The Portland daily press., 1895-03-15
Might Appropriately Be Said Of the
Mills Meeting.
BOTH MEETINGS YESTERDAY OF
DEEP RELIGIOUS INTEREST.


Grand Effect of the Hundreds of
Voices in the Singing.
High street church WAS nearly filed Yes
terday afternoon when Mr.. Mills began to
speak. Rev. Mr.. samson Of Free street
church presided at the meeting, and Kev.
Mr.. Pratt of WilIiston, offered prayer.
Several hymns were finely sung by Mr.
Hills, and the congregation. Mr.
Mills read from Matthew XIV.
31-33, the story of the goats and the sheep.
For his text he took Judges V, %, Course
ye Meroz, saidEthe Angel of the Lord" The
moral conveyed by the address was that
not only were there the blessings of the
Lord, but also the curses. and this curse of
Meloz was one OF the latter. Meroz Was
cursed because i'll the conflict OF the tribes
they came not to the help OF ne Lord. No
body knows much about this conflict, but 1t
is evident thet while the people in the
cities and towns about Meroz We're
struggling In the Lords cause, the Meroz
people cid nothing. The Speaker then went
on to show how great crime this passive
ness WAS and lie illustrated his talk by
many interesting and pertinent stories. He
particularly dwell upon the fact that while
a man may seem coward, and has 10 make
tremendous effort 10 SHOW tnat he has been
touched by the light nd truth of the Word,
yet he is much more to be commended than
the really brave man who loses his oppor-
tunity through fear that the coward may
place him i'll an embarrassing situation.
| Mr.. Mills stated that the usual afternoon
meeting would take place at the High street
church tlis afternoon. Saturday there will
be but one meeiing and that in the evening
at Free street church, ana it will be con-
fined to Sunday school officers and teachers
exclusively 8@5
The crowd at the City hall last evening
could not we'll be greater han it was the
previous evening, but ii sursed around the
great number WHO occupied the seats, 1lled
the aisles. was III evidence where the re-
porte1s' table slIould have been, and in fact
occupied all the standing room in the hall.
Only the spirit OF a just man made per-
feet, could have got in tive minutes after
The doors were opened. 1t was great crowd
a seat filling, space occupying crowd,
crowd that listened to the eloquent sermon
with the closest attention, ard it may be
added that the too often misaprlied term
rep ntative crowd. true in this case,
| all classes and condition OF men were repre-
scented in that wonderfully great audience
that extended as far outside as the voice of
the preacher could go.
The platform was crowded with Christian
workers. Many ministers. more laymen
''godly women" in great numbers. 1t was
striking scene when they rose to sing.
Rev. Mr.. Rogers offered prayer after
which MIR. Hills led in singing Nearer My
&c cd to Thee" He then sang a solo,
Moment by Moment after which there
was congregational singing of my Faith
Looks Up to Thee" The eject of the hun
dreds of voices joining in the grand old
hymn was simply thrilling.
Following the example of Sir Samuel
Baker, who dedicated one of his books 10
all boys from eight to thirty years DID,"
Mr.. Mills announced that the two opening
services sunday will lie only for young
persons from ten TO thirty-fye." He added
that the Sunday even in gsservice will not be
open to any church member unless accom-
panied by one who is not. Mr. Mills then
announced his text Is Luke civ, $50
likewise whoever be be of you that forsake
not all that he bath, Gale cannot be lay
disciple
Christ die notlmake d. single distinction.
Whoever would follow him was not to for
sake something he had but all, and this is
moi ~ passage standing by itself, hut is the
very heart of the teachings OF Jesus. The
idea is that We should be SO completely
4 giye, 10 God to be dead 10 the world. II
is he giving UP of the lower for the higher.
1t is a rising out Ct his life TO the life mat
is of God. The pearl CT great price is at
once Christ, and ourselves. He gave all
He had for us and in return We are to give
all that we have and all that we are fol-
Him. It does not take much OF a man 10 be
a Christian. The poorest man in tho world
is greater than the strongest if he takes his
stand with God. and the other does not.
It means that we are to suffer for Christ il
/ need be. To suffer for the sake of suffering
as men did who for forty years orouched OF
a pillar, would he criminal. out TO suffer
for righteousness sake is the highest and
the noblest, and the holiest thing mar
can do, and will be ''until righteousness
covers the earth as the waters cover the
sea- i
| There must be self-denial in following
Christ, and there must be a taxing up q
| I he cross, and it will mean much more thar
speaking in u PRAYER meeting, or the doinf
of something that is hard for US to Go. W.
are to confess Christ. aud in the orlglna
tho word translated confess" means 10 b'
the same We must reach the point whel
5 We can say With the great apostle of th'
reformation, "Martin Luther does not live
here, Jesus Christ lives here, For with still
greater apostle when. he said, II am cruel
fed with Christ, but / still live" The mos
: piteous lie in the world is when one says
Il am Christ's.'' when he meane, ~ am TO
myself" The following of Christ is not al
imitation OF Christ. Trying 10 follow Chris
when you want to do something else is
] sort of he'll. a man is not saved man IN
+ til he does right because he wants TO d
o right. But what does it mean to take u
your cross and follow Christ? 1t mean
death. Death to the world 1t means tina
we must cone to that place where We shal
be dead to he world and fhe world tc US
S That is the road to God. The way to Co
e leads through the grave, until we reach tn
4 point where the cid life that was but an
OF her name for death has gone out, and tn
- new life IN Jesus Christ has come In.
The man who tries to build bis cha1acte
Il with the resources of a purely huma