Fathers teach your sons right from wrong

With what appears to be a rise in crime and other societal ills, Archbishop the Right Reverend Melford Pompey is calling on the nation’s fathers to teach their sons right from wrong.

Reverend Pompey made the call at the St Mary’s Spiritual Baptist Cathedral, Overland. He was at the time delivering his first sermon after being enthroned a day earlier on Sunday, March 17 at the St Elizabeth Spiritual Baptist Cathedral in Belmont.

“I believe it is time for our fathers to show their sons especially, the right example and then we will have a better St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Right Reverend Melford Pompey

“I believe more of our fathers need to stand up and show the light and let their light so shine before men that they may see their good works and even the children will help to glorify God,” Archbishop Pompey told the congregation he now officially heads.

The Spiritual Baptist leader said when he was a boy, his father, Blessed Cosmore Mathias Pompey (who served as Archbishop and Supreme head from 1985-2010) set him on the right path and that was a blessing.

“I believe more fathers need to stand up for that which is right and lead a life worthy of the calling that the children can have the right example,” Archbishop Pompey said while thanking his father for showing him the right way.

Speaking to the predominantly female congregation, Pompey said many men wake up in the morning and the first place they head to is a rum shop.

“When we wake up in the morning, give God praise and thanks…,” said the Archbishop who added that a man cannot serve two masters at once.

The Archbishop said that his father taught him how to love, be satisfied, be respectful and disciplined and those are things that all fathers should teach their children.

Going on, he said that in these times, we need an anchor.

“And if your anchor is not grounded in Jesus, I am afraid that your ship would be tossed to and fro,” Pompey said. He added that if we are to make SVG a better place and the home of the blessed then we must look at ourselves.

“….and those ways in us that do not allow the world to see Jesus in us we must get rid of it. And whatever we do the world must see Jesus in us so that we will have a better St Vincent.
“The government can’t make St Vincent better. The police cannot make St Vincent better. As a matter of fact, we preachers cannot make St Vincent better, but only God can make it better and we call upon everyone no matter who you ae to call on the name of the lord,” said the clergy man.

He added that he is praying that SVG can become a better place.

The Archbishop’s first sermon was heard by among others, matriarch her excellency Mona Pompey, vicar general The Very Reverend Lucy Rogers, bishop designate The Right Reverend Winston Daniel, recording secretary Reverend Dr Phyllis Ralph-Browne and parliamentary representative for North Windward Montgomery Daniel.

On Saturday, November 17, 2018, it was announced that the then Bishop Pompey would be made an Archbishop of the Spiritual Baptist Archdiocese of SVG, but this was only made official on March 17 with his enthronement.

He filled the vacant position left by the death of the former Archbishop Frank Simon who died in a vehicular accident at Gordon Yard while travelling with other pilgrims to a church service in Chateaubelair.

Pompey, 56, is following in the footsteps of his father Blessed Cosmore Mathias Pompey who served as Archbishop and Supreme head from 1985 to 2010.

He has made history as it is the first time a father and son have been elected to lead the Spiritual Baptist Archdiocese in St Vincent and the Grenadines. He is the fifth Archbishop of the Archdiocese.