Los Angeles herald., 1905-02-01
MILLS GRATEFUL
FOR PRAYERS
Ex-EvANGELIST OBJECTS TO
D0GMAS OF SECTS
Places Little Emphasis on EeeIesiss-
ticaI Affiliations and Spends lit
tie Thought on TeehnIeaIities
Of Theology

Rev. 3. Fay Mills, leader of the
Los Angeles Fellowship society, and
ex-evangelist. in place of resenting the
inference which might be drawn from
the fact that the revlvalists now
preaching here are praying for him,
smiles and expresses his gratitude.
IT sincerely appreciate the kindly
spirit of the friends who are praying
for me-" said Rev. Mr.. Mills last even
ing. 'I desire knowledge, wisdom,
purity of heart, graciousness of spirit,
gentleness of manner, courtesy of ut
terance and power in loving service,
and 1 suppose these are the qualities
they ask for me in their prayers"
When it was pointed out that the
prayers were not so much for these
things as they were expressions on the
part of. the revivalists that he again
join their ranks and share their theo-
logical beliefs, he only smiled the more.
II do not know" he said, how I
differ from all of them in theological
opinion. They do not agree with one
another in what they regard as essen
tials and 1 could not agree with all Of
them if 1 tried. Opinion does not seem
to me of the first Importance. 1 place
the emphasis on life, conduct, spirit,
rather than on technical theological
notions, concerning which no man can
be sure, and which naturally change
with the moral and intellectual devel-
opment of the race.
Objects to Affiliations
'I do not place any emphasis on
ecclesiastical affiliations 1 never with
drew from the orthodox Congregational
ministry, because what I have been
seeking is an enlarged and not a re-
stricted fellowship. My name is also
on the Unitarian rolls. Neither of these
associations indicates my belief or dis
belief in any dogmas whatever, but
simply that 1 do not wish to decline
any high-minded fellowship that is
open to me.
"As John Wesley said: I am sick of
opinions; L am weary to hear them;
my soul loathes this frothy food. Give
me solid and substantial religion; give
me an humble, gentle lover of God and
man, a man full of mercy and good
faith, without partiality and without
hypocrisy. Let my soul be with those
Christians, wherever they are and
whatsoever opinion they are of. b"
In response to the question as to how
he differs from the revivalists, or
rather, what is his present stand, Rev.
Mr.. Mills replied:
"In my present work I emphasize
principles, not dogmas and my preach
ing is appropriate for any congrega-
tion of men and women who desire to
cultivate the spirit of Jesus. I do not
denounce men or doctrines or institu-
tions, and am trying not to destroy,
but to fulfill
IT have decided to yield to popular
desire, and next Sunday l will speak
at the regular services of the Fellow
ship in Masonic hall, along these lines:
speaking in the morning on What
Must 1 Do to Be Saved? and in the
evening on How and Why 1 Changed
My Religious Opinions
Friendly With All
''I hold in affectionate esteem the
revival preachers now in the city DIR.
Chapman is the dearest friend of my
youth and my college chum. Messrs.
Bederwolf, Ostrom, Elliott Hills and
Maxwell are all old associates who
DII D-ly ii on
good brotherly terms with all of them,
and if we cannot go all the way to-
gether I at least wish to go together as
far as we can.
During the past year my efforts
and message have received hearty in
dorsement from some ministers of the
various orthodox denominations, and
the doors of many orthodox as well as
liberal churches have swung wide open
to me. Whether they all should do so
is not for me to say.
"But for the present, and so far as
I know for the future, my work is in
this City of the Angels, in our modern
land of promise, with the noblest and
best citizens l have ever met, and I
desire league offensive and defensive
with every individual and society in
this community of my choice and de-
votion in all that will help us to be
noble, useful, unselfish and Christlike.
Let us have a genuine union Of those
who live in the service of those who
suffer-"
uEAn HONcIII STRICKEN