^Xt'-^Xi1 XX !, ' ('¦XHX^jXi^XX,! h ' ' .1 litl I I I !' ', JVIexico^ 01 ¦ . :;,.,, "i;Sive.t>iiffSlace of their superstitious Eomanism, and the degrading influence of their priesthood. My aim was a Publishing House, and the title of our paper, "El Eamo de Olivo," was written on a fly leaf of my Latin Lex- icpn, long ere I offered my services to the Friends' Foreign Mis sion Association of Indiana Yearly Meeting, which was in April 1871. Just after offering my services to them I learned that a Span iard was working in a gold mine about three miles from my home, near Ashboro N. C. and on making him a visit, being able to speak intelligibly a few words in his native tongue, this fact drew v VI INTRODUCTORY SKETCH. him to me in near affection. 1 often read with him in Spanish; Tracts and on leaving for Mexico gave him my Spanish Bible. My expectation was to locate at Victoria, capital of Tamauli- pas, and if possible make the work as near self-sustaining as practicable. At that time there were no international mail facilities between the Spanish American Eepublics, and it was evident that my ex pectations would in part be frustrated. It was providential that I was in the field with a use of the language perhaps surpassed by few foreigners and with an able corps of native contributors to the paper ere it could wing its way to those countries. Detained in Matamoros by the Eevolution which terminated with the death of Benito Juarez, a congregation had gathered around us giving promise of great local good, and it did not seem best to leave this gathering for a new field, and thus for our book work this change proved very beneficial as it placed us in the free trade belt where we could import paper free of duty, thus reducing the cost of materials to one half what it would have been at Victoria, and we could also use the facilities of the United States postal laws for remitting our publications to other Spanish Countries, thus we see the wisdom of our Heavenly Father in detaining us where we could be most extensively useful. Our first work was tract distribution from our rooms at 64 and 66 Calle de Matamoros, and we were abundantly supplied with those issued by the Amjeocan Tract Society, through the kind in fluence of our friend Eobert Lindley Murray, and through the kindness of the American Bible Society books were furnished for a vigorous canvass of the city, where over 500 Bibles and Testa ments were circulated through our agency during the year 1872. Often in after years on interrogating a new convert, either in our own or the Presbyterian Mission, they would refer to books which they had received through our canvassers, who received a small compensation from sales, but never hesitated to give . when it seemed best. In the summer of 1872 our Friend Anna C. Tatuin of New York and her two sisters gave us a Small Quarto Cottage press and 75 lbs. of type, in order to issue tracts setting forth more particular ly those important points of Gospel Truth which seemed partially to be overlooked by other churches, among these Peace Tracts being particularly necessary. We at once issued our monthly paper, "El Eamo de Olivo," which has been continued to the present time with a constantly enlarging field of influence in the cause of Christ. -'"The want of suitable school books for our Mission Schools was apparent so soon as they were established, which was early in INTRODUCTORY SKETCH. VII 1872. The School Books issued in Mexico were intensely Catholic, those issued in New York by business firms though less so, all had Catholic forms of prayer, whilst those from Paris were more or less antagonistic to all religion. We had to begin with A. B. C. although our First Eeader was better adapted to the word method than any other book which had preceded it. We only hoped to supply our own school and 144 copies were issued. This edition lasted over two years and was mostly circulated gratuitously. Just as it was exhausted in 1874, Presbyterian and Methodist Missions were organized in all parts of the country and our "First Eeader" was called for. From that time to the present it has gained favor until about 1000 copies per month are sold to schools in Mexico, Texas and New Mexico. It has been followed by a complete series of reading books, deci dedly evangelical in their teaching, and unexpectedly to us they .have gained favor in many public schools in aU parts of Mexico. As early as 1875 the Catholic Papers declared our Juvenile Issues to be the most dangerous element they had to encounter, and unless they could be counteracted the coming generation wojjld entirely abandon Eomanism. The local work consisted of a Girls' School, and a meeting and Sabbath School, at the time the reader is introduced to the Mis sion in this volume, which gives a few characteristic incidents rather than a detailed narrative of the work. Our work has grown up at the same time with the many other missions which have been opened in this land and to whom we feel bound as brethren in a common cause. An inside view of Mission Work and particularly that of the Friends' Mexican Mission is given in the present volume, not with any view to claim for ourselves any growth which an in crease-giving God has granted to our mission, but with thank fulness to recognize his many mercies and kind providences and the fulfilment of his promise, "Lo I am with you alway, even «nto the end of the world." Samuel A. Purdie. Matamoros, December 1, 1884. THE LORD'S PRAYER IN SPANISH. PADRE NUESTRO. Padre Nuestro que estas en los cielos: sea sarttifi- cado tu nombre; venga tu reino, sea hecha tu voluntad, como en el cielo, asi tambien en la tierra*: Danos hoy nuestro pan cotidiano, y perd6nano» nuestras deudas, como tambien nosotros perdonamos- a nuestros deudores. Y no nos metas en tentacion, mas libranos de mal; porque tuyo es el reino, y el poder y la gloria por todos los siglos. Amen. THE LORD'S PLAYER IN AZTEC. IZCATQUI IN TOTATZINE. Totatzine, inilhuicac timetztica, mayectenehualo* in motocatzin: matohuicpa huala in motlatocayotzin: machlhualo in tlalticpac in motlanequihtzin, ^ irsyuh ehihualo in ilhuicac. Ma axcan maxitechmomaquiliy in totlaxcal momoztla ye totech monequi, ihuan maxitechmotlapopolhuili in totlatlacol, inyuhqui tiquin tlapopolhuia in tlatlacame tech tlallacalhuia ; yhuan macamo xitech mo cahuili tihuetzizque ipan inteneyecoltilizpan: mazanye xitechmomaquixtili inpan nochin tlen ahmo cuali. Mayuhqui mochihua. VIII TABLE 61? GdNttEWrg. CHAPTEE I. Comparative position and privileges of woman in England, the1 United States and Mexico, illustrated by familiar examples, including the Corregidora of Queretaro and la Generala of Soto la Marina 1 9. CHAPTEE II. Birthplace of Angela Aguilar de Mascorro, general sketch of the" coast region of Tamaulipas, and the origin and character of its inhabitants ll— ^18. CHAPTEE IIL Birth and early life of Angela Aguilar y Ziifiiga, with an insight into the domestic life ofthe Mexicans 19 26. CHAPTEE IV. Early religions training. Death of her father. Eemoval to San Fernando, where the history of Father Lozano the first Mexi can reformer1 is introduced and his teachings reviewed .... 27 32. CHAPTEE V. She is sent to the village school. Description of village schools in Mexico. Eeligious training. Her confirmation and subse quent earnestness in the confessional 33 39. CHAPTEE VI. A colporteur visits San Fernando/ Eemoval to Matamoros, and first acquaintance with Protestantism. Attends our meeting' for the first time. . . .40 — -44. CHAPTEE VII. Obstacles to be overcome/ Attends meeting again. The speaker1 is introduced and meeting described. Visit of Gulielma M/ Purdie and influence of a tract 45 52. CHAPTEE VIII. Openly embraces protestantism. Is admitted a member of Friends' Society. General view of the Mexican Mission in 1875. New difficulties^ . . .53 57/ IX s table of contents. CHAPTEE IX. The darkest hour before dawn. Becomes an inmate of the mission family. First efforts to interest the children in Gospel Hymns. ....59 ,63. ' CHAPTEE X. Fuller organization of the native church, and absence of their pastor. How the meetings were conducted. Darkening poli tical clouds . . . . 65 71. CHAPTEE XL Anxiety of Gulielma from both reasons, my absence, and the threatening revolution. Arrival home. The storming of Ma tamoros. Trials during the occupation of the city, until the entry of General Escobedo 73 80. CHAPTEE XII. Occupation of the city by Gen. Escobedo. Prolonged siege, with the history of the Mission Church during the summer of 1876. ....81 86. CHAPTEE XIII. Conversion of Luciano Mascorro. Incidents during the "big drunk" which followed the entry of the forces of Gen. Corti na.... 87 94. CHAPTEE XIV. Successful efforts of AngeMta in Mission Work. Controversy with the Priests. Growth of the church. Character and stabil ity of the Mexican converts .... 95 99. CHAPTEE XV. Preparations for Christmas. Eeturn of the Flores family. Beniark- able instance connected with the illness and death of Pedro Gonzalez. The marriage of Angelita 101— — 107. CHAPTEE XVI. Conversion of Julio Gonzalez Gea. Eecognition of Luciano Mas' cprro as Minister of the Gospel. Visit to San Fernando. Epi demic fever. The admission of L Bolado. Christmas exerci ses. ...109 113. CHAPTEE XVII. Journey to Gomez Farias. The work at Matamoros. Birth of S. P. Mascorro. Eemoval to San Fernando. Return and illness of Angelita. Death of their child 115 -123. CHAPTEE XVIII. Interest in the Gospel at Farias. Missionary journey of Luciano Mascorro through Tamaulipas. Eeturn in company with Ca*- lixto Lara. Hindrances to the permanent occupation of Gd mez Farias. Appeal from Yucatan 125 — >-130. TABLE op contents. XI CHAPTER XIX. Building of Friends' Mission Chapel. Continued ill health of An gelita. Opening of the new place of worship. Eemoval to Gomez Farias 131 137. CHAPTEE XX. Hurricane at Matamoros. Small-pox. W. A. Walls visits the Southern Mission. A narrow escape. Flight of Gulielma. W. A. Walls revisits the Southern Mission 139 149. CHAPTEE XXI. Preparations for my absence. Encarnacion Gonzalez and wife join our Mission, and are sent to Gomez Farias. Luciano and Angelita return to Matamoros. Her death. Eulogy written by Calixto Lara. Concluding remarks 150 154. CHAPTEE XXII. Sketch of the Mission from the death of Angelita to the present time.... 155 160. POSITION OF PLATES AND MAPS. Portraits of Luciano and Angelita to face title. Portraits of S. A. and G. M. Purdie to face Introduction. Map of Central America to face page t x Map of Mexico to face page xii THE SPANISH AMERICAN MISSION FIELD. Aside from Mexico there are in Septentrional America, as the Spanish Geographers call that portion between the Bio Grande and the Isthmus of DarieUj five other republics having similar governments to that of Mexico and in all of them the same conflict between Church and State exists as in Mexico. In Guatemala there is a powerful anti-clerical league, and a most resolute opposition to all clerical influence in government matters is every where manifest. Education is carried forward vigorously in all the principal cities, the leading female teachers being from France and tinctured with infidelity. Our papers are extensively cir culated in all these republics and the public libraries are supplied with complete sets of our past volumes, and also copies of all our religious publications. Costa Eica has but recently opened her doors to the Gospel, and the Jesuits who had charge of education have been expelled. Eecently the Codifiying Committee of Congress met and the leader thereof said: — "We live in the last half of the nineteenth century, and in accordance with its tenor I refuse to administer an oath and shall accept your promise. The Quakers were allowed this privilege two centuries ago and not a case of false evidence can be charged against them." Eegular Mail Steamship lines connect the northern ports of Central America with Veracruz, New Orleans and St. Thomas, W. I. where connecting lines run to Panama, and La Guayra, Venezuela. There is another Mail Line, (from San Francisco to Panama,) carrying Mexican Mails from Acapulco, touching at all the Pacific Ports. In Colombia, Chili, Argentine Eepublic and Uruguay are Pro testant missions, and Dr. Taylor's self-sustaining missions exist in Peru aside from a few other points. Ecuador is now closed against Protestants, and in alliance with the Jesuits who have charge of Public Instruction. Our own publications are extensive ly circulated outside of Protestant Mission circles in Colombia, Venezuela, Uruguay, Argentine Eepublic and Chili, and a few copies in Ecuador during the dictator-ship of Gen. Veintemilla. Except in Uruguay, Argentine Eepublic and Chili the Protestant missions have labored with but little fruit, in some places seven teen years without a convert, yet their labor is not lost, and the word ofthe Lord will not return unto him void, but will fulfil its purpose in His own time. Sit Hiiltiifitiii §£§ if 8st fftti. £tyitSe=aar*=i- CHAPTER I. Comparative position and influence of woman in England, the United States and Mexico, illus trated BY FAMILIAR EXAMPLES. j ANY beautiful narratives of Christian lives made sublime by acts of self-denial and obedience to the la^vf of the Lord, have already been pub lished, and not a few of the most interesting of these belonged to the small body of Christians known as the Friends. This is peculiarly true of Christian women, because this church opened a wide door for the ministry of females, and in this respect as a church long stood alone. We do not intend to censure other churches for their views, from which we must candidly differ, but devoutly thank them for the able sisters whom they have given to our ranks, rather than let them work publicly in their own. We believe that many hearts have throbbed with interest as they have read the touching autobiogaphy of Jane Hoskens, who, closely following her Spiritual i B 2 Womans' Sphere in Mexico. Gruide, crossed the ocean as an indentured servant girl, soon after found herself imprisoned for debt, but finally became a valiant evangelist, travelling exten sively on both sides of the Atlantic, and in the Barbadoes, as minister of a church which she was in childhood taught to ridicule. In the list of our martyrs are Catharine Evans and Sarah Cheveer from whose lips the voice of Christian hymns echoed within the walls of the Inquisition of Malta, and who desired that the same "Grood News," in the sweet language of song might be sent to the ends of the earth, that all nations might "Praise the Lord." In the fields of Christian philanthropy the name of Elizabeth Fry has long been held forth as a model of devotion and self sacrifice, not only within the Friends' Society alone, but in the Cliristian world at large. To attempt to present the biography of one who filled a very different sphere of Cliristian usefulness and G-ospel service, might seem a difficult task, were it not that intimate acquaintance and close spiritual fellowship has made it a comparatively easy effort to the writer. I may observe however that the sphere of woman's influence and labor in the land of the Montezumas has ever been very different from that of her sisters in England and America, but few have left any re cord, and most of these few records are the poetic effusions of gentle minds, full of tenderness and pathos, the distinguishing traits of the Spanish female. Perhaps my readers will pardon a still further digression, and. allow me to cite one of those memo rable examples that stand out in bold relief in the annals of Mexican histojy,- and it will show the obstacles which woman had to struggle against during the three centuries of Spanish rule in New Spain, as Mexico was then called. Juana In&s de la Cruz. 3 In the midst of the Spanish colonial domination during the seventeenth century, in the midst of blind superstition and bigotry, in a society ruled by these preoccupying influences a bright star shone forth, known in the cloister and in literary circles as Sister Juana Ines de la Cruz. Her true name was Juana Ines de Asbaje y Cantillana, i. e. her father's sur name was Asba'je and her mother's maiden name was Cantillana, she was born in the village of San Miguel Nepantla, among the corrugated folds of the volcano of Popocatapetl. When only three years of age she followed an older sister to a kind of school known as "The Friends," (which was not a Quaker institution by any means,) and there she soon learned to read. Then she heard of a University in Mexico where the sciences were taught, i.e. to young men, and she continually pleaded with her mother to change her clothing, dress her as a boy and send her to the University. Her mother had no inclination to favor female suffrage, and denied the repeated petitions of her daughter. Notwithstanding this refusal, little Juana took to learning like a duck to the water, and as they said that some kinds of food were unfavorable to progress in study, she refrained her appetite and refused to partake of them. This was especially the case with cheese, of which she was naturally fond, and to what extent it may tend to rudeness and hinder education we leave our readers to judge from experience. Her biographer supposes that the sight of that colossal mountain, and the awe inspiring scenery which surrounded her, had an influence in preparing her mind for that poetic susceptibility which has immortalized her name. Such was her progress, and such the fame which was noised abroad, that when only seven years of age she was presented in the court of the Viceroy H M^* ^- L. Hip *& -w Pfpif feiiPfe ^-" ^pi J9 • lllfc 1 Sep lfcx~ % mm ^E 1 agj §ni§ d% te in The Mexican Poetess. -5 and examined by the wise men of the country to find whether her learning was innate or acquired. She was slender, and her dark eyes and silken tresses gave her such a beautiful appearance that the natives of those warm regions compared her, as they do the Virgin Mary, to a feathery palm waving in the gentle breeze of summer. The Marquis of Mancera was at that time Viceroy of New Spain, and in speaking of this wonderful ex amination he says: "As a royal war ship would defend itself from a few canoes which attacked it, thus did Juana Ines resolve the questions, arguments and replies that one by one were propounded to her by that illustrious company." It seemed impossible for her to go forward with her studies without embracing the monastic hfe, and the counsels of Antonio Nunez, a famous Jesuit priest induced her to adopt that course. It was no small sacrifice for her tc exchange the splendid society of the viceroyalc-our-: for the solitude of the monastery. Whilst fulfilling the routine of nunnery restrictions, and exercising charity toward the poor and the sick, sho devoted a considerable portion of her time to the study of such books as were accessible, and thus passed the -earlier years of her religious imprisonment. But the preoccupations of that dark period, the , susceptibility of the theologians and confessors, at last reached in her asylum the girl, that in the narrow hounds of a Mexican cloister, was eclipsing the brightest literary stars that arrived from .Spain. You must not, dear reader, suppose that Mexico was devoid of literary minds in that epoch. A printing press had been busily at work for a century in the capital, and among other valuable works the great " Vocabulary of the Spanish and Mexican languages," had already been issued, long ere any press had reached the English provinces. 6 Female Education Advocated. There was however in Mexico, as in Spain at that time, a saying that when any one was becoming learned; "he was in danger of becoming a Lutheran," that is, a Protestant. Such were the fears that were entertained about Juana Ines de la Cruz, and the books were taken away from her, and but limited opportunity was given to her to employ her pen, which however she did to some extent in controversial letters to celebrated divines. But in the midst of this privation Juana was taken seriously ill, and the physicians, who seem to have had some insight into her difficulties, prescribed reading and study as essen tial to her existence. A celebrated sermon of Father Vieyra had been published, and caused great notoriety, when Juana wrote a refutation of it, which was answered by another document from the Bishop of Puebla, who considered "the erudition of Juana as very improper for her sex." Her answer to the Bishop is one of the most noteworthy documents which that century can furnish us, written though it was by the Creole girl of San Miguel Nepantla. She defends female education with rare energy for a woman of that period, and boldly says: "How without logic should. I understand the general and special rules of composition1? How without rhetoric should I under stand the rules, discourses and figures of speech? How without natural history should I understand the nature of animals and the symbols of the ancient. sacrifices'? How without arithmetic should I be able to compute the years, days, months and hours of the mysterious hebdomads of Daniel, and others which require a knowledge of the nature, concordance and properties of numbers? HowT without a knowledge of the rules and parts which constitute History, should I understand the descriptions of sieges in the Histor ical Books? And how without a legal knowledge shall I be able to understand the Books of the Law of Moses?" After this noble resume of the needs of Education in New Spain. ^ female education, she like every protesting writer, quotes largely from the Gospels and Early Fathers of the Church in defense of woman's position in the world and in the church. The books were again denied her by the Superiora or Preceptress of the nunnery, and then she studied the nature or character of her companions, watched the plays of the children and made geometrical inves tigations on the lines described by a top which the children kept whirhng on the parallel lines of the roof of her cell; observing in the silence of the night, and the deeper silence of the monastery, the march of the stars, the changes of morning and evening twi light, and studying the laws of perspective in the movement of visible objects. The portrait which adorns this narrative was copied from one painted by her own hand, the origi nal being a most admirable painting. In the midst of her trials from the privation of books, a te*rrible epidemic made its appearance in the Convent of San Gferonimo, only one in ten of those attacked surviving its devastating influence, and after taking assiduous care of her sister nuns, she was taken with the disease and died on the 17th of April 1695. She has been styled for her talent the "Tenth Muse," and the "American Phoenix," and not only in Mexico but in South America her poems have excited universal admiration. It might be proper here to remark that during the colonial administration the mail facilities between the various Spanish provinces of Central and South America were nearly equal to those of our own coun try a century later, and a unity of language and identity of interest bound the provinces of that time as strongly together as the independent republics are now united and the interchange of thought aided, by the facilities of the Postal Union. 8 Jose/a Ortiz de Dominguez. Education was not then general, nor is it now, but there were then many noble minds aspiring to eman cipate themselves from the thrall of intolerance and superstition, and since the independence of these governments became fully estabhshed these minds have multiplied, the press has everywhere become a moving power and the interchange of thought has been continually binding Latin Americans, as they prefer to be called, more and more closely in the bonds of intelhgent brotherhood, and these minds thus brought into unison are leavening the masses. The new mold wiU vary according to the elevating influences brought to bear upon it. Ere leaving the subject of woman's position in Mexico I must not forget that in a widely different and less v omanly field, in the sphere of pohtical movements and military achievements, aside from Doha Marina the guide and spy of Cortez, two names are indelii >ly written on the pages of Mexican history. When a 1 '¦¦ ¦ w enthusiastic minds began thin king about the independence of Mexico, they gathered in the parlor of the Corregidor of the city of Queretaro to discuss so momentous a question. This group consis ted of Miguel Hidalgo y Castillo, priest of Dolores, Colonels Aldama and Allende, and the Corregidor and his strong-minded wife. The men seemed fearful of so daring a movement. Allende with tropical ardor urged a trial of the plan, Hidalgo assured them that the initiators of such a movement rarely lived to see their ideas achieved, and this reasoning had weU nigh discouraged the group when Josef a Ortiz de Dominguez analyzed their plans and assured them of their ultimate triumph. The plot was discovered and among the first to suffer imprisonment were the Corregidor and his wife, who suffered long years of imprisonment ere the uprising of Iturbide in Iguala achieved the independence of Mexico and the Corre- gidora was hailed as a heroine of the independence. Maria Antonia de la Serna. 9 Another name to be mentioned in this connection is that of Maria Antonia de la Serna, wife of Felipe de la Grarza, known for her daring enterprises as la Generala. She was left a widow early in hfe, with a nephew, adopted as a son, and with an ample fortune at her disposal. She settled at Soto la Marina, then a very small settlement, and was united in marriage to the commanding officer of that port; which was incorporated as a village at her suggestion, and the beautiful catholic church with its sweet-toned bells was a gift of her munificence to the village. She once fitted out a steamer to bring military supplies'to her adopted son, Jesus de la Serna, in his struggle to be come governor of Tamaulipas; and was doubtless the counsellor of her husband in the arrest of Iturbide, an act his fidelity to his government required at Ms hand, although in all the movement he showed the highest personal appreciation of his imperial prisoner and did all in his powTer to avert from him the terrible fate to wiiich a decree of Congress had condemned the ex-emperor. Leaving then the sphere of poetic genius and mili tary prowess we will look at an humbler but worthier figure in Mexican social life. ANCIENT AZTEC WARRIORS IN FULL DRESS. A HOME IN "TIEHRA CALIENTE. 99 CHAPTER II. Birthplace of Angela Aguilar, with a general sketch of the coast region of tamaulipas, and the origin and character of its inhabitants. |ERHAPS few things could be more widely differ ent than the scenery and personage of the prece ding chapter and those we now introduce to the attention of the reader. He must therefore be prepared to come down in imagination from the lofty heights of Popocatepetl to the flat sandy shores of Tamaulipas, from the pure air and undulating scenery of the Tierra Templada to the dense forest shades and malarial atmosphere which gird the banks of Rio de la Marina, in Tierra Caliente; from the wondrous poetical genius of a pure descendant of Castile, to the unassuming manners of a dark-eyed daughter of the mixed race, who but for the strange dispensa tions of Providence would have lived and died a peasant girl or at most the wife of some poor farmer or stock raiser in the wilds of Tamaulipas. I must however take into consideration that the reader has not hke the writer, passed a decade in this Mexican State, whose scenes however rough and homely have become as familiar to him as the pastures of the old homestead. 