Cuba by S. H. Carnahan

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 3, 1908

Cuba

By S. H. Carnahan

AFTER several months of waiting in suspense we left Walla Walla, Wash., May 19, and an unexpectedly prolonged stay in the East gave us a longer visit than we anticipated with friends, and an opportunity to attend the good camp-meeting at Wilmington, Del.

Owing to some developments in eastern Cuba, it was thought best for us to ship to Havana. Hence, after two days’ most cordial entertainment in New York, by Elder Knott and wife, German laborers there, we sailed on July 9, and arrived in Havana four days later.

The island has a territory about the same as that of Pennsylvania, and a climate that permits of growing crops the year round. The agricultural and horticultural resources are great; and with the methods and thrift of the United States, rich returns can be reaped.

The Cubans are far from being up with the spirit of the New World, and are even behind the Orientals in learning and advancement.

The excellent pasture lands here, where both cattle and goats do well, afford good opportunity for those of our brethren who have means to come and engage in the stock business, and at the same time be representatives of the truth, and help form bases for our churches and schools.

The Roman Catholic religion became the established religion of Cuba under Spanish rule, and public services of any other denomination were prohibited. The churches and religious orders were very rich, possessing great estates and

plantations, and here in pomp and solemnity the functions of the church were unrivaled by any in Europe. In a circular issued by a Spanish governor to induce immigration, it was provided that none "but Roman Catholics can be inhabitants of the island." The Protestant Bible was interdicted in the custom house, and the British government made repeated but futile efforts to secure for its subjects living in Havana permission to build a chapel for Protestant worship. So late as 1898, the bishop of Havana refused to comply with the request of Captain Sigsbee that the Protestant burial service might be read over the Protestant dead.

The Spanish-American war changed all this, and there are now in Havana representatives of various Protestant denominations. As we sat in a home in the suburbs of Havana some evenings ago, and beheld how interestedly two or three families drank in present truth as it was presented by Elder E. W. Snyder, and as we see some of the native brethren engaging in colporteur work, selling our papers and tracts, we can but know that surely God is gathering from this generation a people to his honor from every nation, kindred, tongue, and people.

We are now located here near San Cristobal, and, so far as we know, the only representatives of the third angel’s message on the south side of the mountains in this western province (Pinar Del Rio) of Cuba. San Cristobal is the town of records for this division or part of the province, and is a place of perhaps a thousand or more population.

S. H. CARNAHAN.