YOU will be pleased to know that the work in Central America has developed to the extent that its organization into a conference was advisable. At a general meeting held in Bocas del Toro, Panama, September 7 to 17, what has heretofore been known as the Panama Mission Field was organized into a conference, taking the name West Caribbean Conference.
It begins with about two hundred and fifty members, six churches, and some unorganized companies. Elder I. G. Knight was chosen president and treasurer. Elder Hubert Fletcher, a native of Jamaica, was made vice-president, and was invited to begin labor in Colon or on the Canal Zone at once.
The new conference started in a most encouraging way, and everybody seemed full of zeal and courage. Financially, the masses are better off in this territory than anywhere else in Central America or the West Indies. The one great need is more workers. We need two good, competent Americans, who are willing to put aside all superfluous provincial practises, and settle down to become identified with the people in this part of the world—men who can preach a good, practical sermon, and also have ability for managing money matters; who have lost all longing for the "flesh pots of Egypt," and can sit down to their table and thank God for their food, even tho there is not a hint of American canned goods or the slightest sign of any Yankee preparation. Two good American missionaries placed in the West Caribbean Conference will soon develop the field to a self-supporting basis.
The general meetings at Bocas del Toro were splendid spiritual gatherings. The town people turned out in large numbers, and gave earnest attention. Over a dozen publicly accepted the truth the last night I was there.
Some Caribbean Fruits.
I arrived in Port Limon Friday morning, September 14. On account of small-pox in Bocas del Toro, I was detained in quarantine for five days. Upon reaching Limon I found that yellow fever had appeared in the town.
And what was worse, a supposed case developed in the very house where I took lodgings. But the health department grasped the situation immediately. They cleansed and fumigated the building, and have pronounced the place perfectly safe.
Perhaps, I should not have said anything about small-pox and yellow fever when making an appeal for workers. But my idea of a missionary is not one who is seeking only a salubrious situation or a pleasant place. There are no such places, if we do our duty. Disease lurks everywhere, and people die in all countries. I believe Central America and the West Indies are just about as safe as anywhere else. What are a few cases of small-pox or supposed yellow fever, when compared with the great epidemics of diphtheria and pneumonia that sweep the American cities every year?
A Pair of Caribbean People.
Then, again, if precaution can prevent the disasters, we are pretty safe, because every little republic and colony down this way has a full corps of competent native and American physicians, who sit up nights studying the situation, and issue sanitary instructions at regular and irregular intervals, and have under them an army of subordinates, who are kept busy sweeping streets, whitewashing walls, chasing mosquitos, and daubing kerosene oil into every hole and crevice where the little winged bearers of malaria or bacteria can possibly wriggle. One’s health is well protected in this part of the world. Not longer ago than yesterday morning I was awakened by a band of sanitaria guardia de orden publico (sanitary officers), who inquired, "Como está usted? Duerme usted bien?" (How are you? Did you sleep well?) I answered, "Bastante bien" (Pretty well). Then without further ado, a whole rapid-fire volley of Spanish questions was put to me, that so completely submerged my limited Spanish vocabulary that I could neither understand nor answer a word. I learned afterward that they were asking me such questions as: "Does your back ache? Is your throat sore? Do you feel any pains? Have you an appetite?" etc. Studying hard to think of some plan by which I might convince them that I was in perfect health, suddenly an idea came to me. I jumped out of bed upon the floor, expanded my chest, contracted the muscles of my arms, made a few hard hits at an imaginary foe with my fists, projected my tongue for inspection, jumped up and down a couple or more times, and made an attempt to turn a hand-spring. The unique spectacle of seeing a supposedly dignified Protestant preacher dressed only in pajamas, and cutting such a lot of comical capers, caused those officers of the public health to laugh long and loudly, and turn and leave me, remarking, "Señor esta muy bien" (The gentleman is very well).
A Native Home in Central America.
No one who is in a state of ordinary good health, and is willing to follow the laws of healthful living, and then trust God for results, need be afraid to come to Central America or the West Indies to work in the message. This field is ripe for aggressive work. The organization of the conference has had a good effect upon our brethren, and has created confidence in our own ranks that is pleasing and promising. Unbelievers have also concluded that we mean business, and they are looking upon us as a permanent fixture in their midst, and as a people engaged in a great and growing work.
You may look for great things from the West Caribbean Conference, because it occupies a great territory, and its members are men and women of faith. They are asking great things of God, and are attempting great things for God.
I expect to return to Jamaica next Monday. A letter received yesterday from Mrs. Strickland informs me that our oldest boy is having fever. She says the work there is onward.
J. A. STRICKLAND.