11 12 . Settlement of Tamaulipas. Please place a map before you and you will find near the Grulf of Mexico, and about midway between Matamoros and Tampico, the village of Soto la Marina. You may at first suppose that it is situated at the mouth of a river bearing very nearly the same name. Soto la Marina (The Marine Forest J is situa ted about thirty miles from the mouth of the river, whose banks are lined with magnificent forests of giant tropical trees. The forests still abound in jagu ars and other tropical animals and countless flocks of parrots, whilst the water is prolific in alligators and the manatee, or aquatic cow. The hunt of this latter animal is very interesting and its capture a day of rej oicing for the whole community, who with notable neighborly kindness give freely what they have freely received. This port was entered at a very early date by the Spanish coasting vessels, and as they rarely drew more than three or four feet of water they found no difficulty in crossing the bar and ascending the river as far as the present site of the village, which was founded about the year 1750 under the direction of Colonel Jose de Escandon, the colonizer and pacifier. of Tamaulipas. He marched through the country with trains of emigrants, leaving a definite number in each eligible site for a village, supplying their necessities, leaving them under the political care of a captain, and each of these settlements was furnished with a Catholic priest, who aside from the spiritual care of the emigrants was expected to form a mission a little way from the village and if possible domesticate the Indians. The native races to the southward of Rio de la Marina seem to have been powerful at the time of the conquest, as Cortez was defeated at the pass of Chile near the present site of Tampico of Tamaulipas by 60, 000 warriors organized in this section as early as 1521. A little later however the conquest was Early Mexican Abolitionists, 13 effected and the only record of the ancient greatness of the natives consists of the ruins of ten cities, buried by the rank vegetation, and lying on both sides of the Tamesi river, and whose capital was probably the city whose ruins are in Sierra de la Pahna, a low chain of mountains about twenty seven miles west of Altamira, a village on the shores of Lake Champayan. Whatever may have been the violence exercised by the conquerors, and the bloody scenes which marked the conquest, we may be permitted to state that some of the viceroys were friendly to the native races, and did all in their power to settle them peacefully in villages and encourage them in the arts of civilization. The idea of enslaving the native race was brought by the conquerors from Cuba, and perhaps no man at that time was more conscientious upon that sub ject than Cortez, whose will plainly shows his mis givings upon that point. Bartholomew las Casas, bishop of Chiapas, wrote energetically upon this subject as early as 1540, and he by no means stood alone. "With respeet to the slaves, natives of New Spain, alike those taken in war and those held for redemption, as there are many doubts and opinions as to whether these can be conscientiously so held and up to the present it has not been determined; I command my son and successor Martin, and those who follow him in my estate, that they use all diligence to investigate the matter, and do whatever may be most convenient for the full discharge' of my conscience and their own." Will op Coktez. Article 39. "I also command that as aside from the tributes which I have received from my vassals aforesaid, I have received from them other personal and real services, and as there are diverse opinions as to whether these services can be conscientiously received, I order that due diligence be used to ascertain what services I may have received more than pertained to me, and that pay and restitution be made wherever it appears justly due." — Idbm. Article 41. Luis de Velasco II. nearly a century before Penn made his treaty with the Indians under the elm at Treaties of Velasco and Escandon. 15 Shackamaxon had made a treaty recompensing the undomesticated tribes of Central Mexico for the occupation of their territory by colonies of Tlaxca- lans, who planted in their midst the elements of civilization, and although he was not able to entirely obliterate the servitude of the natives, their tasks were fixed by law as was also the salary they were to receive, and it was forbidden to employ them in the mines, or in any other notably severe and perilous occupation. The provinces of Zacatecas and San Luis Potosi were settled peacefully by this wise policy, which almost a century later the viceroy, Count Revilla-Gfigedo endeavored to carry out in settling the province of Santander, now 'known as the Mexican State of Tamaulipas. Perhaps he could not have found a person better fitted for this task than Jose de Escandon. Every where he manifested uniform kindness to the natives and these in return became his allies. Not far from the present site of Soto la Marina a large force of Indians approached his camp, and stationing a rear guard advanced to meet him, carrying a large supply of beans, sweet potatoes and pumpkins, which they presented him, receiving in return shawls and blan kets. Their chief then asked for a gourd of water, and washed the hands of Escandon and such of his com panions as he supposed to be chiefs, and then taking from his own body the sayal or native blanket, he wiped their hands, giving them to understand that this ceremony was emblematic of peace, friendship and alliance. This friendship was interrupted a few days later because some natives, perhaps not knowing the value of horses, killed some of them with their arrows, one of them being killed in the pursuit which followed. This was however the only conflict which Escandon had with the natives whilst planting the villages of the whole central portion of Tamaulipas. His colonists 16 Settlement of Soto la Marina. had received one hundred dollars in silver for each family, supplies for the journey, and seeds for plant ing, as well as tools for farm work, and peacefully began to build their cabins in the forest. The village of Soto la Marina was founded by 66 families, having a total force of 11 soldiers for their defence, making in all 289 settlers. This gives us an opportunity to see how far they considered them selves exempt from peril under the wise plans devised for them by the viceroy, Count Revilla-Grigedo, and carried out by Escandon, Lieutenant Captain General of the province. The natives were of peaceful disposition and Es candon, judging from the general tenor of Mexican colonies, supposed that they would gradually gather to the settlements and become his dutiful subjects. In this he was not disappointed, but one of his fond hopes met with a reverse. He had expected to find the water on the bar at the mouth of Rio de la Marina of sufficient depth for ocean trade. His schooner uCon- qiiistadora" had entered the harbor, but a minute examination made by his chief engineer Tienda de Cuervo demonstrated, on the one hand the shallow ness of water, and on the other, the absence of any prominent landmarks by which vessels could recognize the entrance. It is true that nearly a century earlier the caravels which crossed the ocean could have entered the river, as they only drew from three to five feet of water, but now only coasting vessels could be expected to engage in commerce with the newly established port. It is also probable that Tienda de Cuervo was influ enced by the merchants of Vera Cruz to hinder its being opened to foreign trade. The rapid increase in the tonnage of vessels coming from Cuba and Spain soon made it impracticable to use Soto la Marina as a port for foreign commerce, and thus it lost a great part of its importance. History of Soto la Marina. 17 It has however twice been the scene of great political movements of historic interest. On the 15th of April 1817 an expedition of ad venturers from England and the United States, with some fugitives from Mexico who favored the party which was struggling for independence, landed at Soto la Marina under the command of Francisco Javier Mina, who had headed the revolution of Na varre, to aid the insurgents. The cause they came to defend had however been almost completely crushed before they arrived, and after repeated defeats Mina, like most other unfor tunate revolutionists in Spanish America was taken prisoner and sentenced to be shot. After the independence was achieved under the direction of Agustin de Iturbide, and the restless band who had hoped for a Republic instead of an Empire had obliged him to abdicate, following the track of Mina, he landed at Soto la Marina on the 1-lth of July 1821, and was immediately informed that a decree of Congress condemned him to death so soon as he landed in the country. Yet such was the confidence which the military commander of the town, Felipe de la Grarza,. had in Iturbide, that he placed the troops which were to conduct him to Pa dilla, capital of the state, under his command, ho ping that the state legislature, or congress as it is called would in some way try to reprieve hhn, as he had brought no forces with him. His sentence was however confirmed and five days after landing at Soto la Marina, he was shot publicly in the plaza of Padilla, and his remains were buried under the ruins of the' village chapel, from whence like those of Na poleon I. they were marched under triumphal arches to the city of Mexico and honorably placed among those of the heroes of independence. Such is the mutability of human greatness and so shght the difference which history places between 18 Soto la Marina. a, patriot and a traitor, that Mexican historians have scarcely been able to to find to which class Iturbide belongs. Aside from these two disturbances the village of Soto la Marina seems to have kept the even tenor of its way, with no very great abundance of trade and with but httle importance in its agriculture, per haps the trade in fish caught and salted at Pescade- ria at the mouth of the river was the special thing which drew traders from the interior to this port. * ITZA PICTURE "WKITrxnS. SYMBOLIC AND IDEOGRAPHIC. MOTECUHZOMA II. AND THE COMET OF CHAS. V. FROM THE AZTEC PICTURE WRITINGS, DURAN'S CODEX. CHAPTER III. jblrth and early life of angela aguilar y zttniga, with an insight into the domestic life of the Mexicans. f> C S we said in the preceding chapter, when these M villages were founded, a mission was established %js near each of them, and in many cases on the '+ opposite bank of the stream upon which both must rely for a supply of water. Gradually the na tives began to serve the settlers, either in tjie culti vation of the small patches of corn and sugar-cane or in the manual duties of the household, they be came the hewers of wood and drawers of water, re ceiving in return a nominal salary, which was usually paid in eatables and in the very scanty cloth ing which the laborers required. The laboring men used only trowsers and a broad brimmed hat of palm leaf when at work, yet they usually tried to have a better holiday suit. In some villages the set tlers became very wealthy and there was a notable difference between the hacendado or proprietor and the peon or laborer. This latter class found them selves bound to a perpetual servitude, as the wages 19 20 The Laboring Class in Mexico. of a day laborer were only 25 cents and often less, and when extra expense was incurred, as for exam ple when money was borrowed to pay the priest's fee for marriage, or the doctor's fee for services, they were hardly ever able, even during years of toil to emancipate themselves from the service of then- employer. Their salary was paid by credit on the books and often a father died leaving a debt of $100 to $200 for his children to cancel by servitude. There was however quite a numerous class of the poorer descendants of the settlers, and intermarriages between these and the natives became frequent until the process of amalgamation became quite general. Indeed the settlers who came from the interior had already an admixture of Aztec and Tlascalan blood in their veins, for many of those families stood high in social life. When these mixed people, testified in the courts the judge was obliged to record whether they were whites or Indians, and in doubtful cases would say, "Se tiene por bianco" i. e. "He considers himself a white man." At Soto la Marina both settlers and natives had to struggle with hard times and thus, except a few very wealthy families, the distinctions of caste began to fade away. The change of laws in 1857 under the Liberal Government made provisions to emancipate the laboring class from perpetual servitude, only allow ing one month of advance wages to be paid to a servant except at the risk of his employer. This law in many places is a dead letter, carefully concealed from the working class, and practically ignored by crafty judges. As in most other Mexican villages along the coast there are three distinct kinds of houses in general use in Soto la Marina, the wealthier class havino* stone houses with flat roofs made of heavy planking covered with tejas, formerly written texas, a kind of Mexican Houses. 21 flat tile brick about seven inches square and one inch thick, three courses of which are laid on an inclined floor like roof, in a strong cement, which, when dry becomes impervious to water. These flat roofs, as we may call them, are surrounded on three sides by a strong wall, making as they complete the buildings on all sides of a block a regular fortress, the yards being in the open court back of the houses, forming a general rendezvous in most cases for all the inhabitants of the block. Some of these inner yards have beautiful flowers, orange trees and other choice plants, which are hid entirely from the passer by, as the houses are built on a line with the side walk, with doors opening to the street. The second class of houses have the walls made of adobes, oi sun dried bricks, which are much larger than our bricks, and the roofs are made of poles lashed together with thongs, or the strong fibre of the maguey or century- plant, and thatched with palm leaves, or swamp grass. The dry flower-stalks of the century plant are used for rafters wherever the plant abounds, especial ly at the neighoring village of Jimenez. The third class have the same kind of roof, but the walls instead of being of adobes are made of cross poles tied to upright forks, when small bundles of reeds are tied in an upright position to the cross- poling, and the whole is plastered outside and inside with strong adobe mortar. This mortar is prepared by making a firm mud from a strong clayey earth, and mixing in dried grass chopped about two inches in length, supplying the place of hair in our plaster ing. The stone buildings have a floor of hard cement, the adobe houses sometimes have them of brick but most of these, like the third class, known as guano houses have only the earth for a floor. In one of the houses of the first class lived a fam ily by the name of Ziifiiga, who were owners of the house and lot, but had little else of earthly goods. 22 . Early Life of Angelita. In this humble home the mother died when giving birth to a daughter, which was at once placed in charge of her god-mother, Maria Antonia de la Serna, by whom, with other orphan children she was reared, yet she retained her proper name Francisca Zufiiga. As her foster daughters grew up she had no small trouble to prevent their receiving visits from* the young men of the village, and thus it was with great secrecy and slyness that they were able to send letters and receive replies from their sweet hearts. Several times the mother surprised her daugh ter Francisca at the little gate of their yard, opening to the street, talking with a young man whose large black eyes had an almost fascinating power over those with whom he associated. Very naturaUy mam ma did not like to see them talking thus slyly and gave her daughter a sound thrashing, and tried to let the young pretender understand that his absence was more welcome than his presence. The young man was a day laborer, with no earthly goods, and more than that, he was a widower with a little daughter to care for. The mother was inflexi ble, the daughter equally so, and the young man was determined to gain if possible and it seemed as though the judge would have to be called on to set aside the maternal authority, as under certain circumstances they are empowered to do, but finally the opposition gave way and the marriage was effected. For a httle while young Aguilar and his wife lived in one room ' of the stone building which had been her home, but a guano house with a palm leaf roof was soon ready and thither the young couple removed. In this hum ble structure their first daughter was born August 2d 1858, and when she was but a few weeks old her pious parents took her to the parish church where she was baptized as Angela and as she had a right to both paternal and maternal surnames, her true name- was Angela Aguilar y Zuniga. But as we are to Early Life of Angelita. 23 know that she was a pet, her pet name takes the diminutive ita and we shall for some years call her Angelita. Although she was the pet, the poverty of her father scarcely ever allowed them &ny spare change for buying oranges or candy, and the neighbor who chanced to give her either was looked upon as a real benefactor, both by her and by her doting pa rents. Judging from analogy we may suppose that after being emancipated from the swaddling clothes of in fancy, except a holiday attire, which was usually kept carefully laid away, she was not much encumbered with clothing during the week, yet on the Sabbath morning she was clothed ready to go to the church, dip her tiny hand in the font of holy water and make the sign of the cross on her forehead. She was also taught two prayers to the Virgin Ma ry and the Lord's Prayer, which she was taught to repeat thus, the Lord's Prayer once and the prayers to the Virgin each five times, and when she went to the parish church the whole service was a repetition of the same prayers, in the same relative proportion, the priest leading, and the worshippers, who were all kneeling on the floor, following in a low Voice the continual recital of the same prayers. A few pictures of the Saints were purchased, and sprinkled with vholy water by the priest for the small sum of twenty five cents each, and one corner of their humble cabin was arranged so as to form a kind of altar before which they could kneel to count beads and say pray ers. Some small printed prayers or amulets were also purchased from the priest, as preventatives of certain diseases as well as remedies for many of the evils flesh is heir to. This was all the more necesary as there was no regular drug store in the village and patent medicines had not begun to compete with prayers and amulets in pubhc favor. 21 Early Life of Angelita. Otherwise we have few particulars about the early life of Angelita. We can however very readily imagine how she played with the other little girls of the village, how they would go down to the river and bathe in the flowing . stream, and then sit on the bank to admire the bright green parrots with their golden heads and bright red epaulets on their -wings, and listen to their terrific cla mor. It may often have been her lot to watch the little patch of corn her father was cultivating and scare the parrots away as children do the crows in more northern latitudes. Her parents were all the time struggling with poverty, and it was final ly decided that as labor was so very scarce they must move out to some ranch where labor was better requited and the' cost of living would be less. They accordingly carried out this plan. It was in some respects quite a disagreeable change to Angelita. She had to leave her old playmates and the gayer life of the village, for the more isolated life of the Mexican ranch. Quite a change how took place MEXICAN RANCH LIFE. WOMAN CARRYING WATER. she wore a long dress, in her outward appearance, reaching to her ankles, and when sitting carefully threw it over her feet, and was soon taught to laugh Mexican Ranch Life. 25 about the short dresses and pantelets of the village girls, who were so earnest about having shoes on their feet when walking on the street, or going to the chapel. There was an abundance of milk, and plenty of cheese, and as she had no educational opportuni ties she was not taught to abstain from the latter. Here as in the village however the forty days of Lent must be carefully observed, and during this time they must eat plenty of greens, especially the tender snoots of the prickly pear, (cactus,) and limit their meat to fish only. These was an abundance of wild hone'y, known as the panal or comb, found in nests on the limbs of the trees much hke the nests of our wasps. She was taught sedulously to avoid the tarantulas, a very large and venomous spider, the scorpions and rattle snakes, and very frequently suffered severely from the - stings of the red ants, which are as painful as those of the scorpion. Our readers may not be aware that the ant is very nearly amed to the bee, that some ants make honey, and that being very aromatic, some varieties of the ant are dried and pounded into a paste which is sold as a sweet meat in most parts of South America, though not known in this part of Mexico. By simply tasting an ant you will become assured of their virtues as edible food, and we learn that the children of Americans living in South Ame rica are excessively fond of ant paste. However we must not let our readers suppose that such was the food of Angelita. Her principal food, like that of the poorer class in Mexico consisted sim ply of tortillas and frijoles, or slap-jacks and beans. Corn for making tortillas is first boiled in lime-water, so that the hull can readily be removed, it is then ground on an inclined stone with a square hand piece, tapering toward either end, each of the four sides of which are of a different fineness. Whilst the pro cess of grinding progresses water is occasionally 26 Mexican Home Life. thrown on and the com instead of being ground into meal is at once reduced to dough of the right consistency which is slapped out into thin cakes and hastily cooked on a thin piece of iron or pottery ware, usually set on\>me thin pieces of brick, so as to leave room for the coals underneath. The bean soup is usually served in a saucer, a folded piece of tortilla serving as a spoon, which so soon as it becomes moistened is swallowed and another spoon manufactured. Butter is not extensively made so that when any sauce is used on the tortillas it is made of red pepper pods fried in lard, the very best being made of red and cayenne pepper pods fried in lard and seasoned wi.th onions and Dutch cheese, made from sour milk. In the villages knives, forks and spoons are quite generally used by the well-to-do residents. Ranch peo- pleXccasionally kill beef cattle; and deer, antelopes, rabbits, hares and other wild game are very abundant, the wild hog and the armadillp being considered as delicacies. 1 1 MEXICAN ORANGE GIRL. CHAPTER IV. Early religious training. Death of her father,. Removal to San Fernando, where the history of Father Lozano the first Mexican reformer is introduced and his teachings reviewed. I HEIR residence in the hacienda was of several years duration, but was terminated by a sad be reavement; the death of her father. Her mother found herself obliged to take full charge of the two daughters, and three months after the death of her husband, gave birth to a son. She could not well find work on the farm, and the experience of her friends induced her to try to get a place as house-ser vant in a village. She accordingly removed to the vill age of San Fernando, which stands on a bluff, on the bank of Rio de Conchas, ordinarily a small stream, but in the wet season becoming very formi dable. It was not difficult for Angelita, who was now quite a girl, to accommodate herself to village hfe, and as she could attend the services of the parish church, her former religious earnestness was renewed, and she became well known for her devo tional nature, the pet of the pious women of the village from whon she received many kindnesses. Her mother was house servant for a widower, who had a child to care for, and although he did not hinder their attending the services, he did not parti- 27 28 Father Ramon Lozano. cipate in their religious zeal. He had been for seve ral years in care of his uncle, who was for some time priest of the village, and under whose direction the parish church was built, as an inscribed tablet in forms the passer by. A like tablet over the entrance to the cemetery tells us that its beautiful ornamented \Mall was also one of the improvements carried out during the curacy of Father Lozano. The promulga tion of the Reform Laws of 1857 had awakened the naturally earnest mind of this priest and as he inher ited a large library of theological books from a rela tive who was a priest, he began studying the New Testament, following the Catholic version of Father Scio, in order to see whether a Liberal could be a Christian. The reader must understand that the Cath olic Bishops were denouncing the Liberal Go v em inent as an ungodly institution, and fulminating their anathemas against its leaders. When the father. of the aforementioned widower died in Victoria, cap ital of the State, it being known that he was a Lib eral the Bishop refused to allow the church bell to be rung for his burial, or even admit the corpse in side the church edifice. Thus Father Lozano began studying to see whether his relatives who served the Liberal Government must be refused like favors at his hand. He found to his surprise that the teach ings of Jesus Christ and his Apostles as recorded in the New Testament were as different from those taught by the Romish Church as light is from dark ness. As he continued reading it seemed as though he found prophecies of and warnings against those very doctrines and practices which were the distin guishing features of his church, and those very pro tests of the Liberal Party seemed to be the echoes of the early teachers of Christianity against spiritual wickedness in high places. There were special rea sons why the question of the celibacy of the clergy- should occupy his attention, because their irregular Errors of The Romish Church. 29 conduct and the abuse made of the confessional for the seduction of young girls, which had awakened energetic protests from the Liberals, were creating great sensation. He had read the new law opening the way for priests to legitimize their children, usual ly known as their nephews and nieces, and as he was desirous of doing so himself, he made a special study of this matter. As he was reading I.Tim. 4: 3, he saw that "For bidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats," was a sure test whereby he might know the apostate church, from the true church. The illusions of a life-time vanished in a moment. His long fast ings had been utterly unavailing. God was looking for a clean heart and not an empty stomach. As he read the qualifications of a Bishop, and found that "to be husband of one wife" andto "have his family in subjection," were desirable evidences of fitness for the station, whilst he had suppdsed celibacy an indispensable requisite, he was still more inclined to fear that he was a minister of the church of Antichrist. It seemed to him that a Liberal could be a New Testament Christian and that a reformation of the Church was necessary; for he had reason to believe that others like himself were seeking to know the true basis of Christianity, and would accept the testimony of the Holy Scriptures, so soon as they heard its teachings. The early steps of his alienation from Romanism had been noted by the other priests and had led to his removal to the curacy of Santa Barbara, a very unhealthy location and where his enemies hoped that disease might cut short his existence. However his health improved considerably by the change, whilst his wealth enabled him to fur nish the poor people with rice and other grains for sowing their crops, charging a lighter rate of pre mium when the crop was gathered than the weal thy residents were accustomed to do. His philantropy 30 Teachings of Father Lozano. soon gained the hearts of his parishioners and they were ready to listen to his counsels and looked up to him with more than the usual reverence which they felt toward their "Father," as you may remem ber that Roman Catholics call their priests, although it be expressly forbidden in the New Testament. He soon after made an application to the State Congress in order to legitimize his children, and although proceeding according to the provision of the law, he was cast into prison by order of Governor Serna, where he was kept for several months. The next session of congress was held by new delegates and after a very animated discussion his petition was granted, and he obtained his liberty. He was well aware that this step would bring upon him the censures of the Bishop and perhaps excommunication, and he at once prepared for the struggle by spending some months in his largest ha cienda, occupied closely withthe New Testament, and' in preparing a brief resume of its teachings, which he published under the title of "El Sacerdote Evange- lico," or "The Evangehcal Priest." This book was publicly ratified by his congregation, so that the Bishop found that he had not to deal with a single heretic, but with a seceding congregation. TXhen Ms envoys came to read the excommunication from the pulpit, they found the door closed, and the whole town so excited that they could only fulfil their mis sion by pasting the excommunication on the doors of the church from whence it was soon torn down by the indignant residents. So great was the the excitement that the Mayor fearing that some danger might await the envoys, took them into custody and sent them to Tampico as disturbers of the public peace. It is probable that blood would have been shed had not Father Lozano addressed the people explaining to them the peaceable nature of the Gospel, and that as the Kingdom of Christ is not of Teachings of Father Lozano. 