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8 THE PRESBYTERS
we visited this burying-ground we were shocked to
see hundreds of bones and skulls of the dead thrown
out in a corner of the enclosure. We were told that the
priest would rent the same grave to as many as six
different families. A short time after the burial of a
body' the casket would be removed and opened, the
body thrown aside, and another would be buried in the
grave. This would be repeated over and over again.
TllP f 11 <11" nrtrv.oi A C^ - *-1 ' '
yjt giuuuu mi me cemetery was strewn all
over with broken coffins and bones of the dead. Tall
grass, weeds and briers have grown up and densely
cover the ground. The priest has a monopoly of the
"holy ground"' around Placetas, and he forces the people
to bury their dead where he will receive large revenues.
As little respect is shown for the bodies of some
of the dead as one would ordinarily show for the body
of a dead dog.
Can we wonder that the people of Placetas welcome
the.Protestant missionaries when they come with the
joyous message of the Gospel to bring relief to those
who arc bound, and to set at liberty those who are captives
of the Romish religion?
Mr. and Mrs. Beaty and Mrs. J. G. Hall have won
me Hearts ot the people here. Two Sunday schools and
two places of worship have been established. It was
our privilege on Sunday evening to baptize eight adults,
some of whom were of the most prominent families of
Placetas. If we, as a Church, will buy a lot and erect
a modern church building, it is my judgment that within
five years there will be a self-supporting congregation
of at least two hundred members. The lot would
cost about $3,000. We need at least $6,000 to aid the
church here in erecting a building. The congregation
is now worshipping in a rented residence. Our missionaries
have done a marvelous wnrle pnnciH#r!n?
.WS CI1V,
fact that they have to labor without buildings and without
the necessary material equipment to enable them
to carry on the work. Shall we not speedily provide
money' to establish a strong church in this progressive
city, and reach its people with the message of salvation?
As we traveled through the provinces of Santa Clara
and Matanzas, where our mission stations are located,
we saw a number of large towns of thousands of people
where there are no Protestant missionaries. All through
the country districts are hundreds of people dwelling
in their little thatched-roof houses where the message
of Christ never goes. These lands are rich; thousands
of acres are covered with a luxuriant n-rowtb <->f
o
cane and tobacco. The pasture lands are covered with
an abundant grass all through the year, well adapted
for stock raising. The church, once established in these
rapidly growing cities and in these wealthy country districts,
wil speedily become self-supporting. This is
our day of opportunity. It is a goodly land which the
Lord our God hath given us in Cuba. Shall we not go
forward at once and possess it for him? What we do
must be done cjuickly. Cuba is in a state of transition.
If we give the Gospel to the Cuban people now, the religion
of the Lord Jesus Christ will dominate the lives
of those who are to establish a new republic, and make
Cuba free indeed, and enable it to fulfill its mission as
a nation in the earth.
y
IN OF THE SOUTH. April 7, 1909.
W'e left Cuba with the impression that the work our
missionaries are doing is worth while. They are building
upon solid foundations. We heard from missionaries
of other denominations that the work our own
Church is doing in Cuba has 110 superior on the island.
VVe should feel grateful to God that he has given us
these consecrated missionaries to so worthily represent
us, and, as our substitutes, give the message of salvation
to the five hundred thousand people in Cuba, who
are looking to us in our generation for a knowledge of
our Lord Jesus Christ, and an opportunity to become
his true disciples.
"ON EATH, PEACE."
Ru r* ??
^j uvMjaiiiui o. moomaw.
Peace to the world;
Peace, blooding over sea and land.
Hushed every storm on every strand.
The banners are unfurled
Not now of desolating wars,
But of the marching armies of the stars.
Celestial peace! . J
N.ot as the world gives, lest it be
The craven price of liberty,
And not the soul's release.
A music in the welkin rings;
And lo! the rushing of a myriad wings.
For heaven sends j
Her choicest thrones her miirhfioot
f *- ? M..o*av?v0t ^/vn vi o,
Iutb this 3tricktn world of ours,
And all her glory lends,
To greet the wondrous Babe, and fling
His tidings to the ages listening.
I
"Good will to men";
And man to brother man when time
Shall learn the litany sublime
That echoed yet again
As shepherds, hearkening to the skies,
D.'&nk in the rapture of its melodies.
Oh heavenly day!
Heart of the weary ones, and sore,
Well* may ye give your sorrows o'er,
And put your griefs away,
Since the Messiah comes your pain
To hear, and bring in everlasting gain.
And far along
The flowing ages though we be
Who sing this Easter melody,
?'TIs yet a mightier throng
Shall celebrate that radiant moru,
Of nations past, and nations yet unborn. .
Ben, Va.
In the Presbyterian churches of Great Britain, a minister
without pastoral charge may be attached to a local congregation
and be elected a ruling elder. He may sit as a
ruling elder in the Presbytery and the General Assembly.
The Columbar Presbyterian Church, at Cambridge,
England, has a session of twelve, three or four of whom
are distinguished ministers, the principal of Westminster
College, a Reverend Professor, and others, aswidely
known as the pastor, who is the Rev. Dr. Johnston
Ross.