S KETCH 
 
 OF THE 
 
 MISSION OF THE AMERICAN BOARD IN MEXICO 
 
 
 publisrfjcft bp tfte ‘®oarb 
 Congregational House, Boston 
 1901 
 
THE MISSION TO MEXICO. 
 
 The mission to Mexico represents the only work the American Board 
 is conducting upon this continent, all the rest of its missions being either 
 upon islands of the Pacific Ocean or upon the continents of Europe and Asia 
 and Africa. It is one of the Board’s three missions in Papal Lands, the other 
 two being in Spain and Austria. The object of these three missions in coun¬ 
 tries generally known as Roman Catholic is not to attack and disintegrate the 
 dominant church, but to introduce the leaven of the simple gospel of Christ, 
 and to plant there gospel institutions which shall produce earnest, sincere 
 Christian men and women. 
 
 The Mexican Mission is, therefore, a foreign mission in the home land, 
 for it is only about a six days’ journey from Boston to the City of Mexico. 
 Although so near, it is indeed a foreign country when we consider the lan¬ 
 guages spoken, the customs and habits and the religious condition of the 
 people. 
 
 Under existing conditions it has been impossible for evangelical Chris¬ 
 tians in Mexico to remain any length of time in the Catholic church, and this 
 has led to the organization under our Board, as well as under other Boards 
 in that country, of separate Protestant churches. This process of separation 
 must necessarily continue until the Catholic church of Mexico is convinced 
 of the necessity of a morally upright, educated clergy, w'ho are inspired with 
 the desire and purpose to help the Mexican people to imitate in their own 
 lives the life and character of Jesus Christ. 
 
 THE COUNTRY. 
 
 Mexico is a larger country than most people suppose. It covers an area 
 of nearly 764,000 square miles, which is larger than the combined area of 
 England, Germany, France and Spain, or nearly as large as that section of the 
 United States lying east of the Mississippi River. It is a journey of forty- 
 eight hours, upon the fastest express train, from Ciudad Juarez upon the 
 Rio Grande, opposite El Paso, Texas, on the northern border, to the capital 
 city of Mexico, which is still a day’s journey from the southern extremity of 
 the Republic. 
 
 The country has a coast line of nearly 6,000 miles, but there are few 
 harbors and no navigable rivers. The hot lands along the coast and in the 
 extreme south, while not considered salubrious, are of extreme fertility and 
 admirably adapted to the production of coffee, sugar, spices, etc. 
 
 Immense forests of the most valuable timber also abound. But Mexico 
 is mainly a vast table-land, with an elevation of from 3,000 to 8,000 feet. 
 Here are her principal cities and the great majority of her population. The 
 
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 climate is of unsurpassed excellence, and the soil remarkably productive, 
 excepting extensive regions at the north, which suffer from lack of moisture. 
 
 The products are all that might be expected from the situation. To the 
 list of fruits, vegetables, and cereals grown in the United States must be 
 added many varieties known only to the tropics. The mountains of Mexico 
 are unusually rich in precious ores. Iron is also abundant, and extensive 
 coal fields have recently been opened in the northwest. 
 
 THE PEOPLE. 
 
 The population of Mexico exceeds 13,500,000, nearly one half being of 
 pure Indian descent from the aboriginal occupants of the country. About 
 1,000,000 are of pure Spanish origin, and perhaps 5,000,000 are of mixed 
 blood. The Spaniards represent, perhaps, the most polite society, but the 
 mixed races comprise the dominating class, occupying places of public trust, 
 and are leaders in commercial and educational enterprises. There have been 
 cases, like that of the lamented President Juarez, where men of pure Indian 
 descent have held positions of great influence and power. The tendency at 
 the present time is to magnify the value of Indian lineage, while the feeling 
 against the Spanish seems to be upon the increase. 
 
 The language of the country is Spanish, although there are large num¬ 
 bers of Indians living in a most primitive manner among the mountains of the 
 northwest, who speak only their native Indian tongue. In the government 
 schools of Mexico today one sees sitting upon the same bench fair-haired, 
 blue-eyed, and delicate complexioned children and black-eyed, straight dark¬ 
 haired swarthy children, all upon a social level; the one showing plainly his 
 northern origin, while the Indian stamp is upon every feature of the other. 
 All else being equal, the Indian child has a better chance of success in 
 Mexico than his more delicate featured companion, for the sentiment is gain¬ 
 ing ground that he is the rightful possessor of that soil for which his father 
 fought and died. The Indian stock is sturdy and, when properly trained, 
 is capable of great achievements, as Mexican history plainly reveals. 
 
