Your ShelfYour Projects

ARGENTINA

14%

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 27, 1900

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 77, No. 9.

Read the full edition

ARGENTINA

By N. Z. Town

About a year ago the conviction fastened itself upon me that I ought to give up the office work I was doing in Buenos Ayres, and make an effort to instruct some of our young brethren here for the work of colporteurs. Arrangement was made for Sister Westphal to take the work of secretary in Buenos Ayres, and Jan. 8, 1899, we moved to Las Tunas, in the province of Santa Fé. We secured a commodious house at a cheap rent, and advertised to open our school January 20. We had not then learned of even one who had decided to come; but when the time arrived, four young men were ready to begin their studies. Later two more came; so we had six in all.
We continued the course two months, studying the Bible, the books that these young men expected to sell, and the common branches. As the lessons all had to be given in Spanish, it taxed our knowledge of that tongue, but it was good exercise, and we enjoyed it. At the end of this term the brethren went into the field, and worked until June 20, when we began another course. This course was not only for canvassers, but for any who might wish to come. During this term the number of boarding students registered was twenty-one, ranging from seven to thirty years of age. There were also eight day students. Professor de Learsy was with us, and we greatly appreciated his help in the teaching. The principal language used was Spanish, but we also had classes in German, English, and French.
At home the chief article of diet of those in attendance had been flesh-meat, but in the school they never saw any animal food on the table; and at the close of their sojourn with us, nearly all were much “fairer and fatter in flesh” than when they came.
As it is difficult to get whole-wheat or graham flour, we bought a hand mill, and made our own flour. The students learned to like the brown bread much better than the white to which they had always been accustomed. We also had a nut mill, and all became fond of nut butter. Grinding wheat and shelling and grinding peanuts was part of the work of the students during work hours. This practical demonstration of the way in which a large family can live and thrive here without the abominable “maté” or animal food, has had quite an influence in favor of healthful living. The elder of the church in Las Tunas has recently discontinued the use of both meat and maté. (For a description of maté see “Home Hand-Book.”) Since the school closed, I have received four orders for nut mills.
The canvassers who were in the school returned to their work the last of August, and some of them have been having excellent success. One thing we have observed,—those who were willing to accept the light on healthful living, and who gave up maté and other harmful things, are meeting with success, while some who rejected the light on those points have had to leave the work. I believe this will be the experience of all our workers sooner or later. We must accept all the light as it comes to us, or it is only a question of time when we shall give up the whole truth.
N. Z. TOWN.