A Message From Chile by H. F. Ketring

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · Dec 10, 1903

A Message From Chile

By H. F. Ketring

H. F. KETRING

MAY 19 I left home, to make a trip north, to visit the churches and scattered members. The twenty-sixth I reached Valparaiso, where we have a small company of believers, and where our Spanish minister, Elder Balada, is located. There we had some very interesting meetings, further instructing them in the truth. June 1 was a day long to be remembered by the people of Valparaiso. For several days the sea had been very restless, but the night of the thirty-first of May a terrible tempest arose, and the sea rolled into the shelterless harbor as if it would engulf the whole city. All night long the sea raged like a boiling pot. The wharf, which was over a mile long, was entirely destroyed, while merchandise of every description was either washed into the sea or many squares back into the streets of the city. The fury of the storm may be faintly imagined from the fact that the waves reached the fourth story of the houses on the street facing the harbor.

During the night many of the steamers cut their moorings, and went out into the ocean, fearing less the broad Pacific, which was no less turbulent, than the ship-filled harbor.

But the “Arequipa,” one of the largest Pacific steamers, by some means had her anchor chains crossed, and was unable to leave. Finally, getting crossways with the waves, the fury of which was terrible, she succumbed, and went to the bottom with passengers and crew. A few were picked up by the other ships. She was ready to leave for San Francisco, and should have left that day but for the storm.

In the accompanying illustration we have a view of the “Foyledale,” an English sail ship, which was torn from her moorings, and washed up against the wharf, where she was dashed to pieces. The crew at last climbed the rear mast, the only one left, from which, after frantic efforts, eight of them were rescued by the life-saving crew, the rest having been washed out, including the captain’s wife and little boy. The ship in the distance also met a similar fate.

As we see these omens of the greater destruction that is so soon to come upon the dwellers on the earth, should we not consecrate our all to God in order that his work of warning the world be not hindered, but go with a mighty power to the ends of the earth?

June 9 I left Valparaiso for Los Andes, in company with Brother Balada. Los Andes is a beautiful city, high up in the Andes Mountains on the way to Buenos Ayres, Argentina. From that city we walked about twelve miles farther up into the mountains to visit a company of believers.

As it was nearly dark when we arrived at Los Andes, the most of our journey on foot was made by moonlight. While climbing up through the canyon, we thought of the Waldenses in their mountain homes, and wondered how soon we, like them, would have to make our “place of defense” in “the high places of the earth.” We remained with the brethren in Los Andes for several days, during which time several obtained the victory over the “mate” habit, and we all rejoiced together.

We next went to Santiago, and spent some time with the church at that place. We then visited the scattered brethren and sisters in different places.

The work is advancing, perhaps as rapidly as could be expected with so few workers. Pray for us, and if the Lord should answer your prayers by telling you to come, or to give to help some one else to come and help us, thank him that he hears and answers prayer.

Iquique, Chile.