200 Timehri. 



Owing to the long illness of the late pastor and the vacancy caused 

 by his death the properties of the Churcn had greatly deteriorated, and 

 many of the members had become scattered. Dr. IStine felt unable to 

 take up the burden because of his advanced age and because he saw that 

 at once considerable money would be required to meet outstanding debts, 

 carry on the established work, and put the church and manse in proper 

 condition. After three months he returned to the States and recommended 

 that the Synod transfer the Church to theBoard of Foreign Missions in 

 order that money might be available for the needs of the Community and 

 that a supply of ministers might be assured. The transfer was accordingly 

 made to the Board and in January, 1916, the writer took charge of the 

 work for the Board. 



During these last two and a half years, new hope has been infused 

 into the life of the congregations, membership has been increased in all 

 the churches, two day schools and three Sunday schools have been opened 

 on the Berbice River, and a successful Continuation School has been 

 conducted in New Amsterdam. The manse has been rebuilt at a cost of 

 more than three thousand dollars, the church building has been repaired 

 and painted, and the church } T ard has been fenced, graded, and beautified. 

 At the Biver Missions two chapels have been enlarged, two houses have 

 been built for teachers, a bell and bell tower have been erected at Ituni, 

 and the school house enlarged at Maria Henrietta. 



There are at present in the Berbice Lutheran Community four 

 churches : Ebenezer at New Amsterdam, St. Paul's at Maria Henrietta, 

 Rio. Berbice, Mt. Hermon at St. Lust, Rio. Berbice, and Mt. Carmel at 

 Ituni, Rio. Berbice. These four churches have a Communicant member- 

 ship of three hundred. The three day schools located at Maria Henrietta, 

 St. Lust, and Ituni, have one hundred and forty-seven scholars enrolled. 

 At New Amsterdam the successful Continuation School furnishes oppor- 

 tunity to the young men of the town to spend their evenings in a pleasant 

 and profitable manner. All the schools with the exception of Maria 

 Henrietta are maintained without Government aid. Maria Henrietta is 

 the largest school on the Berbice River above Mara, having an enrollment 

 of sixty-nine. While Ituni is the largest Aboriginal Indian school on the 

 River having an enrollment of forty-six. 



Mr. May in reviewing the difficulties encountered by this community 

 from the time of its inception concludes with these words : " In spite of 

 all there are still a few of them left in the Ancient County still working 

 and watching for the promised Minister from their Fatherland/' 



" In spite of all " and that " all " means so much to the Lutherans of 

 Berbice. It means hopes raised and then dashed down. It means years 

 and years of waiting. It means prayers, aud toils, trials of faith, tears and 

 anxieties. " In spite of all " there are three hundred faithful Communi- 

 cants, nearly three hundred Suud iy school scholars, over one hundred 



