| Greetings in the Precious Name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ our soon coming King!!! |
| To Children of the Light Spiritual Baptist International Archdiocese Inc. |
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| History of the Spiritual Baptist Faith |
The reason given for the ordinance was that the Shouters made too much noise with their
loud singing
and bell ringing (Henry 32-35) and disturbed the peace.
During worship, participants danced, shouted, shook and fell to the ground in convulsions.
Such
behaviour was deemed unseemly by the more traditional and conservative elements in the
society. Also,
the established churches regarded such behaviour as heathen and barbaric.
Furthermore, they were concerned about the large number of people who were leaving the
traditional
churches to join the Spiritual Baptist faith. The police, who had been persecuting the
Baptists for several
years, also wanted them silenced.
Although not said openly, the real reason for the antagonism towards the Baptists was that
many of their
practices were of African origin. Things African were associated with the shame and
degradation of
slavery and a large part of the population of Trinidad did not want to be reminded of this.
Hence the
strong lobbying to have the religion banned.
In the end, the colonial government responded to the complaints of the taxpayers,
landowners and police
by passing the Shouters Prohibition Ordinance.
Those thirty-four years of prohibition were difficult for the Spiritual and Shouter Baptists.
The ordinance
forbid them from erecting or maintaining any “Shouter House” or from holding meetings.
Estate managers
and owners were required to report any meetings to the police, and the police were
authorized to enter a
building where a meeting was being held, without a warrant. (See full-text of Ordinance).
Worshippers were arrested, beaten and jailed if they were caught practising their religion.
They had to
flee to the hills and forests to practise their religion. Even then, the police still pursued and
brutalized
them. Nevertheless the Spiritual and Shouter Baptists survived.
During the 1920s and 1930s, the Baptists fought many court battles and tried to counteract
the negative
perceptions of their faith. It was only when Tubal Uriah “Buzz” Butler emerged as a labour
leader that
attitudes towards the Baptists gradually began to change.
Butler himself was a devoted Baptist and controversial figure. His public meetings were
reminiscent of a
Baptist prayer meeting. His prominence gave the religion some legitimacy although he too
was jailed for
his political and religious and beliefs.
During the 1940s a new leader emerged to champion the Baptists’ cause. Grenadian-born
Elton George
Griffith started a campaign to have the Prohibition Ordinance repealed. Under his
leadership the
numerous Independent Baptist churches formed the West Indian Evangelical Spiritual
Baptist Faith.
In 1940, as a united body, they presented a petition to the Legislative Council asking for
the ordinance to
be repealed. It was not granted but a few years later Albert Gomes asked the council to
appoint a
committee to look into a repeal of the 1917 ordinance. A committee was formed but it took
several
years before it released its findings. Meanwhile Griffith and his followers continued to lobby
members of
the Legislative Council to support the repeal.
Finally, after much lobbying, the bill to repeal the ordinance was passed on 30 March 1951.
The
Spiritual and Shouter Baptists were free to practise their religion.
The year 1996 saw another victory for the Spiritual and Shouter Baptists in their fight for
recognition.
The UNC government granted to them an annual public holiday.
Shouter Prohibition Ordinance
Below is the full text of the Shouters Prohibition Ordinance.
Chapter 4. No. 19.
SHOUTERS PROHIBITION
Ordinance Chapter 4. No. 19- 1940
An Ordinance to render illegal indulgence in the practices of the body known as the
Shouters.
Commencement
28th November, 1917
Short title
1. This Ordinance may be cited as the Shouters Prohibition Ordinance.
Definition of “Shouters’ meeting”
2. (1) a “Shouters’ meeting” means a meeting or gathering of two or more persons,
whether indoors or
in the open air, at which the customs and practices of the body known as Shouters
(hereafter in this
Ordinance referred to as “the Shouters”) are indulged in. The decision of any Magistrate in
any case
brought under this Ordinance as to whether the customs and practices are those of the
Shouters shall be
final, whether the persons indulging in such customs or practices call themselves Shouters
or by any other
name.
“Shouters’ house”
(2) A “Shouters’ house” means any house or building or room in any house or building
which is used for
the purpose of holding Shouters’ meetings, or any house or building or room in any house
or building
which is used for the purpose of initiating any person into the ceremonies of the Shouters.
