CHAPTER III.

A VISIT TO A COUNTRY CHURCH.


That I may give you a glimpse of the country life in Brazil, and
also some impression of country mission work, I invite you to take
a trip with Missionary Maddox and myself to the little hamlet of
Parahyba do Sul, in the interior of the State of Rio.

On Monday, June 13th, we boarded a six AM train for Parahyba do
Sul, which we reached about ten o'clock. It is a charming town
situated on the river by the same name. This river reminds one of
the French Broad, though the mountains are not so high and
precipitous as the North Carolina mountains. The mountains, too,
in this section are not covered with trees, but with a tall grass,
which, being in bloom, gave a beautiful purple color to the
landscape. The railroad climbs up the mountain sides from Rio in a
very picturesque manner.

The Parahyba do Sul Church is three miles over the mountains from
the station, in the house of Mrs. Manoela Rosa Rodrigues. The
house is constructed with mud walls and a thatched roof. The
floors are the bare ground, which is packed hard and smooth. There
are two rooms, with a narrow hall between them and a sort of "lean
to" kitchen. The largest room, which is about fifteen feet square,