 There exists today in Mexico almost every grade of civilization, from the 
 rude, wild, and nearly naked savage to the most polished and refined gentle¬ 
 man. The great mass of the people lie between these two extremes, giving 
 little thought to moral questions, indolent, improvident, deceptive, sensual. 
 If the ordinary Mexican has enough food on hand for the day, he is con¬ 
 tented and is not inclined to work; if he has credit sufficient to sport a fancy 
 sombrero, he exhibits conscious pride in his high estate ; if he can procure 
 money enough to appear now and then at the bullfight, he classes himself 
 among the aristocracy. 
 
 GOVERNMENT. 
 
 Mexico is a Republic, in name and form, at least, and is called “ The 
 United States of Mexico.” Its constitution was promulgated in 1857, and is 
 a model of its kind. President Diaz entered upon his sixth term, each of 
 four years, as president, in 1901, during whose terms of office the nation has 
 
5 
 
 emerged from almost perpetual upheaval and revolution into the quiet of a 
 safe and orderly constitutional government. The President, called Dictator 
 by some, has exhibited great skill and strength in the administration of State 
 affairs, developing in a most marvelous manner the internal resources of his 
 country. 
 
 HISTORICAL OUTLINE. 
 
 In order to fully understand the present conditions we must glance at 
 the interesting history of that country and people. 
 
 In 1620, when the band of English Pilgrims landed on the New England 
 shore, the Spaniard had already completed his first century of occupation of 
 Mexico. The ancient Mexican races, the Toltecs, Aztecs, and kindred tribes, 
 
 A MEXICAN VILLAGE RAILWAY STATION. 
 
 once so prosperous, had long been subjugated, politically and religiously. 
 It is claimed that within twenty years after the political conquest of Mexico 
 the religious conquest was practically complete. This sudden and wholesale 
 “Christianizing” of the aborigines consisted mainly in a change of religious 
 forms, which did not necessarily affect the spirit and life. True, the revolting 
 system of human sacrifices was overthrown, yet in its place the no less terrible 
 Inquisition was set up. But the transplanted religion did not even retain its 
 original purity. Many pagan ideas and customs of the Indians remained to 
 become incorporated with the church system, so that a French chaplain, not 
 many years ago, declared the Mexican “ Christianity ” to be but “ a baptized 
 heathenism, a mixture of superstitions unworthy of the name of Catholic.” 
 
 For just 300 years Mexico was subject to Spanish domination, and, in 
 the words of a native statesman recently deceased, “ Spain only recognized 
 
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 America in so far as the latter contributed to her revenues. Laws were con¬ 
 cocted and put into play whereby Mexico should not produce wines nor silks, 
 nor pottery nor tobacco, but should simply supply to the conquerors the pre¬ 
 cious metals. The colleges were hidden in the convents, with an inquisitor 
 as the jailer. The protection imparted to the Indians was limited to a dec¬ 
 laration that they were simply minors.” It is needless to say that under such 
 protection Mexico made little material progress. The spirit of liberty, how¬ 
 ever, did not become extinct. 
 
 Political independence was declared in i8io and gained in 1821. A 
 priest, Miguel Hidalgo, now revered as the “ Washington ” of his country, 
 was the leader in the cause of liberty. For this he was degraded and ex¬ 
 communicated by his church, and when captured was delivered over to the 
 civil authorities, shot, then beheaded, and his head exposed to public gaze. 
 Religious freedom was not at that time generally sought for. The constitu¬ 
 tion adopted at the formation of the Republic expressly declared that the 
 Roman Catholic faith should be the religion of the State, and that no other 
 should he tolerated. The foundation of true national prosperity was not yet 
 laid, nor even the main hindrance to progress removed. Now that self- 
 government was secured, the power and character of the existing church 
 system were more clearly recognized. It was found that one third of the 
 entire property of the nation had come under the control of the priests, while 
 churches and convents were still multiplying on every hand. The unscru¬ 
 pulous methods employed and the abuses of spiritual power at length became 
 unendurable, so that when the reaction reached its culmination, which it did 
 about the year 1867, it carried everything before it. The new constitution, 
 together with the Reform Laws of President Juarez, which had been pub¬ 
 lished ten years before, were carried into effect. Among other measures they 
 provided for religious freedom, freedom of the press, the nationalization of 
 the church property, valued at $200,000,000. The Jesuits were banished, 
 religious processions were forbidden, civil marriage was instituted, and the 
 State was to recognize no religious festival, except the Sabbath, as a day of 
 rest. 
 
 The Liberal party, by which these reforms were brought about, has con¬ 
 tinued in power ever since, and today shows no signs of weakening. The 
 Church party, though comparatively inactive, has beyond question great 
 hidden strength, which may on some unexpected day reassert itself. 
 
