A CONCISE HISTORY OF THE GRANT’S TOWN CHURCH
“Recapturing
the essence of our past is always a thrilling
experience. Reminiscing on the nostalgic and evocative
bygone years captivates our attention as we long for the
time when going to church seemed more spiritual and
fulfilling. An exercise will always stimulate the
interest of the younger generation as they reflect and
ponder how things used to be. Many of the churches that
stand as the paragons of spiritual and moral strength in
communities started in the living rooms of humble homes.
In some cases, the members started worshipping under a
tree or wherever they found somewhere to lift praises to
the Lord. ” Dr. A. Nicholas
Missionaries brought the Seventh-day Adventist teachings
to the Bahamas in 1893 from the United States. According
to Historical records, the first Bahamians to accept the
Adventists teaching and become Sabbath keepers were the
late William Charles Antonio and his family.
As a result the family started worshipping in the family
home.
A Sabbath School began in the Antonio home soon after
they were baptized and continued for ten years. All of
the Antonio family became Adventists. Then
as the numbers grew, they became more organized and they
stated having weekly meetings in the Odd Fellows Lodge Hall on
Meeting Street. It was the first Adventist gathering of
its kind.
In 1909, the first full-time missionary came to The
Bahamas. He was W. A. Sweany. He conducted an evangelist
series in the Odd Fellows Lodge Hall on Meeting Street
and soon after the first baptism in 1911 he organized
the first church. After he left Pastor J. H. Smith came
to the Bahamas (1913).
Pastor J.H. Smith built the first
Seventh–day Adventist house of worship on Shirley Street
in 1914. This wooden structure was the only house of
worship until 1929 when a hurricane destroyed the
building and a stone building was erected on Shirley
Street. The lumber from the wooden structure was given
to the Grants Town Company to construct the first
Grant’s Town Seventh-day Adventist Church on this
present site.
This new emerging Adventist Church we call a Company was born out of a number of street meetings
that were held every Sunday afternoon on the corner of
Wellington and Market Street. While the church building
was under construction, the members first, worshipped
under a thatched booth at the back of the property on
Wellington Street. The late William Fountain gave this
plot of land to the Adventist Mission.
The faithful members like Brother and Sister Abraham
Ward, Brother and Sister Oscar Johnson, Bro. and Sister
Somellian, Sister Eliza Butler and family, the Bosfield
family, the Higgs family and others who contributed free
labour and love gifts, completed and dedicated the
building in 1930.
A few of the members from the Shirley Street church
relocated to the new Grant’s Town Church, they became
charter members. Among them were Brother Stephen and his
wife Eliza Butler, Hasting and his wife Floy Louise
Rollins, Brother and Sister Thaddeus Thompson, Brother
and Sister Abraham Ward and one Brother Hall.
An elderly member of the Adventist Faith remembers
Brother Sweeting as the first leader of the new company,
and Brother Jack B. Dean who was baptized shortly after
the company was organized, was the first ordained elder.
After serving as an elder in the Grant’s Town Church for
a number of years, Jack Dean moved into the Englerston area and started a branch Sabbath School that
grew into the Englerston Seventh–day Adventist
Church. In December 1986 the Englerston moved to a
large property on Tonique Williams Darling Highway. That
church is now called Hillview Adventist Church.
In 1931, Pastor O. P. Reed and the members of this small
company conducted a crusade. Twenty – four precious
souls followed their Lord in the watery grave of
baptism. Some of the members were Nellie Rahming,
(mother of Derrington Rahming) Hector Daswell, Evelyn
Hall Woods, Gladys Bailey, Eugene E. Ferment, Daniel
McMillan and Pearl McMillan (parents of Cyril McMillan).
Daniel McMillan later became an outstanding local elder;
he served in this capacity for fifteen years.
Gladys Bailey was an outstanding organist and Brother
Ferment a distinguished choir leader. It was said, that
when Sister Bailey played and Brother Ferment conducted
the choir in that little building, “It felt as though
all Heaven came down and glory filled the building.” Oh
what glorious music!
In 1957 the women of the Welfare Society led by Pearl
McMillan, wife of Daniel McMillan operated a centre in a
rented building (owned by Sister Dorothy Seymour)
situated on the corner of Cambridge Street and Hospital
Lane. They presented plans to the church for the
building of a Welfare Centre ( now referred to as ‘the
Annex” ) Although “The Annex” started as a centre for
the Welfare Society, many of the members felt that they
needed a larger building to worship in, because the
little wooden building was seriously over crowded.
Later the Church Building Committee met and voted to
turn the Welfare Centre into a church building. Those
whose heart were in the welfare work were very
disappointed, but the will of the majority carried and
what started out as a welfare building was dedicated in
1959 as the Grant’s Town Seventh- day Adventist Church.
The old wooden building was used for the children’s
division of the Sabbath School, Master Guide and
Pathfinder Club meetings, and later as a meeting place
for the Haitian segment of the church.
The Advent family believes in spreading the Gospel, they
believe all should be witnesses unto “the uttermost part
of the earth.” With the various programs of evangelism
that were conducted by Pastors Leslie V. McMillan, Roy
M. Fernander, and S.G. Cole (1965- 1972) the Annex
became overcrowd and it was necessary for an expansion
once again.
Early in 1972, the Conference Committee approved plans
drawn by Brother Stanley A. Major. Brother Major was
awarded the contract to construct the present building.
The wooden structure was demolished and this present
edifice was erected. Although this present structure was
occupied since December 1972, It was dedicated on
January 14 1979 six years later . It is quite clear
that the Grant’ Town Church has taken its mission aim
seriously, “To proclaim the good news of Salvation to
all and to garner in souls for the kingdom.”
Our Church has served this community in many ways, For
the young people we have an active Pathfinders Club, A
soup kitchen where the Community Service ladies cook and
feed the needy and clothe those who are in need.
Presently a Community Centre is being constructed a few
houses down from the church.
Over the years, Grant’s Town Church members have been
very active in missionary work. In fact, many of them
have become charter members in other churches. Brother
and Sister Stanley Major, helped to established Johnson
Park Church 1963, and the Ephesus Church in 1990. Later
Alfred and Mary Brennen joined them. A short time later,
Brother and Sister Alfred Brown left to assist in
establishing the Good News Church. There were many
others who have assisted in raising up other sister
churches, Dr. and Mrs. John Carey, Ednal Collie, Mavis
Rolle, Brother Pedro Rolle and Brother Curtis Bryan.
Many of our members have served the church and the
community with distinction locally and abroad. Some have
served as missionaries at home and abroad. Sister
Arimentha Colebrook, a Bible worker worked in many
crusades. Others served as teachers, nurses, pastors,
conference presidents, doctors, principals, district
superintendents, lecturers etc.
Today, we give God the praise for His powerful leading
of Grant’s Town Seventh day Adventist Church, whose
motto is, “The Church that knows no barrier ……….
working together for a glorious tomorrow”
