NEW MEXICO, SPANISH. Commenced in 1850. Organized in 1884.. UNDER SUPERVISION OF BISHOP ANDREWS. APPOINTMENTS. THOMAS HARWOOD, Superintendent. (P.-O., Socorro, N. M.) Albuquerque, J. E. Sosa. Albuquerque Circuit, to be supplied. Chilili and Manzano Circuit, Juan Garcia. Conejos and Duci, A. Jacobs.. Costilla and Cerro, J. B. Sanches. Coyote Circuit, A. Mores. Dona Ana, A. Mores. El Paso (Tex.), F. N. Cordova. Espanola Circuit, R.. Suazo. Framptonville Circuit, L. Frampton. Hillsborro, M. Serna. La Gallina, E. Flores. La Mesilla Valley Circuit, E. Barela. Las Mound and Springer, Juan Sandoval, F. J. Cordova in Drew Theological Seminary. Superintendent Harwood reports as follows: SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE WORK. These New Mexico native people are foreigners in respect to language, religion, customs, etc., but do not, like other foreigners, come to us, but we have to go to them. They regard us as the foreigner, so that if we want any thing to do with them we must study their language so as to talk with them, etc. That is their idea of the matter. Of course, the more intelligent Mexicans regard us in our proper light, but the average, and by far the majority of them, think of us just as the people in Spain or France or Mexico would, as foreigners, without any rights only as a foreigner. This view of the case makes the Spanish work in New Mexico equally as difficult as missionary work in a foreign land, with all the novelty, spice, etc., of "Afric's sunny fountains," India's coral strand," and "Ceylon's spicy breezes" left off. SPECIAL GROWTH FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS. It will be noticed that the increase of the Mission for the past year is nearly 200 souls; the two years past a little over 400. We had labored here 13 years with a less increase in the Spanish membership than that. We only hope and pray that the increase may continue to be as encouraging as for the past few years. ENCOURAGING SIGNS. We see, also, many encouraging signs of the progress of the work that are not supposed to go in our reports. The writer, although always a strong Republican, had been here probably 10 years before he was ever asked to use his influence to help along a weak or doubtful candidate, but now we are importuned, often much to our annoyance. One preacher was accused of turning the results of his county election in favor of the Republicans, and another in another county of turning every thing in favor of the Democrats. Of course, it always makes a great difference whose toe the shoe pinches. Well, we would rather it would be this way than neither to be loved nor feared, sought nor shunned. Yet our preachers are not politicians. One was asked two years ago to run for the Legislature. He refused. Another was asked to allow his name for the nomination for county school superintendent. He refused. Not so with the priests; two of them ran on opposite tickets two years ago for school superintendent for Valencia County, this Territory. The writer, after the election, complimented the successful candidate for beating the Democratic candidate. The successful one replied, 'But, O, that was understood between us. If the other father had been elected he had promised to give it to me anyhow, because I was older than he." While writing this report the General Missionary Committee is holding its meeting in Boston. It is always a time of great anxiety to the superintendent of this Mission, because so much depends upon the appropriations. Our work is in such a condition that it must be helped, and other denominations are paying much better salaries to their preachers and teachers than we are. We have furnished to the Congregational Church its two men, whom we could have kept had we been able to pay a little better, and to the Presbyterians several, but I notice these men who switch off so easily never come out well. We needed very much a little help for a few young men to aid them in their studies to better prepare them for the work of the ministry, and our plan seem's such an excellent one to us out at this end of the line. We have now some three or four who could take a small work adjacent to our Albuquerque College and study at school, and at the same time have the practice exhorting and preaching, and in three years, with the help of the Lord, could be well prepared for any of our work. But what are the results as to the appropriations? I presume I would not have named the above only from the fact that the papers had just come, announcing the appropriations to be just the same as last year. And last year just the same as the year before, and that was the time that all the Missions were cut down 15 per cent. to pay the debt. We bore patiently the first cut of 15 per cent., for that was a general cut in all the Missions in order to pay the debt. But when the next meeting was held, and our appropriation was just the same as when the first cut of 15 per cent. to pay the debt was made, it was but natural to ask, Why is that? and then the last, just the same only with an additional cut of a small per cent.! We simply ask, in all candor, Should the New Mexico Spanish Mission continue, year after year, to be taxed to pay a debt that the first 15 per cent. paid? And this will seem the stranger when we remember that the whole State of Chihuahua, in old Mexico, has been added to this Mission, and also that we have received during the time several new workers. We had, when the cut was made, 21 preachers employed in the Mission. We now have 27. We had then only 3 receiving $200, or less. We had last year 5 on $200, 7 on less than $300. When we call to mind the grand work these men are doing, and that the "laborer is worthy of his hire," and the inability of our people to pay much, we feel sorry for them, and wonder if their work is properly appreciated. If during the past two years one of our brethren had not gone off to school, one to Arizona, one left us for another Church, and one died, I do not know what would have become of us. I am satisfied that our work is being held back for want of money to push to points beyond; but in this country, where the extremes of high prices from the East and West meet, it will not do to expect men to go to war at their own expense. We could endure the look to the end of the present year on the present appropriation, but to the end of another year down to September 30, 1892, is, to say the least, far from being inspiring. It may be wisdom to keep us cut down out here in this fertile soil where one dollar goes as far in the conversion of souls as five with the same kind of people in the foreign fields, but if so we cannot understand it out at this end of the line. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me. It is high. I cannot attain unto it." But we must not complain. What cannot be cured must be endured. Rev. Cristobal Salazar, who had charge of the Hillsborro Circuit, died during the past year. I was with him on a trip of some 70 miles about eight days before his death. As I now remember his prayers and exhortations were unusually earnest and spiritual. The following may show on what a slender cord one's work sometimes depends. When he first went to Hillsborro, and I went up to visit the work the first time, the Americans didn't think he was doing much. Even the American preacher, 15 miles farther up, said he didn't think he was going to do any thing at Hillsborro. So I, on my way down from Kingston, stopped off the stage early one morning and ran up to his house to suggest to him the propriety of his discontinuing in the ministry, and found him at morning prayer. I slipped in quietly and kneeled, and the prayer was so earnest and touching that I dismissed from my mind all thought of his discontinuing the ministry. I said to myself, “in all probability this is the only man in all this town of several hundred Americans and Mexicans who has family worship," and it will never do to discontinue him. Our burden of soul I never afterward named it to him, but was ever after so glad I heard him pray that morning. He did a good work and died in the faith. We have one church building ready to dedicate. at the beginning of the year was 500 souls for 1890. reports shows 245. The number as per Our late Mission Annual Meeting, held by Bishop Goodsell, was a time of re-consecration, and the brethren went to their work with renewed energy. The next meeting is to be at Peralta. This is where our Protestant work in this Mission began. It was there we held our first Annual Meeting in 1875, presided over by the superintendent, and the next year Bishop Bowman was with us. If we can hold our next there and be organized into an Annual Conference, it will be our highest joy. Our school work has been of unusual interest. For further information see statistics. I am now of age (21 years) in this Mission, and ought to be able to write a better report than this; but since I commenced the report I have been called off so frequently that it has been with difficulty that I have found time to write, and just now, in addition to my own pressing Spanish work, I am desired by Bishop Goodsell to act as Superintendent of the American Mission until he can find some one else, which I hope will not be long. |