THE NEW PHILIPPINES ROY H. BROWN The Board of Foreign Missions of the Presbyterian Church in the U. S. A. 156 Fifth Avenue, N. Y. THE NEW PHILIPPINES ROY H. BROWN From a political standpoint the year has stood most emphatically for UyREST. With the change of administrations, rumors of every description circu- lated in the native press and were launched from the public platform. The people knew not what to expect. A spirit of dissatisfaction soon began to crystallize and the people felt as though they were being defrauded of their just rights of independence. Promises that were vague and ambiguous were largely responsible. Being capable of the interpretation that the Filipino desired to place upon them, little by little the sentiment grew that America and Americans were unfair to the Filipino. This atttude grew until almost anything American was heartily disliked. This experience of Dr. Carter and myself in a moun- tain village perhaps reveals the thought I would ex- press. The chairman of the meeting arose and in- troduced us in a very patriotic speech, saying in substance that here were two Americans, at least, who had not come for their own good, but for the benefit of the Filipino, and then he closed by saying, “Al- though they are Americans, they are Christians.” So strong grew the sentiment against anything foreign that one pastor and another leader felt it necessary to separate from our church, as they were open to the charge, they felt, of being connected with and dominated by foreigners. A New Synod This schism made the missionaries stop and con- sider. Mr. Lamb, of Manila, wrote a very able pamphlet showing the absolute separation of our church from all political movements. However, we went much farther in our Mission Meeting and Pres- bytery, and decided to settle once for all such attacks by overturing the General Assembly to allow us to form an Independent Filipino Church. This request was granted to us, at Chicago, May, 1914. Thus out of the unrest a new church starts to meet a great people’s needs. This attitude of our church has impressed the Fili- pino with our sincerity and has aroused him to face his responsibility as nothing could have done. In Albay, after our fall class. Rev. Dia called the Fili- pino evangelists and workers together and told them that not only from a Christian viewpoint, but from a patriotic standpoint, it was their duty to work to develoj) self support and not call any more than abso- lutely necessarj' on funds from America. In Camalig, of the same Province, a consecrated spirit of independence was manifest. They had been raising funds for a new buildng, but they wanted from the station money for the land, and under cer- tain conditions we had consented to aid them. Weeks went by and finally I asked, “When will you need the money fov the land?” and they said, “We have bought it ourselves, believing we ought not to burden the station with our needs.” Facing the possibility of withdrawal of America from the Philippines, the missionary has considered more carefully and prayerfully his attitude to the Filipino and has found that perhaps he did not give him all the credit due, and to a man the Mission faces the future, not perhaps without doubts, but with large hope that God will bring the best to pass for His glory and He sees as never before the sterl- ing qualities in the Filipino and believes that the years of Christian nurture and growth, as well as the splen- did instruction they have received, will be the power that will balance them and give them poise. New Buildings Our builders, Mr. Glunz and Mr. Gunn, could tes- tify that they have been on the jump to finish the building projects that were intrusted to their care. Buildings have been erected for the future, not just to meet a present need. White ants and bagnios are too strong for bamboo or even wood to resist suc- cessfully. Friends in the States have made possible the erection of a hospital and residence in the Island of Bohol, where Dr. and Mrs. Graham have done such a splendid work. Though they need a dormi- tory, they will be able to do large things for the kingdom with the present equipment. For thorough equipment Cebu is the banner sta- tion. During the past year, two re-enforced concrete buildings have been erected as dormitories, one for young men and the other for girls. The boys dormi- tory rapidly filled and under the leadership of Mr. Dunlap, who is peculiarlj' gifted in his dealing with young men, many Iiave been interested in Bible study and, in a letter received not long since, eight of the boys had given themselves to the blaster. Mr. Dunlap, through his baseball knowledge, has slid right into the hearts of all classes in Cebu. The dormitory for young women in the coming year will be filled to overflowing, an^l thus many more gate- ways of approach will be opened to the teacher of the truth. This dormitory work has the approval of all bodies at work in the Philippines, as there are more than twenty established throughout the Islands. They are self-supporting and are of tlie greatest possible evangelical power. They are the modern ■Missionary twelve pounders to destroy prejudice and open hearts and homes to Jesus Christ. Cebu also has a beautiful new church. Manila’s Girls’ School and Boys’ Dormitorj" and Seminary grew so fast a new l)uilding was needed for the girls. This building is in process of erection. With its completion Mr. Wright can enlarge liis splendid activities in meeting the student need in the University life of Manila, and Miss Bartholomew can develop her s])lendid training school for women, that is doing so much to meet the women’s need in the Philippines. A New Record for Silliman Silliman Institute is the finest institution in the Philippines. A place where life is changed and con- secrated to God. Negros is honey-combed with the influence of this school. Cebu trains her workers here and Mindinao owes the revival that is taking place on her northern shores to these boys of our school. I-et me quote from a letter of a worker at Duma- guete: “School opened June 3rd, 1914, enrollment, 3G4, over 100 more than last year. Enrollment two days later, 545; enrollment this morning, June 8th, over 600. Since then the steamer Mayon has arrived with about 30 more. Every place in the dormitories is gone and we are trying to get Mr. Osborn to give up his house; if he won’t we will perhaps use the top floor of the Shop Annex and possibly the main shop also, for there are about 400 boarders here and we don’t want to send them back. We have built two bamboo and nipa classrooms back of our house. O! for money for a new Dormitory! Can't you get us one? Is there any appeal much stronger than that? There is nothing to hinder this from being on the par with the greatest Mission Col- leges in the world, nothing save your money and prayers. In three years, with equipment, we could have 1,500 to 2,000 