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The Bermuda Islands

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Aug 30, 1906

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 83, No. 35.

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The Bermuda Islands

By M. ENOCH

M. ENOCH
About seven hundred miles from New York, in a southeasterly direction, is situated the Bermuda Islands, with about sixteen thousand inhabitants, two thirds of whom are colored. Hamilton, a city of about three thousand people, is the capital. The climate is semi-tropical, as the islands are about half-way between the cold regions of the north and the hot climate of the West Indies. June, July, August, and about one half of September are the hot months, though the thermometer seldom registers more than eighty-six degrees in the shade, and it does not often go lower than fifty above zero in the winter, so that frost and snow are unknown here. The winter is much like the Indian summers of the North. This makes Bermuda a favorite winter resort for thousands of Americans, and many remain all winter in this “land of the lily and the rose.”
Flowers bloom the year round, and the crops are raised mostly in winter. There is no miasma, though it is rather damp for consumptives, and there is no malarial fever such as is found usually in the West Indies.
It is now nearly fourteen years since my wife and I came to Bermuda, strangers in a strange land, and among a strange people. There was then not a single native Sabbath-keeper. Brother Frank Pogue and his brother Marcus, who had preceded us only a few days, remained about four or five months, canvassing for “Bible Readings,” leaving about six hundred copies in different parts of the islands. Through the reading of this book, the distribution of reading-matter, and personal efforts several began keeping the Sabbath.
When Elder A. W. Bartlett and his wife were here, about five years ago, a church of eight members was organized, and the number has considerably increased since the arrival of Brother and Sister Morrow three years ago. Brother Bartlett made several faithful attempts to secure a hall in Hamilton, but failed, and Elder Morrow has done no better. Thus we have been forced to follow out the Lord’s direction, “Arise and build.” We have had no place where we could invite any one, and we have been obliged to tell the tourists who come into our place of business and ask where our church is, that we have none. The natives are very loath to worship in a place not dedicated to the worship of God; and through the spirit of prophecy the Lord says, “Wherever a company of believers is raised up, a house of worship should be built.” Fully believing the words, “Arise and build,” I visited Brother C. W. Swan, a successful fisherman whom Brother Morrow had caught in the gospel net, and together we read Matt. 18: 19 and 1 John 3: 22, also pages 100-103 of “Testimonies,” Vol. VI, and we decided to move out by faith, starting a subscription paper with five pounds each. It was indeed a matter of faith, as all our people here are poor. Then others, and some not of our faith, signed the paper, and we were thus enabled to purchase a lot about one hundred and forty feet from the city limits, for four hundred and seven dollars. We were fortunate to buy then, as we would now have to pay six hundred dollars for it.
THE UNCOMPLETED BUILDING
THE UNCOMPLETED BUILDING
In the “Testimony” above mentioned, we are also told, “In some cases it is better to hire some money than not to build.” So I felt free to make an effort for a building, and I found a gentleman who was willing to lend us nine hundred and sixty dollars. In order not to burden the brethren and sisters here, three of us have assumed the responsibility of this debt, and another and myself will pay the interest. This of course is with the understanding that all will do what they can to help liquidate the debt. In the “Testimony” from which I have already quoted, are these words: “Every week endeavor to lay aside something for this object, something in addition to your tithe money,” and so a plan has been adopted to lay aside one penny (two cents) a day for six days in the week, and lately it was decided that we offer to God a thank-offering each month as soon as we go into the new building; so far thirty have decided to pay one shilling (twenty-four cents) each a month; this amount is to go toward the indebtedness.
The accompanying picture shows our building in course of erection. It is forty-six feet long and twenty-four feet wide, outside measurements. As we arealso admonished to build solidly, we decided to make our building of concrete blocks one foot in thickness, which are composed of one part Portland cement and four parts sand. This is the second building of this material in Bermuda, and it is pronounced one of the best buildings here. It will cost less than it would had it been built of the coral stone. The roof is also made very strong, having eight principal rafters which sustain the main common rafters, covered with spruce pine.
Since starting our building, five months ago, the Lord opened the way for Brother Morrow to labor among the Portuguese, of whom there are several hundreds here. Like the woman’s leaven in the measure of meal, the truth has worked until at least twenty adults have accepted it, some of whom were Roman Catholics. Five of them have been baptized. These, with their children, have so increased our numbers that we feel we have built none too soon.
Quite a number in the States and some in Canada have sent us help, for which we are very thankful. We still need about four hundred dollars besides the nine hundred and sixty dollars we have borrowed, in order to finish our building. About three hundred dollars is for the lumber, such as the roof, floor, and ceiling, and one hundred is for incidentals which I need not enumerate. Thus we have done all we could. I am writing this through urgent requests from the United States that we make our needs known to our brethren and sisters in other parts of the world. I believe I can safely say that our brethren and sisters in Bermuda, though poor, have nobly responded to calls for help from other fields, and we expect still to help all we can. May the Lord move upon the hearts of our good brethren and sisters to help us in this our time of need. Right here at the capital of this colony we need a memorial, a sign of the true Sabbath, a place where our congregation of from fifty to eighty or more can worship God according to the dictates of their own conscience. How we did long for a place where we could tell the people the meaning of the California earthquake when it happened, that is, in a public way, but nothing could be done in that way, for there is not yet a Seventh-day Adventist church building in Bermuda, besides this one we are now erecting. We do not know how soon these islands will sink out of sight, and we need several such places where the third angel’s message can publicly be brought to the attention of the people.
Drafts on New York are good here, also post-office orders, and there is but little discount on them. Should any prefer sending express money-orders, we can use them. Any amount may be sent directly to me, or to the General Conference, Washington, D. C. Letter postage to Bermuda is five cents a half ounce or fraction thereof.
Hamilton, Bermuda Islands, via New York.