p. 12 | The West Indian Union Conference by Irwin H. Evans

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Feb 7, 1907

The West Indian Union Conference

By Irwin H. Evans

I. H. EVANS

ACCORDING to plans which had been previously announced, the West Indian Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists held its first session in conjunction with the Jamaica Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, at Kingston, Jamaica. The time set for the meeting was from January 11 to 26, 1907. The plan embraced not only the transacting of the regular business which would come before the conference, but also the conducting of a Biblical institute for two or three weeks, that the workers in the West Indian Union Conference might have the opportunity of receiving instruction from some of our leading men on the cardinal points of our faith.

Besides the workers of the West Indian field who were gathered together, there were present at the meeting, Prof. C. B. Hughes and his wife, from Keene, Tex.; Elder E. W. Farnsworth, of the Atlantic Union Conference; Elder U. Bender and his wife, from Arkansas; Elder Luther Warren, of Chicago; and the writer.

On arriving at Kingston Sabbath morning, we were at once taken to the Seventh-day Adventist chapel where our brethren had assembled in Sabbath-school. I think that never before in all my experience had I seen a house so packed with humanity as was the Kingston chapel on this occasion. The seating capacity was about three hundred. Every available space was occupied, and scores of people were standing in the aisles, away down to the stairways that lead to the street. It was impossible for all the people to hear, and so it was arranged for an overflow meeting to be held. This was conducted in the basement of the church. Probably a more interested and earnest class of believers never assembled before the opening of a union conference session. In the afternoon it was also necessary that an overflow meeting be held to accommodate the crowds of people.

KINGSTON BEFORE THE EARTHQUAKE, NEAR KING STREET

On the morning of January 13, at 9 A. M., the West Indian Union Conference held its first meeting. Elder Geo. F. Enoch, the president, occupied the chair. The conference was organized, seating between forty and fifty delegates, representing five organized conferences and four mission fields. The house was so packed with the brethren that it was almost impossible to seat the delegates and conduct the business. After the organization of the conference, we listened to the president's address, and then the usual committees were appointed, and the business of the conference gotten under way.

It had been arranged that the Jamaica Conference should hold its meetings during the time appointed for the West Indian Union Conference, and they occupied the afternoon in organizing their conference, receiving the president's address, the report of the treasurer, and getting their committees appointed.

The brethren had leased the city hall of Kingston for some evening services during the conference. This hall was centrally located, and would seat about one thousand persons. It had been beautifully decorated with appropriate mottoes, musical instruments, etc.

The meeting on the evening of the thirteenth was to open at 7 P. M., but long before the time arrived for the opening of the services, the hall was so packed with people that it was impossible for any more to find even standing room. The meeting was opened half an hour before the appointed time. It is said that a thousand people stood in the stairways and halls and in the streets who could not find admittance.

Elder Luther Warren spoke on the subject, The Hour of God's Judgment. The hall was almost as still as the chamber of death, save for the speaker's voice, which rang out in clear and thrilling notes, announcing that the hour of God's judgment had come, and that the time had come for men to put away their sins. The whole audience was stirred as they listened to the stirring appeal of the speaker; and seldom, if ever, have the people of Kingston heard a clearer clarion note from heaven to repent and humble themselves before God, than on this occasion.

Unfortunately, this was the last meeting that we were able to hold in the city hall. Before the following night, on which Elder Warren was to have spoken on the Time of the Judgment, the great earthquake occurred. The city hall was laid in ruins. How little the people of Kingston realized on the night they listened to the thrilling message from the servant of God, that they would hear the voice of God in such a demonstrative manner on the following day at 3:30 P. M.

The earthquake laid the city in ruins. Nearly every building constructed of brick or cement, or that had been plastered was rendered uninhabitable. Fire broke out, and as the earthquake itself had tied up all the engines and fire-fighting apparatus in the city, nothing could be done to check the flames. Scarcely a breath of air stirred in the heavens, or the whole city would have been burned. As it was, the fire consumed the entire business portion of the city. The available hose that could be secured was attached to the hydrants in different places, and the flames were gotten under control. Every church building in the city of Kingston of any importance or size was laid in ruins.

Fortunately for our own people, the conference had adjourned over Monday, giving the delegates a chance to visit the school farm at Bog Walk, some twenty-three miles from the city of Kingston. About thirty of the delegates availed themselves of the privilege of visiting the school farm, and were at the farm at the time of the earthquake. On this account there was a limited number of people in the Kingston chapel at the time of the earthquake. Providentially the walls of our church did not fall to the ground.

Only one of our delegates was killed — Brother Norman Johnston, the treasurer of the West Indian Union Conference. He had gone to the city about thirty minutes before the earthquake shock, to do some banking business. Up to the time the writer left Jamaica, his remains had not been found.

There was no place in which meetings could be held after the earthquake, inasmuch as the tent which had been sent down by the New York Conferences had not been secured from the customs, and a portion of it was under the débris.

Sessions of the conference were held out of doors wherever the delegates could be gotten together. The committees brought in their reports, officers were duly elected, credentials and licenses were granted, and the distribution of laborers was arranged. So that as far as the business part of the conference was concerned, it was completed almost as fully as it would have been had there been no earthquake.

It was thought that it would be impossible to continue the institute work, owing to the lack of accommodations, the prospect of the scarcity of food, and the strong desire that the delegates had to get back to their families, etc. The meeting therefore adjourned on Thursday, January 17, at seven o'clock.

Preceding the adjournment of the conference Brother E. L. Cardey of the Central American Conference, Brother J. H. Matthews of the East Caribbean Conference, and Brother Sterrie A. Wellman of Trinidad were set apart to the work of the gospel ministry. Most of the delegates then proceeded to make arrangements for passage to their various fields of labor.

It was the privilege of Elder Farnsworth and the writer to spend the following Sabbath and Sunday at Kingston. Our hearts were made to rejoice to see over one hundred souls give themselves to God and covenant to obey the truth.

Elder Tanner, of Hayti, led the services in the morning in the large pavilion which had been erected. There were present during these services, Elders Strickland, Tanner, Bender, Beckner, Professor Hughes, and the writer. All hearts were made to rejoice to see such a manifest working of the Spirit of God upon the hearts of the people. It was planned for Elders Strickland, Tanner, and Bender to remain in Kingston and continue the services.

Elders Enoch and Connerly were at Port Antonio over Sabbath and Sunday, and ten precious souls gave themselves to Christ during the meetings at this place.

The delegates returned to their home fields with good hope and courage in the Lord. Many testimonies were offered, expressing gratitude to God for the special manifestation of his power in behalf of ourselves and our people at the time of this great calamity.

We believe the conference was a great benefit to the work in the West Indian Union Conference, and I am sure that none would wish to part with the experience gained at this meeting. It will be necessary to render much help to the people of Jamaica to restore their damaged churches and property.

We left the Jamaican brethren of good courage in the Lord, and determined to press on until the victory is gained.