31 this world, therefore his servants are not to advance it by carnal weapons. There are several points in which Father Lozano held views very similar to those of the Society of Friends, for aside from his peace principles he was opposed to oaths which had recently been forbidden in courts of law by the Liberal Government. He says; "We hold that the oath has been justly omitted in the formulas of the Mexican Govern ment, and is discarded by the Mexican Church, in accordance with the Apostolic doctrines." The humility of his closing words, in bold contrast with the dogmatism of most Reformers, merits our attention. "My doctrines, fallible because they are set forth by a man of hmited capacity, admit as many reforms and observations as may be made upon them with the Gospels and Nature before you, for these are the only books which express the certain will of God, and the positive truth of all things, where man must seek them if he aspire to know them. Whilst these observations are being examined, I would again ask the indulgence of my readers, and incite the ven erable Mexican clergy to cast aside all preoccupation and partiality and retracing their steps, cease to be the executioners of their fold, and embracing first the Reform, incline the people to do the same, as it is the only thing which can save the dignity and lib erty of mankind, and can alone make them a truly Christian clergy, the only principles to which are promised the peace and civilization of the world, which God has entrusted to the probity, integrity, intelligence and fidelity of his ministers, when he commanded them to preach his evangelical doctrines of reconciliation, peace and universal love." --"JlffWffiiSi TYPES OF MEXICAN COSTUMES IN THE INTERIOR. GOING TO MAKKET. INDIANS IN HOLIDAY DRESS. CREOLES. V CHAPTER V. She is sent to the village school. Description of village schools in mexico. religious train ING. Her confirmation and subsequent earnest ness IN THE CONFESSIONAL. NOTWITHSTANDING the favorable circumstan ces which had led B S to imbibe Prot estant principles; he does not seem to have in any way tried to instil them into the minds of the widow and three httle ones now placed by so singular a providence under his roof. Francisca Zuniga appears to have occupied herself almost exclusively in the domestic cares of the house hold of B . . . . S . . . and had but little time to care for her own children, but had the pleasure of their company. Angelita was now a robust girl of about a dozen summers, and spent the week days in the vil lage free School. By the way Mexico has a system of Free Schools, and compulsory education is em f orced in most of the cities. The elementary branches and embroidery of various kinds are taught, also worsted figure work on perforated paper. A text book on "Urbanity" or "Good Manners" is considered in dispensable and forms the basis of that courtesy and politeness so noticeable in Mexican society. The Lancasterian system is generally used, the teachers appointing a monitor for each class, who hstens with a cautious ear to the loud study of his pupils, for all study quite loudly; and several long benches arranged around the sides of the room pre- 33 D 3d Mexican Free Schools. sent a decided analogy with several Sabbath School classes in active recitation in a small chapel in our own country. A foreigner would at once suppose that the noise would make study impossible. This is not the case however, for they become so accustomed to it that the monitor will readily note an error in pro nunciation by any one of his class and at once re cognizes the voice of the one who made the mistake and calls him to order, just as readily as a weaving girl in our factories recognizes which one of her looms has a broken thread and stops it in order to repair it. Silent study has been introduced in some places, but by far the most general method is as above des cribed. Our httle Angelita made fair progress in the elementary branches, but the brevity of their resi dence in that village and want of educational facil ities in the ranch where she had spent her childhood prevented her acquiring more than the elementary branches. The widow of the owner of the ranch where they had lived before coming to San Fernando appears to have moved to the village soon after they did and she became the madrina or spiritual mother of An gelita, and being a very devoted Catholic took her little charge to Mass every Sabbath morning. The re collections of the religious exercises she had been accustomed to see in Soto la Marina were now revived. Besides this San Fernando was a more aristocratic village, with a very strong predominance of pure Spanish blood, and much more religious, if we may give this name to such superstitious Romanism as was there in vogue. Aside from the name of "Pres byter Ramon Lozano" on the front of the Catholic Church and over the gateway of the cemetery, no thing of his doctrines seems to have remained in the place. Thus Angelita, became a zealous Catholic, was always to be seen at Mass, repeating the pre- Roman Catholic Prayers. 35 scribed number of prayers to the Virgin Mary with one Lord's Prayer for every ten of these. Having been confirmed she must now begin to confess regularly to the village priest, and she care fully watched every thought and action so as to give an accurate account of every sin in thought, word or deed. Besides the numerous fasts prescribed by the church she found it necessary to impose upon herself extra ones in order to have money to give her confes sor every time she received absolution for past sins, thus she began that peculiar course of abnegation which won for her a distinguished place in the Cath olic circles of San Fernando and Matamoros. You must bear in mind that she had not as yet listened to a sermon or exposition of Gospel Truth. In Mex ico so far as we have been able to ascertain there is no preaching in the Catholic Churches except where Protestant churches have heen organized; nor are there any seats, but the whole audience, almost exclusively women, kneel on the floor and repeat in concert with the priest "Salves" and "Ave Marias" to the Virgen and either one Lord's Prayer after each five or after each ten prayers to the Most Holy Mary. The favorite prayer in all Spanish American coun tries is the "Ave Maria" or "Hail Mary," and is as follows:— -."Dios te Salve Maria llena eres de gracia, el Senor es contigo, bendita tu entre las mugeres, y bendito el Fruto de tu vientre Jesus. Santa Maria, Madre de Dios, ruega por nosotros pecadores, ahora y en la ahora de nuestra muerte, Amen Jesus." This may be literally translated thus: — God save thee Mary full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou aniong women, and blessed is the Fruit of thy Womb Jesus. Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and in the hour of our death Amen Jesus." I have carefully retained the punc- 36 Roman Catholicism in Mexico. tuation and capitals as used in their prayer books, though not adopting either as grammatical. The "Ave Maria" or "angelical salulation" came to be used as an almost universal salutation when speaking to any one who is so busily occupied as not to notice you, or when trying to call at the door or gateway of a ranch to ask for lodgings or inquire the way. The introduction of Protestant Chrsitianity gave rise to an amusing incident. My reader will consider that "Ave" means bird in Spanish and this gave place to a little play on words. Two men were travelling along when calling at a ranch the Romanist called out as usual at the top of his voice "Ave Maria," when the other answered "Maria no fue gallina," "Mary was not a hen," i, e. Mary was not a bird. The Salve is a longer form of prayer to the Virgin and is next in popularity to the Ave Maria. Angelita soon had all these prayers so fixed in her mind that she could repeat them hour after hour as she knelt before some picture of the Virgin, and great was her confidence in Mary as "Advocate of sinners," the "True Mediator" and many similar terms which Romanists apply to her, often neglect ing to bestow them upon Jesus Christ, not so much from any intentional effort to rob him, as in letting "Mary" so fill their minds that they do not see Jesus clearly in his glorious mediatorial work, and manifold attributes which pertain only to a Divine Being. The exchange of mediators has been so entire that all the great features of the life of Jesus have been engrafted on her biography, from her "immaculate conception" or being born without sin, to - her glo rious "assumption" or ascent to heaven, thus equal ling her to the Divinity and then bestowing upon her the title of Mother of God and Queen of Heaven The Virgin of Guadalupe. 37' by these means impressing the masses with a belief that she is equal with God. There are special reasons why the Mexican people have come to look upon the Virgin as their "Advo cate." The Aztecs found httle difficulty iii exchang ing then great goddess Tonantzin for Mary of Naz areth so soon as she appeared as a lovely Indian maiden near the ancient altar of their goddess. However to avoid any show of unfairness I will give the Catholics a hearing. I copy from a Catholic. paper, "La Voz de la Patria," of December 18th, 1881. "The 12th of December is the great feast of Mexico, when hope arises anew in the most tried souls. The beautiful day and sublime scenes of Tepeyecatl are brought to mind, the Queen of Heaven, talking lovingly of our nation's prosperity with a poor Indian, despised by the -world, but whose fideli ty and purity of soul commended him to God, be cause in the sight of God not the rich and powerful, but humihty and purity attract the favor of Infinite Mercy, thus the Queen of Heaven, who could only see as God sees, passing by the rich and powerful deigned to speak to an humble Indian, making him rich promises for our good. She wished that a temple should be erected wherein to honor her, and in which she could show forth mercy to such as should invoke her blessing, and make known their petitions, and has left us painted on the blanket (ay ate) of the happy Indian her precious image as Holy Mary of Guadalupe, in testimony of her partiality to us. Three hundred and fifty years have passed since these miracles took place, and the heavenly painting which the August Mother of the Redeemer, and beloved Mother of the Mexicans left with him as a memorial portrait, exists among us and is venerated in the magnificent temple which in fulfillment of their vow the piety of our fathers built to her memory, and copies of this beautiful picture are found 38 Great is Guadalupe of the Mexicans. in almost all our temples and in our homes. On this image are written, says a recent writer, in divine characters the manifest destiny of Mexico, against which vainly cavil those who without raising their eyes from the earth, consider themselves the supreme arbiters of the fate of countries, as though there were not over all their thoughts an infinitely wise and merciful providence on which our destiny depends. We doubt not, should she not lose it by •her evil deeds, the manifest destiny of Mexico will be to receive without ceasing the distinguished benefits conferred by Divine Goodness and the special protection of the Mother of the Most High." For over two hundred years the miraculous ap pearance of the Virgin of Guadalupe was celebrated as a national feast day and her historians quoted it as a historical fact. That the people should have ad hered so firmly to imposture and have believed that the painting now in the temple at Guadalupe was painted by miracle, that they should have believed that the canvass on which it was painted was the ayate or blanket of Juan Diego, the poor Indian, would seem impossible, did we not reflect that fanat icism is blind. I will now briefly sum up the opinions of those who deny the miracle. 1 The agates of the Aztecs were made of the fibres of the maguey or American aloe, like our coarse roping, whilst the painting is on a smooth mat made of palm leaves. 2 The prayer sanctioned by Pope Benedict XIV. In his brief he refused to say that it was miraculously painted and substituted that it was said to be admi rably painted. 3 Neither the mass nor the prayer mention the miraculous appearance. 4 The catholic historian Sahagun says about it: "Near the Mounts there are three or four places where the Aztecs frequently offered solemn sacrifices, The Shrine of Tonantzin. 39 to which people came from remote places. One of these is called Tepeyac, the Spaniards called it Tepeaquilla and now it is called Our Lady of Gua dalupe. In this place they had the Mother of the gods, Toriantzin, which means Our Mother. There they offered many sacrifices, and people came from a distance of twenty leagues or more, strong men and women, young men and maidens, all said: let us go up to the feast of Tonantzin. "And now that the church of Our Lady of Guadalu pe has been built there, she is also called Tonantzin. From whence came the foundation of this Tonan tzin we cannot ascertain, though the word signifies that ancient Tonantzin. This thing should be reme died because the name of the Mother of God is not Tonantzin but Diosinantzin. It appears to be a wile of Satan to palliate idolatry under the exchange of this name Tonantzin, and people come from as far to worship this new Tonantzin, and whilst there are many chapels of the Virgin they do not frequent them but come as before from far and near to the shrine of Tonantzin." The Viceroy Don Martin En riquez and the chaplain of the hermitage of Guada lupe ignored the aparicion milagrosa and do not ap pear to have believed it even when the King asked that the Archbishop should visit it and take account of the collections and donations received there from people who flocked there for healing as they now do to the shrine of the Virgin of Lourdes in France. Superstition however makes people believe against all outward evidences. V0.TW. %w uaxv HW: 4-J*. CHAPTER VI. a colporteur visits san fernando. removal to Matamoros, and first acquaintance with Prot estantism. Attends our meeting for the first time. {TJ1HE reader will pardon our presenting these Up horrid pictures of the actual state of the rehgion 3§ji called Christianity in Mexico, prior to the advent of Protestant Christianity, with the open Bible, the most powerful of all forces to tear down the firm walls of superstition and bigotry. Such was the rehgion that Angela Aguilar had been taught to revere and when in the fall of 1873 a colporteur. visited the village of San Fernando with tracts and papers from Matamoros she shared in the general voice of indignation which disturbed for some weeks the tranquillity of the village. A. few books were sold, quite a number of tracts and papers given " away, and for some months nothing more was seen of the schismatic book vender. Quite a number of illustrated books for children were circulated and whenever Angelita saw any of these in the hands of her httle playmates she warned them of the dreadful judgments the priest had said would fall on all who read them. She was not always successful in her efforts, as she supposed to hinder a corrupt literature from being circulated in the village, but many were the praises bestowed upon her when she told her confessor how she had labored and enabled him to get track of the offenders and if possible get 10 Removal to Matamoros. 41 possession of the obnoxious papers and commit them to the flames. Her mother's opportunity of service was interrupt ted by the second marriage of B S . . . and having heard that house servants were receiving better wages in Matamoros she determined to remove thither, which took place in 1874. She soon found a situation, but' it was by ¦ separating from her children, though sometimes she could spend the nights with them. She had rented a room near the central part of the city where her children could live quietly and where she could go to see them when any exigency required. Angela was then about fifteen years of age, En carnacion or Chona as she was familiarly called was about twelve, and the little boy Manuel, a restless obstreperous urchin of four years, who wore a single calico shirt, gave them a full share of anxiety and Care to keep him anywhere within reasonable bounds. Angehta frequented the Catholic Church, was instructing a class of children in the Catechism. preparatory to confirmation, and when Bishop Mon- tesdeoca came to the city, she obtained an interview, and piously knelt and kissed his hand, hoping that her soul would be much sooner released from purgatory by this act of respect to her Bishop. She was pleased to see several of her pupils receive confirmation and with great pleasure assisted the -girls to adjust their white gauze veils to go and confess, so as to receive their first communion, or partake of the holy wafer, which she reverently believed to be the body and blood of Christ. Such was her life when an unexpected incident crossed her pathway. She had been intimate in San Fernando with Petra S sister of B S who kept house for her brother M S a merchant whose place of business was near the Market. 42 First Acquaintance with Protestants. However he determined to reside farther from the centre of town and being well acquainted with Juhan Mireles, who had gone as colporteur to San Fernando, on hearing that the room adjoining the one occupied by Julian and family and which had been recently occupied by Micajah M. Binford and wife, was va cated, he rented the room. Julian had a daughter, Gertrudis, an excellent singer, and devout Protestant and their previous acquaintance was not interrupted by a difference of religious opinion if indeed any such difference existed, for M S was a subscriber to "El Ramo de Olivo," and both he and his sister Pe tra were familiar with the reform movement inaugurated in 1861 by their uncle Ramon Lozano. They were tolerant at least, and when Gertrudis in vited Petra to accompany her to the reunion or meeting of the "Friends" she gladly consented to come and was greatly pleased with the singing. A few days afterwards her intimate friend, Ange lita came to visit her and was introduced to Gertru dis and was requested by Petra to attend the Friends' meeting where she could see how their sing ing would compare with that of the Catholic choir of which Angelita was a well known vocalist. A few days later Julian Mireles and family re moved to a room adjoining that occupied by the three children of the widow Zuniga. Angelita had lost somewhat her fear of heretics, the presence of two large Protestant congregations was a fact known to all the residents, and her mother was servant in a family of foreigners who were secretly Protestants. Thus when invited by Gertrudis she consented to accompany her to the meeting out of curiosity only. It was a beautiful night in June 1875 that with many misgivings of conscience this interesting young lady entered the spacious hall, No. 49 Calle de Bravo, occupied by the Friends' Mission, and without the Friends9 Mission Meeting. 43 least thought that she would ever enter the place again. There was nothing attractive in the surroundings. The hall was like most buildings in Mexico, built on a line with the narrow sidewalk, and had three pair of glass doors giving ample light by day. This being a night service it was lighted by hanging lamps in the alley and wall lamps with glass reflectors. At one end of the room was a desk, and on this was a large Spanish Bible, which had recently been acquired from a preacher who passed through the city, as a large Bible had not before been seen by our missionaries. Two preachers sat behind the desk, on the same level as the congregation, both were young men, aged respectively thirty one and twenty one years, Behind the speakers was a glass window opening to the yard; and to which the fanatical persons at times directed a throw of pieces of bricks or large beef bones to annoy the speakers and if possible interrupt the congregation. The street doors were open and oftentimes small groups of passers by stopped to listen to the services, some quiet and attentive, others boisterous and reviling. The speakers and audience were so accustomed to these inconveniences that they did not appear to be in the least disturbed by them. These were however novel scenes for the new comer, and she could not fail to note the contrast between this humble scene and the spacious naves, and heavy columns of the Catholic church edifice, with the long row of pictures and statues of the Saints on each side and the altar in front glowing with gold and tinsel, and the new chandeliers with their gaudy glow of glass prisms which had but a short time previously cost over seven hundred dollars, and had been formally blessed amid the showers of incense and great demonstrations of jubilee in the presence of over two thousand specta tors. 44 Attends Friends' Mission Meeting. Here everything was rude and simple, but the language flowed forth, not in the accustomed Latin of the Romish service but in clear words in the lan guage of the listeners. A hymn was read by M. M. Binford, which was sung by the congregation, and followed by the reading of a chapter of the New Tes tament and remarks on the same, then one of the preachers knelt in prayer, followed by a brief and pointed sermon on the value of the Bible, and the duty of all men to study it diligently so as to know the will of God concerning them. The power of Christ to redeem the soul from spiritual death and give it power and life was dwelt upon, and the speaker pleaded earnestly with all who were anxious about their souls' salvation to seek the pardon of then sins through the blood of Christ, and live a new life, kept by the power of God unto salvation through faith in the only Mediator between God and man. Angelita listened with deep feeling to these words and seemed to see how great a blessing she had been deprived of by a church which virtually prohibited her reading the Holy Scriptures. The answer of her own heart convinced her that words so fitting to her own needs must proceed from the fountain of all truth, she lost her confidence in the shadowy forms of Romanism and then and there resolved to be a Protestant. The closing service impressed her greatly. Agustin Gonzalez who had been admitted a member at the last business meeting arose at the request of M. M. Binford and in answer to his inquiries gave a full and clear statement of his knowledge of his own sinfulness, and clear account of his conversion, of his sense of acceptance through faith in Christ. A hymn was sung at the close when the eldest speaker said very simply: "May God accompany all with his blessing as we separate." She was deeply impressed and longed for the next meeting day to come. CHAPTER VII. Obstacles to be overcome. Attends meeting again. The speaker is introduced and meeting de scribed. Visit of Gulielma M. Purdie and influ ence OF A TRACT. (HE next meeting was to take place on First Day afternoon, and she would have to go openly, and it would become generally known that she was an investigator of the new religion. She had a still more powerful obstacle to overcome. When she told her mother where she had been and what a good meeting they had in the Friends' Mission Room, her mother in no wise sympathised with her and at first was entirely unwilling for her to go again. Angelita however by the mediation of their neighbors gained permission to do so, and the arguments of Julian Mireles produced quite an impression on the mind of the widow Zuniga, although she was unwilling open ly to acknowledge it. However he gained his point so far as to induce her to send her youngest daughter and little boy to the school taught by Gulielma M. Purdie, who was assisted in the recitations by Jesus Mireles, son of Juhan, and thus on the coming Sabbath Angelita had the pleasure of taking her sister with her to meeting. The. meeting was a very impressive one. It began with a Bible Class, the study of a portion of one of the Gospels, followed by a regular meeting for wor ship and instruction. The younger children formed a separate class, and after the opening exercises with drew to the interior porch, where they were instructed 45 46 Mission Meeting Described. by M. M. Binford, on whom the principal services devolved during the public meeting, and it tended to confirm Angelita in her adhesion to the Protestant faith. Her sister was also deeply interested in the exercises and ready to second the determination of Angelita to whom she had long been accustomed to look for direction and instruction. This was the beginning of an eventful week in the life of Angela Aguilar y Zuniga. As we have already intimated Julian Mireles had earnestly set himself to seek by some means to win Francisca Zuniga to the cause of the Gospel of Christ. He saw that her curiosity had been awakened and that whilst she was unwilling to let her daughter know it, she was half persuaded to go and hear what the foreigners had to say. Julian proposed to take her to the Pres byterian service, whilst her daughter was absent on an evening visit, and not let her know anything about it. Thus on Wednesday night at half past seven Francisca Zuniga entered the room occupied by the Presbyterian Mission in company with Julian Mireles and wife. Both the Quaker missionaries were present and by invitation the senior one took charge of the services. Thus quite unexpectedly she had chanced to hear the very same persons to whose preaching her daughter had listened with so much attention. Although she took at that time no open stand in favor of the reform movement, all her opposition to the attendance of her daughters at meeting ceased. The following night Angehta and her sister attended the meeting at the Friends' Mission, this time three brethren sat at the desk, one of them a veteran laborer in the reform movement, who appeared to be about fifty years of age, and who was the principal speaker on that occasion. He read a part of his discourse, now and then launching out in earnest denunciations of the errors and abominations of Romanism and the horrid persecutions they had Clemente Abraham Vivero. 4? inflicted on Protestants, not only in other countries, but quite recently in Mexico. He brought together a long list of martyrs in different epochs, closing with a touching description of the assassination of John L. Stephens at Ahualulco de Mercado, which had taken place but a few months previously, and which had filled the Liberal party with consternation. The speaker was as we have already stated a very singular personage in every respect, for although of a dark Indian cast of countenance, he was rather tall and slender, his large black eyes seemed to betray an ancestry which terminated among the Moors of Spain, his high forehead gave him an intelligent look, whilst several protuberances which would alarm a phrenologist and which seem to have resulted from blows caused by severe accidents in mining and the attacks of his persecutors, gave him a weird aspect not altogether prepossessing. One thing however was in his favor, he was a Mexican, he spoke his native language with surprising fluency and brought out in detail those pohtical movements and historic events connected with the long struggle for religious liberty in which he had taken an active part. He seemed to bear the whole audience along with him in his advo cacy of the Reform movement. We must bear in mind that he was of a powerful mind and had a great influence on the audience. He had arrived in the city but a few weeks previous, the well known history of his sufferings had enlisted their sympathies, and they had collected about ten dollars to aid his family, which on this occasion he acknowledged by most touching comparisons with the benevolent exertions of the early church as recorded in the Acts of the Apostles. He made a most touching appeal to his hearers to cleanse their souls from having part in the blood of Stephens by leaving the church of Rome, and joining that movement which was in perfect harmony with Results of Tract Distribution. the existing laws of the country, and the best interests of the people, to return to the first principles of the Gospel of Christ as found in the New Testa ment, the Gospel of salvation as Christ taught it, without addition or comment, the alone way to sal vation. Angelita was not only fully persuaded of the truth she heard but at once , anxious to i clear her own soul from any acquiescence in the death of Stephens by a pubhc withdrawal from the church of Rome and an open avowal of her adhesion to the pure Gospel of Christ. During the same week she recceived a visit from Gulielma M. Purdie who understanding the difficul ties she had encoun tered in her conver sion presented her a beautiful httle pam phlet entitled ' 'Fa til er Ignacio and his Victims," a deeply touching narrative of the conversion of a Spanish Countess who was burned at the stake in 1559. This tract presented in familiar converse the vast difference between the Romish worship of Saints, and particularly of the Virgin Mary and the New Testament doctrine of One Me diator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus, and direct access to God in prayer and a clear personal experience of the pardon of sins through the atoning blood of Christ. The Spanish Countess. "The Castilian Martyrs." 