Visiting Ministry at Cornerstone Bible Chapel, Rochester, NY
From BrethrenPedia
- Cornerstone Bible Chapel, Rochester, Monroe Co., NY (OB) 1916-current
- St. Paul Blvd. Assembly 1916+; Carter Street Chapel +1927+; Carter Street Assembly Hall +1936-1950+; Congress Avenue Gospel Chapel +1951-1999
Contents
Itinerants
- John W. Bramhall - 1956
- Cyril Brooks
- Ken Brooks
- Andrew Craig - 1957
- John Ferguson - 1936
- James Gibson - 1947
- Ed. W. Harlow - 1944
- Donald Hunter - 1943
- Charles Innes - 1945
- John Smart - 1944
Ministry News
Also see Visiting Ministry at Frost Avenue Gospel Hall (Rochester Gospel Hall, etc.) for probable inadvertent overlap.
1930's
1935
- Wit 1935-7:
- "Gospel Literature Fund: Started and carried on for the express purpose of helping aged men, widows, workers with limited incomes, earnest young converts, and others with Free Grants of Tracts to distribute in needy districts, country places, hospitals and fairs. A mistaken idea seems to have got abroad that anyone who applies has a right to a parcel. Please note the twofold conditions for consideration: (1) details of kind of work in which applicant is engaged, with note of helpers and church connection; (2) names and addresses of two accredited Elders or well-known Christian workers to whom inquiries can be made. Apart from these, applications are not considered. With Unemployment so rife and the money stringency we have more honest certified distributers, who cannot afford to buy, than we can help, and will value the fellowship of the Lord’s stewards, shut-ins with a heart for the masses, Assemblies, Bible Bands, etc. This Fund is specially in need of replenishing to-day. Kindly pray for the distributers and help if you can. Received'. C. & E.R., £1 ; For His Sake, Gt.- Harwood. £2; A.D.. Bangor. 10/; M.C. (Notes), £10; K.V., Redland,
£1 ; H.H., Hartest, £2; B.K.. Co. Antrim, 10d.; E.S., Wickham, 1/9; Anon., Rochester, 10/; F.R., Toronto, 3/6; M.S., 5/; Rev. T.P.L. New Jersey, 1'6; Miss M.B., Lockerbie, 7d."
- "Hospital Book Fund: For providing copies of the Gospel stories known as The Lily,” copies of the Special Hospital Booklet, entitled “Cheering Words, and other stories, for handing to patients in Hospitals, Infirmaries, the Aged in Almshouses and Unions, and other places, that we feel we must afford our readers an opportunity of thus helping their poor, sick, and less fortunate fellows in something they will read and profit by reading. Now that this Fund has become known patients in hospitals in Britain, Canada. Australia, and other parts are clamouring for something to read, far beyond our ability to supply. This fund is much overdrawn, and pleading notes for help continue to come in. Remember your less fortunate fellows laid aside, with time, and nothing to read. Received with thanks: C. & E.R., £1; R.H., Princes Risborough, 5/; K.V., Redland. £1; H.H., Hartest, £1; Anon., Rochester, 10/; F.R., Toronto, 3/6; E.C., Babbacombe, £1."
1936
- Wit 1936-7: "John Ferguson had meetings for believers and in the Gospel at Carter St. Hall. Some long prayed for were reached."
1939
- Wit 1939-3: Niagara Falls, NY: "Charles Innes had week's meetings with much blessing; splendid interest; also paid 10 days' visit to Carter's Hall, Rochester. Encouraging attendances. Assembly is growing."
1940's
1943
- L&L 1943-4: Address Changes: New York: Rochester: "Carter St. Assembly Hall, Carter cor. Herald Sts. Stephen G. Smith, 49 Melrose St. BB. 10:00, SS. 11:30, G. 7:45."
