her home. The German work at the south was also so embarrassed by the depressed condition of the country that Rev. C. H. Hoffman and wife returned home and Rev. 0. B. Kr.>user entered upon the seamen’s work at Valparaiso, when Mr. Jeffrey and wife were a.ppointed to school work at Concepcion. The shipping- in the Bay of Valparaiso was so small that support for the chaplain became difficult and la¬ ter, imposible, and Mr. Krauser ga ve up the work and made a visit to his native land. His labors in Valpa¬ raiso were fruitful in many conversions, but as his (‘ongregation whs without local habitation no church could be established.* The work at the four northern stations was entire¬ ly broken up by the war but in the meanwhile work had been begun at Santiago, the capital, which proved the most prosperous of all our school work. The Presbytei-ian Mission also suspended w^orkat San F^^lipe and Talca although their missionaries are supported from home. This survey of the war troubles shows a difficul¬ ty in the pi-inciple of self-support. Being dependent as this support is on the prosperity of th<- country, anything seriously affecting that prosperity will un- + The accounts of this work are given at length in Six Years with Bishop Taylor, by Rev. O. von Barchwitz Krauser, Boston, 1890. Later this Seamen’s Mission was taken up by the Presby¬ terians with help from the Seamen’s Friend Society. 30 THE CHILE MISSION OF THE M. E. CHURCH favorably affect the work of the Mission, but the same embarrassments may overtake the churches in the home country as has been the case many times, and may extend so far as to affect the contributions to foreign missions supported by the church. THE TRANSIT AND BUILDING FUND SOCIETY In January, 1883, Mr. Taylor returned to the coast, and after visiting the work, located for a time at Coquimbo, supplying the pulpit which had been left vacant by the ill-health of Rev. A. T. Jeffrey. He also bought the first piece of property foi-the Mission. A lot 68X168 feet was secured for $3,000 currency, and during- the remainder of the year and early part of 1884, he and Rev. W. T. Robinson, labored with their own hands in the erection of a building-. 30 bv 68 feet, two stories, frame, for the use of the school which had been started there in 1882. Having been elected lay delegate by the South India Conference to the General Conference of 1884, Air. Taylor left the coast in April, and has not visited it since. At that Conference he was elected missionarv t bishop for Africa, and withdrew all attention to South America. Immediately after the adiournment of the General Conference, Bishop Taylor and some of his friends in New Y"ork, who had been most interested in the work of self-supporting missions, organized the Transit and Building Fund Society, for the purpose of better caring for the missions already in operation and the work to be begun in Africa. 32 THE CHILE MISSION OF THE M. E. CHURCH Know all men by these presents. That we, Anderson Fowler, Asbury Lowrey, Chauncey Shaffer, William Tayh^r and Richard Grant, being severally of full age and citizens of the United States, a majority of whom, that is to say, the first three above named, are citizens of the State of New York, being desirous to associate ourselves for missionary purposes, do, by these presents, pursuant to the Act of the Legislature of the State of New York, entitled “Ail Aut ioi the iiicoi poi'cttion of beiievuieut, charitable, oi/iciitific and missionary societies,” passed April 12th, 18^18, and the several Acts of the said Legislature amendatory thereof, make and sign this certificate in writing for the purpose of constituting ourselves and our associates and successors a body politic and corporate un¬ der and by virtue of said act; and we here that the name or title by which the said society shall be known in law is “The Transit and Building Fund Society of Bishop William Taylor’s Self-Supporting Missions, ” and that the particular business and objects of the said society are to provide the ways and means, and to manage, appropriate and apply the same, as follows, namely: to procure a suitable outfit for missionary preachers and teachers, to pay their passage to foreign countries, to pay the traveling ex¬ penses of pioneer evangelists in those countries, to build or pur¬ chase dwelling houses, school houses, and houses of worship for the use of the missionaries, also to translate the Sacred Scriptures and suitable religious and literary publications into foreign lan¬ guages, and to print and i^ublish tlie same; and that the number of Trustees, Directoi-s or Managers to manage the same shall .con¬ sist of five members, and that the names of the Timstees, Direct¬ ors or Managers for the first year of its existence are W’^illiam Taylor, Anderson Fowler, Richard Grant, Asbury Lowrey and Chauncey Shaffer, and the place of business or principal office of the said Association shall be located in the City of New York, in the said State of New York. The funds of this society shall not be used to pay salaries of agents at home, nor of preachers or teachers in foreign countries. New York, June 27th, 1884. Under the direction and management of the Com¬ mittee of this Society the work has made much pro¬ gress and reached the development which will be nar¬ rated in another chapter. The members of this Com¬ mittee have labored incessantly and contributed with princely offerings for the Mission, and to their devo¬ tion, zeal, liberality and encouragement, together with the earnestness, self-sacrifice and fidelity of the men and women in the field, the work has, under the The Transit and Building Fund Society 33 blessing of God, grown to an importance that well merits the honor and confidence of the church. The following financial statement is taken from the treasurer’s reports: *July 1, 1884, to Feb. 16, 1885, coutrib’s, $16,777 73 Spent for South America, $4,299 31 fFeb. 17, 1885, to July 5, 1886, contrib’s, 43,717 38 Speut for South America, 14,075 21 fFeb. 6, 1886, to June lu. 188?, contrib’s, 66,251 64 Spent for South America, 11,908 47 ^Jan. 11, 1887, to M’ch 24, 1888, contrib’s, 25,671 35 Spent for South America, 8,881 63 ll'u'ch 25, io88, to Oct. 31, 1889, coutrib’s, 65,990 99 Spent for South America, 17,565 65 •[Jan. 1, 1891, to Dec. 31, 1891, contrib’s, 27.163 97 Spent for South America, —- 13,990 35 $245,563 51 - $70,720 62 Loan of Mr. Fowler for Santiago College, 48,600 00 Total spent for South America,** $119,320 62 The report for Nov. 1, 1889, to Dec. 31, 1890, is not at hand, and the report from Jan. 1, 1892, to Dec. 31, 1893, has not yet been published, so this re¬ port is far from complete, but affords data for under¬ standing the nature and extent of the work of the society. Valuable property has been secured, which will be 1 ‘eported in another chapter. * Report of the treasurer from 1884 to l885,:p. 14. fFromp. 15. f PToni p. 15. § From p. 19. II Report of the treasurer for 1888-1889, p. 29. *.[ Report of the treasurer for 1891, p. 28. *’* * * § A considerable part of this amount was spent for Panama, Per a and Brazil. V PROGRESS OF THE WORK UNDER THE TRANSIT AND BUILDIND FUND SOCIETY AND SUPERINTENDENCE OF REV. I, H. I.A FETRA, FROM JULY 27, 1884, TO DEC. 31, 1893 Immediately after its organization the Transit and Building Fund Society assumed complete direc¬ tion of the missioary operations in Chile. Mr. LaFe- tra was in the States from November, 1884, to May, 1885. At a meeting of the Committee held May 7, 1885, the following resolutions were passed: “First: A motion was adopted making Rev. I. H. LaFetra General Agent of Bishop Taylor’s Mission work on the west coast of South America. “Second: A motion was adopted to appoint Rev. I. H. LaFe¬ tra as our attorney for the purchase and transfer to us of all prop¬ erty, real and personal, as we shall from time to time direct, on the w*est coast of South America.” * 1. The war having closed, at the beginning of 1884, Rev, J. P. Gilliland and family removed from Caldera to Iquique to open the English church work which had been suspended nearly five years before. The services on board for seamen were well attended, and a good congi'egation was soon gathered on shore. * Letter of Richard Grant, May 8, 1885. 36 THE CHILE MISSION OF THE M. E. CHURCH The contributions received among the shipping and from the congregation and interested friends and business houses afforded a good support, and has con¬ tinued to do so for more than ten years. 2. At Copiapo* Rev. Harry Compton and wife and Mrs. Marietta A. Vasbiuder, and Miss Rebecca J. Hammond, (now missionary of the Woman’s Foreign Society, in Paraguay,) carried on a small school and Mr. ('ompton ministered to a small congregation of English residents, among whom an undenominational church organization had been effected. But the sup¬ port was meagre and uncertain. Some yeai-s previ¬ ous Copiapo had been a, flourishing and important city of some 12,000 inhabitants, but with the decay of the extensive copper and silver mining interests, nyion which it largely deyiended, the place lost much of its prosperity and population. The census of 1885 gave to it only 9,916 inhabitants. 3. At Coqnimbo the new building for the school, on which Mr. Taylor had labored, was completed and a promising school was under way. Rev. W. T. Rob¬ inson and wife. Miss Josephine Corbin, Miss Laui-a J. Hanlon and Miss Rachel T. Holding were employed. Mr. Robinson also supplied the pulpit of the church among the English people. * The valley in which the city is situated was known from the most remote epoch of Chilean history by the name of Copayapu, and through it passed the “ (^ainino de los Incan ” (the road of the Incas), which these laborious people of Pern had constructed in pre¬ historic times, to connect their capital, Cuzco, with the rich min¬ eral regions of Chile, from whose people they received tribute in gold and silver. The railroad from Caldera to Copiapo was opened to traffic on the 4th of J uly, 1851. Progress of the Work 37 4. At Sautiago* the Santiago Collegefwas enjoy¬ ing one of the most prosperous years it ever had while in rented buildings. The following teachers were en- ployed: Rev. I. H. LaFetra and wife, T. ^Y. LaFetra, J. M. Yinceut and wife, Miss Lizzie E. Holding, Miss Rosina A. Kinsman, Miss Edith A. Fawcett and Miss Hannah S. Johnson. 