Resumo. O estudo do impacto social do protestantismo na América Latina enfatiza, regra geral, o trabalho educativo das escolas protestantes, formando indivíduos que logo influenciariam a sociedade. A biografia prévia à entrada no protestantismo de um importante líder da Igreja Presbiteriana, na segunda metade do XIX, mostra que seus ideais de regeneração social são anteriores à seu contato com o protestantismo. A sua preocupação com a regeneração social decorria do precoce contato cultural de sua cidade natal, São Luís do Maranhão com a Europa.Abstract. The latin American Protestatism social impact study focuses, generally speaking, on the protestant schools educational work, which educate fellows who will soon have some sort of influence on society. The previous biography to the Protestantism entrance of an important presbitarian curch leader, in the second half of the XIX century, shows that his ideals of social regeneration are prior to his contact to the Protestantism. His concerns with the social regeneration happened because of the early cultural contact of his hometown, São Luis do Maranhão, with Europe.