Brazil by F. W. Spies

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 14, 1915

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 92, No. 3.

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Brazil

By F. W. Spies

F. W. SPIES

Gleanings from our mail bag, September, 1914

Para

BROTHER RHODE, our first missionary to the Amazon region, writes:—

“We have arrived safely at Para, and like our new field of labor very much. Owing to the severe crisis that has palsied Brazil, as it were, for more than a year, and especially this section, and the further depression caused by the European war, times are hard and people very poor. But we believe the Lord has a people in this place, and we trust his help and guidance in finding them. The climate seems to agree well with us thus far.”

Pernambuco

Elder R. Wilfart, of Pernambuco, says:—

“In spite of crisis, hard times, and failure of crops, caused by the recent heavy and continued rains, the Lord’s work moves steadily on. Here in Santa Maria, also in Caruaru, souls are deciding in favor of the truth. Doors are also opening in Orobo, ten leagues away. I hope to baptize from twenty-five to thirty believers here in the near future.”

Alagoas

Coming on down along the coast, word comes from Maceio, the capital of Alagoas, from our Bible worker there, that twenty persons are attending the Sabbath meetings.

Bahia

Elder Manoel Kuempel, of Bahia, says:—

“Next Sabbath, September 5, the Lord willing, we hope to baptize five persons here in Bahia. Among these are two brethren who I believe will make workers in some capacity in the future. I shall encourage them in this purpose.”

Rio Espirito Santo Mission

From Rio de Janeiro comes the news that the series of lectures conducted at the nation’s capital at the present time are being well attended by the public, and that recently some have begun the observance of the Sabbath. The brethren are also making arrangements to begin tent work in this city of over a million.

Very good reports are also coming from the church schools at Serro Pelado and Mercury. At the former place Brother Peters and wife are conducting a good school, while at the latter place Brother Specht and wife are doing a good work.

Minas Geraes

Brethren R. M. Carter and Henrique Simao, who have been laboring in the book work in and about the city Juiz de Fora, in the state of Minas Geraes, report open doors and a number keeping the Sabbath in that section. Brother Carter writes:—

“Never had I passed a week in this work that gave me so much joy as did the last week. In our book work we found four more families keeping the Sabbath. It would certainly do you good to get acquainted with the new brethren and see their enthusiasm and zeal for the truth. We now have here, in and near Juiz de Fora, eight families keeping the Sabbath, numbering together more than thirty persons. It is a pity that there is not a minister available who can take up this work, for there are still others interested.”

NOTE.—Elder Waldemar Ehlers, who was appointed to this field, has not yet been able to return from Germany, owing to his health and to the war now raging in Europe.

Sao Paulo

Toward the close of August a second baptism took place at Santo Amaro, near the city of Sao Paulo. This time seventeen believers were buried with their Lord by baptism. Yesterday, October 3, eight more were baptized here at Sao Bernardo. Elder Boehm, who is laboring in the interior of Sao Paulo and who recently baptized seven persons, writes, “We shall soon be obliged to remove another partition in order to enlarge our meeting hall, for the membership has grown considerably of late.” Others are preparing for baptism there.

Parana

Elder Sussmann writes from Curityba, Parana:—

“The work here continues in a very promising manner. Several new Sabbath keepers have begun coming to our Sabbath meetings.” He further states that our War special, a magazine of twenty-four pages, has been a great help in gaining entrance among the better classes of people in Curityba, it being a good means of helping the people to understand the meaning of present-day events. One woman to whom Brother Sussmann talked about the truth, said, “Certainly the Lord sent you to our home.”

Santa Catharina

Elder Rockel, president of the Santa Catharina Conference, in a letter just received, states that on his last trip he baptized ten into Christ, and that, in spite of the financial crisis, the work is progressing very encouragingly in their conference.

Rio Grande do Sul

Elder Meyer, president of the Rio Grande do Sul Conference, writes that he has just completed a trip of three months among the churches, during which time he enjoyed much of the Lord’s blessing. He baptized twenty-three persons and received a number of others into church fellowship.

At present we are conducting a course of instruction for recruits for the canvassing work at Sao Bernardo. Nine candidates for this important branch of missionary effort are in attendance. We had expected more, but various causes kept a half dozen others away. The canvassing work has been fairly prosperous in spite of the present crisis, especially in Sao Paulo and Rio Grande do Sul. But in these days, when the factories have shut down or work only half time, and when the owners of coffee plantations must dismiss their help because they find it impossible financially to continue their work, the canvassers find that it requires more faith, more determination, and more effort to succeed. But they do succeed, as they go out trusting in Him unto whom has been given “all power,” and who has promised to be with them always.

Of course these conditions materially affect our various treasuries, and according to present prospects our receipts will be considerably smaller this year than formerly. Still the Lord is helping, and the workers, almost to a man, are looking hopefully at the situation, trusting the Lord to open up the way before us from day to day. Receiving, as we do, good and encouraging reports from all parts of the field, we thank the Lord and take courage, knowing that this work will triumph over all obstacles. We ask an interest in your prayers.