WEST INDIES AGENCY

The Agency for the West Indies, established in 1882, embraces Cuba, Porto Rico, Haiti, Santo Domingo, the Virgin Islands, and the French islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe. José Marcial-Dorado, Ph.D., is the Agency Secretary, with headquarters at 126 San Miguel Street, Havana, Cuba.

The circulation for the year 1927 was 8,749 Bibles, 5,000 Testaments, and 58,520 portions, making a total of 72,269 volumes. The total circulation since the establishment of the Agency is now 1,189,364 volumes. The distribution in 1927 was carried on by 53 colporteurs, 148 correspondents, and 26 volunteers.

How

HE transformation of a whole island from voodooism to Christianity within two years is a part of the inspiring story of the West Indies Agency. Preaching stations, primary schools, and Bibles have replaced fetishism and serpent-god worship, and 3,000 people are candidates for church membership, out of a population of only 12,000. And this is but one of many of the interesting narratives of progress in this Agency during the year. "one Bible in every nine minutes of work" is sold in Havana; how the Bible is getting new recognition through publicity in the theater, so that "whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached"; how the Scriptures are read aloud to workers in tobacco factories; how places of amusement, stores, and barbers' shops are centers of Scripture distribution; how the Bible has been brought into centers of culture; these and other evidences of effective activity make up a report of great interest.

The work of distribution and circulation of the Bible in the West Indies during 1927 has brought out four points which represent four distinct advancements:

First-Progress in the towns: 1,117 more Bibles sold here than

in 1926;

Second-Progress in the country: 402 more Bibles being sold in the country over 1926;

Third-Progress in the missions: orders from the churches and correspondents being 122 percent in excess of those for 1926;

Fourth-Progress in the foreign fields: the total number of Bibles being 50 percent more than in 1926.

Our distribution was as follows: Bibles, 8,749; Testaments, 5,000; portions, 58,520; making a total circulation of 72,269 volumes, with a value of $8,379.34. Added to $4,620.66 cash in hand, this sum of $13,000 remained in the West Indies territory for the payment of salaries to six permanent colporteurs working full time on Bible work, and the payment of commissions to 47 part-time colporteurs. Out of this sum were also paid the commissions and discounts to 217 correspondents and workers in the churches and missions, traveling expenses for the colporteurs and Secretary; also shipping charges, office expenses, customs and other taxes. With $13,000, together with $1,300 received in offerings in the field, the urgent needs of three nations have been met - Cuba, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic; also two American possessions-Porto Rico and the Virgin Islands; two French colonies-Martinique and Guadeloupe; further, various small British islands which were unable to obtain supplies from Europe and sought assistance from this Agency. Although it is generally admitted that $14,300 divided among the seven regions mentioned only permit a small distribution for each district, still the amount of work done by the workers of the American Bible Society, with the aid of God, is most creditable.

CUBA

Bibles have been supplied to the churches and correspondents of the following Christian denominations: Adventist, Baptist, both Eastern and Western, Episcopalian, Friends, Methodist, Presbyterian, Salvation Army, and Christian Science. Bibles have also been furnished to 13 colleges of these denominations and to the following societies: Christian Endeavor, Sunday-school Society, and the Women's Temperance Association. Apart from the religious field, Bibles have been supplied to 5 public libraries, 11 schools and 16 social clubs.

PORTO RICO

Through denominational ministers, correspondents, and colporteurs, Bibles have been supplied to the eleven following denominations: Christian Alliance, Baptist, Congregational, Disciples of Christ, Episcopalian, United Brothers, Christian Church, Lutheran, Methodist, Episcopalian, and Pentecostal. Outside the religious field Bibles have been supplied to the patients of the tuberculosis sanatorium, to the inmates in 3 prisons, and to 6 public libraries and 5 social clubs.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

Bibles have been furnished to the evangelical churches in the southern portion of the republic, to the Free Methodist churches in the north, to 2 schools, one seminary, and one hospital. Outside the religious field Bibles were supplied to 2 public libraries, 3 clubs,

and 4 national societies - the Red Cross, the Reporters' Club, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Teachers' Society.

