General Conference Bulletin, vol. 4

ARGENTINA

N. Z. Town and F. H. Westphal, April 16, 9 A. M.

N. Z. TOWN: I have been asked to tell you something in regard to the work in the Argentine mission field. This field includes three republics,—Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay. The three republics have a total population of about 6,000,000 people. The government of Argentina is patterned after that of our own country. Each province has its governor and separate laws, the same as have our different States. There are fourteen different provinces, or States, and eight territories. Each of these provinces, or States, has an area about equal to that of Kansas. 80,000 square miles. The climate is one of the finest in the world. The republic extends from the 22nd to the 56th degree, south latitude; so one can find almost any climate he desires. GCB April 18, 1901, page 324.10

Our work there has been carried on mostly in the eastern part, in the city of Buenos Ayres. In the province of Entre Rios, Santa Fe, and Buenos Ayres, and also in Uruguay, are the Sabbath-keepers that we have in the field. GCB April 18, 1901, page 324.11

Argentina approaches nearest to the United States of any South American republic. It has more miles of railway than any other South American republic. And there was only one country last year that exported more dollars’ worth of produce than the Argentine Republic, and that was our own country here. There were exported last year from Argentina two million tons of wheat; over 350,000 head of live stock, sent mostly to Europe; 700,000 tons of Indian corn, and 90,000,000 pounds of wool,—one fourth of the world’s product of wool. The whole amount of exports from Argentina last year amounted to $185,000,000. You can see that it is a progressive and prosperous republic. GCB April 18, 1901, page 324.12

South America has been noted for its rebellions and uprisings in different parts of the country; but for the last few years, since the election of the last president, Argentina has been more stable, and those who have money to invest have more confidence to invest it in Argentina than formerly. GCB April 18, 1901, page 324.13

Buenos Ayres is the metropolis of South America. There are only three cities on the American continent with a greater population than this city,—New York, Chicago, and Philadelphia. It has a population of 820,000. There are electric cars, electric lights, a good system of sewerage, and it is really an up-to-date city. GCB April 18, 1901, page 324.14

I speak of these things that you may see the importance of establishing the work on a firm basis in this republic. This republic is bound to be to South America what the United States has been to North America, and at the present time if there are any families in this Conference, or in this country, who think of going to some distant field to locate and live out the truth, and engage in farming, Argentina offers some inducement. GCB April 18, 1901, page 324.15

In the province of Buenos Ayres, south of the city, a little beyond the reach of the railways, when we left they were selling land for $1.50 a quarter, that is four acres. That would be about 37 1/2 cents an acre. This part of the country is well adapted to grazing, and also to wheat growing. The principal industries are wheat growing and cattle raising. GCB April 18, 1901, page 324.16

Up in the northeastern part of the republic, in the territory of Missioners, they were selling land still cheaper, something like $5 cents for four acres. In the south of the republic, where they were selling for about forty cents an acre, giving you five years in which to pay for it. So there is a good opportunity if one desires to invest in land, to go there and live out the truth. Many people are moving there at present. GCB April 18, 1901, page 324.17

I wish to speak especially of the efforts that have been put forth there to establish a school. We have in the GCB April 18, 1901, page 324.18

Argentine mission field only four hundred Sabbath-keepers, about 386, I think Among these Sabbath-keepers there are many young people; and as the ministers visit the churches from time to time, and more people are brought into the truth, there seems to be an urgent demand for a school. Many of these young people desire to enter the work in some branch; but before they can enter the work, they need some education. GCB April 18, 1901, page 325.1

Educational privileges in that country are very meager. They have a compulsory educational law. The children are obliged to attend school from the age of six to fourteen years; but, nevertheless, there are whole sections in the country where no provision is made for children to attend school. And the Sabbath-keepers through this field are mostly in the country. Very little has been done so far in the cities. GCB April 18, 1901, page 325.2

