p. 15 | F. H. WESTPHAL by F. H. Westphal

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Dec 15, 1904

F. H. WESTPHAL

By F. H. Westphal

From England to South America

F. H. WESTPHAL

IN my last report we were one day's journey from Liverpool, England. We remained one day in England, and then took the steamer “Victoria,” bound for South America. The Sunday before we landed in England there was an earthquake. The old island was shaken quite severely in some places. It must remind the people there that even England is not built on an eternal foundation.

After two days' journey we reached La Palisse, France. This was formerly the key to France. The Huguenots at one time occupied it. As we passed city after city, with their thousands and hundreds of thousands of inhabitants, we could not help but think of the weight of responsibility that rests upon our people in these last days.

At Lisbon, Portugal, we went on shore, and visited the cloister Carmo. It is in ruins—one of the remains of the great earthquake of the year 1755. Guides are appointed to conduct visitors about, and to explain the effects of that earthquake. How sad it is that we have not a single representative there to tell the people what the Lord meant by the earthquake of the year 1755. [Since Brother Westphal visited Lisbon, Brother and Sister C. E. Rentfro, of Iowa, have located in that city, and are busy studying the language.] I found the people very careful to do all they could for the stranger, who might come there to see the place.

Our next port after St. Vincent, a Portuguese coaling station, was Rio Janeiro, Brazil. As we entered the haven, it reminded us of our visit there ten years before. Brother W. H. Thurston and his wife were with us then. They remained there to labor, while we sailed on to Buenos Ayres. All will remember Brother and Sister Thurston's early experience in Brazil. We are grateful that a change has come into our ranks since that time.

We visited Brother Stauffer, the secretary of the Brazilian Conference. He is very comfortably located near the city of Rio Janeiro. A part of his house is used for the depository.

There are some changes being made in the city of Rio Janeiro. There is much building in progress. This has brought many workmen to the city, and so the accommodations are crowded, and rents are high. Many of the necessities of life are much more expensive than when we were here before. Formerly one dollar gold brought six mil reis, while now it brings but four; and one mil rei does not buy as much now as it did then.

The work in Brazil is onward, and is growing. There are about eight hundred Sabbath-keepers in that country. When I first visited the place ten years ago, there were a few Sabbath-keepers here and there.

The first of August we reached Buenos Ayres. Brethren Snyder and Grinrod met us at the docks, and conducted us to the office. We appreciated the kind reception that the brethren gave us.

A few days later we came to Diamante, province of Entre Rios, where we are stopping at the home of my brother, J. W. Westphal. He was just concluding a missionary tour in Brazil and Missiones, when we arrived.

We were received with great rejoicing at my brother's home. We had been separated about three years. These meetings give us some idea of the meeting of God's people in his everlasting kingdom. But the message must find its way into all the world before that glad day. Messengers must go into every country. There is room for many workers in South America. They must, however, be prepared for self-denying efforts. The life of Christ must be their pattern. He was a true missionary. He did not consider the comforts of his heavenly home, and leave the field, but he laid down his life for a fallen race. He could not return home without bringing his sheaves with him.

A few evenings after our arrival a reception was held at the school for us. Many warm speeches were made. We were glad to note the progress of the message. Brethren Fulton and Lude are very busy in the school. There are forty pupils enrolled. They are an excellent company of young people, preparing themselves for the work. Many of them will go into the field to canvass, at the close of the school year. We are glad that the missionary spirit is being fostered among the students. The school is true to the purpose for which it was founded. It is out of debt, and making good progress. Arrangements are being perfected to add five more rooms to the building. When these are completed, the original plans will be carried out. They will have enough money on hand to pay one of the teachers and the matron this year. This will leave one teacher for the conference to pay. If there is a good harvest, there will be more students next year. The light harvests of recent years have reduced the number of students considerably.

We saw in the school many articles that were prepared for it by the students of Union College and by the College View church. These things were much appreciated, and were very necessary.

If some one from the States would come to Argentina, and buy the three hundred acres of land bordering on the school ground, and then donate about one hundred acres of it to the school, it would be a great help. He could teach the people here how to farm, and thus be a help to the country as well. Such an individual would be a real missionary, if he held the light of truth before the people in connection with his daily life. And the same ought to be done in Chile when we start our school there.

We have been visiting among the churches here in Entre Rios, doing house-to-house work. The first Sabbath the meeting was held in the school building. There were about one hundred and fifty of the brethren present. The next Sabbath there were two hundred and fifty. The following Sabbath the meeting was held in the old Crespo church, where there were over two hundred present. Last Sabbath we went quite a distance into the woods; and as it had rained, there were not so many present. The roads were very bad. My brother and I did most of the preaching. The message that was borne was that the Lord is now calling his people to repentance. If we disappoint the Lord in this call, it means a great loss to the individual to whom the call is being made, and to the Lord's work. We found the brethren all of good courage, and willing to press onward. They pledged and donated about two hundred and fifty dollars (Argentine money) for the Camorera school during our visit this time, and about two hundred and sixty dollars for the school in Chile. We are glad to see this spirit to help the work onward in other fields as well as in their own. A few hundred dollars will be a great help to us in starting a school in Chile.

My brother and I intend to go to Urdinarrein this week, and from there to the province of Santa Fe, where we will attend the conference and camp-meeting, and then I will go to Chile, my permanent field of labor.

There should be standard-bearers in every city and every village and country place in the whole field of South America. There are but few laborers to carry the message to the millions of people here. Earnestly pray that the Lord will send laborers into the field to work for him. There are about half as many inhabitants in this country as there are in the United States of America, and these are spread over a much greater territory, and it, therefore, requires a greater effort to reach them all. There are but few laborers here to do the work, and these are often crippled for lack of means. I believe that the Lord can help in this matter, and that he will raise up many more workers and provide means if his people are willing that this should be done. To show their willingness they must consecrate themselves and their means to the work of the Master. The message of the coming of the Lord must be everything to us now. There are no other interests that should absorb our attention to such an extent that we shall lose sight of the great work before us. Pray for the work and the workers here.