The history of the Protestantism in Spain is a rather fascinating affair. The country that both fathered the Reformation ànd the Inquisition, knew much hardship where religion is concerned. The original 16th century Reformation was an unknown and unparalleled success, maybe that is why it was rooted out so fanatically.
In the second half of the 19th century Spain was a Roman-Catholic State, where the very concept of Freedom of Religion was until then unheard of.

Around the first quarter of the century various Spaniards came in contact with forms of Protestantism, mostly through strangers they met, either at home or abroad, often through leaflets and literature, that entered the country either by Gibraltar or Portugal. They were deeply touched by the heart rendering stories they heard and even read in the bible, stories they never had heard in their pure form. Besides, the political situation of their days changed, which seemed  to offer hope at times that they might feel free to adhere their new beliefs. But no, for equal to the depth of their faith were the sufferings they had to endure, as in New-Testamentic times. Had there not been people with open hearts and open hands, the situation of the Spanish Protestantism would have been even worse than it turned out to be. But those people did exist. They abounded in countries where to the refugees fled, those who were not killed or imprisoned. Those, who had to leave all behind they loved, because they were touched by the love of God.

Both private individuals and soon organizations, of which the Dutch Society Het Evangelie in Spanje (The Gospel in Spain) was just one. This Society originated from a Committee, founded in 1871 by a Mrs. Constance van Loon, and Mr. M.J. van Lennep, esquire as we stated elsewhere. 
Many such Committees came to life in Europe and they developed into Bible Societies and other forms of help and sustaining the groups in Spain that came into existence.

They fed and clad refugees from Spain, they helped to translate (parts of) the bible in Spanish, they sent money to buy people free from prison, they sent leaflets with pious content, and they sent volunteers in order to assist the young churches or even to found them. They came through Gibraltar, by crossing the borders with Portugal, and made their ways across the passes of the Pyrenees from France. Love for God and love for man (and sometimes love for adventure too) drove them. Their voyages were not without a lot of personal risk. Names like Blanco White ought to be mentioned here, but there are so many, many more!