Haiti, West Indies by Albert F. Prieger

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 29, 1914

Haiti, West Indies

By Albert F. Prieger

ALBERT F. PRIEGER

Since my last report to the REVIEW I have visited twelve churches and companies. In July I visited Grande Riviere, where we have our largest church. The next day I started for Beau Joint, a little settlement on the top of one of the high mountains, and, strange to say, right on the peak the brethren leveled the ground and are building a little church.

While there, I organized the company into a church of thirty-three members. A Sabbath school and a Y. P. M. V. Society were also organized.

Our next visit was at Trou, where I baptized one candidate, who left the Roman Catholic Church. This fact enraged the priest to such an extent that he went to the place of baptism, and concealed himself near by, and while one of our native missionaries was delivering the sermon and speaking of the nearness of the coming of the Lord, the priest could control himself no longer. He burst forth in a dreadful denunciation, claiming that Christ would not dare to return to this earth, and that we are false prophets. As most of the congregation were Catholics, the people dispersed in every direction, calling, "The father, the father." But when they saw how we stood our ground, they returned. The priest went on his way grumbling and murmuring, being completely defeated in his arguments. We had no more trouble at that place.

My next visit was at Limonade, where I found a number of candidates; but as they were not fully instructed, the baptism was deferred. I returned to Cape Haitien, and a few days later my wife and I, with the interpreter, went on a small sailboat to Port de Paix, where we remained about two weeks, and I baptized nine believers. We rode seventy-five miles overland on our return home, visiting some of our brethren at Limbe and other places.

From August 30 to September 6 we held an institute for church and Sabbath school officers. The Lord came near in these meetings, and we were much pleased to see the earnestness with which the brethren received the instruction given. About two hundred of our brethren and sisters attended from all parts of this country, some traveling on foot and some on horseback seventy or eighty miles. At the close of the meetings seven were rebaptized, also nineteen new candidates.

From Grande Riviere we started for the interior, visiting a number of places on the way to Hincha, a town near the Santo Domingo border, where several Protestant churches have been unsuccessful in their efforts to gain a foothold. One of our native laborers held a course of meetings there, and as a result I have baptized six and organized a Sabbath school.

During the last half of 1913, ninety-nine persons have been added to the different churches and companies. We now have thirteen canvassers in the field selling our books and tracts. One young man baptized only a few months ago, left Haiti for Oakwood School, at Huntsville, Ala. He is not able to speak a word of English, but through the assistance of kind brethren he arrived safely at his destination. He is the first fruit, but before another year has passed we expect, by the blessing of the Lord, there will be several more students in that school from this place. We still request the prayers of our brethren and sisters in the homeland.