ROME AND CANASARAGA, N. Y.
By Charles B. Reynolds
By request of the president of the Conference, I spent Sabbath and first-day, Jan. 20, 21, with the church at Rome. The new meeting-house is admirably located—a very neat, pretty, comfortable place of worship; and those who have superintended its construction are entitled to the grateful thanks of our people for the able and satisfactory manner in which they have acquitted themselves of their responsibility. Pleased with the meeting-house, but more so to find so large a company of honest hearts, who had taken a firm stand on the side of the truth, here so happily assembled to worship God on his own holy and blessed Sabbath. They have a large Sabbath-school and Bible-class. The adult Bible-class had become so large that it became necessary to divide it, forming two large classes. After sermon, about fifty short, stirring, heartfelt testimonies were borne. All are rejoicing in the truth, and a sweet spirit of love and harmony prevails. I held meetings evening after the Sabbath and on first-day afternoon and evening. The attendance was fair. We learn that many are almost persuaded, but trembling beneath the cross. May the Lord help them to decide for present peace and eternal joy. First-day, accompanied by a number of the Rome brethren, I walked to Stanwix where Bro. S. B. Whitney had held some meetings. The notice was short, but there is certainly some interest there. An Eld. Widmer of the first M. E. church at Rome has published some bombastic effusions in the Rome papers, and talks defiantly of meeting Bro. Canright in debate on the Sabbath question. Our friends are fearing that the more intelligent and discreet members of the M. E. church will not permit Eld. W. to hold the discussion. If he is allowed to do so, it can hardly fail of adding quite a number to those now living out the truth, and it would revive the interest and spirit of inquiry. Bro. Canright and Bro. B. L. Whitney are both expected in Rome next week. On first-day evening, while we were absent at Rome, Eld. Fullford of the Free Methodists, held forth on the immortality of the soul, taking the usual course. He claimed the account of the rich man and Lazarus to be a positive, actual, literal fact, and in no sense a parable; that the literal translation of Rev. 14:13, “Blessed are they that die in the Lord from henceforth,” was “they are now blessed.” We reviewed him last evening before a large congregation, from notes taken by a friend. Next Sabbath morning (Jan. 27) will be held the first Sabbath meeting ever held in Canasaraga. We are prayerfully hopeful of good results. I need the prayers of God’s dear children.