The Jamaica Conference
By W. J. Tanner
THE third annual session of the Jamaica Conference assembled in Kingston, January 1, and lasted for four days. The churches in the island were not so well represented as last year, owing to extreme hard times. This also is the cause of the low ebb of the conference finances, which are never very good at the best. However, with strict economy and the assistance of the appropriation allowed us by the General Conference, together with the tithes and offerings collected in Jamaica, we were enabled to close the conference year with all debts paid. It has been our hope and aim that the work in Jamaica should eventually be sufficiently prosperous to be self-supporting, but at the present moment such prospects are not very bright. Still there are indications of better times if only the island is spared from great calamities the next few years. During the year 1904 the efforts of our laborers have been attended with a fair amount of success. In all, one hundred and fifty-nine have been baptized. While the conference, during its session, disposed of a large amount of important work, yet by far the most important feature of the meetings was the evangelical services held in the town hall. Our church, which can accommodate about three hundred, we found to be too small for evening meetings during conference; and, hoping to reach a new class of people, we secured the use of the town hall. These meetings were well attended. Elder J. A. Strickland took the burden of the speaking, and the Lord abundantly blessed. At the evening service in our church on January 5, Brother S. M. Jones was ordained to the gospel ministry. This is the first native Jamaican that the Lord has indicated as fully ready for the sacred office, and in the service of ordination the Holy Spirit was abundantly present to attest to the step. Elder J. B. Beckner was elected president of our little conference, and Brother Norman Johnson secretary. The latter, however, much to his regret and our sorrow, was taken down with fever in the midst of the session, and is still (January 17) unable to be about his work. Otherwise the workers in Jamaica are blessed with good health, as well as with good courage in the Lord.