- L&L 1943-5: Courtland, N.Y.: "Three families gather in my home each Lord’s day at 4:00 p.m. to “remember the Lord” in the breaking of bread. About a year ago, Harold Harper spent a week with us proclaiming the Gospel, and has been a great source of help and encouragement to us. Also Milton Parkhurst (now with the Lord) from the Carter St. meeting in Rochester, N. Y., had a week of
Gospel meetings with us. Thus far we have met only to break bread, but we are trusting in the near future to establish a Sunday School and evening Gospel meeting if the Lord so leads. We covet your prayers that this testimony may increase and that many others may be gathered in His name. Amos Perry Bishop, Jr." (b. 1895 Readsboro, Bennington, VT - d. 1959 Cortland, NY)
- L&L 1943-10: Guelph Bible Conference Grounds: "The season just closed at the Bible Conference Grounds has been one of the best. This calls for much thanksgiving to God because it was with grave consideration that the Grounds were continued this year in the face of government restrictions and handicaps: The Dominion Day Conference was a time of rich blessing under the ministry of Peter Pell and David Kirk: The General Conference from July 24 to August 8 was well attended by many Christians from Canada and from the United States and Christ was exalted in the ministry of Richard Hill, and H. G. Lockett: The Summer Bible School for young people was above and beyond all expectation when
the registration rose to 50% beyond all previous records. Many were there from New York, Rochester, Buffalo, Detroit and many centers in Canada. Five definitely professed faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and a number were restored. Nine were baptized. It was 15 days of rich joy and blessing. Ministry was given by H. G. Lockett, A.P. Gibbs, C.E. Tatham, John Smart, R.E. Harlow, and C.R. Baehr. The girls’ work was taken by Miss M. DeVries. The number staying on the Grounds over the Labor Day Conference was the largest in the history of this work. All accommodation was taxed to capacity. The hearts of the Lord’s people were warmed with the edifying ministry of August VanRyn and Sidney Burnham."
- L&L 1943-11: "Donald Hunter stopped at Rochester and Buffalo, N.Y. enroute to Ontario. Upon returning home he expects to spend several weeks ministering in N.J., nearby N.Y., and Philadelphia."
1944
- L&L 1944-3: "John Smart and Ed. W. Harlow expected to visit Rochester, Baltimore, Washington, Philadelphia and Kearney, N.J. Young People's Rallies are being held in the interest of the Emmaus Bible School, 418 Church St., Toronto, Canada."
1945
- L&L 1945-6: May 10: "We had a good visit from our brother Chas. Innes the first week of May and enjoyed his simple ministry. Now our conference is history and the Lord gave blessing. One professed to be saved."
1947
- L&L 1947-7: June 6: James Gibson, 809 Maitland St., London, ON: "Have been helping in many assemblies in New York and New Jersey. The Lord also blessed the saints in some of the Italian meetings. On my homeward journey I will visit Rochester, Niagara Falls and others. It is nearly five months since I left home and the Lord has not only blessed the assemblies but has blessed His servant as well."
- L&L 1947-12: Address Changes: "New York: Rochester: Carter St. Assembly Hall, cor. Carter and Herald Sts. Fred James, 399 Birr St."
1950's
1951
- LOI 1951-7:
"Not only do the Lord's servants in the field change their locations from time to time, but occasionally assemblies move to other sites. In Rochester, N.Y. the assembly which was meeting in Carter Street Assembly Hall is now in the Congress Ave. Gospel Chapel, Congress Avenue and Pioneer Street. The commodious new building costing about $50,000 has an auditorium on the main floor with a seating capacity of 207 and large Sunday school quarters downstairs.
Frank Milligan, chairman of the building committee, reports: "We are getting a fair attendance of people from the neighborhood on Lord's Day at the Family Bible Hour and also in the evening gospel service. As yet we have had no manifest blessing in the conversion of grown-ups, but four or five of the Sunday school children have definitely professed faith in the Lord in the past five or six weeks, including two of my own children. Brother Colin Caldwell, the Sunday school superintendent, tells me that although when we first moved the enrollment dropped to about 55, it is now up to 76 and still growing."
Every other Sunday there is a late afternoon service in Spanish for Puerto Ricans and university Spanish students. Attendance at this has increased."
1956
- L&L 1956-9: J.W. Bramhall, 2309 Commonwealth Ave., Charlotte, NC: "Toward the last of July, two visits were made with blessing, one to Hinton, W. Va., and the other to Washington, Ga. It was a joy to see how the Lord’s blessing was being experienced at these testimonies. Following the Greenwood Hills Conference for eight days, in company with
R.J. Little in the ministry, proved one of the most delightful times of spiritual refreshing and blessing to the Lord’s people. The Lord greatly exceeded our asking to make this occasion so blest. The rest of August in ministry, will be spent in upper New York around Rochester."
1957
- AA 1957-12: "In the past month Andrew Craig had the joy of visiting Rochester, N.Y., Union City, Paterson and Nutley, N.J., and Chicago, Illinois."
1980's
1988
- LOI 1988-12: Rochester NY Billy Graham Crusade by Harvey Rodger (1937-2002)
Sources
- Stuart Milligan - 2025-6-27 phone
- Assembly Annals (AA): 1957-12
- Letters of Interest (LOI): 1951-7; 1988-12
- Light and Liberty (L&L): 1943:4-5,10-11; 1944:3; 1945-6; 1947:7,12; 1956-9;
- Witness (Wit): 1935-7; 1936-7; 1939-3