MEURER, mei'rer, MORITZ: German Lutheran; b. at Pretzsch (13 m. S.W. of Wittenberg) Aug. 3, 1806; d. at Callenberg, near Chemnitz, May 10, 1877. He studied theology at the University of Leipsic (1825-28), and then spent four years as private tutor in the house of H. L. Heubner, su perintendent at Wittenberg. After temporary serv ice in a Prussian normal school, he obtained his first pastoral appointment at Waldenburg in Saxony. In 1841 he removed to the neighboring Callenberg, where he spent the rest of his life. His industrious spirit manifested itself in frequent participation in the proceedings of the provincial synod, and in the issue of church periodicals. He was the author of numerous larger and smaller works, mainly on the Reformation era. Among these are: Luthers Leben, aus den Qvellen errahU (3 vols., Leipsic, 1845-46; Eng. transl., New York, 1848); Katharind Luther (Dresden, 1854); and Philipp Melanchthon (1860). In connection with the collective work entitled Alt rotiter der lutherischen Kirche, Meurer contributed volumes ii.-iv., including the biographies of Bugen hagen, Myconius, and Hausmann. He was a dis tinguished writer also in the field of ecclesiastical art, and gladly promoted the study of it. Meurer set forth his. general views on the subject in two valuable writings: Der Altarschmuck, sin Beitrag zur ParameWik in der evangelischen Kirche (Leipsic, 1867) and Der Kirchenbau vom Standpunkt and nach dent Brauche der lutherischen Kirche (1877).

Theodor Ficker.

MEXICO: A republic in the southern part of North America, having an area of 767,005 square miles. Out of a population (1900) of 13,600,000, about 2,500,000 were of pure, or nearly pure, white race; 5,800,000 of mixed race; and 5,200,000 of Indian race. Of these latter about 1,300,000 are of the most ignorant savage type, knowing practi cally no Spanish and having not the merest rudi ments of civilizatica. Even of the mixed or better class of Indian races, few can be considered civil ized, so that the Mexico known to. the world includes probably not more than one-third of the entire population. Of that third only a little over a third (1,800,000) could, in 1895, both read and write, while about 325,000 more could read but not write. Since then the proportion has undoubtedly increased under the free and compulsory system of state ed ucation, assisted by beneficent societies. In 1904 there were 9,194 elementary, 36 secondary, 20 nor mal, and 45 professional schools, with 18,310 teach ers and 634,136 enrolled pupils. There were also private clerical and association schools to the num ber of 2,281, with 135,838 pupils. From the time of the conquest by the Spaniards to 1810 the country was absolutely under the power of the Roman Catholic Church and the Spanish government. Then came a revolt, headed by a priest, and in 1821 independence of Spain was achieved; the Church, however, still reigned supreme. In 1857 the Liberal party drew up a program of religious liberty, which was not carried into effect till 1867, when the French rule of Maximilian was overthrown and Juarez established the present republic. Roman Catholic religious houses were closed, church property confiscated, ecclesiastical buildings assigned for the use of schools, libraries, hospitals, etc., and a law passed forbidding any ecclesiastical body to acquire landed property. The era of Protestant influence dates from the entrance of a large number of Bibles carried by General Scott's army in the war of 1846. Gradually little companies were formed which met in private houses; these received help from Miss Melinda Rankin's school, first at Brownsville, Tea., and then at Monterey, and from an agent of the Bible Society. A number of similar individual enterprises were started, and a Baptist Church was organized in Monterey in 1864. With the establishment of the new republic Protestant missionaries went into the country until at least seventeen societies are represented there. At first they were bitterly opposed not merely by the,Roman Catholic Church authorities but by the strongest elements among the Mexican people. Gradually this opposition has weakened until the best people of the nation and even of the Roman Catholic Church to a certain degree manifest their interest in and approval of the work done by the Protestant evangelists and in the Protestant schools. The latest missionary statistics show 227 missionaries, 491 native workers, 133 schools with 10,447 pupils, 39,838 professing Christians connected with the mission churches. As the number of Protestants reported in 1895 was about 40,000, the total number must on this basis be much larger. The Protestant influence is augmented by four printingpresses issuing annually a great amount of literature; Young Men's Christian Associations and Christian Endeavor Societies are exerting a mighty influence, and the whole tone of Mexican life is changing, even within the bounds of the Roman Catholic Church, with its more than 12,000,000 communicants and its full hierarchy.

Edwin Munsell Bliss.

Bibliography: F. H. Vera, Colleecion de documenlos ecclesifdeticos de Mexico, 3 vols., Ameeameea, 1887; Concilio provincial Mexicano IV., 1771, Querdtaro, 1898; Asia et decreta concalii provincialia Mexicani quinti, 1898, Mexico, 1899; W. Butler, Mexico in Transition, New York, 1892; C. F. Lummis, Awakening of a Nation; Mexico of To day, ib. 1898; P. P. Martin, Mexico of the ,80th Century, 2 vols., ib. 1907; C. R. Enoek, Mexico; its ancient and modern Civilization, Hist., and political Conditions, ib., 1909.