A 224-page hard cover book, entitled Rivers of Water, written by two Anguillian authors, and printed by Pacific Press in the United States, was launched in Anguilla on Thursday, October 18. The book is “A History of Seventh-day Adventism in Anguilla– its Roots and the St. John Shoot”.
The launching ceremony, held at the Rodney Mac Arthur Rey Auditorium, was ably chaired by Graduate Teacher, Ms Michelle Queeley, Head of Year Four and Tutor of English Language, English Literature and Caribbean Studies.
Rivers of Water was written by Mrs. Ivy Thompson Plank, a retired teacher in St. Kitts and Anguilla who spends her time pursuing her interest in Biblical Studies; and Mrs. Tryphean St. John Cornett, a secondary school teacher in St. Croix,US Virgin Islands. Both of them, Anguillians, are cousins.
Chief Minister, Hubert Hughes, congratulated them for their work. He described the book as a contribution to the religious history of Anguilla for which the authors must be commended. “We can only hope that this book will inspire others to follow in their footsteps and document the history of their denominations in a well-researched and scholarly manner,” he commented.
Parliamentary Representative for Long Bay/West End, Mr. Walcott Richardson, in an address delivered by his sister, Ms. Irma Richardson, joined in commending the authors for producing the book. He spoke of the historic and religious links between families from Long Bay and West End and their involvement in the Seventh-day Adventist and Methodist Church there.
The opening prayer was said by Resident Adventist Minister, Pastor Virgil Sams.
Methodist Supernumerary Minister, Rev. John A. Gumbs, gave the closing prayer. He noted in his remarks that an Anguillian layman, John Hodge, who eventually became an ordained minister, was responsible for the spread of Methodism in Anguilla. Likewise, other religious lay persons from Anguilla, such as the St. John family,were early promoters of Adventism on the island. He saw adventism therefore as a layman’s initiative rather that something handed down from the top by a minister or pastor to the people.
A comprehensive review of the book was presented by Mrs. Rita Celestine Carty, Head of the English Department and English, Literature and French Teacher at the Comprehensive School. An edited version of her review is published elsewhere in this edition of The Anguillian.
The addresses, duets and other presentations during the launching ceremony were followed by a book-signing and sale conducted by the two authors.
