A PERMANENT RELIGIOUS FACTOR 261 over the multitude which have flocked to its standard of revolt against the Pope cannot be foretold. But it may be reckoned with as a permanent factor in the religious future of the Philippines." CHAPTER XXV PROTESTANTISM: ITS PROGRESS Indiscriminate Audiences in Church-Settlement Work "THE HE Spaniards were Christians," said a leading Filipino, "but we like the Americans better because they are not Christians." "I do not care to go to church," said an American girl in Manila; "one meets such an indiscriminate gathering there." The young lady had been to a cock-fight the previous Sunday afternoon, and showed plainly the irritation she felt in being invited to a religious service. Protestantism in the Philippines is only six years old, and yet there are about eight thousand communicants enrolled; this does not include any of the followers of Aglipay, but it is expected that many of them may later enter the Protestant fold. There are a half dozen denominations laboring in the archipelago, five of them members of the Evangelical Union. The practical working basis of territorial division adopted in 1901 was continued at the annual meeting of the Union this year, DIVISION OF TERRITORY 263 and outside of Manila there is practically no duplication of agencies in any field. While it may be impossible to adhere to these divisions very long, the economical results of this co-operating assignment of forces is readily seen. Requests for pastors and teachers are constantly coming in, and frequently communities offer buildings and pastoral support. The personal experiences and sacrifices of members and the demand that they make for morality in their preachers, are said to be surprising and satisfactory. Students in the Government normal schools show an interest that affords an opening that will be difficult to meet adequately. The Young Men's Christian Association is doing its part. Side by side with the American Bible Society in the great work of giving the Scriptures to the Filipinos have labored the representatives of the British Society. Nor should the work of the Army Chaplains be overlooked. The Episcopalians, Methodists and Presbyterians have churches, small ones yet, for Americans living or visiting in Manila and one or two other centers, services in English being maintained; but all of the denominations except the Episcopalians bend their energies in the province to win the natives to Protestantism. While the Episcopalians seek chiefly to reach Americans, they have a fine Settlement work among the natives in Manila, and in some districts which the Roman Catholic Church has abandoned they work among the Filipinos. They do not recognize officially any division of territory among denominations, but in practice they are careful not to interfere with fields already occupied. The Methodists occupy the northern part of the Island of Luzon and the Presbyterians the southern part; Manila is common ground for all denominations. The islands in the south-Panay, Negros, Cebu, Samar and Leyte are shared by the Presbyterians and Baptists, while the Congregationalists are at work in Mindanao. The American Board is represented by the Rev. and Mrs. Black. After a thorough study of the Island of Mindanao, in which he journeyed for months around its long coast, Mr. Black decided to settle at Davao. His report of the conditions in that interesting field is hopeful. In his journeys he carried Scriptures in Visayan and Spanish. The Baptists have materially strengthened their stations in Northern Panay and Western Negros. The New Testament as translated by the Rev. E. Lund has been published and is now being circulated. They report an active interest in their field and an aggressive plan of action that promises large results. The Presbyterian Mission has opened new work on the islands of Leyte and Cebu, and in the provinces of Batangas, of Laguna and Albay. A beautiful church building has been dedicated in a district of Manila. This is the first permanent church building erected in the islands for Protestant uses. The Methodist Episcopal Mission has established new stations in Rizal, Pangasinan, Bulacan and Nueva Ecija Provinces. The United Brethren have opened work in San Fernando, Union Province. Protestant Episcopal Church has begun English work at Cavite, Iloilo, Cebu, Zanboanga and Baguio. A station has been started at Bontoc, in the province of the same name, for the non-Christian hill tribes. The No denomination in the Philippines has anything like the number of missionaries that it needs. A thousand MANY MORE WORKERS NEEDED 265 American teachers were considered all too few to start a new school system for the Filipinos: There were schools here with teachers having certificates from the Spanish Government long before Dewey sailed into Manila Bay, but neither schools nor teachers were deemed sufficient or satisfactory, and the best talent that could be secured was brought here. The entire Protestant missionary force from America does not yet number fifty men, including missionaries, physicians, teachers, Association secretaries and Bible readers. Every denomination there could use at least fifty ordained men in addition to teachers, and nurses where hospital work is done, first to gather congregations and then to instruct the natives how to preach and care for the flocks. It is the belief of many that the Philippine Protestants will soon have not only self-supporting, but also selfpropagating churches, and that men are in training now who will be willing to give a part or all of their time to the work of the ministry, depending upon their converts for support and the erection of churches. The Bible and Gospel hymns are being translated as rapidly as possible into the leading languages and into different dialects of the Visayan language especially; but the questions of race and language form serious obstacles to the advance of Protestantism. It is difficult for a missionary who learns Pampangan to reach the majority of his people, who speak Ilocano; the latter is a more virile language and is displacing the Pampangan; but, until it makes more progress, the missionary must learn both if he would reach all the people in his district. The same thing is true regarding Visayan. There is a Panayan Visayan and a Cebuan Visayan, entirely dis |