Spain by MRS. FRANK S. BOND

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 25, 1908

Spain

By MRS. FRANK S. BOND

MRS. FRANK S. BOND

WE are thankful to be engaged once more in the Master's service. Our kind Heavenly Father has graciously spared our lives, and we believe he has spared us for a purpose.

The needs of this people, which for so many centuries has been bound under Roman superstitions, appeal to our hearts. I wish it were possible for me to frame language with which to portray the awful conditions existing here. Could I do so, it might be that some of those in the home land would be impressed to come over and help us make known the saving power of God's truth.

In a special sense do the conditions and needs of the Spanish women appeal to me. As I think of the many disadvantages at which they are placed from their infancy, my sympathies go out to them. In the first place, when only a few months old, the bodies of all girl babies are incased in that awful invention of the evil one, the corset. While in China only the feet are bound, here almost all the important organs of the body are forced out of their normal positions.

Another element which has played a great part in the deterioration of this people is wine. Women, as well as men, indulge freely in its use. It also makes up a part of the daily menu of little children. It is easy to understand what must be the results of such customs as these.

The majority of the people are poor, and many of the mothers are compelled to go out from their homes, to assist in gaining a livelihood for their families. Thus the influence in the homes is not such as to develop strong characters.

Morality is almost an unknown factor in this country. Immorality is fostered on every hand. It is even encouraged and taught by those who pretend to be the teachers of the people, the priests. At the taking of the first communion, and at the confessional, wrong ideas and evil thoughts are put into the heads of little girls just entering their teens. This is not, as some would have us believe, merely the imagination of some fertile brain, but it is the truth, pure and simple.

It is estimated by the most reliable authorities that not more than fifty or sixty per cent of the Spanish people are able to read and write. If this be true of the whole population, we believe we are safe in saying that not more than twenty per cent of the women have this ability. This lamentable condition is due largely to the scarcity of educational facilities. While Rome boasts of a great educational system, from our observation in this country we are convinced that where there may be one school, there are hundreds of other places which need them, where they do not exist.

As is well known, Spain, in every sense of the word, is a priest-ridden country, and because of the illiteracy of the women, they are more susceptible to the errors taught by Rome than are the men.

At present my husband and his brother are conducting a series of meetings here in Valencia, and I am glad to report a good attendance. Of those who come, there are a goodly number who seem much interested, and of these the majority are women. Several have already asked for studies in their homes, and some have expressed their desire to keep the Sabbath. These meetings have been in progress only a little over three weeks, so we can not yet say what the results will be. We hold five night services each week, and Sabbath-school in the afternoon. There were thirty-two present at our Sabbath-school to-day, most of whom are adults. The attendance at night has averaged nearly one hundred.

The great need of this field is consecrated workers, to enter the many great cities to be found here. We ask an interest in the prayers of God's people for the success of the work here.

Valencia.