5. At Concepcion the ‘‘Colegio Americano,” under the directorship of Rev. J. M. Spangler, was well patronized and prosperous. Mrs. Spangler and Miss Mary E. Elkins were his assistants. Mr. Spangler also conducted sei-vices in English. The Girls’ School, under the care of Miss Nettie C. Ogden and Miss Mar¬ tha Boyce, was having a successful year. Rev. 0. B. Krauser had just returned from the ‘‘Fatherland,” bringing with him a large number of German colonists, who settled on govei-nment lands in the province of Arauco. In all, there were five ministers preaching to En¬ glish congi-egations, two of these wholly supported b}" their people. There wei-e schools at four places, (Muploying twenty-one mission teachers, making, with Mr. Krauser, twenty-five missionaries in the field. The Mission owned one piece of property, on wdiich about .f3,()00 gold had been expended, and with a debt of about f2,125 (|3,()()() currency). Such was the condition of the work when it passed into the hands of the Society, and steps were at once ^Santiago was founded by Pedi’o Valdivia on the 12tli of Feb¬ ruary, loti, and is much older than any city in the United States It had been in existence nearly sixty years when the Pil¬ grim Fathers landed on Plymouth Rock. f See chapter VII. of this pamphlet. 38 THE CHILE MISSION OF THE M. E. CHURCH taken to increase the missionary force and also to *> procure suitable pro})erty. ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY A At Iqnique, on the 4th of February, 1885, a corner lot, 37x126 feet, situated in the very best part of the city, was bought and a building for chapel, par¬ sonage and school erected during the year, and the whole account paid for from appropriations by the Society and contributions in the city. B At Concepcion,* on the 3d of February, 1886, a corner lot, 98x198 feet, one square from the iull- road station, and on the principal street of the city, was bought for about f5,000 gold ($10,000 currency) and a building erected for the use of the‘^Colegio Americano.” C At Coquimbo, on the 18th of March, 1886, a corner property with the two-story house, in whidi the church service had been held from the first, was *Dr. Lowrey reported after his visit in 1887; “We have a lot in Concepcion in an excellent location, and fronting on the best street in the city. On it we we have erected a building ninety feet by thirty-live for the Boys’ School (Cvlegio Americano), ... Concepcion is the third city in the realm, having a population of twenty-five thousand. It was formerly the capital of Chile. It is nine miles inland from Talcahuano, its principal sea port.” Re¬ port of Committee for 1884-88. pp. 5, 6. Concepcion was founded Feb. 28, 1550, by Pedro Valdivia, on the site now occupied by old Concepcion or Penco. It was de¬ stroyed several times in the colonial period by the Indians, and again completely by an earthquake. May 20, 1751, and when re¬ built the old site was discarded for the one it now occupies. Feb¬ ruary 20, 1835, it was again reduced to riiins by another earthquake. Concepcion is memorable for the fact that on the 1st of January, 1818, the solemn proclamation of the Independence of Chile was there made. The independence of Chile, however, dates from Sept. 18, 1810, at which time a governing assembly was organized in Santiago. Progress of the Work 39 bought and remodeled for chapel, Sunday School and class rooms and parsonage. The cost was |3,500 gold, (16,500 currency) and the expense of refitting was about f4,500, (|7,500 currency, some |5,200 of which was subscribed by the people). 1) At Santiago, on the 9th of April, 1886, a cor¬ ner lot, with a part extending back to another street, on one of the chief residence streets of the city, was bought for .fl8,000, (.f35,000 currency) and a build¬ ing three stories high, 200 feet long, with one wing 132 feet and another 200 feet, was erected, at a cost of about 138,000 ($81,000 currency) for the use of Santiago College. E In 1888, extensive additions were made to the Coquimbo school property at a cost of $5,500 gold. F In 1889, a second building, containing chapel, school and dormitory rooms, was erected on the lot belonging to the“Colegio Americano” at Concepcion, at a cost of $8,000 gold. G On Januarj" 14, 1892, a part of the Iquique* *Iquique dates back to the time of the Spanish conquest in the 16th century for its origin. It will be memorable for the lirst na¬ val battle of the war of the Pacilic. On the 21st of May, 1879, two small, wooden Chilean war vessels were blockading this port. The Peruvian monitor Hudscar rammed the Esmeralda, of which t^aptain Arturo Prat was commander. He and two of his officers leaped on the deck of the monitor and were shot. The Indepen- dencia attacked the Covadonga, which fled to the south as quickly as possible. The enemy's vessel followed hard after it, and just outside the bay, ran on the rocks and became a total wreck. This disaster turned the tide of war against Peru and gave Chile com¬ mand of the sea. I(iuique also became the rallying place and seat of operations for the revolutionists of 1891. In 1885 this place had apoimlation of 15,691. 40 THE CHILE MISSION OF THE M. E. CHURCH school and chapel property, valued at |4,000 gold, with an addition of .f1,500 cash, was traded for a large lot in an excellent location, and a coniniodions building erected for the school at a cost of iftpt^OOO (•f61,304 currency). On July 4, 1892, a valuable property, in the choicest of locations, was purchased in Concepcion for about .‘113,200 (.‘|35,000currency), and remodeled for the use of the Concepcion College for young ladies, at an expense of about -f10,000 (.‘|32,534 currency).* Some of the property has greatly increased in value since its purchase; three of the lots esiiecially so. The lot of the “Colegio Americaiio” in Concep¬ cion cost .f10,000 currency, and is now, aside from buildings, according to estimates made by competent dealers in real estate, worth at least .f50,000 currency. This rise has come from the fact that the school is located on the chief business street of the city, and the (‘ommerce of Concepcion has so greatly increased with the development of the frontier wheat lands that the whole street is needed for business purposes, and several lots have brought such prices. The lot at Santiago contains 5,000square meters and cost $7 currency per meter. Eecently .f40 cur¬ rency a meter was offered for land on the opposite side of the same square, and the college occupies the side considered the most desirable on account of facing the sun. An estimate of .f30 a meter would give a value of .|150,000 currency. The valuation placed ^Exchange has fluctuated so greatlj’ since the beginning of the war with Peru and Bolivia that it is not possible to give the gold value of all accounts with exactness, as all accounts for receipts and expenditures are kept in the currency of the country. Progress of the Work 41 upon the lot in a recent appraisement estimated the land value at $125,000. The lot bought for the school at Iquique contains 6,300 square meters. It was the first piece of land sold in a new addition made by the city government to the city, and cost $1.80 a square meter. At a subsequent auction sale of the lots surrounding it, but not so favoraid.y located, as the school has the choicest location of the new addition, which is now well built up, land brought from $6.50 to $7.50 a meter. At $7 we have land worth $44,100, which only cost $11,300. j)p:velopment op the native evangelistic work The growth of the Spanish work of the Mission has been slow, and it has had to meet many and ever- opposing difficulties. Rome surrounds her people with such prejudices that it is not easy to get them to study the Bible or engage in religious conversation or attend services. The people in the humbler walks of life are more easily reached than those in high social positions, but these people are not able financially to support pastors, even when they become interested in evangelical work. Six months after Rev. Lucius C. Smith reached Copiapo he began preaching in Spanish, and continued to hold services regularly until the beginning of 1883. when he was transferred to the English church work at Santiago. The pastor who followed at Copiapo could not use the Spanish, but services were conducted by some of the brethren of the congregation until that work was given up in 1888. At Santiago, Mr. Smith began Spanish services in a room which he rented for the purpose, but after a few meetings a mob, incited 42 THE CHILE MISSION OF THE M. E. CHURCH by the priests and encouraged by the police, broke up the services and bui-ned the seats, Bibles and hymn- books in the public street in a central part of the city. Mr. Smith saved his life by escaping by the interior of the house. He afterwards held services in another part of the city, but without permanent I'esnlts. As no provision could then be made for supporting Mr. Smith ill Spanish Avork, in which he Avas most inter¬ ested, he requested Bishop Harris, Avho had visited theAVork the previous year, to transfer him to Mexico. This was done ad the beginning of 1884, and the Union Ciiurch of Avhich he was pastor passed into the hands of the American Presbyterian Church. Nothing further was attempted in Spanish until 1888. In that year Rev. J. P. Gilliland, who had been relicAmd of the English preaching at Iqnique by the arrival of Rev. James Benge, began preaching in Spanish at that place, in addition to his school Avork. In 1890, during Mr. Gilliland’s visit to the United States, George D. Coleman, a local iireacher, and others, continued the work. Later it passed into the hands of Dr. W. C. Hoover, who, with the aid of Alonzo Walters, an exhorter, and occasional aid from Mr. Gilliland, avIio had been appointed Presiding Elder, has continued to carry it forAvard, and at the close of 1893 he ga ve up all school Avork to devote his entire time to the Spanish pastorate. Also in 1888, Richard John, a local preacher of the Coqnimbo English church, Avith the aid of other friends, began Spanish services in that port and at Serena., the capital of the province. The Avork con¬ tinued under the care of ^Ir. John and Rev. Harrj' Compton until 1890, when Dr. Juan Canut de Bon Proojpss of the Work 43 was a])pomted pastor. Dr. Canut coiitmued laboring uiuil 1892, when Iaii-. Gilliiand became pastor at Sei-ena, and Dr. Cannt labored at Coquimbo and neighboring towns, spending four months atHuasco. Rev. Harry Compton became pastorinl892 and con¬ tinued until the end of 1893. Mmli opposition was created by the fanatical Roman chm’ch during the first months of Dr. Cannt’s pastorate* and occasional disturbances occurred dur¬ ing the pastorate of IMr. Compton. It was while here that: Mr. Gilliland lost his wife, who had been through thirteen years a devoted and faithful laborer in the work of the Mission. In 1890, Rev. Alberto J. Yidanrre, a native Chilean of excellent family and fine education, who had been converted while studying his Bible, without conversa¬ tion with any missionary, and who had labored for a time in the work of the Presbyterian Mission, applied for admission to our work. He organized work at * The Coqvimbo of Serena in its issue of April 