want to make a show, they call in the
church; if they don't care, or if they are poor, they go unbaptized,
unmarried, unshriven, and do not see that it makes any difference. They
have no understanding of the church as a Christian institution; in fact,
I think it would puzzle most of them to tell what a true church ought to
be. Now, all this is the church's reward for its ancient choice, which,
so far as I can see, is still its choice. To the average Latin American
the church is, and in the nature of things must be, a demander of pay
for ceremonial, and a bitterly jealous defender of all its old
autocratic claims. That is of the nature of the church."

"But I don't understand," interposed J.W. "If the people have no real
use for the church, why do they support it? It certainly is supported."

"That, Mr. Farwell, is the tragedy of the church in all these lands,"
said Mr. Tanner, soberly. "The church began by looking to its own
interests first. It wanted great establishments and a docile people. It
found the gospel hard to preach to the natives--the real gospel, I mean.
The cruelties and greed of the conquest had made impossible any
preaching of a ministering, merciful, and unselfish Christ. In fact, the
vast majority of the priests who came over from Europe brought with them
no such ideas. The church was ruler, not missionary. And so far as it
dares it sticks stubbornly to that notion even to this day. So it has
had to make practical compromise with the paganism and superstition it
found here. Many of its religious observances are the aboriginal pagan
practices disguised in Christian dress and given Christian names. The
church has sold its birthright for the privilege of exploiting the
credulity and the fears of the people. It has made merchandise of all
its functions. Now, after the centuries have come and gone, both church
and people through long custom are willing to have it so. The people
have their great churches, with incense and lights and all the pomp of
medaeival days. But they have no living Christ and no thought of him. The
priests have their trade in ceremonial and their perquisites, but they
have no power over the hearts of men."

As his new acquaintance paused for breath after this long answer to a
short question, J.W., remembering something Fred Finch had said, brought
the remark in: "The man who is showing me the ropes as a hardware man
tells me that all over Latin America the church is likely to be the o