The Conferences of the West Indian Union by D. E. Wellman

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 12, 1912

The Conferences of the West Indian Union

By D. E. Wellman

THE West Indian Union Conference is made up of four local conferences and six mission fields, all situated on the shores of the Caribbean Sea, with the exception of the British Guiana Mission. The development of our work in the territory of our four conferences has been steady and encouraging from the time of the introduction of the message. The present standing, while far from meeting the ideal of the earnest workers in the field, stands nevertheless as a witness to the mighty working of the divine Spirit in behalf of those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death.

The membership of the four conferences, now numbering nearly 3,500, has not been won without many a struggle and hard-fought battle. Beneath a tropical sun or through pouring rain, over mountain and plain, the faithful workers have carried the knowledge of the message to certain victory. This has not been done without Death taking his toll. Tropical fevers and plague have done their work in Trinidad, Porto Rico, Jamaica, Grand Cayman, British Guiana, and Central America. The thinning of our ranks from time to time, although bringing sorrow of heart, has, by stimulating the living to more earnest effort and deeper consecration in service, brought forth fruit as well.

The story of the seed sowing in these conferences is a thrilling one, and is an excellent example of the fulfilment of the promise, "My word . . . shall not return unto me void." Every field bears witness to the result of scattered litera-

ture, and to this must be attributed much of the success that has attended the work in these fields.

South Caribbean Conference

The South Caribbean Conference, composed of the islands of Trinidad, Barbados, Santa Lucia, St. Vincent, Grenada, and Tobago, has a constituency of 824 members. It was in the years 1889 and 1890 that we find the first believers in Barbados and Trinidad as a result of reading our literature. For several years these early converts were without any help except correspondence carried on with believers in the States. For years they were without churches, having to gather in rented halls or in their own homes.

The first minister visited Barbados about the year 1892, and Trinidad in 1894. The first church in Trinidad was dedicated at Couva in January, 1897. There are now fourteen churches and four companies in the conference. There are substantial church buildings in Barbados, St. Vincent, Grenada, Tobago, and in different parts of Trinidad. This conference was organized in 1906, having been formerly a part of the East Caribbean Conference, which was organized in 1903. The work is onward throughout the field.

West Caribbean Conference

The West Caribbean Conference, which is composed of the republics of Panama, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua, together with St. Andrews, Old Providence, and Corn Islands, was organized in 1906. The work in this field was pioneered by Elder F. J. Hutchins, who was stricken with tropical disease in 1902, at Bocas del Toro, where he left a company of believers and a mission property to witness to his faithfulness unto death. To-day we have a growing conference of 484 believers, who are members of eleven churches and eight companies, most of which are located on or near the coast line of the Caribbean Sea.

The conference owns several substantial church buildings, and is conducting several church-schools. The development throughout the conference gives assurance of a healthy growth. The administrative building, which is owned by the conference, is located at Cristobal, Canal Zone. The front part of the first floor is used as a chapel, and the rear part as the conference office and book depository, while above these are three suites of rooms for the use of conference workers. Nearly all the believers in this field speak English. Until recently but little effort has been put forth for the Spanish-speaking people, who compose the vast majority of the population.

Central American Conference

The Central American Conference is made up largely of Spanish-speaking people, except along the coast and in the Bay Islands, where there are several thousand who speak English. It was among the latter that our work began, and these make up largely the present constituency of the conference. The territory embraced by this conference includes the republics of Guatemala, Spanish Honduras, Salvador, and the colony of British Honduras.

The beginning of the message in this field can be traced to a woman of Honduras, who on visiting California in the year 1885, embraced our faith, and on returning to her home scattered much literature among her own people. The first minister to visit the field was Elder T. H. Gibbs, in 1887. Later, in 1892, Elder Hutchins began his labors in this field, and continued until 1900, when he was relieved by Elder H. C. Goodrich.

The work developed rapidly among the English-speaking people, and at the present time we have in this conference eight churches and two small companies, with a membership of 244. In Guatemala City a graded school is conducted in English for the Spanish-speaking people, and is doing good work, as well as being self-supporting.

Jamaica Conference

The Jamaica Conference was organized early in 1903, ten years after the coming of the first minister to the field. Among the first to accept of the faith was Sister M. Harrison, who received the message about the year 1889. In 1893 she went to America to attend the General Conference, and made an appeal for ministerial help. In response to this appeal, Elder A. J. Haysmer and wife were sent to the island. The first church was organized in 1894, with a membership of thirty-seven. To-day this church has a membership of more than 450. There are in this conference thirty-six organized churches and twenty-two companies, with a total membership of 1,852. The conference owns thirty-two church buildings, and ten others are in process of construction.

In Kingston the conference has a fine schoolroom connected with the church building. This room is twenty by fifty feet, and is divided by folding doors into the primary and preparatory departments. The enrolment of the school is over seventy, and it is doing good work. Several other schools are conducted in other parts of the island.

The Watchman Press, property of the West Indian Union Conference, is located at Riversdale, Jamaica. The work is onward, and all along the line passes the word of good cheer.

D. E. WELLMAN.