20
THE LUTHERAN PIONEER.
begun. So nlso in Bolfrin, with its terribly bnckward conditions, the missionary problem is great. In Peru we find a limited number of missionaries of the :i\fethodist Church, but the whole northern part of this country is unoccupied territory. In Venezuela the spiritunl destitution of the people is great, and there is no promise of help in the near future, though Presbyterians and Methodists are doing a little work within t he confines of the country. South American Indians. There are said to be almost ten million I ndians in South America. For example, fifty per cent. of the pepple of Bolivia and Peru are Indian, and
'l'hen we should go to South America, for -in that land there is a star tling p1·opor tion of paganism. Should we send missionaries to the south of Asia? 'r hcu we should send missionaries to South America, for lnrge numbers of Asiatics are there. Should we go to Africa? 'l'hen we should go to South America, for the Negro is there. Shoul d we establish missions for t he Mohammedans? T hen we should enter South America, for the l\fohammedan is in that continent. Should we give the true Gospel to those who do not possess it? Then we should send missionaries to South America, for in that vast coDtinent there are many millions who are without t he t rue Gospel and have been misled
Congregation · at Sampaio, Brazil. :
Colombia, Bolivia, and Brazil have large Indian contingents. These millions have been almost · wholly neglected by the Roman Catholic Church, so that they are still practically heathen. The more civilized tribes have been approached by missionary agencies of a number of Protestant denominations with promising results, but the great mass of South American aborigines, particularly the more savage tribes of the interior, have so far remained wholly untouched by the hand of Christianity. The gross moral and spiritual darkness of these tribes presents a mighty challenge to the Christian Church of
to-day I The Appeal of South Amei:ica. "South America is a continent that, on many grounds, appeals for missionary effort. "Should we have missions in pagan laD<;l s?
by a distorted and penerted substitute for Christianity, which is but a counterfeit and not Christianity, except in name. Any reason that can be advanced for true Gospel missions anywhere applies just as well in South America.. " Aboriginal paganism is totally inadequate for the task of remoralizing the .People; · and Romanism, though it has had the opportunity for centuries, has utterly failed. A new religious force is absolutely needed.'; F-. J . ~-
Luther Conference, New Orleans, La. Luther Conference convened for its annual winter session at Bethlehem Chapel, the Rev. G. M. Kramer, pastor, on December 29 and 30. Despite
