Part 6

2.--We may easily overestimate the value of perfunctory religious exercises, as we may also overestimate the capacity of children to understand formulated religious truth. The child’s perceptions are duller in this than in other branches of knowledge, where his senses are engaged, hence the necessity of grading it more carefully and watching its effects more closely.

3.--Schools are not chiefly, nor primarily, to teach religion, i. e., to instruct in creeds. Considered in its relation to courses of study, religious instruction is a _means_ for the development of character and for giving a sure foundation for moral training; but, in its relation to the pupil, it is an absolute _end_; giving to him, as he can comprehend it, the saving truths of Christianity.

The first is directly related to courses of study and from it definite results may be expected; the other depends upon the subtle and immeasurable spiritual power of the Christian teacher, and no definite results can be demanded. The first has a recognizable, educational value and its correlates are easily found; the other has no appreciable relation to hours of recitation or quantity of matter and cannot enter into any plan of correlation of studies. It touches all studies and permeates all methods, the greatest result often coming from the least matter; its educational value, therefore, cannot be measured.

4.--We may not safely assume that the child has received from parents or church proper religious instruction, but we may suppose, in nominally Christian lands, that it has some ideas, however vague and erroneous, of God. It is the duty of the teacher to adjust these ideas to the truth, and so relate them to the child that he may _feel sure_ that _there is a God_,--though he cannot see Him,--Who is All-wise, All-seeing, All-powerful: who is everywhere and who loves him, the child, personally; that God is his Heavenly Father; that the Bible is God’s Word, sent to him, the child, and to everybody else; that God sent His Son to save the world; that Christ is God and God is Christ; that God made everything,--even we ourselves are the work of His hand. These are fundamentals, and must precede all other instruction. The clearness with which the children perceive these truths will depend largely upon the skill and spiritual power of the teacher.

5.--The teacher should carefully avoid lecturing little children on religious subjects. Do not let the idea that the Bible is a Protestant book get a foothold in the school. The three things essential to religious teaching are: 1.--The Holy Bible, God’s Word. 2.--Sacred Song. 3.--With very small pupils, in fact with any pupils, the most important factor is the _Christian teacher_, who works through personal influence, contact, example of Christian living and doing--(slow to anger and quick to forgive). Every child must be made to feel that the teacher is interested _in him personally_; and the teacher must watch closely the child’s growing power to appreciate spiritual things.

6.--The Bible furnishes abundant material for all grades of religious instruction, from the kindergarten to the college. It abounds in romantic and intensely interesting episodes calculated to excite the imagination, interest the young and fix the attention,--if the teacher have the skill to adapt it to the demands of the child, as he is obliged to adapt other branches of school work.

7.--Every Christian teacher should be a diligent student of the Bible, particularly the New Testament. Very little formal instruction can be given in religion in the lower primary grades, much, however, is taught by _seeing_ the conduct and _feeling_ the touch of the teacher who has heard the “follow Me” spoken to Andrew and Simon.

8.--No revival or pulpit methods, no pressure of an emotional kind is to be made in any department of the school to induce children to become Protestants. Protestantism is not to be lauded nor Romanism attacked. The Word of God is a cure for all false beliefs and a sure guide to right living.

The above precedes the specific directions for the organization of the work in the different grades,--selections of Scripture, hymns, Bible narrative, etc., and is enough to show the principles on which we proceed.--_Dr. H. M. Lane._

FACTS ABOUT BRAZIL.

Brazil is one-fifteenth of the habitable world, one-fifth of both Americas, three-sevenths of South America. It is larger than the United States and her territories (leaving out Alaska), and fourteen times as large as France. It has a coast-line of nearly five thousand miles and possesses forty-two seaports, among which are the largest and best of the world. Within these limits are found the unexplored and almost boundless _selvas_ of the great Amazonian basin in the north, a large slice of the rich _pampas_ in the south, and by far the largest of the three great elevated masses that constitute the bulk of the continent, in the center. These table lands, well watered, well timbered and possessing a climate unparalleled in the tropic regions of the earth, represent about four-sevenths of the whole country. As a rule the high plateaus are of exceptional salubrity. These broad areas of fertile farming land, rich pastures and almost inexhaustible supplies of timber and minerals are rendered easily accessible through the natural highways furnished by the three great river systems--the Amazon on the north, the La Plata on the south, the San Francisco in the center. The Amazon, among its numerous affluents and tributaries, numbers twenty rivers larger than the Rhine, and it holds in its mouth an island larger than Switzerland, almost as large as England.

The material resources of Brazil are almost incalculable. The range of its productions embraces the products of both the temperate and torrid zones--the cereals, cattle, sheep, horses, cotton, sugar, coffee, rice, rubber, drugs, dye-stuffs, precious metals, iron and other minerals.

