Posted on Monday, March 16, 2009 - 11:13 am:

Sixty-three packages of publications sent out. One port destination was Trinidad. RH V58-5

Wm Arnold, Colporteur, spends the summer in Trinidad; returns to Demerara (Guyana) at the end of the rainy season (August).

Arnold reports of his work on Tobago. RH V69-35

Grant and Flowers sent to Trinidad FMBM-V2-95, 97 (77, 79)

May 28, FMB votes to hire Adamson at $4.00 per week to help Flowers with tent effort. FMBM-V2-121(103)

August 30, FMB votes for Mrs. Flowers to return to America. $100.00 to be sent to her for this purpose.

F. B. Grant advised to use his own judgment regarding staying or returning to America. Both he and his wife still weak from illness.

Grant's books to be made available to Adamson for him to sell at the usual canvasser's commission. FMBM-V2-135(117)

Sept. 30, Webster given authority to hire Adamson when needed. FMBM-V2-219(10)

Stella Colvin, an American nurse, opened treatment rooms in Couva.

April 21, FMB recommends that the Medical Missionary Board recall Stella Colvin. The Mission Board people and Stella were not getting along. Letters from Webster and Kneeland address the concerns.

May 20, J. O. Johnston and family arrive in Port of Spain. RH 1900 V77-3-12(44)

June 27, Rachel Flowers voted to go to Trinidad as a Spanish-speaking Bible Worker. FMBM V3a-169(86)

Rachel Peters sent by E.A. Sutherland of Battle Creek College to teach.

January, Sullivan Wareham of Cora, Montana(?) arrives; purchases 45 acres four miles out of Princes Town; plans to establish an industrial school. In a few weeks, he falls sick and returns to Battle Creek San. for treatment.RH 1900 V77-3-12(44)

February, The Medical Missionary journal publishes a four page report on Trinidad by E. W. Webster. TMM 1899-2 p. 14.

April 5, Haysmer letter advises the employment of Adamson; That a third minister be sent to Trinidad for a year, as well as others to surrounding island fields.

April 10, General Conference recommends that the FMB recall E.W. Webster; G.C. employment assured.

April 12, Crowther asks for authority to hire native help; for financial assistance to help Rachel Peters operate the school; what to do about the (Wareham) Mission farm property; advice regarding the purchase of property in Port of Spain; for financial assistance to the Indian Walk congregation as they build a church;

April 13, Letters from Crowther and Webster advise the hiring of Adamson.

May 10, Foreign Mission Board meets. Actions include:

• Recall of E. W. Webster,
• Employ C.D. Adamson,
• Mrs. L. M. Crowther granted a missionary license,
• L. M. Crowther authorized to hire native help other than Adamson not to exceed $100 per year.
• Ask E.A. Sutherland if they have plans to finance Rachel Peters' school,
• Advise Sutherland not to establish other enterprises in similar manner.
• Place Peters' school under the supervision of the West Indian Mission field and support it financially.
• Crowther given authority to retain or sell the (Wareham) Mission farm property at his discretion.
• Provide $100 to help Indian Walk congregation build a church.
• To send a third minister to Trinidad when such can be found. (FMBM V3b, p. 173)

Rachel Peters teacher at Adventist elementary school at Couva. (ADVOCATE May 1, 1901, p.32)

August 24, Crowther letter sets forth the need for additional ministerial labor.

October 28, FMB meets and takes the following action:

• Voted to grant L. M. Crowther power of attorney for FMB business matters replacing E. W. Webster's; (June 14 Crowther letter)
• Voted to bear all expenses for books lost with the wreck of the steamer "Prins Willem" (Sept. 5 Letter from Crowther)
• to request the Iowa Conference to take on the financing of the additional minister for Trinidad.

Rachel Peters reports 28 enrolled in the Couva SDA school. (ADVOCATE May 1, 1901, p.32)

In Trinidad, West Indies, our brethren earn three or four shillings per week. From this they pay tithes, and they are now trying to build a church. In three weeks they raised ten shillings for this purpose. They will build it. AAR 1901, V4-1

February 9, Mrs. Kneeland lays the cornerstone for the Indian Walk SDA Church. (RH Sept. 9, 1902, V36, p12)

L. M. Crowther dies. AAR, V5-2

East Caribbean Conference Organized

Life Boat journal quotes Stella Colvin-Briggs interest in 25 subscriptions.

February 7, T. L. M. Spencer describes his work on Tobago; four baptized, circuit riding horseback, need for a church building. (RH 1907-V17-p16)

September, East Caribbean Union is formed.

Purchased an estate of 264 acres situated eleven miles from Port of Spain, Trinidad for a school.

East Caribbean Training School organized.

September, G. A. Coon in Trinidad; Conducts evangelistic effort in Tunapuna. (RH 10-3-1929, p17, RH 12-5-1929, p29 )

East Caribbean Union Conference becomes the Caribbean Union Conference.

January 23, the dedication service for a new Couva SDA church building. Brother Carnavon's history of SDA work on Trinidad given. (RH-Mar. 31, 1938-p14)

The first Pathfinder clubs organized on the island of Trinidad in the Caribbean

One of the most successful evangelistic campaigns in Adventist history was begun by Earl Cleveland in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, in September 1966. The 3300 who attended on opening night swelled to 7000 by the time of the final service in November. As the audience grew it had to be sheltered in two large tents pitched side by side. In the month of November alone 812 new members were baptized. By the time follow-up meetings were completed, the total number of additions to the church had climbed to 1222. Forty-six ministers worked with Cleveland in personal visitation and instruction and went away fired with a new enthusiasm for public evangelism. p. 584 LBTR

January 19, International Religious Liberty Association conference on the island of Trinidad. The gathering brought together 320 leaders of both society and faith communities across the Caribbean region and beyond.

Churches, 116; membership, 53,666; population, 1,281,804

1 Bates Memorial High School (Org) Complete Secondary School
South Caribbean Conference
Sangre Grande, Trinidad, Trinidad and Tobago

2 Caribbean Union College Secondary School (Org) Complete Secondary School
South Caribbean Conference
St. Joseph, Trinidad, Trinidad and Tobago

3 Caribbean Union Conference (Org, Inst) Union Conference
Caribbean Union Conference

7 Community Hospital of Seventh-day Adventists (Org) Hospital
Caribbean Union Conference

18 Siparia Healthcare Clinic and Diagnostic Center (Org) Clinic
Caribbean Union Conference

19 South Caribbean Conference (Org, Inst) Conference
South Caribbean Conference

21 Southern Academy (Org) Complete Secondary School
South Caribbean Conference
La Romaine, Trinidad, Trinidad and Tobago

24 University of the Southern Caribbean (Org) College (no post grad)
Caribbean Union Conference

The incident between Medical Missionary Stella Colvin and the Foreign Mission Board missionaries illustrates the organizational problems leading up to the 1901 and 1903 reorganization of the church.

Also, E. A. Sutherland's sending out Rachel Peters and then the FMB missionaries ask their board to help support her created logistical support difficulty. The work of the church seemed hampered because of turf problems.

Sutherland joined efforts with J. E. White. The Gospel Herald describes the close relationship and their mutual support of Rachel Peters. (GH December, 1899, p. 9 (109)