p. 18 | Portugal by C. E. Rentfro

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · May 11, 1905

Portugal

By C. E. Rentfro

LISBON.—If I could preach in Portuguese, I could open up work now, though it would be necessary to convince the authorities that we are not “socialists,” but intend to do proper gospel work.

I am now attending three or four Portuguese meetings in as many places each week, and one Scotch Presbyterian meeting, giving away tracts as I have opportunity, without calling down upon me the wrath of the preacher. To one place I took some copies of the Arauto da Verdade, and after the meeting I handed one to a man, and lo! men, women, and children crowded around, reaching out their hands for the papers, some wanting two, until I gave away twenty-five in less than nine minutes. Many more could have been given. The people who can read are glad to read anything. We have given our vegetable dealer a copy of all the tracts and papers we have in the Portuguese language. But as to the inquiries and explanations, we can not follow the interest aroused as yet.

I do hope a man may be found who can help in this field without the hard work of studying the language. We shall keep our eyes open here for such. We surely shall be obliged to teach the people by preaching and reading to them, for, as I said in a former letter, eighty per cent of the people of Portugal can not read. If I could talk and understand the language well, I should be almost overwhelmed with work.

C. E. RENTFRO.