 The commercial prosperity of Mexico has greatly increased during the 
 last decade. Millions of foreign capital have been invested in her mines, 
 railroads, plantations and factories. This has brought in a considerable for¬ 
 eign population, which is most numerous in the mining districts and in the 
 large cities. Some of these foreigners are a real help and inspiration to the 
 Mexican people, but far too many of them care nothing for the Mexicans 
 except in so far as they can be made to serve the foreigner’s schemes for 
 material gain. 
 
 In her public school system Mexico is solicitously endeavoring to reach 
 tlie excellence attained by other modern nations. Compulsory education has 
 
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 been adopted, and the most improved methods of teaching are being intro¬ 
 duced. Well-equipped normal schools, open to both sexes, have been estab¬ 
 lished in a number of cities. Only a part of the children of the Republic are 
 reached by this school system, which will require more than a generation to 
 perfect. 
 
 The element of fear in religion is everywhere manifest in the cities, and 
 
 PLAZA AND CATHEDRAL AT CHIHUAHUA. 
 
 there is much slavish loyalty to the Roman Catholic church; but there is 
 little evidence that the church has done much in the past to inspire the 
 Mexican people with lofty ideals either in thought or life. While the Cath¬ 
 olics claim 95% of the population, there are large sections of country where 
 there is no priest, church, or religious service from one year’s end to the 
 other. Through her own notorious corruption the church has lost in no 
 small degree her hold upon the more intelligent classes, and even among the 
 
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 common people may everywhere be found those who complain of and ridicule 
 the practices of the church. A decided drift has already set in toward skep¬ 
 ticism. Multitudes have adopted positive rationalistic theories. Many have 
 become Spiritists and Freethinkers. But doubtless the majority of these, who 
 have turned in disgust from the only form of Christianity which they know, 
 are now simply indifferent. The masses of Mexico, however, are still under 
 the domination of the priests. 
 
 RELIGIOUS LIBERTY. 
 
 Since 1857 wonderful progress has been made in Mexico toward the 
 emancipation of the people from the power of the Catholic church and in the 
 establishment of the fundamental principle of religious liberty for all classes. 
 These marvelous results may well be summed up as strategic points won for 
 freedom of thought and worship. 
 
 1. A free Constitution has been firmly established, guaranteeing reli¬ 
 gious liberty and divorcing church and state. 
 
 2. The vast estates of which the church had obtained possession, and 
 which amounted to a large proportion of the entire wealth of the Republic, 
 have been taken possession of by the Government and are used for Govern¬ 
 ment purposes, largely in the line of public education. 
 
 3. The rights of free speech, a free press, a speedy public trial in the 
 courts, and liberty of conscience in religious worship are placed upon an 
 enduring basis, together with universal suffrage and trial by jury. 
 
 4. A system of public schools has been inaugurated which is not in any 
 measure under the control of church and clergy. 
 
 5. The people themselves are already catching the spirit of religious 
 liberty, which is becoming stronger and stronger as general education 
 increases, and this is emancipating them from the unreasonable and blind 
 control of church and clergy, giving them the sense of personal responsibility. 
 Under the impulse of this new conscious life, material, intellectual and moral 
 advancement is inevitable and rapid. 
 
 It should be added that because of peculiarly difficult problems met in 
 the administration of national affairs in Mexico, all of the privileges granted 
 by the admirable Constitution of this new Republic are not enjoyed in their 
 fullness at all times, but it is only the question of perfecting that which has 
 been well begun and which is constantly improving. 
 
 PROTESTANT MISSIONS. 
 
 Not until the establishment of religious liberty in Mexico (1867) was the 
 door open to the gospel. Through the efforts of the American Bible Society 
 many copies of the Scriptures had been distributed in the country at the time 
 of the Mexican War, and not without effect, as has been occasionally noted 
 by the missionaries in recent years. A woman led the way in Protestant 
 missions. Miss Melinda Rankin, who had previously conducted a mission 
 school at Brownsville, Texas, in 1866 established a school at Monterey, in 
 connection with which evangelistic work was begun. In 1867 Rev. Henry C. 
 
9 
 
 Riley commenced work in Mexico City, under the direction of the American 
 and Foreign Christian Union. 
 
 In 1872 both the Presbyterian church (North) and the American Board 
 established missions, and were soon followed by other societies. 
 
