The Role of Baptists in Bahamian Independence and Nation Building A


n advertisement appearing in the Bahamas Gazette dated October 4, 1785,


provides a glimpse of the


climate and culture from which Bahamian Baptists


evolved: “To be sold at Public Auction on Monday next at twelve o’clock several valuable young negroes. Among whom carpenters, a cooper, House wenches, a very handy young girl for waiting at tables and several boys who have been accustomed to boats and fishing.” The advertisement went on to say; “all the above negroes are undoubted property and may be sent to any part of America. Warranted Bills of Sale will be given.” It was following the emancipation from slavery and in the period up to the year 1900, that the black and underprivileged population of the Bahamas outgrew the ruling, privileged and elite white minority. Baptists grew in sizeable numbers in this region through an evangelistic appeal toward the salvation of the soul coupled with a consistent appeal to embrace biblical truths concerning human potential, the nature of injustices and the consistent message of the liberating aspect of scripture. Baptists, therefore, were the chief catalysts to effectively identify with and spread the movement toward national self-determination and independence due to their beliefs in personal freedom, autonomy, and the power and appeal of the Gospel and emphasis on human dignity and self worth. Although the process toward Majority Rule and Independence


did not gain momentum until the 1950s through 1973, the seeds were planted many years before, through Baptists’ involvement in the education of the masses following the abolition of slavery. The church became pioneers in the field of education during these early days.


During this time, the government was able to hold that due to


lack of financial resources, money could not be spent on education for blacks. Baptists organized themselves into autonomous and collective, cooperative organizations for spiritual, educational, moral, social advancement and pooling of limited resources. Before there were government-operated public schools, Baptists had established a number of schools later turned over to the government. Baptists along with Methodists and Presbyterians agitated for and achieved the disestablishment of the Anglican church as the state church. Following the abolition of slavery, it took some years for local Baptist ministers to obtain marriage licences and the right to bury the dead. A major step was taken in the advent of educational opportunities for the masses


12 BAPTIST WORLD MAGAZINE


and public awareness of the size and significance of Baptists with the establishment of The Bahamas Baptist Missionary & Educational Convention in 1935. Early strong proponents of Majority Rule included Baptist leaders like the late H.W. Brown, pastor of Bethel Baptist Church (the oldest continuing congregation in the Caribbean), the late Enoch Backford, the late R.E. Cooper and the late A.S. Colebrooke, all former presidents of The Bahamas National Baptist Missionary of Educational Convention. Brown and Colebrooke threw their weight behind the young


dynamic political leader, Lynden Oscar Pindling and other leaders who were fighting for Majority Rule in a country in which 90 percent of the population was black, but was nevertheless disfranchised socially, economically and educationally. Their voices were largely heard through sermons, speeches during mass rallies and whenever given the opportunity to address audiences, invited or otherwise. In an effort to wrest power from the hands of the privileged


10 percent white oligarchy, several conclaves were held with the authorities in England resulting in amendments to the constitution, disruption of the proceedings of parliament on historic Black Tuesday when, during a sitting of parliament, Member of Parliament Lynden Oscar Pindling took the mace (symbol of the power of the speaker) and threw it out of the window of the Honorable House of Assembly. Member of Parliament Milo Butler followed suit by tossing the hour glass out of the window. The turning point came in 1967. In a nonviolent electoral process, the Progressive Liberal


Party with Lynden Oscar


Pindling as leader won the majority of seats and with the alliance of the only Labor Party elected member, Randol Fawkes, the party formed the new government of the Bahamas, having lost in 1962 due to unfair electoral boundaries. It was an election colored with boycotts, media propaganda and disclosures of corruption and conflicts of interest. H. W. Brown, because of his prominence in the struggle was


included in the high level delegation that went to London to hammer out the constitution for an independent Bahamas. R. E. Cooper, as president of The Bahamas Christian Council, preached the official Independence Day Sermon. There were many other pastors and congregants in various parts of the Bahamas who can rightly be called “drum majors” in the political process.


R. E. Cooper (Photo courtesy of Mission Baptist Church, Nassau, Bahamas)

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