Rev. Henry James and Mrs. Ruth James (nee Francis) celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary along with family and friends during the Harper/James family reunion in Dominica on August 2, 2011. They were married at the Roseau Christian Union Church.
The couple renewed their vows at a banquet at the Fort Young Hotel. The Rev. Dr. Melvin James officiated at the ceremony in the presence of over 130 family reunion members and friends. Their nine children- Melvin, Henrison, Anne, Adelbert, Meldora, Julia, Orville, Priscilla and Duane and grandchildren were present and honored their parents at this momentous occasion.
Rev. Henry James was a dedicated Pastor for many years with the Christian Union church and pastored the Soufriere and Roseau churches. As a distinguished educator on the island, Mrs. Ruth James served in several capacities including Principal, Music Specialist and Assistant Education Officer. The couple is now retired and resides in Florida.
The keys to their long lasting and happy marriage according to them are to “glorify God and be faithful to Him; deny ourselves as individuals and exalt God; and be willing to humble ourselves and develop a right attitude to each other for the sake of the family.”
The couple plans to celebrate their anniversary at an all-inclusive vacation resort later this year.
Two years have passed and I have only today found this news article.
I want to post my sincere belated CONGRATULATIONS to Rev. Henry James and his lovely wife Ruth for their 60th Wedding Anniversary.
Reading their story tells me they are people who love the Lord and know His ways. This is what makes people successful every department of life.
Many people – even dedicated Christians – don’t realize how challenging the ministry is. Pastors and their wives carry the burdens of many other people. It is not a 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. job. The pastor is on call 24 hours a day. The pastor’s wife accepts this. She supports her congregation’s shepherd. She prays for him and helps in any way she can.
So to this marvelous couple I have never met I would like to say “Thank you” for your wonderful example.
Pastor, I often say to my own wife “We preach more by what we DO than by what we SAY.” (We celebrated our 50th anniversary April 20, 2013.) Your life speaks volumes. It is God’s message to the church AND to a world that has lost its way.
Sincerely, Rev. Donald Hill. Pentecostal Evangelist.
Good news from dominica online. I WANT TO WISH THE JAMES FAMILY LONG LIFE AND GODS RICHEST BLESSINGS COMING FROM 12 canal lane MANO and the maynards family
Congratulations to Mr. & Mrs. James on this milestone. Mrs. James taught me; in those days it was at the prep school of the Wesley High School. She was always a gentle, pleasant teacher.
It is such a blessing to know that God is still on the throne. I know neither of you will not even remember who I am, but as a child growing up in Castle Bruce, and a congregant of Castle Christian Union Church up at Hill, I remember Bro. James and his daughter Anne.Just want to wish you and your wife many more years to come.
James what a beautiful family!!! Congrats to both your parents and my God bless them for many , many years!!!!
Thank you for sharing this wonderful picture. And take care of your self.
Nancy
Aunty Ruth and Uncle James: We are excited to witness God’s love and blessings in your lives. Your 60 years of marriage and honor bestowed by your children are wonderful testimonies of His care and grace. We were not able to celebrate with you in person, but are looking forward to doing so in the near future. Congratulations [“Boyie”, Vincia and Coralie]
Congratulations Rev. and Mrs. James!! While I don’t know either of you personally, I work with your daughter, Anne, and she has been such a blessing to my life. I wish you many, many more anniversaries!! May God continue to bless you and your entire family!!
Congratulations and the best wishes for the both of you. Your successful marriage is an inspiration for all of us. This month we will celebrate our 45th anniversary and we are looking forward to our 60th.
God bless you,
Luther and Martha Edwards
Congratulations to the couple and their family. As soon as I saw the name Ruth James, I was expecting to hear her maiden name Francis, because I was sure that I went to the the Roseau Mixed School with her and her brother David Francis. She had a brilliant career in Dominica and I am very happy to see her and husband in this long-lived and productive marriage. May the union continue on to be stronger and longer.
Congratulations to Mr and Mrs James,they still look the same as when i knew them over the years living at federation drive.Big blessings goes out to the Jame’s family as well (Orville My Bro)who i grew up with,wishing them long life and health.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 says it all. Congratulations to Rev. and Mrs. James and the entire family!
Congratulations. May the good Lord continue to bless you guys.
Mr & Mrs. James, Congratulations on a long and successful marriange.
Enjoy the resort, but go easy on the wife OK.
Your children need you around for few more years.