The decision
of any Magistrate in any case brought under this Ordinance as to whether a house or
building or room in
any house or building is a Shouters’ house shall be final.
Manager
(3) The term “manager” includes any person having control over or charge of any estate
or land
whatsoever in the Colony.
No person to take part in Shouters’ meeting
3. It shall be an offence for any person to hold or to take part in or to attend any Shouters’
meeting or
for any Shouters’ meeting to be held in any part of the Colony indoors or in the open air at
any time of
the day or night.
No Shouters’ house to be erected or maintained
4. It shall be an offence to erect or to maintain any Shouters’ house or to shut up any
person in any
Shouters’ house for the purpose of initiating such person into the ceremonies of the
Shouters.
Owner or manager of estate or land to inform the Police of Shouters’ houses or meetings
5. (1) If it shall come to the knowledge of the owner or manager of any estate or land in
the Colony that
a Shouters’ house is being erected or maintained, or that Shouters’ meetings are being
held, on the estate
or land over which such owner or manager has control, he shall forthwith notify the
Subordinate Police
Officer in charge of the Police Station nearest to such house, estate or land of the erection
or
maintenance of such Shouters’ house or of the locality or place at which such Shouters’
meetings are
being held.
(2) The manager or owner of any estate or land in the Colony who fails so to notify such
Subordinate
Police Officer as aforesaid, or who knowingly permits the erection or maintenance of any
Shouters’
house or the holding of Shouters’ meetings on any estate or land over which he has
control, shall be guilty
of an offence.
Acts of indecency
6. It shall be an offence for any person at or in the vicinity of any Shouters’ meeting to
commit or cause
to be committed or to induce or to persuade to be committed any act of indecency.
Police may enter, without warrant, house or place where Shouters’ meeting is being held.
7. (1) It shall be lawful for any party of members of the Police Force, of whom one shall be
a Gazetted
Police Officer or Subordinate Police Officer, without a warrant to enter at any time of the
day or night,
any house, estate, land, or place in or on which such Gazetted Police Officer or
Subordinate Police
Officer may have good ground to believe or suspect that s Shouters’ meeting is being held
or where he
may have good ground to believe or suspect that any person or persons is or are being
kept for the
purpose of initiation into the ceremonies of the Shouters, and to take the names and
addresses of all
persons present at such Shouters’ meeting or Shouters’ house.
(2) It shall also be lawful for any member of the Police Force to demand the names and
addresses of
any persons taking part in any meeting in the open air which he has good reason to believe
is a Shouters’
meeting.
(3) Any person refusing to give his name and address to any member of the Police Force
when asked to
do so under the authority of this section shall be liable to be arrested and to be detained at
a Police
Station until his identity can be established.
Penalties
8. Any person guilty of an offence under this Ordinance shall be liable, on summary
conviction, to a fine
of two hundred and forty dollars.
Beliefs
The Spiritual Baptists believe that their religion comes from John the Baptist and their name
from the practice of immersing their practitioners in water as a means of baptizing them into
the faith (Henry 36-39). Rituals are characterized by bell ringing, mourning, shouting and
visits
from the Holy Spirit.
The term “Spiritual” indicates that the Holy Spirit is actively involved in the lives of the
believers and in their religious service. According to Gibbs De Peza (1999) Spiritual Baptists
are defined by their belief in:
The guidance of the Holy Spirit
The indwelling of the Holy Spirit
Symbolism plays an important role in the Spiritual and Shouter Baptist faith. Pictures,
engravings and flags may contain symbols representing justice, righteous living,
deliverance,
victory over death and the Holy Spirit.
The bell, sword, shepherd’s rod and flags play important parts in many of the rituals.
Candles
are also important and the colour of the candle is significant. For example, a white candle
symbolizes purity, truth and righteousness.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Practices
There are several practices that are important to the Baptists.
Baptism: Baptists believe that repentance and faith are essential and man must be born
again
of water and the Holy Spirit in accordance with the teachings of the bible. Candidates are
given
instruction over a period of time to prepare them for baptism. This preparation ends in a
service of praise and rejoicing, prior to the candidate’s acceptance of Jesus Christ, by
immersing in living water, that is, a stream, river or the sea.