In the autumn of 1898, at a general meeting held among the German Russians in that field, the matter of building a school was proposed. The brethren were very glad of this, and they contributed readily to assist in the enterprise. This was just before the harvest. The harvest there begins about the end of November. They had little money at that time, but after the harvest they contributed to this enterprise; and the next year, when they sowed their grain, many of them sowed portions of land, perhaps one quarter, or two quarters, to be devoted to this enterprise. GCB April 18, 1901, page 325.3

A brother who was quite well-to-do gave forty acres of land on which to build the school; but in the meantime, to supply the immediate need, arrangements mere made for my wife and me to move to the country,—we were then in Buenos Ayres,—and start a school in our own house. We moved about twenty-five miles out into the province of Santa Fe, and we invited the young people to come, those who desired to prepare themselves for the work. The first term considered of two months, and there were six young men present. We studied the common branches, and prepared them especially, as well as we could in that time, to engage in canvassing. At the end of two months these young men went into the canvassing field, and worked until the 20th of June, and then returned for another term of school. GCB April 18, 1901, page 325.4

As there was a church of our people in that section, we opened a school for the children, and we had an attendance of twenty-three during that term, and the Lord blessed us. Not only did we desire to educate them in the common branches, but we desired to give them a practical demonstration, if possible, of how one might live healthfully. I will say that in the country districts in Argentina, the principal article of diet is meat. In the cities you can secure all kinds of fruits, but there are sections of the country where it is almost impossible to secure fruits. GCB April 18, 1901, page 325.5

When we decided to go to this place, we knew that in the country it was impossible to get graham flour, as there were no mills in that part of the country, although there are over six hundred flour-mills in the country. But in the country districts there are none that make graham flour. We bought a hand-mill, and took it with us; and it was a part of the work of the students to use the mill, and grind the flour which we used in making bread. They very cheerfully performed their task of grinding. We also made use of peanuts; and in that way we were able to give them some practical lessons in healthful living. And this was more of a help to them, and had more influence in their homes, in many instances, than all the preaching that had been done in these lines without the demonstration. GCB April 18, 1901, page 325.6

After Brother Westphal returned from the Conference two years ago, the matter of building was rather quiet. The brethren had rather lost courage. But a general meeting was held in the house where we had our school, and it was finally decided to buy brick and begin building. Brother Westphal went into the province of Entre Rios, and bought 80,000 brick, and had about $50 left. It seemed impossible to the brethren to begin building at that time. But we felt that if we gave it up, and postponed it until after the harvest, the work would be put off for another year. But the workers subscribed more money to carry the enterprise forward, and the brethren took hold with renewed courage, and about the middle of October we began building. The brick were about twelve miles from where we were to build. There was an Italian brother in the north, who was a mason, and he told us he would do the mason work free of charge. He worked two months. GCB April 18, 1901, page 325.7

The school is located about half a mile from the nearest one of our brethren, so we had to manage some way to live. Having a family tent, we pitched that on the ground, and slept in it. GCB April 18, 1901, page 325.8

I will say that lumber is very difficult to get. Ordinary lumber costs about $75 a thousand. We buy lumber there by the foot instead of by the thousand. Brother Westphal had a hen-house, and that was moved onto the ground, and served as our kitchen. We cooked in it for about two months. GCB April 18, 1901, page 325.9

Brother Westphal was there with us, and instead of putting up the house with lime, which is very expense, we put it up with mud. The mortar made of mud serves the purpose. Brother Westphal began his work with the school by mixing the mortar. While we were building, the mason was taken down with measles, and was sick about a fortnight. It seemed that that was going to stop our building; but Brother Westphal was promoted, and he went ahead and put up the wall. GCB April 18, 1901, page 325.10

But I will say that our school is very much in need of help to finish it. The roof is simply zinc. It is a one-story building, 22 meters (about 71 feet) in front, and is built on the plan of a square. The school-room is 5x9 meters (17x29 feet), and most of the other rooms are 4x5 meters (13x20 feet). During the hot weather, with only a zinc roof, it is very hot. When the brethren are able to, they hope to ceil it overhead; but so far they have not been able to do this. GCB April 18, 1901, page 325.11