49 The narrative of this tract opens in the beautiful home of Count Cardeha, where the mother had died and the principal care of the household rested on the eldest daughter, who had taken due care of the instruction of her younger sister. The eldest becomes anxious about her soul's welfare, for she notices the want of perfect peace even when attentive to all the duties and pen ances of her church. In this mood she takes a walk in the fields and sits down by a rocky prominence to meditate on the wonders of nat ure and the beauties God has permitted us even in this present world. She hears a voice in earnest prayer, the words sound strange for she hears that Spain lies in darkness, and that voice asks God by the light of his Gospel to dissipate the gross darkness of error and save the nation. A moment later she. is surprised as their gardener emerges from behind the rock, as surprised at being overheard in his prayer as was she in hear ing him pray so earnestly to God. She finds that he possesses a copy of one of the Gospels, that he reads it daily at home to his niece, and she gladly joins them in these occasions of worship and prayer. The Inquisition tracks out the Huguenot, laborer and he and his protegee perish in the flames. He leaves the copy of the Gospel with his wealthy convert, and that volume is blessed to the conversion of her sister, her brother is converted whilst copying one of the THE GARDENER'S PRAYER. 50 Romanism still Unchanged. Gospels for the monks of his convent, all meet in the hall of torment and perish side by side in an Auto de Fe. The conversations embrace every point of difference between Romanism and Protestantism, and it was just the tract which Angelita needed, and was greatly useful in confirming the resolution she had formed to break away from Rome even in face of scorn and contempt. This tract has passed through three editions on our presses, the last one being stereotyped, and has been reprinted in Toluca and Guadalajara, thus thousands of persons have been influenced by its clear and bold teachings. It is chiefly a translation of a small volume entitled "The Castilian Martyrs," issued by the Methodist Book Concern, New York. Some grave historical errors are corrected, for that volume has them perish in the Inquisition at Madrid. There were then but two Inquisitions in Spain, one at Valladolid and the other at Seville, where the family whose martyrdom forms the basis of the volume really suffered. Juan Gonzalez and his two sisters were tied to three stakes and began sing ing a Psalm whilst the flames wrapped theiryouthful forms until their souls took their flight from the burning tenement to form part in the heavenly throng which John saw of witnesses, who having been faithful unto death have received a crown of life. To many of our readers any mention of the Inqui sition would seem a needless reviving of records of deeds which history condemns, but we who have felt more or less the unchanged tenor of Romanism hi Spanish countries, and have been called upon to record in our pages deeds of blood, when whole AUTO DE FE, IN SEVILLE. Martyrdom of John L. Stephens. 51 congregations have been almost annihilated by armed mobs headed by priests, where in one case a minister was shot by the priest who led the mob, a foreign missionary being the first martyr, to us Rome is still fhe Mystery Babylon, stained with the blood of the martyrs. Yet this blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church, and no epoch of the work has been more fruitful to the cause than that immediately following the death of John Luther Stephens. At the sight of the mangled corpse weltering in blood, the wife of his native co-laborer whose life was providentially saved, and who was still a firm Catholic, throwing her arms around her husband's neck exclaimed: "Oh my child! I was unwilling to believe that Catholicism was a persecuting rehgion as thou didst tell me; I believed as my relatives told me that the Catholic religion was to be 'persecuted but not overcome,' but now I am undeceived. Was it necessary that I should see this in order to be convinced1? We can no longer remain members of a church stained with blood and infamy." It may be interesting to know that one of those who took an active part in the mob which assassina ted Stephens and sought the life of his co-laborer Severiano Gallegos, our peace poet, is now hke him, a Methodist preacher. They recently met at Confer ence. Whilst the recent convert was preaching he saw Gallegos seated among the preachers, and stopping his discourse threw his arms around him, asking his forgiveness for the rash attempt upon his life, and thanked God for having frustrated his wicked design. In the midst of such persecutions, and beholding around us the criminal conduct of priests, such as would stain our pages by their recital, when not only are the living hunted like wild beasts, but in one case a dead body is scourged to cleanse the soul of its former occupant from the crime of having taken an affirmation to sustain and defend the Con- 52 Present State of Catholic Nations. stitution and Reform Laws of Mexico, in the midst of such events we feel bound to handle Romanism as William Penn handles it in his "Seasonable Caveat against Popery," as it ever will be handled by those who know its true character, and can trace the un changing leopard spots beneath whatever enticing outward fleece they may be hidden. It need scarcely surprise us that in view of these things a very large number of people should abandon Romanism, and knowing no other rehgion should fall into infidelity. To such an extent has this been the case that a city paper printed in the capital of the State of Tabasco said of the attendance ' at services there during the Holy Week: "The priest walks soli tary and alone under the arches of the cathedral, the unbelieving multitude have fled from the altar, and only in the isolated villages are rehgious services attended or appreciated." The reason of this apostasy is clearly set forth by Joaquin Chiriboga in his "La Luz del Pueblo:" "Faith. and philanthropic sentiments have disappeared from the world because piety and good sense have fled from the church. The discourses of the Pontiff, the decisions of the Councils and the pastorals of the Bishops clash with that charity and right reason which should ever accompany the inspirations of those who call themselves the vicars and ministers of Jesus Christ, and from this results that chaos of errors and selfish passions in which Cathohc nations are submerged." CHAPTER VIII. Openly embraces protestantism. Is admitted a member of friends' society. general view of the Mexican Mission in 1875. New difficulties. £E have now arrived at a point from whence the records of the business meeting will enable us to fix the dates and bring the events into his torical order. The following Sabbath was a memorable day in the life of Angelita. It was then that she made known her convictions and her resolu tion to openly throw aside all allegiance to Rome and publicly declare herself a Protestant. It was a severe trial, for she was naturally timid, and she knew this step would sever many ties with former associates, and would -bring upon her both ridicule and persecution. It would also place her in care of new spiritual advisers, who were almost strangers to her, for she had first met them only three weeks previously. It is true that one thing inade her feel less diffident. In receiving counsel, and as she had formerly believed forgiveness of sins from her confessor, she was obliged to be alone with an unmarried man, and the sad tales of the abuse of these opportunities for leading young females astray -had filled her with anxiety, whilst those who were now to give her counsel and caution were both married men, and their wives sat with her during the meeting, and there was a certain nearness of social feeling she never could have felt toward the priests. 53 54 Unites with the Mission Church, There was no seclusion, when her request had bees made known through, the kindness of Mariana Villa-- nueva de Mireles, she was requested to remain after the meeting was dismissed, and whilst the audience was separating M. M. Binford went to where she was seated and began to inquire about the state of her own soul and her experience of forgiveness of gins and hope of eternal life through the atonement of Christ. Also of her conversion from the supersti tions of Romanism to the free and full Gospel of Christ. Her answers were clear and decisive. She- believed herself to be a child of God through faith in the sacrifice of Christ, and was determined by the promised grace of God to bring her hfe into full con formity with the teachings of Jesus Christ and his5 Apostles as found in the New Testament. In her sister there was not that clearness and depth of ex perience, yet there was a full acceptance of the" teachings of Christ, and faith in him as her only Savior. She was fully prepared to second the mo ve-- v ment of her sister and henceforth be one with her in Christian faith. So soon as the writer had attended to the distri bution of some papers to the dispersing assembly he joined M. M. Binford in his conversation with the' young converts, and both being satisfied it was deci ded to propose them to the next business meeting for admission as members, together with another person whose name is not mentioned. This was the last meeting our Friend M. M. Binford. attended before embarking for the United States, for a brief journey as was then supposed but which finally resulted in his being unable to rejoin the' mission during the eight years which have elapsed- since that favored Sabbath evening- There was a feeling of sorrow at the brief separa tion of one whose pastoral gift had been abundantly blessed to many souls, and had it been thought that- Departure of Missionaries. 55 this was to be a long separation (we will still hope it may not be a final parting,) the sorrow would have been unbounded. The mission at that time was sadly in need of funds, and aside from the broken health of his wife it was thought that a visit to different places would enable our Friend to lay the subject before Friends at home and save the mission. In thisv respect the results were most gratifying and the work not only con tinued but considerably enlarged. Indiana Yearly Meeting appropriated $1500, and quite a large sum was collected in Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York. Little did the congregation think that in a few weeks they would have to part with another laborer, the veteran colporteur and evangelist Clemente A. Vivero, who accepted a solicitation from the Metho dist superintendent of Western Texas and was soon after stationed at Rio Grande City, about 100 miles farther up the river, and on f?he American side. But a few months later they were to bid fare- Well to their only remaining minister under most Unfavorable and unpromising circumstances. But we must not press forward too rapidly. By examining the record of the business meeting we find that in the seventh session, held on the 7th of 8th Month or August 1875; " This session was opened by reading the minutes of the preceding session, after which the treasurer informed the meeting that $ 2. 50 had been collected during the month for aiding the sick and poor members, and he was directed to apply it to the same use as that of the previous session.* The broth er who presides, Samuel A. Purdie, then presented the names of three persons who were desirous of joining as members, having been examined according to our Disciphne, they are now admitted as members of this * To -aid the family of Clemente Abraham Vivero. 56 Public Confession of Clirist. Society, on making the public profession of their faith, and acceptance of the Gospel of Christ as their rule of life and conduct. The committee of beneficence (overseers of the poor,) in the fulfillment of their commission reported that there had been no sickness during the month, and that Castulo Salas desires to be united in membership with our Society. Agustin Gonzalez was appointed to fill the commission of beneficence during the present month. Jesus Mireles, Secy." The minute does not mention the names of those admitted, and appears to have been an intentional omission, rectified by concurrent testimony and by being the only case where blank spaces were left in place of names. As this session was held on the 7 th we find that the following day was the time when these two sisters made the public profession called for in the minute. It was a series of* questioning very similar to that already mentioned, and took plaeein the presence of the whole assembly in the regular meet ing for worship, which in this case was on First-day evening, the new members simply rising at their seats so that all present, not only members and believers but unbelievers could thus feel the force of their testimony for Jesus. We might here state that often this plain testimony had a more convincing effect than the preaching of the Gospel, because they could well understand how much self sacrifice it cost these timid converts to thus openly break off old companionships and stand up for Jesus, not only before a frowning world, but also before a powerful and persecuting church. Aside from the converting power of such a public profes sion, or as the Spanish people call it confession, on the audience it had a most beneficial effect on the new converts themselves. It was a decided step of New Trials and Provings. , 57 separation from the world, and from the Catholic church as well. They were strengthened by the Savior's promise: — "Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. " Mat. x. 32. They were however fully reminded that a verbal confession is vain unless the child of God shows forth in a Christain life and conversation the fruits meet for repentance, thus forming an epistle known and read of all men. These were days of much reviling, crowds of rough looking people thronged our doors and many means were employed for dis turbing the gatherings, yet we may look upon this as a great blessing, for making it so severe a trial to profess the truth it cleared us of an element moved only by popular favor, who might otherwise have sided with us without actual conversion. Aside from these trials an unexpectedly dark cloud broke over the young sisters who had now joined us. Their mother had become tolerant, and acquiesced in the change, but a sudden estrangement broke Upon Angelita from the very persons who had been the first to encourage her change of position. Respect for the dead and love for the living induce us to throw the vail of silence over those events which whilst proving the faith of the( young convert, induced her to stand' for the right? cost what it might. She determined hastily to change her home, and in the emergency was obliged to take up her abode in a much humbler residence than the one she Was resolved to leave. 1mm WE f JBIP mmBm m " "^TumT^T -ill- 1*"1 ': H1 %^B r ii9n§£3«Hw l» AT HOME IN THE WORK Uierogliphic name? of each day of the month. FROM THE AZTEC CALENDER. CHAPTER IX. The darkest Sour before dawn. Be-cOMFS an in mate of The mission family. First efforts id INTEREST THE CHILDREN IN GOSPEL HYMNS. N Ninth Street, between Bravo and Matamoros, ,} some poor man had thrown a roof ever the inter- f vening space between two humble dwellings and closed it at front and rear, so as to afford a shelter Which served for a shop. The roof was of inch boards with narrow battens, and having but a shght incline Was but httle protection against the fains* As no severe rain had fallen for a long interval of time the ground beneath was now dry, and as it Was offered for rent at two dollars per month she decided to occupy it* Under the cover of night they took their' baggage and moved to the new place. The three orphans in a single journey on foot took- all their1 goods to their new home.- 60 Change of Residence, Nature seemed to partake of the same dark aspect as their surrounding circumstances. It was a cloudy night and now and then bright chains of lightning illuminated the northern horizon, accompanied by low sullen rolls of thunder, and as the young girl f efiected on the sudden change she found it impossible to sleep. She had peace of mind in the thought that she had taken the right course, that she had decided not to be a hearer only of the Gospel, but a doer thereof • Strange as it may seem that very night a deluging fain broke Upon the city and before day dawned the ground of their floor was so moistened that on step ping about it at once became reduced to a soft and plastic mud. The little barefoot boy could however go to the market and buy eatables, so she gave him the last quarter she had. and sent him to buy some things for breakfast and bring back the change. He went along the narrow brick side- walk and boy like carelessly tripping along let fall the quarter, which disappeared in the bottom of a mud-hole formed by the rain of the previous night and if ever found, it certainly never returned to its rightful owners. With a muddy floor, and no chimney, without coal and bankrupt, such was the mournful aspect of the new day as it opened upon this sorrowful group of children. Her mother had drawn all her pay but a few days before and now there seemed no recourse left but in some unlooked for interposition of God's Providence. These sudden and severe changes had wrought on her naturally susceptible temperament and she found that aside from hunger, which she not only had to suffer herself, and saw no way to abate the doleful pleadings of her little brother, but she felt feverish and after sending her brother and sister to school she lay down utterly exhausted. During the forenoon the countenance of little Manuel bore Unmistakable evi- Severe Illness and New Home. 61 dence of some misfortune having crossed his pathway, and this induced Gulielma to question him closely as to the cause of his tears, and notwithstanding the efforts of Encarnacion to prevent his revealing their financial status he had no better thought than to tell it in full. No sooner had Gulielma comprehended their needs than she sent some aid from the meeting's treasury, which they considered a great favor, and thus they were only obhged to fast half a day. The following day Angelita found her fever increasing and Guhehna at once saw that the rains would soon render their hovel very unhealthy and perhaps imperil their lives, and therefore requested Angelita to come and stay with her until she should recover, and she would also take care of her brother and sister meanwhile. Angelita was removed to an airy bed room at one end of our porch and the other two accommodated in the kitchen in the yard. It was expected that this change would be temporary, and that so soon as Angelita should recover, some appropriate room could be secured and they could again keep house by them selves. Her symptoms became more serious and large red spots on the skin made us fear that she had been taken with small-pox, which had caused several deaths among our members. This however proved to be only a variety of fever which was of but a few days' duration, and the change from a muddy hovel to an airy room with a plank floor had been as useful as medicine in hasten ing her recovery. The days of her illness had brought her into intimate relations with Gulielma and the bond of sympathy seemed to increase from day to day, and so soon as she could be up about the room she used every effort to repay the kind attentions she had received during her illness. Gulielma felt the need of some such sympathizing companion to aid 62 Angelita grows in Grace. her in her household cares, and thus what was supposed to be a brief change for recovery grew into a deep and lasting bond of affection which was not severed even by her subsequent marriage, though thenceforth she had her home elsewhere. Her resi dence in the mission family was a school of useful ness and notwithstanding her limited education, was wonderfully improved by her and fitted her for that position which she afterwards filled in the Church of Christ. She grew in grace rapidly and began to accompany Gulielma in her visits to our members to give them counsel and encouragement, and to reconcile differ ences and promote a harmonious co-operation in the Lord's work. It was customary at that time on noting the absence of any member from our meeting on First-day afternoon to go immediately after meeting to see if they were sick, or ascertain the reason of their absence. Thus the physical and moral status of the little circle was closely watched and the com pany were brought into near fellowship and earnest ness of purpose in the prosecution of the work of evangelization. Angelita was an excellent singer and aided the mission very materially in teaching the children to sing, and thus early train their minds to a grate ful remembrance of the many benefits then* Heavenly Father has conferred upon them in the Gospel of Christ. About an hour was spent each day in tins most useful exercise, which served to attract the children, and train their voices, as well as impress them with a sense of their privileges and responsiblities. Now and then some travelhng member of some of our sister churches or some loving sisters from the American congregations of Brownsville, Texas, would take due care to enable her to acquire the tune of Usefulness of Gospel Hymns. 63 some new translation of our familiar Gospel hymns which by nearly every mail came from the pen of Thomas M. Westrup, who has done more perhaps than any other missionary to place Gospel truth in the sweet language of song before the evangelical Christians of Spanish America. The little hymn book of 16 pages grew by these additions very rapidly and thus not only our own but other churches were sup plied through our press. To give our readers an idea of the transformation wrought in Enghsh hymns when adapted to Spanish verse we present the following interlineal rendering of one strof a of the well known hymn beginning, "WHEN I CAN" READ MY TITLE CLEAR." 1 Cuando veo claro el titulo When I see clear the title Que me asegura, los cielos, Which me secures the heavens, Digo adios a mis recelos, I say adieu to my fears, Dejo al punto de llorar. 1 leave the point of Weeping. This specimen will suffice to show that they are rather imitations than translations. Below is a minia ture of the first page of our hymn book. LIRA EVANGELICA. OiNTICO 1? _1_ Aqui junto, rrunidoa Alabnmoate, Sefior, A tua bUos mur queri 'OB Lea concede! coto honor] Adorarte y alabarte flea nuestra ocupacion yue po'lamoapioclamart- t Dul Dio* de nueatra aaWacion. $ _2_ Siempre Boas alaba.'o Por tu inmenea caridad, iOh gran Dloa J eel. brado Beaa en la eternidad. T6, Sefior, eres benigno: Tu pordonas ron amor. Pe tue hyoe ru crea digno > blf Ue recibir ol loor. S L.. S. TROPICAL LOWLANDS OF SOUTHERN TAMAULIPAS. CHAPTER X. Fuller organization of the native church, and absence of their pastor. how the meetings were conducted. darkening political clouds. | HE business meeting held on the 5th of Septem ber was a noteworthy one. During the preceding month Clemente A. Vivero had removed to Corpus Christi, Texas where he was to preach until the meeting of the Annual Conference at San Antonio, and the church at Matamoros felt under obligations to give him a letter of recommendation. This letter was signed by all the members who were present and was the outgrowth of their fervent' desires to aid in helping this eccentric but in many ways extraordinary man in his Gospel labors. He went in company with Alejo Hernandez who had also been a very successful evangelist of the Metho dist Episcopal Church in Texas, but had been transferred to the care of the new church opened in the city of Mexico."He had become paralytic and had been stopping in Matamoros for some months hoping for relief from the able physicians of this city, but becoming worse he returned to Corpus Christi where he had founded the meeting, and died there twelve . days after reaching the place. One of the earliest converts under the labors of our Mission was a Frenchman, who had been a strict Romanist, and from curiosity came to our earliest meetings, but being very clearly impressed with the 65 F 66 Business Meetings in Mexico. Truth he embraced it with earnestness and took quite an active part in our business meetings. He had noticed that the frequent clfanges in the Junta de Beneficencia, were rather prejudicial than otherwise and by reading in the Acts of the Apostles found that they called those appointed to this work deacons and seemed to have made no limitation of time of service. He proposed that this change be made and the church be thus more perfectly made a reproduc tion of the apostolic church. The members at once took the matter into serious and prayerful delibera tion, several passages of the New Testament touching upon the duties and qualifications of those appointed to official stations in the early church were considered: and then the meeting decided that being a matter of considerable importance and requiring much care in the selection of the proper person or persons to fill these stations permanently it would be best to leave the matter open until next meeting. In the meeting held October 4th, 1875 the proposi tion of Bernardo de Lapuyade was again very prayerfully considered and as it was also deemed necessary for the deacon or deacons to co-operate with thehninister in the pastoral care of the flock, the members had fixed their attention on the qualifica tions of Agustin Gonzalez and he was appointed six months on trial, and if the church then deemed best was to be considered permanently appointed. At this second meeting the necessity of appointing elders to co-operate with the minister and deacon in the care of the flock was brought forward. These appoint ments were urged upon the attention of the meeting more particularly by the ill health of their pastor. I had suffered a severe attack of pneumonia the preceding winter and thus the delicate condition of my lungs had by the constant exercise in preaching so as to be heard clearly by the crowds gathering near our doors and windows, given rise to a severe attack Appointment of Elders. 67 of asthma, and it seemed .evident that rest and absence from this region of sudden and violent atmospheric changes would be necessary, and the young flock remain without a preacher. The appoint ment of elders was left for consideration for another month, when Pedro de los Santos and Jesus Valdez were appointed for six months, it being a very general opinion that there were at that time no persons sufficiently mature in their religious experi ence to be appointed permanently as elders of the flock. Thus did the little church * arrange with due care and in the reverent fear of the Lord, to work togeth er for mutual edification during the absence of one whom they had looked. upon as their instructor in the Gospel of Christ. A letter of recommendation to the pastors of other evangelical churches and also to the people at large was prepared by the clerk, Jesus Mireles, and signed by nearly all the members of our meeting. We had at that time but few members who could not read and write, and we have not been able to make much progress among the more ignorant and debased class of people. It is the investigating class of people, whose minds have loosed the moorings which bound them to the blind creed of Rome, who have been most ready to rceive Gospel in this land. Whilst the tender interest of the members of the httle church had thus made provision for the care and instruction of the flock, the welfare of Gulielma was to be taken into consideration, and Angelita became more than ever her bosom friend and co-la borer in the household and in the work of the church. The meetings were kept up in my absence, the exercises consisting chiefly of the reading of Scrip ture passages and expositions, mostly from printed works, the exercises of prayer being mostly by Jesus Mireles and Agustin Gonzalez. 