The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-02-18
THE THIEF ON THE CROSS.
Mr.. Mills Makes HIM a Type O
Eleventh Hour Repentance.

Mr.. Mills delivered one of his most eff
Church last evening. The auditorium Of
the pretty edifice was packed to the
doors, the aisles were filed and the walls
were fringed with line of "stand ups. !"
About thirty singers occupied the rost-
rum. In front of them sat the Rev. p.
G.. Blight, the Rev. DIR. Duryea and the
Rev. Messrs. Snodgrass and Scudder.
Mr.. Greenwood'S songs were unusually
sweet. The face of the evangelist APP
peared more than ordinarily solemn and
thoughtful, and his voice was tremu-
lous.
His theme last night was the repentance
of the crucified thief who turned to Jesus
and said:--"Lord, remember me when
thou comest into thy kingdom" and
Christ's promise that he should that day
be with him in Paradise.
"Some people," said Mr.. Mills, ''fre-
quently refer to this incident in manner
that would encourage sin. There are
only rare instances recorded where soul
is saved ut the last moment. think this
is the only one recorded in the Bible"
Mr.. Mills was inclined to the opinion
that the incident was recorded purely for
the purpose OF showing that Christ could
save in the eleventh hour, it was related
that we might not despair, but inasmuch
as it was the only one, we dare not pre-
sumo.
SOME STATISTICS.
He knew of a physician who had col
lected statistics of repentant persons
whose conversion took place on what
they supposed were their dying beds.
Out of 300 there were thirty whose re-
pentance was genuine. That was three
out of hundred, one out of thirty.
Mr., Mills told the people in his audience
that their only safety was in taking i'm
mediate steps. He related an incident of
young lady who, after listening at
tentiyely to one of his sermons. wrote
upon the margin of hymn book
IF God spares my life six
months I'll give my heart to Him. She
rubbed the word six out and substituted
the word three. Then she rubbed that
out and substituted the word one. She
that sentence.
THE THIEF's FAITH.
Mr.. Mills drew beautiful picture of
their dying thief's faith. He had heard
Mr.. Moody say it was the most marked
instance of faith recorded in the Bible.
He had had no angel come to him as did
Abraham Moses saw and talked with
God; Paul had that revelation at Damas-
Gus when the light of heaven flashed
in his eyes; John had the heavens rolled
back Tor him, and he saw the angels sit
ting about the throne of God; Peter, who
was with Him on the Mount of Olives,
denied Him; Judas, one of his
most trusted followers, betrayed
Him; John, at the supper laid his head
on Christ's bosom and afterward seemed
to forget him. Even his mother turned
away from Him, lost faith in her son
born of the Holy Ghost. This thief had
had faith in that hour.
eyes over the sea of faces before him, 1--WE
could see such confession here tonight
Mr.. Mills comparison of the thoughts
in the minds of the three figures on the
crosses was as effective as it
was graphic. The penitent thief had
been robber, perhaps murderer;
he had had q wife and cursed her, and
taught his children to follow in the foot
steps of the devil He had lived selfish
existence, and was now suffering from
his deems. BY his side was Jesus dying
for the sins of the people. Beyond him
the unrepentant thief taunting him with
the remark
"If thou indeed be the Son of God, save
thyself."
The maledictions ne hurled upon the
heads of the crucifiers as they drove the
nails in his hands, the desire in his heart
for murder, was contrasted effectively
with the simple prayer of Christ when
cross fell to the ground, Father, Father,
forgive them, for they know not what
they do"
II would like to die like that. l
would like to die reaching down to save
some poor sinner that might, while en-
tering the gates above, hear the sweet
burst of the harmonies of heaven over
the redemption of one Door SOUL
NO ONE RETIRED
Almost the entire congregation re-
manned seated when Mr.. Mills. at the CON
clusion Of the service, gave permission to
those not interested in the welfare of
their souls to retire. The meeting which
followed was such as gave the evangelist
much evidence of the deepimpressions mis-
words had made.
Then Mr.. Mills touchingly alluded TO
the Saviour's pity for the penitent thief.
His very weakness had touched the great
heart of Christ. That life begun in a
manger and ending on eross-the very
last thing was to save this poor thief.
Those loving pinioned arms reached down
into the very depths of hell and pulled
this thief up to heaven.