p. 18 | British West Indies by W. A. SWEANY

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Apr 11, 1907

British West Indies

By W. A. SWEANY

GRENADA.— Our quarterly meeting the last week in December was a blessed occasion. One more was added to the church by baptism. The reports showed an increase in tithe, also in the offerings from the Sabbath-school and the missionary and Young People's Societies. Somewhat more than the shilling a member, pledged at our last conference, was raised for the printing-office and the Jamaica school. Over one hundred copies of “Christ's Object Lessons” had been sold, and an increased amount of other literature was distributed.

December 31 we started for the union conference in Jamaica, being obliged to go via Demerara and Barbadoes,—a long, tiresome, rough voyage. However, it afforded us the privilege of a brief visit with our friends in those two colonies. With the rest of the laborers, we passed through the terrible earthquake experience in Jamaica, sharing with them the merciful deliverance which the kind providence of God wrought for his people. In returning, we spent eight days in Barbadoes, waiting for a boat to Grenada. This enabled us to visit nearly all our people there, and many other interested ones. Services were also held each evening, in which the different laborers set forth the cause, meaning, and lessons of these rapidly increasing, terrible calamities. Donations to the amount of $8.43 and a box of clothing were received for the Jamaica sufferers.

On reaching home, we found all well, although their anxiety concerning us had, of course, been very great.

We at once began holding open-air meetings in different places, sounding the message as emphasized by the convulsions of nature. Great throngs assemble, and stand for two hours or more, listening with deepest interest while we point out in the Scriptures the meaning of these things. In every place they urge us to come again and hold regular meetings. In fact, the whole island of Grenada is ready and anxious to hear this message. Meetings can now be held anywhere and everywhere with the best of attendance and interest. We are straining every nerve and working to the very limit of human endurance, but our strength and ability come so far short of meeting the needs of the situation.

We are to go eight miles to-night to hold the second meeting in Grenville, the second town in the island. We have meetings somewhere almost every night. When my wife begins to play the cornet, the people come from all sides, and soon several hundred are gathered. We seldom get home till after midnight. The people buy literature freely, as far as their limited means will permit, and we have received about fifteen dollars more for the sufferers in Jamaica.

We are just beginning work on our church building. We have waited all these weary months, slowly accumulating the necessary means, and still we have not enough, but we must make a beginning. We and our people here are doing all we can and giving all we have, and are asking God to send us the rest.

We closed our school before going to Jamaica, and can not start it again till our building is done. The enrolment had reached sixty. If some school, church, Young People's Society, or conference would send an earnest, efficient, consecrated teacher here, with at least partial support, more could be accomplished than in any other way. We invite correspondence with any one who may feel drawn this way. Our courage and faith are strong, and we pray and hope to be sustained and strengthened physically and spiritually to bear the burden and strain till the work is done.

W. A. SWEANY.

Mt. Rose, St. Patrick's, Grenada.