Three young men who were in the school last year are working at present putting up other parts of the building. When we get back, we expect that nearly all the house will be covered. GCB April 18, 1901, page 325.12

The Lord has specially blessed us in starting this school. There is one young man who worked there five months free of charge. About the time we were ready to build, this young man had engaged with the brethren in another province to teach a church school, but the night before he was to open the school, the building in which the school was to be held caught fire and burned down, so that he could not conduct the school. The next day he came over where we were, and said he had come to help us with the building. He stayed there and worked about five months free of charge. The school opened on April 20, 1900. We are desirous that this school shall be made a good, strong school. GCB April 18, 1901, page 325.13

I have told you something of the importance of the Argentine field. This location is such that we can easily reach other parts of South America. On the west is Chili, on the east, Uruguay, on the north, Paraguay, Bolivia, and Peru, and other countries that can be reached from that field. In the summer months one can go from one country to another, either overland or by boat. When we reached here, and talked to the brethren in regard to the importance of a school, and the need there is of a good school-man to take charge of it, our hearts were made glad by the willingness of the Committee and the Foreign Mission Board to supply a good man to take charge of this school. GCB April 18, 1901, page 325.14

We are told that it is better to train laborers on the spot if possible. They can do a work among their own people that we can not. Then with some help from America, who can do some work, the cause will advance. This is what we desire to do for Argentina, to train laborers on the spot. There were in our school three young men who spoke German and Spanish. There were two young men who spoke French and Spanish; and there are a large number of French and Germans. We are desirous of making this place a training ground for workers for this part of South America. We trust that the Lord will put into the hearts of some who are here to help in this school. In those Catholic countries, I believe there is no work that will help more than the school work. The general country is Catholic. One writer says it has been a part of the parish of the pope for the hundred years, and that is one reason for the ignorance that exists. There is a Reverend Mr. Morris in Buenos Ayres, who was sent there by the missionary society of the Church of England. This gentleman began about three years ago, a school for the poor of Buenos Ayres. First he started a school for boys. In a few months there were over a hundred boys in the school. A few months later he opened a similar school for girls. He employed several teachers, and at the present time that man has over one thousand children in his school. Those who are able pay, and those who are not able to pay, he takes free. He also has a Sunday-school, and these children come. They use the Spanish language in this school. In our school last year the teaching was all in Spanish. Some wanted to learn German, but there was no one free who could speak German sufficiently well to teach it. GCB April 18, 1901, page 326.1

We are also glad to know that medical missionaries are to be sent to this field. I believe this will be another powerful means of bringing the truth before these catholic people. We have heard something already of what this kind of work has done in Mexico, which is similar to our field. GCB April 18, 1901, page 326.2

One of the things we have to contend with there in the way of healthful living is the national drink. The natives drink mate; and not only the natives, but nearly everybody who goes there falls into the same custom. This is shipped down from Paraguay to Buenos Ayres and other cities, by boatloads. If you go to visit a family, the first thing they offer you is mate. The nature of this mate is similar to tea and coffee. I have read that it has been known to cause drunkenness, and even delirium tremens. When people are addicted to this, it is almost impossible for them to give it up. When we opened our school, we explained to the boys the nature of it as best we could, and told them if they felt free to take it after knowing what we told them, to take it openly and not under cover, but we would be better pleased to have them leave it off. Most of them did leave it off, but sometimes two of the young men would go out at night, and make a fire, and take mate. We could always tell, the next day, when they had been taking it. They were dull and stupid, and complained of headache; and it was almost impossible for them to do anything with their studies. Nearly all Europeans take up the habit of mate drinking when they go to Argentina, and we have found the practice a great hindrance to our work in that field. GCB April 18, 1901, page 326.3

F. H. Westphal: Brother Town has told you of the many provinces of the Republic of Argentine. Only a few of these have been entered; there are many cities and provinces that witness to our unfaithfulness. We have not been on a trip of heroism. We have simply tried to tell the people in South America, wherever we could meet them and come in contact with them, that Jesus loves them. Some response has been awakened, and some souls are now rejoicing in the truth. A few churches have been organized. Individuals are scattered here and there, and thus in that great field there are a few spots where lights are burning to lighten the people. A great portion of the work still remains to be done, and for my part I am glad there is something for us to do. GCB April 18, 1901, page 326.4

