p. 10 | The Work Among the Indians of Peru by J. W. WESTPHAL

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Aug 19, 1915

The Work Among the Indians of Peru

By J. W. WESTPHAL

J. W. WESTPHAL

I VISITED the Lake Titicaca Indian Mission with Elder W. A. Spicer, more than three years ago, and it has been my privilege to visit it again recently. The progress made in various directions during these three years is striking.

Three years ago only the walls of the school building had been erected. The building has not only been completed, but has been enlarged to twice its original size, being now thirty-four by sixty-four feet. Two other buildings have been erected, each of four rooms, one of which is occupied by Brother F. A. Stahl, the superintendent of the mission. The other is intended for the teacher, with a spare room for visitors. The house occupied by Brother Stahl is floored with the boards from dry goods boxes purchased for the purpose, while the other has only an earth floor. Nearly one half of the school building is also floored with the boards from boxes ranging from one and a half to two and a half feet in length. None of these buildings are models of architecture, for Brother Stahl, a nurse, has been the designer and builder, with little material to do with; but they are regarded as fine buildings for many miles around. All material is imported, must be shipped over a mountain railway, and is very expensive. Brother Stahl is now fairly comfortably situated.

Brother B. Rojas, who had secured a teacher’s diploma from the government, went to the coast some time ago, having been obliged, on account of the illness of himself and wife, to leave the high altitudes. As he had taught only a few weeks, this was a sad disappointment to the Indians, as well as to the mission. However, Sister Stahl succeeded in getting the necessary permission, and is conducting a school of about one hundred pupils, assisted by two native Indians. This, together with the care of her family and her interest in the general work, is keeping her very busy. The students range in age from five to twenty-five years.

Brother Stahl has introduced an innovation in the prayer meetings among these brethren. Instead of holding it in the evening, as is our usual custom, the prayer meeting is held every Wednesday morning at seven o’clock. Ninety were present on the occasion of my visit, many of whom came two or three miles, and all were interested.

In the school prayer meeting and in other meetings, remarkable progress was noted in the singing. Many of the Indians have fine voices and musical talent. Unfortunately, the great majority cannot read, and cannot even speak the Spanish language. Nevertheless, they bring and always open their hymn books, and they do their best in singing the most familiar hymns.

On the Sabbath I addressed the largest congregation I have ever spoken to in South America. Besides children, there were present six hundred and fifty-three persons. The house was crowded, and nearly one hundred stood at the doors and windows listening. The benches lining the inside of the wall and the few others that they have, were filled, the box-board floor was closely seated, while back of this the rest were standing.

Long before the time for the service they were seen coming from every direction across the fields, like the spokes of a wheel, all headed for a common center. One brother came twenty-five miles. The size of the crowd made me think of our camp meetings in the States.

Brother Luciano Chambi, a full-blooded Indian of about twenty-two years of age, whom Brother Stahl has had in training for four years, was the interpreter. The brethren say he interprets well. He certainly does so readily and enthusiastically. The order was perfect, except as some brother tried to make clear a point to another.

The brethren had looked forward to this time as another baptismal occasion. Seventy-three presented themselves. Seventy-two were accepted, and one was asked to wait awhile. Among them were a number of Sister Stahl’s pupils. On account of lack of clothing and for other reasons, nearly a dozen others who desired baptism did not present themselves. To facilitate the examination, they were taken by groups. While waiting their turn, a mother and son were seen on their knees together, confessing to each other and making right the differences and difficulties that had existed between them. All seemed to be sincere and earnest.

On the school grounds are two springs, one strongly charged with sulphur, and the other of pure drinking water. Near the latter had been dug a baptismal font large enough for two to officiate at once. In this font Brother Stahl (the elder of the church) and I buried with Christ by baptism this large number of childlike aborigines of the American continent. They were afterwards voted into the church, and, arranged in two long lines, the right hand of fellowship was extended to them. The church now numbers three hundred and two—an even three hundred Indians, excluding Brother and Sister Stahl. There are many others who are interested, who, in fact, count themselves a part of us.

The visitor finds many things of interest among these simple people. Their earnings are small, about fifteen cents a day when employed for wages. Their tithes are therefore small, but one can but rejoice to see them bring their little amounts to the Lord. Most of the tithe comes in kind, the principal one being potatoes. During my visit a goodly number of sacks of small potatoes (potatoes here are nearly all small, such as are thrown aside in other countries) were brought in on the backs of donkeys and llamas. Before they can be sold to advantage, they must be made into chunos (frozen and dried and thus preserved), which can then be sold at a good price in the spring. The tithe for the last five

months of last year was about $106, and the Sabbath school offerings were over $40. The visitor is provided with a present of eggs.

Three of our brethren were in prison in Puno, where I visited them. They had already been there four months, and had not yet had a trial. It is said that two of them had defended themselves against an officer, and disarmed him, when he without cause was taking their animals. The other was falsely accused by a priest of attacking him, when in reality it was the reverse. Thus these people still suffer persecution, though they have fewer difficulties than formerly.

This mission is having a far-reaching influence. Interests are springing up in many places, some of them at considerable distance. Luciano Chambi and another Indian brother are holding Sunday night meetings several miles away, where there is a good interest. At Chucuito, five miles distant, whence much of the persecution came against the brethren in the past,—a place that has been fanatically Catholic and that formerly supported two priests,—it is said that the only remaining priest has had to leave on account of lack of support, few now coming to mass.

Some of the students spoke to me about becoming missionaries. With a few years’ training in the school, a goodly number ought to go out to do a great work for their people. In the meantime we must have others to carry forward the work in this Indian field, and to enter the open doors before us. Men and women of strong faith, courage, determination, and patience, with a willingness to endure hardships, to forego conveniences, to do without many comforts, and to sacrifice social pleasures, are needed in this field. Brother and Sister Stahl are of good courage in their work, and their purpose is to dedicate their lives to the uplifting and saving of this people.