We did not know anything about expansion nor about many of the great questions that confront us to-day. How different were the religious conditions that then existed. We had no higher theology, no higher criticism, and questions of heresy were not troubling us. I belonged to what was known as the old school church. The church here was of the new school. I came to the work fresh from my college and seminary training and set up, as it were, a smoking Sinai. And yet how wonderfully the church bore it all. My first impressions upon coming to Cortland I well remember. Among the things about the church which impressed me most was the music. Mr. Alonzo D. Blodgett was then leader and so continued for many years. The church will never know what a debt it owes to him. The church had a remarkable session in those days. There was Charles Kingsbury, Franklin B. Blodgett, S. M. Roe, the memory of whose face has helped me preach a hundred sermons; Simeon Lucas, strong, stalwart, sturdy--the snow banks never were deep enough to keep him from his pew on Sunday --Prof. N. F. Wright, Alfred Greene and H. F. Benton, the youngest member of the session. Another who was intimately connected with Mr. Benton, but who was not at that time a member of the session was Mr. A. F. Tanner. The first man to meet me when I came to Cortland, the first to come to my

room to see me after I was here, and one from whom I received great help during my ministry was Horatio Ballard--a man with patrician manner and always a perfect gentleman. Dr. Howe referred to many who were then members of the church and congregation, spoke in the highest terms of the character and work of Col.