The Work of the Church in Latin America
The Work of the Church in Latin America THE WORK OF THE CHURCH IN LATIN AMERICA
J. W. Treat
Introduction and Definitions
A few observations and clarifications are in order always as one approaches the study of a given subject or field of knowledge. Especially is that true when the field is a broad one, as is the case now, “Work of the church in Latin America.” Briefly, then, let us define terms.
“America” unmodified refers to two continents with the various outlying islands and territories. “Latin America” limits to that part of the Americas where Latin backgrounds have prevailed, especially as reflected in the countries or territories where Romance (or Latin-derived) languages are used. Sometimes the expression “Spanish America” appears, but this term is too limited, excluding the Portuguese and French speaking countries. “Iberoamerica” is better, because that does suggest the backgrounds of the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal). The term “Latin America” is, therefore, most acceptable.
Geographically, then, we have to do with Mexico, Central America,. South America, and the West Indies, although in a very real sense there is a little “Latin America” within our own borders—the French of Louisiana and the Spanish-speaking peoples of the Southwest. Specifically we are to consider Mexico, the six Central American countries, Cuba, Santo Domingo, Puerto Rico, and the nine South American countries—or in other words, nineteen of the twenty-one Pan American countries of the Western Hemisphere.
Possibly one of the most misused and misunderstood ex-pressions in our language—and in others as well—is “the church.” Today, in this study it is not being used in its historical sense—as books of history use it—nor in the vague, ethereal or unreal sense implied in “the church invisible.” Neither is it being used in a denominational or sectarian meaning. Reference to “the church,” then, signifies “the called of Jesus Christ” (Romans 1:6); “the church of God’' (Acts 20:28); “the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12); or in the congregational sense, “the churches of God” (1 Corinthians 11:16); “the churches of Christ” (Romans 16:16); or “all the churches” (Romans 16:4; 1 Corinthians 14:33; 1 Corinthians 7:17).
I should also like to make it clear that my talk, “The work of the church in Latin America” is of necessity limited to what I know—from my own observation and reading and from reports received from brethren in Christ. In no wise would I imply that only where some English-speaking preacher (or one thoroughly indoctrinated by such) has gone is there a church. Wherever the seed of the kingdom has produced its fruit, there the church is. I cry out against the idea, in whatever quarters it may be found, that Christianity must wear a U. S. or Yankee brand: three songs, a reading and prayer, another song and a sermon; anti-this and anti-that. We are to preach Christ and not the American way of life!
Latin America—A General View
In a lecture here four years ago, Brother Pedro R. Rivas of Torreon, Coahuila, Mexico, gave a masterly study on the Latin American countries as to history and topography, etc. Let us today simply make a few sweeping statements—a bird’s-eye-view (or worm’s-eye-view) of Latin America: historically, geographically, economically, racially, and educationally. Time permits only a broad outline. The early story of Latin America is that of the Spanish conquistadores. Significantly the soldier-Catholic priest combination over three and one-half centuries stamped upon Latin America in general the Roman Catholic religion and the Spanish (and in parts French or Portuguese) language and culture. The surge of Independence came to these various countries between the years 1810 and 1824, except that of Cuba much later, 1898. Geographically, as has already been indicated, many coun-tries and all kinds of terrain are included, one of the countries alone—Brazil—being larger than our own United States. In passing I would point out the great economic potentialities as indicated in comparatively recent statistics. Latin America comprises 1-20 of the world population and about 1-5 of the world land area. It produces about 1-30 of the wheat of the world, about 1-8 of the cotton, 1-6 of the cattle, 1-8 of the wool, nearly 1-2 of the cane sugar, about 4-5 of the coffee, 94 per cent of the bananas, over 1-5 of the copper ore and a like amount of lead ore, about 1-7 of the tin ore, and 1-6 of the crude oil.
Mexico exports 30% of the world’s export of silver, 74% of chicle (that’s chewing gum to you and me, and 37% of henequen (hemp). Central America exports 30% of bananas; Cuba, 10% of sugar; Colombia, 5% of platinum; and Venezuela, 10% of petroleum. As to imports-exports ratios, in the chief countries they are about even, a good balance of trade. There are more exports than imports in these: Mexico, Cuba, Venezuela, and Chile. Argentina has slightly more imports than exports.
Racially, Latin America is another great melting pot: European whites (mostly Spaniards, originally), Indians and Negroes. The percentages vary from country to country.
Educationally, too, a varied picture prevails in most of the countries. Everywhere there are the upper groups of highly cultured, refined, educated people. Usually, there are the uneducated masses. However, other countries offer a high percentage of literacy, for example, Uruguay. The Work
But now more directly to the question—the work of the church in Latin America. In the first place—aside from Mexico, Cuba, and the Panama Canal Zone—it is very easy to tell that story in four letters: none!
Panama Canal Zone
During World War II, members of the church among U. S. military personnel stationed in the Canal Zone formed the nucleus of a beginning work there. Under the guidance of the church at Cleburne, Texas, this work has had a continued growth. At the present time, there are three congregations: one, at Balboa Road (in Balboa); one meeting in the American Legion Hall in Cristobal; and the third— composed entirely of native Panamanians—meeting in a school building in Panama City. The congregation in Balboa owns its property (less than $1,000 indebtedness now against it).
