Your ShelfYour Projects

Central America

8%

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Aug 5, 1915

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 92, No. 38.

Read the full edition

Central America

By Isaac Baker

ISAAC BAKER
I was pleased to see Brother Town's article in the Review a few weeks ago about the work in these Spanish fields, and of course the part that interested me most was the remarks about Central America.
If there is a place in the world that needs help, it is Central America. There has been a great deal of work done in the Bay Islands. In fact, there are several churches already established. I think, including all denominations, there are about eighteen church buildings in the islands. Five of these belong to Seventh-day Adventists, one to the Roman Catholics, one to the Holiness people, two to the Baptists, and the others to the Wesleyan Methodists.
On the mainland we have one lone church building, and only one organized church. There are a few scattered members and Sabbath keepers here and there along the coast, and a few at Siguatepeque, where Brother Karl Snow has his school.
The means of transportation are very inconvenient in Spanish Honduras. There are a few short railway lines, one at La Ceiba, running along the coast through the banana plantations for a distance of about thirty or thirty-five miles, and one at Puerto Cortes, running directly into the country a distance of about fifty miles. The United Fruit Company is starting a railway at Trujillo, and I understand they are to build twenty-five miles a year until they reach the capital, Tegucigalpa. So it will be several years before one can go far on that road. There is one more railway, at Tela, which also extends along the coast, but only for a short distance. No two of the roads are united, so they are but little help in getting over the country.
The principal method of travel is by mule, which of course is a slow one; but that is the way we have to get around in the interior; and the sooner we reconcile ourselves to it, the sooner we shall reach the people of this country with the third angel's message.
The kind of workers we want in this field, and the kind we must have, are those who are willing to deprive themselves of modern conveniences, make the best of the situation, and go right at the work with a zeal and a determination to make things go. The one who is looking for a soft job would better stay away from Central America, for he will not find it here. We need workers who have the Spirit of Christ in them, who have a burden for souls, and a mind to work and stay by until something is accomplished. We want workers, we need workers, and we must have workers.
These people appreciate the truth as much as any in the world, and it causes us to rejoice to see some of them accepting it. But it also makes our hearts ache to see so many thousands who know nothing about it, and to see such little effort being made to take it to them. I pray the Lord to stir the hearts of his people, so that some may be found willing to sacrifice home and friends for the eternal benefit of the thousands who are perishing in Spanish Honduras for the lack of spiritual help.
We are glad to say that the churches and companies already raised up are taking an active part in giving the truth to the people about them. While they cannot leave their homes as those who devote all their time to the work, yet they are trying to do something.
The little church in Coxen Hole, recently organized, is taking one hundred and fifty copies of the Review Extra every month, and placing them in the hands of the people. The church at West End Ruatan is taking one hundred, and the church at La Ceiba one hundred. Bonacca has ordered twenty-five, and French Harbour twenty-five. This makes a total of four hundred of these truth-filled sheets coming to this field every month. Our prayer is that they may be the means of bringing many to the light of truth.
My wife and I have just returned home from La Ceiba, where we conducted a series of meetings for both English and Spanish. An interpreter was used in the Spanish meetings, and the services were appreciated. We had the privilege of baptizing three English-speaking persons, and of seeing three Spanish believers sign the covenant. The future looks bright for the church in La Ceiba. We pray that the Spirit of the Master may guide each member to his glory, and help him to be as a city set on a hill.
We solicit your prayers and some of your strong young men and women for the work in the Central American Conference.