BIBLE S5 \\i r'***!.:^^^ m^^^ /iX;ii'.:yrvsSfe?i:: -VsJ^ x>M ■^- T.^*''^^•^'■S•i\F ^ i;.jj;i j/^a^E^i^i'' ^"^ ^ Cibrarjp of l:he theological ^eminarjp PRINCETON . NEW JERSEY PRESENTED BY Mr. Robert Beaman \ Wk BX 4825 .N3 Nason, Elias, 1811-1887. Lives and labors of eminent ......^ divines il^^! / a - 1 fl ^xr#g^ T^'^ % ,»i^; * iiM^^imm^m^ ?r,-f ffmm^ ■ "'w^ ■Wr^ Charles H. Parkhurst. LIVES AND LABORS OF ^ Eminent Divines CHARLES H. PARKHURST DWIGHT LYMAN MOODY IRA DAVID SANKEY PHILIP P. BLISS AND EBEN TOURJEE Accounts of Their Labors of Reform and Evangelization and Sketches of Their Lives ^/ REV. ELIAS NASON AND J. FRANK BEALE, Jr. ILLUSTRATED MDCCCXCV. JOHN E. POTTER AND COMPANY PHILADELPHIA NEW YORK, BOSTON, CHICAGO Copvrighted 1895 FY JOHN E. POTTER AND COMPANY. CONTENTS PAGE CHAPTER I. Dr. Parkhurst's Couspicuous Position.— His Ancestors and Parents.— As a Boy.— As a Youtli.— As an Educator.— His Residence Abroad. — Choosing a Profession.- His Pastorate at Leno.x.— Tlie New Field in New York— His Growing Fame.— A Sermon on Reform.— Personal Investigation of Crime ADd Sin 17 CHAPTER II. A Corrupt City.— Attacking the Pocial Evil.— Befriending Fallen Women.— Discrediting Dr. I'Mrkhnr-l.— Superintendent Byrnes' Attack.- An Open Letter.— Dr. Parkhurst's Idea of a Citizen's Rights.— How He Exercised His Right 27 CHAPTER III. The Banquet in Dr. Parkhurst's Honor.- Gen. Horace Porter's Speech.— Re- marks by Dr. Purkliurst.— .\n Address by Bishop Potter —Remarks by Charles A. Schieren and Mr. Gotf.— The Crusade to be Continued.— Dr. Parkhurst's Work Benefiting Other Cities 3.3 G CONTEXTS. PAGE CHAPTER IV. The Parkhiirst Homp and Its Mistress.— Mrs Parkhnrst her Husband's Coun- sellor and Ik'li)iiu'et.— Her Early I.ile iiiid Kdiicatiun.— lit-r .^dmiinstratii'ii i)t'Manit'i)ld Dmifs.-Her 15elirl"iii Her lliiMjand. — IJer Methods of Hi-lnini,' Hiin.— The Administnition of iR-r Ilonsphold —Her Charitable Projects — Her Man J' Womanly and Wifely Characteristics -17 rAAs CHAPTER I. THE MOODY AND HOLTOK FAMILIES. lineage of the Moodys and the Heltons. — JL>escription of Northfleld. — The Aborigmes. — The House In which 1). L. Moody was born. — Mr, Edwin Moody. — His Death. — Impression on his Son. —Mrs. Moody's Character and Trials. — Her Pastor. — Traits of D. L. Moody in Boyhood. — A Trial to Mr. Everett. — Love for his Mother. — His First Prayer. — His Work on the Farm. — His Boyish Pranks. — He attempts to buy a Yoke of O.xen. — His Oldest Brother leaves Home. — Anxiety of the Family. — Early Education. — Influences under which Young Moody's Character was developed. —The Remark of an Old Man. — The Story of a Money-loving Farmer ... .17 CHAPTER XL MB. MOODY IN BOSTON AND CHICAGO. Young Moody leaves School. — A aerk in his Uncle Helton's Store. —Condi- tions on which he entered it. — Ho attends Mount Venion Church and Sabbath School. — His Personal Appearance at this Time. — Letter from Home. —Ho is visited by Mr. Kunball, ami converted. —How ho repays Mr. Kimball for his Kindness. — Opposition to his Speaking in the Meetings.— He is examined and admitted into Dr. Kirli's Chiu-ch. — De.acon Palmer at Exeter Hall In London. — Dr. Kirk's Opinion. — Young Jloody removes to Chicago. —The Advantages he derived from living iu Boston.- His Op.'Jiion of the City. — He joins the Rev. J. E. Roy's Church. — Engages In Recruiting- Service for the Sabbath School . . . i\ CILVPTER m. MISSIOX-.SCIIOOL ANiJ i.UMV WORK. Ur. Moo' CHAPTER IV. MB. MOODY AS A PREACHEB. Plan of Mr. Moody's Church. — His Power of Endurance. — New Year's Calls. — His Trust in God for Daily Siippoit.- President of the Young Men's Christian Association.— Dedication of Farwell Hall.— Open-Au- Meetings.— Prayer of the Rich 3Ian. —Sunday-School Conventions. — Jlr. Jloody visits England. — " Out and Out for Christ." — How he prepares a Sermon. — The Man at the Lamp- Post. — Farwell Hall Burned. — The New Home. — Mrs. Moody. —Tlie Bible-Readings. — Love. — The " I ams " of John. — Alli.ince with Mr. Sankcy. — The Great Fire.— Mr. Moody's Account of it — Visit to Philadelphia. — The T.abemacle erected. — The Order of Services held therein. — He revisits England * '" CHAPTER V. LAB0B3 TS GREAT BRITAIN. A Memorable Day. — Why the Evangelists went to England.