EVANGELIST MILLS' DEFECTION.
By Editor
DR. R. F. COYLE, of this city, recently preached a sermon on the "Lapse of B. Fay Mills," as he styles that once noted evangelist's change to Unitarianism. Of this action of Mr. Mills, Dr. Coyle said:— "For some weeks past a good deal has been said and written about the new departure of the Rev. B. Fay Mills. Five years ago he held meetings in this city, which were attended by thousands. As a partial result of that special effort this church alone received an addition of 200 members on profession of their faith in Christ. We all remember with what warmth and fervor and positiveness, and with what a ring of conviction, Mr. Mills preached the Gospel at that time. But five years slip away, and, behold, we find this same man, this enthusiastic evangelist of former years, standing up in a Unitarian pulpit in Boston and saying, 'We leave the cross behind us.' He certainly has taken upon himself a fearful responsibility." But the analysis of the step, as given by Dr. Coyle, is the point to which we would call attention, as it is probably the true one, and denotes the dangerous ground upon which many other ministers are standing to-day:— "I feel quite sure that the lapse of the once famous evangelist was caused largely by a shifting of emphasis. How much the influence of Professor Herron and his school had to do with the unmooring of Mr. Mills we can not tell, perhaps a good deal; but we know that there came a day when he began to preach social salvation to the exclusion of individual salvation. He saw the corruptions of society everywhere, its evils, its injustices, its pitiless competitions, its utter disregard for the weak, its absolute need of purity and fraternity and righteousness if it