One of the first preachers to work in the Canal Zone was Brother Gerald Fruzia. Brother D. P. Craig spent about a year and a half there, returning to the States in June of 1950 (Christian Chronicle, April 12, 1950). From Grand Prairie, Texas, went Brother W. Harlan Dilbeck and family to preach for that congregation. In a fairly recent report (Christian Chronicle, October 25, 1950), Brother Dilbeck announced eleven responses to the gospel in the Balboa work: eight baptisms, two to place membership, and one restoration. A native preacher may have joined forces in the work by now.
Problems in building a good permanent work there stem from the ever-shifting personnel, the lack of native leadership, and the ubiquitous worldliness.
Cuba
The story of the work of the church in Cuba revolves around two great soldiers of the Cross: Brother J. R. Jimenez and Brother Ernesto Estevez. These two men, sponsored by the Nebraska Avenue church in Tampa, Florida, have gradually gathered around them a teaching force which now numbers seventeen others. Brother Jimenez began that work in January of 1937. In January of 1940 Brother Estevez joined him. These brethren have kept most complete records. A monthly detailed report is sent to all who help support that work or who are interested. These reports give the number of services held during the month and the number of localities; the total attendance and the average weekly attendance and the average attendance per service; the number baptized; the number of visits made; the distance traveled by bus, by train, on foot, and on horseback; number of radio broadcasts; the literature distributed. Thus can be given the complete summary of the work of the church in Cuba from its beginning in 1937 through the year of 1950. Here is the picture: Services held—21,420 (7429 by brethren Jimenez and Estevez; 13,991 by their Cuban helpers; Total attendance—601,148; Average weekly attendance—828; Average attendance per service—28; Baptized—1469; Number of visits made— 84,930; Total distance covered—524,155 kilometers (By bus and train, 465,158; on foot, 31,881; horseback, 27,116); Radio broadcasts—228; Individual classes—498; Literature distributed—Bibles, New Testaments and portions, 8027; tracts, etc., 73,389.
These brethren estimate the loss from the number baptized (1469) from 25% to 33%, due to death, moving away, indifference, and backsliding. Of unusual interest is the work of Brother Luis Moreno in El Cristo, Oriente Province. A victim of Hansen’s disease (leprosy), Brother Moreno has continued preaching the gospel in that colony, establishing a congregation there. He and his wife, both successfully treated, are substantial citizens of the colony community in addition to their fine religious leadership. The Cuba work needs more financial support. This is not said to the discredit of those who have made possible the work already done and now being done. It simply means that additional help in the form of preachers’ salaries, money for more radio programs, a station wagon for the Havana area, and a jeep for the inland work would double the amount of fine work being done now. Very powerful Havana stations can reach practically all of Spanish America. Although within the last year or two property has been acquired both in the Havana and the Pinar del Rio provinces (in Havana, a church building and a printing press; in Concepcion del Sur, property for residence of Brother Estevez and a temporary meeting house), there is still a need of modest church buildings for the work in the many outlying points where preaching services are regularly held. The leadership-training work being done by the Cuban brethren needs support. Unseflishly, Brethren Jimenez and Estevez, both very capable teachers, have given of their time and energy “beyond the line of duty” to train other natives for the program of evangelization. Brother Estevez has made a very valuable contribution to the field of agriculture, having gained the attention and appreciation of the Cuban government. It is not strange, then, that he and a fellow-Christian, trained in that field and commercial work, should have a special agricultural project in its formative stage.
Mexico
We come closer home now—in fact, right next door— to our sister-republic south of the border, Mexico. Although denominationalism has been active in Mexico for a century (including a conservative Christian church element in the Monterrey area and Northern Mexico), we of the church of the Lord have not seen Mexico, strangely enough, until a decade ago. Present work stems from a lone preacher in Torreon, Coahuila, Brother Pedro R. Rivas, and the year was 1940. The following summary tells graphically the progress in eleven years. The church in Mexico now: 21 part-time or full-time gospel preachers; 6 states in which there are congregations; 18 congregations (numbering from some 75 members each on down) ; 5 church buildings ; 4 other properties (lots or residences for the preacher with space for a temporary meeting place) ; 4 annual Spanish Bible lectureships (Austin, Harlingen, Austin, and Torreon, Coah., Mexico) ; 4 leadership training schools in El Paso and C. Juarez; 2 leadership training schools in Torreon, Coah. (1949, 1950) ; 600, the approximate number of baptisms. This does not begin to tell the heroic battle waged by soldiers of the Cross on both sides of the Rio Bravo, as our Mexican brethren call the border river. That story alone merits a separate volume, but in passing I do want to pay tribute to these preachers along with Brother Rivas from Mexico who, often with very meager or no support and never with support comparable to that of preachers here, have pioneered the cause of New Testament Christianity in that republic. These preachers are Avila, Villagrana, Varela, Carrillo, Augustin Figueroa, Santiago Figueroa, Humberto Figueroa, Ruiz Cruz, Arturo Rodriguez, Maximo Zamorano, Saucedo, Epigmeneo Zuniga, Ortiz, Alvarado, Garcia, Reyes, Gutierrez, Lopez, Villa, Cano, and Sanchez. Today, in their behalf I bring greetings to you brethren in Christ of like precious faith, and I simply re-echo their frequent expressions of deep gratitude to you for all the help which “hands across the border” have brought to them. These men have met fearlessly the charge that they are not true Mexican citizens if they do not adore the Virgin of Guadalupe. Threats, and in some instances stonings,, have been their lot. One sister died the martyr’s death: her assassin testifying that he killed her because she did not believe in the “santitos” (saints or images).
