Annual Meeting of the N. Y. and Pa. T. and M. Society.
Returning from Massachusetts to Battle Creek, in company with Eld. Haskell and family, we stopped over at Rome, N. Y., and attended the above-named meeting, Nov. 17 and 18. We can speak as highly as any who have before spoken, of the neat and commodious house of worship the brethren have erected here. Without any efforts at display or extravagance in the building or surroundings, everything tends to render the house pleasant and attractive as a place of worship. A little over a year ago, the truths for this generation were shining out for the first time to the people of Rome, through the cotton walls of Bro. Canright’s tent. It was a matter of good cheer to behold near the spot where the tent stood, this permanent place of worship established, a continual witness to the important message now going to the world. There was a large attendance from different parts of the State. Brethren from the north chartered a car, and came down in force. The meeting was one of good interest throughout. The brethren are growing stronger in the truth. They take a lively interest in all parts of the work, and in the success of the various enterprises established to carry it forward in different parts of the earth. Bro. Haskell spoke fully at different times in regard to the tract and missionary work, its nature, its efficiency, and what might be accomplished by it, if all would engage heartily and intelligently in it, as they should. We believe those who were present will enter into this work with new spirit, and that this meeting will give a new impetus to the cause in that State. Their Conference, embracing the States of New York and Pennsylvania, the two leading States in the Union in point of inhabitants, contains a population of something over eight millions, or more than four times that of any other of our Conferences. It will be no small work to set the light before all these, yet there are earnest workers there, who are determined that this shall be done. They suggest a Biblical Institute to be held at Rome, or in its vicinity, the latter part of March or early part of April, 1878, which we have engaged to attend, if a sufficient number desire such an occasion. Nov. 20 we reached Battle Creek. Here we find the work growing in all its departments, our meeting-house literally incapable of seating comfortably all who attend on the Sabbath, and new facilities demanded in the Office for the accomplishment of the work so rapidly accumulating in the onward progress of this message.