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Sao Paulo (Brazil) Mission

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 3, 1914

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 91, No. 37.

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Sao Paulo (Brazil) Mission

By John Lipke

JOHN LIPKE
Our last Sabbath was indeed a day of rejoicing for us, because we could baptize twenty believers as the first fruits of our work in the town of Santo Amaro, in the state of Sao Paulo. About fourteen have declared their desire to take part in the next baptism, and many others are interested.
We consider this remarkable, because the work has been done in a strictly Catholic town, where other Protestant churches have tried for years to gain a foothold, but could not do so. We were told that even their services were attacked by people of the place. Some of these very ones who threw stones, have attended our meetings. In the beginning, the priest of the place asked the chief of the police to drive us out of town, but he declined. Almost every Sunday the priest thundered from the pulpit against us, giving us as bad names as he possibly could. In private he worked against us, calling the people to the church vestry, and visiting them from house to house. But in spite of all these efforts, the work has progressed in a marvelous way.
Cargo junk, lifeboats, and the Tung Ling Rock, where the German steamer was wrecked. (Description of this is given on page 13 of REVIEW, July 23.)
Cargo junk, lifeboats, and the Tung Ling Rock, where the German steamer was wrecked. (Description of this is given on page 13 of REVIEW, July 23.)
The Lord, through the spirit of prophecy, has said: “When properly conducted, the health work is an entering wedge, making a way for other truths to reach the heart.” — Testimonies for the Church, Vol. VI, page 327. “The principles of health reform will be received with favor; and many will be enlightened. The influences that are associated with health reform will commend it to the judgment of all who want light; and they will advance step by step to receive the special truths for this time. Thus truth and righteousness will meet together.”— Id., page 379.
We have experienced the truth of the preceding statements in our work here. For the first time in our public efforts in Brazil we have connected the health reform with the third angel's message. I am sure that if it had not been for this, we should have been driven out of the town, or the people would have avoided us after the curiosity wore off, and we should have had no results. Of the twenty baptized and the fourteen to be baptized, only one was a Protestant. All the rest were very devoted Catholics. The priest and his helpers argued that the people should not go to our meetings. The people asked, “Why should we not go? We receive good every time we go.” As a result of our health lectures, many came for treatment, and with the blessing of the Lord, excellent results followed. The people found out in this way that we were their friends and had come to Santo Amaro to do them good. The influence of our meetings has extended far; for from great distances some have come to attend them. One man not belonging to our church has given us a lot for a church building. Another has offered a lot outside of the town. The most remarkable part of it all is that those baptized are mostly of the better class of people, and that there are as many men as women.
As you would perhaps like to know about the method of work we have followed, I will say that in the beginning we held a workers' institute. After the institute our union conference meeting came on. The evening meetings were well attended. One health lecture was given before the close of this conference. But after the union conference the attendance did not drop off, as it generally does when the curiosity of the people is satisfied. The people kept coming, and meetings were held but three times a week, so as to give time in the evening to hold Bible readings in the homes of the interested ones. This we found worked well, for the men were not at home during the day. So on the evenings when we had no meeting we found them at home, and could do some heart-to-heart work. One of the three services during the week was devoted to the consideration of health topics. After the lecture, a demonstration of simple treatments was given on the platform, also lessons in cooking. We are glad that the General Conference sent us two faithful nurses. They do Bible work, treat the sick, and aid in demonstrating treatments and cooking after the health lectures. Besides all this, the town was worked from house to house with tracts, which we lent to the people. From the beginning, we used the stereopticon.
We believe a good work can be done if, in connection with a tent effort, the nurses who do not devote their time to bedside nursing, give treatments and do Bible work, aiding in the tent work, and going from house to house teaching the people.
Two months of this work brought the people to the question of baptism. After the sermon on baptism, we asked them how many wanted to be baptized. More than thirty arose. We then appointed two evenings out of every week for the instruction of candidates. In these meetings we gave a review of the life by faith through Christ. Thus more than two months passed in preparing the candidates for baptism. We went slowly because we wanted to baptize only those who had been well instructed beforehand.
As soon as possible we shall build a church. We are firmly convinced that the method recommended by the Lord through the spirit of prophecy, of combining the teaching of health reform principles with the third angel's message, is the best method to use in bringing souls to Christ. We have decided to follow closer than ever the instruction that the Lord has given us through the spirit of prophecy.