A Jamaican Hero
Click here to see a portrait of James Finlayson
James Finlayson was born as a slave on the property called Penshurst, about four miles from Browns Town. His life developed normally, with lying and licentiousness, thieving and drunkenness as his regular habits. Finlayson either kept a few hives of bees or gathered wild honey from the caves and rocks on the property. He was a "domestic" or house slave, and so would have no leisure for cultivation.
In 1828 he went to Falmouth, the nearest market, though some twenty five miles away, on a Sabbath Day to sell his honey. Finlayson went to a Wesleyan Minister to sell his wares. The Minister rebuked him for breaking the Sabbath and Finlayson ashamed though he did not know why, turned away with the words "Poor man! Poor man!" still ringing in his mind. Entering another street, he saw a number of slaves of his own class going into a building where he was told someone had come to tell them the word of God. He entered with others, standing by the door as the room was already crowded. The Preacher was the Rev. James Mann. Finlayson listened attentively to the description of his own life, . He had never before attended a service, nor listened to any message that revealed his responsibility to God. He forgot his honey , leaving it behind, and returned home telling his companions that he had heard the Word of God. He could find no one in this section to explain to him the ground of Salvation, and so he traveled as far as Ocho Rios, some twenty -five miles away, to seek help from Mr. Bromley, The agent of the General Baptists, who had opened there a mission station. The General Baptists however was arranging to stop their operations in Jamaica and transferred the stations at Ocho Rios and St. Ann's Bay to the Body that would run the Brown's Town Baptist Church. Rev. Samuel Nichols took charge of the field and made his home in St. Ann's Bay.
Finlayson was Baptised by Mr. Nichols. He would would travel fifteen miles every Sunday to go to church instead of going to market. This was the year 1829. Finlayson was an active disciple. He gathered together his fellow slaves and told them the gospel. He extended his work to the neighbouring properties of Knapdale and Hilton Hill. He was the spiritual guide of a company of earnest seekers. Many of these were taken to St. Ann's Bay as "Enquirers". After due instruction and showing evidence of conversion, the seekers were baptised by Mr. Nichols and entrusted to the care of Finlayson, who formed them into a class, shepherding them in the week and herding them to St. Ann's Bay on Sundays. This group of people would become the nucleus of the Browns Town Baptist Church.
James pleaded with Mr. Nichols to pay a visit to Browns Town on December 12, 1830. With a stirring in his heart and having sought the counsel of his fellow ministers, he formed a separate church in Brown's Town on June 5, 1831. There were twenty four members from St. Ann's Bay, one from Falmouth and nineteen were baptised that very day. Forty four people shared communion that day as the Brown's Town Baptist Church.
On February 19,1832 the Brown's Town Chapel was pulled down in broad daylight. Effigies of minsters were hung on a shaddock tree in the town. This was the work of the Colonial Church Union, who had vowed to rid the island of "dissenting preachers" ie those that did not support in doctrine and lifestyle the practice of slavery. Mr. Nichols household was attacked in the night and he was arrested and charged but soon released for the charge could not be substantiated. Mr. Nichols moved away never to return.
Here is an excerpt from the book "Goodness and Mercy, a tale of a Hundred years."
He was put into the stocks for praying; taunted by his mistress as a Methodist; and then sent to Saint Ann's Bay to the House of Correction for corporal punishment. He says:"I was in the Workhouse two months before they flog me. One day Mr. Drake (the superintendent) come and say, 'Bring that preacher here!'...And he say to the driver,'Take time. Five licks this side; then the other side.' He then call to the driver to stop, and he ask me, 'Will you go to Mr. Bridges church?' (The Established Church)And I cry, O Lord! O Lord! O Lord! And when he was gone the driver say, 'Go and lay down in the sea.'"
All this most likely took place in the year 1834.
James Finlayson was laid to rest in 1865. He attended church as usual on Sunday and took ill during the service. Within an hour he passed away.