 In addition to the Mission Boards already named, the Methodist Episco¬ 
 pal North, the Southern Methodist, the Baptists, the Cumberland Presbyterian, 
 the Seventh Day Baptists, the Episcopalians, and some others have begun 
 and are carrying on work in this country. The results have been most en¬ 
 couraging in nearly all sections. The missionaries of these various Boards 
 have worked in full Christian harmony. They have united in a National 
 Sunday school organization and in a Eederation of the Christian societies of 
 young people. This federation work of the young people’s societies has 
 aroused much interest in all parts of the country, the annual conventions 
 commanding large attendance, wide representation and great enthusiasm. 
 Bible readers’ leagues and Home Missionary Societies exist in connection with 
 many of the churches. 
 
 All of the leading denominations publish evangelical periodicals, which 
 have an extensive circulation, exerting a wide influence beyond that which 
 could be expected from the oral presentation of the truth alone. The Amer¬ 
 ican Bible Society has agents and colporters at work independently, but in 
 harmony with the various missionaries, while all of the missions are zealous 
 in the circulation of the Scriptures and a Christian literature. 
 
 Since the opening of Protestant work in Mexico not less than sixty-five 
 persons have given their lives there as martyrs to the cause. In all sections 
 of the country danger to the evangelical worker is not a thing of the past. 
 It is not difficult for one who wishes to drive out the enlightened and en¬ 
 lightening faith to secure the services of half-intoxicated Mexicans, who will 
 be ready to strike down some aggressive worker. Such attacks are not in¬ 
 frequent today, and may be expected to continue in a measure until a marked 
 change comes over the entire country. There are, however, few countries 
 in the world where the foreign missionaries are safer and more generally pro¬ 
 tected. They have won a place of honor and trust among the people, which 
 is in itself a great safeguard. 
 
 THE WORK OF THE AMERICAN BOARD. 
 
 The work of the American Board in Mexico was commenced in the city 
 of Guadalajara in November, 1872, by Revs. J. L. Stephens and D. E. Wat¬ 
 kins. The location was an important one. Guadalajara, which 
 Guadalajara, has since made very material advance, was then a city of 80,000 
 inhabitants, the capital of the great State of Jalisco. It was the 
 religious and commercial center of Western Mexico. Notwithstanding severe 
 persecution, a church of seventeen converts was organized in December, 
 1873. November of that year Mr. Stephens went to Ahualulco, a city of 
 5,000 inhabitants, sixty miles to the west of Guadalajara. Such favorable 
 interest was awakened by his preaching that the leaders of the Roman church 
 were alarmed. A priest so aroused his audience by an exciting sermon that 
 
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 a mob was gathered and Mr. Stephens was assassinated. One of the con¬ 
 verts shared his fate, while all were threatened. 
 
 New missionaries were sent out by the Board, and a somewhat rapid 
 development of the work followed. Rev. John Edwards arrived in 1875, 
 through a later absence of Mr. and Mrs. Watkins, Mr. Edwards and wife 
 bore the burden alone for two and one half years. In 1879 and Mrs. 
 
 James K. Kilbourn were transferred from the Monterey Mission, but early 
 in 1880 Messrs. Edwards and Kilbourn were withdrawn from the field. In 
 the following year Mr. Watkins’ connection with the Board was severed. 
 Although new missionaries were immediately appointed to assume charge of 
 the work, before their arrival it had been turned over to the representatives 
 of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, who had come to the city for that 
 purpose. 
 
 MISSION CHURCH AND HOUSE AT CHIHUAHUA. 
 
 A new mission was therefore formed when, early in 1882, Rev. M. A. 
 Crawford and wife arrived, followed in the fall of the same year by Rev. John 
 Howland and wife. Miss B. M. Haskins, and Rev. H. M. Bissell and family. 
 Some seventeen believers in the village of Tlajomulco preferred to retain their 
 connection with the Board, and were afterwards organized into a church, 
 which has now for many years enjoyed the ministry of a native ordained 
 pastor, Miguel Magdaleno. The new mission church at Guadalajara was 
 organized in February, 1885. Its growth, although slow, has been continu¬ 
 ous, and its present condition is prosperous. The efforts of the mission were 
 not confined to the city. In 1884 Tlajomulco was occupied for some months 
 by Mr. and Mrs. Crawford and Miss Haskins. A day school was opened and 
 a chapel erected. In 1885 the Bissells moved to La Barca, an important 
 town seventy-five miles to the southeast of Guadalajara. Native helpers were 
 sent out to many other points. In no other portion of the field now occupied 
 
by the Mexican Mission has such malignant and determined opposition been 
 met with as in the State of Jalisco. 
 
