A Wandering Jew in Brazil: An Autobiography

p. 7Just a word as to the reason for publishing this book. If there is one thing I always disliked, it was to speak or write about myself or my own personal experiences. But friends, who have heard me tell the incidents that have happened to me in my life and work, have insisted upon my collecting these in book form, so that they might be put to a wider use, both for the glory of God and the good of the great Cause of Missions.

Acceding to their wishes I have endeavored to satisfy them, for, if there is one thing I want to do above all others, it is to be of some use to the Master's Cause, especially to Brazil.

I have not attempted to make this book one of perfect literary style. After thirty years of work in a country where the English tongue is not in general use, striving to perfect myself in the native language, it would be almost impossible to attempt any perfection in style or even elegance of expression in English. My chief object has been to relate the incidents in a way that they might be understood by all.

In placing this little book before my brethren in the faith, my heart's prayer to God is that it be used for His glory and Cause.

There are very few books that tell of the great opportimities and the urgent need of workers in that great Mission field — Brazil. I do pray and hope that p. 8this book will be used by the Spirit of God to draw many of our young men and women to that great field of labour, where they can make their lives count a thousand fold for the Master.

In the preparation of this book I have been helped greatly by Dr. T. B. Ray, the Associate Secretary of our Foreign Mission Board, whose knowledge of the work and workers is almost incomparable; also by Dr. W. O. Carver, Professor of Missions in the J. R. Miller, of Columbia, Mo., proficient stenographer, who, very graciously, prepared my Manuscript* for the publishers, to all of whom I extend my sincere gratitude.

THE AUTHOR.

p. 9When some months ago Rev. S. L. Ginsburg announced to me that he was expecting to write an autobiography, I said to him jokingly, "Solomon, I suggest that you call it 'A Wandering Jew in Brazil'." Imagine my surprise when he sent me his manuscript with this title. My jest had been taken seriously.

Well, after all, it is a good title, because this man of God has traveled very extensively over Brazil. He is one of the most widely known men in Brazil. He is called "Pastor Solomon," by multitudes.

While he has covered much territory, his has not been a vagrant work. His longest periods of service were in Campos and Pernambuco. In both of these fields he did a monumental work. In both of these fields our cause has had a splendid development. Brother Ginsburg does not claim that he is personally responsible for all the remarkable growth in these fields. Others have labored and God has blessed their labors, but Ginsburg rendered a splendid account of himself in Campos and Pernambuco. He served a shorter period in Nictheroy and Bahia and did his work well.

Then came his call to the Carroll Memorial Publish-ing House. His service in that great institution gave him an opportunity for doing a work to his liking and it has been a notable success. During a part of the time he has been with the Publishing House, he has p. 10been Secretary of the Brazilian Baptist Home Mssion Board, which widened his contact still more. He has done much evangelizing also. So it can be said justly that this Christian Hebrew has really wandered far in Brazil and gathered in many precious sheaves.

Brother Ginsburg has been in Brazil thirty-one of the forty years of Southern Baptist mission work in that country. Only Dr. and Mrs. W. B. Bagby, the founders of our Brazilian Mission work, and Miss Emma Morton, now Mrs. Ginsburg, have been in Brazil longer than he. Dr. and Mrs. W. E. Entzminger. Dr. and Mrs. J. J. Taylor and Dr. J. L. Downing entered our work about the same time as did Brother Ginsburg. His time in Brazil almost spans the period of Southern Baptist effort in that cotmtry. He is in position, therefore, to give much information upon our work. This thing he does very successfully in the following pages.

p. 10The first effort of the Foreign Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention to establish work in Brazil was made in 1859, when Rev. T. J. Bowen was sent to that field. Mr. Bowen had explored Nigeria, Africa, and had founded our African Mission in 1849. His health would not permit him to return to Africa, so he asked to be designated to Brazil. After a little more than a year in Brazil, he was forced to return to the United States and the Mission in Brazil was abandoned.

Had it not been for his poor health, Mr. Bowen would have, no doubt, won the distinction of founding two of our Board's great missions. Mr. Bowen rep. 11turned to North America in 1861, at the beginning of the War Between the States. The general demoralization of that period was such as to discourage any effort to maintain the Brazilian Mission.

After our Civil War closed a large number of families from our Southern States emigrated to Brazil, in the hope of recuperating their fortunes and with the feeling that they would find conditions more endurable in Brazil than they expected them to be in our Southland. Amongst those immigrants there were Baptists, who organized themselves into a Baptist church at Santa Barbara, in Sao Paulo State.

In 1873, this small church of thirty members urged the Foreign Mission Board to consider Brazil as a mission field and asked that their church be recognized as a self-supporting mission of the Board. Action was not taken on this proposition until 1879, at which time it was decided to accept the invitation to appoint as missionary of the Foreign Mission Board Rev. E. H. Quillin, who was then pastor of the Santa Barbara Church. Mr. Quillin did not receive a salary from the Board. He returned to the United States in 1882. His work was almost entirely in behalf of the North American emigrants.