THE BIBLE IN PERU by A. M. Milne

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jun 24, 1889

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 15, No. 24.

THE BIBLE IN PERU.

By A. M. Milne

THE Roman Church is always and in all parts of the world the same in respect to its hatred to the unadulterated Bible. A few days ago Brother Penzotti (agent for the American Bible Society) wrote us an account from Callao of the attempt of the curate of Cocachacra on the lives of Brother Arancet and Brother Illescas, colporters of the American Bible Society, who were there with samples of Bibles and Testaments. This village is not far from Arequipa, Peru, and has a population of some two hundred poor, ignorant people, who are completely under the dominion of the priest, and, being incited by him, they met together with the purpose to kill the men who had brought them the light of the gospel, precisely as the priest of Antioch did to Paul and Barnabas in Iconium. Finding themselves face to face with death, Arancet asked permission to pray. This was granted. Upon ending his prayer, he told them that they might now do whatever they wished. At this moment the governor of the place arrived, and liberated them from the hands of the priest and the multitude. He took them to his house, where he guarded them till the next day. When the fury of the people had subsided, he sent them to another place. Brother Penzotti, when he wrote this to us, said that he was going to start for that place as soon as it would be possible for him to leave Callao. Now he writes us that he and the two other brethren are in prison, illegally detained by order of the bishop for selling obscene books. The Italian consul and other influential persons are taking interest in the matter, and I do not doubt but that the final result will be equal to that which happened to me in an analogous case, when I was detained in the town of Pando, republic of Uruguay, in the year 1865. This being reported to the superior Government, that high authority granted me full permission, without license or hindrance, to sell Bibles in every part of the republic.

General Caseres, the president of Peru, has already given the clergy of Arequipa and the worthless friars of Lima a few lessons which ought to give them to understand that he permits neither friars nor bishops to dominate his people; and I do not doubt that he will cut off forever these abuses. Meanwhile, we recommend to the brethren in the faith that they do not fail to pray for Brother Penzotti and those that are with him.—Rev. A. M. Milne, in Northern Christian Advocate.