29, 1890, said editorially: “On last Friday night the disturbances (of the Protest¬ ant service) took alarming proportions, unworthy of a respectable people, and disgraceful to our city. After the services. Dr. Canut, accompanied by his wife and little daughter of tender years, started quietly to return to their own home, situated a few squares dis¬ tant. As they crossed the open square, a mob of not less than a hundred people assaulted him, crying out in the most indecent words and grossest Insults and throwing stones which endangered the life of his wife and child. Dr. Canut was under the necessity of taking refuge in the house of a friend who lives in that place, in order to escape the fury of the mob. But the popular tumult increased like a boisterous wave, and the cries of ‘death, ’ together with the grossest insults still greeted the ears of the evangelical pastor. He then decided to face the mob, and went again into the street to prevent trouble to the owner of the house. The police then came to his assistance and escorted him home, but not with¬ out showers of stones falling on them.” See El Coquimbo, 29 de Abril de 1890, 44 THE CHILE MISSION OF THE M. E. CHURCH Valparaiso* and continued there until 1892; but the revolution dispersed his congregation for a time, and as support was difficult to obtain for our Spanish work, he was transferred to the Mission in the Argen¬ tine Republic, whei-e he is still laboring with good re¬ sults. The work at Valparaiso was given up, but sev¬ eral of the members still remain faithful to Methodism. In 1891, Charles Reutelspacher, who had come to the coast at his own expense, went to Antofagasta,! and while earning his own living by his labor, began jireaching services, and during 1892 and 1893 devoted his entire time to church and Bible work. In 1891 Bible work was begun at Concepcion and vicinity, and at the beginning of 1893, Dr. Caiiut was appointed to Concepcion; after some months of dili¬ gent searching, a house was secured and services were begun. He also visited neighboring towns, holding services at Angol, Tralguen, Los Angeles, Victoria and Temuco,'and at the first-named place formed a class and received a number of persons on probation. The chief difficulties encountered ha ve been these:— 1 The inaccessible condition of the great ma¬ jority of the people on account of their utter igno- *Valparaiso was founded in the time of Pedro Valdivia, the conqueror of the country. In a document dated Sept. 3, 1 .^43, he declared it “the port of this country and of the city of Santiago." The word means in Spanish, “Vale of Paradise.” In 1885 it had l(i4,952 inhabitants. IBy the treaty ratified between Chile and Bolivia on the 24th of November, 1884, all that pare of the sea coast belonging to Bolivia and extending back to the Cordillera wms ceded to Chile. Antofagasta is the principal port, and had a population of 7,588 in 1885. It has now" probably 10,000 inhabitants. Progress of Uie Work 45 rauee of the Bible aud their hatred of Protestantism.* 2 The determined op]) 08 itioii and occasional open hostility of the i)riesthood. 3 Tlie difncuity and sometimes impossibility of renting- property for preaching- places. 4 The heavy expense of carrying- on such work. 5 * The limited and somewhat uncertain support upon which we can depend to carry on the Spanish evangelistic work. THE PUBLISHING HOUSE The importance of the printing press in any un¬ dertaking of modern times is too well understood to need argument. In educational and mission work this is especiallj' true and is so acknowledged in the work of all missionary societies. It is quite as impossible to adequately pi-ovide for the publishing interests of *Tlie following are specimens of tlie teaching in the Catechism on Protestantism, published under the sanction of the archbishop of Santiago and approved by the Council of Public Instruction as a text book in all the schools of Chile and as a part of all public libraries: ‘■The word Protestantism signifies the rebellion of haughty men against Jesus Christ, the founder of the Holy Catholic Church. It is nothing more tlian a human religion, earthly and carnal, and can be extended only by carnal, earthly and human means. It is but a means of introducing into Spanish Americairreligion, liber¬ tinism, incredulity, communism and socialism. If it should pre¬ vail. the continent would become a theatre of bloody, cruel dis¬ cord, and the blood of her sons would redden town and field. All the institutions of charity and benevolence would disappear. The beautiful buildings which are the pride of our country would be reduced to a heap of rubbish. The most horrible misfortunes would befall our happy soil. In short, it would cause the com¬ plete ruin of our nation and the loss of her nationality. ‘•Society can expect nothing of there efunc/eZ/ca/.s but anarchy, dissolution and des])otism. They have employed such tortures against the Catholics that they have surpassed the persecutions of the pagan emperors. The fire and sword, the dungeon, the rack 46 THE CHILE xMISSION OF THE M. E. CHURCH a mission without a well equipped printing office, as it would be to provide for the literature of the Church at home without the Book Concern. In 1880, the brother and personal friends of Mr. LaFetra, in Washington, interested themselves in the work and raised $ 567, with which a splendid job press and a small outfit of type and other i^quis- ites were purchased and sent to Santiago in 1881. Small additions were made to the outfit from time to time, and with this the circulars, reports, and other things for the schools, and some tracts were printed. In 1889 we began the publication of tracts on a some¬ what extensive scale. In 1890 the Committee apro- priated .f 3000 to increase the plant, and in 1891 and 1892, a building, 32 X 72 feet and two stories high, for the Publishing House, was erected on that pail of the Santiago property which fronts on Moneda street. and the gallows have been their weapons, and they have spared neither age nor sex. Their very instinct is to persecute. They circulate falsified Bibles and thousands of well-printed tracts full of Protestant poison. In England religion is a chaos and the bish¬ ops are nothing more than so many vile slaves who fatten on the enormous revenues which the government pays. “These heretics are by their very nature enemies of society and traitors to their country. Flee from them as you would from the small pox. The very name of Protestantism should fill you with terror. If it does not, you are going directly toward the eternal flames. Hate it with all your heart; abhor it, abominate it as the worst plague that ever rested on humanit}". Separate yourselves from those who embrace it: consider them as your most cruel and bloody enemies, though they be your nearest and dearest relatives. The most fervent of their converts are rene¬ gade priests, men the most vicious, detestable and vile, the very dregs ef society. These apostate Catholics die as unmoved as (logs, or break out in the wildest cries and furious agony of des¬ peration, and go to sure and certain condemnation.” Catoliemno Popular sohre el Protestditfixmo. Ediciua Chilena. Santiago, 185fi. rrofi>ivss of the Work 47 and in 1893, the printing work began to take shape as an important factor in our Mission. At the opening of Santiago College, Mr. Taylor sent out school-books to the value of .t-539, for which Mr. Anderson Fowler paid. The proceeds of the sale of these books have been cavefull j set aside as the lin¬ dens of a. capital for the book business. As most of the books used in our schools are published in the United States, we require a large supply at the begin¬ ning of each school year. The book fund is so small, the interest we liave had to pay on borrowed capital, has taken a good share of the profits, so that but small net gains have been made. In 1891 we publish¬ ed the first text book for school use, and in 1893, a.nother, both prepa.i'ed by the Superintendent. The Publishing House at Santiago should be made the centre of all the publishing work on the west coast. The facilities of communication; the large field for government and private printing; and the increasing needs for school-books and religious litera¬ ture, giv'e it special possibilities for meeting the needs of the west coast and for self-support. The present plant is far too limited for the work. i VI SANTIAGO COLLEGE Santiago* is one of the most attractive cities of South America. The climate is mild, healthy, delight¬ ful. The temperature seldom reaches the freezing ' point in winter, and as rarely passes 90° in the sum¬ mer. The latitude is 33°, 26', 26", which is about that of Charleston, South Carolina, and San Diego, California. The citj^ is on almost exactly the same parallel as the Cape of Good Hope, in Africa. Its longitude is 70°, 38', 11" west of Greenwich, which locates it somewhat to the eastward of Boston, and slightly to the westward of Portland, Maine. The elevation above the sea is a little more than 1,800 feet. Santiago is situated on the eastern side of a broad, fertile plain, which extends from the foot of the Andes to the coast range. The lofty Cordillera, with numerous peaks that tower fai- above the high¬ est summits of the Rocky Mountains, lifts its eternal snows to the clouds on the east, and the lower spurs and ranges complete the circle and shut in the vision on all sides. In winter a wall of snow encircles the *When the last census was taken the population was 189,332. A considerable increase will doubtless be shown by the next. 50 THE CHILE MISSION OF THE M. E. CHURCH ( plain, but seldom does it whiten the valley. A more delightful location for a city was never chosen. Santiago is not onlj the political and ecclesiasti¬ cal capital of Chile,“buL it is the educational, hterai y, and social center as well. It is the seat of the National University, the only one in Chile, and the residence city of nearly all the wealthy families, land owners and successful miners. Soon after his arrival in Santiago, Mr. LaFetra began to enlist the interest and cooperation of the English a nd American residents and influential Chilean gentlemen in plans for the establishment in this city of a school of high grade, based upon the American system of education. Senator Benjamin VicunaIVIac- kenna, the unsuccessful candidate for the presidency in 1876, and the most popular and voluminous author among Chilean men of letters, was the first to give his endorsement and sign thecircular. Hon. Thomas A. Osborn, United States Minister at Santiago, Sena¬ tor Adolfo Ibanez, former Minister of Chile in Wash¬ ington, Sehor Zeuou Freire, lutendaut of the prov¬ ince, Sehor Alejandro Carrasco Albano, official inter- * Chile is nominally a republic, but since the revolution of 1891 has a parliamentary form of government. From the capital the whole nation is governed. The members of Congress do not need to be residents of the district they represent, and as they re¬ ceive no compensation, only men of wealth living at the capital, or near by, can accept election. The prefects (Intendentes) of all the provinces and governors of the departments are appointed from Santiago, as are also the customs, army, and navy officers, school teachers, railroad officials, and the representatives in the diplomatic service. The influence felt in Santiago reaches to the utmost bounds of the nation, and what Santiago is the nation must be. Into this heart of the nation and center of influence God has given us easy entrance. 