BERMUDA by M. Enoch

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 16, 1900

BERMUDA

By M. Enoch

I HAVE received many letters of inquiry from brethren and sisters from Maine to California, but no one has as yet made a move to come to help in the work here. It may be that some are deterred from coming because of the storm that passed through these islands some time ago, exaggerated reports of which have been circulated throughout the land; but though it is only a short time since this happened, the effects would not now be noticed by a casual observer, and everything is moving as if there never had been such a thing as a storm. The blow was not, perhaps, any harder than I have seen many times in Wisconsin or Michigan. So I hope that no one will be kept back by what he has heard.

Of course we should all rejoice to have one of our ministers come here; but we have wished that we could see a number of our brethren settle in different parts of these islands, in order to have a place for the minister to do his work. It is not here as in the States,—schoolhouses can not be had; churches are closed against us; and as far as the halls are concerned, I think I can safely say that the Salvation Army has rented every hall in the country. Unless a minister could bring with him a portable tabernacle, there would be no place that I know of outside of Hamilton where meetings could be held. So far as a tent is concerned, tents are very apt to mildew, owing to the peculiar climate; and then, as it is damp in the evening, and people are afraid of the dampness, I do not know that they would go into a tent in the evening. But of course the Lord will open the way if a minister should come.

We are of good courage; and our hearts have been cheered by seeing a young man, who has been filling a position in the government dockyard, accept the truth fully. He has now kept three Sabbaths, and is as firm as a rock. The officers in charge tried to get him to consider the matter before he took such a step, but he told them that he had been considering the matter for the last two years, and had fully made up his mind to keep the Lord’s day. The first Sabbath that he kept, the Sabbath blessing rested upon us all; for he was with us in our meeting, and we all sang God’s praises for the victory gained.

The great cable, faith, reaches to these islands, and we find that it is fastened to the great anchor of the soul; and as it reaches within the veil, it holds fast, and there is joy and peace in holding on to it. In the late storm, ships dragged their anchors, and were dashed to pieces; but our anchor reaches within the veil, and can not drag; thus we are safe throughout all the storms and tempests of the soul. Thank God, who gives us strength to hold on to the great cable, faith.

Victory is here, too,—not ours, but Christ’s, for he won it in the wilderness: and to lay hold of the great cable brings victory; for “this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” And we say, with David: “Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine: thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all.” 1 Chron. 29:11. M. ENOCH.

Hamilton, Bermuda.