Congratulations to the folks. Sixty years is a very long time.
This ought to be a shining example for the youths today.
Love GOD and be faithful to each other…
CONGRATULATION TO YOU. WHAT A WONDERFUL
COUPLE. THAT’S GREAT SIXTY YEARS OF MARRIAGE.
GOD’S BLESSINGS AND MANY MORE YEARS.
CONGRATULATIONS to Rev and Mrs. Henry James. I remember vividly the day you said “I do.” I can’t believe time has gone by so quickly!! Thanks for the example you set, proving that marriage can work, especially when it is headed by the Lord Jesus Christ who ordained it. Your children are to be complemented for honoring you.
Bertha C and Family
To God be the glory great things he has done and continues to do in the lives of Mr and Mrs James. It is such a blessing to see such an example of true marriage.
I would imagine that those sixty (60) years were not and will not always be pleasurable experiences. This couple understood that in a relationship with Christ he allows pleasure and painful situations but the focus remains on God through Jesus Christ. The family has given us the opportunity to see that a marriage can stand when two individuals make up their minds to endure and to continue to live in unity as God guides them daily.
The Apostle Paul encourages believers “to walk in lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love, endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” And so we can say today that Mr and Mrs James made a conscience effort to apply this principle in their union.
As we know that Ruth in the bible walked in obedience and submission to her mother-in-law Naomi. It is no accident that Mrs James is named “Ruth” a true woman of God. We see here that Mrs James took on her husband’s name totally and joined to him to become one. The covenant in marriage is when two whole individuals takes up one name not partial (Francis and James) becomes one…folks the unity starts in the name (one) because name is powerful and so as it is in the natural so it is in the spiritual.
Through a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ they continue to demonstrate love one for another, their children and others. Their relationship could not have withstood the test of time if it was one sided. Mr James a man of God allowed the Lord to be the head of his life and in so doing has been able to love his wife as Christ loved the church. Mrs James in obedience to the word of God submitted herself to her husband.
It is truly a blessing and an honour today so I give thanks for you and I pray God’s blessings upon your lives that the Lord will bless you and keep you and that he will make his face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you in Jesus Name. May the Lord continue to bless your household and those he has entrusted in your care.
Their children rise up and call them Blessed. Congratulations Mr. & Mrs. James on the celebration of your 60th wedding anniversary. May God continue to bless you and your family.
Congratulations to the James family. May God continue to bless you all. I recall playing with Julia when her Mom was our Principal. Wow! Good to read something enlightening in the news.
Congratulations to Mr and Mrs James, on this momentous occasion. They are truly what God would like all of us to be. I remember her as a music teacher throughout Dominica. God Bless them and
their family.
ANOTHER FAITHFUL MAN FROM THE VILLAGE OF MARIGOT,THANK GOD FOR LONG LIFE, TO BROTHER HENRY, SISTER RUTH BLESSINGS AND MANY MORE LOVING YEARS TOGETHER.
I remember Rev James and family living on Federation Drive just across from Eric’s Bakery in Goodwill. The only child I really remember is Orville.
What a blessing, inspiration and a testament to the power of God and family. Congratulations.
I am glad to read that so many of you have praised the family Life of Mr. Henry & Mrs. Ruth James here. I join with you also!
The reason I am so glad is because your praises tell me that either the majority of you know the ways of God when you see those ways in a person, or other people’s attitude and conducts; or at least you admit that those people are living the ways that God created us to live. Yes indeed! They deserve the praises all of you have given them.
I am a person who knows Mrs. Ruth James more than I know my own mother. Because Mrs. Ruth James was one of my mentors when I lived in Dominica as a very young person. She was once the principals of my village School–Giraudel, where I, myself was a teacher. Her son Orville was my student at that time, as her younger children attended our school.
I admired the attitude and conducts of Mrs. James and I followed her ways. I knew her husband because sometimes he drop to Giraudel and pick her up, probably when he needed to use their car. Most often Mrs. James drove herself back and forth from Giraudel.
That should tell most of you that I have not been writing what I write from out of the blues.
This means that I entered connection to God since 40 years ago, when I was just coming out from teenage years. Today I am a grown person both in Spirit and in physical.
When God connects to our conscience by our faith and the Power of His Holy Spirit we are indeed, connected to Life, and Life is what we think, speak, and act. Can anyone who knows Mr. Henry and Mrs. Ruth James deny that Truth about God? I hope not!
