Claudius ‘Samaritan’ Morgan spreading gospel around the world

From calypso arena straight to the pulpit

The calypso arena was once his domain. Today, when he takes to the stage hearts are still won, only that this endeavour is by no means related to the earlier days when he charmed his audience with his melodious singing.{{more}}

Claudius ‘Samaritan’ Morgan first gained national attention, when as a student of the St. Martin’s Secondary School, he won the Inter-Secondary Schools Calypso Competition. This propelled him towards the entertainment industry, and for some time he charted a course in the calypso arena.

A transformation took place in 1984, and since then it has been no looking back. That year, Morgan was baptized by Seventh Day Adventist Minister, Pastor Kenneth John.

At present Morgan is the leading evangelist in the Inter-American Division and one of the leading evangelists of the World Church of Seventh Day Adventist. He has already baptized over 20,000 persons. Morgan is also a member of the Evangelism Committee of the General Conference, which is the Headquarters of the Church in Maryland, Washington.

It’s often said that life is full of surprises and uncertainties. Morgan received a big one in July 2008 when he was awarded an Honourary Doctorate in the United States by the Jehovah Jireh Biblical Institute of Theology, Counseling and Christian Education.

“I don’t even know if I deserve it. It is not something I was looking for. When they came to one of my crusades and told me that, I was shocked. It is something that you are not looking for. I say thank the Lord for that,” said the preacher modestly, from his Barbados home. He added that he had never finished secondary school, which means that he did not get an opportunity to write his O’Levels. His Honourary Doctorate came while he is still pursuing a Master’s Degree in Mass Communication.

The son of Victor Clarke and Doris Morgan, of Vermont, Dr. Morgan, also holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Theology and a Minor in Biblical Languages from the Andrews University affiliated campus, Caribbean Union College of Seventh Day Adventist, now the Southern Caribbean University.

Throughout his ministerial career, Dr. Morgan has taken God’s message to the Caribbean, North and South America, Africa, and Europe. He told SEARCHLIGHT that even though his schedule is hectic at times, his task is made easy through the support of his family.

“My wife teaches, so they [wife and children] are not able to go with me all the time… but anywhere I go my family has to come… my wife was with me in Africa. So when I am called to preach and if my family can’t come, find somebody else. My family is more important to me than my ministry.

“If my family is disintegrated, if I lose my family, then I don’t have a ministry. What are you going to stand up and tell the people? To love who?” said Dr. Morgan, as he expressed the importance of his wife Rhonda and his children Rhonique and Rhous to his work. Rhonda holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English and a Minor in Behavioural Science, and is the Head of the English Department at the Barbados SDA Secondary School

Dr. Morgan believes that happiness is not about money. “Happiness is the relationship that I have with my wife and my kids.”

The preacher said he is convinced that if he was still a calypsonian he would have probably contracted the HIV virus. He said calypsonians are prone to live promiscuous lives. On the flip side, as a minister he said he still has to be on guard, because women have a tendency to be attracted to men with power. “As for me I don’t see myself losing what I have worked so hard for in one night, or in one weekend,” said Dr. Morgan.

Last November, Dr. Morgan embarked on a one-month missionary campaign in Tanzania, which saw him baptizing over 3,500 persons. At the end of this year he will be executing a campaign in Uganda before he returns to Tanzania in 2010.

While Dr.Morgan is an ambassador for God, he also sees himself as an ambassador for St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

“Suffice to say even though I am not home, everywhere I go and preach everybody knows that this guy comes from St.Vincent and the Grenadines. In Africa they asked me where is St.Vincent and when I showed them the map all they see is a dot. I went to Panama to preach and

when I got into the airport I told them I am from St.Vincent and the Grenadines. They put me to stand aside. A guy came to me and said ‘You say you are from Vietnam?’ I said no, I am from St.Vincent and the Grenadines. They didn’t even know where is St.Vincent,” said Dr. Morgan.

When SEARCHLIGHT contacted Dr. Morgan, he was in the process of working on his new book entitled ‘It is Written’. He also has a book on the shelves called ‘Preaching the Good News’, and is planning to write another book called ‘From the Calypso Tent to the Gospel Tent’ – which speaks about his transformation, how it happened, and his experience in crusades.

“St.Vincent is my home. There is no place like home. A man always wants to come back home. As it stands right now, we are still out in the mission field. St.Vincent is now managing its own affairs as it relates to the church. There is a St.Vincent Region headed by Pastor [Dermoth] Baptiste. As soon as the high authorities see it fit I guess we will pack our bundle and come home and make a contribution to our country,” said Dr.Morgan of his plans to return home.

“I am proud to be a Vincentian. I would come back to serve as soon as I get the opportunity to serve. I think the best I could have done in my life is to become a Seventh Day Adventist Christian.”