The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-02-07
MILLS BEGINS WORK.
A Great Crowd Greets the
Revivalist Last Night.
THE SCENE AT THE TABERNACLE.
How Mr.. Mills Looks and What He
Had to Say.

gathered at the Tabernacle last evening
to listen to Evangelist B. Fay Mills, who
preached the opening sermon of series
of union revival services arranged for
him by the ministers and congregations
of the various Protestant churches of
lower Jersey City.
Before the church doors were thrown
open the pavement fronting the edifice
was solidly massed with human beings.
Nearly two thousand persons greeted the
appearance of the eloquent and magnetic
divine. Probably five hundred were un-
able to gain admittance.
Upon the tiers of an elevated platform
stretching across the pulpit end of the
auditorium sat the three hundred choris-
ters who have been actively rehearsing
for some weeks past. Fronting them was
an array of ministers, including the Rev.
DR.. Mitchell, of the Scotch Presbyterian
Church; the Rev. DIR. Van Cleef of the
Wayne Street Reformed; the Rev.
DR.. Parmley, of the First Baptist;
the Rev. Dr. Brett, of the Bergen Re
formed; the Rev. Mr.. Spodgrass, of the
Hedding NJ. E.; the Rev. A. A. Zabriskie,
OF the Free Reformed; Pastor Nicholson.
of the North Bap list; the Rev. Mr.. Craw-
ford. of the Irinis " NJ. E.; the Rev. Alex
ander McKeivey, of the Second Presby
terrain; the Rev. Mr.. Stillwell, Presiding
Elder Low cry and the Rev. Mr.. Scudder,
of the Tab ernacle.
FACES IN THE THRoNG.
Nearly all the vocal talent of the lower
Jersey City Protestant churches was
represented In the sea of half inspired
faces that rolled up from the edge of the
platform half way to the ceiling. The
golden bell trumpets that ornament the
top of the lofty church organ protruded
above the heads of the rear line. The
clerical countenances of the row of
clergymen in front beamed with an un
usually cordial brightness; yet they were
earnest and wistful The scene actually
of the Rev, DR.. Mitchell ,and the Rev. DR..
Parmley smiled and rubbed his hands
gleefully. The dark visage of Presiding
Elder Lowery alone was stern and
solemn, vet kind. Mr.. Scudder was all
animation. DR.. Brett loftily gazed above
the heads of the congregation in front
and around him, and seemed absorbed In
calculation. Mr.. Snodgrass' demeanor
was that Of trained and watchful sol
dier. Pastor Mitchell was animated with
thought.
A cabinet organ. at whicn Miss Ger
trude Ward, of the Free Reformed
Church, presided. occupied tine front
centre OF the platform. Mr.. Walter
Greenwood. whose sympathetic tenor
voice so charmed our citizens a year ago,
solos. Mr.. Willard Groom's efforts in the
direction of training the mammoth choir
were manifest. The singing was excep-
tionally fine and enthused the congrega-
tion.
HOW MILLS LOOKED.
Mr.. Mills made his Wav in company
with several clergymen TO the front OF the
platform and took O seat by the side OF
the Rev. DR.. McKelvey. His personal ap-
pearance is already familiar to most of
our readers. He wore a dark, thick over
coat which he did not at first remove, but
sat for awhile gazing intently over the
sea of faces surrounding him on all Sides
He must have experienced a thrill of
pleasure at the evidence of our church
peoples appreciation of his last years
services in the cause of local Christianity
But he did not exhibit this in his features,
which at first remained almost infexible.
His face is still clean shaven. His calm
blue eyes now and then frightened in
token of the recognition of Some personal
friends about hiri. His light hair was
slightly trimmed b,'t the front still in-
clines to curling wave.
The services were preluded by a num-
ber of selections spiritedly rendered by
the choir. The Rev. Drs. Brett and Nc
Kelvey and Presiding Elder Lowerys led
in prayer, each beseeching the Almighty
to crown the efforts being put forward in
the interests of salvation with success.
The ''Doxology" was sung by the congre-
cation standing. and collection taken
10 defray the incidental expenses of the
meeting. Neither Mr.. Mills nor Mr..
Greenwood is to be paid from monies col
lected at any of the services.
MI Mills made an extra effort last night
TO move his congregation. His sermon
was a straightforward, manly appeal to
the church brethren to earnestly settle
down to work. He consumed scarcely
more than twenty minutes. His illustra-
q, faxx ht1f oft-
cal His modesty in language and senti-
ment was in keeping with that he ex-
hibited in his personal appearance.
THE TEXT AND THE SERMON.
He chose an appropriate text from the
latter clause of the 29th verseof the tenth
chapter of the Acts.
MI ask, therefore, for what intent ye have sent
Tor ms?n
Mr.. Mills said this question was asked
by minister of old of congregation
that had sent for him. The minister had
thought much upon the matter of re-
spending to the call and the more he
thought about it the more hesconcluded
God wanted him to accept the invitation
II was pleasure to Mr.. Greenwood and
himself to assist in the great work
second time in this city. He commenced
life in New Jersey. It was the besU State
people in other States, but from the At
lantic to the Pacific o more energetic,
larger hearted people could not be found
than those within the limits of New Jer-
sey. 1s
He felt, he said, some little hesitation
in engaging III work OF the character
for which he was sent to assist in. He
hoped that the minds of the people before
him were trusting in God for the
successful accomplishment Of the task
which they had already begun, and not
in man, and emphasized the value of
unity among the various churches en-
gagged in it. All vigorous churches, he
said, were practically one at this time
Sectarianism was in some respects bar
rier to the cause Of Christianity Denom-
national lines in the work entered upon
at least should be swept away.
OF WHAT DENOMINATION is HE?
II have preached to twenty, different
denominations, and have Invitations TO
preach 10 some never heard Of Mr..
Mills said shut have never yet seen q
CONGREGATION in which souls of different
denominations could be singled out by O.
stranger You could not tell the denofni-
nations of one of these ministers sitting
here he continued, pointing tq the array
of clergymen sitting on his right, unless
some one told you, or You saw him in his
own pulpit Indeed, the question eof
nv own denomination often sperplexes
rne. An old Methodist once shook
me by the hand, and said, We
Methodists always know each other by
the handshake.' another man once re-