p. 16 | Central America by H. C. Goodrich.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Aug 10, 1905

Central America

By H. C. Goodrich.

BELIZE, BRITISH HONDURAS.—The work in this field is sharply divided into two parts—English and Spanish. British Honduras and the Bay Islands are English. Nicaragua, Spanish Honduras, Salvador, and Guatemala are Spanish. In Guatemala there are a large number of Germans.

Here in Belize is a church of twenty-six members, only three of whom were here when I came; and the work is but just begun. A Bible worker would find this a good field. During the past winter, when I could not go up the rivers on account of the floods, nor across to the Bay Islands, owing to the storms, I worked here from house to house, holding studies with families. Eight were baptized as the result, and others are still interested who have not yet taken hold.

In Utilla, where we have three times, at great expense, located a teacher, there is now more interest to hear than I have ever seen before. I have just spent ten days of very hard work there. Three promised to keep the Sabbath, and one or two others are investigating. I preached each evening, and had one or two readings each day, besides visiting. While the majority rejected the light, some acknowledged it, and I yet expect to see some in Utilla accepting the message. They want a school. I have proposed to some of the merchants that they raise the amount sufficient to keep a teacher, and appoint a committee who would be responsible for the pay. I have left them to think of this. I think they will do it.

I hear that two families, and one member of a third, have begun the observance of the Sabbath at French Harbor, since I was there three months ago. I believe there is still a good harvest in that place. They, too, want a school, and propose to raise a fund for the support of the teacher.

The leader of the little company at Coxen Hole has been holding a few meetings on the north side, and there has come a call for more meetings there. Ruatan presents some good openings for work.

At Bonacca the church, the oldest and largest in this field, has greatly fallen off since we moved to Belize three years ago. But here also an excellent interest has sprung up. When I was there last, seven accepted the message. I expect to go again in a few days, God willing, and hope to see more obeying. This, with the calls coming from places up the various rivers in this colony, is all I could possibly do alone.

As to the work on the Spanish coast, I can not do better than to give our experiences. There are many negroes, and some Spaniards, who speak English, but most of the people are Spanish, and speak that language only, especially those back from the coast.

A brother and his wife at La Ceiba began keeping the Sabbath last October, from reading the “Prophecies of Jesus.” He has practised law, and has printed and edited a Spanish paper.

From Ceiba I went down to Porvenir, and found a colored man who has been a great gambler, who last January borrowed “Bible Readings,” and was converted, and kept the Sabbath alone. Through his efforts, a Spaniard and his wife have also received the message. While I was at Ceiba, a saloon-keeper, on his way home to Jamaica, had some Bible studies, and determined to give up his business, and keep the Sabbath. As I was talking to this man one day, a man who lives thirty miles up the coast came along, selling vegetables. I found he was troubled over the Sabbath question, having secured some papers from Bonacca. I sold him “Bible Text-Book,” and he went home promising to keep the Sabbath and start family prayers in his house. All of these except the man from Jamaica can speak Spanish.

Since coming home, I have read a letter from a man down in Nicaragua, who urges me to come to see him, and says there is an opening there. Mr. Allen is working there, and lives in Ceiba. He has a good start in the Spanish language, and has some interested ones there.

Lately in Utilla we have raised the money to buy a horse, which will be very necessary in going from place to place with books and Bibles.

We have in British Honduras one church at Belize, with one family each at Corozal, Sihan River, and Punta Gorda. In Spanish Honduras we have a company at Puerto Cortes, and Porvenir, and Ceiba, and a family each at San Pedro and Balfata. Utilla has a little church of seven members; Ruatan a little company at West End, also at Coxen Hole, and a church at French Harbor, numbering thirteen, which will soon be enlarged, also several families. The island is thirty miles long.

At Bonacca there are two churches—one with seventy members, which will no doubt be largely reduced, and the other with a membership of nine, which I hope to see increased. We can see the Lord is working on the hearts of the people here, and we will, by his grace, be workers together with him.

H. C. GOODRICH.