Hartley Neita

Among my memories of Jamaica College, which I attended as a boarder in the 1940s, was the chapel service everyday, except Saturdays. The 80 boarders attended these services in the mornings and evenings, Mondays to Fridays, and on Sunday evenings. We were joined by the 80 day boys on weekdays.

The services were brief. There was a reading from the Bible, a prayer and a hymn. Every boy was required to attend. Each of us had a special place in the pews, and so the masters could easily see who was not present. In my time, the only students who were excused were Jews, of which there were about one dozen.

I was never told, but I assumed the chapel was a branch of the Anglican Church. In fact, every year the boarders who were in fourth form attended the classes prescribed by the diocese and were confirmed by no less a dignity than the Anglican bishop of Jamaica.

Worship

On one Sunday in each term, we boarders walked to St Margaret's Anglican Church which was just below us. Boarders from St Andrew High School for Girls in Half-Way Tree took the bus and joined us in worship. Then on a Sunday in the succeeding term, we took the bus to Half-Way Tree, while the girls from St Andrew's walked from Cecelio Avenue to the St Andrew Parish Church and joined us there in worship. The following term the joint service was again at St Margaret's - and so on, term after term.

Today, there are no boarders at either school so these Sunday services do not take place any longer. And with a school population of nearly 2,000, at Jamaica College, and with a chapel which can only accommodate less than 200 students, the daily chapel services are no longer held. Mark you, the administration could probably hold these services for sixth-formers one morning, fifth-formers the following morning, and so on.

In the Arab world, Muslims are called to prayer and they respond, up to five times each day. In the Christian world, there is no such edict. Basically, we are one-day-a-week worshippers when we put on our Sunday best and wear a holier-than-thou countenance.

There are, however, many organisations and companies who constantly regard prayer and worship as essentials in their culture. Those companies I know of are Jencare Skin Farm Co Ltd on Hope Road and La Claire's Beauty Salon on Constant Spring Road in St Andrew, Sagicor Life of Jamaica, Jamaica Money Market Brokers and Victoria Mutual Building Society. When I was associated with Things Jamaican, we had a weekly Monday morning moment of Scripture reading and prayer which was led by a different member of the staff each time.

Beautiful hymns

Last year, I spent two weeks in the Andrews Memorial Hospital where each morning I woke to the sound of beautiful hymns sung, I believe, by the nurses on staff. It was a wonderful way to begin each day, especially when the nurses came smiling to my bedside later to cheer me back to full health and looking as beautiful as angels.

We need to expand this culture. Reading such beautiful passages like "consider the lilies how they grow" or "my soul doth magnify the Lord" or those which speak to the joy and glory of love elevates one's mind and spirit. Through prayer, we touch the creative spirit which enables young men to have dreams and old men to enjoy visions.

I am, therefore, delighted that PNP President Portia Simpson Miller has included a spokesperson in her shadow Cabinet to develop a policy on religious affairs. I hope it will be all-inclusive and not partial and populist. It also must not be regimented as is practised by Muslims.

We could well be the nation that prays together, staying together.