51 prt'ter of tlie Minister of Foreign Relations, and others lent their names and i idiience. Rev. William A. \Vright, director of the school at Concepcion, who had been relieved bv Rev. A. T. Jef¬ frey, was expected to take immediate charge of the work of this school, and other teachers were selected at home. On acconnt of the continued illness of Mrs, Wiight, who had gone to the States, Mr. Wright also determined to go, and Prof. Fletcher Humphrey, who had been compelled by war troubles to abandon thf! work at Taciia, was ajipointed to take direction of the enterprise. On the 11th of September, 1880, Miss Adelaide H. Whitfield, (now Mrs. I. H. LaFetra) former pieceptress of Mt. Allison Female College, Miss Li^’zie W. Kipp and Miss Rosiua A. Kinsman, arrived at Santiago to take part in the work. Although near the close of the school year, wdiich begins the first of IMarch aiid ends just before Christmas, the classes we:-e opened, October 4th, with seven scholars. Eight more were enrolled before the close of the year. It was found unadvisable to carry on a mixed school and consequently another house was taken near bv, on the same street. On the 1st of March, 1881, the two departments were opened. The enroll¬ ment in the school for young ladies reached 56, and in the school for young men, 46, a total of 102. The patronage of the College has always been from the liberal classes, and has counted among its scholars all the time a number of children of men prominert in affairs of state. The daughters of min¬ isters, congressmen, judges and generals are always in its classes. THk OHILE MISSION OF THE M. E. ('HUHI'H * > 4 ^ At the beginning of 1882 the school for young ladies was moved into a more commodious house on the Alameda, the broad, beautiful avenue which is one of the chief attractions of the city, and the school for young men occupied the building first rented. With good teachers, and as adequate accommodations as could be secured in private property, the schools en¬ tered upon an era of gTowing prosperity, usefulness and influence. Mr. Wright, who returned to take up the work, again retired at the end of 1882, and Mr. LaFetra became the manager. The outlook for the school was excellent, and near the close of 1884 Mr. LaFetra went to the States to try to interest Bishop Taylor and the members of the Transit and Building Fund Society, just organized, in raising funds for a building for the College. As a result of this visit and further correspondence and influence of other returned missionaries, funds to the amount of $48^600 gold were provided through the liberality of Mr. Anderson Fowler, of New A^ork. This money was not at that time a gift, but a loan, on conditions satisfactory to the Committee. On the 21st of May, 1886, ground was broken and work begun on the new building. This year brought many reverses to the school. Two cases of small-pox occurred among the young lady boarders, and one of the professors also had the disease; Mrs. LaFetra went to the States to secure furniture and apparatus for the new building; Mr. LaFetra was oc¬ cupied nearly the whole of the school year in direct¬ ing the work on the new building. Mr. Vincent, who had come to the coast at his own expense, and had built up an important commercial department in the San tiago (. 'allege 53 school for young men, returned home, and no other competent teacher being available, the department was given up and only small boys received. There was a marked decrease in the attendance, and conse¬ quently in the income of both schools. The new building" was so far completed that the classes were begun in it the 1st of April, ISJST, one month later than thev should have opened. Tlie school for young men was suspended and a de})art- ment for boys under twelve years of age opened in the new building. The College again entered upon a new era of prosperity, and, notwithstanding war and pestilence, has had a healthy and continuous growth. ^ In 1887 the cholera visited the countrv. On the 30th of October, three cases of the disease occurred in the school; one boarding scholar and two teachers. Little Allie DeKow was taken at six o’clock in the morning and died before noon of the same day. Miss Clara Sears, music teacher, was taken the same day *Dr. Asbuiy Lowrey wrote as follows of the College building after his visit to Santiago. See Report of Committee for 1884-8, page 7: In Santiago we have a large and magnificent school building, located on one of the best streets of the city, and very accessible from all parts. It is doubtful if we have anywhere in the United States a school structure with better appointments than this edifice contains. Rev. I. H LaFetra, being a sort of universal genius, a good scholar, a man of taste, a practical architect, and an indefati¬ gable worker, has produced a monument of beauty and value which is universally admired, Conn aendable economy and good judgment, too, have been shown in the selection and purchase of the ground, and in the erection and equipment of the institution, it is three stories in height, and contains about one hundred rooms, great and small, besides a large gymnasium detatched from the main building. Many finishing touches remain yet to be applied before the institution is fairly open and in commanding operation. The ground and buildings when done will cost fifty thousand dollars, aud how it was possible to produce so much for so small a sum, it will be interesting to architects and capitalists to know. 54 THE CHILE MISSION OF THE M. E. CHURCH and died during the night. Miss Fannie Frelstone, Kindergarten teacher, was taken during the afternoon and through the aid of able physicians who remained during the whole night, she recovered. The classes were almost entirely broken up for the remainder of the year. On January 7, 1891, the revolution which led to the downfall of the government of President Balma- ceda on the 30th of August, began. The work of the school year was somewhat irregular, but the total enrollment showed a, slight increase. At the end of 1893, the department for bo,ys was suspended for lack of room, the number of girls in the primary depai-t- ment having increased to such an extent as to occupy all the available accommodation for classes.* *Speaking of the College Las Novedades of Santiago said edi¬ torially : ‘ ‘This favored establishment of education is the best of its class in South America.” La Exposicion Norte Americana, published in New York in an important illustrated article devoted entirely to Santiago Col¬ lege, said: ‘ ‘A mong the institutions of learning which have of late acquired high importance in the capital of Chile, the first place has been reached by an American college which is known under the name of El Santiago College, which is perhaps the best equipped and most ably directed of the institutions for the higher education of women in South America. Among the students have been four daughters of the late President Pinto, four grand children of the late President Santa Maria, four chil¬ dren of the late president Balmaceda, and a long list composed of the daughters of Ministers of State, Presidents of the House of Deputies and Senate, Senators, Deputies, Iritendentes, Juuges of the Supreme Court and other persons of high official and social position.” Santiago College 55 Financial Exhibit of Santiago College from its FOUNDING TO THE END OF 1893 No. Year 4^ P V B P S W Teachers, tiiue.in y’rsj Income Expense Home Teachers Above aU Expenses 1 ISHO 15 1.5 8 391 — $ 1908 95 $ 302 — $ 80 30 2 188L 102 6.2 12,150 — 10,875 95 l,Itl~ — ffi irr\> %JO 4 05 s 1882 166 6.4 16,736 75 9,805 45 4,569 50 861 80 It 1883 155 10 . 21,128 70 12,841 20 6,638 20 1,149 75 5 .884 205 10.4 25,418 65 14,261 90 7,960 — 2,696 75 0 1885 282 10.1 22,492 90 14,730 — 6,256 25 1,516 65 7 1886 143 9.5 16,362 10 13,844 50 2,109 50 4 O 8 10 1887 184 7.9 19,306 15 9,628 55 5,215 — 4,462 60 .9 1888 204 7.7 25,869 05 13,568 60 5,421 70 6,878 75 1 /t 1889 240 8.5 42,821 40 21,340 40 5,720 — 15,761 — 11 1890 247 8 . 35,691 85 22,852 15 5,619 75 7,219 95 12 1891 240 8.6 34,787 85 21,697 — 7,440 — 5,650 85 IS 1892 304 9.4 45,899 55 25,167 20 8,760 — 11,972 35 lit 1893 309 10.2 53,222 80 27,565 15 9,123 50 16,544 15 2811 115. $372,179 — $220,065 — $76,552 50 $75,559 60 Note.— The first year left a deficit of $2000 for rent and other ex¬ penses, The following year also left a deficit of $500; but the third, fourth and fifth years paid off this account, besides leaving the surplus as stated in the above table. * These accounts are all in currency. 56 THE THILE MISSION OF THE M. E. CHURCH An analysis of these figures shows some details which are worthy of close attention. 1 The income is derived from tuitions and board. The College has no endowments of any kind, except an alumnae prize of a few hundred dollars. 2 Included in the expense accounts arc all living expenses for teachers, which do not fall short of $5U0 currency per year for each one. The College also paid rents to private owners for buildings occupied from the beginning of the school until the end of 1886; these rents are included in this account. Besides the regular home teachers, others from the city are con¬ stantly employed for special classes. The entire ex¬ pense account may be given in further details as fol¬ lows: Table, household, taxes, &c. Living expenses of home teachers. Rents from 1880 to 1886, inclusive. Insurance on the new building, since 1886. Salaries of special teachers. $ 103,887 45 57,500 — 20,854 — 2,750 — 35,073 55 Total. ... * 1 220,065 — 3 The total amount provided by the College for the support of missionary teachers is the following: Salaries. Living Expenses.. $ 76,552 50 .. . 57,500 — Total. $134,052 50 The total time given by home teachers to the work is seen to be 115 years. The average support. * These accounts are all in currency. Sn ntm;L(o College 57 inohiding living- expenses, has been |>11G5 per annniri for each teacher. 4 The total net income vielcled bv the College during- this time, after the payment of all current ex¬ penses and salaries of home teachers, has been -f 75,- 559.