These examples are sufficient to demonstrate the attitude of the priests towards the Scriptures, and we must concede that any church or set of men who by such methods withhold from the people the Word of God cannot be said to preach the gospel.  He is an enemy of the gospel who puts any restraint upon the circulation of the Scriptures.  It is wise indeed for the sake of their cause that these opponents of Protestantism should oppose the circulation of the Scriptures, for we shall cite numerous instances of how the Bible unaided has broken down Romish superstition and turned men from dark error into the light of the glorious gospel of Jesus.

CHAPTER VI.

Saint worship.

What is the real religion of the Brazilians?  It is more a saint worship than anything else.  Saint worship is at its core.  Mary is the chief saint.  All prayers are made to her.  She is the intercessor.  The Litany is all addressed to Mary.  It runs, “Oh Mary, hear us, etc.”  She is worshiped under different aspects—­ Mary of the Sailors, Mary of the Conception, Mary of the Candles, Mary of the Rosary, ad infinitum.  Even Christ is worshiped as a saint.  The patron saint of Campos, for instance, is called Sao Salvador (St. Savior).  The city of Bahia is called Sao Salvador.  Its patron saint is Jesus.

A saint is an intercessor between man and God.  Because of his holiness, he has favor with God, and therefore the people pray to him.  Very few consider the saint lower than God.  They offer sacrifices, make prayers and burn candles to the saint.

St. Anthony of Padua is a very hard-worked saint.  He has placed upon him the double duty of furnishing suitors for all the young women and of leading the armies of the Republic to victory.  No wonder this overworked saint gets into trouble.  Young women place him in their rooms, burn candles and offer prayers before him.  He is dressed up in the finest toggery and is given great honor.  If, however, after awhile he does not bring along the suitor, he is given a sound beating, or he may be hung head downwards in a well or stood on his head under a table.  These indignities are heaped upon him in order to force him to produce the suitor which the young lady very much desires.  He is also the military saint.  In the time of the Empire, he was carried at the head of the army and had the rank of a colonel.  Even after the Empire was abolished, he retained his rank for many years and received from the government the salary of a colonel.  Such an idol was in Bahia and his salary was discontinued only five years ago.  The money went, of course, to the priest in the church where the image was kept.

Every town, village and country seat has its protecting saint.  In time of drouth they in many places carry the saint through the streets in procession.  He is taken from his place in the church to some hut, maybe, where he is placed beneath the altar.  This is done in order to cause him to bring rain.  After the rain comes he is taken out and with great distinction is replaced in his original niche.  They do this sometimes in the case of a scourge of insects or disease.