Pastor says ‘move of Holy Spirit’ emerged at Oberlin High devotion

Pastor of the Shortwood United Church, Reverend Sylvan Hinds, is of the view that last month’s incident at Oberlin High School, during which several students fainted or acted ‘abnormally’, featured three significant elements, including a movement of the Holy Spirit.

The clergyman has also opined that the incident caused a counter-move featuring “demonic forces”.

“My summary of the whole situation is that it was three-fold,” said Hinds while speaking during a virtual forum organized by Choose Life International (CLI) on Sunday.

“There was certainly a move of the (Holy) Spirit; it caused a counter move of the demonic forces, and for sure, there was the psychological and emotional, the anxiety and the panic attacks,” he added.

According to a report in the Christian media publication, Freedom Come Rain Online, Hinds is a senior pastor within the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands (UCJCI).

The publication also reported that “at least two of the students at Oberlin High School were baptized”, while 12 others went to church on the first weekend after the October 26 incident.

Speaking at the forum, Hinds said that based on a request from the UCJCI, which started Oberlin High School in 1946, he was among several persons who visited the school to get a first-hand account of what took place on the day in question.

The Fayval Williams-led Ministry of Education and Youth indicated at the time that on October 26, the school’s administration reported that during the devotional exercise, a teacher who was leading the worship had an experience that included an extended period of “speaking in tongues”, which triggered a chain reaction of similar expressions among some students.

“Some students reportedly became overwhelmed, some falling to the ground. Other students and teachers attempted to bring calm to the situation, including praying with the affected children. Some were taken to the school nurse’s office,” said Williams in a statement then.

The minister shared that after the devotion, the students were sent to their classes. However, the agitated environment led some students to express feelings of being afraid, and others displayed what was described as “abnormal behavior”.

The administration said given the overall circumstances at the time, the school was dismissed early.

In the report on Sunday’s forum, Hinds said he went to the school the Tuesday following the incident and spoke to the teacher who shared “the word”, and a female student who was called up to the platform.

“First of all, she (the teacher) said she didn’t go up to do the devotion expecting what happened to happen,” Hinds was quoted as saying in the article.

Hinds elaborated, “She (the teacher) said her message wasn’t anything new or strange, because (it is) the usual message they have given to the students.

“She spoke about the fact that they should cut out the conflicts, the bad word cursing, the drug use, the fighting, and all of that that is happening at the school. Then she told them that God is not pleased, and they need to repent, then (she) spoke in tongues.”

The series of events was confirmed by the West Rural St Andrew-based institution’s guidance counselor and others who were present at the devotion, according to Hinds.

In speaking with the female student to gain her account of the events, Hinds said she told him and other members of the clergy that she “felt the presence of the Lord” when the teacher was speaking.

The girl is a Christian from the Church of God denomination.

At that time too, the reverend said the student related that she “began to shout and she began to share a message”, after which she was taken to the platform.

“She (the student) said she didn’t speak in tongues.

“One of the things we were hearing is that she spoke in tongues also, but she said she didn’t speak in tongues, she knows she spoke in English. She said she didn’t remember exactly what she said,” Hinds recounted.

Following that event, the student recounted to the religious leaders, including Hinds, that she was taken to the nurse’s quarters, where she saw other students exhibiting “demonic characteristics”.

One of those students reportedly uttered words threatening the female student, whose identity was not disclosed during the forum.

Hinds said the female student recounted that the Lord told her to speak in the ears of the student (who issued the threat) and tell her: “I love you”.

After the utterance of those words, the student who reportedly issued the threat to the female student “came back to life”, Hinds reported, paraphrasing the account that was told to him.

As reported by the publication, the clergyman described the female student as a “wonderful student” who usually goes outside of her church due to fear of such spiritual encounters.

However, Hinds said during the Oberlin High School incident, the child said she had no fear.

The UCJCI continues to offer support by visiting Oberlin High School.

After news spread of the activities during devotion at the school last month, the Education and Youth Ministry said it launched an investigation to help determine the protocols for school devotional exercises.

“While we encourage devotion in school, our school leaders have a responsibility to exercise caution as to content and likely impact on students, as evidenced by the reaction of students at Oberlin High School this morning,” said Education Minister Fayval Williams in a statement then.

There was much debate in the days following those comments by the minister relative to the caution that was issued relative to devotional exercises in school.