(50, which has been used for mission purposes as will be seen by tiie following- statement: Spent for furniture and school apparatus. Spent for finishing and adding to tlie building. Spent for support of Native Gospel Work. Spent for sundry mission purposes. $ 29,744 75 23,971 85 13,547 65 8,275 35 Total. $ 75,559 60 The purpose in giving these further details of the accounts is to substantiate the statement made in another chapter, that the plan of Self-support as set forth in the Charter of the Transit and Building Fund Society 1ms not been fairly tried in this Mission. Ac¬ cording to the provision of that Charter, the following- items could and ought to have been paid for by funds from home had the Society possessed the means: Furniture account. Building account. Rent account . Insurance account .. . $ 29,744 75 23,971 85 20,854 — 2,750 — Total. $ 77,320 60 Had this been done as the plan of the work con¬ templates there would have been available for the in¬ crease of salaries of teachers, and direct evangehzing work, $77,320.60, which would have amply provi led for adequate compensation for teachers, and made possible a large evangelizing work. 58 THE CHILE MISSION OF THE M. E. CHURCH Wliat is here shown as to the lack of means from home for carrying on the work of Santiago College on the plans of self-support as adopted by the Society, has also been true of every other Station in the Mis¬ sion to a greater or less extent. If the results attain¬ ed have not been all that were expected, and that we have wished to see, the cause must be sought in the 'failure to work up to the plan, rather than in the plan itself. The success which Santiago College, under the providence of God, has had,is very largely due to the ability, devotion, and earnest labors of those wdio have formed its faculty. The confidence of the moth¬ ers who commit the instruction and care of their daughters to the College, has been secured by making as few changes as possible. The personal influence and wide acquaintance of the Preceptress have been an important element in securing patronage. Piof. T. W. LaFetra,* who has been connected with the work since January, 1883, has given invalu¬ able aid, both in the class-room and in the general management of the College in all departments. On account of thefrequent absences of the Superintendent in other parts of the field, he has borne the chief res¬ ponsibility much of the time, and carefully looked after everv interest. t/ The Department of Liberal Arts has always been under the care of ladies of superior culture and ability. Lizzie E. Holding, Mary F. Lee, Fannie Frel.stone, Isabella Keith Macdermott, Mrs. Anna A. Dodd, and * Member of the Faculty at the present time. Santiago College 59 Lulu M. Hutchins,* (now Mrs. T. W, LaFetra), have successively held the position. The Primary Department has not been less fortu¬ nate in having- competent and devoted teachers. Lizzie W. Kipp, Edith A. Fawcett, Alice J. Baldwin, l\Irs. Kebecca Compton, Estella Bugg-,* have directed the work of these clases. The Kindergarten has had few changes. It was begun by Rosina A. Kinsman, and for a time passed into the hands of Mary F. Bray and Fannie Frelstone, coming again into the hands of Miss Kinsman,* who has made it very successful. The Art Department was begun by Mabel E. Cur¬ tis, and for a time was under the care of Louise Sco¬ field. It is now very popular, and very large, under the care of Jennie S.Farwell,*who for three years w£is in charge of the Art Department of Lasell Seminary. Other competent and zealous teachers have KIped to build up the College; among these have been, Han¬ nah S. Johnson, George H. Harwell, J. M. Vincent, Lilian B. Mathewson, Mrs. Sarah P. Webster, Ruth VanDeren,* and others. * Member of the Faculty at the present time. J 1 VII EPISCOPAL SUPERINTENDENCE The first preachers who were sent to this Mission were, by courtesy of the Board of Bishops, admitted on trial in Conference. The most of them were en¬ rolled in the list of the East Maine Annual ('onference. The Board of Bishops, however, ruled that men in this held could not be elected to orders nor be under episcopal supervision unless the Mission were in a “region within the control of the Missionary Society.’’ By unanimous request of the Board of Bishops, the General Missionary Committee at its annual meeting in 1878 extended the jurisdiction of the Society so as to include all South America. To this action Bishop Taylor objected, and the work remained without the pale of the Chir. ch; its preachers were dropped from the Conference lists and left without a name or a place in Methodism. In 1881, Bishop William L. Harris visited the Mis¬ sion, ordaining eight men who had previoi.sly been elected to orders by one Conference or another, un¬ der varied circumstances. Bishop Harris reached Valparaiso on the 13th of December, and sailed thence for Talcahuano and the east coast on the 29th. “His tour,” said the Record, of Valparaiso, “has been one 62 THE CHILE MISSION OF THE M. E. CHURCH of exainiiiatiou and inspection, to counsel and confer with the workers.” The report which Bishop Harris gave of the con¬ dition and ont-look of the Mission was not favorable, bat it should be borne in nhiid that peace had not yet been restored, and the country was suffering under the disastrous effects of the conflict with Peru. In 1887, Dr. and Mrs. Asbury Lowrey visited the field. The cholera had visited the country in the earl}' part of that year. The ports were all closed to ves¬ sels coming from the north, so that Dr. and Mrs. Lowrej^ and the party of seven missionaries who ac¬ companied them had to come by way of England and the Straits of Magellan. This visit of Dr. Lowrey contributed greatly to a better understanding of the work on the part of the Committee in New York, and resulted in great good to the Mission. In 1889, Bishop J. M. Walden made an episcopal tour of South America. He reached Santiago on the 14th of August, and left for Concepcion on the 19th. The report which he gave was more hopeful and en¬ couraging than that of Bishop Harris, but his esti¬ mate of the self-supporting work was on the whole decidedly unfavorable to t^ie plan.* The General Conference of 1884 had made such provision, by altering the Discipline, as to authorize *“The preachers and teachers in this held areas wholly devoted to their work as any missionaries with whom I have, ever been permitted to meet, and yet there is no clearer evidence of entire consecration than is found among those maintained wholly or in part by the societies of our church. Nearly if not quite all these workers in Ohile are Methodists, and they are loyal in their affec¬ tion for their church; they are hopeful that their labors are pre¬ paring the way for her among the priest-ridden people. Few of h'piscopa l Superin ten den ce the organization of churches outside the bounds of the Conferences and Missions, and for their attach¬ ment to one of the home Conferences as an out-lving Presiding Cider’s District. Nothing was done under this pro vision, however, until after the visit of Bishop Walden. At its session in September, 1890, tlie Cin¬ cinnati Conference admitted the churches of tliis Mis¬ sion, and oi-ganized the Chile District of that Confer¬ ence. J. P. Gilliland, who was then in the States, was appointed Presiding Elder, and returned to the field in November. He asked to be relieved of the respon¬ sibility, however, at the close of the Conference year of 1892, and I. H. LaFetra was appointed. The General ConfereiKie of 1892 passed an enabling act to form the entire work in South America into one Annual Conference, to be called The South Americ.4 Annual Conference. In May, 1893, Bishop John P. Newman visited the Mission officially. He was accompanied by Mrs. Newman and Mrs. Moses of Washington. After a somewhat thorough inspection of the work and con¬ versation with the missionaries, he considered it ad¬ visable to organize the Conference as authorized by the enabling act. Accordingly, at the annual meet¬ ing of the Methodist Episcopal Mission in the Argen¬ tine Republic, at Buenos Ayres, on the 1st of July, 1893, the organization of the new Conference was them but that feel disappointed that more direct missionary work has not been practicable, and they wait for some development through which the church may be planted beside their schools.'' Letter of Bishop Walden in Report of the Transit and Building Fund Society, 1888, p. 36. It will be seen by reference to the account of the development of the Spanish evangelistic work, p, 41, that Bishop Walden visited the Mission wlien that work was in its beginning. 64 THE CHILE MISSION OE THE M. E. CHUHCH effected. There were present only the members of the Argpntiiip Mission. The Chile District of the Cinoiii- nati Conference was transferred wholly to the South America Conference and 1. H. LaFetra was reappointed Presiding Elder, with eight preachers under his charge. The report of the work made by Bishop Newman shows a decided advance on its condition as reported by Bishop Walden four ^^ears before. Notwithstand¬ ing all the discouraging reports and countless diffi¬ culties of the field, the Mission made advance yeai* by yeai', and the evangelistic work became moi-e promi¬ nent and influential. The sublime faith and noble genei’osity of the Committee, together with the earnest and self-sacrific¬ ing devotion of the men and women in the field, wrought out results worthy of the name of Methodism, and deserve and will ever have her gratitude and honor. That larger results could have been attained with larger means and more missionaries, is very cer¬ tain, but the work accomplished with the limited means employed will compare favorably with any other mission work of the church. THE TRANSFER OF THE MISSION TO THE MISSIONARY SOCIETY OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH On learning- of the organization of the vSouth American Conference', of which the Chile Mission be¬ came a pai-t, the Committee in New Y^ork found it ne¬ cessary to make a careful study of the probable results of this action on the direction and management of the work. That the administration of the entire South American work under one Annual Conference, with widely aifferent methods of work in the various dis- «/ tricts, would bring embaia-assments, was most proba¬ ble. The presiding Bishop at any and every confer¬ ence, by virtue of his episcopal authority, and acting- on his best judgment for the interest of the entire work, would frequently transfer men from one field to another, and then encounter obstacles in the Avav of different principles of support and convictions of duty on tlie pa.rt of the preachers. After deliberate consideration the Committee de¬ cided to make an offer to ti-ansfer the entire work in South America undei- their mauagemeut to the Mis¬ sionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal (diurch. 