 An attempt was made to hold Monterey as a mission station and center 
 for work after its transfer to the Board by Miss Rankin in 1873. Rev. John 
 Beveridge was sent out to occupy that station, and in 1874 Rev. 
 Monterey. E. P. Herrick and wife and Miss Caroline M. Strong joined them, 
 followed a few months later by Rev. J. K. Kilbourn. The follow¬ 
 ing year (1875) Mr. and Mrs. Herrick and Mr. Beveridge withdrew from the 
 work, and in 1877 Miss Strong was forced to retire on account of ill health. 
 An arrangement was entered into with the Presbyterians by which the sta¬ 
 tion and mission were transferred to them, and Mr. Kilbourn, in 1879, went 
 to Guadalajara. 
 
 In January, 1884, was commenced the publication of La Estrella de la 
 Manana (“The Morning Star”) a small weekly illustrated paper, edited by 
 Mrs. Howland. After three years this gave place to El Testigo (“ The Wit¬ 
 ness ”), a larger family paper, edited by Mr. Bissell. The Testigo, improved 
 and enlarged, has long been recognized as a powerful aid to the cause of 
 truth in Mexico. Mr. Howland is the present editor-in-chief. 
 
 The mission has also translated many hymns into the Spanish language, 
 publishing them for evangelistic purposes. Other literature in the Spanish- 
 language has been issued from time to time. 
 
 In 1882 a new mission was commenced, having Chihuahua, the capital 
 of the State of Chihuahua, as its principal center. Rev. James D. Eaton 
 made a preliminary tour of the field in April, and in November 
 Chihuahua. he and his family arrived in Chihuahua to open the work. At 
 this time Protestant Christianity was unknown in northwestern 
 Mexico. It was also a region comparatively neglected by the Roman Church, 
 there being no resident bishop and few priests in proportion to the popula¬ 
 tion. The field in this respect was a promising one, as results have shown. 
 Yet at every point where work has been established more or less determined 
 opposition has been experienced. In November, 1883, the first converts in 
 Chihuahua were baptized, and in April, 1886, the church was formed, which 
 has now more than one hundred members. 
 
 In the spring of 1884 Rev. George A. Dutton’s arrival was welcomed. 
 His service of fourteen months was closed by death. Rev. Alden B. Case 
 and wife reenforced the mission in the fall of 1884, and by them a new station 
 was opened at Parral, two hundred miles south. 
 
 ENLARGEMENT AND COMBINATION. 
 
 In 1886 the Crawfords were transferred from Guadalajara to Hermosillo, 
 the capital of the large State of Sonora, which lies at the northwestern corner 
 of the Mexican Republic. This new station was opened at that time and was 
 occupied by the Crawfords until Mr. Crawford’s death in 1897, the year Miss 
 Burrows joined the mission and the station. For reasons peculiar to Mexico 
 her name has been changed in our records, by request, to Burris. 
 
We will not attempt to trace the detailed history of the opening of the 
 different places and the appointment and location of the different mission¬ 
 aries. Mr, and Mrs. Wright occupied Cusihuiriachi, eighty miles west of 
 Chihuahua, in 1888 as a mission station, but were transferred to Ciudad 
 Juarez, upon the Rio Grande, two years later, where Mr. Wright was put in 
 charge of the Rio Grande Theological Training School, newly established 
 there for the training of a native ministry. El Fuerte, in the State of 
 Sinaloa, was opened in 1891, and for this purpose the Bissells were trans¬ 
 ferred from La Barca, which had not proven to be a fruitful field. Mr. and 
 Mrs. Wagner joined the mission in 1895, at first going to Guadalajara and 
 later moving to the north, finally settling in Hermosillo. 
 
 MISSION CHURCH AT GUADALAJARA. 
 
 The above outline gives the details of the opening of what were for years 
 the two missions of the American Board in Mexico, the first in Western 
 Mexico, with its center at Guadalajara, the second city in size and importance 
 in the country and the capital of the State of Jalisco. The operations of this 
 mission were confined almost, if not entirely, to that one large and important, 
 but most bigoted State. The other mission, called the Northern Mexican 
 Mission, had its center at Chihuahua, and extended over the State of Chi¬ 
 huahua, one and a half times the size of New England, and into two adjoin¬ 
 ing states upon the west, Sonora and Sinaloa. After this work was begun 
 railroads were opened, which joined together these two missions, so that in 
 the autumn of 1891 they were united into one Mexican Mission of the Amer¬ 
 ican Board. This combination was in the interest of economy and unity of 
 
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 administration. At the present time (1901) the mission occupies five stations, 
 namely, Guadalajara, Chihuahua, Parral, Hermosillo, and El Fuerte. Each 
 one of these important places has become a center of evangelical Christian 
 activity, and each year the work strengthens. 
 
 THE FIELD. 
 
