Under South American Skies - No. 4 by William Warren Prescott

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 8, 1916

Under South American Skies — No. 4

By William Warren Prescott

At the close of the conference in Rio Grande do Sul, Brethren Town and Montgomery, accompanied by Brother J. W. Westphal, went to Paraguay, where a general meeting was held, continuing over the following Sabbath and Sunday; but I spent the time in Entre Rios, where the school and sanitarium are. The other brethren joined me there after the meeting in Paraguay, and another general meeting was held for the benefit of the believers living in the vicinity of these institutions. Some came from quite a distance to enjoy the privileges of this gathering, and the blessings received seemed to be appreciated by all. We were cordially welcomed and very kindly entertained by Dr. R. H. Habenicht, the medical superintendent of the sanitarium, and his associates, and by Prof. H. U. Stevens, the principal of the school, and his associates, who made our stay among them a very pleasant one.

The following Sabbath a general meeting was held in Buenos Aires, at which there were in attendance between one and two hundred members of the churches in and about Buenos Aires; and the next morning we took the train for Chile, to attend the annual conference for that field. Only a few years ago it was necessary to take a coach over the summit of the Andes, but now the whole journey is made by train. The grades are so steep on both sides of the summit that a cog track is required for a considerable portion of the way, and the train moves very slowly. The highest elevation in crossing is more than ten thousand feet, and we had some striking views of the lofty Andes.

The school in Chile is at Pua, not very far south of Concepcion, where the conference was held; we therefore decided to visit the school before the meeting. The fall term had not begun, and nearly all the teachers were at Concepcion, but we were hospitably welcomed by Brother C. E. Krieghoff, the business manager. The farm, consisting of more than one hundred and fifty acres of good land, is about three miles from the railway station. A three-story wooden building, covered with corrugated iron, is occupied as a dormitory for both sexes, and also contains the recitation-rooms. In a separate one-story building are the kitchen, dining-room, laundry, and business office. This school ought to have better facilities, and we hope that they can be provided in the near future.

On looking up the sailings of the steamers on the west coast, we found that we should be compelled to leave the Chile meeting before its close, in order to be able to make suitable connections for our visits to Bolivia and Peru. We had four days at Concepcion, and we endeavored to make the most of the time. The attendance at this conference was smaller than at either of the others, although there are about seven hundred and fifty believers in Chile. This was probably due to a considerable extent to the fact that Concepcion is in the southern part of the republic, and a glance at the map will show that it is a long distance from the northern end. Those who were present seemed to enter heartily into the spirit of the meeting, and I believe that it was a profitable occasion.

We took the train at Concepcion on Tuesday morning, April 4, and arrived at La Paz, Bolivia, the following Monday afternoon, almost a full week being required to make this journey. This shows how much time is necessarily consumed in getting from one field to another in this country. We spent one night in a hotel, three nights on the boat, and two nights on the train, and waited one day for a train. At La Paz the elevation is between twelve and thirteen thousand feet above the level of the sea, and we were of course quite sensible of this great change, although we did not suffer any serious effects. I spoke one evening, and our chapel was well filled. The Baptist pastor was in attendance. During our stay in La Paz we were made welcome at the home of Brother W. R. Pohle, the superintendent of the Bolivian Mission.

At La Paz Brother E. L. Maxwell, the superintendent of the Inca Union Mission, met us, and accompanied us the remainder of the way to Lima. On our way from La Paz to Peru, we crossed Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable body of water in the world; and as we made the trip by day and called at various ports, we had an excellent opportunity to see the surrounding country, where there are openings for our work. At Puno, on the Peruvian side of the lake, we were met by Brother F. A. Stahl, the superintendent of our mission among the Indians, who had come the previous day with horses and mules to take us to the station, more than twenty miles away. There are no carriage roads in this part of Peru, and the only way of traveling is on horses or mules. The ride was a bit trying for some of us who had hardly been in the saddle for twenty years or more, but we made the best of it.

When we were about two miles from the mission at Plateria, we were met by a large delegation of Indians, men, women, and children, accompanied by two native bands, and were escorted to the station. It was a marked manifestation of the good feeling which the Indians entertain for the mission and its work. On our arrival at the station, formal greetings were exchanged, and a cordial welcome was extended to us in short addresses by two or three Indian brethren.

The next day being Sabbath, the usual services were held, and it was a most interesting day. First came the Sabbath school, which was conducted after the

usual plan, with the necessary translations from one language to another. At the service following, I spoke, and for the first time I had the experience of waiting for two different translations. First Brother Town put my English into Spanish, and then one of the Indian workers connected with the station who understands Spanish, translated it into the Aymara, or Indian, language. Even the prayers were made intelligible to the audience in this way. All our services were conducted with the aid of translators. It was of course necessary to speak in rather a simple way to these Indians, but the essential features of the gospel of salvation from sin appeal to all classes and are readily comprehended by all. The practical effects of such a gospel are very apparent among the Indians. They have given up chewing the coca leaf, a filthy and injurious habit, and have stopped drinking alcohol. They live at peace among themselves and are industrious. They pay tithe and make offerings, and give every evidence of a complete change of life. Such fruits of gospel work are most convincing.