66 THE CHILE MISSION OF THE M. E. CHURCH At the Annual Meeting of the General Missionary Coiuniittee this offer was accepted, subject to the ap¬ proval of the Board of Managers and the General Conference. The followingis the action of the General Missionary Committee, accepting the offer made by the Committee of the Transit and Building Fund So¬ ciety. The action of the General Missionary Committee by which the Chile property was received, with Bishop Fowler’s explanations. Mr. President and Brothers: I Come with a matter of great interest to our church and to the friends of missions. It relates to the educational and evangelistic work carried on in Chile by the Transit and Building Fund Society of Self-supporting Missions. On consultation with some of the members of this general mission committee it is thought wise to present the following paper embodying the offer of Messrs. Anderson Fowler and Richard Grant, on behalf of the Transit and Building Fund Society. Also, the action that this committee may consider and take if they see fit. I will read. "Tt is known to this committee that there has existed for some years an incorporation known as the Transit and Building Fund Society of Self-supporting Missions. The nature and work of this Society is defined in the following statement taken from its charter. Namely: The particular business and objects of this Society are to provide ways and means and to man¬ age, appropriate and apply the same as follows. Namely: First: To provide a suitable outfit for missionary preachers and teachers. Second: To pay their passage to foreign countries. Third: To pay the traveling expenses of pioneer evangelists in those countries. Fourth; To build or purchase dwelling houses, school houses and houses of worship for the use of missionaries. Fifth: Also to translate the Sacred Scriptures and suitable religious and literary publications into foreign languages, and to print and publish the same. Sixth: The funds of this Society shall not be used to pay salaries of agents at home, nor preachers nor teachers in foreign countries.” Under these provisions of the charter, educational and evan¬ gelistic work has been carried forward in Chile and a property amounting to about $2U0,000 in gold has been accumulated. At present forty-three ministers and teachers from the United Sfates Transfer of the Mission 67 are at work in this field. This Society, represented by Messrs. Anderson Fowler and Richard Grant, now present the following propositions, namely: “We otter a transfer of all the mission work and mission prop¬ erty belonging to the above-named Society in Chile to the Mis¬ sionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church, free from debt, upon these conditions: that Chile be set apart exclusively for self-supporting mission work, and that the mission work in Chile be carried on and conducted on the plan of self-support as heretofore.” Now. therefore, resolved, that the General Missionary Com¬ mittee, so far as it has authority, and subject to the authority of the General Conference, accepts for itself the above proposition, and recommends the Missionary Board to accept in like manner the proposition, and to enter upon and prosecute this work on the conditions herein before set forth. And that we also appropriate $25,000 to the Chile Mission, con¬ tingent upon its being given specially for this work, said money to be administered by the Board. The Missionary Committee adopted the resolution without debate. Steps were at ouce taken to effect tlie transfer of the property to the Society, and to close up all ac¬ counts outstanding, in accordance with the offer to pass the work over “free from debt”. This action on the part of the Committee in pass¬ ing the work over to the Missionary Society has met with general approval by the Missionaries in the field,* and it is believed when once the work is duly adjusted to the new relations and management, it will continue tiO progress. * The Superintendent said in a letter in the Gospel in All Lands, of January, 1884; “That the interest felt by the church in mission work in South America is very much greater than formerly there can be no doixbt, and if the time has come when the Methodist church, to which all the work in the mission belongs, and for which it has been built up, deems it wisest to carry it on under one society instead of two, it is not for us who are in the field to block the way The two societies at home must adjust their relations to each other and to the work. ” 68 THE CHILE MISSION OF THE M. E. CHUBCH That the transfer of the work to the Missionary Society on the conditions on which it was ])rovision- ally accepted, will do away with all difficulties of ad¬ ministration, is far from probable. Indeed, already, at the first session of the Conference, at which mem¬ bers from the different Missions were present, some questions under discussion assumed a sectional phase, which thing, does not promise well for the future. The following is taken from the statement sub¬ mitted by the Transit and Building Fund Society: The General Conference of 1888, as appears by the Journal of said Conference, (pages 364 and 440) adopted the following Pream¬ ble and Resolutions: '^Whereas, the plan of Self-supporting Mission work which has been inaugurated in South America and Africa by Bishop Tay¬ lor has elicited much enthusiasm in the Church, and deserves an opportunity for full development under the fostering care of the whole Church; and Whereas, it is not desirable to bring this experiment into com¬ petition with the established methods of missionary administra¬ tion which have long existed in the Church, and inasmuch as there is no reason for antagonism between the two methods, if both are conducted under the same authorities; and Wherean, the Missionary Board and the General Missionary Committee are the only agencies through which the General Con¬ ference administers its Mission; and Whereas, the agencies are sufficiently broad and flexible in their scope and purpose to embrace all departments and methods of missionary work; and Whereas, the principle of self-support has long been recognized and cultivated in the regular Missions of the Church; therefore Resolved, 1. That the Missionary Bishop for Africa be, and is hereby authorized to continue his efforts to extend the Methodist Episcopal Church in Africa, on the plan of Self-supporting Missions, 2. That we direct that all property acquired in the prosecu¬ tion of the Self-supporting Mission plan be held by and for the Methodist Episcopal Church. 3. That the Missionary Board appoint a Standing Committee on- Self-supporting Missions, who shall have the oversight of the Missions on the Self-supporting plan. Transfer of the Mission 69 4. That missionaries employed and churches organized on the Self-supporting plan shall be entitled to the same rights and be ameuable Lu the discipline of the Church, the same as missionaries and churclies in other fields. 5. That Missionary Bisho[)s in charge of Self-supporting Mis¬ sions be instructed to report annually to the Missionary Board the condition of all Self-supporting Missions, including the number of niLssionaries, the number of stations, and the number of com¬ municants in each station, and a financial exhibit of the receipts and expenditures. 6. That the Missions in South America be authorized to form an Annual Conference within the next four years, by a vote of two-thirds of its members present and voting, and with the ap¬ proval of the Bishop having episcopal jurisdiction. 7. That the General Missionary Committee be requested to organize the Portuguese stations in North Brazil into a Mission. 8. That the name of the Liberia Conference be changed to Africa Conference, its boundaries to include the whole of Africa.” That when and so soon as the Bishop having episcopal juris¬ diction over (-hile under and in pursuance of the general authority conferred by the above Resolution, proceeded to form a Confer¬ ence in South America, including Chile, it became clearly apparent to the officers and members of the Transit and Building Fund So¬ ciety that both kinds of mission work could not be carried on suc¬ cessfully in the same country under different authorities. That something must be done by them, and that there were but three courses of action left for them in the premises, whereby they would be able to fulfill the trust duties resting upon them, namely: 1. Comply with the spirit and intent of the resolutions of the General Conference of 1888, and transfer the property in Chile to the Missionary Board, whereby the mission work in Chile could be carried on and conducted on the plan of self-support under the charge and control of the Mission Board and the General Missionary Committee, as the agents of the General Conference: or 2 . Carry on the work in Chile as a separate and independent work, not under the supervision or control of the Missionary Board , and not subject in any way to the General Conference of the Church; or 3. Sell and dispose of the property of the Society in Chile, repay the contidbutors, and withdraw entirely from said country. Such was the state of the case when Mr. Anderson Fowler and Mr. Richard Grant, representing the Transit and Building Fund Society of Self-supporting Missions, presented to the General Missionary Committee of the Methodist Episcopal Church an offer to transfer all the mission work and mission property in Chile, upon condition that Chile be set apart exclusively for Self-support¬ ing mission work, and that the mission work in Chile be carried on and conducted on the plan of Self-support, as heretofore. IX REPORT OF THE PRESIDING ELDER OF THE CHILE DISTRICT OF THE SOUTH AMERICA ANNUAL CONFERENCE FOR 1893 Under the blessing of Almighty God, the Chile District of this new conference has just closed a pros¬ perous year, notwithstanding the political excitement and commercial depression which have seriously af¬ fected the peace and prosperity of the nation in which our work is carried on. The Divine Spirit has been shed abroad in a wonderful manner; turning the hearts of the people toward the things which belong to religion, and awakening consciences which have long slept in that careless indifference which is the precursor of spiritual death. Wherever the Gospel has been preached we have found, on the part of many, a readiness to hear and accept the truth. The schools have found large liberty in teaching the Bible to the students, and most cheering and genuine conversions have occuried among the boys and girls who have come to us from homes where they never