R XIII.

THE BIBLE AS A MISSIONARY FACTOR.

The Bible is a mighty factor in the spread of the gospel in Brazil. In
1889 there came down to Bahia a man named Queiroz from two hundred and
fifty miles in the interior. He came seeking baptism at the hands of
Dr. Z. C. Taylor. It appears that some six or eight years previous to
that time an agent of a Bible society had entered this man's community,
preached the gospel and left behind him some copies of the Scriptures.
One of these Bibles was found afterwards by Queiroz, who studied it and
was impressed with its truth. He began to bring the message of the Word
to the attention of his large circle of friends and kindred. Having
preached in several places, he was finally asked by the district judge
to come to his house where he was given opportunity to meet a number of
friends. The friends of Queiroz, however, began to ask him whether it
was right for him to be preaching thus before he had been baptized,
whereupon he resolved to go to Bahia to seek baptism. He made the
journey and was baptized. A week after he had returned he wrote to Dr.
Taylor, saying he had preached at Deer Forks and had baptized eight.
During the next two weeks similar letters were sent, which gave the
number he had baptized. The church at Bahia was apprized of conditions,
and it decided to send Queiroz an invitation to come and receive
ordination. He came with great humility and joy and was ordained, but
before the ordination had taken place he had already baptized
fifty-five people. The church, at Bahia, after the ordination of
Queiroz, legalized the baptisms.

Five years after the baptism of this man Dr. Taylor was finally able to
make the journey to Conquista, where he found the church well
organized, with a house of worship built at its own expense and with
the pastor's home erected near by. The missionary says, "I now
understand why God never permitted me to visit Conquista during these
five years. I believe it was for the purpose of showing me that the
native Christians can and will take care of themselves and the gospel
if we will only confide in them. I wonder how many churches in the
United States have built their own house and pastorium and sustained
themselves from the start? Not a cent from the Board has been spent on
the church and the evangelization done by Brother Queiroz."

Another example of the power of the Bible in spreading the gospel is
found in the way the gospel came to Guandu,