HAITI

Bibles were supplied to the following denominations: Adventist, Baptist, Episcopalian, and Methodist. Besides the churches, they were supplied to 2 libraries, 2 social clubs, and 6 government offices.

VIRGIN ISLANDS

Bibles were furnished to several churches, Lutheran, Episcopalian, Presbyterian, Baptist, and Methodist; to 2 Jewish synagogues, and 2 Christian associations—one for men, and the other for women.

MARTINIQUE

There is no church of any organized denomination in this French colony. Groups of Bible readers collect in some localities and are trying to get some French-speaking American mission workers to go and work among them. The French Evangelistic Church, although it has sent some workers from France, for the time being has not been able, up to now, to keep up the work of a permanent church. The result is that God's Word is chiefly being preached by the workers of the American Bible Society. In 1927, 137 families in the country, and 221 in the towns, were supplied with Bibles. One library, 3 government offices, 11 commercial establishments, and 2 clubs were also supplied.

GUADELOUPE

As in the case with Martinique, so according to the colporteurs there are no organized denominational churches in this island. There are, however, a few groups of Christians waiting patiently for the arrival of some missionary. Seventeen families in the country, and 42 in the villages, were supplied with the Bibles.

The Four Most Important Campaigns-In the Ports

In the ports of St. Thomas, Santo Domingo, San Juan, Port-auPrince, and especially and more regularly in Havana, on the arrival and sailing of boats a colporteur is there to offer a Bible to the passengers, and even to the seamen. The experience obtained is that the seaman is more eager to get the book than the traveler or tourist. By this means the Bible has been distributed in 14 different languages.

In the Towns

The work in the towns, principally in Cuba, and especially in Havana, has been continued as in the previous year among the social and commercial classes. Public saloons or bars, places of amusement and vice, were supplied with 347 Bibles, paid for by the owners

or even the employees; 1,362 were taken by the clients using these establishments. During this year 278 chauffeurs over and above the 461 of last year bought the Bible, and 1,200 more grocery, drygoods, boot and hat stores took it. A two months' campaign among the barbers' shops resulted in 103 Bibles being acquired by the barbers. One other very strange campaign was made among the street hawkers, with the result that 87 Bibles and Testaments were distributed.

In the Country Places

Cottages and workmen's and farm laborers' homes visited in the different islands numbered 3,812, sugar mills 93, tobacco plantations and factories 109. A very interesting custom in the tobacco factories is the reading aloud, by a man, of the current newspapers, in order to keep the workers at their work and at the same time to let them hear the news of the day. We are very pleased to say that our workers have been permitted several times to read the Bible to them, with such success that many times they have been asked to repeat their readings.

In the Foreign Colonies

Not all the people in the West Indies Agency territory are Spanish-speaking, as is the case in Cuba, Porto Rico, and the Dominican Republic; nor are they all French-speaking, as in Haiti, Martinique, and Guadeloupe; nor English or Danish, as in the Virgin Isles; there are also large colonies of Syrians, Poles, Chinese, and Italians, and even of Germans, Americans, Jews and Russians, though in smaller quantities. There is an organized Chinese Presbyterian church in Havana, with a qualified native pastor. All these colonies are visited from time to time by a native worker of this Agency, and some times by a native worker working in conjunction with this office. During these visits orders are taken for Bibles in these different languages. All the individual gifts that we collect for Bible work are made annually by many people of these different colonies, and especially from Spanish centers.

Work in the Social and Intellectual Classes

A part of the first six months of the year were devoted by us in continuing our visits among centers of culture, such as schools, social clubs, workmen's and commercial societies. Five conferences were given in such places on themes chiefly bearing on the spiritual and religious side of education. Without having a public character seventeen talks were given to families of members. During the last six months this work had to be suspended, owing to the fact that we had to be absent through leave of absence for family reasons and vacation furlough.