Jamaica Spurns Attachment to British Heritage
Earlier this month in the grounds of King’s House, the governor general’s official residence, Jamaica’s newly elected prime minister declared her intention to sever Jamaica’s ties with the British crown and proclaim Jamaica a republic. If she gets her way, the prime minister will leave behind 400 years of Jamaican history associated with Britain. The 66-year-old Portia Simpson Miller feels in her wisdom that in severing ties with Queen Elizabeth ii as head of state and establishing a Jamaican republic, her People’s National Party (pnp) can deliver the Caribbean’s third-largest island effectively into the 21st century, burying memories of its British Commonwealth past.
It was also at King’s House in 1973, based on advice from British-educated pnp Prime Minister Michael Manley, that the Queen appointed Florizel Glasspole to the post of governor general. Only six people have held that position since independence was granted in 1962. Glasspole would serve for 18 years as the Queen’s royal appointee, and upon the later recommendation of Prime Minister Edward Seaga of the Jamaican Labor Party in 1981, receive the Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of St Micheal and St George at Buckingham Palace. Two years later, in 1983, another honor was bestowed upon Sir Florizel Glasspole as he was made a Grand Commander of the Royal Victorian Order by the Queen.
Perhaps this knight of Jamaica, along with thousands of others, first heard the voice of ambassador for world peace Herbert W. Armstrong over Jamaican radio in 1962 when The World Tomorrow first began broadcasting across that island nation. Maybe he even saw copies of the Plain Truth magazine and read in print the declaration of coming world peace, or perhaps he heard of the establishment of a ministry and congregations of the Radio Church of God raised up in the country.
In 1968, beginning with the establishment of his friendship with King Leopold of Belgium, Mr. Armstrong began meeting with emperors, kings, queens, princes, presidents, prime ministers and dignitaries around the world.
By early 1974, plans were being laid for reaching the Jamaican leadership in person and personally speaking with the nation’s people through public appearance campaigns. On Nov. 5, 1975, after meeting with Prince Bernhard of Holland and later King Leopold of Belgium, Mr. Armstrong wrote to co-workers: “Then, after a few days in Pasadena, on to Jamaica for a testimonial dinner with some 50 or more top officials, followed in one or two weeks by a full campaign.” This trip saw Mr. Armstrong speak to thousands at Kingston’s National Arena, proclaiming Christ’s prophesied gospel of the good news of the coming Kingdom of God (Matthew 24:14).
During this time, Michael Manley was prime minister, and Florizel Glasspole was serving as governor general. Jamaican leaders were working to remove class divisions that had hamstrung the national growth of their developing country, which had transitioned by then from its colonial status to independence. In January 1976, the Plain Truth reported, “Already we have met with the governor general and the minister of education to discuss plans for a lasting and important project to be carried on in cooperation between the Ministry of Education and the Ambassador International Cultural Foundation—a project that we hope will play a substantial role in helping the people of Jamaica to achieve the transformation of its educational system that is so essential for Jamaica’s development into a modern society in this technological age.”
So successful was the visit with the country’s leadership, and the Plain Truth lectures, that 11 months later a second campaign was already being planned for Jamaica, as well as the Caribbean countries of Barbados, Trinidad and the Bahamas.
However, Herbert Armstrong’s return to Jamaica was to be delayed by his near fatal heart attack in 1977, the process of recovery in 1978, followed by the unconstitutional attack by the attorney general of the state of California beginning 1979.
Following these events, Mr. Armstrong once again resumed his visits to dignitaries with the express purpose of witnessing to them of the gospel of the coming Kingdom of God (Matthew 24:14). Neither the drama of the Falkland Islands conflict between Argentina and Britain, war between Lebanon and Israel, nor terrorist bombings by the Irish Republican Army, stopped him visiting King Hussein of Jordan, the Queen’s son Prince Charles, and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, before taking time to return to Jamaica in 1982.
He arrived in the capital, Kingston, on the evening of Dec. 16, 1982. Later that night he met with Church officials at the famed Pegasus Hotel where he was staying. “The next morning, December 17, the group traveled to the government complex, where Mr. Armstrong renewed his friendship with Florizel Glasspole, the governor general. Mr. Armstrong met the governor general in 1975 during a series of Plain Truth lectures” (Worldwide News, Dec. 27, 1982).
During the hour-long meeting at King’s House, one of Mr. Armstrong’s aides recalled, “The governor general, who is 71, asked Mr. Armstrong if he planned to retire when he reached age 90. Mr. Armstrong replied that he had already reached 90, and had no intentions of retiring. Mr. Armstrong told the governor general of the impending political union of Europe, and the nuclear war it would trigger. The governor general protested, saying that there was ‘enough reason in the world’ to prevent nuclear war. Mr. Armstrong explained that peace would come, but not by human effort” (ibid). (Request your copy of Germany and the Holy Roman Empire to understand more deeply Mr. Armstrong’s warning.)
Later that afternoon, at 3:30 p.m., Mr. Armstrong arrived for a meeting with Prime Minister Edward Seaga. The half-hour meeting in Prime Minister Seaga’s office provided the opportunity to reach him with God’s gospel. The subjects of the Church’s size and work in Jamaica, freedom of religion, and the country’s relations with Cuba topped the agenda.
The Sabbath of December 18, Mr. Armstrong addressed 200 Church members gathered at the Kingston Hotel. He delivered a messaged titled, “Why the Church?” He recounted the purpose and meaning of the Church, declaring to all in attendance that we “need to realize the seriousness of the times we live in” (ibid).
Today, 30 years later, Jamaica’s present-day prime minister appears ignorant of the urgent message delivered to Jamaica by that ambassador for world peace, Herbert Armstrong, and his warning of the “seriousness of the times we live in.” Jamaican leadership today is ignorant of the fact of the source of their national blessings—attachment to the very British heritage that the prime minister is now seeking to reject.
Jamaica has been richly blessed in the past, not as a result of either British or Jamaican ingenuity, but as a direct result of the obedience of the ancient patriarch Abraham (Genesis 12:1-4). For an understanding of this great truth, study Herbert Armstrong’s book The United States and Britain in Prophecy.
Once, Jamaica received Herbert Armstrong, ambassador for world peace, with his message of the prophesied coming world government and Family of God. Precious few Jamaicans recognize today’s continuation of the legacy of Mr. Armstrong and support the ongoing work that continues in his tradition. However, as Christ Himself noted in Matthew 7:16 and 21, “by their fruits you shall know them.” Some few loyal Jamaicans scattered worldwide, striving to be in submission to their Maker, do still support this publication and its sponsor, founded by editor in chief Gerald Flurry.
Through the Key of David television program and this website, the same gospel message to which Herbert Armstrong was such a committed witness continues sounding. Yet, today it contains an amplified warning, fulfilling the scriptural admonition to “prophesy again” (Revelation 10:11). A prophecy that declares the need for its urgent fulfillment as a sign of the very soon-coming return of the living Jesus Christ, to bring peace, prosperity and joy, not only to the island nation of Jamaica, but to the whole world.