Hand in hand with the work south of the border has been that north of the Rio Grande—the “Latin America” in our country. The picture of the Spanish-speaking work would be incomplete without such names as Schug, Cantu, Wolfe, Gill, Dias, Zamorano, Gomez, Fuentes (deceased), Kercheville, Hiler, Arrieta, Zuniga, Reeves, Partain, Stivers, Vasquez, Lujan, and many others. Three dozen congregations from Texas,' New Mexico, California, Tennessee, and Oklahoma could be named which have encouraged and helped financially in the spread of the kingdom in Mexico over a part or all of this eleven-year history. Many others, along with individuals, have given once and again.
Yet the needs are still very great. Present workers need more adequate support. Money for printing books and literature in general in Spanish is needed. At least two standard books in English have been translated into Spanish in manuscript form but await the necessary finances for publishing. Spanish papers now in circulation need some underwriting. Help is needed on buildings now planned as follows: Central (Houston), on a $20,000 building in Monterrey; College congregation here in Abilene, bn a $10,000 building in Durango, capital of the state of Durango; Hope
congregation (near Merkel), on a $2,000 building in San Pedro, Coah.; Brownsville, on a $10,000 building in Mata- moras and a $1,000 one in Jimenez. Then there are some seven or eight other places needing houses of worship now.
Added to the already-named opportunities are two others which fit into the Latin American field. Brother James D. Bales has already accepted the offer to furnish daily fifteen-minute sermons (tape recorded at Harding College) for two years over the world-wide short wave station at Cape Haitien in the Haiti republic. Brother D. L. Lawrence, 925 Acklen Avenue, Nashville 4, Tennessee, has a chance to broadcast at first in English and later in Spanish over HCJB, “The Voice of the Andes,” in Quito, Ecuador. This station is heard all over South America. Lacking on this opportunity according to the last report I had about it is the financing of the program at $15 per fifteen-minute program on a year’s contract basis.
Some Observations
I would not close without pointing out that persecution is promised the evangelists of the Lord’s church in Latin American work. This is not a new observation by any means. The apostle Paul told Timothy, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12). This takes a special form in Catholic-dominated countries. In the words of another (Converted Catholic, December, 1950, page 319) : “The Roman Catholic holy office of the inquisition in Rome has never been closed, and unless every American Protestant constantly defends his right to freedom by using that freedom to denounce undemocratic actions, the Roman Catholic holy office of the inquisition with all its atrocities might become active in America.” Destruction of Protestant church property and of Bibles and Testaments has already come through mob violence stirried by zealots and leaders of Romanism in Latin American countries. Instances in Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, Venezuela, and Bolivia too lengthy for this treatment can be cited. The movement of church-state, Spaininspired coalition has already taken five South American countries politically. But Jesus still says, “All the world.” Latin America is a large section of that world, and there are seventeen countries without a single church after the New Testament pattern! Some brethren have planned to go to Brazil but those plans have not yet worked out. Brother D. H. Had- win and family (and as many others as they can persuade to go with them) are now readying themselves for work in Uruguay. What are you and I going to do about it? In Jno. 13:17, Jesus said to his disciples what can also be applied to us: “If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.”
You say that you cannot speak the language? Then get busy and learn it! You think you are too old to learn another language? Then at least begin with your children. The Lord’s selective service laws, (his draft call), have been in effect a long, long time, but oh, how many deserters there are from the Army of the Lord! We too generally exalt and make heroes out of all soldiers except soldiers of the Cross! We are as a people not even willing to throw aside our carnal weapons of destructive arms, hatred, avarice, selfishness, and worldliness in general much less put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6). Where is our shield of faith when we venture nothing for God? Where, our breastplate of righteousness, when we waste our time, energy, and substance in crass materialism and in fighting each other in fruitless wranglings and sinful animosities ? Where, our “feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace” when our feet won’t move into regions beyond? Where, our “sword of the Spirit” when we don’t know what the book teaches; and about the only reason so many can give for the hope that is within us is: “Brother So-and-So says it is this way”? “Say not there are four months and then cometh the harvest—” As to Isaiah of old the call comes—“Whom shall we send, and who will go for us?” Where are the hearty, brave soldiers of the Lord who, like Isaiah, will rise up and say, “Here am I, Lord; send me”?