JANUARY 2 the writer, accompanied by Brother Emilio Holzle, a licentiate, and Brother Emilio Hein, a canvasser, started on horseback to visit the company of Sabbath-keepers at Ivahy. These had been baptized three years before by Elder Graf, and had had since that time only a visit from Brother Holzle. Hence they had not partaken of the Lord's supper since their baptism.
Leaving our home in Castro about 10 A. M., we arrived at Ponta Grossa, a city of about eight thousand inhabitants, at 7:30 P. M. After caring for our animals, and eating a light meal, we started out at nine o'clock in the evening to visit a man who lived about two miles from Ponta Grossa, and whom we could visit only that evening. He had formerly kept the Sabbath, and was anxious to return to obedience to the Lord's commandments. We had an encouraging visit, sold him a copy of 'Christ's Object Lessons,' and returned to our lodging about 11:30.
About twenty miles farther, at Entre Rios, lived a young man who had accepted the truth at our conference in Joinville last April. Since returning to Entre Rios, he had stood quite alone, living the truth in his neighborhood.
His father was much opposed, although his mother was favorable, to the truth. We very much desired to visit this young brother, and offer him a few words of encouragement. So after attending to some necessary correspondence, we set out at 11 A. M. on January 3, for his home. When we arrived at 3:30 P. M., we were considerably disappointed to learn that he had gone to Ponta Grossa a few days before. After a pleasant, and, we trust, profitable visit with his parents, fearing that unless we returned to Ponta Grossa immediately, we should miss him, we set out for that place at 6 P. M. As it grew dark, we lost our way on the campo (prairie), but finally found the right road again, and at nine o'clock reached the ferry at the Tibagy River. The ferryman, who did not like to take us across the river in the dark, finally, after being assured that our mules were very quiet, and receiving a little extra pay, took us over.
We reached Ponta Grossa at midnight. Here we found that, inasmuch as we had not been expected back that night, our host had received other travelers to lodge with him. The small room in which we had slept the night before, on our saddles on the floor, and the only room available, was occupied. We accordingly made our beds—that is, we laid down our saddles and sheep-skins on the ground in the front yard of our host—and went to sleep. A few drops of rain fell in our faces occasionally, but, fortunately, we were not disturbed that night in our much-needed rest.
The next morning we set out early to find Brother Justus. We soon learned from his brother, who lived in the city, that he was ten miles on the opposite side of the city from Entre Rios. Fortunately, this was on our road to Ivahy, and we lost no further time in finding him. After a pleasant visit, and making arrangements with him to take charge of a church-school at Itarare among our Brazilian brethren, about four days' journey on horseback from Ponta Grossa, we parted, he returning to the latter place, while we went to Ipyranga. But we had hardly parted when a dreadful rain-storm overtook us. In this storm we rode more than an hour, finally stopping at the home of a Brazilian who had for some time been keeping the Sabbath. Spending the night with the family, we held a Bible reading the next morning, thus being enabled to render them some assistance. Shortly before noon we left, continuing our journey to Ipyranga, stopping once more on the way to visit another Brazilian who, with his wife, had been keeping the Sabbath for about a year, but who were still slaves to the tobacco habit. Our visit with this family was pleasant and beneficial. We reached Ipyranga at about 8:30 the night of January 5.
At Ipyranga we spent Friday and Sabbath. We were made sad to see that the only family who had been in the truth now over three years, was rather lukewarm. But we were made glad by learning that another family was approaching closer to the truth, the wife having for some time observed the Sabbath, contemplating baptism soon, while the husband, who was teacher of the boys' public school, did not see his way clear yet to obey. We pray the Lord to strengthen his faith and open the way for him.
Leaving on Sunday morning, January 8, we arrived at Enxuvia that afternoon.12Here also lives a family that has been keeping the Sabbath for more than a year. But, owing to their present circumstances, we could not baptize them at this time.
Arriving at Ivahy, we found that the Sabbath-keepers, some twenty in number, were scattered over a radius of as many miles. We accordingly appointed a meeting at a central place, to begin on Friday. We continued together until Sunday noon. We would have liked to continue the meeting longer, but the brethren felt that they needed to return to their homes. We were thankful to have them together for so long a time. During our stay we baptized three souls, organized a church, had the Lord's supper, and set all things in good order. We were thankful that we could leave the brethren of good courage. And I could but wonder if our churches at home would have been more faithful, for since their baptism, three years before, they had not had the labors of an ordained minister, having been visited by a licentiate only. We received tithes and First-day and Sabbath-school offerings from them. May the Lord bless and strengthen this new church, for it is probable that another year will pass before a minister can visit them.
On the afternoon of the fifteenth we left Ivahy, reaching the Salto do Sapungueiro Tuesday noon. A year ago we found at this place a promising company of seven Sabbath-keepers. Two of these had since moved to Ivahy, and united with the church there. Satan tried hard to destroy the work at this place. We found some still keeping the Sabbath in a formal way, but they were hard to reach with the Word. We did all that seemed possible at that time, and the next morning resumed our journey, arriving late that night at Agua Clara. The next day, at noon, we came to the little city of Tibagy.
Here we visited a family who for more than a year had been observing the seventh day; but the husband was still a slave of the tobacco habit. As a rule, the women here smoke as much as the men. At this place also we could not have baptism, so, after pointing these dear souls to Him who can take away even the uncleanness of the tobacco habit, and commending them to the Lord, we returned to Castro on Friday, January 20, having been gone nineteen days. During this time we had traveled four hundred miles, occupied a bed only a few times, usually sleeping on our saddles, and generally on the earth floor of some shanty, and even preferring at times to sleep out of doors on the ground, in order to escape unwelcome and restless fellow lodgers, such as chicken lice, fleas, sand-fleas, etc. The plan of our trip embraced only such as already observed the Sabbath or were interested, and we visited sixteen families.
Thus while working hard early and late, we had comparatively little to put into our reports. This shows, however, how thinly populated Brazil is in some places, and how much wearing labor is required at times to bring the truth to even a few souls. But the dear Lord loves these souls as much as any others, and desires to save them. May he ever guide by his wisdom is our prayer.
