Historical Notes St Vincent and the Grenadines

“The Diary (1825-1827) of the Reverend William Fidler of the Methodist Church”

May 22, 1825: “… it was P.M. before we landed on the shore of St.Vincent. Mr & Mrs. Payne received us kindly and had lodgings provided at the house of Miss Ann Wilson, a Leader in the Society, where we were very comfortable. Mr. Rathbone preached this evening in the Kingstown Chapel a large wooden building, said to have been twice enlarged & now capable of holding about 1,200 persons, all on the ground floor, there being no Galleries of any kind.{{more}} The Society here is large, and includes many slaves from the neighbouring Estates. This is the first time I have mentioned the Slaves in this journal though often & years past my thoughts have been occupied with the subject of their civil condition etc. etc. I pity them much and hope to be useful among them in preaching spiritual liberty. My call to preach in the West Indies is chiefly to the Slaves; the negro Slaves from Africa and their descendants.

23 May/25: This morning we went on-board to receive & land our luggage, pay the passage money etc. etc. On our return were met by Messrs Pope & Edmondson just from the country whither they had been to preach yesterday. Mr. Rayner also returned & was preparing to sail today in a Brig for Liverpool: not being able at present to succeed at Barbados; the wrath of the Chapel destroying anti-Methodistical part of the people of that Colony, not having cooled sufficiently to admit of an attempt to re-establish that Mission…

27th May: It having been determined that my residence shall be Princes-Town (or Barroualie) my dear Wife & I, with Mr & Mrs Pope went thither today. It is a small town full of shrubbery and large trees & is distant from another about 4 miles & from a third still farther down the coast about 9 miles. The former is named Layou, the latter Chateau-belair, and is about 21 miles from Kingstown the seat of Government…

December 10th Sabbath: Preached twice to the Town congregation, with much liberty. Received two persons on trial; baptised twin sisters and refused to marry a couple, both slaves, as they had not brought a certificate permitting it, from their master! Such is the law and a missionary must conform thereto…

December 18th: Returned to Princess Town, and found some difficulty in launching so small a canoe through the surf which was unusually high owing to a heavy ‘ground swell’ of the sea. We only just escaped being swamped; yet thank God, we did escape &that was sufficient. On our way up I observed the man looking earnestly on one side and rather ‘astern’ & inquired Jimsie what’s that ? “A shark sir”, he replied! Here again the Lord preserved us, both from a rolling frightful sea and the devouring fangs of a monster. This deliverance will still be more evident when it is understood that my arms rest on the ‘gunwale’, only a few inches from the water, and often in that position have been wetted with the rising waves. Some years ago a colonist

whom I have seen, was coasting in a canoe or boat, along the same shore when a shark darted out of the water, aiming at his shadow as was supposed, as he sat to steer; it went over him & among the men & stuck fast under one of the seats by its head, while with its tail it was violently beating whatever came in its way! They quickly pulled ‘ashore’ in one of the bays to preserve the boat & to get rid of their hideous & unwelcome passenger. Mr W. Was then engaged in building a sloop which he named the ‘shark’ in memory of that even…

25th December Christmas Day: At 5 am, preached in Princess Town to a large congregation, we had a profitable season & concluded about sun-rise. Had another service during the forenoon. Those present did not I trust come in vain. Blessed be the Lord for a persuasion that my humble, though well meant efforts shall not be in vain…

December 27: Had another Christmas meeting in Princess Town; the Chapel was crowded & many stood at the doors, windows etc. Great attention was paid to the sermon, and a good degree of gracious power accompanied it; the love-feast which immediately followed was a good time and it is hoped that we shall see greater things than these. Both piety & numbers increase & I have known them in a better state, nor does it appear that they have been better for years past. All glory to God by whose gracious power this good has been effected…”