At our meetings on this Sabbath there were six hundred or more in attendance. The large meeting-room was crowded, and many stood at the door and the windows. It seems that it will be necessary to enlarge the meeting-room at once.

On the following Monday we visited a station, about eighteen miles away, where a school has recently been opened under the direction of two native teachers, and where regular Sabbath services are held. This journey was of course made on horseback. We were cordially welcomed to this station, with a procession of children and older persons led by a band. First a religious service was held in the open air, at the close of which the local chief made a short address, in which he spoke of their duty to support the work and to provide suitable buildings for the school and the teachers. Following this we had dinner at the home of the chief, and it was a dinner which we could relish, too. After this Brother Stahl carried on medical work for one or two hours. This was an interesting part of the day's experience. Teeth were pulled, the patient standing in the crowd and opening his mouth to have the offending member removed, and smiling cheerfully when the extracted tooth was handed to him. Stomachs were cleansed by the use of the stomach pump, and various pains and aches were prescribed for. In return for this service some paid money, some brought eggs, and others brought other things. None were refused attention even if they had nothing to give in return. All seemed to appreciate what was done for them. When we were ready to return to the station, nearly two hundred escorted us for quite a long distance, although the road led up a very steep hill. We learned afterward that from this very village a mob of about three hundred Indians started not so very long ago with the avowed intention of destroying the buildings at the mission station. Such a change shows what true gospel work can accomplish.

One morning at eight o'clock a prayer meeting was held at the station. An hour or more before the appointed time the Indians began to gather. We could see them coming across the wide plain, singly and in groups. By actual count there were one hundred and ninety-seven present at this meeting. I was especially anxious to know whether these Indians had an intelligent idea of conversion and of deliverance from the power of sin, and I had a good opportunity to become satisfied on this point. I first gave a talk on the power of an indwelling Saviour to enable us to meet temptations and to live a clean and upright life, and then they occupied the time in prayer and testimony. It was an excellent meeting. They testified in their own way to the change which had come into their lives, and they left no doubt in our minds that they had experienced a real conversion. We greatly enjoyed this experience.

While we were at the station, various deputations of Indians came to ask for work to be opened among them. One Indian sister who for about two years has walked forty-eight miles every two weeks to attend the meetings at the station, urged most earnestly that a worker be sent to her village. Another Indian came for the third or fourth time in three years pleading for a school and a teacher of the gospel to come to his village. Others came from other places. How earnestly we wished that we could respond at once to every such request! How long must they wait for the gospel?

There are openings for new work to be established in fifteen or twenty places around Lake Titicaca, and we gave careful consideration to this situation. Calls will be made for workers to enter some of these stations, and we sincerely hope that these calls can be promptly answered. In view of the growth of the work at Plateria, it was deemed best to organize this field into a mission to be known as the Lake Titicaca Indian Mission. Brother F. A. Stahl was chosen superintendent; Brother J. M. Howell, secretary and treasurer; and these brethren, together with Brother C. V. Achenbach, constitute the mission committee.

When we left Plateria for our ride back to Puno, a large company, led by the native band, accompanied us far out on the plain, and then, after a short farewell service, we bade them good-by. We shall long remember our visit among these Indians, and we are exceedingly thankful for the good work which has been done among them. Its influence has not only extended throughout Peru, but is felt in other parts of South America.

On our way down to the coast we spent a Sabbath and Sunday at Arequipa, where Brother I. Kalbermatten is laboring. Here I spoke to the company on Sabbath morning. Brother Town spoke in the afternoon, and Brother Montgomery on Sunday evening. While we were at Arequipa, Brother Town and I were kindly entertained by Brother F. E. Hinkley, the director of the Harvard Observatory, who showed us many courtesies.

I am writing this report at Lima, where we have been for five days. Here we have held services several times with the believers, and are closing the work with an institute for the canvassers. We have also united with the Inca Union Mission Committee in studying the conditions in this field and in presenting the needs for the future. From here Brother Town will return at once to the United States, but Brother Montgomery and I sail this afternoon for Valparaiso, on our way to Buenos Aires, where a meeting of the South American Division Conference Committee will be held on our arrival. At this meeting we shall take a general survey of the work in the South American field, and shall try to plan for its future development. The budget for 1917 will be made up at that time, and in this will be included such calls for additional workers for South America as the committee may feel ought to be made. I hope it may be possible to answer all these calls.

I am now expecting to sail from Buenos Aires for New York on May 25, on the steamship “Vestris,” of the Lamport and Holt line, and I ought to arrive about the middle of June. I have greatly enjoyed my work in South America, and I hope that the visit has been profitable both for the work and for myself. W. W. PRESCOTT.

Lima, Peru, May 3.