The East Caribbean Conference by Irwin H. Evans

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Aug 2, 1906

The East Caribbean Conference

By Irwin H. Evans

The most of the delegates having arrived, the session of the East Caribbean Conference opened June 23, at 10 A. M., the day previous to the appointment. In harmony with the provisions of the constitution, all members in good and regular standing of any organized Seventh-day Adventist church within the territory of the conference, present at the meeting, were seated as delegates. Accordingly, about one hundred delegates responded to the roll-call by churches. The president, Elder D. E. Wellman, acted as chairman, and Elder G. F. Enoch as secretary.

It was a pleasure to me to meet the brethren assembled in this conference, many of whom I had met before, and with several of whom it had been my privilege to labor in former years. God has greatly blessed these men in the work in this important field, and they have grown in strength and experience in a marked manner.

Elder J. A. Strickland, of the Jamaica Conference, rendered most valuable help, both in preaching and in counsel, during the entire meeting. All were greatly disappointed that Elder I. G. Knight and his wife, of Central America and the Panama district, were unable to arrive until the last Sunday morning of the meeting; however, their visit was very important, as will be seen from the proceedings of the conference.

One of the most important features of the conference was the preaching service in the evening. The largest hall in the city had been engaged for four nights, the Sunday and Monday evenings of the conference. The city had been thoroughly advertised, and the hall was crowded with interested listeners, each night. The last two nights, many could find neither seats nor standing room, and were compelled to leave.

Aside from the four services mentioned above, the meetings were continued in the Adventist church every night during the session of the conference, with a crowded house, while scores stood outside the church building to listen to the plain truths of the Word of God. My heart was touched as I beheld the multitudes listening to the words of life, and my mind could think only of the days of the Master, when, wherever he taught, multitudes gathered to hear his words of life. It would seem that, with proper, efficient help, many of these sin-wrecked souls might be brought to a knowledge of the truth for these last days.

At the beginning of the conference, much time was spent considering the work of the West Indian field as a whole. By the aid of maps and a careful study of the geographical outlines of the field, it could be clearly seen that the territory adjoining the Caribbean Sea could quite properly be set aside as a union conference. After careful consideration, it was unanimously voted by the delegates present that we should proceed to organize what should be called the West Indian Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. The territory embraced in this union conference includes the Bahama Islands, the Greater and Lesser Antilles, the Guianas, Venezuela, Isthmus of Panama, Central America, Bay Islands, and all the islands embraced in the Caribbean Sea. A constitution was adopted in harmony with the constitutions of union conferences in other parts of the world, adapted to the needs of the field.

Elder G. F. Enoch was elected president of the conference, Elder J. A. Strickland secretary, and Brother Norman Johnson treasurer. It was voted that the headquarters of the conference should be at Kingston, Jamaica. A strong executive committee was formed, consisting of the officers of the conference, the presidents of all local conferences, a representative from each organized mission field, and five other members that may be elected by the union conference committee, as heads of departmental work.

The East Caribbean Conference considered the advisability of subdividing its territory into other conferences. A glance at the map indicates that its territory extends over fifteen hundred miles in length, and is composed quite largely of the groups of islands in the Lesser Antilles, and the Guianas in South America. The situation of the various units of the conference make it very laborious and wearing for any one man to superintend such a widely scattered territory, with so great difficulty and such a loss of time in passing from one part of the field to another as is the case with the East Caribbean Conference. It was finally agreed that the conference should be subdivided into three conferences: the East Caribbean Conference, to include the islands of Barbados and St. Vincent, extending north to take in the rest of the Lesser Antilles; the South Caribbean Conference, to consist of the islands of Trinidad, Tobago, and the Grenadines. British Guiana was organized into a conference by itself, embracing the territory of British Guiana, with Dutch and French Guiana as mission fields.

Each of these conferences elected a full corps of officers, adopted a constitution and by-laws, and the property and workers were divided among them without any friction or misunderstanding.

Numerically, they are quite equally divided, while the South Caribbean Conference is stronger financially, owing to the location of the publishing work in its territory.