 Opposition to the work in Jalisco upon the part of the Catholic ecclesi¬ 
 astics is more severe and persistent than in the northwest, while in large sec¬ 
 tions of the states of Chihuahua, Sonora, and Sinaloa there are few priests, 
 and multitudes of the people are left free to choose their religion or to live 
 and die without any. There are many people, mostly Indians, in these states 
 who have had no religious instruction whatever, and who are afforded no 
 educational privileges by the state. These people in large numbers are ready 
 to receive the Christian teacher and preacher, and when educated and Chris¬ 
 tianized they cannot fail to become a positive force in the life of that country. 
 
 The four states in which our mission is carrying on its work comprise 
 about one third of the entire area of the Republic, or over thirty times the 
 area of the state of Massachusetts. In the three northern States there re¬ 
 sides now (1901) only one ordained missionary not connected with our own 
 Board. This northern country is rich in mineral wealth, and in other ways 
 is full of promise for the future. 
 
 Owing to the transfer of the early work in Guadalajara to the Methodists, 
 already referred to, it is not out of place to reckon the beginning of our 
 present work in that country from the arrival of Messrs. Howland, Eaton, and 
 Bissell in 1882. 
 
 METHODS OF WORK. 
 
 The missionaries have placed much dependence upon the simple Word 
 of God read by the people, and explained as opportunity offered. They have, 
 from the first, been preachers of the Word and champions of righteousness, 
 purity, and truth. By living among the people and showing by their lives 
 that they are the people’s friends, they have gradually disarmed suspicion 
 and lived down criticisms. Doors have been continually opening, until now 
 there is practically limitless opportunity for preaching to good audiences of 
 eager listeners in almost all parts of the mission. In some sections of the 
 northwest there is an earnest demand for the presentation of the gospel to 
 people who seem eager to hear, and who are not by any means unresponsive 
 to its demands. 
 
 Men and women in large numbers have openly professed Christ as their 
 personal Saviour and have come out from the Catholic Church, in which they 
 declared it to be impossible for them to remain and live a Christian life. 
 Churches of Mexicans have been formed in all of the mission centers and in 
 large towns outside as well, until there are now eighteen of these Protestant 
 churches in connection with our mission, having a membership of over one 
 thousand. Last year the increase was nearly ten per cent. In addition to 
 the church members there are over 1,500 who have publicly taken a stand 
 with the Protestants, some of whom are waiting, upon probation, to join the 
 
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 evangelical church when their conversion shall have been thoroughly tested. 
 
 Excellant and substantial church buildings have been erected in Guada¬ 
 lajara, Chihuahua, Parral, Hermosillo, El Paso, upon the Texas side of the 
 Rio Grande, and in other towns of the country. The people themselves give 
 most liberally in some places for the erection of these houses of worship, in 
 
 -some cases themselves furnishing the entire amount needed to put up the 
 building. 
 
 EDUCATION. 
 
 It was evident in the mission from the first that an evangelical native 
 ministry was necessary for the evangelization of Mexico. In view of the fact 
 that the Government was doing so much for the education of young men, no 
 
15 
 
 effort was made to establish primary schools for boys, it being expected that 
 converted youth with sufficient primary and intermediate education could be 
 found to take a special course in training for the gospel ministry. It was 
 expected that the course of training would be enlarged as the demands of the 
 work increased. 
 
 The Rio Grande Theological Training School, which was established in 
 Juarez in 1890, and was soon located across the river in El Paso, was organ¬ 
 ized and conducted for the purpose of training a native Mexican ministry. 
 This school was supported in common for a few years by the New West Edu¬ 
 cation Commission, and afterwards by the Congregational Education Society, 
 and the American Board. Later the Education Society withdrew and the 
 Board carried it on alone. The school continued at El Paso under the direc¬ 
 tion of Mr. Wright until into 1900. During these years many earnest Chris¬ 
 tian workers were fitted for the field. 
 
 In 1901, owing to the fact that the Education Society did not desire 
 longer to cooperate, and also that El Paso was at one side, and even outside 
 of the mission, the school was moved to Guadalajara and put under the joint 
 principalship of Messrs. Wright and Howland. Its scope was also enlarged 
 so as to include some students of special branches who are not studying for 
 the gospel ministry. Owing to the opening of new lines of railroad, Guada¬ 
 lajara will soon be as central in the mission as almost any other city. A large 
 and central site has been purchased for the school. 
 
