The people of the Philippines, their religious progress and preparation for spiritual leadership in the Far East,

256 THE PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES
native members of his district have family devotions. Such
people tithe, one man giving one thousand pesos a year.
Until I906 Juan Abellera was a school teacher. Rev. H. W.
Widdoes saw the unusual possibilities of the young man and
invited him to enter the ministry. After many months of
hesitation he sent Rev. Widdoes the following letter:
"It is now about a year since you expressed yourself as
desirous of having me in the working force, teaching Christianity. The hardest part of the question, which has been
very difficult for me to settle, is the following: Would I be
influencing the people more by being a teacher or by entering
missionary work? One day last week, while I was sitting
and trying to find the way in which I could best help in the
salvation of my people, the Spirit of the Lord seemed to guide
me. He has cleared away all my doubts. As a teacher I
shall be influencing only a few hundred boys and girls, while
as a worker in the Christian religion, I shall have an opportunity to influence this whole province or even more. As
Christ's worker, I may be able to train both souls and intellects of old people as well as young. Though I am now
acting as assistant superintendent and am expecting another
promotion in the coming school year, I have decided to give
up this work and take up the one which I feel God wants me
to do."
Three years later Mrs. Mumma was able to write, "To see
Juan Abellera's face when he says, 'The work for our Master
is so sweet,' is worth all it has cost us to be here."
This young man, now Rev. Juan Abellera, has, as he foresaw, influenced, not his own province alone, but hundreds of
people in the city of Manila, where he is pastor in the greatest
student section in the Far East, the congested districts of
Sampaloc and Quiapo.
Rev. Abellera went to America a few years ago and spoke
with great effect in all parts of the country. At the United
Brethren National Convention it was widely conceded that
his masterly address surpassed all others of any nationality.