68 Voyage to Tampico. The reader will pardon a digression, and be ready to follow me in a hurried sketch of my journey. There was at that time no line of steamers engaged in the coasting trade, which was hmited to supplying Matamoros with tropical fruits. There were two vessels making occasional trips, and on one of these, "Los Tres Hermanos," of 16 tons burden, and drawing about two feet eight inches of water, I had the rare good fortune to secure a passage to Tampico. We raised anchor, or rather loosed our rop ing from a point known as "El «*.*.. a—.. •¦ Muelle," "The Wharf," though nothing marked the site but the name, and that was wanting. We were three days descending the Rio Grande to Bagdad, a land distance of 32 miles, but by the river channel three times that distance. Here our little craft was detained four days by contrary winds, when we were able to cross the bar and began our voyage over the rough waves of winter on the Gulf of Mexico. This was on the 22d of December 1875, and we were six days in running down the coast to Tampico, though in a favorable time the journey is made in 48 hours. The weather was beautiful, but the wind was contrary, and the sea voyage worked wonders in restoring my broken health. The day I had left Matamoros, a native helper of the Presbyterian Church (North) had left Mexico city for Tampico, and the day we crossed the bar at Bagdad his steamship left the wharf at Veracruz. He reached Tampico five days before us. On this journey I was accompanied by Calixto Lara as colporteur, and as we had a large supply of books and tracts, although my chief object was the restoration of my health, yet Ave were prepared for active work in extending the Gospel. Our col- Permanence in Tampico. 69 porteur was sustained by Friends of Baltimore Year ly Meeting. This journey laid in some measure the foundation for the great work since accomphshed by our Southern Mission. So soon as the place of worship was arranged, I joined Pedro Trujillo, the native helper, in opening meetings, and thus my whole, stay in that city was an active effort to aid in laying the foundation of the mission now sustained in that port by the Associated Reformed Presbyterian Church. Near the city of Tampico are the ruins of several cities pertaining to the ancient Huastec kingdom, and I had hoped to visit them and collect some of the interesting specimens of antiquity which abound among the debris of their ruined pyramids. Early one morning we entered a canoe and began running up the Tamesi river, intending to land at Altamira. Our canoe seemed to open its way amid the countless multitudes of water fowl which, were wintering' in this delightful region, the banks were studded with tropical verdure, abounding in gay flowers, whilst birds quite as brilliant in color were flitting about amid the dense verdure. On the way we stopped at a ranch where we hired horses and a guide in order to visit the ruins on Sierra de la Palma, 27 miles from Altamira. Our guide swam his horses across the river and went by land to meet us at Tancol where we were to pass the night. The day had been cold, a brisk north wind was blowing, and a chilly rain kept us saturated, thus we passed the night without bedding, in a reed hut which had never been plastered, and we awoke next morning with a burning tropical fever, and had to abandon our journey and return to Tampico for medical treatment. I had especially hoped to obtain some of the small clay idols which abound in these ruins, and which are so thoroughly burned that 300 to. 500 years of exposure to the moist tropical soil 70 Interesting Htiastec Remains. and the shade of tropical vegetation have not injured them in the least. On my return to Tampico a pious Christian lady who was interested in my remaining as long as possible in the city in order to help in the i good work, presented me j^^^lk with one of these idols in i$*-*' ' 1111 order to remove all desire to iP^'^ffll ^s^ the rums- This idol is Jmc^Wi now in the cabinet of Earl- ^^pg:^« ham College, at Richmond I ''t'j -*-n<^- ^e accompanying jg$M ' jfw cut represents one of the - -imk most perfect specimens yel || ,/ *^M found and is in the collec- \y^m W^4 ^<>n °^ Alejandro Prieto, $^wk %- ^he historian. With the X1 , ,j|J exception of the shortness mSl °^ firearm the figure m|§ fell is pretty well proportioned. $'M There is quite a diversity W* ' $*j&.H •; of opinion among antiqua- M' H ' *H -1 rians as to the true nature ' ' ''%sb«w °^ tnese l'-*a.v images. Some ^^^m^^m^^^M^k are inclined to look upon huastec clay image tllem as symbolical me mentoes of the person in whose grave they had been interred. These clay im ages are found in the places of interment, which were orderly in their arrangement and decoration. These were but a trifle larger than our cut, and must not be confounded with the massive stone idols which were placed on the summits of their pyramids. I saw two of the latter in Tampico, but was not inclined to purchase or pay freight on them. One of the latter class is represented at the close of this chapter. It was whilst engaged in these investigations that I prepared my "Child's Histoiy of Mexico " a Motives of my Return Home. 71 work which has been abundantly useful in combating idolatry in all its forms, aside from its utility as a text book for schools. About 5,000 copies have been put into circulation. The darkening political clouds, and the news that Gen. Porfirio Diaz, who had escaped from the coun try, was at Brownsville, Texas, made me hasten home at once, as Matamoros would be the probable point of attack, and I was desirous of joining my wile and the. little ehurch in the hour of trial Mexican Stone Idol. Sclilptlired fiock, ghoVvipg, flathead type of Itza apd Miajtec Imager CHAPTER XI. Anxiety of Gulielma from both reasons, my ab sence, and the threatening revolution. Arrival home. The storming of Matamoros. Trials du ring the occupation of the city, until the entry of General Escobedo. %E will take a glance at the household in Mata- | moros in the latter part of February 1876. The mails had failed to bring for some days any tidings of the absent one, and the impression- left by the last letters was that I would embark on the first sloop up the coast. News had reached the city that the "Alba" of 19 tons burden, loaded with 300 bunches of bananas, 50 pine apples and seven passengers, had left Tampico for Matamoros, but had failed to reach her destination, the anxiety led to rumors and it was noised, abroad that she had been shipwrecked. It is quite prob able that the light-house keeper at the mouth of the Panuco river had seen us driven past by a furious gale which it seemed impossible for such a craft to survive. We had been obliged to seek safety in the roads to the leeward of Lobos Island, near Cape Roxo, where the coral reefs permitted us to anchor in safety. Gulielma had not given way to undue alarm, and waited patiently for further news. It was noon of a most beautiful day, the 28 th of February, and the prairies around the cifcy were now 73 74 Arrival at Matamoros. covered with immense beds of verbenas, whilst a beautiful pink flower seemed to rival the former in abundance and beauty. Gulielma had made a call on most of our members that morning, and had invited the girls and young ladies to accompany her in the afternoon, in a walk outside the city walls, to enjoy the fresh breeze ofthe plains, and the invigorating view of the spring flowers. At noon the owner of the buildings, who kept a hotel down town, called in to inform her that the missing sloop had reached Bagdad, that her husband was on board., and that most of the passengers had already reached the city, and that I might arrive at any moment. Soon .a dozen or more of the young ladies and school girls had gathered for the picnic, and on hearing the report there was a division of sentiment, some thinking it true, and others that it was a flying rumor, and so about half of the company went to cull flowers on the plains, whilst the others remained with Gulielma, awaiting my arrival. The sun was fast sinking in the western horizon, the party had become tired of rambling over the plains and had just arrived under the back porch, Gulielma was entering the sitting room to arrange the repast which they had intended to partake in the shade of the mesquite trees on the prairie, when we both entered the same room by opposite doors, and the whole circle was aroused, and the simple feast was mingled with the unbounded joy of so happy and scarcely expected an occurrence. The girls soon hurried home to tell then* parents, and nearly all the members of the meeting called in before bed-time to welcome back their pastor, rejoiced at his greatly improved health. The girls' school was re-opened and Angelita be came associated with Gulielma in its management, Outbreak, of the Revolution. 75 and later in the season became its teacher. A few small boys were admitted, being all that there were at that time of the children of our members. The threatening political clouds did not delay in gathering, and on the 2d of March, only three days after my return, Matamoros was declared to be in a state of siege, and no one was allowed to leave the city without a passport. Gen. Diaz remained in Brownsville, and whether there was any organized forces on the plains west of the city or not was the subject of m6st contradictory reports. It is true that a merchant of Brownsville, who had been virtually banished from Mexico for his participation in the Empire of Maximilian, had organized a squad of men, who soon after took the little village of Reynosa and after levying a forced loan on the inhabitants had approached Matamoros. At Palo Blanco they had been met by Gen. Diaz who there reformed the plan of his proposed revolution, but a 'difference of opinion led to the withdrawal of the merchant who had headed the adventurers up to that time. It was now known that Gen. Diaz had obtained a loan and that he was giving his troops 50 cents per day, thus many of the poor people out of employ ment began crossing to Brownsville, from whence they could pass over to the revolutionary party, who were engaged in smuggling arms and ammunition across the river some miles above Brownsville. The reports as to the number of troops thus organized were so contradictory that no reliance could be placed on the current rumors. The National Guards, _ or state militia, were mustered and kept in order, whilst active preparations were carried on by Gen. La Barra for the defense of the city, the cannons were placed on the earthworks which surround the city on the west and south, and there seemed no doubt but that the government troops within the city were too numerous and well drilled to expect an early attack. 76 Storming of Matamoros. Some reports placed the outside party at 300 and others at 500, whilst the government troops of infantry, artillery and cavalry were about 700 strong, and the city troops or National Guard consisted of 1,000 men. Yet on March 31st at a httle before sunset a reconnoitering force of 150 men, headed by General Diaz made a feint of attack, and filled the city with consternation, the stores being closed and doors barred awaiting the struggle. After taking a distant view of the earthworks these forces retired and order was restored, the stores opened again the same night, and Saturday, April 1st was passed without any alarm, the foreign residents had not been warned to leave the city and it was apparent that no immediate attack was expected. Sabbath morning, April 2d, was a beautiful sunny morning, all was quiet, the city was now void of fear, the conflicting reports were not relied upon, and the mustering of the inside forces with the ostensible object of scouring the plain and driving away the enemy, had scarcely been noticed by the people in general. We had just done breakfast when one of our elderly members called for a few minutes, and as he was about to leave I asked-=hiin what was the news, and he said that it was rumored that the outside party would attack the city that day. As he left we accompanied him to the street door, and were still looking out on the street where he had turned the first corner, when suddenly the clash of closing doors resqunded like rolling thunder all around us. We were looking westward toward the Monterey gate, wdien in the dim distance amid the thick clouds of dust we could discern the cavalry rushing down our street with drawn arms, whilst a shower of balls went hissing down the street. So sudden had been the attack, and so unintelligible the confused noise of war, that in the few moments we had been standing in Storming of Matamoros. 77 the door- way Col. Parrat of the inside cavalry had reached the corner of the street, not 40 feet from us, and having already lost his hat, . whirled his horse two or three times around, uncertain which street to take for safety. He finally took the north end of Ninth Street for Santa Cruz, and we having fully comprehended our situation, closed the door and running out at our back door, crossed the yard to our printing office, a small brick structure on Ninth Street. We had scarcely reached this place of greater safety when the troops of Gen. Diaz came past the office with drawn swords, fighting back the govern ment .troops, the terrible noise of clashing arms and the discharge of musketry being only separated from us by the inch doors and delicate window shutters. We withdrew to the back room of the printing office and took our position where brick walls would intercept the balls, and waited with almost breathless anxjety the termination of the struggle. The compa ny consisted of the widow Aguilar and her three children, my wife and an orphan girl of eight years, and our pressman and myself. It was not so much our own peril as the thought of the carnage in the streets, and a deep sympathy with the sufferings necessarily incident to the storm ing of the city. Gulielma fainted twice, and suffered from chills produced by fear, from which she did not recover for some months, The others were nearly as much frightened, and the trial and anxiety of that hour and a half of suspense will never be forgotten by any one of our trembling little group. The noise finally ceased and soon the bell of the Cathohc Church sounded forth the note of victory, victory to the forces of Gen, Diaz, but told us that our city had surrendered. We had not even bolted the doors of our residence and meeting rooms at No. 49 Calle de Bravo and as the thin wooden structure was very insecure we expected that what valuables we had 78 Storming of Matamoros. would either be stolen by the troops, or by the city thieves who would take advantage of the disorder to steal with impunity. We had just reached the back porch of our rooms, and were entering a bed room at one end of the porch when we heard the sudden blow of a ball, which entered the room at the opposite side and passing through a framed photograph, splintering the glass into fragments, struck the opposite wall from which it took a rebound and fell on the bed only three feet from us, throwing splinters from both walls over our heads, through the open door- way. Almost simulta neous was the noise of a full discharge in line from both contending forces, followed in a few moments by the deafening roar of artillery. The bell of victory had been premature, the more faithful troops having taken refuge in the powder magazine, where they made a most determined resistance for over an hour, to a deadly fire of grape and canister at close range. With the first discharge we rushed into the main building, the walls being of two inch plank, and throwing our straw bed against the wall as an additional protection, lay down on the flobr awaiting the end of the struggle. The dull thud of spent balls and the deep roar of artillery were more terrible than the first onslaught, but there was relief in a myste rious adaptability which in a measure destroys fear, by a surplus of fear, I might say a physical insensi bility to danger, such as the soldiers speak of feeling when in battle, akin to that of Dr. Livingstone when shaken by the South African lion. I had experienced a similar feeling when the wild waves washed the deck of the "Alba," and partially dismantled we were hourly expecting a watery grave. . It was not valor, though the latter had led us to stand by our flock in that hour. Valor is only possible when the mind is in its normal state. In tlie rush of battle and amid the clamor and anguish of the suffer- Storming of Matamoros. 79 ing victims, pallor marks the face even of the boldest, and this insensibility to danger alone makes it possi ble for men to stand in the deadly combat; the same feeling overpowers the humblest resident, as his house seems the centre of danger, and he knows not what a moment may bring forth. The bell again sounded forth the note of victory, the streets became quiet, in fact they seemed deserted, and some time elapsed ere the doors and windows were opened and people began to look out upon the street. When we did so, we saw a boy ride past on a beautiful horse, which was bleeding jfrom a ghastly wound in the thigh, one of the incidents in the confusion of the hour. That afternoon a small company gathered at the usual hour, to thank God for his watchful care over them and their families in that trying hour. Gen. Diaz was aware that any delay would be likely to bring upon him an overpowering force, and determined at once to march upon Monterey. He determined to take the National Guard (militia) as infantry, and what troops had surrendered, and hasten forward. The National Guard consisted of undrilled troops, and having taken a route very scantily supplied with water, sun-stroke and thirst soon thinned their ranks, and finding that he would be obliged to avoid the enemy, he sent the infantry back as it was an impediment to his march. We shall never forget the day these troops left the city, and the wives, sisters and mothers of the conscripts grouped along the street to take what might be last look at their dear ones, who were not permitted to take a formal parting from their families. The voice of plaintive wailing resounded from house to house, and many who had thus lost their only support, had not even food for a single day, and could expect nothing until a final victory sliould be attained, and few if any were ever to receive any 80 Military Reverses. compensation whatever. Hundreds of families were thus thrown into the jaws of famine, eking out a miserable existence in the most menial services. In a few weeks those conscripts who did not perish from thirst, had either crossed over into Texas as deserters, or had returned in disorder to Matamoros. Efforts were made by Gen. Manuel Gonzalez * for the city's defense, forced loans were levied, the earth works were being placed in order, laborers were pressed to work on the fortifications and we were expecting soon all the horrors of a bombardment, as Gen. Escobedo who led the government troops had heavy artillery with him, and Gen. Diaz who had avoided his march and had hastened to attack Gen. Fuero, had been defeated and his troops dispersed at the battle of Hicamole. During all this time our day school was kept up, the meetings were usually attended by ah or nearly all of our members, thus our permanence among them in the hour of trial and danger, and our counsels to them to avoid being drawn into the current of political events, gave as a result an increase in number and a closer union of the body. Only one member had been conscripted, and he was never engaged in actual combat, whilst but one accepted a position in the Custom House under the Diaz government. * Now, 1883, President of Mexico. i Mexican Wgp 1CHAFTER XIII. Occupation of the city by Gen. Escobedo. Pro longed siege, with the history of the Mission Church during the summer of 1876. Shi & ROM day to day the alarm grew more intense., and the fears -of bombardment became more imminent, so that every effort was made to prepare for the defense of the city. It was in this state of dread that the people of Matamoros retired to rest on the night of the 16 th of May, entirely ignorant of the plan devised by Gen. Gonzalez, and when we arose in the morning, to behold the street lamps still burning, it was some time ere we could believe that at 3 A. M., Gen. Gonzalez had evacuated the city, taking with him not only tbe National Guards but also the police force and night watchmen, -so that we were without any of the ordinary means ¦of pubhc security. Gen. Gonzalez had requested the foreign ambassadors to care for the peace and order of the city, and after thousands of dollars had been spent in repairing the earthworks and deepening the trench to ^protect the city, full arrangements were made for the peaceful entry of Gen. Escobedo, with his army of 3,000 men, and heavy pieces of artillery. All the arms and munitions of war were taken by Gen. Gonzalez who marched toward San Fernando, During the day of the 17th the City Fathers were called together, not now the public officers, but the 81 G t 82 Revolutionary Incidents. merchants, lawyers and professional men, who were to form the Public Security, each store was to furnish one clerk, mounted on horseback, as a patrol, to take the place of the police and night watchmen. This last resort of government knows no nationality, most of the merchants being foreigners, as also the clerks who formed the patrol. This form of government needed no treasury, as the quota of each store was in mounted clerks, who were supposed to represent and protect the property of their employers in common and in combination with their fellow citizens. It would seem however that among troops, police, watchmen and deserters, all the bad people had left the city, and no act of violence or robbery took place during the brief and patriarchal rule of the Pubhc Security. As we have already stated only one of our members had been conscripted and one had accepted a position in the Custom House, and both of these now crossed over to Brownsville, and remained there until the close of the war. The remainder of our members kept aloof from the revolution and quietly followed their usual avocations without interruption. This was mainly due to our teaching the peaceable nature of the Gospel of Christ, that his kingdom is not of this world, and therefore his servants cannot fight with camal weapons. Another mission estabhshed on the frontier taught the same truth under many qualifying terms, its pastor was absent collecting funds to assist in building a chapel, one native helper was also absent for his health, and. the church was under the direction of another native helper, and the elders and deacons. All of these were drawn into the tide of political ebullition, one of the deacons was sergeant, one of the elders accepted a commission as colonel and the preacher presented his name for a captain's commis sion, another elder had become accomplice in the desertion of his son, thus when Gen. Escobedo came along all of these had to take refuge in Incidents in Mission Work. 83 Texas and thus all the work was suspended until the other native helper could return, and but little could be done until the establishment of peace in February of the following year permitted the return of the church officials to their homes, so- as to resume their duties in the care and oversight of the church. This is an evidence of the practical working of peace principles in so warlike country as Mexico had been up to that date. The day school continued in care of Angelita, who usually opened the school with prayer, and aside from the Catechism lesson she was very useful in teaching her pupils by a direct application of Bible truths. On noticeing this unfolding of a gift which might make her greatly useful to the church, I determined to translate and issue the Journal of Jane Hoskens, which is full of such humble aspirations to be led by the hand of the Lord in his service, that it would be greatly useful to her in this period of small service in the Master's cause. sThis work was warmly appre ciated by the Methodist missionaries, who aided greatly in its circulation. Angelita accompanied Gulielma in her visits to the families of our members, and was very useful in giving counsel, and in admonishirfg the erring ones, as well as in inviting those who felt desirous of inves tigating to attend our meetings and hsten to the preaching of the Gospel. She was of a timid nature, and it was difficult for her to labor except in a social way or in family caUs, but her labors in this sphere were abundantly useful to the infant church. Guhelma's health was greatly broken by the ner vous shock caused by the storming of Matamoros by the forces of Gen. Diaz, and among those consulted was an aged woman whose treatment in such cases had been useful to many. She bad long been a strict Romanist, and was quite profane and quarrelsome Mth her neighbors, and at 87 years of age we had 84 Conversion of Petra Garza. no thought of her conversion. On one occasion when she called in the ministers of both missions were. engaged in a weekly prayer meeting, and fearing that our exercises would disturb her, Angelita took her to the school room in order to entertain her until our .prayer meeting should close. She began to ask Angelita the object of our gathering, and as she overheard the singing of a hymn was much pleased with it. Angehta invited her to attend our pubhc meetings, which she promised to do. This was the first step which led to the conversion of Petra Garza de Mendez, the closing years of whose life were to show forth in a wondrous manner the power of the Gospel to redeem even those who might seem to be immovably fixed in the superstitious ideas which for more than fourscore years she had held as her hope of salvation. A woman living near her home had a Bible and by invitation of this aged lady would go to read the Bible to her, and both were led by its influence to a full acceptance of the Protestant faith. Not long after the occupation of the city by Gen. Escobedo a large«body of his troops went in pursuit of Gen. Gonzalez, thus the troops for the defence of the city were reduced, and Gen. Cortina who had escaped, from his detention as prisoner at the city of Mexico, had organized his followers and began to scour the plains and at times to attack the city. One night as we were sitting hi our room, occupied in our several tasks, my own being as usual that of translation, a sudden and terrific crash was heard, ' and in a moment we bounded to where we could have the protection of a double planking from the the balls which were coming in profusion and with stunning force. The first crash was however the only one which entered our building. An ounce ball had passed over our heads at an elevation of about two feet above them, when strikmg against a thick A Quaker Fort in Mexico. 