The climate of Brazil is varied, and on the whole very favorable. Being on the eastern side of the continent, it is milder and more healthful, even on the coast, than the corresponding latitudes on the west coast of Africa, which lies just opposite, across the South Atlantic ocean. The northern parts are always warm; yet the natives there prefer their own climate to that of even Rio de Janeiro, where the variation is quite sensible, though not very great. The part which lies in the south temperate zone enjoys a delightful climate, will produce the grains, fruits, etc., of the north temperate zone, and is well suited for emigrants from the north of Europe.

The mineral resources of Brazil are unquestionally very great, but so far unimproved to any useful extent, save precious stones and gold. The conditions for sustaining an immense population everywhere abound, when once properly developed and improved.

Brazil was discovered about A. D. 1500, and was soon after taken possession of by the Portuguese, and continued to be a colony of Portugal till 1822, when it was declared independent, under the title of the Empire of Brazil. In 1889 it revolted and became a republic, adopting a constitution and system of government similar to our own. It is divided into twenty States and a neutral district, where its capital, Rio de Janeiro, is situated.

[Illustration: THE BLACKS OF BAHIA]

The white population of Brazil is chiefly of Portuguese extraction; and hence the Portuguese element prevails in the institutions of the country, in the customs and habits of the people, and in every department of life. The civilization, though in general less advanced than in the more favored portions of Europe and the United States, is still European.

The language of the country is the Portuguese, a sister language to the Spanish, but clearly a distinct language. It is a beautiful language, and has been appropriately styled the eldest daughter of the Latin. It is compact, expressive, flexible, and well adapted for oratory and literature.

THE SAMARITAN HOSPITAL AT S. PAULO.

A more homelike or comfortable looking refuge for sick humanity than this pretty red-brick building, built on the edge of one of the deep ravines that make S. Paulo so picturesque, it is difficult to imagine. It must be almost a pleasure to be a guest at such a place and be looked after by the pleasant, sympathetic English nurses. The hospital is a cosmopolitan undertaking, built and supported chiefly by English, American and German residents of S. Paulo and Santos under the direction and management of Dr. Strain and a staff of competent professional English nurses, who make life within its walls something to be looked back to with a positive pleasure instead of horror. The hospital, when completed, will consist of large wards for men, women and children, private rooms for patients, bath rooms handsomely tiled and fitted with the most approved sanitary appliances.

The new ward will be styled the “Victoria” Ward, and its cost be entirely defrayed by the subscription raised on the occasion of the Queen’s Jubilee.--_Brazilian Review._ 1898.

The hospital had its origin in the Presbyterian Mission of S. Paulo. The first contribution to its funds was from an humble but devout Chinese member of the church who, besides leaving in his will a small sum of money for the founding of a Protestant hospital, bequeathed to it a house and lot. Under the laws of the Empire the government confiscated the house, but the money was held by the Mission and finally turned over to the committee organized to build the hospital.

The hospital has enlarged its borders and widened its work to embrace all who need its services, of whatever nation or creed.--_Brazilian Bulletin._

BRAZILIAN NAVAL REVOLT ENDED BY UNITED STATES PROTECTION OF HER OWN MERCHANT-SHIPS.

THAT FAMOUS SCENE AT RIO, WHEN THE DETROIT THREATENED TO SINK TWO OF GAMA’s SHIPS.

Rio de Janeiro, Feb. 8, 1894.--The first gun fired with warlike intent by an American war ship at another ship within thirty years was fired from the Detroit early on the morning of January 29 at the insurgent Brazilian ship Trajano in this harbor. A second shot was fired a few minutes later at the Guanabara, another insurgent Brazilian lying not far from the one first assaulted. Some of the facts of this incident were told in _The Sun_ on the next day after they occurred, but the whole story will be found of interest even at the date when this can be published after transmission to New York by mail.

The trouble which made the firing necessary arose unexpectedly early in the last week of January. For some time before that date Admiral Gama, the insurgent leader, had been in communication with Admiral Benham with a view of enlisting the services of the American Admiral as a mediator in compromising the fight that had been wasting the substance of the nation for more than four months. So far as any one could see, Gama was sincere in saying that he desired peace and would make all honorable concessions to obtain it. Peixoto’s Government was notified of these negotiations, and in answer a promise to submit propositions for peace was obtained. But before the Government had had sufficient time for deliberation in the matter several Captains of American merchant vessels made application to Admiral Benham for protection from the fire of the insurgents while en route to the piers to discharge cargoes. The insurgents had notified the merchantmen that if they attempted to go to the piers to discharge cargo they would be fired upon.