We should not look upon entering a mission field as going on a trip of penance. It is not that: in missionary work there is something that gives inspiration to the soul, and fills the heart with new light, with joy, and peace. This we have found, as we have labored unitedly in that far-away land, and it has been a great delight and privilege to labor, not only there, but wherever the Lord opened the way. GCB April 18, 1901, page 326.5

The Argentinean people desire to reign. That desire seems to be born in them. However, they do not seek to do this in the right way. I came in contact with some individuals who had been some time in Corientes, and the northern part of the province of Santa Fe, and as they related to me the condition of the people, it seemed to open up to me a new view of their needs. When a child is born in these northern and more ignorant portions, the mother will open the skin near the heart, and sew into the skin a small image dedicated to some saint, and this image is to be the guardian and keeper of that individual until his life shall close. And thus you will find many people of these northern parts with images sewed into their skin as near the heart as possible. These come in contact with one another; they gamble, play cards, and in various ways enter into horse-racing, etc. When they are beaten, they simply consider that the saint to which the victor was dedicated is stronger than the one to which the other was dedicated. GCB April 18, 1901, page 326.6

When those in the northern portions unite in taking the mate, they generally sit down on the ground, crossing their legs. If they had their legs stretched out on the ground, some one might step over their feet, and this would indicate that the individual who stepped over their feet was to be the one who would reign. Naturally this desire to reign leads to the love of office. Office-seekers are numerous: and when an individual comes into office, new offices must be created, in order to give positions to a large number of friends. GCB April 18, 1901, page 326.7

At one place I held several meetings. The interest demanded my return. After a few months I went back, and held meetings for a month. At the close, thirty-five persons accepted the truth. After inquiring into their history, I found that some of these had been keeping the Sabbath even before I arrived there. One, an old lady of about seventy, had read “Great Controversy,” and through it had become impressed with the importance of the truth, had embraced it, and had kept the Sabbath for a year. I knew nothing of this until I had concluded a course of meetings in a schoolhouse which was offered us, and which had been used for this purpose. When these people began to take their stand in favor of the truth, the schoolhouse was closed against us. GCB April 18, 1901, page 326.8

But among the Waldensians the books had been circulated, and there was a spirit of inquiry. At one time a large number of people had been deeply interested in the truth. But we had no laborer to supply the demand, until about three years afterward, when Brother Vuilleumier visited the French Waldensian colony. As he came into a home where the people had seen his name in the paper before, the lady of the house, with tears in her eyes, gave expression of her great delight in this way: “O, why did you not come before?” During this interval, after the people had been so interested, others had interested themselves to prejudice the people, and we found at that time it was much harder to publish the truth than before. GCB April 18, 1901, page 327.1

About seven years ago, we went to Entre Rios to preach the truth,—the first of this preaching the people had heard. The people were interested to hear this gospel. We held meetings during the evening, and during the day we visited various villages. The houses being small, the people gathered in their yards during the day, and would listen for hours to the preaching of the truth. Sometimes it would be necessary to have on our hats, in order to shield our heads from the burning sun. I have often held meetings for two and three hours in this way, not preaching continually but giving them a short discourse, and then allowing them an opportunity to sing. Their intense interest to hear would continue the service often to more than two hours. GCB April 18, 1901, page 327.2

Thus, we would say that the people in this country have an interest to hear the truth. At one of these places to which Brother Town called your attention, in Entre Rios, we have now a church of about one hundred and fifty members. Some of these brethren are intensely interested in the truth, and have become real burden-bearers. They have taken an interest in paying tithes and donation. Some of them have not as yet accepted the tithing system as far as practice is concerned, but they are being led on step by step. GCB April 18, 1901, page 327.3