— Their "Work at York.— Sunderland. — Newcastle-upon-Tyne. — The Promises. — Farewell to Newcastle. — Tlicy visit Edinburgh. — Distrust of the Scotchmen. — Mr. Moody's Faith. — The Infidel Club. — Eagerness of the People to hear the Gospel. — Meeting at the Com E.Kchange. — Tolbooth Church. — Week of Prayer. — Farewell Meeting at Arthur's Seat —Glasgow visited. — Open-Air Meetings. - City IlalL — Erving Place Chapel. — Wailing. — Meeting for Children. — The Cryst.al Palace. — Results of Labors. — A German P.astor.- Temperance. — Activity of Christians.- Return to Edinburgh. — AL Scot- land interesl^d. — Perth. — /Sbenleen. — Tain. — Huntley. — An Outdoor MeetingatElgin.- Rothesay. — The Kv.angeli.st3 visit Belfast. — La.st Meet- ing in th.at City. — Ix)ndonderr>'. — Dublin. — View of an Epi.scop.alian. — An Aged Man converted. — Unity of Sentiment.— A Convention of Slinistera and Others. — Visit to ^Manchester. — Sheffield. —Birmingham. —Assemblies describeiL — Liverpool. — Visit to London. —The City described. — Plan of Labor. — Results of the Revival on England and America •* 8 CONTENTS. PAoa CHAPTER VI. EVANGELISM IN BROOKLYN AND PHILADELPHIA. Farewell to England. — Mr. Moody visits Northfleld. — His Bible. — How he is Supported. — His Brother Converted. — Begins to preach at Brooklyn. — The First Meeting. — A BatUe-Field. — The Singing of Mr. Saiikey. — Conversion of an Infldel. — The Interest deepens. — " Hold the Fort." — How God for- gives Sin. — Dr. Curler's Account of the Work. — Jleeting of Ministers. — Letters to Converts abroad. — " Only Tnist Ilim." — Mr. Moody's Activity. — Conversion of a Lady. — Preparations in Philadelphia. — The old Freight Depot. —The Opening Service. — The Classes of People attending. — How a London Lady works for Christ. — Cause of the Success of the Revivalists. — Thanksgiving Day. — President Grant. — Midnight Watch-Meeting for Sab- bath-School Teachers. — George H. Stuart's Letter. — Results. — Closing Words to Converts. — The Orange-Tree. — Visit to Princeton 128 CHAPTER Vn. NEW YOEK, AUGUSTA, AND CHICAGO. The Hippodrome. — Use of Means. — The Meetings opened. — Setting Chriv tians at Work. — Mr. Moody's Sermons. — Extract from a Letter. — The Gosnel. — Tramps. — A Scotchman's Idea of Christ. — Distinguished Men present. — Secular Press. — Going to the Stake. — Dom Pedro. — Young Con- verts. — Convention. — Witty Replies. — Music. — Closing Services. — Re- sults. — An Editor's Opinion of Mr. Jloody. — Augusta, Ga. — Jlr. Moody's New Church Edifice. Dedication. — He visits Northfleld. — Springfleld. — Work in Chicago commences. — The Tabeiuacle. — Uannony among tha Clergy. — Open Sen-ice. — Ministers affected. — Death of Samuel H. Jloody. — Sermon on the Same. — Inquirers. — Interest deepening. — Faithful Sun- day-School Teacher. — Germans interested 154 CHAPTER Vm. CONTINUATION OF THE WORK IN CHICAOO. Meeting In Fiirwell Hall. — A Conversion. — Singular Notions in Resjiect to Mr. Moody. — A Convention. — Gre.it Meetings. — Letter from a Prisoner. — A Pledge. — An Incident. — Spread of the Revival. — An Appeal to the Churches. — Cluistmas. —Death of Mr. Bliss and Wife.- Inlluence of the Work. — An Account by the Rev. Mr. Pentecost. — Great Audiences — Re- ports from Churches. — Union of Christians. — Pl.an in the Work. — Sectoiian Walls demolished. — Christians awakened. — Assurance. — Worldliness. — An Incident. — Dumb Christians. — B.icksliders restored. — Effect on the Clergj'.- Mr. Moody's Belief. — The Intemperate. — The Inqulry-Rcom.— Talk with a Sceptic. —Converts 177 CONTENTS. 9 CHAPTER IX THE EEVIVAIJSTS IN BOSTON. Preparations for the Revival.