e State of Piauhy and who after a short while is to
be retired upon his pension, according to the Brazilian law. As soon as
this takes place he expects to give himself entirely to the work of
evangelizing his own people. The message ran: "The State of Piauhy is
open to the gospel. There is a fight on between the priests and the
better classes. The better educated people, disgusted with Romanism and
priesthood, are drifting into materialism and atheism, but if a
competent man could be situated at Therezina, the capital, the whole
State could easily be won to the gospel."

His uncle, who is President of our Brazilian Convention, as we have
already stated, whose family embraces in its immediate connection over
a thousand people, in a letter written me after I left Rio, reinforces
this appeal. He says:

"I come to call your attention to the State of Piauhy, the field in
Brazil at present which seems to me to be the best prepared for
evangelization. Many things have contributed to bring this about. The
Masons, on the one hand, have done the most they possibly could against
Romanism; on the other hand, the propaganda sincere and fervent of a
small church founded in the southern part of the State, which happily
is receiving the greatest blessing from Almighty God, is greatly
contributing to the reception of the gospel throughout the State. My
brother, Col. Benj. Nogueira, the founder of that church, has passed
away, but he has left sons who are spiritual and who continue to work.
With the work developed there it will spread beneficently. In the
adjoining townships there exist many believers, and a church will be
founded soon in Paranagua, a town situated on the beautiful lake by the
same name. In the cities of Jerumenha and Floriano there are already
small churches, which united to the others in assiduous labors, will
powerfully contribute to the evangelization of the State, which is one
of the most promising of Northern Brazil. My friend, Senator Gervazio
de Britto Passo, strongly desires that a minister of the gospel come to
the section where he is most influential. This Senator greatly
sympathizes with our cause and is convinced that his numerous and
influential friends as soon as enlightened by a pastor as to what the
religion of the Baptists is, will unite with them, becoming
evangelical. The best moment to move in that State is the present one,
when so many causes concur for our evangelical development. The
population