One of our colporteurs left a “Great Controversy” in the home of a Catholic family in Ripamonte, in the Province of Santa Fe. All the people in that vicinity were Catholics, and did not desire to purchase books, so he loaned to them this “Great Controversy.” This individual became interested in reading it, and when he concluded reading it, he, with his children, commenced to keep the Sabbath. Of course they met with persecution, the priest making an earnest but fruitless effort to turn them away from the truth. I visited them. Friday evening I held a meeting with them, and after the service we returned to this man’s house. He had five grown sons from eighteen to twenty-five years of age, and others smaller. These all lighted their pipes and gathered around the table and began smoking, while they related how interested they were in the truth, and how glad they were for the truth which they had received, and which had been brought to them. The room was soon filled with tobacco smoke, so I did not remain very long that evening. However, I could see that even the dim light they had received was accepted thankfully. GCB April 18, 1901, page 327.4

The next morning we called their attention to the fact that our bodies were temples of the Holy Spirit, and showed them as well as we could the importance of dedicating our bodies to the Lord, as well as to keep the Sabbath. When I returned to their home, I found that they had gathered up their pipes together with their tobacco, and had made them into a bundle to hang it up in the house. The father related to me that one of the smaller children said it was something that was connected with evil, and so it should be hanged, and they left it hanging there in the house. These persons step by step embraced the truth. GCB April 18, 1901, page 327.5

Finally we introduced the tithing system to them carefully, reading a few texts with them, and leaving the matter for them to think of. We knew it would be a test, in a certain way, to them: for they had considerable property, eight hundred head of cattle, five or six hundred head of sheep, etc. The next morning, very early, the father of the house, Brother Kalbermetten, came to me, and said. “I am going to take you right away now. I have given orders to have the horses brought from the stable, and will take you at once.” GCB April 18, 1901, page 327.6

“All right, I said, “we will go.” GCB April 18, 1901, page 327.7

I saw that he was not so kind as he had been. He told me he had not slept during the night. He further said that he found we were just like the Catholics they had left—we were laboring for money, etc., and that this was our special burden. When I realized his condition, I read to him some Bible texts as forcibly and tenderly as I could, in order that he might see that he had a conflict with God’s word, and not with man; and before me concluded, he decided that he would not take us away, and desired baptism, with his sons. GCB April 18, 1901, page 327.8

His sons afterward related to me that they found that the father had been awake all night, and they said, “If this truth can take hold of our father in that way, it certainly must be God’s word and must be the truth.” So before we concluded our meeting, we baptized five individuals. He gave us fifty dollars at that time. At one time when I was absent from Buenos Ayres, we did not have a dollar in the treasury to sustain the work, and did not know where anything was coming from. One morning my wife went out in front, and she found a letter sticking in the gate. Any one could have taken it in passing by, but it was there, addressed to us. She opened it, and found two hundred dollars, sent by this brother as tithe to help on the cause. GCB April 18, 1901, page 327.9

This shows that God is working through the literature, and many are becoming interested. All that is necessary is to make the connection. There are those whom the Lord by his Spirit has interested, and God desires that the minister, the living messenger, labor in harmony with the colporteur. Thus many will awaken to thankfulness for the light and the blessings the Lord has given them. GCB April 18, 1901, page 327.10

At Ripamonte we found a family who had also received a copy of “Great Controversy.” They read it, and were filled with a spirit of opposition. Brother Mangold told me that he had often made up his mind to write to these brethren in Battle Creek, and call their attention to the foolishness in which they were engaged, by calling the attention of the people to the Sabbath and baptism, and all these things which he considered unnecessary. But the Lord was working with this man, and came very near him, and in a short time he and his family accepted the truth. We baptized five individuals there. GCB April 18, 1901, page 327.11

