The Spirit of Guadeloupe Islands, West Indies
By PHILIP GIDDINGS
My work here is to scatter literature. I have now been over the entire island, visiting every town, village, and sugar estate. The books I am handling are “Steps to Christ” and “His Glorious Appearing.” I also dispose of some tracts. Although I do not sell as much as I should like, I have the opportunity of speaking to scores of the soon return of Jesus and the preparation necessary to meet him. To almost all it is news indeed. Some mock, and one said, “They treated him so badly the first time, I don’t believe he will come back.” Others listen with interest. To many Catholics everything must be “blessed” by the priests. So some have taken the Bibles they bought from the other canvassers for this “blessing,” which the priest refused to give. As I go around with my books, some ask me, “Have those books been blessed already, or shall I have the priest bless them?” For an answer I ask them this question: “With what would you wet water?” They see at once the absurdity, and smilingly say, “Water does not need wetting.” So I say: “As water is wetness itself, and needs no wetting, so God’s Word is blessing itself, and needs no man’s blessing.” I find the country people very kind and honest. I called at a home to sell a two-franc book, but as the man could not afford to pay so much, he bought a six-cent pamphlet. After I had gone a few yards, I heard him calling me back. Glad to think he had secured the amount to take the book, I advanced toward him, when he handed me my purse, which I had left on the couch. I thanked him heartily, for it contained about twenty francs,—not much, but it represented much hard talking, and many weary miles in a torrid sun. On returning, I called again to see him, offering the book which he had not money enough to buy, at half price as an expression of gratitude. “No, sir,” said he, “I can not accept any recompense for simply being honest.” Then I said, “Won’t you accept the book as a present from me?” “Under the circumstances I can not,” was his reply. Hitherto I have had calm sailing among the people, but that record has since been broken twice. I was canvassing two women when a young man came in, and listened for a while. Thinking that he was interested, I extended my attention to him also, when I was surprised by an outburst of fanatical Catholicism: “You are a Protestant; I am a Catholic. You don’t baptize your infants; I baptize mine. You don’t believe in Mary; I believe in her. She is my mother. Go! Go!!” And thinking I was not going quickly enough, he took me by the hand to hasten me thence. The women were very sorry for his manner, and told him he should not have treated me so, but he began to berate them for listening to a Protestant. Last Thursday (August 15) was a feast in honor of Mary. The village was thronged with gaily dressed men, women, and children. One group of young men, after examining the books, said they did not want any. I saw, however, they were desirous of a controversy. I spoke a few words and left them. After I had gone a good distance, they sent a lad to call me back. Encouraged that they were going to buy a book, I returned. When I got to them, they said, “We want a book on Mary.” Of course they knew I had no book on Mary. Though they scarcely gave me a hearing, several of them speaking to me at once, I tried to explain to them why Protestants speak only of Christ for salvation, quoting Peter in Acts 4:12, Paul in 1 Tim. 2:5, John in 1 John 5:7, Christ in John 10:9; 14:6. Over and over again have I had occasion to explain to Mariolaters that while we do not believe in her, we believe like her when she said, “My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.” And since Jesus saves from sin and he is Mary’s Saviour, then she must have been a sinner, saved like others who yield their souls to Christ. They finally advised me not to visit them, especially on feast-days to Mary. Leaving them, I sold several books, scattered some tracts, and spoke to several persons of Christ’s soon return.15 Spiritualism fills this land. It seems as if everybody dabbles in it. Think of its influence in Bible Protestant lands, then imagine what it must be here where that Book is only now being introduced. A few Sundays ago I met a man under the spell. He looked like an insane man. With eyes wild, looking downward, his body swaying both ways, he muttered something, then said, “Listen to me.” I replied, “No, it is my time to speak. You listen.” I told him the nature of the spirit that possessed him, and urged him to separate from its control before it should work his ruin. There were three women who looked the very picture of misery, in the house, but they said nothing. Those who understand, tell me the women are the mediums and the man the operator. The latter is sometimes taken possession of by the spirit, and if not dispossessed, goes crazy. I have ordered some tracts on “Spiritualism as Exposed by the Bible” to scatter here. An intelligent and influential man of this town who is a firm believer in this cult claims he has been in correspondence with the late Wm. T. Stead, and has shown me a typewritten letter from him on Borderland. As he reads English as well as French, I have lent him the book “Spiritualism,” by Uriah Smith. The two sisters who have cast in their lot with us are happy for the light of truth shining on their pathway. One of them, before I had spoken on the tithe, had her tithe laid aside and paid it to me, saying her father had always paid tithe and had taught them that that was the honest thing to do. Her husband has joined us in the Sabbath-school for three weeks consecutively. We are praying that he may have faith to yield entirely to God.