General Meeting of the Inca Union Mission
By J. W. Westphal
The first general meeting of the Inca Union Mission was held at Lima, Peru, April 15-17. Brethren C. E. Knight and Henry Mangold, of Ecuador; W. R. Pohle and O. H. Schulz, of Bolivia; F. A. Stahl, of the Lake Titicaca Indian Mission; and the laborers of the Union Inca and Peruvian Missions, the Lima church members, and a few from other16places, attended. The largest number present at any one meeting was about seventy-five. The burden of the preaching was the ministry, the need of the Spirit,—how obtained and its work,—the nearness of the end, the urgency of our work, etc., all of which seemed to be well received. Interesting reports were given of the conditions in the several fields, the difficulties and the needs. One hundred and thirty were baptized last year, one hundred and twenty-two of whom were Indians of the Indian mission. Of the others two were in Ecuador and six in Peru. On the last Sabbath of the meeting eleven were baptized, and others in Peru and Ecuador and about forty in the Indian mission are awaiting baptism. The foundation for the second Protestant church for the natives of Peru has been laid in the mountains, at Lauca, a short distance in the interior from Lima. This will be the first church built with native money. At the meeting, over fifty dollars was raised to aid the enterprise. The brethren in this place are nearly pure-blooded Indians, and have suffered not a little for their faith, having fled to Lima for shelter and protection several times. They have been faithful in the truth for some years, and are growing in grace. Two of our brethren fled from an interior town, the place where Brother Pohle preached the message in a Catholic church some months ago, and came to the general meeting. Their meeting was broken up, prominent citizens in the place who attended were injured, and it is not yet certain whether or not one of our brethren was killed. Our Indian work is attracting much attention among people high and low, and of other denominations. The sentiment that is making itself manifest in behalf of religious liberty is due in a very large extent to the persecution of our Indian brethren. Articles appear in the papers from time to time recounting their experiences, until the reading public is acquainted with the situation, and with the name Seventh-day Adventists. Every effort at persecution only gives an additional occasion for bringing our people to the front, with little effort on our part. One of the leading dailies gave a full-page account of the baptism, written by its own reporter. Of course it was not all true to fact, but it cannot but awaken inquiry. Other denominations are making inquiries about our methods of working for the Indians, and are anxious to labor with greater success. Brother Stahl wishes to open work in new places, places where the interest is already aroused. I should add that Brother B. Rojas, former teacher of the Indians, could not attend our meeting on account of illness due to an enlarged heart, a condition produced by the high altitude. A brother in Argentina has been invited to come and assist in the work, but this is only a part of the help needed. As clouds in one place scatter, in another they gather. Although there was a strong Catholic sentiment in Ecuador, and in many places it was perilous to preach the gospel, the government was liberal. In fact, church and state were entirely separated. Missionaries could come and go as they pleased, and were even encouraged by the government. Now, however, when we were about to purchase our passage to Ecuador, we found that it could not be secured, for the government will not permit the landing of missionaries or ministers. What this will mean for our work in that republic we cannot say, but it does show that we and other Protestants are altogether too slow in entering the doors opened before us. And is it not another of the many indications developed during the last year or two, showing that we are coming very near to the close of our work and into the final conflict? The agent of the British Bible Society, a minister of the Methodist Church, who has charge of its work in Lima, gave us an interesting talk on the work and experience of the Bible Society in Peru. Mr. McKnight, an American, active head of the educational department of Peru and secretary of the National Temperance Society, occupied one evening. Courage seemed to fill the hearts of the brethren as the meeting closed. Resolutions were adopted outlining various lines of work and methods, which were heartily approved. The laborers are returning to their fields, hopeful of the Lord's blessing and of success in their work.