On Monday we started on our journey for Santo Antonio.  When we passed through Genipapo we found Brother Polycarpo Nogueira at the station.  He had come to ask about a passage of Scripture I had pointed out to him on the night when we stayed in his home We had urged him to accept the gospel and he hesitated.  I quoted to him, “Everyone, therefore, who shall confess me before men, him will I confess before my Father in Heaven.  But whosoever shall deny me before men, him, will I deny before my Father who is in Heaven.”  Mat. 10:32, 33.  He told us about a wonderful meeting held in the church on Sunday, in which one had been converted and many others were deeply interested.  He himself was evidently moved upon by the Spirit.  May the word we gave him lead him to Christ.

Some hours further on we passed through Vargem Grande, where we have another church.  Several people boarded the train to accompany us to Santo Antonio.  One of them was Fausto de Almeida.  When the ex-priest, Ottoni, visited Vargem Guande some years ago to preach the gospel this man Almeida, with a great crowd of boys equipped with tin cans, met him at the station.  This troupe escorted Ottoni to the church and stood outside making as much noise as possible.  He offered the ex-priest a loaded cigar, which Ottoni declined with kindly thanks.  The minister’s conduct was so gentle and kind that Fausto, when he bethought himself, went home in a rage, became intoxicated, and in order to vent his wrath, went out into his back yard and fired his pistols.  A little later one of his sisters was converted, and by her good testimony not long after that when she died, he was greatly impressed.  Another sister was converted and gave him a Bible, which he read and in which he found the message of Christ.  He obeyed his Lord, and in spite of violent opposition on the part of his wife, is today in a faithful and effective way, building up the church at Vargem, Grande.

CHAPTER IX.

Jose Barretto.

When we reached Santo Antonio de Jesus at two p. m. we found a throng at the station to meet us.  They gave us a royal welcome, receiving us literally with open arms.  After this hearty greeting we formed a procession and marched two and two through the streets of the city to the church.  They wished us to take the lead in the procession, but we declined the honor and finally took position about the middle of the line.  They seemed to march through every street in the city, so eager were they to impress the population that there was somebody else in the world besides their religious persecutors.  When we arrived at the church they showered us once more with rose petals and confetti.  After prayer we were taken to the home of Jose Barretto to be entertained.