— The Taboniaclo. — Unity of Sentiment. - - Dedi- cation of the Building. — Obstaciiss to the Work. — The Beguining. — Luxury of Doing Good. — Mr. Moody's Aim. — lie aslcs for Prayer. — Ills Success. — Temperance. — Ladles' Meeting. — Reasons for Separate Services. — Jericlio and Boston. — Rooms of Inquiry opened. — Spirit of the JNIeetings. — An In- temperate Man. — Days of Fasting. — Ministers at the Meeting. — "Faith." — Praise Meeting. — Dr. Mallalieu preaches on tlie Revival. — Mr. Moody's Belief. — His Sermons on Heaven. — Story of Mr. Sankey. — Service of Song. — Elements of his Power. — Simple Language. — Imagination. — Study of the Bible. — Earnestness. — Naturalness. — Rapidity of Utterance. — The Spirit of God. —Mr. Moody'sPersoual Appearance. — Voice. —Manner 2M ERA D. SANKEY. HI8 BIKTH, BOYHOOD, EDUCATION, AND MISSION. Birth. — Education. — Love of Music. — Religious Impressions. — Conversion. — Unites with the Church. — Superintendent of Sunday School, and Class Leader. — Study of the Bible. — Army Life. — Connection with the Revenue Service. — His Ch.aracter. — Sings in Conventions. — President of the Young Men's Christi:ui Association. — Meets Mr. Moody. — Consents to labor with him. — Singing m Chicago. — Ilis IMaimer and Motives. — A Touching Story. Takes Charge of the Service at the Tabernacle. — His oidy llymn. — Visits Great Britain. — Overcomes Prejudice. — Ilis Singing Popular. — Lflfects of his Music. — In the Highlanils. — Opinion of an Edinburgh Journalist. — Of Another Writer. — Popularity of Cerfiin Songs. — Theatre and Circus, Lon- don. — "Ninety and Nuie." — His Singing at Brooklyn; at Philadelphia. — His Views of Church Music. — His Singing at New York. — Address at the Close. — Gospel Songs No. 2. — Singing in Boston. — A Prayer for Song. — jMr. Sankey's Tact and Power. — Remarks of " The Inter-Ocean ; '' of Mrs. Barbour. — Mr. Saukey's Personal Appearance. — An Address to him by Mr. Caverly 231 LIFE OF P. P. BLISS. THB BIBTB AND EDUCATION OF MB. BUSS. — HIS MUSIC, WOBK, AND DEATH. Birth of Mr. Bliss. — Early Taste for Music.- His Disposition. —Comes to Chi- cago. — His Wife's Influence over him. — He conducts JIusical Institutes. — Effect of his Singing on Jlr. Moody. — At a Sunday-School Convention. — His Publications. — His Connection with Major Whittle. — A Notice of one of their Meetings. — A Letter. — "The Gospel Songs." — Style of the JIusic. — Sources of liis Hymns. — " Lower Lighli>." — ■' 1 am so glad." — " Life-Boat." 10 CONTENTS. PAOB " More to follow." — " Meet me at the Fountain." — Effects of his Miisic — An Incident. — His Mission. — Mrs. Bliss. — The Royalty on "The Gospel Hymns and Sacred Songs." — " Gospel Hymns No. 2." — "Waiting and Watching." — Singing at Cliautauqua — Reinarivs on Church Music. — A Letter. — A Prophecy. — Disaster at Ashtabula Biidge. —Death of Sir. and Mrs. Bliss. — Telegrams. — Letter of Condolence. — Memori;il Services at Chicago. — Boston. — Notice from "The Tribune." — Mrs. BUss.— Personal Traits of Mr. Bliss. — His Monument. — Buth of Dr. Tourj^e. — Education. —His Praise-Meetings. — Conservatory. — Character 263 DR. EBEN TOUIljfiE 291 SACRED SONG IN EVANGELISM. THE POWER AND RESULTS OF SACRED SONG IN EVANGELISM. — REMARKS ON THE PSALMODY OF THE CHURCH. General Effect of Music. — Singing in Ancient Times. — St. Augustine. — Am- brosian and Gregorian Tones. — Luther and the Reformation. — Richard Baxter. — Our Forefathers. — Hpnns of W'esley. — An Actress. — An Irishman converted by Song. — A Hymn of Charles Weslej'. — Revival Songs. — Con- tributions to Hymnology. — W. B. Bradbury, BlLss, Phillips, and other Hymnists. — Effect of their Songs. — Sankey's Singing. — A Young Girl con- verted.— A Gentleman led toChiist. — An Old Man's Saying. — An InCdeL — An Aged Man's Story. — Singing at Glasgow. — A Highlander. — A Sceptic. — An Incident. — Mr. Ba.xter. — Isaac R. Diller. — Remarks of "The Mora- vian." — Dr. Talmage. — Maggie Lindsay. — A Touching Death-Scene.— Influence of the New Style of Music on the Psalmody of the Church. — More of the Gospel Hymns. — Psalms of David. — Gospel Songs. — "Teaching Hymns." — More Singing needed. — Formality in IVIusic. — Design of Church Music. — How far is the Revival Method of Singing practicable ? — What is requisite? 303 ILLUSTRATIONS OF MR. MOODY. OHOIOE 8ATOIOS, INCIDENTS, STORIES, AND ILLUSTR^VTIONS OF MR. HOODT. Christ Conquering. — The Net. — Realities. — God here. — Feeling. — Jesus.— Mysteries. — Knowledge. — Purgatoiy. — The Blood. — Feeling and Faith. — Morality. — Consequential People.