Canvassing in the West Indian Fields,
By R. A. Batson
It has been fourteen years since I entered the canvassing work. The Lord has blessed with success. I first labored at home for one year. During that time the East Caribbean Conference had four native and two American colporteurs, the latter of whom, after faithful work in these islands, are now asleep in Jesus, waiting until the trumpet shall sound, when the dead in Christ shall rise first. Having succeeded at home, in 1896 the four colored brethren left for St. Kitts, where we scattered the seed like leaves of autumn. On Nevis, also, we placed much literature. We then separated, two going to Antigua, and two to Montserrat. Arriving at Antigua, two of us went a little way out into the country, viewed the field, and divided it up, one taking the right, the other the left. We canvassed every corner, leaving a large number of our books, such as “Patriarchs and Prophets,” “Coming King,” “Christ Our Saviour,” “Steps to Christ,” and hundreds of small books. The natives of Antigua are similar to the Barbadians, in that they are a reading people. Leaving Antigua, we went over to Barbados, about twenty miles distant. This place is small, with about five hundred inhabitants. Deer are abundant. A small tannery is carried on, and the lives of some of these animals are taken almost every day. Plenty of swine are raised, which are left free to roam the forest. On their necks they wear a triangular piece of wood, to keep them from pushing their heads through the garden fences made of corn-stalks. Between five and six in the afternoon the hogs and the sheep can be seen in droves, coming home in various directions. And in the morning the gates are opened, and out they go again, to find whatever they can, until the appetite calls for them, when they are killed and devoured by their owners. Many kinds of birds are seen. The island is a lagoon, with fine, white sand around the beach. Here are some of the largest grapes that can be found in the West Indies, very sweet and juicy. Sometimes there is plenty of corn, grain, and sugar apples. The people are quite friendly. We put one or two books in almost every house. I do not know whether any one has been there since in the interest of the truth. I also visited Grenada, laboring there for six years. The Grenadians are shy of strangers until they become well acquainted. There is no place in the East Caribbean Conference where the seed is sown as it is in Grenada. Thousands20of books have been sold. In no Catholic place do the people like better to buy our literature than there. They are friendly and hospitable. In 1899 two thirds of the natives had never had a Bible. Now almost every house contains one. But for two years past we have been unable to get Bibles. Everywhere people are calling to us for them. I have offered to sell Bibles for the Bible Society in Barbados, but have not yet obtained the agency. The people like our books; and as they read the literature, which refers to the Scriptures, they ask the canvasser to get them a copy. I trust some one may look into this matter, and devise a plan whereby we may secure Bibles to sell to the people; for they are indispensable in the study of the third angel’s message.