The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-02-25
THE MILLS MEETINGS.
Rev. E. p. Woodward Tells Why Ger
tain Churches Should Not Join.

Incongruous Beliefs Would Cause Fatal
Inconsistencies Christian People Urged
to be Active.
AT the Second Advent church Sunday
afternoon the pastor. Rev. E. P. Woodward,
took for the subject of his discourse the APP
preaching revival meetings of Rev. B. Fay
Mills.
The object of the sermon was two-fold: to
explain why the Unitarians and Universe
lists were not to participate; and to give
such advice as would cause his hearers TO
do their part in making the meetings SUI
| cessful and in gathering the fruits of them
Mr.. Woodward began by referring to the
different ways in which revivaIs start, some
times through the instIumetalitY of humble
means. It simply needed the spirit of sod
to do work for God. provided that the agent
should proceed with good common sense. In
TegaId to the approaching meetings of Rev.
Mr.. Mills, there WAS serious division OF
opinion between Christian people as TO the
| adyisa bility of his coming. His work is in
tended to be in behalf of the whole body of
Christian people without regard to sects.
The first thing which Mr.. Mills insists upon,
and which he has modified slightly for Port
| land, is that every church shall enter
heartily into the work. He wants all
Christians to forget for the time their par
ticular doctrines, in order to unite in saving
souls. There is reason in this, for nothing
gives better impression to people without
the churches than to .see Christians forget
ting their differences. (Amens)
Now comes the query why all nominal
Christians should not be brought together
in this work. 1t is a serious fact that there
are congregations that do not seem entitled
to the name Christian The recent ser.
mon of DR.. Blanchard on the higher criticism
argued Tor the participation of all denomi-
nations in revival work and ne expressed
the opinion that the triumph of the higher
criticism would bring about such consum-
nation.
From this view Mr.. Woodward dissented,
and he was ready to give reasons for the
fact that in the preparations for these
meetings the Universalists and Unitafians
had been lie nored? 1t was not because any
one wished to snub them or because it was
though t that the members of those churches
were bad people. But there was a reason.
There are several positive beliefs. Of evan
gelical denominations which have bearing
in this matter. The evangelical churches
belieresfrst, that men are lost beyond all
huma power Of recovery, and that the only
waysw hereby taeyAcan be sawed is by the
power of God. They also believe that there
is something eternal in the evil effects if
this lost condition of men is continued
In this condition Of humanity, so absolnte-
ly+hopeless, We believe that there is but on
powerst hat can sa We us from the penalty Of
sin, and that the power of Jesus Christ. A
stainless life will no do it.
Now the unevangelical demonstrations.
particularly the Unitarians, deny these
evangelical positions. You can see what an
incongruity would. result from inviting
people who have SO diverse views as the
evangelical and unevangelical, to unite in
revival meetings. One brother wonld get
up and pray for the saving of lost sinners
through Jesus; while another would call on
men to regenerate themselves. and point to
Christ as the peerless man.
Mr.. Woodward then urged the duty Of all
the evangelical churches to get the
Christian spirit aroused for his coming, SO
that MI. Mills's meetings could start right
off. under full Roadway from the first. Per-
sonal work must be done by all. Mr.. Mills
couldn't be hired to come here at SO much
per day to turn out saved souls from such
| raw material as might happen TO come in
to his meetings. Christian people must ask
their friends and acquaintance to attend
the meetings. Then after Mr.. Mills should
go. it would be nee essary for the Christian
| people to remember That tho work must be
carried on. The devil taxes no vacations.
+ .If,5A u