South America by J. W. Westphal

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 24, 1907

South America

By J. W. Westphal

J. W. WESTPHAL

TAKING the steamer “Mapocho” at Guayaquil, Ecuador, Friday, June 28, on the return trip to Argentina, I was agreeably surprised to meet a brother, Frank E. Hinkley, of Boston. He was on his way to Arequipa, Peru, to connect with the Harvard University observatory at that place, as photographer, under a five-years’ contract. We are glad thus unexpectedly to have a representative located at this important place. Brother Hinkley loves the message, and it is his purpose to witness for the truth in that needy land. During our two-weeks’ trip together we had good visits, and I was pleased to learn thus directly in regard to the work in the Eastern States, and of Elder H. F. Ketring, who had labored in our field, and whom Brother Hinkley had seen very recently. There have been several surprises in my trip on the west coast. In Ecuador I met a young man from my home in Wisconsin.

Our steamer stopped at Callao four days, including Sabbath, July 6, and this time I spent with the brethren at Callao and Lima. On Sunday I was privileged to baptize two sisters, very earnest souls, who united with the Lima church. During my trip to Ecuador, meetings had been begun in a rented room in Callao; and, although the door had to be screened, and invitations to public meetings could not be given, there was a fair attendance and interest. “One man had begun to keep the Sabbath, and his wife was expecting to begin the next Sabbath. We hope for more fruit from this effort. Three meetings for the public are being held weekly in both Lima and Callao now. This keeps Brother Perry and his associates quite busy. There is also some interest in Lima, but a better place is really needed for the meetings. The brethren are of good courage. They desire the prayers of our people.

Leaving Lima July 8, our vessel reached Valparaiso the twenty-second. I had made every reasonable effort to get to this place to take the steamer for Montevideo, due to leave the twenty-third, but its departure was postponed first to the twenty-seventh, then to August 3, and finally to the sixth, just a fortnight after the schedule time. I met my brother and several members of the conference committee in counsel at Valparaiso, which had been arranged for in view of my coming. They have important questions to decide in their new but growing work. They have a good press, and other things necessary to fit up a small printing plant, purchased at a very low price, and are already doing effective work. They are printing eight thousand copies of their paper monthly, and many tracts and leaflets. Lately agents for our periodicals seem to be springing up spontaneously, and the future prospects for our literature work are good in Chile. But they own no place on which to locate their plant. The place they now occupy will have to be vacated in a few months, and it is certainly expensive to move frequently. They desire to get a location in some smaller town, within easy reach of Valparaiso. But there is no means with which to purchase, and since the earthquake rents are very high.

Sickness had come to hinder the work. Elder E. Balada was called home from the north, on account of the serious illness of his wife. Sister Steele was ill; Brother Julian Torreblanca, a member of the conference committee, who had recently been engaged in canvassing work, had been dangerously ill. But at the time of my departure both were recovering. Notwithstanding the difficulties, the work is moving forward. Elder Balada reports having baptized eight in the north of Chile during his three-months’ stay there. On the Sabbath before I left Valparaiso, Brother Steele, the elder of the church, administered the rite to three.

At Quillota, a city of over ten thousand inhabitants, less than two hours by train from Valparaiso, seven have recently begun to observe the Sabbath. One of these is now busily engaged in selling our literature. The selling of the Señales de los Tiempos on the streets was the beginning of this work. Elder Damaso Soto has followed it up. Others are interested. The writer had one meeting with them. Evidently a baptismal service will be held there erelong.

At Santiago, where I preached twice, there is a growing interest. In the four months since the conference, a large number of new faces had made their appearance, and some had already taken their stand for the truth. Some of the brethren are moving to new fields. This, we trust, will serve to open up new territory. The work is great, and the laborers are few.

It was my purpose to stop off at Punta Arenas, to visit our brethren there. But as I had already been gone so long from Argentina, and the situation urgently demanded my speedy return; and as our boat did not stop long enough for us to land and return, I was under the necessity of foregoing this. There is at least one, and I think there are more, in this southernmost city of the world, keeping the Sabbath. It is evidently a place where further work should be done to plant more firmly the truth.

As I write this, August 16, our steamship “Orita,” the largest to the west coast, is nearing the harbor of Montevideo. Except for the cold, the voyage has been an exceptionally pleasant one. In another week I expect to reach home, after an absence of five months. Pray for the work in South America.

Buenos Ayres, Argentina.