Mrs. James was a master of music as the news articles said about her. And by her conduct of music, she brought our school, the Giraudel village school, to a School Music Competition that took place at the then Goodwill Junior High School. At that competition our school came second to the then St. Martin Girl’s School, led by the nun–I cannot remember her name now–that was since 38 years ago.
Mrs. James was told that we won the main song competition, but that nun had a second song that topped us–putting them a few more points above us. So the got the leading prize we got the second prize.
The following year the government took our Godly Principal teacher from us to send her away to build her music skills to improve the music and singing of our schools in Dominica.
I left Dominica the following year to settle in Toronto, Canada. But I have never forgotten people like Mrs. Ruth James, Elizabeth Alfred, and some others, who influenced me to be who I am today.
People of God allow Him to work through them, that they might give Him the glory; and He bless them with peace and joy that keeps them spiritual enlightened. And spiritual enlightenment is food for the Spirit, meaning that spiritual enlightenment causes the spirit to grow.
Who can cares less, about this worldly existence when the spirit(soul)is alive in them? God puts us up like a banner, the Light of the world. Only that, the spiritually blind are not able to see that glorious Light.
But that is their choice–to remain spiritually blind and deaf. I know that many people do not read what I write, some of those who read bark at me, because they do not understand, other give thumbs down, but how that hurting me–not at all!
Have I not said this many times before? Read those exact words from Mr. Hernry and Mrs. Ruth James:
“Glorify God and be faithful to Him; deny ourselves as individauls and exalt God”
We deny ourselves, to glorify and exalt God, as we present our attitude and conducts with trust, humility, and obedience to Him; He having influenced through conscience, by the Power of His Holy Spirit, who is His Person of Love–the Man, Himself, is Jesus Christ.
In other words, unless our ways are like the ways of Jesus Christ, when He was here, on earth, we are doing the things of the world, and God wants nothing to do with our ways and most certainly not us!
In other words if we are not doing God’s ways we are not connected to Him. We are on own, heading to the dead end–the destiny of complete demise.
Just as Jesus said about Himself: “I can of Myself do nothing! As I hear I judge; and my judgment is righteous. Because I do not seek for My will but the Will of the Father who sent Me”.
Again, Jesus said: “If you abide in My Word, then you are My disciples indeed; and you will know the Truth and the Truth will make you “Free”
If any of you who read the scripture above still do not believe or understand it, just look at the Life of people like Mr. Henry and Mrs. Ruth James, their children, grandchildren, relatives, and close friends.
As for me, I have many more of those scriptures to use as recepes of my everyday living–believe it or not!
congratulations to the James.Mrs James taught us Language and Music at the Teachers College in the early eighties.She was loved by the class.Can remember the song by Walford Allister in reference to our preference to have her as our language teacher.Ms James would teach us better thats why the class prefer her
i remember the james from the time I got saved in the Roseau church. I have admired both them and their children .All of them are saved and have done very well socially, When we put God first He words it out. I too am maried 28 years now and wish to reach that sixty milestone. congrats.
Congratulation to Mr.& Mrs James with Gods blessing to have made it through this life and maintained the marriage company up to 60years, and having brought to this world some wonderful, and beautiful children, into the faith, also having them to succeed in this life, congratulation to the entire family
Congratulations! I wish them well. Sixty years of marriage is a milestone.
To my knowledge I never heard that there was a Roseau Union Church in Dominica 60 years ago. Were they married in the Roseau Cathedral and later renounced Catholicism or were they members of another church?
@Truth&Justice
Your wrote: “Were they married in the Roseau Cathedral and later renounce Catholicism?
Why, may I asked you, is your question, as quoted above, relevant?
Infact, if they did renounce Catholicism, don’t you see that God has exalted them, for doing so?
Can’t you see that now is a time to leave Catholicism and their religious rules and regualtions out of this?
For by not doing so, “you are raising flies from poopoo” as you are pointing out that those people’s lives had “nothing to do with Catholics and their religions rules”, but God is please with them, as He has used their way of Life to light up their homeland–our Dominica.
But as I have already said: I personally know Mrs Ruth James. I am sure that she and her family had never been in the Catholic Church, otherwise they would not be the people they are today. I am sure of this!
Our schools in Dominica, was strictly under Catholic rules, when Mrs. Ruth James was the Principal of my village school.
