Elder Victor Cameron
The Mystical Apostolic Order of Faithists which was founded in Guyana,
South America, is a religion similar to the Spiritual Baptist religion. This
was revealed by Elder Victor Cameron. Like the Spiritual Baptists, the ‘Faithists’
as they are commonly called were also beaten and criminalized by the colonial
masters who once ruled Guyana.
Elder Cameron told the gathering at the launching of the
Spiritual
Baptist Online News Magazine that this religion came about as an offshoot of
another religion in Guyana called the 'Jordanites'.
He explained, “Sometime around 1917, Nathaniel Jordan, a cane cutter, was
doing his task in a cane field in Guyana when he heard a voice which told
him to stop cutting the cane and go and lead his people. It was after the
third encounter that Jordan took heed and left.”
Elder Cameron said that sometime later Jordan
received water baptism.
The Elder went on to say that it was while participating as a member
of a particular religious organization that Jordan became of the opinion that their
practices were not in co-ordination with what was written the Holy Scriptures and decided to
'pull away' from them. By that time there were already several members of the
organization who were pleased with Jordan’s doctrine and when he left they
followed him.
It was at this junction, Cameron revealed that the creation of the religious group called
the Jordanites was formed.
He added, “People who belong to this religion abstain from eating meat
and drinking alcohol. Instead their diet is made up of grains and peas. They
are considered to be highly spiritual.”
Elder Cameron noted, “Just as how the Spiritual Baptist have their
pilgrimages, so too do the Jordanites. However, they go up the river where
they stay for many days fasting and praying.”
He noted that the Jordanites are dissimilar to the Spiritual Baptist in
their recognition of their day of worshipping. He explained that they are Sabbath-keepers.
Also, they don’t adhere to manifestations of the Holy Spirit.
One should note that there are many churches
within the Spiritual Baptist organization which keep service on the Sabbath
also but most churches worship on Sundays. However, manifestation of
the Holy Spirit is entertained in every Spiritual Baptist church.
Elder Cameron added that within the Jordanites there were members who
wanted to express themselves and accept manifestations as part of their
spiritual life. These members, he noted, broke away from the main
organization and formed splinter groups or splinter organizations. One of
these organizations he explained is the Mystical Apostolic Order of Faithists of which he is a member.
“ Though members of the ‘Faithists’ dress similarly to the Spiritual
Baptists, there are differences in its membership. He explained, “In the
Spiritual Baptist religion there are people of African descent and East
Indian descent. In our religion there are no East Indians only people of
African descent.”