This matter was brought to the attention of Gama when, as a private citizen, he called on Benham to talk over the propositions for compromise. Gama explained his position at length. He did not wish, he said, to prevent the American ships from discharging their cargoes; he wanted only that they discharge into lighters while moored in the bay in order that he might inspect their cargoes and search for munitions of war destined for the Government. He added that this right had been conceded to him by all the foreign naval commanders theretofore--Captain Lang, the British senior officer, Captain Picking, the American senior officer before Benham’s arrival, and others, had united in prohibiting the landing of even a search-light intended for Government use, and the machine had in consequence been sent around to Santos and landed. Gama, in short, claimed the right to blockade the port of Rio on the ground that he was the Brazilian master afloat--that the Government could not function to any extent whatever on the waters of the bay.

To this position Benham at once objected. He piled up all the laws and decisions in Admiralty bearing on the subject, and proved that an insurgent to whom belligerent rights had not been accorded could not lawfully interfere with the movements of foreign ships within any harbor. It was not intended that the American ships should cross any line of fire, or serve as a bulwark for Government troops. It was stated that they would assume the risk of damage from fire when at the piers if Government troops took refuge behind them, and all risk of damage from stray shot. The contention was for freedom of movement and freedom from search at the hands of an unrecognized insurgent, no matter what their cargoes.

To the plain statements of authorities, to the bearings of Admiralty decisions, and to the friendly arguments of the American Admiral the insurgent Admiral remained impervious. It therefore became necessary for Admiral Benham to say plainly that the American merchant-ships should go freely about the harbor as their Captains might wish them to do, and that any interference with such movements would be resisted with force. Because Benham was affable and courteous, as it now appears, Gama did not believe force would be used, and so reiterated the threat to fire on the first American ship that tried to go to the piers.

It was on Sunday, Jan. 28, that the issue was joined verbally. Admiral Benham acted decisively and at once. The Captains of the various American naval ships in the harbor were called on board the flagship “San Francisco” and were instructed immediately to prepare their ships for action at daylight the next morning, that being the hour when the American merchant-ships wanted to start for the piers.

At 5 o’clock that evening the work of stripping ship began on the white squadron. The transformation thus wrought was remarkable. With their awnings spread, their boats at the davits, and their bunting aloft, they had seemed to tower out of the water, and the English officers had jocosely remarked that more beautiful targets could scarcely be found. And so they seemed as the sun went down. But with the break of day not an awning or a stanchion or a boat davit was in sight to obstruct the view or the sweep of the long black guns, and the wall-sided ships had shrunk down into the semblance of tigers ready to spring.

Apparently the insurgents had anticipated and were ready to fight. The white steam was hissing from the safety valve pipes on the “Aquidaban” and the “Tamandare,” lying well up the bay above Vianna Island, and the chains of their anchors had been hove short, ready for tripping on an instant’s warning. The crews of the “Trajano,” the “Guanabara,” and the fleet of armed tugs had been augmented by almost the entire force garrisoning Cobras and Villegaignon. The “Liberdade,” with her little blue ensign fluttering from the flag halliards on the main, showing that Admiral Gama was on board, was also under steam and, with the “Trajano” and the “Guanabara,” was lying just north of Enchados Island and within pistol shot of the trim Yankee bark “Amy,” one of the number that wished to go to the piers to discharge.

Away to the north of these lay the Yankee barkentine “Good News,” a handsome craft, too, but not alone, for one of the swift Brazilian coasters, the “Parahyba,” which Mello had seized and armed, was at anchor not far away with steam up and crew at the guns; so, too, the bark “Agate” was guarded by one of these armed steamers as she lay at anchor in the merchant fleet. With the American fleet stripped for battle, with the American merchant-ships under the guns of the insurgent fleet, and with the crews of all on deck and ready for action, the picture on the bay as daylight came was one to thrill every spectator.

At 6 o’clock sharp the “Detroit,” with Capt. W. H. Brownson on the bridge, got up her anchor and steamed slowly in toward the city, heading through between Enchados and Cobras islands. As if this had been a signal prearranged for the occasion, two of the insurgent tugs left the vicinity of the “Liberdade,” Gama’s flagship, and started in toward the north part of the city, where shipping piers are. They at once opened fire on the soldiers stationed at intervals behind sand bags on the bulkheads. It had been and still is the custom of these tugs to so assault the north littoral of the city, but on that morning they were making a live line of fire against the piers, which the American ships had no right to cross.

Fortunately, as it appeared, the “Detroit” on getting her anchor to the hawse pipe found it badly fouled, and here was an ample excuse for proceeding slowly. She did so. She did not want to go with the Yankee clippers to the piers at a time when the act would interfere with a legitimate, if useless fight. For about half an hour the tugs swept up and down the beach, pouring a hail of Nordenfeldt projectiles on the piers, and then a bullet from a soldier’s rifle struck and killed the nephew of Admiral Gama, a young officer on one of the tugs, and both drew off though the fire was kept up until they were a mile away, among the merchant-ships.

