Visiting Ministry at Rootstown Gospel Chapel, OH

Rootstown Gospel Chapel, Rootstown Twp., Akron metro, Portage Co., OH (OB) +1944-1980+

Itinerants

• M. Ackerly 1953
• C. Mahloy 1953
• John Martin 1953
• E. Miller 1953
• T.B. Nottage 1953
• W. O'Neil 1953
• H. Reusch 1953
• J. Welsh 1953

News

Some of the early news (1945 & 1953) in duplication is also available at Visiting Ministry at Akron Gospel Hall, OH.

• LOI 1945-1:

H.W. Reusch, Correspondent @ Rootstown: "The saints at the Rootstown, Ohio assembly were blessed with a refreshing and happy season of park meetings during the summer just passed. This is written with the hope that it might encourage others to enjoy the same blessings. The meetings were held in Perkins Park on Lord’s day afternoon at 2:30 and continuing until about 4:30. This park was chosen because it is located in one of the most thickly populated sections of Akron. The city park administration was very kind to allow us to meet there and they also furnished us with an electric outlet for our public address system.

The meetings were held on the grass under the trees near the playground and the shelter house. This enabled us to bring the gospel direct to the people when they had time to listen. Because of the informal character of the services many listened who would not attend a meeting in a hall or even a tent. The people sat on the park benches and in the shelter house, some stood along the drive nearby while others sat on the ground. They could come and go at liberty and some sat at a distance and listened. The public address system carried the message through the whole park and across to the houses located outside.

On one windy day a lady about four blocks away heard the sound of the voice bringing the gospel over the loud speakers and she decided that she would go over to the park the next Lord’s day to find out what it was all about. She came the next week and as she sat there on the bench listening to the old story that is ever new, the tears began to run down her cheeks. One of the brethren went over to speak with her after the meeting and found out that she had been a R.C. but the Lord had saved her soul by revealing the Lord Jesus Christ to her as her Saviour through the ministry of others outside of her own church. She left the church and was told she was lost because she had left. Therefore when she heard the gospel and the security of the believer spoken of in the park it made tears of joy flow down her cheeks. After the first few meetings many individuals and even families began to come to the park just to attend the meetings.

Brother Miller was exercised about the many children in the park and he suggested that we try having an outdoor school for them. The rest of the brethren thought it would be a good thing to try, so after the gospel meeting we invited the children to gather around on the grass in an appropriate place to listen to some Bible stories. They were reluctant to come at first but the brethren went down into the playground and invited the children personally to come to the class and they began to come more freely after that.

We had an attendance of from 12 to 38 children of every description gathered there each afternoon listening to the gospel through Bible stories. It was a joy to look into their little faces as they sat there and drank in the good news. They were exceptionally well behaved and gave us no trouble at all as far as discipline was concerned. We gave them candy as a treat after the class was over at several of the meetings. We also gave them Bibles for attending 10 classes and learning a verse of scripture each time.

It certainly was a privilege to see the joy those children expressed to get their Bibles. This experience has emphasized to us the necessity of going out to the people where they are in order to reach them. The word in Psalm 14 and Romans 3:11 tells us that “there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.” If it were any different people would come to the halls for meetings, but the Word tells us that they do not understand and they do not seek after God therefore it is necessary to go to them with the gospel.

In all probability there were more unsaved listening to the Gospel at one meeting in the park than there would be at the average gospel hall in a whole year. We did not attempt to measure the results by counting conversions. We consider it our responsibility to faithfully preach the Word and leave the results with the Lord who will reveal the count to us in eternity."

• LOI 1953-10: Rootstown Conference: "The Fifth Annual Conference of the Rootstown (Ohio) assembly was held July

4 and 5 in the school auditorium, with believers from Canton, New Philadelphia, Akron, Cleveland and Pittsburgh attending. The Word was ably ministered by Brethren T.B. Nottage, E. Miller, H. Reusch, J. Welsh, M. Ackerly. C. Mahloy, W. O’Neil, and John Martin."

Sources

• 1947-1980 AAB's
• Letters of Interest (LOI): 1945-1; 1953-10