- The Devil iu Clinroh —Down Grade. — Th.anlif ulness. — Judiis. — Nearness to God. — Book of Wondei-s. — Strength. — Juniper-Tree. — Reason for Faith. — Lost. — Faith. — Tlireo Steps. — Gari- baldL — Laziness. — Wesley. — Bravery. — Rushlight. — Dead Sea. — Adver- sity. — Worliers. — Missing Stoue. — A Smile. — Couversiou. — Boll-CalL — CONTENTS. 11 PAOH Light — Prairie on Fire. — Love. — Not Me. — Duty. —A Lie. — Your Life. — Law. —The Earth. — The Law. — Man a Failure. — Chain and All. — Scar- let Thread. — A Resolve. — Infidel. — A Substitute. — The Crown. — The Sur- geon. — " Blazing." — The Soul. — Burden-Bearer. — God and the World. — The Shadow. — God's Love. — Now. — Life-Boat. — Heart and Head. — The Rescue.- A Lady Converted. — Belief . -Norwegian Boy. — The Worm.— A Wau). — The Bible. — Not Enough of Then\. — One in Christ. — ^loney. — Higher Up. — Sympathy. — The Check. — Silence in Heaven. — Eleventh Hour.- Prayer. -Enthusiasm.- A Line. — A Scotch Woman. — Trust. — Fiide. — The Bible. — Run upon the Banks 881 THE LIFE OF CHARLES IL PARKIIURST. CHAPTEK I. Dr. Parkhurst's Conspicuous Position. — His Ancestors and Parents. — As a Boy. — As a Youth. — As an Educator. — His Residence Abroad. — Choosing a Profession. — Ilis Pastorate at Lenox. — The New Field in New York. — His Growing Fame. — A Sermon on Reform. — Per- sonal Investigation of Crime and Sin. To Rev. Charles H. Parkhurst, D. D., pastor of the Madison Square Presbyterian Church of New York City, belongs a more contradictory fame than that of any man, public or private, contemporary with him. Hi3 method and manner of reform have been such that the vituperate utterances of those whose misconduct he has been either the primary or secondary cause of expos- ing, are as natural a consequence as the unstinted praise of his constituents, of whose full sympathy he is pos- sessed. No man can be engaged in a conspicuous capacity as a reformer, either of religion or government, and escape the criticisms, whether just or unjust, and the slander of those against whom his crusade is directed. On the other hand, such a man's following, intensely sympathetic and enthusiastic at first, will sooner or later divide itself into two classes, one of which considers it 17 -t 18 CHARLES H. PARKHURST. its individual and collective duty to express doubts, utter suspicions, and make use of suggestions, because percbance tbe great reformer elects to pursue bis own metbods. In tbe following pages we sball see in wbat Dr. Park- burst bas merited tbe esteem of bis associates of tbe Society for tbe Suppression of Vice and tbe City Vigi- lance League of New York City, for tbe untiring zeal he has displaj^ed in suppressing vice and in endeavoring to raise tbe standard of New York's municipal govern- ment. AVe shall also seethe animus of the man}^ attacks made upon him, either by or at tbe instigation of those whose criminal operations be exposed. ■\i * * As tbe botanist traces with care the facts concerning the existence of tbe rare flower, so we shall be inter- ested in glancing back at tbe boyhood, youth, and early manhood of tbe great reformer, Parkburst, and note tbe influences and heredities that fitted him for tbe conspicu- ous and honorable position he holds to-day. The Parkbursts were an English familj' of no small distinction in their native land. They came to America and made their home in New England several genera- tions ago. Tbe particular branch of tbe famil}^ of which Charles II. Parkburst came, settled in South Framing- ham, Mass. Dr. Parkburst' s father was an eminent member of tbe second generation of American Park- hursts and was a thorough New Englander — fond of his family, his books, bis fellows, and his God, living a Berene and happy life, — a model citizen. Into this at- CHARLES II. PARKHURST. 