F. H. WESTPHAL by F. H. WESTPHAL

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · Oct 5, 1905

F. H. WESTPHAL

By F. H. WESTPHAL

From the West Coast of South America

F. H. WESTPHAL

On the twenty-third of March Brother Carlos E. Krieghoff and I began meetings at Galvarino. The Lord opened the way for us, a business man in the village permitting us to hold meetings in his house. After holding services for nearly two weeks, Brother Krieghoff found it necessary to return home to get more books. When he was ready to start again for Galvarino, he was detained on account of the illness of his child, which resulted in its death. The parents mourn, but not as those who have no hope.

For nearly two weeks I was left to carry on the meetings alone. At the end of that time eight willing souls began to keep the Sabbath. We rejoice for this. Five or six Chileans living there are also observing the seventh day. They needed instruction on the sanctuary question, which we imparted; they are now taking their stand with us, although they were brought to the Sabbath light by the Cabanistas. You can see by this that even the Cabanistas have to serve in bringing people to the truth of the message.

When Brother Krieghoff returned, it was necessary for me to go home, on account of the sickness of our little daughter. Several times she nearly succumbed, but she recovered through careful treatment. We were very thankful to the Lord for his kindness in sparing the life of our daughter.

I met Brother Victor Thomann here also; he is on his way to begin a school among the Indians. In a week or so I shall visit him, and help in the establishment of the school. The poor Indians are to be pitied. There is quite a village of them at Galvarino. Most of them are Catholics; that is to say, they were baptized by a Catholic priest. At first the Indians refused to be baptized; but when the priest gave each Indian twenty cents who would submit, they consented to the ceremony. When he returned, after an absence of several weeks, he had the same number to baptize again. After he had baptized about seven or eight times as many as are known to live in that country, he refused to pay any more for the privilege of baptizing them. The Indians would receive the money and spend it for drink.

It is a pity to see how these people spend their money for that which is not bread. Men, women, and children come to the city, and get so drunk that it is necessary to take them home on carts.

While in this condition, some sing, others cry, and still others bellow. I have seen mothers, with their little ones tied to their backs, lying on the ground, not able to walk or talk. The little ones were crying, but the mothers were not able to sense the fact. How often they lie thus in the rain part of the night, and in the heat of the sun at midday. Do you not think that the cries of those little ones have come to the ears of the Lord against those who manufacture and sell alcoholic drink? It seems to me that I should not like to settle their bill in the day of judgment.

When the white people first came here, the Indians were quite numerous; but they have wonderfully diminished in numbers during the last twenty years, all on account of alcoholic drinks sold them by those who ought to be representatives of the Master. The government finally had to prohibit the sale of liquors to them, but it permitted the sale of fermented wines. The Indians become very intoxicated on the wine, and sacrifice their lives and their money. This shows that wine is a mocker.

Some of the people here who know that it is wrong to manufacture and sell strong drink and fermented wine, and that it is wrong to do common labor on the Sabbath, try to substitute for Sabbath-breaking and the wrong of producing and selling fermented wines, the sacrifice of not selling wine on Sunday. What a substitute is this! The Lord can never accept such a substitute. How miserably people treat the Lord! If you remonstrate with them, they feel very much offended, and sometimes insulted.

Nevertheless the work of the Lord is onward in this country. From Peru

Brother Espinoza reports that his meetings are attended by almost twice as many people as they were a short time ago. From Ecuador Brother Davis reports large sales of books that contain the third angel’s message. From Iquique I received a letter from a young man I met on the boat coming to Chile, containing the following:—

“MY DEAR FRIEND: I received your nice and welcome letter. It pleased me very much to get an answer to mine so soon, for you must at times be so much engaged that you can hardly find time to answer all the correspondence which is before you. I must thank you very much for your trouble, and for your interest in my behalf, in sending the reading-matter I received from your office in Valparaiso. I want you to tell me in your next letter how much the price is per annum for The Signs of the Times, as I indeed find very much pleasure in reading the few sent me so kindly through your influence. I have read some parts two or three times. I think they are good.”

There are jewels to be gathered for the Master in all parts of this world. We need now to be on the alert, and do all we can to find the scattered flock. We shall all rejoice together in that great day when the Master shall come to bring his people home.