p. 11 | Three Weeks in Western New York by W. B. White

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 27, 1910

Three Weeks in Western New York

By W. B. White

FEELING the need of becoming better acquainted with the work in the several conferences and churches of the Atlantic Union Conference, I left South Lancaster, Mass., December 7 for a trip among the churches of western New York, in company with the conference president, Elder H. W. Carr.

Our first stop was in Rochester, which is one of the finest cities in the East, and has about three hundred thousand people. In the early days of the message this city was for three years or more the headquarters of the denomination, the REVIEW AND HERALD being printed here for a time, till removed to Battle Creek, Mich.

The city of Rochester has grown rapidly the last few years, but the cause of present truth in the city has not been strong. A few have endeavored to hold up the light, but their numbers have been small, and the work has not had a very decided growth. Recently Elder J. F. Piper, of the Iowa Conference, came to western New York to assist in the work, and was located in the city of Rochester, which is now his field of labor. He is receiving some encouragement in his work, and souls are beginning to embrace the truth. A church property has recently been purchased in the city from the Baptist people, at a cost of sixty-four hundred dollars. It is a good building, well located, and will make a good rallying point for the work in the city.

Lockport is another city where vigorous work should be performed. Quite a large company assemble in private houses for Sabbath meetings, and through Bible work some are embracing the truth here. A church building is

much needed in Lockport, and we trust that before many years pass by, a memorial to the truth may be planted in this place.

At Burt, on the south shore of Lake Ontario in Niagara County, the brethren have erected a neat, comfortable church, and it was dedicated to the service and worship of God on the occasion of our visit there. It cost about twenty-five hundred dollars, has a fine light basement for the church-school, is furnace-heated, and is a comfortable building.

At Buffalo the work is onward, and great advancement has been made the past year in many ways. Elder T. B. Westbrook is leading out in the work in this city, and a strong work should be developed in this great center of nearly a half million people. Buffalo has a great German population, and a lady Bible worker is working with this people with some encouragement. A strong effort should soon be made among the Germans of Buffalo, for there must be many there who would receive the light were it brought to their attention.

At Hornell the church is expecting to build a house of worship in the spring. A good site has been purchased, and we believe that they are expecting to begin operations as soon in the spring as the weather will permit. Elder J. W. Raymond is stationed in this city, and is carrying forward the work. Elder Raymond for over forty-five years has been connected with the ministry, and seems yet to be quite active and strong.

We had the pleasure of spending one evening at Ellicottville. Here stands a Seventh-day Adventist church building, but removals and deaths have reduced the membership to a very small band of believers. This is the home of Brother Wm. Arnold, who in the early days of the work in Australia assisted in opening the work in that field by the sale of our books. Later he pioneered the work in the British Isles and the West Indies, selling thousands of dollars’ worth of our bound books in these fields. The conference, we believe, is planning for a series of meetings at this place as soon as possible, with the hope that again the work here may be revived.

We spent a few hours with the school at Tunesassa. The school is full, and Prof. A. E. Manry and the assistant, Miss Lucas, are working hard to make the work a success. If this school is to serve the whole Western New York Conference as a school of intermediate grade, more money will have to be invested here, and other buildings erected, as the school is too crowded now. A good start has been made here, but some other improvements should soon be planned.

The work to be done in this great Eastern field seems almost staggering, and it is a serious problem with our conferences how these great cities with their vast population can be reached with the truth, but there must be a way, and God wants us to find that way.

One thing seems very evident,—our conferences must begin a thorough work in the training of Bible workers to carry the truth to the homes of the people. These must be men and women who know God and have a connection with heaven. Through this agency great good can be done, and many brought to the light of truth. Another important branch of work which will assist us in reaching the cities is the selling of our magazines and papers from house to house. Here is an unlimited field of work, and the talent of the church should be trained and organized for service.

Again: it seems as if some good strong evangelists should enter this Eastern field,—men who know how to proclaim the truth with clearness and power, and who can arrest the attention of the people in these great cities by a public presentation of the truth. It seems as if some of these branches of work must be greatly strengthened and thoroughly organized before we can ever hope to reach the millions in this Atlantic Union Conference with the truth.

Our courage is good, and we greatly feel the need of power from above to know how to plan wisely for the work in this great Eastern field.

W. B. WHITE.