85 sheet of tin and just over the wire band at its edge, had bounded back into the middle of the floor, barely missing us in the rebound. The dread roar of one of the long field pieces made the enemy retire and the firing ceased. Nearly every cloudy night or foggy morning these attacks were renewed, and as balls were falhng all around our buildings we prepared a small room the sides of which were protected by benches, planking, bedding, and such useful books as presented a con siderable surface to protect us from the stray balls. We had it thus barricaded to a height of about four feet from the floor, and so soon as we heard the dis charge of musketry we went into this room and lying down upon the floor, were comparatively free from danger. Our Friend Agustin Gonzalez had prepared a pit, covered with strong beams and about a foot of earth, in which he could protect his family, and we had often thought of doing the same. The right of self defense by such means being hcit and laudable. Familiarity with danger had in a measure abated our fears, and by day when attacks were made, we scarcely gave them any attention whatever, and were often walking upon the streets, returning from a visit or some errand, some time after firing had begun. Several citizens had been wounded, one httle girl of our acquaintance, whilst sleeping in her bed, had five teeth knocked out by a rifle ball, which left an ugly wound in each cheek, and one of our workmen had a bah pass through the head-board of his ¦ bed and through his pillow, but taking a downward course it fell to the floor. We would mathematically calculate these cases, and divide our population of 16,000 by that number and thus find that we stood compara tively little risk of injury. Were we to admit that one peaceful citizen were wounded in each attack, we would still incur only one risk in 16,000, and were a ball to strike us the chances 86 Revolutionary Incidents. were more favorable to a slight injury than to a mortal wound, thus on the doctrine of probabilities we had a fair chance. But far above all was the thought that we were the children of a kind Heav enly Father, engaged in his service, and he had promised to be with such as placed their trust in him. Thus during seven months of close siege and fre quent hostilities we were able quietly to go forward with our work with very few interruptions. The most heart-rending scene during the summer and fall was the burning of the ranches to the westward of the city, by order of Gen. Revueltas, then military commander of the city. The poor people were ejected from their dwellings and not allowed to save any of their valuables, whilst their buildings were burned before their eyes. In one case it was said that an infant was burned to death in the cradle, its mother being absent when their reed house, thatched with grass, was fired and in a few moments was reduced to ashes. This was a reprisal, or might be a victory, but it was to the poor victims, pillage and murder. 4IU0. iw/m is . H lips!, r^itv'1'-™ •1 Victory, alias M*illage and JTIurder* CHAPTER XIII. Conversion of Luciano Mascorro. Incidents during the siege. Death oy Castulo Salas during the "big druijk" which followed the entry of the forces of Gen. Cortina. jjP to this date our mission had no native evange list, since the removal of Clemente A. Vivero, and aside from the occasional exhortations of Agustin Gonzalez and his more frequent exercises of prayer, the native portion of the congregation took no active part in the vocal exercises. We felt this to be a great draw-back to our work, for native evan gelists have much nearer access to the people, and speak the language with greater ease. It is rare indeed that a. foreigner escapes some chronic peculi arity which marks him as a foreigner. The missionary • is no exception to this rule. Some peculiarity of ( accent, some shght variation in the sound of a vowel, j some mistaken use of a verb, ora badly chosen/ adjective * betray his foreign nationality. We had long had a useful assistant in the press room, but unexpected difficulties were paving the way for his separation from our employ. One afternoon as I was busy in the printing office a young man handed me a letter which had been given to him in another printing office in the city. It was from a young man who had been connected with the editorial work of a liberal paper in Mier, and who had read "El Ramo de Olivo" as an exchange paper, and desired to knpw more about the Society 87 88 Conversion of Luciano Mascorro. of Friends which sustained such a paper. He had attended a few of the meetings of Clemente A. Vivero in that city, and had been an energetic^ member of a society of "Workmen" which had beem organized there.- He had also on one occasion delivered the pubhc address in the plaza on the national: celebration of the uprising at Dolores,, the first- stroke of Mexican Independence. It- was not an idle curiosity that prompted him to* take this new step, and expose himself to the ridicule of his nearest relatives,, and most intimate acquain tances.- He was not only a decided liberal, but saw in Christianity as presented in "El Ramo de Ghvo,"1 something that could satisfy the longing of an- immortal soul. He had lost all confidence in Roman ism, and whilst in Mier in concert with his fellow compositors in the office of "La Lampara" had issued for gratuitous circulation that cutting satire1 ©n Romish superstitions which has done more perhaps than any other , pamphlet to open the eyes- of the devotees of Rome to see the errors of that ehurchr and the astonishing contrast between its; pantomimes and the Gospel of Christ. Completely weaned from Romanism,, he had been living for some time with a brother who was aMasonr and had come under the excommunication issued, by Bishop Montesdeoca against the members of that order. The Bishop had recently made his last visit to the towns alongthe Rio Grande above Matamoros,, where he was met at every turn by criticisms from the public press and f ound but few sympathizers. This interesting young man,'since so* well known wherever the Gospel has extended in Mexico, was; simply invited to attend our next public meeting at the usual hour where he could best understand our work. It was a night meeting, and the preaching was a simple exposition of the doctrine of repentance for Incidents during the Siege* 8.9 the remission of sins. Luciano Mascorro, for such was his name,, listened with attention, he was not only persuaded, but felt the power of the Gospel reaching his heart. He was henceforward a diligent attender and but a few weeks later apphed for ad mission as a member, and was warmly welcomed by the brethren to a place in our midst.. The vacancy in ©ur printing office was now filled and his rare typographical abihty soon made a very decided improvement in the appearance ©f our pub lications. The siege continued with unabated rigor, the mails- were closed, and for a time it was necessary for all burials- to take place in the costly cemetery inside- the city walls. The three bridges across the ditch were taken up and fhe gateways filled in with piles ©f posts,, whilst some wire fences were placed outside to prevent a sudden assault. Attacks were frequent,, and on one occasion as Luciano was walking in the street a ball struck about two> feet before him,, imbedding itself in the earth. One afternoon as I was returning from Brownsville,, which was our only outlet, coming around a bend on the street railway, where our car was in line with the east wall I could distinctly see froni the car window the blaze of the two contending armies,, as volley after volley was exchanged between the insurgents and the force of Ft, Iturbide, where the eastern wall reaches the river bank apposite Ft. Brown. I hastened home as- I knew that they would be nearer in range and more exposed to danger than I was where I first saw the eoihbat. On reaching home I found that Gulielma, and Angelita had just returned from shopping on Commercial St. and had been walking in the streets during most of the combat. Such is the Confidence inspired by continued exposure to danger, and familiarity with revolutions. 90 Christmas Exercises. Notwithstanding these critical suroundings we de cided to have the usual closing exercises of our school on Christmas night. Aside from the scholars several young people were to take part in the exercises, and a beautiful Christmas tree was arranged and filled with presents for the children, a special fund for this object having been raised by our members, amounting in that time Of scarcity to some 16 dollars, most of which was spent in articles of clothing for the school children. OPENING A BOX OF CHRISTMAS GIFTS. The evening was fine, the house filled to overflow ing, and no part of the exercises attracted more attention -than the closing address to parents and children by Luciano Mascorro. It was his first public discourse in defense of the Gospel, and caused a Progress of the Mission Church. 91 favorable impression on the , audience, whilst the elders of the church thought they saw there the plain indication of a call to the ministry. He received the most cordial counsels of the officers of the Society, and soon after began to take part in the public exer cises of our regular meetings. He had some months previously been appointed Clerk of the Monthly Meeting, held then as now at 8 P. M. of the first Saturday of each month. School opened again two weeks after New Years and Angelita had been able to add quite a number of children to the list, among others several grand-nieces of Ramon Lozano, the Luther of Mexico. She had been appointed as deaconess in November, 1876, and each month she had to give an account of the number of sick, and any other subject bearing on the progress of the church, especially those things relating to the female members. She was accordingly very diligent in visiting the sick, and in counselling those who had become careless in attending our meetings, or had fallen into sinful habits. She was greatly blessed in this labor for Christ, and received the most cordial sympathy of the whole church, of which she had become servant, as the Greek word implies. As we have previously stated, our members had nearly all refrained from taking any part in the revolutionary struggle which placed Gen. Diaz in the presidential chair. They were engaged in a more important struggle, and amid the varying shades _ of pubhc opinion maintained a most strict neutrality. One of our members had some time previously passed over to Brownsville, where he had engaged in a small grocery business, and was getting along well in trade. He had a wife, some years younger than himself, and a bright little boy was the father's joy and the mother's pride. Prior to his union with our Society he had been an intimate friend and partizan of Gen, 92 Peaceful entry of Gen. Cortina. Cortina, who since his escape from prison in Mexico, had gathered his followers and besieged our city. After the defeat of Gen. Diaz, at Hicamole, he had escaped in some way the vigilance of the forces at Tampico and by an unlooked for series of victories had taken possession of the national capital, although this event was unknown in Matamoros until 40 days after the flight of President Sebastian Lerdo de Tejada. Every other point had surrendered and a longer resistance here was useless. Yet Gen. Revueltas well knowing the character of Gen. Cortina, who after besieging us many months under various pre texts, had now declared in favor of Gen. Diaz, had determined not to permit his entry into the city. When Gen. Blanco was sent by Diaz to take command of the city, be determined to permit the peaceful entry of Gen. Cortina. The 19th of February was fixed upon, and flowers were strewn in the pathway of Cortina and his troops. Castulo Salas, the member of whom we have been speaking, determined to cross over- the river above Matamoros, and accompany his old friend in the hour of triumph, and entered the city on horseback, but unarmed, in company with the army. After the entry of Gen. Cortina a small bounty was distributed to the troops and they prepared for a big drunk, to celebrate their victory, not a few of the government troops getting more than half-seas-over in half a day. As the head-quarters of Gen. Cortina were opposite our printing office, then on Tenth St. corner of Bustamante, we returned home' early in the afternoon as the drunken roughs were discharging firearms at random and thus endangering* the lives of peaceful citizens. Early at night we closed our doors, for groups of drunken soldiers, mostly of Cortina's men were at the street corners near our house, still purchasing liquor and increasing the uproar. Just after dark we heard terrible shrieks at one of the Death and burial of Cdstulo Salas. 93 grog shops, or rather a store with a bar on the front end of the counter, as is usual in groceries in Mexico, and then followed the shrill whistle of the police tell ing us that something had happened, yet we thought prudence the better part of valor, especially when dealing with drunkards, and kept our house closed until after day dawned the next morning. Just after breakfast one of our members brought us a paper with the police report for the previous day, and we saw tha't Castulo Salas had been struck down by the drunken crowd, one of his own party having struck him on the head with the breech of his gun, burying the lock in his brain. A messenger soon called us to the bedside of the dying man, who was entirely unconscious, although he hngered most of that day. Gen. Cortina offered to bear the expense of the funeral, but the desires of his wife, and there being no proof of his being in any way culpable, induced us to take charge of the interment. The foUowing morning we attended the funeral, though quiet had not been restored in the streets, as a drunken officer fired six shots through the rear carriage as they went to the house, ready to take the friends of the deceased to the meeting, the carriage being empty at the time. We occupied the carriage on the return and it was with difficulty that we could induce the coachman to pass the same street corner, where he had previously been fired upon, though his aggressor had in the meanwhile been arrested, and was severely punished for his disorderly conduct. This funeral was one of the most impressive I was ever permitted to attend, and never did I feel greater freedom and boldness to show how the mangled corpse of our brother warned us to avoid evil associa tions and yielding to temptation. The open doors were however crowded with roughs and quite a number of the associates of Cortina were seated in the room. 94 Anniversary Exercises. The 30th. of January had in previous years been kept as anniversary of the first organization of the Society, but o«ring to the state of public affairs it was decided to have as anniversary the last Sabbath of February, anniversary of the first meeting for worship opened by us in 1872, and which was kept in succeding years. This time a new platform, with Bible stand, and hand-rail had been arranged by some of our members who were carpenters and was placed in our meeting room that morning, giving it a much more inviting aspect. Peace was once more restored to the nation, the prices of eatables which had risen considerably quickly fell to the usual rate, the mails were soon re-established, and our books which had been for the time limited to the city, began to be called for from distant points, whilst the attendance at our meetings began to increase and the work take a more inviting aspect. Septeptfiopal America. (Mexico.) CHAPTER XIV. Successful efforts of Angelita in Mission Work, Controversy with the Priests. Growth of the church. Character and stability of the Mexican converts. ¦FTER the restoration of peace our members who had taken refuge in Brownsville began to return and thus our meetings began to increase in atten dance, and early in the Spring the grand-nieces of Father Lozano who had been brought into our day school were admitted as members, and the eldest of these being earnest in her zeal for the prog ress of the Gospel, was one of a small band who met twice each week to practice singing and learn new hymns. The ability of Angela Aguilar was here displayed and many hearts were influenced in our public meetings by Gospel Truths taught in the sweet language of song. Luciano Mascorro was also an excellent singer and often in attendance at these gatherings, and once each Week both the schools were brought together for one hour and trained in this useful exercise, and many truths sown in those young hearts may bear a rich harvest. I did not say tender hearts, for though many such there were, We had at that time in our school some pretty unruly children whose parents were friendly to our work, and but for their ungodly lives would have joined our Society. Protestantism had become popular and many who 95 S6 Remarkable death of "El Tejon. » liad no use for the priests began extolhng Protes't- .antism, thinking it a free road to heaven. We had in ! miles, and unaccustomed to the saddle, I slept very soon after dark. 1 awoke at ,"> a. ~>i. and my guide being chilly, built a fire, whilst 1 walked away from the ' firelight to take a view of the starry heavens: We were in the •centre of a vast table-land fully 1000 feet above the sea level; which gave us a better field for observation than I had anticipated, and not a cloud interrupted the vk-AV of the calm starlight of the •"Southern heavens. Every thought of fatigue was lost in a moment ¦as, resting its base on the plain the southern -cross stood bold and brilliant before me. I seemed to imbibe for a moment that enthu siasm which must have filled the heart of Vasco de Gania, and his companions, as their eyes rested for the, first time upon so bright a model of AA'hat they held in such high veneration. Other ¦groups of stars, which 1 now beheld for the first time, revealed to me what I had so long desired 'to see, the brightest gems ofthe •southern heavens. I had never in my previous visits to tbe Tropic of Cancer been able to see, and perhaps I should not on this •occasion had I not slept upon the ground. The perpendicular position of the Cross at the time I first saw it Avas the most favorable that could be desired, and my pious guide called my •attention to it with a feeling- bordering on adoration." 120 A Missionary in the Saddle* Passing onward through Jimenez, where I found some who had been readers of "El Ramo de OlivO,'' and thence to the Ranch of San Matias, residence of our Friend Ignacio Bolado, whose wife was still a Roman Catholic although she received us kindly and seemed willing to listen to the rehgious conversations which I had with her husband, the first step toward her conversion, which took place about two years afterwards. Ignacio very kind!}* secured me a guide and loaned me a horse and saddle, and from thence I crossed the Tamaulipa Oriental, at times passing one or two- days without seeing human habitations, when I en tered the more tropical region which was clearly noticeable on reaching Llera. The road which we had traversed since leaving Jimenez was through a region abounding in jaguars and pumas, as well as the ocelot, or leopard cat, and the tiger cat. The puma is very destructive to herds.. being especially fond of colts.- The parrots abound wherever there are streamlets. We were kindly entertained at Llera by Pragedis Balboa, a very liberal minded man who conversed. very freely on religious matters and who has ever been kind to our missionaries when passing, through. the village. Passing onward from Llera we began ascending the Sierra Madre chain amid a well-watered but precipitous region, and had to descend the mountains: by zigzag paths, so steep that I dared not traverse- them on horseback. After sleeping all night among the clouds on one of the elevated table lands, we descended to a river valley where, giant thorny reeds made our pathway' perilous. Soon after crossing the stream over a rough. bed of loose stones as large as pumpkins, we entered a dense tropical forest where giant trees bound together with vines aud filled with parrots and other" Journey through Tamaulipas. 121 tropical birds formed a rough and picturesque passage between grotesque and precipitous mountains with 'projecting rocky ledges on either hand of the narrow Valley, which led us after a journey of about seven hiiles from the ford, to the beautiful tropical village of Gomez Farias. Here we hoped to find one of our members whose wife was also an attender of our meetings, and who had recently removed here from Matamoros. We hoped to be refreshed by their com pany ere going to visit Father Lozano, which had been the principal object of my visit to this remote mountain village. Pablo Ibarra was of native origin and his wife had been born in this village. He had joined our Society whilst residing in Matamoros, where he was occupied as a water carrier. He had returned to this village and was servant of the presiding officer of the town, and it seems that like the little captive girl in the house of Naaman the Syrian, he had told his master so much about our work that he was desirous of seeing me, and was ready to do all in his power to ^enable me to gain access to the people. Another object of my journey was to learn the fate of our colporteur who had left Matamoros some months previously and who was last beard froni at Victoria, but had gone forward in the direction of Tula and Santa Barbara, and who we feared might have either suffered at the hands of his enemies or have succumbed to disease. He had accompanied Luciano Mascorro on his visit to San Fernando and had thus been exposed to the epidemic fever which had spread alarm in all parts of Tamaulipas. I had intended to go forward as far as Antiguo Morelos in search of him, as he formerly resided there. The wild beauty of the tropical forest was not niore agreeable than the the scenery where the hand of man had subdued nature, and banana orchards, coffee trees and pine-apple gardens greeted the eye. 122 First Meeting at Gdmez Farias, "I began inquiring for our friend Pablo Ibarra, and on reaching the door his wife ran out to receive me, overjoyed at so unex pected a visit. I supposed that her husband was inside, and entered hastily to salute him, but what was my surprise as ou turning around the door I saAv our colporteur, Calixto Lara, AA'ith a large supply of books and tracts. After a genuine Spanish hug I asked him how he kneAV that I was coming, to Avhich he replied that he had not even thought such an event possible. Impressed with a belief that in this village he would be able to sell books enough. to pay $2, which he was owing in Santa Barbara for his horse; and that he would even have an opportunity to preach to the people, he had left the latter village two days before, and but for my late start from Llera, both of us would have reached the same house at the same hour for the same purpose. He was putting on his coat to go and see Father Lozano, but we must uoav wait for dinner. A boy ran hastily to the sugar mill to call Dou Pablo, who was as overjoyed as any of us. Whilst dinner was preparing his wife spoke to him iu a low whisper, and he grasped his cleaving knife and started out the back door, returning in a few moments with a large cluster of bananas." "After dinner Pablo went with us to the ranch known as 'La Chinaca,' residence of Father Lozano, about a mile and a half from town.' The descent Avas rough, aud when it rains is very slippery, "After passing through a field of sugarcane Ave came in sight of the house, a long reed structure with a palm leaf roof, as are all the houses in Gomez Farias. Father Lozano Avas dressed in the usual style of a city lawyer, his clothes the worse for tbe Avear, probably tliose he wore Avhen mentor of the State Congress as our legislature is called. He received us with Avarni-hearted kind ness and Christian affability, He is extremely sociable, humble in his assertions, and charitable even to his enemies. He has the true spirit of nature's nobleman, as some one has called the agri- cultor, and says that food raised by the sweat ofthe brow is much sweeter than when purchased with money." "February 2d, 1879. This was the most remarkable day in my missionary labor in this laud. The morning was slightly uncom fortable, but as soon as breakfast Avas sei-A*ed our colporteur and Pablo Ibarra Avere passing about toAvn arranging for a publio meeting. The oiily place Avell seated Avas the old Catholic Mission Chapel, now used for the public school, and permission was readily granted for its use. At 3 v. M. a company of about, 160 persons, including nearly all the principal residents, and a fair proportion of females had gathered in the chapel'. Calixto Lara briefly stated the object of our mission. 1 followed iu prayer, and then read some verses of John iv: following Avith an exposition of the same. The audience Avas greatly moved by the clear and simple teaehing of the Gospel, so that very many shed tears and came forward at the close to express their satisfaction with our visit to their village." Fifst San Fernando Mission. 123 Ere I returned to Matamoros, Angelita had given birth to a son, whom they had named Samuel Purdie Mascorro, and of whose future service in the cause of Christ the joyfnl parents entertained fond hopes. A month later they removed to San Fernan-- do, hoping to open mission work there, but met with the most decided opposition. On writing a petition to the Mayor to register a place of worship, Luciano was fined $20, for not using stamped paper, a requi site of which he was ignorant, and this proceeding was without precedent and probably illegal. Against the will of an ignorant and obstinate Mayor there was no immediate remedy, their object was to have him imprisoned for inability to pay the fine, and they boasted that they would have him sweep the streets. Two of his acquaintances paid the fine, but no atten tion was given to the subject when brought again before the Council, and even the recommendation of the Commanding General at Matamoros, brother of the Mayor, was useless in trying to get this officer to permit the opening of Protestant worship there. These were severe trials to the young mother, who feared the consequences of her husband's arrest. On regaining his liberty he came to Matamoros to try an appeal to the Governor, and as Angelita was suffer ing from pain in the breast, she came to get medical advice. The severity of the journey aggravated her disease, and when she reached our house she was removed from the carriage to a bed where she lay for some weeks in the most intense suffering. All hope of her recovery seemed to vanish several times, and it was not until the 10th of June, that she was able to sit up a part of the time. It had been necessary to wean the child, which was a severe stroke to it and on the day Angelita arose from the bed it was attacked With brain fever and after lingering a few days it died. This was a severe blow to the young parents but Was met with Christian resignation. fe!1.^. .„. . ~SllXXX; $H|-tM':i&W |v*X-fXS«p| Ifc *$¦ x: - ¦¦ 't'-^i'MW V'X xxii T8& CHAPTER XVIII, Intebest in the Gospel at Fakias. Missionaey joueney of Luciano Mascoeeo theough Tamau- . lip as. Retuen in company with Calixto Laea. hlndbances to the peemanent occupation of Gomez Faeias. Appeal feom Yucatan. f|FTER my return from Gomez Farias a few months elapsed before any news was received from that point as to the feeling of the people toward the % Gospel work. Copies of "El Ramo de Olivo" were sent to several of those who had attended the meeting held there during my visit and these leaflets were fanning into a flame the desire to hear the preaching of the Gospel manifested by those villagers. The distance however seemed for a time to hinder any effort to establish a mission there, and had we received no further solicitations we might have desisted from further efforts. A few months after my arrival at home I received a letter from the teacher of the public school, Fran cisco Zamora, requesting further information about our religious tenets and manifesting a desire to help in the work. This resulted in further correspondence and it was deemed prudent for Luciano to traverse the whole state and determine at what point it would seem desirable to locate a permanent work. At that time, with the exception of Tampico, no point south of Matamoros had a resident missionary, and it was a matter of great importance to attempt a wider distribution of the evangelical laborers, and this visit was largely beneficial in this direction. 125 126 Luciano's Missionary Tour. He left Matamoros on horseback and alone, and on the second night of his journey met a company whose leader seemed to take an interest in the Gospel and to whom he preached the word, and having supplied them with tracts pursued his j ourney. This interview by the Wayside led to the conversion of a whole family at a ranch called El Encinal, and where a Presbyterian missionary preaches regularly, though the people would have preferred to have us organize the work there. This mah has named one of his sons Esteban Grellet Garcia, in honor of Stephen Grellet the French Quaker evangelist. Luciano stopped a few days in San Fernando and then pursued his journey, stopping for evangelical labor at El Encinal, where he was hospitably enter tained by his wayside convert, and thence to Jimenez where he was instrumental in strengthening the faith of Ignacio Bolado, and in removing in some measure the prejudices which his wife had imbibed against, the Protestant religion. Pursuing his journey he found some access to the people at Padilla and Giiemez and delayed a week at "Victoria, in order to ascertain what openings there might be for mission work in that city, and then hastened forward to Gomez Farias, entering through the same gorgeous scenery of the Peuon pass, which I had entered nine months previously. He found the people rejoiced at his arrival, and in Francisco Zamora he found an earnest com-erf and a ready coadjutor, whilst many of those who had listened to me, gladly met to hear him. Luciano remained five weeks in this beautiful mountain village, being joined pro viden tally by our colporteur Calixto Lara. Meetings were held twice each week and the quiet influence of social religious labor wn s veiy beneficial in establishing the converts. After this tarri ance, news of revolutionary movements Appeal from Yucatan. 