19 4 mosphere the baby, Charles IT. Parkhurst, was born one beautiful spring day in 1842. He was a ruddy, rugged child, reared in that peculiar Kew England way that lays the foundation for a true and useful manhood. It cannot be said of Parkhurst as a boy that he was '' remarkable " or " gave evidence of a career of useful- ness and honor," as biographers are wont to write of their subjects. He was a bright, studious lad, however, whose natural inclinations were toward literary pursuits —philology, and in fact higher education. It is said of Spurgeon, Beecher, Talmage, Conwell, and other noted clergymen, that they were " born preachers." Not so with Parkhurst. As a lad he began to trend by inclina- tion to the scholar's life and work. He gave that same untiring application to his studies and his youthful duties that has characterized his later work as preacher and municipal reformer. Almost unconsciously was bred into his soul the intense spirit of fire that lay smouldering until by chance it was fanned into a fierce flame of indignation and horror by a visit to the slums of New York one wintry niglit in 1886, when Castle Garden, Water Street, the Bowery, and almost the entire vicinity of New York Harbor was a pest -hole of ri- baldry, debauchery, obscenity, and shame. * * * Young Parkhurst entered Amherst College in 18(52, and was graduated with honor, but without special dis- tinction, in 18G0, at the age of twenty-four. A year after graduation he took charge of Amherst High School, which position he held for two years. During this in- 20 CHARi.ES H. PARKHURST. cumbency he formed an attachment for one of his pupils, a lovely young woman of New England birth and parentage, whom two years later he married. Upon his return from East Hampton, where he went as an instructor to several special classes of young men. Dr. Parkhurst once said : "I firmly believe I learned much more during those two years at East Hampton than my pupils were able to gather from my tuition." The Parkhurst finances were always in that state which the parlance of to-day describes as " easj'." Dr. Parkhurst as boy and man has probably never known a desire that he has not had the means to gratify. This, however, is as much due to the fact that his wants have always been simple and in keeping with his unostenta- tious mode of living, as to the comfortable dimensions of his purse. Although his engagements as an educator were proba- bly only sufiiciently remunerative to enable him to pur- chase what books he needed for the prosecution of his pet studies, philology and metaphysics, his inherited wealth enabled him to spend a year in Germany at the University of Halle, shortly after leaving East Hampton. His residence abroad was a groat benefit to liim, mak- ing him, in the true sense of the term, " a man of the world.'' He became acquainted, and a thorough sym- pathizer, with the great eflbrts of mankind, both con- temporaneous and past, and iiubib.d that high purpose and sense of duty to mankind th.at has animated his later life. As he studied and familiarized himself with CHARLES II. PARKHURST. 21 the work of the worlcVs great reformers during that year of his residence abroad, by intercourse with great men of great minds and by recourse to the literature of the ages, he unwittingly jirepared himself for that grand struggle for home, purity, and honor which he so nobly made a quarter of a century later, in the second city of the world — our countr3''s great metropolis — New York, On his return to his native country in 1871, he took the chair of Latin and Greek in Williston Seminary, East Hampton, Mass., and delved still deeper into the history and literature of his two pet studies. He seemed to have no settled idea as to his vocation in life. His object, happily, was not to make the world serve him, but to serve the world. Occupation he did not look upon as a means of bread-winning, but as a means of directing those activities, of which he felt himself pos- sessed, into channels that would lead to the highest good of his fellow -men. At this period in his life, young Parkhurst began to see the necessity of choosing a profession to which he should devote his life-work. Tpon consultation with Dr. Seelye, then president of Amherst, he decided to enter the ministry. Altiiough he had no predilections toward that profession, and had scarcely given it a thought, so highly did he value the advice of his teacher and friend that he went into the necessary preparations for the ministry with that zest and earnestness that have ever characterized his undertakings as a man and cru- sader. 