News From Barbados by W. A. Sweany

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Dec 3, 1903

News From Barbados

By W. A. Sweany

W. A. SWEANY

Since my last report in the REVIEW, I spent a fortnight in Trinidad. I had a pleasant passage both ways, entirely free from seasickness. I touched at St. Vincent and Grenada, but could not go ashore on account of quarantine restrictions. At St. Vincent, Elder Van Deusen came aboard, and spent an hour with me, both going and returning. He was able to point out to me from the deck of the vessel the neat and substantial church building, almost finished, which he leaves there—a monument of his zeal, consecration, and liberality, and a witness of the message of truth for this generation. Like all the rest of our church buildings in this field, it is almost wholly the product of the means and muscle of the field laborers,—Brother Van Deusen alone, in this case, our people here being mostly poor in this world's goods.

While in Trinidad, I visited nearly all our churches and companies, as well as some of the many places of interest, including the wonderful pitch lake, over one hundred acres in extent, which supplies the world with pitch, and does not decrease. I found Elder Haysmer working beyond his strength on the new church building in Port of Spain. Brethren Enoch and Wellman were busy getting out the first number of our new field paper, The Caribbean Watchman, and I was enabled to bring home with me the Barbados quota.

On reaching Barbados, I found that it had imposed quarantine against Trinidad, where smallpox was then and still is raging, and as we had a case on board, we narrowly escaped two weeks' quarantine in the Pelican Island quarantine station. However, after fumigation, we were permitted to land, under written promise to pay one dollar a day for fourteen days, to the health officer, for inspection. On account of quarantine, the trip cost me about ten times the usual amount.

The work in Barbados is making some advancement in all the departments that are represented, and slowly, but surely and steadily, a people is being gathered out who keep all the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. A few are baptized at each quarterly meeting, and the interest continues to grow deeper. Our public services are largely attended by intelligent, respectable people. Our monthly temperance meetings are especially interesting, and productive of good. Our little school is still proving a blessing to its patrons. The church-members engage quite generally in the sale of the Watchman. We sold five hundred of the first number, one thousand of the second, and fifteen hundred each of the later issues. In addition to its priceless worth as a messenger of mercy and truth, it is the finest publication in the West Indies, and has the largest circulation. It is a credit to the cause it represents, and a powerful factor for its advancement. Its large circulation is a surprise to all, as several religious organs have failed in this field, and several others barely maintain an existence.

Our health is good, sufficient to enable us to labor incessantly. Our endurance and strength is a wonder to all, as “Northerners” usually have to be very cautious in this climate. We are cautious—carefully following the light of the gospel of health, which enables us to work even harder here than we ever did before, which is necessary, as the need here is greater than we ever experienced before. In addition to the necessary work of caring for a large church, and the business correspondence and home duties, we hold cottage meetings and Bible readings daily with interested seekers after truth. And all around us, and throughout the island, are open doors that we can not enter.

Almost the whole island is yet to be evangelized with this message. The addition of one more laborer here would make

possible uninterrupted effort in the country parishes, which would speedily result in an ingathering of souls. We should hail with joy the coming of a strong, healthy, energetic young couple, having a knowledge of nursing and the health food work. No one can refrain from giving all to the cause, when once its needs are seen. We are glad to be here, and to give our all to the Master's service.