IN December of 1900 we landed on the island of St. Thomas, Danish West Indies. Meetings were immediately begun, and a church of twenty-four members has been organized.
As this place is at one side of Mr. Haysmer's work, it was decided for us to return to Barbados. Accordingly, Brother Palmquist moved back to St. Thomas, to look after the work there. Our things were all packed to ship to Barbados, when word came that smallpox had broken out there again. Had the word come a few hours later, our goods would have been shipped, and we do not know when we would have got them, as all the islands are quarantined against Barbados. We are grateful that the Lord intervened.
It was then decided that I should come to St. Vincent, to assist my father, Elder Van Deusen, for the present.
On my way I stopped a few hours at Antigua. I found the work progressing on their new church. They will have a fine place when it is completed.
VIEW IN ST. THOMAS
I also stopped at Dominica, and had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of two sisters, who are trying to hold up the banner there. This is a very pretty island. Immense quantities of lime juice are exported.
At St. Lucia I left the ship to wait for a direct boat to St. Vincent. I arrived there Friday morning, and remained until Monday night. While I was there, three meetings were conducted with the little company, and I had the privilege of helping Sister Simmons hold two meetings on board a transport ship carrying two hundred and sixteen Boer prisoners home to Africa from Bermuda.
It was the first time I had ever had anything to do with meetings on shipboard, and I shrank very much at first. But when I considered that these men, as well as all the English soldiers, had not heard of this message, I asked the Lord to give me something that would benefit them. The majority could understand English. I presented in a simple manner the coming of the Lord, and urged them to get ready for it. Tears were in the eyes of many as they grasped my hand at the close of the service and thanked me. How I longed for tracts to give them on these precious themes! But I did not have more than ten that I could get. I took a few names to whom we will send reading.
As they told me how they had left father, mother, brothers, and sisters, or wife and children, and had been taken prisoners, but were on their way to their homes, which were now desolate, I pointed them forward to a time when, if faithful, such things will never occur.
St. Lucia is a splendid place for ship work. If a good man were located there, we cannot tell how much good could be accomplished. This would not show so much in this world, but eternity would reveal the results.
We have had a number of eruptions lately from the volcano here on St. Vincent. In fact, it is not quiet very much of the time. But the damage is slight, as the people have all left that part of the island. The first time I saw one of its eruptions, it was at night, and the most we could see at this distance was the lightning. Two weeks ago another eruption occurred just before sundown, and the rays of the setting sun on the white steam clouds were a grand spectacle.
We have begun holding open-air meetings, and the people attend them well, from three to four hundred being present. We trust by this means to find some who would not otherwise learn of the truth.
We are of good courage to press onward. We see much that might be done, but we cannot reach out into all the places at present. May the time soon come when we can.
