Bells, Rockets, and Mass Against Yellow Fever in Brazil
WHEN plague rages in heathen lands there is a beating of drums and demonstrations to attract the attention of the Deity, and to scare away the evil spirits. One of our missionaries in Brazil says that while stopping in one town recently he noticed that the bells of the Catholic Church would each evening set up a clanging, and then at the same time a number of rockets would be fired. I asked what was the meaning of this, and the answer was, “They are saying mass every evening so that the yellow fever will stop in Itu.” It seemed a strange way to call upon God; but these poor people have no other than the heathen idea of God, supposing that he can be appeased or persuaded to do a certain thing by saying mass, and offering him fireworks as an entertainment.—London, Eng., Present Truth.