knew the blessed Word of God, and never heard of salvation through faith in Christ. We give most sincere and 72 THE CHILE MISSION OF THE M. E. CHUIK^H heartfelt thanks to God who hath bestowed upon ns and oLir woi-k so many tokens of Ills mercy and grace. THE CHUKCH WORK Tlie work in the churches has been prosecuted with all the vigor our force of workers could put into it. The Gnglish churches ha ve continued to support their pastors and have contributed something to¬ wards the maintenance of the Spanish work. There have been some conversions and additions to the membership of these churches. The largest English community, that of Valparaiso, possessed two impor¬ tant churches, St. Paul’s Episcopal and the Union Church, before Methodist work Avas begun in Chile, and Ave have not thought best to undertake English Avork there. Santiago has but a small English com¬ munity, and the field is occupied by the Union Church, AA’hich is in the hands of the American Presbytei-ian Mission. Our English Avork is confined chiefly to Iqui- que, Coquimbo and the neighboring port of Guayacan, and the city of Concepcion. Besides these churches AA'e have English Sunday Schoolsat Santiago and Serena. The present year has been one of marked advance all along the line, in Spanish AA^ork. The church work at Iquique, AAdiich Avas placed in the hands of Rev. J. P. Gilliland, and afterAvards taken up,by Dr. W. C. Hoover, with the assistance of tAvo ex- horters, has been extended into the Pampas, AAdiere services are now being regularly held. We have already over 100 members and probationers in the Pampas. At Huara, Avhere the largest number are gathei-ed, they are so anxious to have regular services that the}’ have collected, among themselves and their friends. Report of the Presiding Elder 73 over .f4,000 (pesos), for the erection of a church. This is the first Protestant chapel ever built in Chile wholly by the gifts of the people. It is nearing comple¬ tion, and will be ready for dedication early in April. Dr. Thomas B, Wood, Presiding Elder of the Pern District, is expected to be present. At the beginning of the year, Dr. J. B. Canut was changed from Serena to Concepcion, to open Spanish work. For several years the American Presb;^d:erian Mission ha s maintained a church there, but we deemed it necessaiy for the conservation of the fruits of our religious work in the schools, and to reach the neigh¬ boring towns in the frontier, to make that the center of a vigorous church work. Great difficulty was en¬ countered in securing a suitable place for worship. After six months of constant effort, we obtained a house in a fairly good locality, by advancing f 1000 on the rent. In the meanwhile, numbers of tracts had been distributed, and much private visiting done. The work has had a healthy grovTh from the begin¬ ning. Some remarkable conversions have taken place, and we are pleased to recommend for admission on trial, our brother Indalecio Romero, who is a part of the precious fruits of this year’s labor. He has for some months been most diligent in pursuing his stud¬ ies. He has so arranged his business interests that he will have no care whatever, and goes into the woiE at his own expejise, asking nothing for salary. A numerous aboriginal population is also still liv¬ ing beyond the frontier line, and offers a most inviting- field for Christian labor. It was my privilege in the early pa.rt of the year-, when in Conceyjcion, to receive a visit from one of the most powerful and influential 74 THE OHTTyE MISSION OF THE M. E. CHUHCH caciques (chiefs) of the Lake Llaiiquihiie region. He was greatly interested in the words of gospel truth spoken to him through his interpreter. I gave him copies of the Bible in Spanish, a copy of onr hymn book, and a collection of tracts. He promised to have the Bible taught i o the young people of his tribe, by the interpreter, and besought us to send a teacher of religion to them. That he faithfully kept his promise, we have no doubt. Enmors came to us that these tribes were preparing for rebellion, for they were hold¬ ing secret meetings; the true object of which, however, was to hear the words of the sacred Book, which they had to keep hidden from the Jesuits. At Nuevalnqie- rial, Dr. Cauut recently had conference with other chiefs of important and numerous tribes in that sec¬ tion, and found them most eager to receive teachers of this new religion. During the year we received 344 members on pro¬ bation, and 61 into full connection; leavin.o- ns at the the end of the year with 157 members, and 330 proba¬ tioners, making a total of 487, a large part of whom have been gathered during the year. It has been our constant aim to receive none on probation who do not have a fairly good idea of what the Christian life is, and who do not manifest an earnest desire to become true followers of the Lord Jesus. Wetrytokeep all the pro- bnliuimrs under careful and constant iustructlui!, that they may grow in grace and in the knowledge of Christ. Many conversions have occurred. Most of those who have been received into full membership during the year v^ere converts of this year, but among the probationers are many equally clear in their ex- perieiK^e. It has been a blessed work, and has filled our Report of the Presiding Elder To hearts to overtlowiiig with joy and gladness. It is of to(3 recent gTowtli to be conipai-ed witli the older work within the bounds of this Mission conference, but is a foretaste of what great things God \vill do for us, when we can put more men into the field. May God speed the day. THE SUNDAY SCHOOLS It has been our constant effort to gather the pro¬ bationers and children of the congregations into Sun¬ day Schools, for the study of the Bible. The interest awakened in this work is most encouraging. Hard- laboring men have learned to read, that they might for themselves search out the blessed truths of the Gos])el (jf the Son of God. The eagerness with which even those who could but slowly spell the words have tried to learn the lessons, and the constancy of their attendance, have been more sure evidence of the deep pur])ose of heart of which these new students of the Bible are possessed. We have felt greatly the lack of a suitable series of lessons, selected with a view to meeting the needs of people who have had no instruc¬ tion in the Bible, and also of adequate lesson helps. The total enrollment for the year was, 60 officers and teachers and 616 scholars, makingatotal of 676 employed in the study of the Word of God. The aver¬ age attendance has been a little over 400. Besides the regularly organized Sunday Schools which report these figures, we have other week-night classes for Bible study, making a much larger total of persons who have been undei* regular instruction in the Word of God. Out of this work have come some of our most genuine arid hopeful conversions. 76 THE CHILE MISSION OF THE M. E. CIICRCH THE SCHOOLS By far tlie lar<»'er part of our missionary force lias been eno'ag;ed in tlie schools. To a large extent these are made the basis of our evangelistic work and its support. The plan of the west coast ^Misvsion, which up to the pi'esent has been entirely independent of the General IMissionary Society, diffeis in some inspects verv widely from the methods employed in other parts of the conference. There has never for a moment been a thought of rivalry with any other work of the church; nor has there been any feeling among our workers that the methods Ave have employed were better or more successful than other methods. We believe the schools are so powerful a factor in the work of evangelization, that there is great gain in the prominence we have given them iii our work. If it is found necessary for Methodism to establish her great universities and scores of colleges and seminaries of high grade for the education of her youth in a country like the United States, where other Protes¬ tant schools are numerous, it is vastly more impor¬ tant that Methodism should have her schools in ade¬ quate numbers and grade, to meet all the requirements for the education of the youth we Avish to preserve to our church, or vvin to her teachings, in such lands as this, Avhere, if aa'c do not make such provision, they must obtain their education in shools, Avhere both the instruction and the personal influence of teachers and associates constantly tend to lead them into their old beliefs and accustomed habits and liAms. The enrollment during the past year in our regu¬ lar schools reached 820, Avhile that in other schools < H :> -5 *1 /■ j Eojtort of the Presiding Elder 77 more or less under our direction and doing the same kind of work, will bring the total number up to 1,000. No day passes that religious instruction is not given to these scholars in some form; and the boarders are under more constant religious instruction and help than students in the colleges of our church at home. A number of conversions have taken place among our scholars, and out of them we are raising up workers to proclaim the gospel. The income of these schools is not only sufficient for their own sup]»ort, Imt they yield a surplus for use in direct evangelistic work. We have found in the Chile district that most of the Spanish congregations that we gather are not able financially to support their pastors. Aleans must be provided to supplement the contributions of the people. Having no appro¬ priations from the home church to provide for this support, we make our schools do all they can. The fundamental idea of the Mission is, to invest the con- ti-ibutions of the home church in suitable buildings for schools and chapels, make these schools support a large corps of missionary teachers, who constantly • teach Christ, gain access to homes otherwise closed, and develop at the same time a source of income which shall support workei-s in the churches. The total income of our schools during the past year amounted to 107,640.16 pesos. About one- half of this is required to pay the running expenses of the schools and the supply teachers we employ for special classes. One-half the remainder is required for the salaries and maintenance of our missionary teach- ei's, leaving about one-fourth, year by year, to be ex¬ pended in the development of the gospel work or 78 THE CHILE MISSION OF THE M. E. CHURCH increase of the school facilities. We thus have in the schools now in operation twenty-five missionary teach, ers, whose labors produce an income adequate to their own support and an additional amount which sup¬ ports the preachers engaged in the Spanish work. THE PUBLISHING DEPARTMENT We have become convinced by experience, that the printing-press is a powerful aid in the gospel work. Multitudes who could not be gathered into the preach¬ ing places can be reached by tracts These