THE Spanish-speaking people of Central America comprise only about half of the population. There yet remain the aborigines, or native Indians, who are scattered in tribes and settlements all over this land. They speak different languages, and have varied manners and customs, and are almost entirely unmixed with the Spanish.
Chaco Indians of South America.
In each republic there are large tribes of these Indians, but more are in Guatemala than in any other. One of our missionaries, after much investigation, gives us the following surprising facts:
1. Of the 1,538,000 inhabitants of Guatemala, 1,000,000 are Indians.
2. There are twelve distinct dialects spoken among them, of which the following are the principal ones:
El Quiche, spoken by 280,000 Indians, living in seven departments; El Capchiquel, spoken by 130,000 Indians, living in three departments; El Quekshi, spoken by 87,000 Indians, living in six departments; El Ponchi, spoken by 20,000 Indians, living in two departments—making 517,000 Indians speaking these four dialects, and the remaining half million speak numerous dialects, and a few speak Spanish.
3. Of the total population of Guatemala, Spanish and Indians, 1,250,000 can neither read nor write.
4. Statistics state that of the whole population, 1,350,105 are Catholics. All the Indians are nominal Catholics; their ancient paganism and idolatry have only been Romanized, and that only partially.
Mapouche Indians.
5. Of the 41,672 births reported in a certain recent year, 22,589 were reported as illegitimate—this includes Spanish and Indians. So far as I am able to learn, the Gospel of Mark, printed in Quiche, is the only printed work in any of these dialects. The whole land is indeed desolate, because no man layeth it to heart. Who has ever shed tears because of the darkness of the shadow of death that encircles these poor Indians? Who has grieved because Rome, in proselyting them, has made them two-fold more the children of hell?
O that the children of God might manifest something of the zeal that Rome has shown in her labors of destruction, which has brought such spiritual darkness and superstition, not only to these poor Indians, but to millions throughout the earth! For years and years, preachers have gone by, leaving them to Rome, to Satan, to everlasting death. Where are the men and women of God who will pray for the needed laborers to give them the Gospel? Where are the devoted workers who will give themselves to learn these dialects, that these despised ones may have the truth of God?
Mapouche Indian Cemetery.
The Indian tribes of Guatemala mostly occupy the high altitudes, and live in the towns from a few hundred population to numerous cities of 10,000 to 25,000. Now is the time for vigorous work in Guatemala.
What is said here of the Indians of Guatemala, describes in general those of the other Central American republics. These conditions also obtain throughout the South American countries, and to such an extent is this true that South America is often truthfully called "the neglected continent."—D. H. Scott, Treasurer Central American Mission.