127 led them to return hastily to Matamoros, where they arrived about the end of October. One Sabbath evening as the assembled worshippers were gathered at rehgious service at 49 Calle de Bravo, Luciano and Calixto entered unexpectedly, and the former gave a detailed narrative of his religious labors during an absence of nearly three months. About this time an urgent appeal was received from Merida in Yucatan, requesting us to establish a mission in that, peninsula, and whilst the opening among such a dense population might seem especially desirable, and all the more so because the appeal was entirely unsolicited, and the firm belief of the solicitors that a Friends' Mission was particularly adapted to their needs, yet the crowd of work atten dant upon building a place of worship in Matamoros, and the continued ill health of Angelita seemed to prevent our accepting for the time being the vast "opening in Yucatan, or even to fill the urgent need of a permanent pastor over the flock at Gomez Farias. A supply of books was sent to Merida, and our school books were introduced into some of the , schools in that city, where the most unyielding fa naticism has no barrier but the most outspoken and scoffing infidelity, of the Bob Ingersoll type. Yucatan differs from most of the other Mexican states in being the theatre of a war of races. In most parts of Mexico the wise plans of the Spanish viceroys had been instrumental in domesticating and civilizing the native races, and the absence of prejudice of race or color had led to an amalgama tion of races and thus a unhy of interest and relationship had bound the people together as one. In the peninsula of Yucatan it was otherwise. There was a bold, warlike and numerous tribe, called the Laeandones, who dwelt amoiii*; the dense forests of the interior, and who seemed to have no desire to come to terms with the conquerors. They then believed, te < kr-l f**3 kvl P H Jsj <1 o fc o5»*i P M orj E*H tew CO H 0? te H «* O fe 03 tete Oh W -r- § te -^ CJ_ c-< — o , — , ^ t-H < j^r nh "^ » -^ — < ir te w o o 1-1 CO te 1— t Ci •— ( ^ u <1 -3 C-- r -, J-- *< m -S*T te H te C W H ps te O O X te i— i -^ H H fi The Itza Civilization. 129 and do even now, that it is possible to drive the Europeans from America and blot out Christianity, so as to restore the worship of Balaan Yotan. Indeed it seems probable that they had already blotted out a preceding civihzation ere the Spanish conquerors landed upon their arid soil. Strange ruins abound in many places, which some antiquarians suppose to be those of Itzalana, ruined by these barbarian hordes not long before the conquest, whilst others would have them as old as the pyramids of Egypt or even older. Whatever be the date, it is evident that in the architectural details, and especially in sculpture they were far ahead of either the Aztecs or the Incas, and not far behind the Egyptians. We shall probably never have an authentic history of their greatness, nor a correet idea of their fall. Whether that civilization was overthrown by the Laeandones or not, one thing is certain, that the existing civilization has more than once been in imminent peril, and they have made the stronghold of Merida tremble at their approach. The frontier towns are often surprised at the dead of night by an attack from these sons of the forest, and the firing of rockets from the municipal building soon gathers the people to defend their homes from the wild men of the desert. Supplying themselves with arms and ammunition from the British trading posts iu Balize they are more formidable than the Sioux of our northern frontier, whilst they at times become allies of the frontier towns of Yera Paz in Guatemala, which is the Republic of Central America which has the strongest antipathies against the Mexican government. The thinking men of Merida, and especially some of her literary leaders having heard of the noble work of the Society of Friends in conciliating the Indians of North America, not only in the settlement of j 130 Peace Principles Appreciated. Pennsylvania, but on the frontier during the administration of President Grant, were hoping that some such affort would be made in Yucatan. We did not think best to send Luciano to Yuca tan, and no foreign laborer was ready to enter that field, and as yet no Protestant mission is organized there, and the wild men of Chan Santa Cruz are still the dread of the frontier settlers of Yucatan and Campeachy. CHAPTER XIX. Building of Feiends' Mission Chapel. Continued ill health of Angelita. Opening of the new place of wobship. Removal to Gomez Faeias. I HE fall of 1879 was a memorable one, in the history of the Friends' Mexican Mission because the building of a place of worship on one of the public squares changed greatly the sphere of action of the mission. A lot had been purchased a year previous on Plaza de la « Libertad, and after many unexpected delays the work was begun in November of that year. All our work was then removed to that square, and as nearly all our members resided in that vicinity the attendence became more regular than before. Yet very many who saw those preparations, and who had desired to see the building completed, were to be laid away in their graves ere it was finished and opened for public worship. The aged Petra Garcia de Mendez who had so often come to meeting reclining on a staff, bent with over ninety years of toil, was taken suddenly ill, and after lingering several days died in perfect trust and hope of salvation. The night before her death, after Luciano had read the Scriptures and prayed with her, Angelita began singing that beautiful hymn:— "Oh Sing to me of Heaven,"— and 131 132 Incidents of Mission Work. the dying Christian joined her voice, weak indeed, but joyful, in singing of that land of unalloyed rest for the weary, where she had so earnestly desired to obtain an entrance through Christ her Savior. The following day speech failed her but her face beamed with hope, and she gently passed away. Her real age was not known, though she had seen Mata moros grow from an insignificant ranch to a populous city. In evidence before the court she testified that in 1811^ when the first war of Independence broke out, she was married and mother of three children; and thus she must have seen the scorching heat of well nigh a hundred summers. We had feared that so aged a convert would in second child-hood return to Romanism, but her death and that of an aged man about the same time showed the keeping power of Jesus even to those converted in the decline of life. The next to follow was Patricia Arriaga de Cardo- na, a woman of dark Indian cast and in the meridian of hfe. Her husband had joined us some time before her conversion and had been quite 'useful in drawing others to attend our meeting, but had now fallen into sin, and had been disowned for adultery. This resulted in their separation and the division of their children, and the heart-broken mother had to struggle for a living. Lung disease had set in and she was nearing the grave. One evening they sent for me but I was absent as was also Luciano, and on reaching home I hastened to the place, Angelita was there and had just read a selection from the Scriptures and had knelt in prayer. The woman's husband had come in bitter penitence and asked her forgiveness and was holding her emaciated form in his arms. She said that her own peace with God had been clouded, but she had sought forgiveness and could now rest on the promises of her Savior. Some of those sweet hymns so consoling to the dying believer were sung as she gently passed away, a sinner saved by grace, through faith in Christ. Death of Useful Mqmbers. 133 Cecilio Chavez had long been a faithful elder in the service of the church and we had hoped he would long remain to cheer and aid us. Lung disease now hastily called him away. In his last walk he saw the trench dug for the foundation ofthe building, but a severe norther had aggravated the disease and he died sud denly yet trusting in Christ his Redeemer. One child had preceded him and another followed in a few weeks. Juhan Mireles had been convinced of the errors of Romanism by reading the Bible, one of the earliest circulated here, which came into his possession eight een years before our arrival. It was issued by the American Bible Society though of Scio's version, from the Vulgate, without notes, so that he was one of the first fruits of Bible colportage in this country. He had been an elder several times in our Mission Church, elders being appointed at first every six months; and hoped to see the Mission Chapel opened for pubhc worship. He was also smitten with the terrible disease which is so fatal in this severe climate, and the last time he visited the place the walls had reached the level of the windows. The funeral services took place in the Cemetery within the city walls, the only time I had preached there except at the grave of the httle infant of Luciano and Angelita. Strange as it may seem Angelita lingered along with shght fluctuations, through usually able to attend meetings. She often prayed that she might be spared to see the building completed, and her prayer was granted. She was able to be present and notwithstand ing the brisk rain see the building crowded with people. The occasion will long be remembered, the rejoicing of the members and the earnest preaching ¦impressed many hearts, and some who were there for the first time out of curiosity, afterwards were added to the fold. The physicians had used every effort of medical science to save the life of Angelita and they now 134 Removafyto Gdmez Farias. considered her case hopeless. A journey to the moun tains offered a slight hope, and as we very anxious to gather those who were awakened at Gomez Farias during my visit and a year later by a brief tarriance there of one month by Luciano Mascorro, they were encouraged to go to that distant field. Efforts were made to make Angelita as comfortable as possible during the long overland journey, which was to be accomphshed in an ambulance. Never can we forget the beautiful day of her departure from this city. A solemn parting meeting was held at their residence, as several members, and among them her most intimate bosom friend, Gulielma, could not accompany her outside the city gate. Whatever may have been the misgivings of those who were present, Angelita had high hopes of a recovery and was more cheerful than we had expected, as she had to bid farewell to ner mother, sister and brother, whilst to the members who had been brought to Christ through her influence she was even more tenderly attached. Many of these accompanied her outside the city walls to the grassy plains where the ambulance was waiting for the custom passes to be signed. Of this number no one attracted more attention than our Canadian co-laborer, W. A, Walls, who used every endeavor to make himself understood by Angelita, Who told him that she desired to recover in order to work for Christ in the pubhc ministry of the Gospel. After a long and interesting parting interview they pursued their journey and we returned to our homes, earnestly desiring but hardly venturing to hope for the fulfillment of this sanguine wish of Angelita. She suffered considerably from the fatigue insepar able from an overland jouney of three hundred miles,, to Yictoria, capital ofthe State of Tamauhpas, where they spent a few weeks in order to rest and recruit,. Victoria of Tamaulipas. 135 ere proceeding to their final destination at Gomez Farias. She was greatly interested by the change of scenery, from the dead uniformity of the plains of northern Tamaulipas, to the. giant folds of the Sierra Madre, and her tarriance in the most beautiful city of the state was temporarily helpful to her. She was cheered by the view of innumerable orange orchards, and by the beautiful alameda or park on the outskirts of the city, the street leading to which is lined with sycamores, which are watered constantly by the strongest channels of the irrigating works, which distribute the water of the river San Marcos to the orange orchards of the city, and the corn and cane- fields of the surounding plains. f - X --:> :, ¦- :3b < X*pi It is difficult to obtain a view of the eity of Yictoria, as its buildings are hidden by the dense shade of its orange groves, but these make it look so green and refreshing as to attract the traveller to its bosom, whilst the bold outline of the Sierra Madre to the westward, with the Sierra of San Carlos to the northward, and a series of isolated hills to the east- Ward, present a striking contrast to the unvarying uniformity of the surroundings of most of the other •cities of Tamaulipas. The Presbyterian Mission had 136 Removal to Gdmez Farias. been but recently established, but even there they found work to do for Christ during their tarriance. Arrangements were finally perfected for their jour ney from Yictoria to Gomez Farias, which was to be accomplished on horseback, by mule paths leading between the folds of the mountains, and with one or two pack animals for their baggage. The journey proved more fatiguing than they had anticipated as it rained constantly and they were often detained by flooded streams, having to spend a few days in some ranches by the wayside until the streams could be crossed. Thus a journey which in good weather could be accomphshed in less than three days occupied nine, and the already delicate health of Angelita was severely tried by the exposure, and the beginning of their mission work was interrupted by her cough, thus her husband was unable to do much pastoral work from the necessity of constant attention at her bedside. Meetings were kept up every Sabbath in the village chapel, which was kindly furnished by the authori ties, who were favorable to the mission, and every night a Bible Class was kept up at their house. About a month later the believers were organized into a church, by the admission of sixteen members, and thus permanent work was organized, the nucleus of a now flourishing mission church, among the banana groves of Gomez Farias. Luciano was kept at home so strictly by the illness of Angelita that we received no news from him for several months, there being no post-office in the village, and the facihties of communication were interrupted by the rainy season in the mountains. Our anxiety about them induced us to send W. A. Walls to that village to learn their fate. The circumstances connected with this wonderful journey, and his narrow escape from imminent perils must form part of another chapter, as events at Matamo- Events at Matamoros. 137 ros of great moment to the future of the mission must claim our attention, for whilst they were wan dering among the flooded streams of the Sierra Madre, the city of Matamoros had been nearly swept away by a terrific hurricane and its attendant inun dation, news of which reached our Friends in their mountain home and awakened their anxiety about the dear ones they had left behind them. Mexican ffliito The Pomegranate. ^Bi^M^H^OM-* m ric sssm mm Km Mlljfc MATAM0h03, MtXlCO. The dij following tk hurricane of 1880v CHAPTER XX. Hueeicane at Matamoeos. Small-pox. W. A. WalLS visits the Southeen Mission. A naeeow escape. Flight of Gulielma. W. A, Walls Eevisits the Southeen Mission. r-NEXPECTED and thrilling events now crowded upon the mission in such quick succession that our faith, accustomed to sudden and severe provings, was tried to the uttermost. But a little over a month after the departure of Luciano and Angelita for Gomez Farias, and just as the city was1 trembling with anxiety at a threatening inundation, one of those terrible Gulf hurricanes, so dreaded Upon this coast, broke with unrelenting force upon the city, spreading desolation and distress upon every hand. Never can the terrific scenes of that dark night be effaced from memory, arid although vivid in our recollection, how much more so must it have been to those houseless amid the maddening fury of the storm, clinging to the ruins of their homes, who passed the riight in the open air* unprotected from the piercing blast. The dreadful hurricanes of 1867 and 1874 were still fresh in the memory of many of the citizens, and the ruins they left were still to be seen in many parts of the city, and whilst more damage was done* to costly edifices in 1867, and that of 1874 lasted 72 hours, and was therefore more tedious, the hurricane - 138 140 Hurricane at Matamoros. of August 13th, 1880 fell with more force upon the working class, and the morning of the 14th, dawned upon the ruins of 1615 houses, mostly belonging to the poorer class of residents. During all day of the 13th, the police force was busy in gathering the poor people from those shanties which seemed hkely to fall, and some buildings near us fell during the afternoon, yet the greater part of the destruction took place between sundown and midnight, when there was a lull, followed by the dreaded south wind. One of our members brought his wife, with her new-born child, to take refuge in our house, and to satisfy her as well as to ascertain how our neighbors had fared, accom panied by W. A. Walls I made a tour around Liberty Square, finding the house of our friend still standing, though five buildings on the south side of the square, between our own and the store of I. Portilla had been blown to pieces, and the fragments distributed indiscriminately. The roof of a carriage shop adjoin ing our residence had been blown over our sitting room, throwing down some bricks from the parapet wall, and then striking our kitchen had thrown down about half of the gable, our school building was demolished, and the yard filled with fragments of neighboring buildings. During the whole storm both myself and Bro. Walls were busily occupied in baihng out the water which the wind was forcing under our north doors, and threatening us with an inundation. It is note- worthy that after having been a sufferer from rheumatism for some months, and even during the first part of the storm, I was forced to walk about barefoot, and often in several inches of water for about nine hours, and suffered no incon venience, nor did the disease reappear. One of the most interesting visits during that me morable night was to the residence of our friend and fellow-laborer Julio Gonzalez Gea, for on visiting Hurricane at Matamoros. 141 our meeting house which had suffered considerably, we passed over the ruins of fences and shanties to his house, and seeing a hght inside we knocked. We found his children asleep, and the Bible lay open upon the table, where during the force of the storm he had been reading the Psalms of David and engaged in earnest prayer for his fellow-beings. We saw him in an hour when all gloss was cast aside, but he was relying upon the promises of God. We never afterwards doubted the sincerity of his faith in Christ. Many of our members had lost their houses, and were suffering for the necessaries of life, and we obtained a loan from a merchant to supply their wants, which was replaced by donations from Friends in the United States and England. However it was several weeks ere we had any mail facilities, the railroad from Brownsville to the coast was destroyed so that vessels could not discharge their freight, and we had to do what seemed best and leave the conse quences with our Lord. We may here remark that before it was possible for us to send either a telegram or a letter to Rich mond, the Secretary of the Foreign Mission Com mittee, Timothy Harrison, had sent all the funds at their disposal for immediate use in the emergency. Collections were taken among the wealthy to aid the poor and as our Mexican telegraph lines were not destroyed, the news of our disaster stirred the whole republic, and funds were speedily gathered to relieve the sufferers. Nearly one third of the houses having been de stroyed and one third of the town being still inunda ted, the poor people were lodged in the school and municipal buildings as well as in those houses which were unoccupied at the time, which were seized by the authorities for that purpose. 142 W. A. Walls visits Gdmez Farias. The small-pox, which had become a constant resident of- the suburbs, now broke out with relent less fury in the central part of the city, no reliable vaccine matter was to be had, and before our mails were re-established so that it could reach us, the disease had invaded nearly every ward of the city, and more then 500 persons had fallen victims to the scourge, among them several of our flock. Whilst this dark cloud was gathering over us, our anxiety about Luciano and Angelita was daily increasing, overland travel was greatly interrupted by the inundation, which had flooded the whole country and communication by sea with Tampico was equaUy impracticable. It was however decided that W. A. Walls should make the attempt to reach them and it was not until after his ticket was purchased by the coast line of Steamers that we found that no carriage driver would attempt the journey. We finally' engaged a cartman who left the city at 10 P. M. became bogged in the lagoon and after swimming about for hours in search of a practicable route across the lagoon, reached our house in his defeat at 4 on the following morning. Friend Walls ate breakfast and retired to rest after his exposure during the night, when our ener- getic'book agent, Antonio Ramirez had two cartmen with three strong mules ready to take the risk of placing our friend in a certainty of reaching Bagdad. They reached at last a lagoon five miles across, into which they drove until our friends were stand ing up to their knees in water, the cart wheels being entirely submerged and it was evident that they could go no further. Fortunately they saw a boat which was repairing the telegraph line across the lagoon, to which they made signals of distress and our Friend was taken on board and on their return for the night he was taken to Bagdad. The steamer arrived next day, but a norther was blowing so that she 143 Angelita' 's work at Gdmez Farias. could not communicate with the shore, thus Friend Walls was obliged to return, which he did in compa ny with some mihtary officers, having to help row the boat against the current of the lagoon for about ten miles. On landing, he hired a horse for his return journey, and apian to rob him appears to have been frustrated by his meeting Antonio Ramirez, whom we had sent for him, ere his pursuers had overtaken him. This unfortunate journey from Matamoros to Bag dad and return, a total of about sixty miles travel, had cost us $40. at a time when money was scarce, and for a few hours we thought any further effort undesirable. However we learned that a cart from Yictoria was to return empty, and it seemed possible for them to Conduct him safely thus far, and a Presbyterian Mission having been estabhshed there we could have him safely acompanied to Gomez Farias. They offered him a passage for twelve dollars, which was accepted, and finaly we decided to send Manuel brother of Angehta, not only to cheer her, but to save bim from the epidemic. They reached their destination safely in about two weeks, and found Angelita alone, as Luciano had come to Yictoria to mail letters, by another route, and did not reach home for a day or two after our Friend's arrival. However a Bible Class was kept up by Angehta in his absence, thought she was confined to her bed most of the time, and was evidently nearing the grave, she had however been actively engaged in persuading the people to abandon the worship of stocks and stones, and worship God in spirit and in truth. Writing at this timefor "El Ramo de Olivo" she gives the following account of the benighted condition of the people among whom she was laboring, and whom she was striving to lead to Christ. "Last year, in what are called the holy days, (or Lent,) notice was spread abroad that in one of the ranches near this village a 144 Worship of the Virgin Mary. Virgin had appeared in the shade of a green lemon tree, that God, beholding the wickedness of men, (said the precursor ofthe Virgin, a girl of fifteen summers,) had sent that image to let the world know that if the people did not do penance, God would make an end of mankind. So soon as this notice spread among the ranches, the females of this and other villages gathered in great numbers to adore the Virgin, and from a certain distance they walked on their knees with lighted candles iu their hands to the trunk of the lemon tree, where they beheld a small round stone surrounded by artificial flowers, which the ignorance and fanaticism of the people had converted into an image of the Virgin of Guadalupe, although in reality it was nothing more than one of the many beautiful stones to be found in the bed of our streams, adorned by seams of varied color. "Not women alone, on bhis occasion, but also men noted in these parts for their learning, reverently approached the lemon tree on their knees to worship the image, repeated their prayers and sang hymns to the Virgin. No true picture of the Virgin was to be seen, even when these pious people looked earnestly and wiping their eyes looked again. Although some declared that they saw it, the greater part went away as they came, having seen no more than a stone rounded by the action of water in a mountain stream, -Your many sins prevent your seeing it,' said a man whose fanaticism made him see the invisible, to a man of con siderable intelligence who had failed to see the likeness. 'It may be so,' replied the man weeping with hopelessness for his many sins. The penitent went back to the starting point and again upon his knees traversed the penitential space and reverently bowed and worshipped the stone, and then looking closely failed to perceive the likeness, and returned again, hoping that the sharp stones which were cutting his knees would make God merciful to ijhe penitent sinner, when all pain would be forgotten in the joy of beholding face to face the immaculate Virgin. But all his tears were in vain. "Oh church of Eome! why dost thou call thyself the church of Christ, whilst teaching a way of salvation which he taught not? Why dost thou not teach that Jesus of Nazareth is the Way, the Truth and the Life, and that whosoever believeth in him hath partlon and salvation? "But to return to my narrative. The pain caused by his wounds induced our penitent to return home and apply a remedy. His wife asked him what he knew about the Virgin, and he replied that it was a fable invented to deceive the credulous, and that notwithstanding having skinned his knees he had seen nothing. " 'You had better not be too hasty," replied his wife, but ere many weeks the greater part of the people became convinced that it was simply a stone which the hand of man had placed in the fork of the lemon tree. Narrow Escape from Robbers. 