Brazil by F. W. Spies

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · May 17, 1906

Brazil

By F. W. Spies

PARANA.—After the close of the Brusque general meeting, I left the province of Santa Cathrina, arriving at Curityba, Parana, on the twelfth of January. There I found Brother Emil Hoelzle awaiting my arrival. We spent four days in that place. They were days of much blessing to both us and the church. During our stay we baptized three Brazilians, one of whom is a colporteur of the American Bible Society. We also had the Lord's supper, and, following this, a business meeting, at which the officers of the previous year were re-elected. The harmony and unity of sentiment that prevailed at this business meeting was a source of refreshing to us.

January 17 we left Curityba for Ponta Grossa, a city of about eight thousand inhabitants. Here Brother Hoelzle has for some months been residing and endeavoring to bring to the people the message of present truth. In Curityba the Brazilians—the natives—are becoming more and more interested, so that during our short stay we had a goodly number of them in attendance each evening, but it seemed as if those in Ponta Grossa had decided that they would not give ear to the truth. The town had been worked from house to house, but it was possible in this place to interest only a few German families. And as these families were members of the Lutheran Church, the pastor, who also resides in the city, bitterly opposed the presentation of the truth, and in this he was seconded by other Germans, who were professedly unbelievers. This opposition resulted in intimidating some and persuading others, so that finally only three German families accepted the truth.

During my stay at Ponta Grossa four persons of these three families were baptized. We hope the things that hinder the others may soon be overcome, so that they may also follow the Saviour in this ordinance.

Having sent Brother George Kuntze on ahead to Jaguariahyva with the mules, in order to save time, Brother Hoelzle and I took the train at 8 A. M. on January 23, and at 2:30 P. M. we were at Jaguariahyva, which, had we made the entire distance by mule, would have required three full days. When the train arrived, we found Brother Kuntze at the station, with the mules all ready; so we arranged our baggage, and rode that same day several leagues farther toward Itarare. We halted just before night at the edge of a little wood, built a temporary tent, using for a roof part of an ox-hide, a piece of oilcloth, and such other material as we had with us, and turned our animals loose on the campo (prairie). We next built a fire, ate a little supper, and lay down to sleep. About midnight I was awakened by water falling on me, and a little investigation showed that our roof was not

waterproof against the rain, which was coming down quite heavily. I got up, adjusted matters a little, and then, although it rained until almost morning, there was no further trouble. When the sun rose, the clouds and rain had disappeared, and all nature seemed to praise the Creator. It was, indeed, a lovely ride across the campo, everything having been refreshed by the shower of the night before.

About 4 P. M. on the twenty-eighth of January we reached Itarare, glad to be once more on the scenes of our former labors, and to meet those with whom we had at different times, during several years, labored and prayed. We were glad to find that all but one of those who had been baptized had remained faithful, and that since our last visit, a year before, others had begun the observance of the Sabbath.

At Itarare we stayed ten days, and had the privilege of baptizing thirteen souls and organizing a church of thirty-six members. By the amount of tithes and offerings paid by some of the members of the church at that place, it was evident that they sensed their duty and the importance of the time and work. And as we impressed upon the minds of all the importance of faithfulness in this, so that more workers might be sent out into the white harvest-field, and their love for God and their fellow men thus be revealed, all consecrated themselves anew to the Lord. There are still a number of souls keeping the Sabbath. We hope that by the time of our next visit these may be wholly in harmony with us, and have overcome the things that until now have made it impossible for them to unite with us.

After our work at Itarare was finished, we journeyed on to Salto do Riberao Grande. It was two years and three months since we had been in this place. The road to Salto was very bad and mountainous, and much of it had to be traveled on foot, and my health was not the best during this trip. But when we had reached our brethren, and found that, even though they had been left alone so long a time—two years and three months—they had remained faithful to the truth, we felt compensated for the fatigue of the three and one-half days of hard journey, and we praised the Lord, and took courage.

We spent three and one-half days there, encouraged and strengthened the brethren, celebrated the Lord's supper, baptized four souls, had election of officers for the ensuing year, and then, having finished our work, went on our way rejoicing, reaching Curityba, after two days and a half more of traveling over mountains, on February 15.

In view of our attending the South American general meeting, to be held in Parana, Argentina, we had hastened on our trip, and embarked at Paranaguá for Rio de Janeiro. The ocean voyage was a very rough one, perhaps the worst I had ever made, especially on the last day. While an awful cloud-burst and thunder-storm wrought havoc and destruction in Rio Janeiro, which we were approaching, we had a terrible storm at sea. It seemed at times that our vessel, which was only a small coast steamer, would be engulfed by the mountain-like waves that rolled in upon it. Women shrieked, calling on God and saints, children cried, and men swore, but to us it was a comfort to know that no hair falleth from our heads without the Father's will.

On February 19, at noon, we entered the harbor of Rio de Janeiro, thankful that the dangers and perils of another voyage had been safely passed, and that we could once more greet our loved ones and spend a few days with them, and, above all, thankful that during the trip that had then ended, we could once more encourage, strengthen, and instruct the Lord's waiting children, and thus help them on their onward journey. May they all prove faithful, and be among the overcomers at last, is our prayer.

F. W. SPIES.

On board steamer “Victoria.”