G. W. CAVINESS by G. W. Caviness

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 27, 1910

G. W. CAVINESS

By G. W. Caviness

Mexico

G. W. CAVINESS

I HAVE just returned from a visit to a few places where there is an interest to know more of the message for these last days. My first stop was made at San Luis Potosi, where there has been a company of Sabbath-keepers for a few years. Two families began to keep the Sabbath at this place a few years ago from reading our Spanish paper. We sent a Mexican worker there about two years ago to get them into condition to organize into a church. All seemed to go well for a while, but later this worker apostatized, and we had to drop him. He immediately set to work to carry the company with him. For a time it looked as if he would succeed, but later he fell out with the brethren and separated from them. I visited them a little later, and they received me kindly. They had kept up their meetings and the study of the Sabbath-school lessons alone for several months.

Photo by C. B. Waite, Mexico City Published by permission

This last spring Brother Robles was sent to labor among them. They received him cordially, and he has been having a good interest, with an attendance of thirty-five or forty some of the time. I spent a little over one week with them and had a good hearing, but did not baptize nor organize them into a church because of a few things that need to be adjusted first. The brethren took fifty subscriptions to our paper, which they will place among their friends and neighbors. A little later we expect to organize a church in this place.

From San Luis Potosi I went into the country about twenty miles to visit the company mentioned in the Missions number of the REVIEW. I found them faithful, and had a good time with them. These are country people who live in a very primitive manner: they have no furniture in their huts, and live like Indians, eating only the simplest things cooked on an open fire in the middle of the room. I spent a week with them, eating their simple fare, and sleeping on a few sacks spread on the ground for a bed, with a blanket which I took with me for a cover. Although they have but little book education, and some of them can not read, yet they are intelligent and understand the truth. They asked me many questions which showed clearly that they had a good knowledge of the Word of God and the plan of salvation.

The last Sabbath I was there, I had the pleasure of baptizing sixteen, the oldest being a woman of seventy-eight and the youngest a young man of seventeen. The scene at the baptism was impressive and beautiful. The ceremony took place in a stream of clear, crystal water in a grove, with mountain scenery on nearly all sides.

The leader of the company is an employee in the civil court of that district. He seems to have a good influence with his collaborators. The judge of this court, the treasurer, and another employee attended our meetings, and when I proposed to them that they take four or five subscriptions each for our paper to sell to their neighbors in order to raise a little money for a church building, these three men each took four subscriptions, and said that they wanted to have a part in the good work.

Brother Robles, who is stationed at San Luis Potosi, has been visiting this company from time to time, and building them up in the faith. He accompanied me on this visit and helped very much, especially in singing. They enjoy singing, and would stay for hours after the meetings to sing. None of these brethren are in the habit of using tobacco or liquor. They are married, legally, those who have families, and in many respects are different from the ordinary Mexican.

They have purchased a lot for twenty-five dollars United States currency, and desire to put up a small church building, to cost about one hundred fifty dollars United States money. Material can be had quite cheap, and the brethren will do a considerable part of the work themselves, but they have little or no money to give. Elder G. W. Keaser visited this company, saw their condition and need, and has been successful in raising money for this little church building, or témpio, as we call it here in this country.

We are of good courage. The outlook is good. The canvassers are having phenomenal success with the health book. Pray for us that the good work may go on in old Mexico.

Tacubaya.