In what might now be considered a restriction of press freedom, Time Magazine was removed from bookshops across Jamaica in April 1960 because of an article titled “The Lion of Judah’s Men”. The story featured on the arrest of Rev. Cladius Henry on a charge of treason felony following a raid by the police on his African Reform Church at 78 Rosalie Avenue.
Rev. Henry’s son Reynold, leader of the First Africa Corps in the United States came to Jamaica during his father’s trial. While here he was implicated in the murder of a Rastafarian who had refused to join in on a planned rebellion (armed) against the government; he was subsequently convicted and hanged.
Cladius was found guilty as charged and sent to prison for 10 years but released in November 1966 after only serving six. He reestablished his church as The New Creation Peacemakers Tabernacle in Kemps Hill, Clarendon and along with his wife Edna Fisher-Henry, made home at Green Bottom in the parish and from there led the Peacemakers Organization until his death in 1986.
Moses, Joshua and the Ethiopian
Haile Selassie visited Jamaica in April 1966 while Cladius Henry was still imprisoned and there is no account that both men ever met. However, in run up to the general elections of 1972 blasphemous pamphlets appeared, and one such headline read “The Trinity of the Godhead”, with Michael “Joshua” Manley, Cladius “Moses” Henry and Haile Selassie “lord of lords”. Other pamphlets stated that the trio would set up a government in Jamaica with Mr. Manley as Prime Minister and quoted Daniels 12:1 “And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book”.
Strange bedfellows
On a return visit from Ethiopia in 1971, Manley presented a rod purportedly given to him by Selassie to rule Jamaica. Rev. Henry also had a rod but of unknown origin. What is clear is that the Peoples National Party (PNP) tacitly aligned forces with the Rev. Henry and when the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) began exploiting the pamphlets in their advertising campaign of 1972 the church published full-page statements condemning its use by the JLP for dragging the name of God into the election for party advantage.
The PNP also had the church on side in its campaign against the National Lottery and that might have played a role in the church turning a “blind eye” to Rev. Henry’s pretensions.
Socialism is love
Another famous reverend, Ernie Gordon’s use of the pulpit for PNP propaganda in the 1970s is well known. The JLP excepting for a very brief period leading up to the 1980 election have found little favour inside the church. Then, the Blair brothers Ronald and Herro (now political Ombudsman) sought to influence their congregation to vote against communism.
Faith without works
Pastor Phinn’s declaration that Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller was sent by God is therefore not surprising and neither is the church muted condemnation. Both Dr. Phinn and Mrs. Simpson Miller are undoubtedly aware of the religiosity of Jamaicans and in the case of the latter she has witnessed first hand the benefit to her party of aligning to the church. She has wasted little time since her inauguration in telling the country and indeed the world of her new found faith.
But the mark of a changed man (person) is from within, and while we are not calling on the Prime Minister to publicly confess her (political) sins, her words and deeds must compel us to believe that she had been on the road to Damascus and has changed course.
Carry Go Bring Come
The titled song by Justin Hinds and the Dominoes portrayed a busy body creating misery and disturbances. The likening of the Prime Minister to Jezebel by Joan Gordon- Webley is the most effective counter attack ever by the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) to PNP propaganda. And instead of allowing it to seep in, chief JLP wimp Carl Samuda was at the front of the line to offer his apology and the media played no let up in demanding a retraction from Mrs. Gordon- Webley. And although the labeling of the Prime Minister is ascribed to Joan, it was the real Chief, Pearnel Charles that first made public that observation, in a discussion with Mutty Perkins a few weeks earlier.
It is therefore apt to quote a line from this song “How long shall the wicked reign over my people”; to which one could add, a very long time, given what we have for Her Majesty’s loyal opposition.
Source: The Holy Bible- King James Version, Jamaica Gleaner
