The Indians of Guatemala by W. E. HANCOCK.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Nov 3, 1910

The Indians of Guatemala

By W. E. HANCOCK.

NEARLY all the peoples of other nations are receiving attention from the various missionary societies of the world at the present time, but the Indians are for some reason strangely neglected. South America receives many missionaries, but their efforts are directed to others rather than to the Indians, who form a large part of the population of the country. The same thing is true in Central America. Not only has the Indian been conquered, but he has been crushed in spirit and aspiration. In place of his original independence he has received nothing but superstition; his manhood has been destroyed, and he is degraded by social conditions and by intemperance.

A FEAST-DAY RELIGIOUS PROCESSION IN GUATEMALA

In spite of all this, evidences of their original intelligence and independence of character still exist among some of the tribes. Traces of their ability and aptness in learning, when they have an opportunity to demonstrate these qualities, may still be seen. The Indian spends all he can earn for drink, yet he is the producer of many supplies for the white races. He is a hard and often a skilful worker. The signs which hang over places of business here are painted by Indians who have perhaps never had a lesson in this art. The Indian brings his produce fifteen or twenty miles on his head or back, and sells it very cheap; then he returns home, works his little plot of ground, and again returns. He knows nothing about skilled labor. He does not know how to cultivate the soil in order to make it more productive, nor how to utilize profitably what he produces. He needs instruction by those interested in his industrial development and in his soul's salvation.

Something must be done for the Indians.

The children can be reached by teaching them to read, but the older people can be brought under the influence of the gospel only by teaching them simple Bible stories. They are natural orators, and anything told to them will be remembered and repeated later at some large gathering. Missions established among them, working in the direction indicated, would certainly bear fruit. A mission farm, located in the right place, with two or three hundred Indians gathered to work it, would become a center of influence in reaching surrounding tribes.

One such mission here is accomplishing something in this direction, and is greatly appreciated by the people in the surrounding district, because of its good influence over the Indians. They are instructed in the Bible, and their children are taught to read.

We are praying that the Lord will lay the burden upon other hearts to establish centers of this kind in this country.

W. E. HANCOCK. Guatemala City.