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April 7, 1909. THE PRESBYTER]
and is a model of architectural beauty. It is nearing
completion. The congregation contributes about $100
per month to the support of the Gospel, and to the
erection of the new church. They lack about $2,000 of
having enough to complete the building. It will be
necessary to mortgage the property for this amount,
and pay interest at 12 per cent, if some friend in the
States does not give, within the next few days, the
$2,000 needed. Meetings for prayer are being held in
Cardenas that some of those whom the Lord has blessed
with means here in the home-land, will make this generous
contribution. Shall this church be mortgaged,
or will some one come forward at this time of need and
give the necessary amount, that the church may be
finished and dedicated? Six hundred dollars is needed
with which to purchase seats for the church. Perhaps
some friend would like to give this also. Such a gift
would bring great joy to this faithful congregation.
t
i ne unurch at Uardenas.
In Cardenas we visited our mission school. There are
about 150 boys and girls enrolled. Five of the young
men who have attended this school are now at Westminster
College, Fulton, Mo., preparing themselves for
their life work. Five other young men of nearby commhnities
arc also at Westminster. School property
should be purchased at once. We can secure half a
block of land, desirably located, and enclosed within a
massive stone wall. There is a large building on the
lot: and though incommodious, with a little expenditure
it could be made a comfortable building for school
purposes. Ten thousand dollars will secure the entireproperty.
The lot will increase in value, and is a safe
investment for one of the Lord's business men.
If we will give the brethren in Cardenas .the equipment.
they will do the work, and give to nundreds the
Word of Life, and train them for service in the kingdom
of God.
Leaving Cardenas about noon, March 4, we were in
Remedios that evening about seven o'clock. We went
to the home of our missionaries, Rev. and Mrs. J. T.
Hall. The evening prayer meeting was in progress on
our arrival in Remedios. They have no church building.
We found the congregation of over fifty members
worshipping in a rented room in a residence. One of
the elders of the church was leading the meeting. The
. missionaries are wisely training the officers of the
church to lead in prayer, and to conduct Gospel services
under their direction. At one of the mission sta
[AN OF THE SOUTH. 7
tions we were told that the elders had only one fear
in securing a minister for the church, and that was- that
they would lose the opportunity of conducting the services,
which they so much enjoyed. We wonder how
many of the elders in the church at home would be "
disappointed if they should lose the privilege of conducting
Gospel services in the absence of a pastor?
Remedios is an old city, founded about 1511 A. D.
It has two Catholic churches. The majority of the people,
however, are hungering for the Bread of Life, and
ours .is the only Protestant church that has entered
Remedios to preach the Gospel. We should buy a lot
and build a church at once. The entire property will
cost at least .$6,000, gold. For $2,000 a comfortable
home could be secured for Mr. and Mrs. Hall. They
are now living in a rented building, for which they pay
$25 per month. Some business man. by purchasing
this home, would save the Executive Committee $300
a year, and would give stability and encouragement to
our work in Remedios.
Caibaren is about five miles distant from Remedios.
Miss Edith Houston is our only missionary at this
station, since Miss Janet Houston returned to the States
by reason of broken health. As we went with Miss
Houston from home to home we were impressed with
the importance of this work of visitation. She brought
n vvnrrl of comfort to tlio<f> xvlio nroro in tin* hnnc? of
mourning, and here and there gave a word of cheer 01
admonition, or a message from the Word of Life. Caibarien
is a city beautiful for situation. We need here
also at least $8,000 to purchase a lot and erect a church
building. Property is increasing in value, and it would
be a great saving if we could buy now. Miss Houston
lives in a rented house. Twenty-five hundred dollars
would buy a home, which would he a great saving of
our missionary funds. An evangelist is needed in Caibarien.
We trust that some one of our volunteers will
hear the call that comes from this beautiful city by the
sea, and give his life to this church that now has about
sixty members, and will speedily grow into a large conerecation.
if snnip man will rniKPrrntc hitrwolf tn tl-iic
work.
We left Caibarien Saturday morning, March 6. Within
a few hours we reached Placetas. where we visited
Rev. and Mrs. H. F. Beaty and Mrs. J. G. Hall. Placetas
is situated at an altitude of about eight hundred feet
above sea level. The climate is delightful. It is a city *
of about five thousand inhabitants. It is surrounded by
rolling prairies and fields of sugar cane. In rhe distance
the great mountains stand out against a sky of blue,
presenting a panorama of grandeur and beauty.
We found one of the most attractive openings in
Placetas for preaching the Gospel we have ever seen.
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Gospel. There is only one little Catholic church building,
and you would scarcely notice it were it not for
the rough wooden cross that stands above it. The old
priest in charge has lived in this place for nearly twentynine
years. He has failed to reach the people, and Has
not drawn them either to the church or to the Savior.
He owns the only cemetery for burying the dead of
Placetas. His charges for burial are exorbitant. As