BRAZIL by F. W. Spies

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 20, 1900

BRAZIL

By F. W. Spies

RIO DE JANEIRO.— We had long looked forward to the time when we might begin work among the natives of this large city. Finally the Lord so arranged matters that Brother Wm. Stein, a native brother, and his family, moved to this place, and on Saturday evening, October 21, we held the first service in the Portuguese language, in our home. But our house was so small that even the few families we had invited more than filled our rooms, and we were questioning how we should continue the meetings. At this juncture the Lord opened the way to secure a pleasant hall near by, for $7.50 a month; and in the same marvelous manner the use of an organ was obtained. We now hold two Portuguese services weekly, besides our Sabbath meetings.

But our hands are still tied. The people of this country are, with but few exceptions, Catholics, and are shy of Protestants, even afraid of them. The customs of the country are also conservative; hence we feel the need of literature in the tongue of the people, which may serve as an entering wedge, and open homes for us. We have no tract nor paper in the Portuguese tongue, and, in fact, nothing to give the people to read, and they are afraid of the Bible. We are, however, preparing manuscript for the first issue of our Portuguese paper planned long ago. But even when we shall have the matter prepared for the press, we do not know how long we must wait before we can print the first edition, because our funds are low.

What is true of literature is also true of a hymn book. We are translating a small collection of hymns from our hymn book, to be printed in a pamphlet, without tunes, but also for these there is no money available. In order that we may have the use of some of the hymns in our services, we have with much labor copied a few by hand. Likewise, while we have room for more chairs or benches in our hall, and we need more to accommodate all who come under favorable circumstances, lack of money obliges us to defer the purchase.

Still, though laboring thus under various disadvantages, we rejoice in the promise, ‘Lo, I am with you alway;’ and the fact that, in spite of the conservativeness and fear on the part of the people, some souls are becoming interested in the precious gospel shows that the Lord is at work, and we labor on in hope, knowing that ‘God is able to make all grace abound toward’ us, and that we ‘always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.’ Praise his name.

F. W. SPIES.