Her younger children attended our school. So you see that Mr. Henry and Mrs. Ruth James did not allow their relationship with God to stop them from doing the work He appointed them to do?
I mean what if they had said that they are not catholics and so they did not want to get mingled with catholic rules and regulations?
I can remember, in our school, when Mrs. James would not pray the usual memorized prayer from the catholic rules, before we started the classes in the morning; and the rest of us teachers did not complain about that, because her prayer was better than those boring memorized words that we used to recite day in and day out.
Mrs. James would prayer a prayer from her own heart to God Almighty, on the behalf of our school and its routine for that day. We were all catholics and she was not, but she loved us and we loved her.
Praying to God by our faith and from our own heart is something we all have to do, but that is something the Catholic church do not teach people to do–up to when I was there in 2008, because I went to Church with my mom during those weeks I stayed at home.
I do not pin my belief on following any special Christian Church denomination in Toronto. I maintain an intimate Love relationship with God, by my faith in His Person of Love–the Man, Jesus Christ.
I go to a church house in my home building to have fellowship and worship. The pastor is Menonite, I can never be Menonite, I was born and raised in Dominica, the reat of us are from different island in the West Indies.
I know a worship song that says: “Where do I go from here, when test of faith is growing near, touch my heart and guide my lips in prayer”.
The Word of God tells us that “His Holy Spirit” speaks for us as we pray. In other words, God is using our faith and our voice to speak the words of healing to call for the blessings of Life for ourselves or for others.
I once heard a priest say on television, that when he decided to turn away from the catholic rules and regulations he discovered that after 30 years of being a priest, he did not know how to pray.
The Catholic Church does not teach people how to pray on their own. My mother and father used to beat us every night, every morning because me and my brothers and sisters could not memorize those words of recitation that had no meaning to our Life–yes, my mother and father were catholic parents.
Today we, their children, are grown ups with our own children. I am the only one who is in church and the only person who knows how to pray to our God. But that could be because God pulled me far away from them, because of His plan for my Life. Today I am able to pray to Him on their behalf, and I know He will save them because of me.
As a teacher in our school with Mrs Ruth James, as our school principal, her son, Orville, was in my class.
One day I was sick and she came to visit me bringing Orville with her. He was not more than 8 years old at the time. But she asked him to pray on my behalf, and he prayed from his own heart for at least 2 or 3 minutes, something I could never do on my own at that time; and yes, I was very active in the church as well.
I am saying all of this to ask you to stop it with your aleluia about the Catholic Church! You are making a useless, senseless, and fruitless noise. It is like speaking in tongues that God, yourself, and of course nobody else can understand.
It is not about who is Catholic, Pentecostal, Church of God, Baptiste, Methodist, Jehovah Witness, Mormons and all of those names that man use to group himself in a church house. That is the reason the majority of Christians still do not know God and His ways of Love–Life in them, when they are born again.
Because all of those different groups are focussing on who is doing better, instead of focussing on who is pleasing God–like to give Him the glory or exalting Him.
But there is only “ONE” way to give God the glory and to exalt Him. That way is to “Fear Him and to obey His commands. That is man’s duty that is his all in all”
60yrs ago the now Christian Union Church was called Surbrook by most for the Founder of the church then which was then known and called Reformed Methodist.
Initially, it was called the Reformed Methodist Church. However, it was more commonly referred to as “Surbrooks Church”
Roseau Christian Union Church, where the wedding was conducted, was a well established church then and for years prior. There are also several sister churches on the island, and in other islands in the West Indies.
NO JUST CHRISTIAN UNION MISION CHURCH AND YES IT WAS THERE SIXTY YRS AGO
Reformed Methodist Church was established, in Dominica, in the very early 1940’s or before and in 1952 merged and was called Christian Union Mission Church.
little Truth and no justice…stop making a fool of yourself…..You seem to be your own worse enemy!!!!or, you just discovered the computer!!!!!!and trying make the best use of it…you like a little boy when he gets a new toy…
you like a big roach no one can get rid of..
why do you think you should over power others….no one care if you’re educated or not, make your point in relevance to the topic..
soon people will stop answering to your comments, stop giving you thumbs up or down…
RELAX……
Don’t correct my spelling I don’t need you too…
BLESSINGS TO THE HAPPY COUPLE AND MANY MORE LOVE FILLED YEARS
blessed
Congratulations to Mr. & Mrs James and family, they did it all together by putting God first.
foreal your comment had me cracking up lol lol you really for real :
that is good for them i pray hat you will have everlasting life and continue serving god .
may god bless you always . 
and to think this crazy man was in the media talking about finding happiness in being single instead of marriage,all you doh seeing is a coule baton mister had need across he back
My dears, my husband and I are half way your mark.We have 6 children 3 sons,3 daughters. God must be the chauffeur and the rest is done.
