Page:Face to Face With the Mexicans.djvu/515

Rh Times-Democrat, an accomplished young lady of the Crescent City, who labors assiduously as a missionary, asking no compensation but to serve the Master.

Bishop Riley, of the Episcopal Church, has begun a great work in Mexico, and it should not be allowed to languish for want of means. Substantial aid is required in order to carry it out according to its original inception. All communications or contributions to this purpose should be sent to No. 43 Bible House, New York City. To give some idea of the progress of the work and its wonderful results, I quote the following from Janvier's Guide to Mexico:

"In 1879 Dr. Riley was consecrated Bishop of the Valley of Mexico. His broad culture and thorough knowledge of the Spanish language and character especially fitted him for the high office to which he was called. He brought to the field of his labors the fortune that was his by right of inheritance, and he has been instrumental in having more than 100,000 Bibles distributed in Mexico; 49 churches were established, numbering several thousand communicants; 10 schools, and 3 orphanages, enrolling about 500 children."

Bishop Riley's unselfish devotion to the cause and the sacrifices he has made for it, should be more widely known, and Episcopalians generally should rejoice at the strong foothold obtained by their church. The handsomest of all the Protestant church buildings is secured by them for their worship, and the congregations are large, attentive and devout. Of the transformation of this building from a Roman Catholic Cathedral to its present use, Janvier writes: "Here masses were heard by Cortes, and here for a time his bones were laid. Here through three centuries the great festivals of the church were taken part in by the Spanish Viceroys. Here was sung the first Te Deum in celebration of Mexican Independence, the most conspicuous man in the rejoicing assemblage being General Augustin Yturbide—by whom, virtually, Mexican Independence was won; and here, seventeen years later, were held the magnificent funeral services when Yturbide—his Imperial error forgiven, and his claim to the title of Liberator alone remembered—was buried. Around no other