From the time that Gil Gonzaloz de Avile reached the peaceful shores of the Chontales—Nicaragua—penetrating to the borders of the great lakes, the Indian has been made to suffer from the hands of the so-called enlightened races. When the above gentleman set his feet on Nicaraguan soil, the land contained some 3,000,000 peaceful and industrious Indians. In less than ten years 2,500,000 of them had perished in battle, were worked to death in the mines, or had starved in the mountain fastnesses.
In 1529 the Indians revolted, and after six terrible battles, the Spaniards succeeded in defeating them; the Indian chiefs were thrown to bloodhounds, who tore them to pieces. The masses were subjected to heavy tributes and severe tasks, and were driven like cattle by their cruel conquerors. Whoever resisted was ruthlessly tortured, towns that rebelled were destroyed and the people put to the sword. The Indians were reduced to the most abject slavery, their property was taken, and they were branded like cattle with hot irons. This cruel practice prevailed for years, and the miserable remnant of Indians who were still permitted to live, moistened their native soil with their bloody sweat, or dragged out a painful existence in the mines or gold placers. Coffee, rubber, sugar and cocoa were not then sought as today.
In 1810, when the first movement toward freedom began to be realized, an impartial observer unhesitatingly estimated the entire aboriginal population of the country at about 90,000 souls. The real Indian is fast going out of existence. The Ladinos, a class of mixed Spanish and Indian, soon may be all that is left of the Indian.
A fear of the white man has been planted in the Indian by these things. This makes it hard for the missionary. When one visits their villages, the children and women run and hide, and sometimes the men too. Only when one is well acquainted will they show friendliness. To reach them, a missionary must live among them, show them love and kindness and prove by word and deed that they are their friends, and desire to bring them to the true light of our Savior Jesus Christ.
These poor Indians are much oppressed. A planter will make a contract with a man for himself and oftentimes his woman or wife (they are seldom married) and all his children, to pick coffee, etc., giving him money on the contract for his living. When the planter is ready this man and his family must appear and work, gathering the crop, receiving twelve to twenty cents per day. If he does not appear, soldiers are sent after him, and he is brought at the point of the bayonet with his hands tied behind him and made to work until his debt is paid. The contract may be made as far as twelve months ahead, and likely the man has used up all that his contract calls for. He then seeks work elsewhere, or even contracts himself to another planter.
I know a man who has been trying for four or five years to get free from his “patron,” as the planter is called. Because he is a good worker the planter will not release him unless he pays four or five times more than he owes. The man is interested in the Gospel. We are praying God to liberate him and make him a true servant for our Lord Jesus Christ.
May God help the Church of Christ to awake to see the awful condition of these people, who are also compelled to pay their church dues by law and by force. I know a woman who was back in her church dues. They took all that she had, which was a few chickens.
Friend, will you not take these dear people on your heart in prayer and intercession? God can and does save poor Indians. We have seen His work in the lives of some. Brother, Sister, awake! Our Lord is at hand, and what is done must be done quickly. “Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it.”
There is also a remnant of Indians in remote parts of the Republic known as the Suma and Mosquito tribes. These Indians have not come under the influence of the Church of Rome. They do not speak the Spanish language. There is more English than Spanish spoken among them. For more than half a century the Moravian missionaries have worked among them. They have several missions and churches scattered along the Atlantic coast, and up some of the large rivers. The Moravian Mission has translated the New Testament into the Mosquito language.