Elder W. G. Kneeland was elected president of the British Guiana Conference, Elder D. E. Wellman president of the South Caribbean Conference, and Elder I. G. Knight president of the East Caribbean Conference. The membership of each of these conferences is about

four hundred, and includes a number of organized churches and companies.

It was agreed after this meeting that the southern part of Central America and the Isthmus of Panama should be organized into a conference early in September, at a general meeting which is to be held September 7-17. This will give the West Indian Union Conference five organized conferences, with a large range of mission territory. There are in the West Indian Union Conference from thirty-two hundred to thirty-five hundred Sabbath-keepers, and the work is growing very rapidly. We have Porto Rico, Hayti, San Domingo, Cuba, Dutch and French Guiana, all of the Bahama Islands, most of Central America, and all of Venezuela as really unworked mission fields.

The third angel's message takes a deep hold of the hearts of the people in this territory. They love the message, and are willing to sacrifice for its advancement, so far as they are financially able. There are between fifty and sixty organized churches in this territory, and fifty-six church buildings.

Considerable time was given to the consideration of the publishing and school work. The East Caribbean Conference has already acquired a small publishing house, consisting of a cement building, sixteen by forty-five feet, and two stories high. They have one new cylinder press, one new job-press and an old one, besides a fair amount of type and other requisites for printing and binding small books.

There is great need of a school for the training of workers in the West Indian field. Already the brethren have bought a sixty-five-acre farm on the island of Jamaica, upon which they intend to erect a school building. The ground is being cleared, and as fast as money is received they will proceed to erect suitable buildings for the accommodation of students. The site for the school is reported to be beautiful, and the scenery magnificent. Besides this they are in close proximity to good markets and railroad facilities, and have a rich, fertile soil. They need at least ten thousand dollars to properly equip and start the school. I believe that almost as many students can be obtained to attend the school as they will ever have accommodations for, if arrangements can be made so that the students can largely pay their way through school by labor. The brethren in the field are earnest in their desire to see this school made a success. It was, encouraging indeed to hear the sincere words from the brethren and sisters in the field in favor of the school. The meeting grew so enthusiastic that the brethren desired to suspend the regular business of the conference, and take up a donation in behalf of the school enterprise, which was done. It was suggested that Elder G. F. Enoch come to the States and arrange with local conferences to solicit funds, that the school may be prepared for receiving students at the earliest date possible.

Only thirteen years ago the work was opened, in the West Indies. The workers that have been sent to that field have toiled unselfishly under many difficulties to establish the work in these many islands. Some have laid down their lives for the Master's cause, and are waiting for his return. They were true and faithful to their post, and “they loved not their lives unto the death.” They knew what it meant to hunger and thirst for Christ's sake. To save money they have gone steerage or as deck passengers from island to island, often exposed to the scorching sun of the tropics, or drenched with the rains and the heavy seas. Unable to supply themselves with horses with which to travel through the country, they have traveled many a weary league on foot or bicycle; fording streams and rivers, sleeping in huts on the hard floors, or in hammocks strung on trees in the open air. They have been mobbed, and crowds have jeered at them. Their meetings and baptismal services have been broken up, or sadly interfered with by disorderly elements. They have been commanded to leave the islands, or various parishes in the islands, by those in religious authority. They have been lied about, their motives maligned, and their objects misunderstood. Yet the truth has gained ground, and that rapidly. Our work is gaining the respect of those in public authority, and the clergy have learned that our brethren have come to stay, and that their lives are a rebuke to the corruption and sin of which the clergy generally approve, and in which they have often been participants.

We know that our people throughout the world will bid the message in this island union conference Godspeed. Our hearts are knit with the workers who give so much for the cause which we all love. The rewarding day is coming on apace, and the sheaf gatherer will then realize the worth of the souls whom he has been the instrument in saving. It will be a glad day when we are all gathered home. Until then we must unite under the blood-stained banner of Prince Immanuel, and fight for the kingdom of our God.

I. H. EVANS.