 Boarding schools for girls were early opened at Guadalajara and Chi¬ 
 huahua, because only in this way could scholars be brought in from distant 
 towns and cities, and often the country places afforded the 
 Girls’ Schools. brightest and most promising pupils. Misses Haskins, White, 
 and Long have kept up this school to the present time. In 
 Chihuahua, for the same reason, a school was started by Miss Eerris, which 
 grew into a boarding school. Miss Ferris was succeeded by Misses Dunning, 
 Holcomb, and Hammond. The school has outgrown its quarters several 
 times. In 1900 the mission, feeling the need of more thorough normal train¬ 
 ing, made the Chihuahua school the normal school of the mission. 
 
 The girls’ school at Parral, under Miss Prescott, has been compelled to 
 open a boarding department, as has also the one at Hermosillo under Miss 
 Burris. All of these schools are doing a most important work, as it is impos¬ 
 sible to secure properly trained female teachers of any kind unless they are 
 trained for this purpose by the mission. The government schools are not 
 able to provide teachers enough for their own purposes, so that the superin¬ 
 tendent of government schools has applied to the missionaries for teachers 
 for national schools. 
 
 The mission has encouraged and aided in a small way common or village 
 schools, but largely for girls only. During the past few years there has been 
 such a growing demand for schools in villages and large towns. 
 Village Schools, unprovided for as yet by the government, that the mission 
 decided in 1900 to do all in its power to encourage the open¬ 
 ing of such schools under proper teachers and, as far as possible, upon a self- 
 supporting basis. 
 
i6 
 
 ENGLISH CONGREGATIONS. 
 
 Owing to the rapid mineral and commercial development of the country, 
 there are many English people in all of the larger cities. As the missionaries 
 were not able to ignore the spiritual needs of these people, services in English 
 have been conducted for some time each Sabbath in three places at least. 
 Chihuahua, Guadalajara, and Parral. There being no one else to lead these 
 services, the missionaries at these places have taken charge. These English 
 congregations have increased m numbers until, in 1901, at Guadalajara a 
 union cnurcn was organized, and in Chihuahua, previous to that time, a Chris- 
 
 THE RECENT CONFERENCE OF THE MEXICAN MISSION. 
 
 tian society was formed with over one hundred members. It is not expected 
 that these congregations will continue long to require the services of the 
 missionaries, who are too over-burdened with their Mexican work to wisely 
 undertake this in addition. Wherever the missionaries are serving as pastors 
 for t’ne Mexican churches, it is considered only as temporary, until a suitable 
 Mexican can be found for the place. 
 
 STATISTICS. 
 
 While the statistics of the mission do not give an adequate idea of the 
 extent of the work or a fair estimate of what has already been accomplished, 
 still they show something that is tangible and are enough in themselves to 
 demonstrate that the efforts of the past nineteen years have not been in vain. 
 
17 
 
 At the present time there are five stations occupied by Americans under 
 the Board; sixty-three outstations, where there are evangelical Christians and 
 an established work; twenty native workers; eighteen organized churches, 
 with 1,034 communicants and 2,548 adherents; twenty-nine Sunday schools, 
 with 1,207 pupils, and 336 under instruction in mission schools. There are 
 eleven churches and chapel buildings. During the last year reported the 
 people paid ^6,154 (Mexican) for the support of their own Christian and 
 educational work. 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 This work of the American Board in the Republic of Mexico has been 
 established with great sacrifice and labor and is the result of much struggle 
 and prayer. Gradually barriers have given way and little by little the field 
 has opened, until today it is practically limitless for any force we are able 
 to sustain in the work. While there is still more or less persecution for 
 those who separate themselves from the Old Church, and persistent opposi¬ 
 tion upon the part of the ecclesiastics to all evangelical effort, this is not 
 sufficient to deter those who engage in the work or to prevent the continual 
 growth of the Protestant communities. The spirit of enlightenment and 
 inquiry has entered this sister Republic, and our missionaries are meeting 
 this spirit with an open gospel and a free church. 
 
i8 
 
 LIST OF PERSONS WHO HAVE BEEN MISSIONARIES OF THE 
 
 AMERICAN 
 
 BOARD 
 
 IN 
 
 MEXICO. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Joined 
 the Mission. 
 
 Withdrawn or 
 Deceased. 
 
 Rev. J. L. Stephens 
 
 
 
 
 
 1872 
 
 1874 
 
 Rev. David F. Watkins 
 
 
 
 
 
 1872 
 
 1881 
 
 Mrs. Edna M. Watkins 
 
 
 
 
 
 1872 
 
 1881 
 
 Rev. John Beveridge 
 
 
 
 
 
 1873 
 
 1875 
 
 Rev. E. P. Herrick 
 
 
 
 
 
 1873 
 
 00 
 
 C/A 
 
 Mrs. Pamelia G. Herrick 
 
 
 
 
 
 1873 
 
 1875 
 
 Rev. J. K. Kilbourn 
 
 
 
 
 
 1874 
 
 1880 
 
 Miss Caroline M. Strong 
 
 
 
 
 
 1874 
 
 1877 
 
 Rev. G. F. G. Morgan . 
 
