Spanish Priest Becomes Baptist Missionary
Superintendent C. D. Daniel, of Texas-Mexican MissionsI am confident a short description of the conversion, education and ordination of Felix Buldaln to the Baptist ministry, who was recently converted from Roman Catholicism, will be of interest to your readers.
Brother Buldaln is a native of Spain. At the age of twelve, having completed his primary studies, be was sent off to college under the management of the Capuchin Monks. The monks soon convinced him that the Roman Catholic priesthood was the most important calling to which a man could devote himself. He therefore began to prepare himself for the priesthood.
At the age of twenty-three, having graduated in literature and theology, he was ordained as priest. Soon after his ordination he was appointed direct from Rome to the Philippine Islands. He traveled through the Islands preaching to the Catholic missions. Just before the beginning of the Spanish-American war he was appointed secretary to the superior of his order to travel with him through the Argentine Republic, Chile and Uruguay. He also constantly preached to the Catholic missions in those places. Having discharged this mission he returned to his native Spain to resume again the work of preaching.
Perhaps it would be of interest to state here that Brother Buldaln Is personally acquainted with the present Pope. It having been necessary for him to have three interviews with him. During a trip to BarceIona
8
he fell in with an Englishman who was well versed In the holy Scriptures. The conversation soon drifted into religion channels.After the discussion of various dogmas of the Roman Catholic Church, the Impossible dogma of trans-substantiation came up. The Englishman convinced him from the holy Scriptures that it is not a Christian doctrine.
Having been shaken in his belief in transubstantiation, he began a close review of Roman Catholic doctrine from a Bible viewpoint, using in his study the Latin Vulgate. He said nothing to any one of the disturbed condition of his mind, but for five years made a close, prayerful study of God's Word, which led him to the conclusion that the Roman Catholic hierarchy Is a vast system of error.
Having become thoroughly convinced of the falsity of Roman Catholicism he decided to come to Mexico as the best way out of Romanism, and also to find a people who believed and taught the Bible. Soon after reaching Mexico he found a Baptist church, and learning that it teaches simply what he understood the Bible to teach, he joined It and was baptized and immediately began to work with enthusiasm for the advancement of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Having been Invited to come to San Antonio to have charge of the Mexican work, he came, believing that there would be better opportunities here than In Mexico, considering the prevailing revolution in that country. I should have stated above that Brother Buldaln has been a member of a Baptist church something over three years. About one year ago he met and was married to a daughter of Brother T. M. Westrup, one of the pioneer gospel workers In Mexico. As Brother Buldain had not been ordained, the Mexican church at San Antonio asked her acting pastor to call a presbytery for his ordination.
The presbytery was composed of the following named brethren: Rev. John W. Lowe, of Chefoo, China; Rev. Judd B. Holt, of the Pegues Memorial Baptist Church; Dr. J. M. Carroll, Rev. George Balch, Rev. John, Maurer, Rev. Sid Williams, Rev. E. Salas, Rev. D. S. Baroclo, Dr. S. J. Porter, Rev. W. H. Tipton, of Wu Chow, China; Rev. C. D. Daniel.
The big brained, warm hearted pastor of the First Baptist Church, Dr. S. J. Porter, with the consent of his good church, yielded their building, together with the Sunday evening service, up to the Mexican church for the ordination of their new pastor. Dr. Porter preached the ordination sermon. Dr. J. M. Carroll delivered the charge to the church and to the candidate, and presentation of the Bible were Interpreted into the Spanish language [by Superintendent C. D. Daniel, who has few equals as a Spanish-English Interpreter. - Ed.]
There was a great, mixed congregation of Mexicans and Americans, who blended their hearts and voices in a beautiful song and praise service. It seemed to be the unanimous consensus of opinion that it was one of the greatest services that has ever been held in San Antonio, which will mean more in the evangelization of our great Texas-American population than any other.
========== [From Victor I. Masters, editor, The Home Field, February, 1913, pp. 7-8; via Southern Baptist Historical Library and Archives digitized documents. Scanned and formatted by Jim Duvall.]
More Missions / Missionaries Articles
Baptist History Homepage