Jamaica by F. I. Richardson

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 11, 1902

Jamaica

By F. I. Richardson

Another year has passed into eternity. How rapidly the years come and go when one is busy! We halt a moment to glance backward, and review our many blessings. Certainly we as a people have reason to rejoice, for advancement has been made in every direction. The last General Conference, so properly called the Missionary Conference, gave a new impetus to the great message, by arousing a missionary spirit in the hearts of many of our people. A genuine missionary spirit is the spirit of Christ, and when it actuates the individual or the people, blessings will surely follow.

In Jamaica we, too, can count our many blessings. None of the laborers have been claimed by the pale messenger during the year. A few of the lay members have been called to rest, but of such we read, “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth.” Many who were in darkness a year ago are now rejoicing in the light of the Third Angel’s Message. One hundred and ninety-five have been baptized. There are now eighteen organized churches, seven having been added during the past year, with an increase of membership of one hundred and fifty over all losses. There are thirteen companies, with a baptized membership of one hundred and ninety-eight, and one hundred and twelve awaiting baptism.

Eleven churches are building; although we cannot report one finished during the year, several are nearing completion. Building a church here is a laborious task. The lumber has to be sawed out of the log with a whipsaw, shingles made, and lime burned. This work is nearly always done in the mountains, which are inaccessible for a cart, so all the materials have to be carried on the head or on donkeys to the place of building. Patient perseverance will accomplish the work; then comes the blessing. Three new Sabbath-schools have been organized, with a membership of forty-two. The canvassing work, which had entirely collapsed, is picking up again. There are now six canvassers at work.

The tithe for the year was $2,170.75, the First-day offerings were $455.28, and the annual offerings $69.75, making a total of $2,395.78. This is an increase of $1,370.88 over the year 1900.

During the year, there has been quite an exodus of laborers from this island. Elder D. E. Wellman and his wife were called to the island of Antigua, Brother S. A. Wellman and his wife to St. Kitt’s, Brother G. F. Enoch and his wife to Trinidad, and Brother E. V. Orrell and his wife returned to the States. Nearly all of these report that they are very busy, and that the Lord is blessing their efforts. So while their going may be a loss to Jamaica, we hope, yes, believe, that it will be a blessing to those in the fields to which they have gone, and that means a blessing to all lovers of Christ. As a partial recompense for the loss of so many laborers, Elder J. B. Beckner and his wife have come here.

Thus we might go on counting our many blessings; but the blessing that we long for is the “Well done.” F. I. RICHARDSON.