The Lutherans of Berbice. 77 



Ordinance of 1888 which did not provide for resignations or absences 

 from the Colony or for the case of a Trustee being unable or unwilling to 

 act. It did not, moreover, provide for the case of a senior member of the 

 Court, a statutory Trustee, being unwilling to act on the ground that he 

 did not belong to any branch of the Protestant Church. 



To sum up the whole matter the Lutheran Community in Berbice 

 appears from the records of the Government Secretary to have been a 

 mutual benefit society as well as a religious one, for they granted pensions, 

 which I believe are still paid. 



From earliest times their existence seems to have been a struggle, 

 disturbed by internal discord, misappropriation of funds (if we can believe 

 the petitioners), High death-rate of their Ministers and the cost of bring- 

 ing men out, nor do they appear to have been recognised by the Direc- 

 tors of the Berbice Association or the Berbice Court of Policy, judging 

 from the stringent rules laid upon them and absence of any monetary aid. 

 In spite of all there are still a few of them left in the Ancient County yet , 

 working and watching for the " promised Minister from their Father- 

 land." 



I might mention that the " Directors " so often mentioned in the files 

 of the Government Secretary's Office were the Committee of Governors of 

 the Berbice Association. 



There was a small community of Lutheran in the Colony of 

 Demerary and Essequebo and they were supported by the profits of a 

 Plantation called the " White Swan " about the year 1755 but not very 

 much is known about them and to-day they do not exist. 



