Report from New York City
By Stephen N. Haskell
The work in this city, as in other portions of the world, is onward. The Scandinavians have united their interests in obtaining a church building. This has been a source of great blessing to them. They now have the first meeting house owned by our people in Greater New York. There is a good interest among them, and several are expecting baptism at no distant date.
The providence of God in an especial manner has been over the German interest. Meetings have been held in the city proper, and a few have accepted the Sabbath. Among them is one sister who has been an active laborer in the cause of Christ. In Brooklyn a meeting house has been secured for a small sum, and the interest there is increasing. Several have been baptized. Arrangements are being made to hold a tent meeting this coming season. With nearly one half as many Germans as there are inhabitants18in the State of Michigan, we have one minister and a single helper. Elder Warren has labored in Brooklyn among the English, thus carrying on the work begun by the missionary efforts of our brethren and sisters in that place. A goodly number have been baptized, and still there is a good interest. There is also an interest among the colored people, as meetings are being held with them. Dr. Bryant, Brother George King, and several workers have taken a house together, and thus formed a center for the Brooklyn work. The meetings held in Carnegie Lyceum by Elder Franke have been of unusual interest. From the beginning the attendance has been good. On several occasions some had to go away because they could not obtain seats. It is a popular hall, and the religious interest is good. The Lord has blessed Brother Franke's labors. He has reached a class of hearers that would not have been reached by any other means. The meetings at the Metropolitan Lyceum on Fifty-ninth Street have continued through the winter. The congregations Sunday evenings have been principally those not of our faith. Several have been baptized, and during the last few months about twenty-five have decided to keep the Sabbath, and a large number are now on the point of deciding. There have been two baptisms during the last two weeks, and we expect another soon. This is a result of the house-to-house work and the Sunday night meetings. The mission on Sixty-second Street, where the use of rooms has been given us, has been blessed of God. A number have accepted the truth, and several have been baptized. Our mission work has been largely educational. There are nineteen in our family at present. The majority of these are beginners, having never been connected with the cause in any special way. A few of the workers are experienced in Bible work and nursing. These are from different parts of the country,—one from Florida, and others from the West. We have held two cooking classes; one was held in the early part of the winter, and the other has just closed. The attendance was good, and quite a number not of our faith became interested. The New York Tribune frequently sent a reporter, and published favorable reports. These classes have been held in the lyceum on Fifty-ninth Street. A school giving instruction in the principles of hygiene has been held among the Scandinavians by our Scandinavian nurse, and we expect soon to open a school of health in the Metropolitan Lyceum. An experienced teacher in this department of the work has come from the West. The nurses we have with us have more than they can do. We have calls for cottage meetings on the health question until we are tired of saying we cannot attend them. Truly God has gone before us in the health work. Dr. Geisel's stay with us was a great help in every respect, especially in the health and temperance work. We are anxiously looking for her return. It being necessary for her to leave in the midst of the cooking class, Mrs. Haskell, in addition to her other responsibilities, gave the lectures, and Sister Jones, from the South Lancaster Sanitarium, taught the cooking classes. God has prospered us financially since coming to this city. It would require too much space to give particulars. The expense of the lyceum during the cold weather was about thirty-five dollars a week, including the printing of notices of health and religious work; but we could not have held Sabbath and Sunday night meetings, cooking classes, and general gatherings without the control of it seven days in the week. The total expense of the lyceum from the beginning to March 31 has been $486.47. This has been wholly met by voluntary offerings for that purpose alone. The conference workers who were with us from January 1 to March 31 received $744.16. This does not include Brethren Warren and Utechman, my wife and myself. The tithe of those organized into a church since we came here, together with donations and the profits on book sales, has paid these workers. Our house-rent, when we first came here, was sixty dollars a month; and as our family increased, we were obliged to hire extra rooms until it ran up to one hundred and fifteen dollars a month. All of this has been met. Many items might be mentioned to show God's care over his work here, for all of which we praise his name.