Portugal by C. E. Rentfro

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Mar 7, 1912

Portugal

By C. E. Rentfro

C. E., RENTFRO

IN Portugal we now have three workers. Brother Paul Meyer, from Switzerland, has done well in learning the language; and beginning with 1912, he will have two halls open for meetings. He has been alone in Lisbon since the middle of October, and reports quite an interest. Brother Alberto Figueiredo, of Lisbon, is helping me here in Porto.

We have recently begun meetings in this city, and also have a mission hall in Gaya, on the other side of the Douro River. Here two from the Baptist Church have begun the observance of the Sabbath. One was taken into our church by vote. In October I baptized three converts in Lisbon, and on December 23 two more earnest believers followed in this sacred rite.

The law for the separation of church and state permits the believers to form an organization, which will give them legal recognition, and will secure to them the privilege of giving donations for the work. Complying thus with the law, we are assured of the protection of the authorities. The brethren in Lisbon have formed their corporation, and it remains with the ministry of justice to give consent to the statutes.

The leading bishops and patriarchs of the Catholic Church continue their rebellion, and most of them have been obliged to change their place of residence. The faithful in one place turned out the priest who rebelled, formed a corporation, called another priest, who, with them, separated from Rome, and started another church. They made a call for any others who wished to join them. The history of the Catholic Church in her attitude toward the state confirms the history of the past and present in other lands. But she is obliged to submit for a time.

We are glad to have been able to send another young man to our school in Gland, and pray that he may develop into a good worker. The distance is great, and twenty dollars is a large sum for a poor Portuguese to pay in passage money. We have two or three other young persons who ought to go, but they have not sufficient money. The young man we sent there over three years ago is now with me, and will, if faithful, make a good worker. Each scholarship cost two hundred fifty dollars.

A few words about Angola, Portuguese West Africa. I received a letter from Brother Jose da Silva Oliveira, in Loanda. He wrote in July: “We are anxious to receive news from you about our work here. Our soap factory is being repaired, and we have stone-masons, carpenters, and other working men — thirty or more persons. You can imagine their pointed surprise when at the end of the first week I made payment on Friday, and told them that on the Sabbath there would be no work, because it is the true day of rest. We are glad of this opportunity to have the true Sabbath called to the people’s attention in this manner. There are about forty persons to announce in the city of Loanda that in the soap factory no work is done on the Sabbath because it is the day of rest that the Lord ordains.”

In the same letter came a request for literature and Bibles. It is hoped that there will soon be a church in that place.