rd of God
in mission endeavor. Certainly, there is marvelous power in it. Its
enemies fear its might; therefore, they fight desperately to prevent
the circulation of it. Would that we could have as keen a realization
of the vitality of this Book as do its enemies. Surely then, we would
do far more for the sowing of the Scriptures beside all waters.

CHAPTER XIV.

THE METTLE OF THE NATIVE CHRISTIAN.

In 1894, Francisco da Silva, soon after his conversion in Bahia, went
to Victoria in the State of Espirito Santo to live. He went into the
interior with some surveyors, and in addition to the work he was called
upon to do, he found time to tell the story of Jesus. Eight people were
converted and he wrote Dr. Z. C. Taylor to come and baptize them.

Dr. Taylor was not able to go immediately, and one of the men secured
his baptism in a very unique way. He asked Francisco to baptize him
Francisco replied that he could not because he was not ordained. The
man returned home and examined his Bible and came back a few days later
and demanded again that Francisco baptize him. Francisco replied that
in order to baptize, one must be ordained. "No," said the man, "I have
looked in the Bible and I do not find it necessary for one to be
ordained in order to baptize." So catching hold of Francisco, he pulled
him along to a river near by, Francisco through it all holding back the
best he could and arguing with the man that he could not baptize him.
But the man constrained him and forced him into the river. Francisco
seeing his zeal, performed the ceremony. Some question afterward was
raised about the validity of this baptism, and the man was baptized
regularly by the same Francisco, who had in the meantime received
ordination.

When he had finished with one party of surveyors another wanted to
employ him, and they went to the first party to find out about him. The
men said: "He has fine qualifications for the position, but there is
one objection to him--he is a Protestant." "Ah," said the second party,
"can't we with a little money get that out of him?" "No," replied the
first, "it seems to be grown into him." He was taken by the second
party, the chief of which and all his family soon became devoted
Christians.

The desire to tell the story of Jesus burned in Francisco's heart so
warmly that he gave up his lucrative employment with the surveying
party, bought a mule and other necessities for his journey and started
out to p