Mourning: The mourning period can last for three to seven or more days. According to
Gibbs
de Peza (64) , “Mourning is characterized by the denial to one’s self of the freedom to move
about, to speak, to eat, drink, bathe or any other comforts, and the acceptance of the
naked
earth for a bed, a stone for a pillow” (1999). In addition, the church member prays, fasts and
meditates day and night. During the mourning period, the member receives spiritual
instruction
through visions and dreams. Mourning is considered important for developing the soul,
strengthening the spirit and achieving spiritual knowledge, wisdom and understanding
(Gibbs de
Peza 64).
Pilgrimages: These are visits from one church to another in a different district. During the
journey there is much singing and praying.
Commemoration of the Dead: The Spiritual and Shouter Baptists believe that the death of a
loved one who lived a life of righteousness causes surviving friends and relatives to turn to
God. It is the duty of the minister therefore, to provide hope and comfort so they can realize
that the greatest solace comes from God.
Bands: These are pieces of cloth with seals on them. They are used in baptism and
mourning
to cover the member’s eyes, so that he or she would not be distracted by his or her
surroundings.
Doption: This word was derived from the English word adopt. It is a groaning sound made to
various rhythms while praying or while on a spiritual journey.
Speaking in Tongues: This is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit referred to in the Bible. It can
be described as a phenomenon during which the believer speaks in languages unknown to
him
or her in his or her everyday life.
Roadside Preaching/Missions: Members of the faith are sent to villages to spread the
messages they received in their visions and dreams. They do this by preaching at street
corners.
Praying Aloud: Individuals or groups pray aloud during the church service, kneeling either in
the center of the church or at the steps of the altar.
Mode of Dress: Members of the Baptist faith wear uniforms or spiritual clothes in various
designs and colours. The choice of colour is guided by the instructions received during
spiritual
journeys. The uniforms define the office and function the member has in the church.
Women
must cover their heads during worship with large pieces of cloth called head-ties. Senior
female
members often wear their head-ties at all times and not just during worship.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Celebrations
Like other religious groups, there are special days that are celebrated in the
Spiritual/Shouter
Baptist faith. These include the following:
Christmas: This festival is celebrated to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ.
Passion Tide: This celebration begins with Palm Sunday. The Baptist church follows Jesus
Christ in his suffering, death and burial. The services of the Holy Week provide the
members
with the opportunity to live again through the historic events of the Baptist Faith and relate
these experiences to their own lives. The week ends with the celebration of the Last Supper
of
Jesus Christ on Holy Thursday night. On Good Friday, there are services to commemorate
His
death and burial.
Easter: This celebrates Christ’s victory over death and is a joyous occasion.
Pentecost: This celebrates the descent of the Holy Spirit on the disciples of Jesus Christ.
Pentecost is significant for Spiritual and Shouter Baptists because it serves to remind
members
of the importance of unity and the presence of the Holy Spirit in the church.
Church Anniversary: The establishment of a local church is a great achievement so, each
year, members come together to review the past year and give thanks to God for keeping
the
church together. It is also an opportunity for them to reflect on their achievements, count
their
blessings and make a commitment to serve God in the coming year.
Harvest: This celebration is held to recognize that God is responsible for the bounty of the
land and the achievements of members’ lives. It also recognizes God’s mercy towards
mankind.
Thanksgiving: This is held at various times throughout the year. It is a means of expressing
gratitude to God for his blessings and is held after special occasions in members’ lives,
such as
success in an undertaking, or recovery from an illness. It also recognizes God’s mercy.
Flower Service or Candle Light Service: This celebration represents a time for reflecting on
one’s life. According to Gibbs-dePeza, “it is a time when man’s life is compared to that of the
flower whose beauty fades at the end of the day and the candle whose light wanes as the
wax
is burnt out.” (1999). The flower and the candle are meant to remind mankind of the frailty
of
human existence. They also symbolize Jesus, without whose Light we would live in darkness.
Old Year/New Year: Members gather on Old Year’s night to give thanks and praise to God
for the passing year and expectantly await the new year. The new year is heralded with
rejoicing, greetings and new year’s resolutions.
1 The LORD is my
want.
