Spiritual Baptists urged to defend faith

WITH just over a week to go before the annual Spiritual Baptist Liberation Day, members of the Tobago United Spiritual Baptist Assembly hosted an exhibition at the Gulf City, Lowlands Mall last Friday.

Displaying a number of items and clothing used by the faith, members of the assembly presented a number of possessions from the origins and early development of the religion in TT, as it has evolved over time to become a unique, indigenous religion.

“We have set up for you to see some of the clothes that are worn by the Spiritual Baptist. We also have on display the things we do, the things we use along with the meaning of them,” Reverend Mother Lydmoy Brebnor-Dillon said as she welcomed the small gathering.

Brebnor-Dillon said the Baptist faith had persevered through the years, although most citizens were ignorant about the faith and what it represented. She said Baptists have a long history of persecution and that was why, as a faith, they must continue to uphold their beliefs and values.

“We wish you would come back with pen and paper and learn about the faith. As members of the Spiritual Baptist faith, we are expected to defend our faith. We are expected to know more about our faith so when others are saying all kinds of things that are not true, we can defend.”

She said the boards across the atrium had lots of information, while a kiosk will also be set up at a later date.

On March 30, the assembly will lead a march from the Orange Hill/ Spring Garden traffic lights along the Claude Noel Highway to their base in Signal Hill for the annual celebrations.

Here are some highlights from the exhibition.