Congratulations to the James Family. You are a true inspiration to us all. May God continue to bless you and your family. Honoured to be part of the family.
I remembet them when I use to walk up Fedration Drive as a young girl, When God is first in your marriage, you can go untill death do you part. To the James`s i say cogratuation, good example to us who are married. May we follow your steps. God bless and keep you.
Well that is a breath of fresh air, from all the other things that have been on here, good examples like these need to be reported more often.A good marriage is such a healthy thing, it is worth the effort. I just celebrated my 21st. anniversary sept.30.Been in that relationship over 30 years and feel good about that.I want to congratulate the james family especially mom and pops for keeping this family as it is. God bless you and all those that are in solid relation, hopefully to get married.Try it you will like it.
that very good gob\d bless them
When we buy a vehicle or domestic equipment like blender,we also get a manual. God was the one who established marriage,when He brought Eve to Adam.Those of us who have a wife/husband also have the responsibility to read God’s manual on marriage,THE BIBLE.
This couple is a perfect example
Yes, and I praise God for that MANUAL.
For those who don’t know where to find the information they need let me give you a few leads.
Do you want to know the model or pattern God gave us for marriage? It is Matthew 19:4-6. Note: It is one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others united for life!
If you are looking for guidance as to God’s order for the home and how husbands, wives, and children are to relate to each other you will find counsel in Ephesians 5:22-31, Ephesians 6:1-4, Colossians 3:18-21, and 1 Peter 3:1-7.
The Manual even says something about the married sexual relationship. Husbands and wives have an equal responsibility to meet each others sexual needs so neither will be tempted to go outside the marriage for fulfillment. 1 Corinthians 7:3-5.
This is the inspired Word of God. To those who think the ancient texts are outdated I say this. I have never known one marriage where both the husband and wife made the BIBLE their “Marriage Manual” and followed these instructions that failed! Yes, Christian marriages sometimes break down. But when they do it is because one or both parties did not follow these instructions!
Sincerely, Rev. Donald Hill. Pentecostal Evangelist.
I must say Mr. & Mrs. James looks extremely wonderful. May God continue to bless the James family. This is truely an inspiration to the future marriages worldwide. I’m not marriage but when I do, I will always remember Mr. & Mrs. Henry James.
The family that prays together stays together..May the lord continue to bless this family and I pray that this marriage will be an example to other married couples out dere. I always say marriage is not a problem is the people in the marriage that’s the problem. Marry the ones u truly unconditionally love, not the ones u like or for what they have, and always put God first and foremost in ur marriage.. I am celebrating my 1 year anniversary and pray to God that we will celebrate our 60th one day. What God put together let no man put asunder!!!
that’s great… now what about the guy that said.. if u are married… get a divorce and if u are not married don’t do it….. and many bloggers agreed lol…. marry the one u love and not the one u like…. u and the other will put 100% in making it work…
that looks like a wonderful family……
Congratulations to the James Family. I remember Teacher Ruth in the olden days and also I do wih you both more God’s blessings over your lives as you demonstrate to the world that family that prays together stays together.
To your children esp Melvin, Meldora, Annie and the others God’s richest blessings to the other extended family … Please let us know when you will be back home . Wished that I had seen you.
People let us take a feather in the cap of this family. Those kids were brought up in the christian faith and they have never departed from it. Melvin continued in his Fathers footsep and is now a Pastor. Marriages ordained by the Lord can stand the test of time. Just ensure that your marriage are from the lord and sanctified and not just marriages of convenience but for love and love in Christ Jesus. Too many person marry for material and their personal sexual and other gratification.
i love what I see…i’m on my 3rd annivesary…I pray to God to make it to our 60th
that’s wonderful..wished all marriages lasted that long..they maybe need to have a program on their success with thier marriage..i’m sure they have some gr8t pointers…congrats!!that’s one face family almost can’t tell the parents from the children :-)
Cogratulation to mr & miss james indeed you all are truly a blessing to everyone you touch or come in contact with am bless to have known you both including your children may the good lord continue to bless and protect you both in every way have a bless day love from maureen.