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Recollections of West Indian Labors

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 23, 1909

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 86, No. 51.

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Recollections of West Indian Labors

By E. W. Webster

I RECALL the following incidents in connection with my labors in the West Indies, which may be of interest to the readers of the REVIEW:—
A class leader of a certain church began to keep the Sabbath. She was a very intelligent native woman. Her minister soon called on her to convince her of her error. During his visit the following dialogue took place:—
Minister.—“I am sorry to see you led off by this delusion.”
Class Leader.—“Please take the Bible and show me the truth.”
M.—“I want to know if you are going to hear and obey the church?”
C.—“Reverend, please take the ‘Daily Service’ I just bought of you and read the service for to-day.” [As nearly as I can remember the service for that day was Ps. 119:1-40—the immutable nature of God’s law.]
She said she could not get him to read it, but he summoned her to appear before the church on a certain night to tell them what she was going to do. She was there at the set time, with her Bible.
M.—“The charge against you is that you refuse to hear the church. What are you going to do about it?”
C.—“The Lord knows I want to do right. If I am wrong, show me from the Bible. I want to keep the commandments and be saved.”
M.—“You are stubborn. I want to know if you are going to obey the church? Do you hear?”
C.—“I am going to obey the Lord, sir, as nearly as I know how.”
M.—“Very well, that is enough; you are excommunicated.”
Again, another incident: One night we closed a very interesting meeting. Many lingered, as usual, to talk and ask questions. About ten o’clock a brother came back leading a friend by the hand. He said: “Here, elder, is a friend of mine; I want you to make him see the third angel’s message so that he can keep the Sabbath.”
The gentleman spoke up and said, “Yes, I want you to make me see it, if you can.”
“Where do you live? and how did you get here so late?” I asked.
He replied: “I live over the mountains. When the tide is down, we can come on the beach around the mountain: but if the tide is up, we must climb the mountain or wade the tide. I found the tide up, and was afraid that I would be too late if I went over the mountain, so I waded a mile and a half; but I got here too late for the meeting, as you see.”
It was about one o’clock that night, after a good Bible study, that he started back home—a Sabbath-keeper, with plenty of tracts to read and to loan to his neighbors.
E. W. WEBSTER.