Other New Fields Opening by W. J. TANNER

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Mar 12, 1908

Other New Fields Opening

By W. J. TANNER

W. J. TANNER

On November 22 it was my privilege, in company with Elder U. Bender, to visit Fort de France on the island of Martinique. The small steamer on which we traveled kept near to the shore as we rounded the western point of the island and ran down to the above-mentioned city, and this gave us, with the aid of our glasses, a very good view of Mt. Pelée and of the ruins of St. Pierre. The volcano, after belching forth destruction for many months, seemed to be taking a rest; nevertheless the evidences of its recent activity were not wanting. The slope of the mountain, entirely denuded of every living thing, the mighty stream of lava, and beyond, the somber and silent ruins of the once thriving city of St. Pierre, all told us how dreadful are the forces of nature when God in his wisdom sees fit to permit them to be unchained.

Although it is scarcely six years since the destruction of this city and its forty thousand inhabitants took place, yet so quickly have followed other disasters, and so numerous have they been, that already the Martinique catastrophe seems far more remote than it really is. Surely we are living in a time when signs are multiplying rapidly; and not only the swift destruction of St. Pierre, but also the equally sudden disasters at San Francisco, Valparaiso, and Kingston demonstrate how terrible and how sudden the judgments of heaven may be when once the restraining mercy of God is withdrawn from an impenitent world.

There is another reason, however, why Martinique and its sister island, Guadaloupe, should be interesting to us. Being French colonies, the religion of the people is naturally Catholic, and both the government and the people have been unfriendly to the entrance of Protestantism.

Not long ago I met a colporteur for the British and Foreign Bible Society, who several years ago endeavored to circulate the Word of God in these islands. To be brief, he did not succeed in disposing of many copies, and soon had to flee before an infuriated mob, and eventually to leave the colony to save his life. We heard, too, of one of our sisters from St. Lucia, who, while endeavoring to distribute some of our literature in Fort de France a few years ago, met with some very hard treatment of a similar nature.

But to-day this situation is changed. The same Providence that is opening doors for the entrance of the third angel's message in other lands has opened the door into the French West Indian colonies. This has been caused in part by the change of the status of the church in its relation to the state in France during the past two years, and in part to the inclination of many to throw off the yoke of Rome.

At all events, the time is ripe for the entrance of the everlasting gospel into these French islands. Already I have heard that our friend, the colporteur mentioned above, has returned to the field, and is meeting with a better reception. Not having time ourselves to distribute any of our French literature in Fort de France, we improved the acquaintance we made with a fellow passenger, a native of the island, by giving him an assortment of tracts bearing on the cardinal points of the message, and asking him to circulate the same among his friends. He gladly received these, and a few weeks later, when I met him again in St. Thomas, he told me that he had fulfilled his promise, and that the tracts had been eagerly received. We trust that this will be but the small beginning of a strong and profitable work in Guadaloupe and Martinique. The people in these islands compare favorably with those in the British West Indies, and no doubt from among them also there will be some to swell the song of earth's redeemed ones, when they shall stand assembled before the throne of God.

Cape Haytien, Hayti.