The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1927, Page 35

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THE LUTHERAN PIONEER.

35

they make good laborers along lines for which they
are fitted. In Texas they have largely supplanted
the Negro on the farms, for they are naturally
tillers of the soil. Owners of ranches find them to
be good shepherds and herdsmen, and the railroads
prefer them as section-workers to others.

Educational Condition.

In many localities these Mexicans are denied
admission to the public schools of the whites, and
the school-buildings and equipment put at their
disposal are so very poor and the teachers so in-
capable that many parents prefer to keep their
children at home. The thousands of boys and girls
are growing up into manhood and womanhood un-
equipped for the discharge of those duties which
are demanded of them. And as ignorance is in
many respects the mother, of superstition and of
vice, these people must hand
down to the succeeding genera-
tions many superstitions and vices
to the certain detriment of the
communities in which they live.

Religious Condition.

Somewhere we saw the re-
ligion of the Mexicans referred
to as “baptized paganism.” Tor
three centuries the Church of
Rome has been at work among
the Mexicans. During most of
this time Rome held undisputed
sway over these people in a relig-
ious way. ‘The results do not speak well for Rome.
Their religion may have some Christian terms, but
its essential nature seems to be pagan. Ignorance,
immorality, and superstition seem to be its main
ingredients.
frightfully prevalent among them. The simplest
laws of health are apparently unknown to them.
And yet, when approached by well-meaning per-
sons, they are disposed to accept advice as to right
living ‘and are quite susceptible to education and
religious instruction.

The Situation in Simple Statements.
Here are, all told, upward of two million souls

accessible to the message of Christ’s Gospel. They
are within our easy reach. What little work we

have done among them holds out rich promises.

They are of the same blood and speak the same
language as do the people of Mexico, our next-door
neighbors. When once the present trouble has
passed away, the arrested intercourse between the

Coneubinage and illegitimacy are_

two countries will be greater than ever. The evan-
gelization of Mexico and of Central America will
be more rapidly and easily done by people of their
own race and language than by others. To the
writer it seems as if God were putting into our
hands missionary material which He wants us to
train and send South for new conquests of the Cross.
On the other hand, the presence of such a large
ignorant, superstitious, and immoral population
among us constitutes a grave moral menace to us.
Vices such as theirs are contagious. As a matter
of pure self-preservation we ought to bring them the
regenerating and purifying Gospel of Jesus.
Viewed from another angle: Here are thousands
upon thousands of poor sinners without light or
hope. The blood of Jesus alone can wash them
clean and make them acceptable to God. We have
the Gospel, which alone can bring them this means

Church at Sivirazwa.

of salvation. ‘’o us God has given the command to -
preach the Gospel to all creatures, hence also to
the Mexicans lying at our very doors. Therefore,
now comes to us the challenging question, “What
are you going to do about it?” F.J.L. |

A Short, But Eloquent Letter.

St. Charles, Mo., January 17, 1927.
Drar Pastor DrEwEs : —

I heard my father speaking of the girls’ dormi-
tory at Greensboro. I have earned a dollar by shell-
ing corn for the chickens and thought it might buy
a few bricks for, the dormitory; so I am sending the
dollar in this letter. Father and mother are also
sending one for the same purpose.

Sincerely yours, E.B.

Nore: — The writer is a little girl eleyen years
of age. : ,