Manila, Luzon Island – Entry made in parlor of No. 2 Calle Santa Elena, Tondo
Up early this morning read a chapter in Deuteronomy then prayed to the Lord who cares for me & directs my footsteps. My trust rests upon His grace.
Cooked breakfast & partook thereof. Rev. & Mrs. Owens came in early from the English hotel to get their freight down to the wharf. A carabao cart & 3 or 4 Filipinos loaded the freight after getting it downstairs. At last the time came for the final exit. Owens turned the keys of his room over to me & I was minus a tenant. An open [_____] drawn by 2 ponies took Mrs. Owens down to the quay & Rev. Owens & I walked. Accompanied the cart.
On the way down I met Bro. Peter Shipper of the U.S. Engineer corps. States that he is keeping saved; receive hardly any War Crys now-a-days & thinks the Filipino war will not end until all the Filipinos are killed. Described the Engineer corps to be divided into several parties & keeping very busy.
Arriving on the quay below the Capt. of the Port’s office we entered Mr. Plummer’s house which is over a saloon. P. is chief ship loader or boss stevedore. Is an American, I learn & hails originally from Albany. Been on the Philippines 16 years. Two Filipino women occupy his home. One has a most beautiful face, soft & refined. Plays the piano with skill. Such a face! Not a coarse line in it.
Bro. Geo Turner of the Ecclesai mission, Chaplain Stephenson of the Idaho vols. a second Lieut. of the same regiment, the Chaplain of the 1stWashington vols. & Bros. Glunz & Jackson of the Christian Commission came down to bid the Owens adieu. While sitting in Plummer’s house I witness a most disgusting scene: an American stupefied with drink dropped over on the stone curbing across the street & commenced to puke. He made a horrible men in front of his face, then rolled off into the street, where lying in the dirt like a dog he continued his vomiting. Two other American soldiers sat near by but did not offer to do anything. Crossing the street I tried to persuade them to help me raise the man. They felt disinclined to do anything. “It is just because of such men that the United States army is disgraced; he should be sent home; he is a disgrace.” remarked one of the soldiers. One finally helped me to raise the drunk and seat him on the curb. Looking at me through his stupid eyes the poor inebriate said partly as an inquiry & exclamation: “Salvation Army”. “Yes”.
Plummer’s launch returned from the bay about 10.15 o’clock. Owens freight was loaded thereon, then several of our party, including myself lined up in a group on the quay and Bro. Glunz Kodaked us. We shook hands with the voyagers, spoke last good-bye, they boarded the launch for the Transport “Indiana” & remainder separated. So endeth my experiences with Rev. & Mrs. Owens who figured so largely in my life history during the past seven months. I am sorry to see them go, but in the Philippines as affairs stand now, partings are frequent.
We are all Christians but there was no prayer attending the farewell. Salvationists perhaps view such matters differently that other Christians do; but I felt disappointed in that account.
Indeed the coming & going of Rev. & Mrs. Owens to & from the Philippines have been strange. Bishop Mc Cabe who is evidently a pusher on his own responsibility sent missionaries to Alaska. They prospered & the Methodist mission board winked at the irregularity & adopted the work there. Without securing that body’s sanction, he rushed that Owens into Manila on his own responsibility from the Washington Conference while having the oversight of that section.
The Mission Board refused to sanction the Bishop’s action. In the meantime the Bishop changed to another part of the field & the Owens were left to shift for themselves. At the request of the Board Bishop Jas M Thoburn of India, came out to Manila to inspect the country & report on the outlook. He made an adverse report I hear, re the Owens: A man named Proutch secured the ear of the Bishop & engineered a theme, the “Soldier’s Institute” (something equivalent to the Y.M.C.A. minus the name) with the Bishop figuring as , Proutch & wife superintendents & various prominent citizens as a “committee” I was told by Turner today that Plummer backed this enterprise with several hundred dollars & others gave liberally.
The Filipino Theater was secured for Sunday, a.m. services & Chaplain Stull of the 1st Montana vols. a Methodist put in charge. Thus, Owens was headed off & ignored. His position was humiliating & he did what was probably best to do, return to the U.S.
Owens is a liberal man. He gives systematically one-tenth of his income to the Lord. His heart is in the work. Mrs. Owens remarked several times in hearing that if a service fails to meet his expectation after returning home he cries.
Mrs. Owens is responsible for the statement that during the period going back one year from last October they spent in connection with their travels over $2000, & that their expedition to the Philippines & return to the United States will cost $1000. They rec’d from Bishop Mc Cabe their arrival in Manila $300 U.S. coin & over $350 Mex, donations in Manila, principally from sea captains, & a little from U.S. soldiers. They have sold their furniture, organ & sewing machine to raise cash.
Bro. Ges Turner & I walked together from the quay over to the Escolta. He informed me that he is now the Seaman’s missionary & gives special attention to sailors. Consul Williams, Mr. Plummer & others back him. We stopped at the Hacienda Municipal on Calle Echague to get a “Cedula Personal”. Several Filipino clerks wave in, but it took quite a while to make them understand how to fill out the blank properly. After spoiling 2 they accomplished the feat. I paid one paset – 20 cts. Mex for 2, myself & Turner. I am Number 049372 & by profession “Major Ejercito Salvacion.” The front face of the Cedula is printed in Spanish. The back reads as follows in English:
“U.S. Military Government.
This paper is a Cedula Personal, or Certificate of Identity…. From March 15, 1899 until January 1st1900 all male inhabitants of the area of military occupation, excepting soldiers of the U.S. Army, are expected to be provided with such a certificate which states the name of the holder, native place, age, whether married or single, profession, residence and the number of register in which the cedula is recorded.”
Called at the post office but rec’d no mail.
Gave Bro. Turner $1.50 Mex to purchase 2 bottles lime juice from the U.S. Commissary department.
Returned home. Read “Freedom” & 2 or 3 magazine articles, “Evolution of the Spaniard”, “Taxidermy”, etc.
Private (Bro) M. L. Devine (Landrum) K. Bat’y, 3d Reg’t Heavy Art’y called. Spiritual talk, prayer together. Loaned him $5 gold of my money also rec’d for storage some of his things. In improving in health. Is in 8thWard, 1stReserve Hospital. ___ Cooked supper this evening.