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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 17, 1912

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 89, No. 42.

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Mexico

By G. W. CAVINESS

G. W. CAVINESS
In the city of Torreon we have had a company of believers for several years. One good Mexican brother and his wife have given us a good large room in their house, which is dedicated to religious services. Brother Juan Robles was with them about a year, leaving there in May of this year for Monterey. Since that time Brother and Sister Gomez have taken charge of the work, and have gathered in quite a number of new believers.
I spent two weeks with them, holding meetings every night and on the Sabbath, and had the privilege of baptizing seventeen. Two of these were the brother and sister mentioned as leaders. They had been baptized in the Baptist Church years ago. After receiving the truth and studying it several years, they desired to be baptized into the message. Five of those baptized were children of believers, from thirteen to sixteen years of age. The other ten were from the outside, quite a number coming directly from the Catholic Church. We had a good time with them, celebrating the ordinances the last Sabbath of my stay.
In a former article I spoke of my reception by the believers in the state of Oaxaca. In this I will describe the farewell given me by the brethren in Torreon. The Mexican salutation among close friends and members of the family is as follows: First, they embrace each other, giving the good, hearty embrace which makes one think of Bible times when they “fell on each others' necks.” Then they step back and shake hands. Among the women they not only embrace, but kiss each other twice, once on either cheek. The embrace of the men and women is no more than to reach around and pat lightly on the back, then the hand-shake.
At our last meeting, the young people took part, singing some songs and making a few speeches. I spoke a few words of farewell, and then the congregation sang in Spanish “God be with you till we meet again.” While singing this hymn, every one of the congregation, men, women, and children, came forward one at a time, and gave me the fraternal embrace.
These people are affectionate and whole-hearted, much like children, but of course are not always as stable as they should be. They need help and instruction for a good while, and we can not or should not leave a company of new believers too soon. It is our desire and intention to place some good laborer in Torreon.
There are also some believers in Gomez Palacio, but the revolution has caused a number of them to leave the place. We have at last heard from one of the brethren in Santa Barbara, but he says nothing as to the whereabouts of the others, or of the conditions of affairs there.
The revolutionary army from the north came within a few miles of Torreon, and for three weeks no train entered or left the city. The people were beginning to suffer somewhat for the necessities of life, Torreon being a mining town, with but little agriculture carried on in its vicinity. At present the place seems to be as safe as any other part of Mexico. However, the day before I left, there was a report that the train to Monterey was fired upon by revolutionists. I went to the station in the morning to buy my ticket, but the agent would not sell one to me then, as he did not know whether or not there would be a train. But in the evening I was told that the train was going, so I bought my ticket, and reached Monterey without any difficulty whatever.
In Torreon and its vicinity there is splendid opportunity for labor, with prospects of gaining a goodly number of believers. We have just received word from the Mission Board that a consecrated brother and his wife from California have accepted a call to Mexico. We believe that Torreon will be a good place for them to live. We can associate with them for some months a Mexican brother who speaks English, so that they can enter upon their work without difficulty. We trust that our brethren in the United States and in other parts of the world will remember the laborers and work in Torreon and its vicinity.