I will relate one other incident to show you how the Lord works in a special way in connection with the circulation of our literature. You remember Sister White said one morning that the angel of God goes with the publications and with those individuals who are carrying the publications. This truth we have realized in a special way in our field. I visited Brusque and remained one week. In that short time you can readily understand that I could not by my own efforts have brought people into the truth who lived all around there for miles and miles, some of them twenty miles away. I went there, and we called the people together, and in one week from the time they saw an Adventist minister, we organized a church of twenty-three members. How did they receive the truth?—One of our German papers was taken down to San Francisco the port of Brusque, and finally found its way into the small colony at Brusque. It chanced to fall into the hands of a school-teacher, who was a drunkard. He saw in the paper a notice that papers would be sent free, if they were called for, to places where they were really needed and could be used to advantage. So he wrote a letter to the editor, desiring that they be sent to him. He received a small club of papers, and took them around to different ones, getting therefor a little money. He also sold copies in the saloons. But these papers began to work, and people became interested, and were finally convinced of the Sabbath truth. A man by the name of Beltz was fully convinced, through reading these papers, that they taught the truth; and so forcibly did the Lord impress this brother’s heart that when one Sabbath came, although he had laid all his plans to work, he could not eat his breakfast. As they were seated around the table, his wife noticed that he did not eat, and asked him why. He expressed his convictions of conscience, and said that from now on he desired to keep the Sabbath, and would like to have his family keep it with him. Some of them did accept it. GCB April 18, 1901, page 327.12

Near by lived a Brother Ulm. His wife was an invalid for five years, not being able to walk across the floor. He is now elder of the church in Brusque. Mrs. Ulm finally yielded to keep the Sabbath, and then the Lord restored her to full health and strength. GCB April 18, 1901, page 328.1

Brother Town has told you of experiences connected with our school at Entre Rios. Young men are now there who, with a little more instruction, will be able to go into the field and instruct the people in present truth, in the French, German, and Spanish languages. The Lord has especially prospered this work. One thing in the establishment of this school I regret, and that is that some of our workers were there for one entire year, building up this institution, when they should have been reaching out into new fields, and have taken the truth to many who are ready to receive it. But it was necessary for them to remain where they were, because of the lack of means. Others could have done the work they did during that year, if money had been in the treasury to hire the labor done, thus enabling the ministers to go out into the field. But we did the best we could under the circumstances, taking hold of the work which came to our hand to do, and set at it with all our might. GCB April 18, 1901, page 328.2

How much have we received toward this building from this country? I think Pennsylvania has donated about ten dollars, and New York has donated about the same amount, also Kansas. There have been thirty dollars donated for the erection of the Argentinian school. The property is now worth about three thousand dollars. We value it at about this, but as has already been said, the ceiling is simply of zinc, and when the sun shines, it is of course very hot, and in the winter when the frost is upon it, it is very cold, and so we have in that house both extremes. But such cheerful students as we have found there, is a blessing to see. I visited them as they were studying, and listened to their prayers and their testimonies, and I found they were truly thankful for that which would prepare them for the field. GCB April 18, 1901, page 328.3

What led us to erect this school? We were having a general meeting; we had pitched our tent at Diamante, and one young man came all the way from Uruguay. I asked him where he was going, and he said, “I came here to go to school; I want to prepare for the work, I have been praying over it for some time. I could not sleep during the night, and I could find no rest until I concluded to enter the field, and labor for souls.” He had been engaged in a prosperous business, and was making money; but he sold out, and came to Entre Rios, stating that he had come for the purpose of going to school. We had no teacher; in fact we had nothing, but this opened up the way for the erection of this school. It was decided to build the school, and we finally succeeded in building it, but we need help. We ought to have benches there; we ought to have furniture in the rooms; there ought to be something that would give the school a cheerful appearance. GCB April 18, 1901, page 328.4

May the Lord bless you as we consider this large field. Some say. “Why, there are only five millions of people there. Think of the many souls in the other countries.” Of course these demand our attention, but you can not overlook the smaller countries. Argentina has a territory a little over one third as large as the United States, and five millions of people is not a small number for that extent of territory. We are soon coming to the close of probationary time, and if we overlook such countries and the islands of the sea, these will come up and witness against us at the conclusion of this world’s history. May the Lord help us to take hold of the work with earnestness. GCB April 18, 1901, page 328.5

The true Christian is like the sun, which pursues his noiseless track, and everywhere leaves the effects of his beams in blessing upon the world around him.—Luther. GCB April 18, 1901, page 328.6