During the late 1880’s colporteurs (full-time Kingdom proclaimers) shared’ the “good news” with Caleb Crandell. He accepted Bible literature and entertained the visitors in his home at Crandell’s Corners (now within Port Perry), Ontario. No study group was formed there at the time, but we know that Caleb made at least one trip to hear C. T. Russell speak at Massey Hall in Toronto. Crandell was delighted with what he saw and heard. His oft-told story went like this: Several clergymen, invited to the platform to ask questions, became quite annoyed when they were unable to contradict Russell’s sound Biblical answers. Then they all tried to hurl queries at him at the same time. Russell quietly called them to order, asking that they conduct themselves as gentlemen and saying that he would gladly deal with every question. Crandell was impressed to see that the clerics could not refute Russell’s Scriptural arguments. In time, they merely left the platform and disappeared into the crowd without further ado.

C. T. RUSSELL’S FIRST VISIT TO CANADA

By 1891, the number of Bible Students in the Toronto area was sufficient to hold the first one-day convention in that city. Then, for the first time, Pastor Russell visited fellow believers in this land. At the morning session on February 22, more than 400 persons listened as he spoke for over two hours. That afternoon about 700 were present for another two-hour talk by Brother Russell. In the evening, he addressed a congregation at the other end of Toronto, returning to the convention site before nine o’clock to participate in a question-and-answer session. It surely was a busy day!