men and hundreds of women, if we could build. The need is mighty, now, for if the Islands are turned over to the Filipinos, there will be a period of readjustment, when the public schools and universities will hardly keep up to standard, and this will be our opportunity in Dumaguete. Boys are not only given a Christian education at this school, but boj's are converted. It was my privilege to be present when fifty boys consecrated their all to the service of the King. This is the only school of its size and kind where the Bible is taught. Last year 200 were turned away who wanted the Christian inspiration. Shall we withhold the Word of Life from more than that in the succeeding years? The New Opportunity In every nation there are times of especial oppor- tunity for the heralds of the cross, other than the great heart hunger and blind gropings after the truth. Political awakenings and upheavals like China’s throw the doors wide open to the ambassadors of the Prince of Peace. When Dewey took Manila bay he threw wide the portals of new life to the Filipino people. He unchained the Bible that for centuries had been bound and hidden from those who were eager to re- ceive its teachings and follow its instruction. But with the passing of the years the Government’s mag- nificent work has brought us to a time of oppor- tunity the like of which was only experienced when Christ came in the “Fulness of time.” Through hu- man instrumentality splendid Roman roads reached to the distant parts of the empire, Roman justice and the Greek tongue protected the messenger of the Cross and gave him a universal language to tell of a Saviour’s love. All these our government has given to us. By land and sea means of communication ha e been established so that days and even months are saved in hastening the time when everyone shall hear of His name from the least unto the greatest. Mail routes on the sea have been established. There is some certainty of the arrival and the departure of steamers. Places that were inaccessible have been opened to commerce and the new pulsing life and spirit of the new times in the Philippines has entered. On these boats embark the modern Pauls to preach Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016 https://archive.org/details/newphilippinesOObrow to a people that have long ignorantly worshipped the Lord through saints, images and superstitions, that “God is a spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and truth.” The native boats, with their bamboo outriggers and reed woven sails, are thankfully laid aside for the inter-island steamer, which seems a veritable ark of the Lord. In the early days in the Province of Albay, Polan- gui was 14 hours aw'ay in time, and 5,000 peculiar jolts and aches distant from the town of Albay. Twenty-five pesos were needed to bridge that dis- tance, and even if you had the money and the time, it was a problem to get a starved native team to take you there. Now, because of our first-class roads, Polangui is just one hour and a half from Albay, there are no aches in the auto that carries you, and all that stands between you and Polangui is 50 cen- tavos. Every town in our province save two small ones may be reached by automobile. Nearly four thousand miles of good road for motorcycle or auto- mobile open the country to the Protestant missionary. Road foremen hai^e motorcycles, engineers of districts have automobiles, supervising teachers own them and are supplied by the government in the interests of efficiency and economy. To some extent our mission has profited by the example of government and busi- ness houses. We have some motorcycles and they have increased the efficiencj' of the workers. There are 530,000 boys and girls who are ready to listen to you, not in the dialects, but in English. 8,500 Filipino school teachers are prepared to read and grasp the great ideas of the English writers. Four of our Christian workers in the province of Albay write to me in English. When you announce in a town you are going to speak in English and not butcher the dialect, it is easy to get a crowd of school children around. What an opportunity for us to teach and influence in our own tongue, that has become theirs ! The Filipino is eager for enlightenment. There is nothing to hinder the message being given to him save lack of messengers and quick ways of reaching him. Now is the impressionable time, ere the days of indifference come. There are some few thousands of American troops in the islands to preserve order, aided b.v the Con- stabulary and the Philippine Scouts. But there is a better army than that; through 14 years it has been recruited until it numbers nearly 75,000 strong! Like the troops of Garibaldi, these servants of Christ were promised persecution, hard marches, heroic ser- vice, but in the end liberty in Christ Jesus, and they are the hope to-day of the Philippines. When the Stars and Stripes are hauled down and the troopers embark, they will remain to garrison the land for Christ. Thej' have stood under fire and not wavered, they have charged many a hill of superstition and placed the cross of Christ on its summit. Union is growing in sentiment in the Philippines. The Union Theological Seminary in Manila is pre- paring the way for a Filipino church in God’s good time. Eight hospitals and 30 dispensaries are bringing the gospel of love and charity to the people. Twenty dormitories are undertaking to reach the young and splendid rising generation of the islands. Industrial schools are training the hands as well as the hearts to meet the future. The New Filipino The Filipino has demonstrated his capacity to ab- sorb good things. To those who doubt the ability and worth of the Filipino people it should only be necessary to call attention to their marvelous capacity under the edu- cational system established by our government. These boys and girls are studying the advanced course of the American schools, and in a tongue strange to them are holding their own. My blood thrills as I train some of these young people in the great masterpieces of English litera- ture. Their learning may be open to the criticism of the critic who says it is not made of practical use, but what should we expect in 14 years? The de- tractors of the Filipino are not logical. They say he has no capacity and then they demand from him the highest attainments of an enlightened and cul- tured people. Education in our own country has not always been known to solve all problems. A splendid, hospitable, capable, ready people of the islands of the sea, waiting for that perfect lib- erty in Christ Jesus that shall lead them into all the deeper and richer meaning of life. It is the fulness of time! Will you help us to make the Christ life real for them? They have journeyed long, thinking Christ was with them; now is the time to make Him real and discover Him to them. October, 1914. Form No. 2203.