Saint James Methodist Church on Elbow Cay: A Divine Deception
Love your neighbor as yourself… It is among the most basic of the 10 Commandments. One you’d certainly expect to see followed in church, most especially by the priest, right? The breaking of this very Commandment in this very spot, though, is what gives the otherwise plain-looking Saint James Methodist Church a very colorful past…
As noted previously, the church stands our prominently despite its understated appearance. A big reason for this is its location. St. James sits right along the Atlantic shores of Elbow Cay in Hope Town, one of the most charming seaside towns you’ll find in the Abacos, or really anywhere in The Bahamas.
It is this seaside location, though, that begat the nefarious Commandment-breaking act…
Sneaky Sermon
This legend is set in the 19th century. Salvaging shipwrecks was big business in the Abacos at the time. Most every able-bodied male living in the islands at the time was involved in the enterprise. This included the preacher presiding over the Saint James Methodist Church congregation at the time.
One Sunday, as the story goes, the preacher ended mass abruptly, instructing all parishioners to keep their heads bowed as he exited the church.
The reason: he had spied a shipwreck from the pulpit during his sermon and wanted first dibs on all the loot.
A New Saint James Methodist Church Built on Fairness
St. James, as it existed then, was not the current structure you’ll find in Hope Town today. The church was rebuilt several times on the same spot over the centuries.
In fact, when it came time to re-build a few years after the preacher’s deception, parishioners ensured that the reef just offshore could not be seen from the new pulpit.
Do unto others…
The wrecking industry has long since faded from prominence in the Abacos, of course. The sublime oceanfront setting of Saint James Methodist Church, though, continues to distinguish the house of worship, making it an ideal location for destination weddings.
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