Then when the last shot had been fired and the smoke of the fight was still hanging low over the smooth water of the bay, the “Detroit” came slowly around Enchados Island and ranged up starboardside to starboard and within sixty yards of the “Trajano” as she lay at anchor. Every man was at his post on the Yankee cruiser, the gunners standing behind their shotted guns, now glancing over the sights and then up toward the bridge at Captain Brownson in anticipation of an order to fire. Without a word or move on either ship the “Detroit” passed on, while the sailors on the “Amy” started away in a yawl to carry a line to a ship at anchor, that they might warp their ship on its way to the piers. As these sailors pulled away a marine on the “Trajano” leveled his musket and fired a shot over their heads. Then two of the heaviest insurgent tugs began to get into position for ramming the white Yankee.

At that moment a tiny blood-red roll of bunting hung just beneath the San Francisco’s truck--the signal for all the American fleet to begin the battle--and a Yankee quartermaster with a strong hand held the halliards, eager to fling the signal to the breeze. The moment the shot was fired Captain Brownson turned to the gunner, who stood at a six-pounder, and ordered him to fire into the “Trajano,” striking her at the water line six feet abaft the stern. The gunner misunderstood the order and fired across the “Trajano’s” bow. Thereat Captain Brownson hailed the insurgent vessel.

““Trajano,” ahoy!” he shouted. “If you fire again I will return the fire, and if you persist I will sink you.”

It was a critical moment. The accidental discharge of one of the “Trajano’s” guns by the excited crews that stood behind them would have left Captain Brownson no alternative. The “Trajano’s” guns were modern rifles, and they were aimed at the Yankee. The shot would have gone clean through the “Detroit,” and the “Detroit” would have replied with a broadside at a range of but sixty yards; and then, with helm hard aport, she would have run in between the “Trajano” and the “Guanabara,” out of range of their guns and where she could have riddled their hulls with her rapid-fire guns and swept their unprotected decks with the wicked man-killers called the secondary battery.

Happily, as is known, the shot was not fired, although the insurgents were still ugly. Instead a blank shot was fired to leeward as a protest. To this no attention was paid.

Turning to the bark “Amy.” Captain Brownson saw that her sailors had been intimidated somewhat by the shot fired over them.

“You go ahead,” he shouted to them, “and I’ll protect you.”

So the sailors rowed on with the warp line, while the “Detroit” steamed slowly ahead until she began to lap the hull of the “Guanabara.” Here, as on the “Trajano,” the crew stood ready at their guns--four six-inch rifles.

“Aim at the “Guanabara,” ordered Captain Brownson, and at the word the “Detroit’s” four broadside and two pivot rifles swung around from the “Trajano” as though moved by one man and pointed their muzzles at the old insurgent cruiser. Then turning to the insurgent crew, Captain Brownson told them to be right careful what they did, for even an accidental shot would be considered as intentional. He finished his warning by waving his hand at a gun’s crew that showed exceptional nervousness and told them they had better get away from the gun entirely.

The crew of the “Guanabara” were Brazilians to a man, and they did not understand English. But they were looking at short taw into the muzzles of guns that were eloquent in appearance, if silent, and when Brownson’s hand was waved they didn’t stop to argue or even shrug their shoulders; they went away.

The “Detroit” steamed on until clear of the “Guanabara” and then turned square across her stern and stopped. She now had the two insurgent ships that threatened the “Amy” where she could rake them fore and aft and sink them in five minutes. The “Liberdade” with three small rifles was near by, and the tugs had their noses well pointed, but should the insurgent Admiral still wish to fight, the “Detroit” would not need any help. The other members of the white squadron could look after the monitor “Aquidaban” and the armed merchant ships.

Although Admiral Gama did not want to fight, he was like a boy who was sulky enough to need a whipping. Seeing the sailors of the “Amy” carrying out the wharf line he ordered a blank shot from a cannon fired at them from the “Guanabara.” As this was plainly only a matter of form, Captain Brownson replied with a musket. A member of the crew fired a bullet into the “Guanabara’s” stern.

Then a launch was lowered and a junior officer sent to Admiral Gama to say that while there was no wish to take active steps, the American merchant ships would be protected in going to the piers, that any shots fired at them would be returned, and that if shooting were persisted in the insurgent ships would be sunk. In reply Gama sent word that if he was fired on by the American ship he would instantly surrender the whole fleet to the American Admiral. On hearing this Captain Brownson sent the cadet back to say that the “Guanabara” had been fired on and hit. The haste with which the cadet was sent on this mission makes the American colony here think that the Yankee naval sailors were to a man willing to have Gama surrender, that they might get away from the yellow fever port. But, as was cabled to _The Sun_, Gama did not surrender. He would have been glad to do so, but his enthusiastic youngsters and his British backers would not let him.