Page 29

Page 29

RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA Spain enter the Protestant ranks, and to provide means for their support and training until they can be fitted for active work. A converted Spanish friar, one who has the right to know, asserts that there are thousands of the purest and most zealous priests and friars in Spain, who are dissatisfied with their own religious status and inexpressibly grieved at the pitiable moral conditions which prevail among their brethren throughout Spain, and these would gladly welcome Protestantism, if their minds could be dis abused of prejudice and they could be convinced that it was purer than Romanism. This is a point of strategic importance, which has hitherto been al most entirely overlooked by Protestants. The ignorance of the great mass of the people can be overcome only through the public schools, and Prot estants should not only prosecute with all vigor the work of their own schools but should show their sympathy in every way with the cause of liberal education. To meet the intolerance and preju dice of the people the Protestant forces must be come more aggressive. Through the secular press and on the platform they must challenge the asser tions of Rome and show themselves willing and able to defend the doctrines and history of Protestantism before the bar of reason, and must show that Protes tantism is at least entitled to the consideration of intelligent men. It must be demonstrated that Christianity is not necessarily compromised by the history and vicious practises of the Roman Catholic Church, and that true Christianity is not inconsist ent with human freedom and progress in any sphere, scientific, social, or religious. In other words, they must provoke both the Romanists and infidels to public discussion of the issues involved, and must project the Protestant enterprise generally upon such a plane as will appeal to the intelligence, the imagi nation, and the patriotism of the Spanish people. This was the method of Luther and the Reformers, and it is justified by its fruits. To meet the irreligion of the people the surest method, both of attack and defense, is to give them the Bible. This must be accompanied by an aggressive evangelism that will restore vital religion and quicken the conscience of all classes; while everywhere Protestant leaders must insist upon such standards of morality among the converts as will commend the teachings of Prot estantism to the whole people and put to shame the licentious abuses tolerated under the present relig ious regime. JUAN ORTS GONZALEZ.

The following is the text of an address (copied from Evangelical Christendom, Nov.-Dec., 1910, p. 130), signed on behalf of the British organization of the Evangelical Alliance by the president, chairman, treasurer, and general secretary, which was forwarded to Senor Canalejas, the president of the council of ministers, for transmission to H. M. the king of Spain:-

TO HIS MAJESTY DON ALFONSO XIIT., KING OF SPAIN:

Sir,-On behalf of the Council and Members of the Evangelical Alliance (British Organization), representing Evangelical Christians of various Churches throughout the British Empire, we humbly address to Your Majesty this expression of our heartfelt

iss ~ . · ;, 3.i

I x ~ La 3:~,

~I 1 a;·

fa. t s t :I, i

a, t II

a i;,

' E fr R ,i i

I ~ ' , t

gratitude for the publication of the Royal Order of June 6th, 1910, which interprets in its natural sense Article XT. of the Spanish Constitution, and grants to Spanish Evangelicals the toleration which the framers of the Constitution desired to give them.

We are convinced that this wise step has secured for Spain the good-will of all progressive peoples.

We rejoice with all friends of Religious Liberty that those who are unable to accept the State religion are permitted to worship God in accordance with their conscience, free from the disabilities which compelled them to conceal their existence as members of the Evangelical Churches, and subjected them to many inconveniences.

We earnestly trust that this enlightened policy will be continued until Spanish Evangelicals enjoy the Religious Liberty extended to Roman Catholics by Protestant nations.

BIBLIOGRAPHY: Besides the literature under the following article, consult: H. Dalton, Die evangelische Bemegung in

Spanieu, Wiesbaden, 1572; W. Presael, Das Evangetium in Spanien, Freienwald, 1877; F. E. and H. A. Clark, The Gospel in Latin Lands, New York, 1909; J. M'Cabe, The

SPAIN, SIXTEENTH-CENTURY REFORMATION MOVEMENTS IN: The Evangelical movement in Spain was preceded by, and partly simultaneous with; the movements of the mystics and Humanists. The mystics, called alumbrados, " enlightened," followed Pietism, and showed a pertain independent attitude toward the external precepts of the Church. Francesco de Ossuna,1527, in part three of his Abencedario (Toledo, 1527), laid stress on the worthlessness of all good works, and on " faith alone." The Humanism of Erasmus found an enthusiastic admirer in Alfonso de YaldSs (q.v.), the imperial secretary. His brother Juan (q.v.) labored in behalf of the principle of justification by faith within the Roman Church, particularly in Italy, before attempts at reconciliation with the Protestants had been given up. Great persecution was encountered by the brothers Jaime and Francesco de Enzinas (q.v.) of Old Castile, from the now aroused Church. Francesco de San Roman, sent to Bremen, 1541, attended an Evangelical church service and was deeply stirred by the sermon of Jacobus Probst. He read Evangelical literature :and drew up a Spanish catechism. Upon his return. to Antwerp, he was seized and imprisoned for eight months. At Louvain Enzinas discouraged him from preaching because of his meager training and experience, but, borne away by his zeal, he went to Regensburg, where the emperor was presiding over the diet. Here his importunities caused his arrest and at the departure of the emperor, July 29, 1541, he was taken to Italy and Spain in chains and at Mallorca delivered to the Spanish Inquisition. He was brought to Valladolid, and, refusing to recant, was burned in 1542. b'rancesco de Enzinas, after going to Wittenberg and translating the Greek New Testament into Spanish, was imprisoned in 1543, but escaped two years later. His brother Jaime translated a catechism into Spanish, but in 1545 was arrested in Rome and died at the stake, 1547. .Than Diaz of Cuenca, the native town of the brothers Vald6s, studied theology at Paris for thirteen years, and was made a convert by Jaime Enzinas. After sojourning several months