Grenada, British West Indies
By W. A. Sweany
We attended our council meeting in Trinidad in January. Every branch of the work was carefully considered, and plans were laid for advance movements in all phases of the work. Soon after our return we moved from St. George, and are now located in the north end of the island, in the parish of St. Patrick, two miles inland from the port of Sauteurs, and one mile from our place of worship. We have a comfortable and cozy, though small, cottage, halfway up the mountain, with a beautiful view toward the east, across the Plains Estate, and on and out over the great, wide sea. It is cool and quiet—two conditions that we greatly appreciate and enjoy after so many years spent in different hot, dusty, noisy, wicked cities. We have a half acre of ground; and when the rains fall, we shall plant a garden. Everything is parched and dry now, from an unusually long and severe dry season. However, an occasional cloudy day, or light shower, indicates that the rains will soon come. On the whole, the work here is very encouraging. We now have a Sabbath-school and Young People’s Society. The Sabbath-school numbers fifty. The Young People’s Society meets Sabbath afternoon. We are studying “Great Controversy” by course, and we believe the spirit that actuated the Waldenses and other reformers described therein, is finding its place in the hearts of our dear young people. At roll-call each member repeats a verse of Scripture. Other appropriate recitations and readings are woven into the program from time to time. Our missionary meeting is held on Wednesday evening. The first meeting of each month is devoted to the home work, the second to foreign work, the third to health and temperance, the fourth being left open for general or special subjects, as may seem best. The meetings are all interesting, and we trust will be of lasting benefit to all. The program consists of study of the Bible, the field, methods and principles, and experiences. We have secured a horse and trap (a two-wheeled buggy, with top), as so much walking over the mountains in the hot sun was beginning to tell on our vitality and endurance. Last week my wife and I drove entirely around the island—perhaps about seventy miles.17We were gone four days, and sold two hundred and twenty-five papers and a few books, and made a good many calls and visits. We took along oats for the horse, and some food for ourselves, as it is not always easy to get suitable accommodations. And it was well we did, for one night we failed to find shelter, so we drove under a tree, and camped out till morning. Snakes, lizards, toads, and other reptiles and insects make sleeping on the ground rather unpleasant, so we sat in our trap and got what sleep we could. A clear mountain stream furnished water for drinking and bathing, and on the whole we rather enjoyed the experience, and saved the $1.80 which a neighboring inn would have charged us just for shelter without food. To be sure, our limbs were somewhat stiff from our cramped quarters; but a little morning exercise made that all right, and we went on our way rejoicing. Most of you who read this never saw or imagined such roads as we traveled over. In many places the road is simply a shelf on the mountainside, barely wide enough for the vehicle—up, up, up on one side, with overhanging rocks and trees, and down, down, down on the other, to the surf, which breaks over the rocks and boulders on the seashore below. Nothing but a strong, gentle horse will do on roads like these, for a misstep or a slip would mean serious accident or death. We hope soon to have baptism here. We are waiting for the showers to fill the streams and pools, as the sea is not suitable, nor near enough, for baptism. In the meantime we are more fully instructing the candidates, about twenty in number. We are all enjoying the best of health, and are straining every nerve to finish His work. We do not have the remotest thought or desire of ever returning to the States for vacation or rest, and we wish a great many more of our people there would scatter into the regions beyond, and help to finish this work, so we can all go to our eternal home. Can it be possible that our dear people would rather stay in this old sin-cursed earth than to enter and dwell in the saints’ inheritance? Such a thing seems impossible; and yet it is even so, for this work is committed to us; and when it is finished, we can go home, and not before. A very short time would suffice to finish this work if our all of time, energy, strength, and means were devoted to it with the same earnestness and diligence that many devote to worldly pursuits. We wish every family in our ranks would get and read and heed Sister Ellis’s book, “The Missionary Idea.” We believe the influence and effect of it would be quickly felt throughout our ranks, and especially in the destitute and unworked fields which lie between us and the goodly land. Brethren, we are abundantly able to go in and possess the land. Shall we wait? Or shall we work? Who will say now, Lord, “here am I; send me”? W. A. SWEANY.