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They met for breaking of bread and gospel preaching and over a period of time their numbers increased. They started a Sunday School on Sunday afternoons which attracted some of the children of the neighbourhood.</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">Civil pastors included Thomas Saunders (1956-1957) who also served as the second General Secretary of the CBCPQ 1956-1959. McDonald Simpson (1957-1958) who, having passed away in mid-1958, was followed by Randolph Simpson (1958-1966); John Huggins and Carl Worrell (1967-). Carl Worrell, author of the following paragraphs which appeared in the ''Precious Seed ''magazine in 2007, had arrived in 1957.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">"ln the early years of the twentieth century a number of immigrants arriving from the United Kingdom who had met in simple fashion to worship the Lord in the 'Old Country', started to meet in the same way in the storefront of a building situated at 2481 St. Antoine St., Montreal. They were known as 'Plymouth Brethren' and their meeting place as the 'Gospel Hall'. This was actually one of the first assemblies in the province of Quebec. They met for breaking of bread and gospel preaching and over a period of time their numbers increased. They started a Sunday School on Sunday afternoons which attracted some of the children of the neighbourhood.
<div style="text-align: justify;">"Just as believers came to Montreal from Britain, so too did some arrive from the West Indies, via Nova Scotia, and joined the testimony. Over time other Afro-Canadians became Christians and came into the fellowship of the assembly. A good number of the British brethren soon set up another testimony in another part of the city. The name 'Bethel' was added and Bethel Gospel Hall became predominantly West lndian. The numbers were small but the brethren were faithful; it was not congenial to meet, during the bitterly cold winter months.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">ln the 1940's and 50's, through person to person witnessing and special gospel efforts, many folks of African descent were saved, baptized and added to the assembly.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">"One outstanding evangelist who held meetings at Bethel was Mr. B. M. Nottage, one of the four well-known Nottage brothers from the Bahamas. The brothers were instrumental in building up many assemblies in the USA. Brother Nottage's labours bore much fruit; many professed faith in Christ under his ministry.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">"The late 1950's brought many more young believers from the West lndian islands augmenting the number in the assembly. Youth activities also drew many to the testimony.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">"Montreal was the venue of the 1967 World's Fair, better known as Expo '67. To prepare for this event many properties were expropriated by local government to construct an expressway. The rented assembly building was one of them. At this time the Lord provided space in a local community centre where the testimony was temporarily housed for five years.</div>