 
 
 
 
 1874 
 
 00 
 
 Rev. John Edwards 
 
 
 
 
 
 00 
 
 1880 
 
 Mrs. Mary J. Edwards . 
 
 
 
 
 
 10 
 
 00 
 
 1880 
 
 Mrs. j. K. Kilbourn 
 
 
 
 
 
 1879 
 
 1880 
 
 Rev. M. a. Crawford . 
 
 
 
 
 
 1882 
 
 1894 
 
 Mrs. Harriet J. Crawford 
 
 
 
 
 
 1882 
 
 1894 
 
 Rev. John Howland 
 
 
 
 
 
 1882 
 
 
 Mrs. Sara B. Howland . 
 
 
 
 
 
 1882 
 
 
 Rev. James D. Eaton 
 
 
 
 
 
 1882 
 
 
 Mrs. Gertrude C. Eaton 
 
 
 
 
 
 1882 
 
 
 Miss Belle M. Haskins . 
 
 
 
 
 
 1882 
 
 
 Rev. Henry M. Bissell . 
 
 
 
 
 
 1882 
 
 1900 
 
 Mrs. 'Ella N. Bissell 
 
 
 
 
 
 1882 
 
 1900 
 
 Rev. George A. Dutton 
 
 
 
 
 
 1884 
 
 1885 
 
 Rev. Alden B. Case 
 
 
 
 
 
 1884 
 
 1896 
 
 Mrs. Myra G. Case 
 
 
 
 
 
 1884 
 
 1896 
 
 Rev. a. C. Wright . 
 
 
 
 
 
 1886 
 
 
 Mrs. Annie C. Wright . 
 
 
 
 
 
 1886 
 
 
 Miss Belle W. Ferris . 
 
 
 
 
 
 1886 
 
 1888 
 
 Miss M. Elizabeth Keyes 
 
 
 
 
 
 1886 
 
 1S89 
 
 Miss Ellen O. Prescott 
 
 
 
 
 
 1888 
 
 
 Miss Mary Dunning 
 
 
 
 
 
 1889 
 
 
 Rev. Otis C. Olds . 
 
 
 
 
 
 1890 
 
 
 Mrs. Helen S. Olds 
 
 
 
 
 
 1892 
 
 1894 
 
 Miss Florence White . 
 
 
 
 
 
 1892 
 
 1895 
 
 Miss Mary F. Holcomb . 
 
 
 
 
 
 1892 
 
 1894 
 
 Rev. Horace T. Wagner 
 
 
 
 
 
 1894 
 
 
 Miss Augusta J. Burrows ( 
 
 or 
 
 Burris) 
 
 
 
 1894 
 
 
 Miss M. Lizzie Hammond 
 
 
 
 
 
 1894 
 
 
 Mrs. Della McC. Wagner 
 
 
 
 
 
 IS95 
 
 
 Mrs. Helen C. Olds 
 
 
 
 
 
 1897 
 
 
 Miss Mary F. Long 
 
 
 
 
 
 1897 
 
 
 Miss Isabel Miller 
 
 
 
 
 
 1897 
 
 1899 
 
19 
 
 LOCATION OF THE MISSIONARIES IN MEXICO IN 1901. 
 
 Rev. John Howland .Guadalajara. 
 
 Mrs. Sara B. Howland. “ 
 
 Rev. Alfred C. Wright. “ 
 
 Mrs. Annie C. Wright. “ 
 
 Miss Belle Haskins. “ 
 
 Miss Mary F. Long. “ 
 
 Rev. James D. Eaton, d. d . Chihuahua. 
 
 Mrs. Gertrude C. Eaton. “ 
 
 Miss Mary Dunning. “ 
 
 Miss M. Lizzie Hammond. “ 
 
 Rev. Otis C. Olds .Parral. 
 
 Mrs. Helen C. Olds. “ 
 
 Miss Ellen O. Prescott _. “ 
 
 Rev. Horace T. Wagner .Hermosillo. 
 
 Mrs. Della McC. Wagner . , “ 
 
 Miss Augusta J. Burrows (Burris) ... “ 
 
 CONNECTED WITH THE MISSION BUT NOT UNDER APPOINTMENT. 
 
 Rev. L. H. Jamison .El Fuerte. 
 
 Mrs. L. H. Jamison. “ 
 
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