The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-03-23
Mills MEETINGS.
Rev. B. Fay Mills Discourse
of tuesday Afternoon.
he MASTER cALLsTH FOR THEE.
mo Evangelist Relates the Story OF
the Resurrection OF Lazarus and
Draws Many Valuable Lessons from
che Events Described.

| J00 AVculS ACcCIkbCts
| The text is in the 18th chapter OF John,
Ind q portion OF the 2Sth verse: "Ihe
Master is come and calleth for thee"
| Il was once my privilege TO listen toa
|ery successful preacher while he sug-
|ested some reasons why the death ana
Of Lazarus reminded him OF
genuine revival OF the work OF
HE Holy Ghost. And 1 was so touched
~ the appropriateness of what he said
hat began to study this passage from
hat point of view, and discovered other
/ desire to show TO you
ome of the things found and the rea-
|ons why the sickness, death, bun ia and
|esurrection of Lazarus resemble genu-
he revival OF the work OF Christ.
| Now, in the first place this was very
Important matter. 1t took precedence OF
else. No matter how busy
'erson may be, he can turn away from
| Is business In the time of sickness, and
as to. And when death comes, we give
p our ordinary engagements and consider
J : sufficient excuse for breaking any en-
|agement. We stop the wheels OF the
VI
ye seem to think that this Is the most m
|ortant event that can happen unto man.
. do not mean to Indicate shat our friends
Ire more spiritually dead in the time OF
'byival than at any other time, but L
10 mean to intimate that they are in more
|anger. heard q minister say once that
here was nothing that he desired to see
b his parish so much as a revival, anu
.othing he dreaded SO much as revival,
k<w he l.
hide of people might be moved
B turn to God, Others would be
|ardened and never accept Him.
This very miracle. the raising OF Lazarus,
|nly hardened the hearts OF the people
nd caused them to go the Scribes and
5harisees and hasten the judicial murder OF
|esus. The fact that such a multitude as
|his. may gather on the busy days OF the
teek, coming away from business and
'ther cares and privileges that we may
hingle our tears and prayers and unite our
Nth in our concern for the saving of loved
hes, Is an indication that some OF Us are
balixing that this is very
Important matter. They said: We
kul send a man to bring Jesus"
nd they did SO, but he did not bring
m; ;h.t nose Mos1s may seem an ecae, came
'esus, because He loved Mary and Mar
ba He stayed away. Why, you would
|ave thought that IL He loved them He
|ould have run to them in their trouble.
|ut He stayed away. i think 1t
box more love for Him to etay away
ban It would have taken to go and heal
be sick Lazarus. But my impression is
pat these sisters were not in the condi-
ION Zone OF them at least) to receive such
healing as that of Lazarus would have
ken.
Here was q woman that was living in
Forluliness, and so it was necessary for
.heso sisters to have personal interview
tith Jesus Christ. And Lazarus had to
ie and go into the grave. 1t was going
> be necessary for them to
q Jesus themselves and talk with
fdained most of the machinery OF the
Rodern church. ] believe in our organ
{ation, in our societies of different sorts
hat God has sent pastors to regenerate
be flock. / believe that under certain
circumstances evangelists may have q
Riasion, but believe that when people
|et to depending on machinery or organ
kation, or pastors or evangelists to save
heir friends, these agencies are curse
han that trusteth in the flesh; but blessed
3 the man that trusteth in the Lord, and
those strength the Lord is"
One evening went into town where
fiSnd OF mine was pastor, and as passed
lii church the door was open. i
kas told that he was in bis study at the
lack of the church. found there
he pastor with eight OF the
ficers OF his church, and he said to
hem something like this brethren,
yhen we commenced the special meetings
Rst Sunday / thought i had never seen
|uch spiritual interest as saw then. But
.1onday there was deeper interest, and
Wednesday the people were pouring into
be kingdom of God. But Thurs
Jay the interest was all gone.
Hhat was the trouble?
allied you here tonight for this purpose.
think we had come to the place where
Ye thought we were doing the work. God
lad to teach us lesson. / think He
yanted to teach us that il depended en-
frely upon Him. The thing for US to do
low Is TO get down on our faces
before God and cry nightly unto Him
Ind see II He will not manifest His saving
lower" Some OF those men literally got
own on their faces and cried nightly
nto God. They were still praying when
'he hour came for service. We left
hose men in there for prayer, and
|he meeting commenced. After IL
lad been in progress little while,
he door opened at the side, and out came
hose men fresh from their interview
Fith Christ; and as they came In felt
|piritual wave como over the congrega-
lion, and before the service was done peo-
ble were rising mp all over the room say
|hg, Pray for me. want to find the
way Of life.'
And then, in the third place, I notice
hat only portion OF this family seem to
tave been interested from the first. We
|ead that Martha went, but Mary sat
'till In the house. j am glad TO have a
tood word to speak for Martha. think
Soor Martha has been abused
ometimes, as though she had
'ery worldly mind, and Mary was the
|piritual one. Here was a time when
Martha had.a heart for Jesus and when
Nary sat still In the house. think all of
d are more or less creatures OF moods,
Ind have an idea that Mary came into
|he condition where her heart was
Dot right and she needed this text
p order that 1t might be revealed unto
herself. And / never in my life saw a
'evival when il wasn't Just this way.
How does revival commence? IL COM
'nenccs the way the revival I'm Jerusalem
Commenced when Nehemiah went back to
build up the walls. He went out at night
10 look at the walls and he uses
.hese significant words: al and n
lew men with me-" He did not take the