The East Caribbean Conference of Seventh-day Adventists was organized in the early spring of 1903. Its territory comprises the islands that fringe the eastern end of the Caribbean Sea, and the Guianas of South America, with Venezuela as a mission field. The second annual session was appointed to be held the latter part of last year, but an epidemic of smallpox, with consequent quarantine regulations, made it impossible to hold the meeting at that time. The first week of June the hindrances were largely removed, and the delegates came from all the field to Bridgetown, Barbados, with the exception of most of the British Guiana brethren, the quarantine being reimposed the same day they went to buy their tickets. Their absence was a disappointment to all.
OUR CHURCH IN BARBADOS
The program for the fortnight was a very busy one. At 6 A. M. was held the daily Bible study; at 10:30 A. M., the convention work, at which time such subjects as the Seed-sowing Campaign, the Sabbath-school Work, and the Educational Work were considered; at 11:30 was held the regular conference sessions, and at 7 P. M. the public preaching services at Wilhelmina Hall.
The reports of the progress of the cause in the different fields were most cheering and encouraging. One hundred and thirty-nine persons were reported as having been baptized, and others were keeping the Sabbath, and in every field there were open doors and a most encouraging interest to hear the message; in fact, the soil seems to be prepared for us to go forth and sow the good seed of the kingdom.
Thirty-three believers were reported from the island of Tobago, which is practically a new field. Elder W. G. Kneeland brought a good report from Grenada, an island which we entered with the living preacher last March. Ten are already keeping the Sabbath, and there is a wide-spread interest to hear the third angel’s message. Faithful canvassers have been for years sowing the seed, and the living preacher is able to reap a quick harvest. Both will share in the harvest home. Elder W. A. Sweany had come from a successful tent effort in Antigua, and Brother Brown two successful tent efforts in Demerara.
Three church buildings were erected in the conference during the year,—one in Port of Spain, Trinidad; one in Kitty, British Guiana; and one in Tortola, Virgin Islands. In addition to the church buildings in smaller places, we now have neat, substantial church buildings in the three large cities of our conference, Port of Spain, Bridgetown, and Georgetown. For this we praise the Lord, as it will help us much in the years to come. In each of these three cities there is now pressing need of at least one trained Bible worker, who can give her whole time to the house-to-house work. Mrs. M. H. Honeywell, of Minnesota, has been doing self-supporting Bible work in the city of Bridgetown for three years. The Lord has abundantly blessed her labors, and souls have been added to the church.
Doors are standing wide open in these cities, inviting us to enter. Who will come? Are there not three strong conferences at home that can each send and support one Bible worker in each of these three cities?
“Work is abundant, the promise is great,
Few are the reapers, in sadness they wait;
Patiently toiling, yet daily they cry,
Pray ye that our Lord and Master,
reapers supply.”
Plans were laid for aggressive work for the year to come. There was a general belief that the time had come to push our literature out into the hands of the people as never before. It was decided to thoroughly organize tract and missionary societies throughout our conference. From these we hope to inaugurate such a seed-sowing campaign that every loyal believer in the message will have a place. The Caribbean Watchman and the Good Health will be the central figures of this campaign; some small books, tracts, and leaflets will also be provided for the tract society workers.
It was also decided to issue a series of twenty-six Bible readings, similar to the Family Bible Teacher, but adapted to the needs of our field. To facilitate this work, and also to help in keeping the Watchman where we would like to see it, it was decided to raise a fund to buy a small press, type, and office supplies sufficient to print our tracts and leaflets and set up the Watchman, sending it out to have the press work done. This will cost about eight hundred and fifty dollars. Four hundred and fifty dollars was raised at the conference, and we are now carrying the appeal for help to our people.
In view of the fact that Barbados is somewhat better as a distributing center, it was decided to remove the conference headquarters from Port of Spain to Bridgetown, Barbados. The headquarters of the Watchman and of the publishing work will remain in Port of Spain.
The East Caribbean Conference desires to be in line with the world-wide forward movement. Although owing to the scarcity of laborers, the committees on nominations and distribution of laborers were sorely puzzled to know how to perform their work, yet provision was made to enter the French and Spanish portion of our field, and for the publication of literature in the Negro-English, or talkee-talkee, of Dutch Guiana, and the Hindi language. We must enlarge our borders, lengthen our cords, and strengthen our stakes.
Meetings in the Wilhelmina Hall
The greatest blessing of all the conference was received in the public services held at night at the Wilhelmina Hall, the largest opera-house in the island. The English opera companies have to pay about thirty dollars a night for this hall, but the Lord opened the way for us to secure it for six dollars a night, by taking it for the fortnight.13
The meetings were well advertised; and from the first night, the hall was crowded, some nights scores being unable to gain an entrance. The Spirit of the Lord strove mightily in the city, and night after night hundreds of intelligent interested hearers listened to the word. The Lord baptized the speakers with power, and the Spirit carried the word home to the hearts of the hearers. Behind the speakers on the stage we had a choir of about twenty singers, accompanied by an orchestra, and the good old advent hymns were rendered with a spirit and power that will long be remembered by those present. As such topics as Christ’s second coming, the signs of the times, the twenty-three hundred days, the judgment, spiritualism, and practical subjects were taken up, light shone from the Word, and souls rejoiced in the truth. Each night a collection was taken up. These collections were sufficient to pay all the expenses of the hall for the fortnight.
The officers elected for the coming year were as follows: President, A. J. Haysmer; Secretary and Treasurer, George F. Enoch; Sabbath-school Secretary, Mrs. A. J. Haysmer; Conference Committee, A. J. Haysmer, D. E. Wellman, George F. Enoch, D. C. Babcock, W. G. Kneeland, W. A. Sweany, and Philip Giddings; Editor Caribbean Watchman, George F. Enoch; Business Manager of Caribbean Watchman, S. A. Wellman; Editorial Contributor, W. G. Kneeland, with the request that Jamaica appoint another.
The address of the conference office and the president of the conference is now Bridgetown, Barbados.
On the last Sabbath of the conference, just after sunrise, ten precious souls were buried with their Lord in baptism, in the blue waters of the Caribbean Sea. Later in the day the regular quarterly meeting service was held. The Lord drew very near, and the souls of all present were watered with showers of blessing.
On Monday, June 20, the delegates left for their different fields, full of faith and courage to press the battle during the coming year. When we consider the scattered condition of our field, the isolation of our workers, and the heavy responsibilities resting on each one, we are led to exclaim, Who is sufficient for these things? We at once turn our face toward the Stronghold, and are thankful for the promise, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” The laborers of this conference, each one toiling under a heavy burden in a trying climate, desire an interest in the prayers of God’s people.
