Los Angeles herald., 1892-05-19
PART OF M|uS'S HARVEST
Ex-Rev. Fleming Makes Public
Confession.
A Sensational Episode at the Even.
ing Meeting.
Great Success of All the Meetings Yes
terday-The Morning and After
noon Gatherings = Last
Evenings Session.

The extra Sunday movement was a
success yesterday, from the revivalistic
point OF view, and the meetings were
| all success.
| THE 10 O'CLOCK MEETING.
| notwithstanding the slightly aggra-
waiting heat of yesterday and the practic-
ally enforced absence of many by reason
of the editorial excursion, Hazards pa
vilion was crowded with 5000 people
! yesterday morning to listen to Mr.. Mills
deliver an impressive sermon to back
sliders. Preliminary to the sermon
proper, Mr.. Mills requested the minis
ters of the various denominations to
give brief testimonies to the beneficial
results of the meeting. A number re-
sponded, among them being Rev. A. B.
Smithers, pastor OF the Christian
church D. D. Read, First Presbyterian /;
J. S. Dill, Central Baptist; W. A.
Knighten, Simpson tabernacle; Young
Of Bowie Heights First Presbyterian !;
w. w. Crabb, United Presbyterian /;
]. B. Holloway, Vincent Methodist |;
Rev. Mr.. Fife, of Pasadena, and many
others. The doxology was then sung,
also Blest Be the Tie that Binds, when
the evangelist by way of introduction to
his text, read from Luke, chapter %,
| with which Bible readers are familiar.
Mr.. Mills took for his text two words,
And Peter, from verse OF chapter 16 of
Luke. The story of the woman at the
tomb of Jesus, the garden scene in Geth-
semane, the cIucifxion, and denial of
the Lord were graphically pictured, pre-
paratory to taking up the character Of
Peter as backslider as an example for
all who are wanderers from the fold of
Christ. The history OF Peter is the his
tory of bold, impulsive, honest man,
subject to the limitations of frail human
nature butt capable under right con-
ditions of rising to immeasurable
heights OF honor and:immortal glory.
Peter fell under the shadow of the wing
of the Almighty, and the teachings of q
personal God whose humanity touched
his with a consciousness easily under
stood. If Peter could fall under such
conditions what safety is there for you
and Me, except faith in Him who made
Peter, the backslider, the repository of
his supremest love and confidence?
Peter denied Jesus Christ when the
powers of earth and hell were leagued
against him, and yet the risen Saviour
when he desired reunion of his disci.
Piles, said in hisinvitation, ''and Peter"
as much as to say, although you have
repudiated him, cannot trust him, be-
lieving him to be dishonest and unre-
liable, yet will forgive him,
| and make of him an immor-
tai example for all coming
time to backsliders that the love and
forgiveness of God is as wide as the de-
sires and necessities of humanity. This
was the theme and argument OF Mr..
Mills, and the subject was ornamented
with those graces Of rhetoric and splen-
dors of diction that give force and at
tractiveness to such discourses. Ii any
backslider could be reclaimed by argu-
ment and appeal under the inspiration
of true Christian spirit, all in the au-
dience should have risen. At the con-
clusion of the sermon, the invitation
was given for backsliders to rise, and
about score rose to bear witness to
their determination to return to Christ.
In the Afternoon.
Some might suppose that after 5000
people bad crowded the pavilion in the
morning the 8 80 services would show
some signs OF diminution. On the con-
trary, by 3:15 the auditorium and gal
leries were packed with an apparently
anxious and necessarily perspiring mass
of at least 1000 people. Ushers were
kept busy in finding seats for the push
ing crowds.
Song service as usual preceded the
regular exercises. Twill Sing the Won
drous Story, Wonderful Words of Life, l
Hear the Welcome Voice, and Let the
Savior In, were finely rendered by the
choir.
Before the sermon was announced
Rev. A. Smither of the Christian church
made statement to the effect that as
rumors were afoat that Mr.. Mills and
Mr.. Greenwood had been promised from
$1,000 to $4,000 for their services, he
wished to state emphatically that no
promise of money or contracts OF any
kind had been made with the gentle
| by any rich men, but depended entirely
upon free-will offerings for his services.
| He felt assured there were many who
had been benefited who would gladly
make contributions. and in order to give
all who believed they were under great
| obligations to this moral movement an
opportunity Of expressing their graft
! tude, envelopes would be distributed
among the audience for those to use and
remit so Mr.. Mills or Mr.. Greenwood in
person or through the ushers.
After prayer by the Rev. Mr.. Abbott,
Mr.. Mills proceeded with the exercises
by reading from the tenth chapter of
Luke regarding the commands of Christ
to His disciples. Jesus of Nazareth
Passes By, was then sung, and Mr..
Mills announced his text from Isaiah,
fifty-ninth chapter and tenth verse, "We
stumble at MONDAY as in the night. &"
A parallel was drawn between the
Israelites of the time of the prophet for
their rejection of the light, and men at
the present day who in the blaze Of
nineteenth century Christianity stumble
at MONDAY as in the night. A Christian
should show the truth of his profession
by beautiful Christian life. Christ
cursed the fig tree because it's branches
were green and yet it didinot fulfill its
mission of fruitfulness. Christ expects
all protesting Christians to bear fruits
worthy of His holy name. 81 knew a
man. said Mr.. Mills, "who claimed
to have read the Bible through
fifteen times, yet he was the meanest
stingiest, most cross-grained, disagreea'
BILE, unbearable man the imagination
can possibly conceive. Such men have
not the Spirit of Christ, and they cause
others to stumble at nOondav as in the