WEST INDIAN MISSION FIELD.
By A. J. Haysmer
In September, 1899, I went to Trinidad to assist Elder Webster for a few weeks in a canvassers' institute and other matters that needed attention. I was glad of this opportunity of getting better acquainted with the island and its needs. Elder Webster's time had been taken up in looking after the depository and church work; Elder Johnston's time previously to his return to the States on account of sickness, had been spent on the land purchased by Brother Wharanam for an industrial school. So little aggressive work had been done for some time. A tent had been stored there for nearly three years. It seemed clear that we ought to get our help together and engage in tent work. I decided to remain a few weeks to help them. The city officials of Port of Spain allowed us to pitch the tent on city land, in a convenient place, and we began meetings with a good congregation, and the best of attention was given. When we came to the Sabbath question, the interest did not abate. On account of Elder Johnston's return to the States, I remained longer than I had intended. We kept the tent up seventeen weeks, and as the result about thirty persons began the observance of the Lord's Sabbath. As Brother and Sister Webster were both poorly, I could not leave until other help came; so we decided to pitch the tent in San Fernando, the next largest town. Here, as at Port of Spain, the city gave us the use of a beautiful spot of land. The interest was good. Although there were many things to detract, yet the Lord blessed in the effort. Elder Crowther and family arrived from the States and joined us the first of March. As I had been away about six months, and the work was pressing, I could only remain about three weeks, just long enough to let Elder Crowther get acquainted with the work. At our last meeting about one hundred persons arose, testifying that what they had heard was Bible truth. Many said that they were going to obey God. March 23 we returned to Barbados. I there received word from Jamaica that their council meeting and canvassers' institute was to begin April 6. The few days before I had to start, we were very busy getting material for a tent, and cutting it out, so that the tent could be made while I was gone, and be ready to pitch on my return. On arriving in Jamaica it seemed good to meet our workers all together for counsel. The meeting passed off well. An effort was made to help the church and all who might come in. The Lord came near, several backsliders were reclaimed, and nearly the whole church came forward to seek the Lord. Shouts of victory were heard all over the house. We visited the churches at Spanish Town and Font Hill. We should have been glad to visit all the churches; but as we desired to pitch the tent in Barbados, we hastened back. We began tent-meetings in Bridgetown, Barbados, April 4. We could not secure a central place, so our congregations have not been as large as we expected. The enemy has been working hard to break up our meeting. One of our nearest neighbors—a government employee—hired a band to come as close to the tent as possible, not more than ten feet away, and make all the noise they could. This, while making it hard to speak, only added to the interest, verifying the statement that they can do nothing against the truth, but for it. Public sentiment was against it, so it was kept up for only a week. The nights are dark, and there is plenty of rain. This will affect the work some, yet we believe that the Lord has some jewels here that will be gathered out. We hope to pitch the tent in other parts of the city. We are trying to raise money to build a church, which is greatly needed. We have purchased a lot in a good locality, for two hundred and fifty dollars. The church now numbers about one hundred. They have been renting a room for meetings; but as their numbers increase, this is not sufficient, and the influence on the work is not what it should be. Many missionaries come here, rent a room, and hold meetings for a time; and as their work does not pay financially, they pull up and leave. People think it will be the same in our work. If we had a church of our own, it would give permanence to the work, and we could get many more to attend the meetings, as we dare not advertise any special subjects, not having a place to which to invite the people. The work might have been much further advanced if about one thousand dollars had been spent in a permanent building. Our brethren here are not able to build the church, as they are very poor; and instead of their helping, many of them have to be helped. All the wealth of the church would not be sufficient to put up the building needed. Yet this is no reason why God's faithful poor should not have a plain church in which to worship the Lord, whom they dearly love. It will take about five hundred dollars, besides what we can raise here, to build the church needed. I do not know where this amount could be more profitably spent than in a church here. Are there not some of our people whom the Lord has intrusted with this world's goods who would like to help us in this building? One of our brethren told me that his average income during the gathering in of the cane crop had been forty-eight cents a week, boarding and rooming himself. This lasts only a small portion of the year; the rest of the time the brethren can scarcely get anything to do. We have some young men teaching in the public schools, and they get from two and one-half dollars to three dollars each month, and board and room themselves. These are only samples of what we might give. Most of our people are faithful in paying tithe and offerings. But how can we raise money to build meeting-houses? I feel condemned because I have not laid these conditions before our people before, as I believe that we could long ago have had a place to which to invite the people to worship their Lord. We ask for a plain building, just large enough to hold the people. But as materials are very high,—lumber from thirty to forty dollars a thousand,—it will be seen that we can not put up a suitable building for much less than seven hundred and fifty dollars. All contributions for this purpose should be sent to the Foreign Mission Board of Seventh-day Adventists, Room 1905-7, 150 Nassau St., New York City, N. Y., stating that they are for the Seventh-day Adventist church in Bridgetown, Barbados. May our people remember, at the throne of grace, the work and workers in these needy fields.