2 He maketh me to lie
down in green pastures:
he leadeth me beside
the still waters.
paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
through the valley of
the shadow of death, I
will fear no evil: for
thou art with me; thy
rod and thy staff they
comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a
table before me in the
presence of mine
enemies: thou anointest
my head with oil; my
cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and
mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life:
and I will dwell in the
house of the LORD for
ever.
| Plans for grand welcome to the motherland For the home coming of Patriarch and Delegation A high level delegation of the Spiritual Baptist faith from the United States (USA), Canada, United Kingdom (UK) and the Caribbean will leave London for West Africa on August 11th and return on the 29th August 2010. His Excellency Dr. John A Noel DD, a Grenadian Archbishop and Patriarch of the Spiritual Baptist faith who heads the delegation will leave Grenada on August 3rd for London where all members will assemble for this historic trip to the African continent. Before departing London for the ‘Motherland’ the delegation will pay a courtesy call on the Grenada High Commission in London where Dr. Noel will introduce members of the London chapter of the Universal Ecclesiastical Order of Spiritual Baptist (UEOSB) and other members of the Order, including the newly ordained Bishop Bridget Aberdeen, a Grenadian who is the president of Sunshine Foundation – an organization responsible for assisting children with special needs in Grenada. In this regard, Dr. Noel held talks with Grenada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Hon Peter David to brief him on the mission. Also attending the meeting was Bro Sherwin Sean Modeste, President of the Youth Council, Liaison Officer and Assistant Coordinator for the visit to West Africa. (Modeste is originally from Content, St. David, Grenada and a prominent member of the Spiritual Baptist faith) The discussions focused on establishing and deepening relationships between Grenada and West Africa. Dr. Noel who is Ambassador at Large for the UEOSB was invited to Liberia by the Liberian-Grenada/Caribbean Friendship Society, an organization based in Liberia. Dr. Noel was also appointed Grand Patron of this West African movement. The Grenadian Archbishop was given the assurance by Foreign Minister Hon David that Grenada will be interested in establishing relationship with countries such as Liberia, Ghana, Nigeria and other African states. Dr. Noel promised to lay the ground work to link Grenada and the Caribbean to these and other West African countries, which he feels is a long overdue process. Minister David advised the Patriarch that Grenada was recently granted observer status to the African Union (AU) and welcomed the opportunity to develop and strengthen ties with the West African continent. Bro Modeste, who resides in Canada and a regular visitor to Ghana and other West African states promised to work closely with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to explore opportunities for closer relationships with Ghana and other states. Modeste left Grenada on Wednesday 14th July to assist with preparations for the grand ‘Home Coming’ arrival of His Excellency Archbishop Dr. Noel and his delegation. Other members of the delegation, which comprises twenty-five (25) members of the Spiritual Baptist faith – locally, regionally and internationally, include Visionary of the Spiritual Baptist faith Bishop George Xavier and his wife from California, USA; Bishop Andrew Phillip and his wife from Trinidad and Tobago; Bishops Bridget Aberdeen and Bishop McCollof from London, among others. Among the highlights of this historic trip will be a meeting between Thandiwe Nkomo, a member of the Ghanaian Parliament and daughter of Ghana’s first president – Joshua Nkomo and Dr. Noel, who is the Archbishop and Primate of the Children of the Light International archdiocese. Additionally, the Patriarch Dr. Noel will be the Chief celebrant at an ordination service of the first Caribbean clergyman to be ordained as archdeacon in the state of Ghana. Dr. Noel said he considers this fact finding mission as an historic event, noting that this is his first trip back across the middle passage to the motherland since his ancestors were brought out as slaves on a slave ship. In this regard, the Patriarch give thanks to God for this opportunity. Other activities in Ghana include the annual convention of the Universal Ecclesiastical Order of the Spiritual Baptist Movement (UEOSP); a visit to the ‘Slave Pen’ among other historic sites. In Liberia Dr. Noel and delegation will meet and hold talks with the President of the Republic of Liberia – Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Dr. Noel is also schedule to address the National Assembly in Liberia. Arrangements are also being made for the delegation to meet with various heads of state including the Opposition and religious leaders. According to our correspondent in West Africa extensive preparations are being made by the Grenada-Caribbean/Liberian movement for a grand welcoming of the Patriarch Dr. Noel and his delegation at the Daniel Oduber airport in Monrovia, Liberia. The arrival of His Excellency is expected to be a memorable event in the process of re-connecting the African Diaspora to the motherland. The welcoming ceremony will include a presentation by Elders from the villages, drumming, chanting and singing and other spiritual activities. For Dr. Noel this mission is considered as a return to his motherland and not as a visitor or a tourist. |