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THE PEOPLE OF BRAZIL

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Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Feb 5, 1902

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 28, No. 6.

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THE PEOPLE OF BRAZIL.

By W. H. Thurston

[From Mission Board Correspondence.]
Brazil is a polyglot country. It was settled, however, by the Portuguese, hence the prevailing language is Portuguese.
The Portuguese are a white race, but the native Brazilians, so called, are a dark race, having a mixture of Portuguese and Indian blood.
The Portuguese and the Brazilians all speak the same language, and are one people in Brazil. In fact, there is neither caste nor color-line in Brazil. They are all one people the country over, and the Germans, French, Negroes, Italians, English, Scandinavians, and Americans have intermarried. There is probably less of this intermarrying with other nationalities among the English and Americans; but even these are becoming somewhat mixed.
The people are very polite, genteel, and courteous. In traveling through the country, one is made welcome everywhere, and finds great opportunities for doing good. It is true the scribes and Pharisees often object to the missionary’s work, and sometimes violence is used; but the good work goes on.
The religion of the country is Catholic. The people are extremely religious, but have very little knowledge of Christianity. They have many feast-days, and saints’ days, and holidays, when they parade the streets in long processions, carrying images of wood and of plaster, the work of their own hands.
Tho the established religion is Catholic, the constitution guarantees equal rights to all religious societies; but, sad to say, it is not always granted by the people. Many are withdrawing from the Catholic faith, and claim to be Protestants; but still do not accept genuine Christianity.
There are numerous large, elegant churches, and a profound reverence is shown for these places. Men always remove their hats while passing a church, and never is a word spoken by the laity while inside the building. The finest churches are in the capital, Rio de Janeiro, and what is done there is law and gospel for all Brazil.
Rio de Janeiro has a population of about 600,000, and is situated on the south side of a beautiful bay, probably the finest harbor in the world. It is said to be ten miles wide and twenty miles long, and the entrance is only one mile wide. With ease the largest ships can enter, and lie in safety.
Rio de Janeiro Harbor.
Rio de Janeiro Harbor.
The first Portuguese explorers entered the bay in the month of January, and, taking it to be the mouth of a large river, named it Rio de Janeiro—River of January—and the city took its name from this. It is probably the gayest and grossest city in South America; but there are many good people in its borders, and an influence for good is being wielded by Christian societies laboring there. The Macedonian cry, “Come over and help us,” is still being heard from Brazil, and who will respond?
W. H. THURSTON.