Friends Church in Victoria City, Tamaulipas Celebrates 152 Years of Founding

The Friends Church of Victoria City, Tamaulipas, marks 152 years since its founding this year. A local chronicler was invited to attend a Sunday assembly at their temple on Matamoros Street, where the anniversary ceremony took place. This milestone highlights the enduring presence of the Religious Society of Friends in the region.

The spread of the Quaker faith in Mexico took an unexpected turn in 1859 with the implementation of the Reform Laws by President Benito Juárez. These laws redefined the relationship between the Catholic Church and the government. In this context, with the support of Tamaulipas Governor Servando Canales Molano, a group of Quaker evangelizers arrived in Matamoros around 1871 to establish a mission led by American Samuel Alejandro Purdie and his wife.

Upon arrival, the Quakers took charge of the Sunday School and founded a primary school with the backing of Yearny Meeting, a congregation based in Indiana. By 1885, the Hussey Institute was operating in the area, led by Dr. C.G. Hussey, a member of the Quaker community. This educational institution, along with the San Juan Institute, was closed during the Mexican Revolution in 1913 and 1917, respectively.

Samuel Alejandro Purdie, born in Columbus, New York, on March 5, 1843, and died in San Salvador, Central America, on August 6, 1897, was the son of Samuel Pudrie and Waity Howard. He is regarded as a pivotal figure in the establishment of the first evangelical churches in Matamoros and Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas. Purdie not only promoted education through the founding of schools but also introduced a printing press to the Mexican northeast, where he published the first Protestant church materials, including newspapers, bibles, hymnals, and books.

Purdie’s legacy includes a collection of autobiographical letters and essays compiled by his descendants in a book published in Indiana in 1908. This volume provides valuable insights into his time in Tamaulipas, detailing his presence in various towns such as Matamoros, San Fernando, Ocampo, Gómez Farías, Soto La Marina, Tula, Sierra de San Carlos, and Ciudad Victoria. It is considered a primary source for understanding the early presence of Christian churches in Mexico.

The chronicles from this book offer a rich account of regional geography and daily life, making it an essential resource for those interested in the historical development of the Quaker mission in the area.

Source: Read the original report (translated from Spanish)