A Voice From Peru

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 28, 1909

A Voice From Peru

The attention of the public is now being called in an emphatic way to the subject of religious liberty. President Roosevelt's letter on this subject, and the replies which have been made thereto, have awakened widespread interest, and have called out a varied discussion in representative publications. Some leading Roman Catholics have taken occasion to declare the devotion of their church to the principles of religious liberty, and to claim the credit for much of what has been done in defending these principles. It therefore seems proper to refer to some current history upon this subject. As indicating the degree of religious liberty which prevails in countries where Roman Catholics are in control, and which would doubtless prevail in any country where they could gain control, we quote a paragraph from a recent article by a missionary in Peru. He thus speaks from actual experience:—

At first, our very presence aroused a storm of indignation among the priests, but they thought they had only to draw the attention of the authorities to the fact, and to quote Article 4, in order to have us immediately expelled. This actually happened in Cuzco in 1895. The bishop quoted the law to the prefect, said our presence was a menace to the Catholic Church, and called upon him to protect it by expelling us. The prefect complied, although having no precedent in the history of Peru to act upon. Later, the supreme court of Lima decided that, as no public propaganda had been proved, the expulsion was illegal. An indemnity was paid, and we returned to Cuzco. Then came the question of Bible-selling, and the announcement of our meetings by hand-bills, posters, and in newspapers. This surely was public propaganda, and in some cases it was prohibited by the local authorities. However, the press took up the matter, and the highest legal authorities declared that, having permitted the Bible to come into the country, its circulation could not be hindered in any way. As regards the advertising of the meetings, they were not necessarily for worship, and only public worship was prohibited by the law.

That liberty which the Roman Catholic Church enjoys in Protestant America it refuses to grant to Protestants in Catholic countries. This demonstrates the insincerity of its claim that it is a conserver of religious liberty.