precious little pages are passed from hand to hand and read and re-read. Many have been the incidents which have come to our knowledge of the light of ti uth having reached hearts through this means. We caiu little for controversial ti-acts, or tracts that ridicule or dis¬ parage llomanism. We believe the inherent power of simple truth is mighty to drive out error und fill the heart too full for sin to remain. We endeavor to be judicious in the distribution of tracts, but try to place them in the hands of all who can be reached. Our Press turned out thirty-six different tracts of from 5,000 to 20,000 copies of each, making a total of 262,730 tracts with 2,588,120 pages. The total cost was 2,590 pesos, or, at the rate of forty pages for one cent gold. The printing office not only paid its way, but left a profit of 1,555 jjesos, 500 of which was passed to the account of the gospel work and the re¬ mainder appropriated to increase the stock of the office, which is yet veiy far from being equal to the needs of the work. We also publish 2,000 8-page copies of our monthly temperance paper. La Cinta Azul. Report of the Presiding Elder 79 TEMPERANCE WORK The curse of drink is so terrible in the country, and so destructive of everything noble and true in the heart and life and home, in society, industry and government, that we feel impelled to constant and vigorous effort against the use of intoxicants in every form. Our i)robationers are urged to give up at once all habits of drink, and none are received into full connection until we are persuaded that they have en¬ tirely left off the use of liquor. Wc include in our list of tracts some that are especially prepared for the temperance work. Out of the temperance work which we have started have grown other societies, and the influence extends. Important temperance legislation has been ena<;ted and information gathered. THE INDUSTRIAL HOME At Santiago we have founded an Orphans’ Indus¬ trial Home, under the direction of Brother and Sister Powell. God has blessed them in their noble labors, and they are training and educating boys and girls who will come forth nobly fitted for the work of the Lord. This woi-thy undertaking has been greatly hindered in its growth from lack of funds. X ESTIMATE OF THE WORK BY THE SUPEEINTENDENT After giving this brief and imperfect survey of the work in Chile from its founding, it hath seemed good unto me, having had understanding of these things from the first, to record my sincere and candid estimate of the principle of self-support as it has operated in the history of this Mission. By what means the Master received his support after he began his public ministry, we are not clearly told. The women ministered unto him, and Judas carried the purse containing the common fund. When the disciples Avere sent out, two by two, to announce that the kingdom of God was at hand, they were commanded to take neither purse nor scrip. Paul obtained his support wholly or in part, by means of his own labor as tent-maker. The apostolic church had at first all things in common. The method of support adopted by Mr. Taylor in the South India Avork Avas such as is common in our OAvn country. The resident Christians and neAV con¬ verts gave of their means to sustain the pastor who labored for them. The plan in the African Avork, in¬ augurated after Mr. Taylor AAms made Bishop for 82 THE CHILE MISSION OF THE M. E. CHIJHCH Africa, is very largely that of manual labor, tilling the soil. In Brazil the support comes chiefly from private teaching. In Chile the plan has been: 1. To obtain all contributions possible from those who can be interested in the church services. 2. To establish schools which shall, while sup¬ porting the teachers, afford them opportunity to giv^e Christian education and Christian training to youth under their care. 3. To invest large racanc in school property which shall provide amyile and convenient accommo¬ dations for the schools, thus putting them on a safe and permanent basis, and at the same time make them yield a rental income which can be used for more direct gospel work. The first of these is the ideal method of support for the church of Christ, and that to which all the churches which do not favor state aid are striving to bring their congregations, in both the home land and foreign fields. It is doubtful, however, if ever a con¬ gregation was gathered from wholly non-Christian or headhen people, which from the first sustained the pas¬ tor by voluntary offerings. Following a revival, in a Christian land, where the people have been trained in Christian benevolence and Christian doctrine, such a church has often been organized. But in non-Chris¬ tian lands such revivals do not take place except after long years of Christian training and education in the essentials of the gospel. During these years the preacher or Christian teacher must invariably receive all or a large part of his support from other sources than the contributions of the people. Estimate of the Work 88 Metliodism owes much of its growth and power in the world to the labors of local preachers, who, earn¬ ing their living by their daily toil, or l)usiness, give freely of their time and strength to preach the gospel. Our second source of support, from our school work, is a kind of local preacher missionary work, which makes all the labor missionary labor. Chris¬ tian teachers, men and women, enter the school-room, aiid have before them all day and five days in a week, their congregation of precious souls. This congrega¬ tion does not consist of those who have had Christian training from their youth, and need only to be awak¬ ened by earnest pleading to immediate repentance. It is composed of young and tender characters in the formative period of life, children who will be the men and women, fathers and mothers, statesmen and lead¬ ers of society, in the near future, and who will grow up without evangelical training if the home influence and ordinary school are their only educators, and be wholly indifferent to the appeals of the preacher. The value of Protestant schools* in a Catholic country cannot well be over-estimated. Education means emancipation from Rome. The progress of the age is away from the medieval church. The downfall of Rome as the dominant power in government and society in Chile is certain. The people are turning *Rishop Thoburn says in a recent letter: “It has every year become more evident that a very important part of our foreign mission work will be educational. Friends of missions in America can iiardly realize how rapidly our Christian schools improve in sucli iands as India and China. In a single generation some of the.se schools place tliernselves fully abreast of schools of similar grade in the United States. Every year the educational standard rises higher.” Christian Advocate, Aug. 2, 1894. 84 THE CHILE MISSION OF THE M. E. CHIIKCH away from Catholicism. Tliey have grown tired of its mockery and superstitions. The third and most important part of this whole plan of the Chile Mission is, whether or not school work can be not only self-supporting, but so much more than self-supporting that it can contribute to direct evangelistic work. Or, in other words, whether it can be made self-supporting without buildings fi-ee of rent. The investment in school property has been made with the distinct understanding that the schools should pay rent for their buildings. These invest¬ ments were not primarily intended as an appropria¬ tion to the educational work, but rather for the gos¬ pel work. Bishop Walden, when here, asked: In what does the method of support for the gospel work in this Mission differ from that in other missions, if the rent of school buildings, or, in other words, the interest on money from home is used for that support? As far as the church work is concerned there is little difference, except that we are able to say to our con¬ gregations, as I said to the new congregation at Angol, where they have fitted up their chapel at large ex¬ pense, every dollar of which came from their own offer¬ ings: We have not a dollar from any other country for the support of the men who preach in Chile. Their support comes entirely from the field, and every society should learn as soon as possible to support its pastor. We said the same thing to the congregation at Huara, which has built its own church wholly with¬ out aid from abroad or from mission funds, and at once it provided for the support of its pastor. Estiincite of the Work 85 But tliere is a vast diiference between investing’ .f20,000 in bonds or business at home, and sending the interest money out to support a missionary, and investing the same money in school property here, where it will give the same rent or interest forthesup- ])ort of a missionary, and at the same time enable us to found a Christian school which will give employ¬ ment and support to four missionary teachers, who will also contribute much to the gospel work in both labor and influence. Ha.s the experience in Chile justified the belief that schools can be made to pay a rent for their buildings and support their teachers? And if so, to what ex¬ tent can such work be successfully organized? The difficulties of the situation have not been kept from the knowledge of the Committee of the Transit and Building Fund Society. On the contrary, they have frequently been placed befoi-e them.* *In a communication which detailed the embarrassments of tlie work it was said: “Education has ever been the child of the church and of benevolence. To reverse that long hi-?tory and make a college the parent of church work and evangelization, is too daring to be the work of sober-mindedness, it sometimes seems to me. 1 do not wonder that the men of the church are incredu¬ lous, and look on with doubt and distrust, and even amazement that it is attempted.” Letter of the Superintendent, June 24, 1891. “To me the schools seem to be an absolute necessity; so impor¬ tant indeed that little can be done without them by any method or by any society. But for their highest influence they should have all their income for their own maintenance and development. The educational work is a department by itself, and a powerful factor in the evangelization of the country. “It must be evident, as I have said to you several times in the last four or five years, that school work cannot be counted on very largely to support church work. Indeed, if it can itself be made self-supporting and meet the needs as theygiwv, even with build¬ ings free of rent, it will be far more than our church s ' t J 5’ '''■2 .[. i • t t t ? "i-''-1 - c '4 ? 13 -i s ^ ^ f \ i -v yt \ L% e - 7 i i ? \ ^'r It I I 5 I- ^'VU ^ Ir-t A I r *; i f • «-•, * t ^ V f.->’ £ *. f f ft fi-i, V' i r kt f r i .. •'•• - \ -J-v ■ % 1 I ; ■ ’ I 'i. k.