145 "I cannot tell all which has been told me about this Virgin but in it we have another proof of what Christ in the Gospel tells us: — 'That the people loved darkness rather than Light.' "I said at first that I intended to tell you about the work of the Lord in these parts, and you will be my companions in rejoicing •that some of our countrymen are receiving the G'ospel, or at least here they listen joyfully to the Word of God. I may say again that my soul is full of pleasure and rejoicing, as well as of grati tude to God, when I see many women who formerly believed in the worship of saints, and some of whom went to see the Virgin in the lemon tree, who now truly believe in Jesus Christ and his -doctrine; and are ready to confess these before men; joining our church in Gomez Farias, and many more who constantly attend the meetings and listen reverently to the preaching of the Word. "I can say the same of many .men who are interested in the cause of Christ, aud exhort their relatives and friends to search the Holy Scriptures, as the only fountain of divinely inspired teachings; and some ojf these are members and many more are ¦believers in Christ. "But whilst I rejoice for those sisters who have departed from 'error, believing in the only perfect Savior, and true Refuge of sinners, Christ Jesus, my heart is filled with mourning to see so many who persist in rebellion against God, worshipping, not our Eedeemer, but dumb idols which are offensive to him, and which can be of no service to them in the final hour of life. But we must pray for such, and ask God to give them light and grace to know him of a truth. "Lastly, dear sisters, I salute you with an embrace of love in Christ, asking God to bless you and fill you with his Spirit, that you may walk in the path which he has pointed out in his Gospel, in order that you may be prepared for the parting hour. "As ever, you sister in the faith of Christ our Savior. Angela JSguilati de S$aseot|i|Q. Villa de Llera, January 1st, 1881." Our friend W. A. Walls returned to Matamoros, laastily and alone, to consult about the work, and when only about thirty miles from the city was surrounded by three highway robbers who endeavored to induce him to leave the main road and take a by path where they could carry out their design. A presentiment of danger induced him to refuse to accompany them and after threatening his life, and thereby receiving a strong lesson from his readiness ¦to die if that were the Lord's will, they left him after K 146 Narrow Escape of W. A. Walls. , receiving from him half a dollar, although he told them that he had more, but needed it for his journey. It was very late one dark night about the middle of November that a loud call at our door summoned me from my studies, and recognizing the voice of Bro. Walls, I hastened to the door, when he said as I opened it, "Behold a certain man going from Jerusalem to Jehrico fell among thieves." I did not ask~an explanation but hastened to the yard to open the gate to admit his horse, and on dis mounting he jovially said that he had a bag of oranges for Gulielma. I replied that she was in North Carolina, to which he paid no attention, and it was not until he had entered the house, and found me alone, that each became convinced that what had seemed joking was sober reality. The giant strides of the epidemic and the impossi bility of vaccination, as well as the constant danger of the contagion, since persons covered with the raw sores came daily to our doors to ask for some aid, or to fulfil some errand, put our only child, a boy of six weeks so constantly in danger, that Gulielma, with a mother's solicitude, determined to hasten her pro posed visit to her parents, after an absence of ten years, and had already reached her destination. At first we thought best for Bro. Walls to fill my place, to allow me to join my wife in her visit, but it was finally determined that he should return to the Southern Mission in company with Francisco Pena, who had recently begun preaching the Gospel, whilst it seemed advisable for Luciano and Angelita to retire to Llera where the houses were [better adapted to her comfort during the winter season so that early in December our friends were again traversing the state, and Bros. Walls and Pena were ministering to the church at Farias, and Luciano and Angelita were gathering a congregation in Llera. Conversion of an Aged Mexican. 147 Whilst Angelita lived in Farias, she stayed at the house of Antonia Rosas, whose father while person ally friendly to her, was very much opposed to her religion. He was a httle deaf and used his deafness as a shield, always becoming quite unable to hear so soon as the subject of personal salvation was introduced. He slept in the kitchen in order not to be present at family prayer, a custom which he continued whilst Francisco Pena and W. A. Walls lived in the house. When the latter commenced teaching his grand children, the old man who was intelhgent, although uneducated, was very anxious that the children should make progress in their studies, and to encourage them he hstened to their accounts of what they had learned during the day. He thus heard many texts of Scripture, and as afterwards appeared learned several hymns by heart. During all these years since Ange lita' s visit, prayer was continually offered for his conversion. Bro. Gonzalez was surprised to learn that old Andrew had sent for him, and on reaching the house he was met with the inquiry; — "What must I do to be saved." He explained to him the work of Christ as our Savior. The aged penitent said; — "I know that is so," and repeated several conclusive texts which he had leamed from the children. He hved about six months after his conversion. When he accepted Christ, he did so so fully that he never asked for the images of saints, the crosses and medals in which he formerly trusted, and was very thankful to be saved from dying in idolatry. Ere closing this chapter it may be well to give a further insight into the singular experience of Bro. Walls with the Mexican highwaymen, which we do in his own words as published at the time in tho "Christian Worker" We had already warned him of the danger of travelling alone and certainly should have protested 148 Narrow Escape of W. A. Walls. most earnestly against it, but his decision was made over four hundred miles away and carried out without our consent. "Before reaching Matamoros I got a lesson which would have convinced the sturdiest of doubters. On Tuesday started at 3 o'clock in the morning, partly because the rain made my ebony bush an uncomfortable roof, and partly because a seventy mile trip lay between my bedroom and Matamoros. About 9 in the morning I was overtaken by three horsemen, all on good horses, but as we were within sight of a farm they simply passed the usual 'Buenos dias, seiior,' and rode on to the house. I did not like their appearance, but as I had no business at the farm I rode quietly past. When about a mile beyond I was again over taken by the same company, and they now proposed that we should journey to Matamoros together. Consenting to the arrange ment, one of them went immediately in front and the others one at each side of my horse. "As this order of march was a little suspicious, I turned my beast suddenly, so as to be at the side of the road, and saw that one of my companions had a jristol in his hand, which he put out of sight as quickly as possible, and supposed it had escaped observation. I now knew the character of my companions, and could simply put up a fervent petition to our Father for protec tion. The leader of the company offered to show me a shorter road to Matamoros, and proposed that we should leave the high way to find this short cut. When I declined this obliging offer, which was intended to draw me into the chapparal, where the buzzards would probably be the only discoverers of the body, he threw off his mask of pretended kindness, and pointing his pistol at my head, threatened me with instant death if I did not follow the foremost of the company. As it seemed like leaving the path of duty, I refused to leave the only place in which I had a right to expect God's protection. The front man now seized my horse's halter and attempted to lead him away from the road. I at once dismounted and with a jerk freed the rope from his grasp. '" Knives, men,' said the captain, and two knives, each over a foot long, were held threateningly over my breast. Then the captain a second time ordered me, on pain of immediate death, to accompany them to the northward. The reply was, 'You mav kill me if you will, it makes no difference to me; thanks to (Sod I am ready, but this is my road, and from here I will not go.' 'Are you prepared?' 'Yes.' The idea seemed a novel one, and the knives disappeared, tliough the pistol, with its five barrels all charged, still remained pointed at my face. I then asked who they were, and where they lived, and was told that they were Narrow Escape from Highwaymen. 149 'Gentlemen of St. John,' and lived under the moon. He now demanded my money. I gave him a fifty-cent piece which I had in my pocket, not caring to show my purse, which contained about eight dollars — more than I could afford to lose. He said : — 'It is very little; have you no more"/' 'Yes, but I need the rest,' which was quite true. He again asked for it, but in a somewhat doubtful tone, as if he expected to be refused, and it seemed to me that I need make no further sacrifice, so I told him that I could spare the half-dol lar, but no more. "Vamos, let us be off," he said to his fellow bandits, and they galloped on at a lively rate. "Eeturning thanks to God, who had so wonderfully delivered me from the hands of these highwaymen, I remounted and at a slower pace followed. Certainly it is not usual for the Mexican 'road agents' to let their victim escape with his life, much less to carry his money out of their hands. I can only praise God, who, in the moment of peril, kept my mind perfectly quiet. When I refused to leave the road I expected to receive a shot instantly, and as the mind works with more than lightning rapi dity the thought of past occupations, apparently important once, but now, when face to face with eternity, utterly trivial, filled me with shame for wasted opportunities; at the same time X had an unutterable gladness at the thought that sudden death was sud den glory, that to leave this earth was only to leave earthly friends for the presence of Him who is dearer than all other friends. "While regretting the misspent time and lost opportunities, I felt great calmness from the knowledge that through the blood of Christ I was accepted, and was enabled to say in my heart, 'O Lord! deliver Thy servant in Thine own way, by life for Thy service on earth, or by death for Thy praise in heaven.' "I have often thought, and now know, that the mind can carry on several operations at the same time. While meditating on my past life, and rejoicing that the question of salvation was settled, I was also wondering at the same instant how it feels to be shot, and whether he intended to fire at the head or the heart, whether a second shot would be necessary, and what Mr. Purdie would say when he heard of it. Also I thought of the pain which the news would give at home, all apparently in an instant. One idea, amusing from its triviality, kept coming up, certainly without any effort of mine suddenly presented itself, 'Well, Mrs. Purdie will never, get her oranges.' While so many other important questions were occupying my attention, this was certainly an odd notion for that moment. I also remember counting repeat edly the five barrels of the pistol, and even noted the carving of the handle with a singular curiosity." CHAPTER XXI. Preparations for my absence. Encarnacion Gon"-* zalez and wife join our mission, and are sent1 to Gomez Farias. Luciano and Angelita return to Matamoros. Her death. Eulogy written by Calixto Lara. Concluding remarks. T now seemed evident that in order to permit my absence it would be necessary for Luciano to be stationed at Matamoros, and all hopes of any improvement in the health of Angehta having been abandoned it was thought best for them to return. The English correspondence of the Mission would require the presence of W. A. WaUs, whilst Francisco Pena was but just beginning to labor in the public ministry, and his wife being a firm Roman Catholic he could not well be located at the head of the Southern Mission, whilst Julio Gonzalez Gea was- even younger in the ministry and his family would greatly increase the expense of his transfer. Just at this needy hour Encarnacion Gonzalez, and elder of the Presbyterian church, who had long felt exiled "tolwork of the ministry, requested for a trans fer to, our church, as his age was an obstacle to his studying for the ministry in a church requiring a knowledge of the dead languages, and he had but a limited education in his own. He was however a constant student of the Scriptures and a most con- scientions and devout Christian. This seemed provi dential at that juncture, and as my health seemed to* require it7 Bro. Walls returned during the latter part of February 1881, and arrangments were made for' 150 Angelita returns to Matamoros. 151 sending Encarnacion Gonzalez and wife to the Southern Mission, a carriage was purchased, which left Matamoros on the day following my departure for North Carolina. They reached Llera in nine days, and oj^ soon as they had their baggage transferred to Gomez Farias, our horses being used for pack animals, Luciano and Angelita began their toilsome return journey, being acompanied by Francisco Pena. Ten leagues from Victoria one wheel of the carriage gave way, and abandoning it there, they proceded on horseback to Victoria, where another vehicle was procured and in seven days' travel they reached Matamoros. Angelita was greatly emaciated, indeed they feared she would not reach her destination, but she ardently desired to see her mother and sister and to die among those persons to whom she was so ckohelyjbound in church fellowship; and this wish was granted her. It is true that the surroundings at the mission rooms still seemed lovely to her, but the very persons to whom she was most closely bound in fellowship, and of whose home she had been for several years an inmate were absent, and the little babe she so much ¦desired to take in her arms ere called to another world, was more than a thousand miles away, yet the house was filled by the brethren who flocked to see her and to listen to the earnest exhortations fiom her dying lips. She only survived three days after her arrival, and was often engaged in helping sing those hymms^ which are so full of consolation for the dying Chris tian, and as death was closing upon her she aided her husband in singing the 136th Psalm, so full of praise to God for his many mercies. The funeral, upon the following day, was attended by an immense number of people, not only members of the two mission churches, but many friends of the 152 Death and Burial of Angelita. deceased and those who had become intimate friends" of Luciano for his literary attainments, au^ndiudin^ some of the most wealthy and influentialcrEizens. ~ She was buried in the cemetery outside the city walls, where most of our deceased members lie, a very numerous company following the corpse to the grave. She died just as she seemed prepared for the true service of hfe, cut short ere reaching the meridian of her days mourned by all who knew her,and the mission, church realized that the dear young woman who had been called away at but twenty one years of age had been to them a mother in Israel. They had heard her sweet voice sing the praises of her Lord, when a robust maiden of sixteen years, and had watched her growth in grace and usefulness,, Until the hand of disease had left but a physical ruin, which had now been removed for ever from this scene of toil and suffering. Perhaps no better words can be found to express the feelings of our members than those of Calixto- Lara, formerly our colporteur, in the following eulogy which was published in "El Ramo de Olivo"" and which shows not only how a Mexican feels but how he can express those feelings. "With deep pain I take the pen to consecrate a few lines to the- memory of this sister in the common faith, who descended to the grave on the 28th of March. "Death, perennial fountain of tears and sighs, indefatigable worker of oblivion,- has deprived us of seeing henceforth a sister in Christ, and an active member of his militant church in this- world of trials and sufferings; "It is but a little while since we saw her solicitously exhorting the other members to follow with a firm step the narrow and rug ged road to the celestial city, and exhorting those living in the darkness of error and superstition to repentance of their sins aud io the observance of the pure maxims of the Gospel, and to- faith in the Eedeemer of the world whose blood cleanseth us from- all sin.. Eulogy by Calixto Lara. 15$ "A little while ago we saw her with joyful and smiling, counte nance give bread to the hungry, and console and assist those who- Were suffering on the bed of pain. An obedient daughter, a lov ing and amiable sister, a faithful wifer a sincere and. well-wishing- friend. Her love for good was invincible, and she never ceded be fore the obstacles which constantly present themselves to impede and make difficult the exercise of this- sublime virtue, "In vain my words essay to analyze, much less express the just encomium due to the virtues of a person to whom I was bound by the cords of respect and gratitude; this- m a task worthy of more expert pens and greater intelligence; but it is pleasing to portray even though imperfectly the gifts with which Providence^ had endowed this tender flower, wilted in the morning of life. "Neither the muteness of the sepulchre, nor the darkness of the tomb, are sufficient to vail the splendid glories of great souls; no,, their record remains engraved in indelible characters in the hearts- of the survivors, which neither time nor evil-speakin-g can be cloud. Her genius leaps across the bottlomless pit of oblivion where generations are buried, and centuries will roll by respecting; her name and memory. "She bas fulfilled faithfully her mission in this transitory world, bequeathing u& an example which should be imitated by all true Christians. "Her body, inert matter which served as a tabernacle for her spirit,, has returned to dust, because it was formed of dust, but her soul, where is it? It is in the presence of her Savior, enjoying the reward of her work, clothed in the white robes of purity and in corruptibility and her forehead encircled with the unfading crown of victory, a conqueror by faith in the merits of the Son of Man. Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord." — C. Lara. This death scene inspired the following remarks- on the death bed of a Christian, which with the initials of the bereaved husband appeared in the same num ber of "El Ramo de Olivo." "How sweet, how serene and happy is the death ofthe faithful believer in the Lord Jesus! "Happy instant, long wished for moment, when thart which is. most in the human being, and which makes it superior to the brute, creation, the soul, casting off its fleshly clothing, not in its- own will, but in virtue of the divine will, flies rapidly to the place of eternal rest, to reunite with those who like her * have waited and watched for the coming of him who said. Watch then, for ye know not the hour when your Lord cometh. Mat. 24:42. * "Alma" soul is feminine, and he evidently intends to be understood as speaking, of the death of Angelita. 154 Remarks on the Death of Angelita. "In her looks, in her words arc reproduced felicity, peace and contentment. The calmness with which she submits to the sharpest pains, shows us that in her soul a .supernatural power is working; and this teaches aud incites to bless the fountain of every good aud perfect gift. "Oh Sublime Gospel! of a truth thou, art the Good News, the consoling message of God to humanity." — L. M. The news of the death of Angelita reached the writer, just as he was entering a Bible School Con ference at Back Creek, N. C. where the telegram was read and a sermon appropriate to so solemn an occa sion was preached by Rufus P. King, and will long be remembered by all who were privileged to be pre sent, giving a just tribute to the dear departed Chris tian, and an exhortation to improve the brief years of our life in the service of Jesus. CHAPTER XXil. Sketch of the Mission from the death of Angelita to the present time. |jANY chauges have taken place in the Friends* Mexican Mission since the death of this dear sister. We returned to Matamoros in the latter part of August 1881, and resumed charge of the Work, The sister of Angelita was married to our Friend W. A. Walls on the 29th of the same month, and they were stationed at Escandon where they la bored for two years under the Foreign Mission Com mittee of Ohio Yearly Meeting. In April 1882 the meeting under charge of Jos6 Maria Garza at Cadereita Jimenez, which had been organized as a Congregationalist Mission some years before, and where several desired liberty of conscience in regard to Baptism, which some deemed as not re quired of them, accepting it only in a spiritual sense, Was recognized by oiir meeting at Matamoros as a sister church and a pari of our Mission, though re ceiving no pecuniary support except books. Our Friend Garza was placed in charge of the prisoners in the city jail where a night school was started for the prisoners and he had good success in evangelistic Work among them, having been instrumental in the conversion of several persons who had been hardened in crime/ 155 156 Work Resumed at San Fernando. Branch meetings have been held at San Francisco de Apodaca and several other towns near there, either by our Friend Jose Maria Garza or by some of the members of his congregation who have felt cahed to pubhc labor for Christ. The work at San Fernando was resumed in the Spring of 1882 by Julio Gonzalez Gea, who opened a Day School. For three months after announcing his school no children came, but as fear began to diminish a few boys were sent in. This developed into a school of thirty pupils who were daily taught many impor tant Gospel Truths, and has resulted in the conver sion of the second magistrate of the village, Santiago Garcia Gonzalez, who has had charge of the Gram mar classes in the school, though working voluntari ly as an unpaid coadjutor. He feels called to the min istry and we trust will be a useful laborer in the near future. His sister Gertrudis G. de Uresti, has since been converted and has charge of a Girls' School at Mendez, an out-station of the San Fernando Mis sion, which is sustained by the Foreign Mission Com mittee of New York Yearly Meeting of Friends. Her school receives books free from our Publishing House at Matamoros, but a small stipend from parents sus tains the teacher at present. Thus that station which gave so little promise when Luciano and Angelita were there, has given to the cause of Christ two able native laborers, who are ready to leave home and go forth in the Cause of their Redeemer. The little gathering at Gomez Farias has grown to a large meeting of over 100 attenders, having among its members the most influential residents, and a nice meeting house, known as Mendenhall Chapel, built by Richard J, and Abby G. Mendenhall of Minneapolis, who sustain that mission and are planning further improvements. Luciano was married to Virginia Washington, teach er of our Girls' School in December 1882, and they are Further Progress of the Work. 157 now in charge of the new mission at Santa Barbara,' 45 miles from Gomez Farias, the cradle of the Mexi can Reform movement of Father Lozano. The priest of that village had married a few weeks before they arrived, and is now using his influence in favor of the new Evangelical movement. A local Evangehcal paper is issued every two weeks, and has an exten sive circulation and influence in the whole Southern part of Tamaulipas. Luciano as Superintendant of the Southern Mission is busy organizing a circuit for stated meetings in several other villages of that sec tion. In April 1882 our mission was joined by Librado Ramirez, who had been connected with the Presby terian Mission, and who was stationed at Soto la Marina in August 1883. The prospect of that being opened as a port for foreign commerce and becoming a Railroad centre led us to prefer that station, but the failure of this latter may lead to his transfer to some other point. The Women Friends of Western Yearly Meeting have sent Ora Osborne and Lilhe Neiger of Danville Ind. to join him in the Mexican field. The work at Matamoros has not been forgotten by those who watch over it, and although commercial depression has led to the emigration of more than one half of our members, including our most stable native elders, to other points, the attendance has not diminished and the Bible School is now, fall of 1884, in the most flourishing condition. The Girls' School being led by Julia L. Ballenger, who is sustained by Women Friends of Philadelphia, aided by Luisa Flo res, a native teacher, who is sustained by Women Friends of Indiana Yearly Meeting. It is now devel oping into a Boarding School, with rich promise for the Mexican Church. A Dorcas Society has been organized for clothing the needy, and in connection with it a weekly visit 158 Further Progress of the Work. to all the families ,of its members, with Scripture reading and prayer at each house, which is develop ing the evangelistic effort' of the female part of our meeting. Among the converts to Protestantism through these efforts is Librada Mascorro de Moreno, a sister of Luciano Mascorro and who had until then been a most resolute Catholic, even when one brother was a minister, and her mother and another brother memoers of Protestant churches. Santos Rodriguez de Gonzalez, wife of our minis- tor at Gomez Farias is an able female evangelist, nearly equal in zeal to Angelita, and Virginia W. de Mascorro gives promise of good service i$ the Cause of Christ, thus we trust God will continue to bless us with native female evangelists who like Phebe and Priscilla, Tryphena and Tryphosa, Persis and Lydia, may prove themselves worthy successors of that long list of female prophets and teachers, who have adorned the Gospel of our Lord and Savior with their holy lives and their eloquent words for Jesus. Whilst the growth of evangelistic and school work has been thus enlarged, the publishing department has far outstepped them both. From month to month new calls for our religious books reach us from all parts of Mexico, Texas and New Mexico, from all of the Republics of Central America, from Cuba, Porto Rico and Santo Domingo [Hayti] as well as Colom bia, Venezuela, Chili, the Argentine Republic and Uruguay in South America, and in all these we are supplying reading rooms and public libraries, and by means of our exchange papers bringing a direct in fluence on the public mind, and upholding the Gos pel standard as the healing balm for individuals, fa milies and nations, as it will be to all who receive it the power of God unto salvation. These nations have drunk the cup of war to the dregs, have seen its devastating influence as well as its demoralizing tendency and many are longing for Further Progress of the Work. 159 some token of permanent peace and moral and social progress. The thinking minds are alive to many important questions and perhaps abler arguments against the death penalty, and against judicial oaths have never been produced than those wielded by the legislators of Spanish America. These are special reasons why the Society of Friends, which has long stood almost alone in upholding testimonies against these and kin- , dred evils should -tend a helping hand, to present these reforms not from a rationalistic point of view, but from a Gospel standpoint, not as the elimination of human reasoning, but as the teachings of God manifest in the flesh, as the Savior of the world. The werk has hardly begun, and there seems to be no limit to that which should be done now in these needy fields, fast ripening unto the harvest. The awakening now going on in the Society of Friends in regard to Foreign Missions is a token for good, and we trust that this little volume may contribute to foster that interest, not only in showing to those, blessed with means the fruit of their efforts in the past and the opportunities of the future, but that it will be instrumental in fostering in others a willing ness to give themselves to the Lord in these fields and with1 all the energies they possess consecrated wholly to his service, be ready to go forth trusting in Him who hath called them, and count it all joy to endure hai dness, whether it be in encountering hard ships or in suffering persecution for the furtherance of this blessed work. Above all let us pray unto the Master of the vine yard, that he send forth more laborers into his vine yard, that he raise up many among the sons and daughters of Spanish America, who like the subject of our narrative, like the noble sons and daughters of Spain whoe sealed their testimony to Jesus with their lives in the Autos de Fe of Valladolid and Se- 160 Concluding Exhortation. ville, may fulfill the injunction of the Apostle: — "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the .mercies ¦of God, that ye present your bodies a living sac rifice, HOLY, ACCEPTABLE UNTO GOD, WHICH IS YOUR .REASONABLE SERVICE." Rom. XH. 1. THE END. hfii ;iH-tn!Ui:i.i'n.i-i!'.i. ¦ , :., !MMIr,'J>'M->'i{-.ll.'-tMI'!r»IH.'M':.lMi.i , , ! ..M-lhill 1M(.H..H(MI'UII H.OIM'- ¦¦' " ;'¦< Jill'-MI.J,* ! ;¦.:;,.: i.iii Ml m.l ^X.v.j. ¦ (f\ tif'liS'l '.''f^fj'-li-S^'l-W/W'M Wmv(Mtt1St I ' 'X".-. 'X:!XX. 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