The Literature of Light in a Dark Land by William A. Spicer

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Aug 9, 1906

The Literature of Light in a Dark Land

By William A. Spicer

THE Roman Church boasts of having been the one light through the centuries, and the conservator of learning. But go to any country that has been under full sway of the church, and you find darkness and ignorance abounding.

Priestly influence shut away the light from South America as long as it was able. Bibles were burned, and colporteurs were maltreated. But God has looked upon the darkness of these lands in these last days, and the word is given, “Let there be light.” And the light is streaming in—even the light of the third angel’s message. And we must co-operate with the fields in supplying and circulating the literature of light in Latin America.

The reading public is not so large as one might suppose from the population. In Brazil, for instance, with twenty millions, it would be a liberal estimate to say that five millions can understandingly read simple Portuguese literature. In Argentina it may be that half could be set down as able to read Spanish, or say, three millions. Chile and Uruguay might stand proportionately the same, and the rest of South America would rank very low. But the standard is rising. The young generation is getting the benefit of the school systems being developed.

In Buenos Ayres there are newspapers, such as the Nation and the Press, which compare well with any of the world’s great newspapers. The office of the latter paper cost a million dollars. In Rio de Janeiro the Journal of Commerce ranks equally high. Of west coast organs I can not speak, but the fact that Chile gives free postage to newspapers shows the national policy there is to encourage the development of a reading public.

Our brethren in South America are awake to the importance of getting at this growing class of readers, with our literature. While the Publishing Department of the General Conference is working to get some of the larger books into Spanish, the River Plate Press has taken in hand the “Glorious Appearing,” translated by Brother McCarthy, which has been sent to Hamburg for printing. This will soon be out. On their own local press they put out an illustrated Spanish tract on the second advent, which sells readily. The message of the coming of the Lord is the message for these Catholic fields, as well as for all the world.

“Glorious Appearing” is also now being translated into Portuguese by Elder Hoelzle, and will soon be brought out in Brazil, the first salable publication we have had in Portuguese on the coming of the Lord. It is too bad that we have so long delayed getting the literature of the coming of the Lord into these languages; but now the brethren are going at it earnestly.

These efforts cost money, and money has been scarce. When our South American appropriations have been spread over these populous fields, they have left but a small amount in each field with which to develop the work. But the new time brings new strength to go forward, and South America has reached a place where it can do more with the literature than it has done.

There are now three publishing centers. The Taquary Press, in the State of Rio Grande, is prepared to issue literature in the Portuguese for all Brazil. It prints the Brazilian monthly paper. The River Plate Press, in the suburbs of Buenos Ayres, prints the Spanish organ, and small literature for the republics of the River Plate. The Valparaiso Press, in Chile, prints another Spanish organ for the west coast. These three small printing-offices can readily supply all the periodicals and tract literature that the territory of the South American Union requires.

The move toward getting out illustrated literature on the current signs of the times and the real heart of the message greatly encourages the people here. Think of it; we are starting out young conferences here in Brazil on a self-supporting basis, when we have not a single booklet in Portuguese on the coming of the Lord for the workers to sell to the people! This state of things is no longer to continue.

In Santa Catharina we met a young brother, a surveyor now, though formerly a colporteur with the German literature, for which there is but a very small territory. He is doing well as a surveyor; but when he was told that “Glorious Appearing” was to be brought out in Portuguese, he clapped his hands,

and said nothing would hold him back from going out to sell it; mules and saddle-bags, he said, he already had, and he meant to have a part in selling that book to the Brazilians.

The systematic scattering of our literature in these dark lands, where few can read, where the priests still have power to do much damage, and where the population is so thinly distributed, is a problem, indeed. But our brethren are courageously setting their faces to work it out.

W. A. S.

Bahia, Brazil.