A NEW ERA DAWNS

In 1948 a new era dawned for the preaching work. This was the result of a new means to reach every corner of the Caribbean with the good news​—the Society’s missionary boat Sibia. This boat was to visit all the islands of the Caribbean that had no one active in preaching the good news. The Sibia’s first stop was the Bahamas. This 60-foot schooner, a floating missionary home, had a crew of four: Gust Maki (captain and navigator), Arthur Worsley (missionary home overseer), Stanley Carter and Ronald Parkin. Even today many have vivid memories of the visit by the Sibia. Gust Maki recalled: “In December 1948 four of us on the Society’s boat arrived in Nassau harbor. We wanted to see the four missionaries and the faithful publishers in Nassau. I recall that there was a fine, zealous pioneer sister who had done much Kingdom preaching in many of the islands.” This would be the sister from Jamaica, Rachel Gregory, now deceased, whose daughter, Alma, is still serving as a faithful Kingdom publisher with her family in Jamaica.

THE SIBIA SAILS TO THE OUT ISLANDS

The brothers on the Sibia spent considerable time on the island of Eleuthera. They also visited Andros, Abaco, Bimini, Cat Island, Long Island, Harbour Island, the Exumas, the Inaguas and Rum Cay. Some of the 3,278 pieces of literature they placed found their way into almost every home the brothers went to, although there were many settlements that they were unable to reach. Brother Arthur Worsley, who was in charge of the boat’s missionary activities, related:

“Preaching in the islands was so refreshing. With the nine-foot draft of the Sibia, shallow water was sometimes a handicap, but we went to all of the larger islands, though at times our keel barely cleared the bottom. It was quite commonplace for someone with whom literature had been placed to ask if he could continue along with us and carry our bag. They were so delighted with what they learned that sometimes, before we could even begin our own presentation, they would start telling about the books. In many instances, books were placed at the insistence of the individual who had come along with us. I remember, too, their beautiful way of acknowledging our introduction, saying: ‘Thank you, Sir, and may it please God we be strangers no longer.’

“The people on some of the islands were very poor, and on the island of Bimini one man obtained a whole carton of Bibles because they were only one dollar each, and he felt that no one should be without a Bible. He then gave them out with the kind suggestion that they be paid for, a few cents at a time, whenever the person could spare them. One man had several of our books but did not have enough money for the Bible, so I gave him one and made the gift acceptable by saying: ‘You can send me the money whenever you have it.’ A year later I received a letter from him, thanking me for the Bible and enclosing a dollar.

“Some people still had cherished copies of the Society’s literature dating back to The Harp of God. They were delighted to know that the books being presented were published by the same organization. Many proved by their conversation that they had digested much of the information they had read.

“Sometimes whole families would be out in the fields when we called, but, after coming home and seeing the Bibles and books of their friends, they would be waiting at the dock early next morning to get some for themselves. Some would come out to our boat and bring little gifts of fish, fruit or coconuts, for which we always gave them extra reading matter.

“The public meetings were difficult to arrange in some places and quite easy in others. In many instances it simply meant getting up and speaking. These talks were given in schools, churches, private homes, stores, barrooms, at docks, under trees​—whenever there was an opportunity, many times without the benefit of lights or notes. It was quite often difficult to get the people to disperse after the talk, and many seemed never to have enough. We regretted that we could not spend more time with them.

“Frequently, while coming home from a long hard day in the service, we would have the pleasure of hearing people reading aloud to themselves as we passed by their small dwellings. Many of them would call to us and express their pleasure with the book and thank us again for calling on them.

“A great deal of literature had been placed in the major islands, and many friends had been made because of the truth, so we were all very sad at the thought of having to leave. There was much more work to do; in fact, our boat could not approach some of the islands because of the shallow water. But the hurricane season was due, and the Bahamian waters were so shallow that there would be few places for the nine-foot-draft Sibia to find shelter. So, after seven months of most enjoyable preaching, we set our course for the Virgin Islands.”

INCREASE DESPITE CLERGY REACTION

All this preaching activity caused great distress to the religious leaders. One religious leader could not suffer in silence any longer, and so he made this plea in The Parish News, a portion of which reads:

“I am a little disturbed by the people who have come to sow seeds of dissension in the parish. They are called Jehovah’s Witnesses. Please be careful and firmly reject the doctrines of these people. They no doubt will tell you that what we are teaching you is wrong, yet good church people receive these people in their homes and let them try to explain their own book to them. Remember that the church existed long before the Bible. . . . Any time you want to know anything that you do not understand please consult your parish priest. He will put you right. Do not listen to the people who do not know what they are talking about.”

The facts show that the “good” people of the Bahamas were more inclined to listen to the truth of the Bible than to take to heart the frightened cry of The Parish News. As proof of this, the average number of publishers in the Bahamas grew from 33 to 52, a 58-percent increase in one year. The attendance at the Memorial was 112​—more than twice that of the previous year.

MORE BOATS TO EXPAND THE WITNESS

In 1954 two other boats were used to cover the islands of the Bahamas. The Kirkwood II went to Andros, Berry Islands, Grand Bahama and Eleuthera. The Faith went south to the Exumas, Long Island and Cat Island. On board Kirkwood II was its owner, Arthur Hill, Sr., also Jack and Nettie Copple, the Porters, Bill Prince, Dick Ryde and Kay Fairweather. No small number of hardships were encountered in preaching to the people living on the islands, but the joyful response of many humble persons more than compensated.

For example, Nancy Porter describes their method of covering Eleuthera: “They put Kay Fairweather, my husband and me off at Hatchet Bay close to the north end, and then the boat went to the southern end over 60 miles away where Dick Ryde and Bill Prince disembarked. We met three or four weeks later at Palmetto Point.”

But where did they stay each night? “People in those days,” she explained, “opened up their homes and appreciated the message and our visits. There was a very kind man living at Palmetto Point who put his home at our disposal. The boat had gone on to another island, and when the brothers finished there, they returned and picked us up.”

Sister Fairweather had also been aboard the Faith on a trip to the southern islands. She shares some of their experiences with us: “The first landfall that we sighted after leaving Nassau was Bell Island in the Exuma chain, and six of us went ashore in the dinghy, anxious to get started after a day and a half on the boat. There turned out to be only two small palmetto-thatched houses there, with just three people and these were almost illiterate. However, some literature was left, and we proceeded to other cays.

“On a typical day two would be left on the boat, and the other eight would pile into the dinghy and go ashore. Two groups would be formed to go in opposite directions and would call at every house, proceeding away from the boat. A halt would be called at lunchtime for a half-hour break, and then it was back to the field. Since we placed much literature, each of us carried two bags. The people seldom had the opportunity to buy anything to read. By nightfall we might be many miles from the boat.

“Then we had to retrace our steps in as direct a way as possible back to the boat, which was anchored up to half a mile offshore because of the shallows. We had a loud whistle to blow to signal the boat. A dinghy would then push off from the boat, and we would climb aboard for the trip back. This was often a wet ride, as the dinghy was usually overloaded. Tired, not to say exhausted, we had something to eat, and then we went to bed.”

Through much effort, expense and time the Kingdom good news was reaching people of the Out Islands.

[Picture on page 239]

To reach the Bahamian islands with the good news, this floating missionary home, the schooner Sibia, was used