The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1892-08-27
Rev. b. Fay Mills.
EDITOR BuLLETIN:

1892, concerning Mr. Mills work in
San Francisco: IL. w. PECK
1t must have been a gratifying
spectacle to Mr. Mills last night as
he stepped upon the platform in the
Mechanics Pavilion and viewed the
immense, silent throng of men and .
women congrcgatcdw within the build .
ing. There was not sound TO I've .
heard, but il was the solemn hush OF .
a muItitudc.
The great baru-li>c structure look
ed little like church, but the thou
sands of uncovered heads, the rover
emit respectful attention given to the
evangelist's words and the complete
absence of applause throughout the
service made the scene ono OF the
most interesting ever witnessed in
the pavilion.
At the western end of the hall a
long and broad platform had been
erected, From it arose tier upon
tier of seats for the choir of young
men and women who had volunteers
ed from all the evangelical churches.
San Francisco has never furnished
such an immense congregation at a
religious service as that which filled
every seat and bench ON the main
floor and every chair in the gallery.
The lower floor was arranged in the
form of an immense square, the base
of which was but few feet from the
Larkin-street entrance. In the cen
ter place was provided for thousands
of people and even then there were
not seats enough for all who came,
There were many elements in the
congregation, people of every class
and grade in life, ministers and mer-
chants, lawyers and mechanics,
and here and there Salvationist in
characteristic garb
There were many there who
showed themselves unfamiliar even
with the simple ritual of the service,
but the evangelist, throughout his
long address, held their closest at
tention. His effective stories of the
dark side of life, of misery, degrade
ton and dishonor, were met with a
silence so profound as to be at times
almost oppressive. His anecdotes in
lighter vein, of good humor and
good cheer provoked smile, very
often laugh, and the rustic and
whirr of fans from all parts of the
hall told of the relief from the
strain his serious words had brought
During his address, owing to the
poor acoustic properties of the hall
the evangelist labored under dis
advantage, but he succeeded in max
ing himself heard in every part Of
the building. His theme was al
earnest protest against perfunctory
religion, against that godlincss which
lasts but one day and the worldli
ness that continues for six. The
charm, the effectiveness and the in
terest of his sermon came from tn,
method in which he illustrated hi
arguments, from the simple storie
by which he demonstrated TIN
worthiness of his plea and the dar]
pictures by which he proved tn
end of irreligious life.
"Our religion" he said, ''must b
conducted as our earthly affair:
upon strictly business principles
We cannot, in justice to ourselves o
to God, be devout on Sunday an,
irreligious for the rest of the weei
observing what we know to be tn
right course on one day in the wee
and leaving the other days for on
minister We must prepare consist
emily for that endless life which wi
come when the waters of cternit
wash the sands of time, when a
differences but one will be sweI
away and we stand before our Go
just as we are. There are thousand
OF people here tonight, the old an
the young, the learned and tn
ignorant, the rich and the poor, bu
all must some day stand before tn
Judgment bar Of God, their position
leyeled, to receive what, guilty {
innocent, their acts deserve, Go
help him who may be found wantn
in that last and awful moment"
The words of the reyivalist mad
profound impression, and now an
again some Salvationist, oyercon
by his devotion, would startle til
silent throng by an expression {
spiritual satisfaction as loud as
was evidently sincere. When IL
meeting was almost at an end IL
revivalist asked all who wished t
lead that life for which he so el,
quently pleaded to stand up. Not
single seat in the large hall was o.
cupied, Cards were at once distr
buted and hundreds signed the