“Down this valley to the Amazon, and thence to the Atlantic, over three
thousand miles, we know of no missionary! Within our reach are possibly
ten tribes of Indians untouched even by Romanism. In our own valley
there are probably forty thousand people.
“We have some fine boys, and the Indians are very interesting. Mrs
Stockwell is glad to have her little school. The boys are quite apt at
learning texts. Almost any night we can hear them spelling out passages
from the New Testament by candle-light in their little rooms.
“Our farm work is very interesting, also our people. One soon learns to
have a real love for them. It is hard for the Indian to understand why
anyone should treat him kindly without a selfish motive.”
For the school work the Indian children are gathered together in the
evenings and taught. They attend willingly and gladly. “The scholars
are all ages and sizes, from the ragged little Indian of six upwards.
There are some very promising children in the school, and we hope
that some day they will become messengers of the Gospel to their own
people in the remote villages. Every day we see more the need of the
Orphanage, where the children will be under our direct influence. We
have four already living in the house, and what a difference we see
compared to those outside!
“Mrs Stockwell is just in her glory with the children, and is
completely devoted to her school. She is at work from early morning
until bedtime, and always making clothing for the children.
“Day-school work among native children in Lima is a very special
feature. This was begun in 1913, and a Scripture lesson was always
included in the day’s teaching. It is being proved here, as in
Argentina and elsewhere, that not only does the day-school deliver
the Sunday-school scholars from annoyance, persecution, and priestly
instruction, but it is also an excellent feeder for the Sunday-school,
at which the attendance marked a great improvement in numbers and
steadiness.
“Under the very able superintendence and help of Mrs Millham, there are
two native mistresses, who have been associated with the Church for
some long time.”
This school work amongst the native children of Lima has been laid
upon the workers of the Evangelical Union of South America as a sacred
burden. It is their privilege--not only in Peru but in the other
Republics in which they work--to lift the child out of its ignorance,
and to teach it to know Christ the Friend of little children, to know
the world and all that pertains to it, and to know its own heart.
We will not proceed any further in our wanderings, for in Ecuador,
Colombia, Venezuela, and Panama the same sad condition of things
prevails.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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