Page 56 - Hall-Musgrove Family Reunion 2025

HISTORY OF CHURCH OF GOD OF PROPHECY
The seed of Pentecostalism in the Turks and Caicos Islands,
Was first planted by a native son from Kew; In 1921 Cornelius Hall returned home,
Bringing the holy ghost from The U. S. A., which was new.
He informed him that God was working mightily,
In the TCI, His Spirit was moving mightily everywhere.
Bishop Stanley Ferguson left Nassau for the Turks and Caicos,
He was accompanied by his trusted friend, Alvin Moss;
The next year, Robert Hall came home from The Bahamas, He continued the work which Cornelius Hall had begun;
They traveled on April 5, 1926,
Both men were fellow soldiers of the cross.
He preached holiness, sanctification and the baptism of the Holy Spirit, The trinity - the holy ghost, God the Father and Jesus, God’s son.
The duo arrived at East Harbour, on April 24th, 1926,
But somehow, they were not allowed to land;
Everywhere, all over, many souls were being saved, On street corners, in their homes and in the fields;
Rather, they were brought before a TCI magistrate,
For failure to pay the landing fee of one hundred pounds.
The phenomenon of the good news spread like wildfire,
Never before had salvation been such a big deal!
However, a kind gentleman stood their bond,
And they were soon on their journey of four hours to Kew;
On May 17, 1922 many souls had gathered at his home, A mighty outpouring of the Holy Spirit came; Over twenty-five persons received the baptism experience, For them, their lives would never be the same.
Bishop Ferguson gave an account of his TCI experience,
Marveling at what he witnessed as the holy ghost moved through.
“When those West Indies folks began to sing,
Indeed, Pentecost had truly come to the Turks and Caicos, Many prominent folks received baptism on that day; James Musgrove, Emmanuel Hall,
Sometimes it looked like a camp would not stand;
The saints shouted, danced and talked in tongues,
They ran, leaped, and clapped their hands.
Isaiah and Esther Whynns and Simeon Handfield, Were among those who served in pastoral duties in a mighty way.
“It looked like heaven was bending down on earth,”
Bishop Ferguson said in his report;
They continued in prayer, praise and worship, at Hanover Hall’s house, But it was not big enough for the growing throng;
“We had a convention for two and a half days. At the end thirty-five souls were baptised for the Lord.”
Because of the increasing crowd, a larger house was found, So, they moved to Walter Handfield’s building in Handfield Town.
Following Bishop Stanley Ferguson’s TCI visit,
The Church of God of Prophecy was set in order at Kew;
Robert Hall wrote to Bishop Stanley Ferguson, Who was The Bahamas State Overseer;
On 26 April, 1926 starting with seventy members,
Simeon Handfield was appointed pastor and district overseer, too.
50