22 CHARLES H. PARKHURST. Dr. Parkliurst once said to a brother of the cloth: " I recall with mingled wonder and thankfulness the night I decided to take the advice of my good old friend and 'preach.' In any other calling I should never have met even with that moderate degree of success which has been my good fortune as a minieter of the gospel." This is trul}' Parkhurstian simplicity. His iron will and steadfastness of purpose would have lifted Park- hurst head and shoulders above " the rank and j&le " of humanity in any avocation. Parkhurst's place could never be with the mediocrity. In 1874, at the age of thirty-two, Parkhurst became pastor of the Presbyterian Church of that lovely Berk- shire' town, Lenox. This was an important link in the chain that drew and bound him to New York, for it was while spending a portion of a summer at Lenox that John E. Parsons, the great lawyer, conceived the idea of transplanting the earnest, sincere Christian worker from the mountain town to a larger field of usefulness in the great metropolis. This was in 1880. Parkhurst went to the Madison Square Presbyterian Church, in New York City, with the record of six years of successful, though not brilliant, work at Lenox. To some of his new congregation ho was known ; with a few he was on terms of intimate friendship) and regard ; to the majority he was barely known. Like all wealthy and aristocratic congregations, the people of the Madison Square Church received the new man from the popular summer resort with very evident expectations. lie was not a trained preacher nor a CHARLES II. PARKHURST. 23 learned theologian. As a traveler, pedagogue, and student of secular history and literature up to the age when most of his fellow-clergymen had completed their preparation for ecclesiastical duties, he labored under difficulties, more being expected of him than was just under the circumstances. Parkhur.st began his prepara- tion for the ministr}' at the time when most clergj-mcn assume the cloth. Had he fallen into tlie rut of conventionalism, he would not have occupied the proud position he to-day holds. Humanity was his chief concern, and his doc- trines and theories were onl}- those that had to do with making men and women more pure and wholesome. His sermons were appreciated as having the true ring of high purpose, and he immediately won the hearts of his people. " Right Living" was the motto that shone out bold and resplendent in all his sermons. Like the Alpine youtii who struggled up the dizzy heights cry- ing, "Excelsior!" this modern advocate of purity shouted from pulpit, platform, and printed page, " Re- form! Reform! in society and municipality," as he ascended the avenue of fame. It must be remembered that Dr. Parkhurst's fame was gradual in its growth. It will therefore be the more lasting. Perhaps the first direct evidence of the popu- lar attention he graduallj' attracted was the establish- ment of a rule in his church that pew-holders must arrive early at the evening service if they wished their seats reserved. This rule was made necessary by the ever-increasing crowds that thronged to hear the ser^ 24 CHARLES H. PARKHURST. raons of the man who dared to criticise the existing local evils, having first investigated the things of which he spoke. It was made imperative by increasing con- gregations, attracted in a large measure by the first utterings of the crusade of this comparative " new- comer." Learned doctors of divinity looked askance upon the New Englander who dared to preach to re- fined and cultured people of vice, immorality, and cor- ruption existing at their very doors. These were mat- ters for the police and the courts. They beheld with wonder Dr. Parkhurst's congregations swelling with non-church goers and no small number of truants from their own folds. As Parkhurst became the object of general attention, he also became the subject of much unfair criticism of both person and methods. He was characterized as a man struggling for personal ag- grandizement and notoriety — a sensationalist. How- ever, criticism seemed to act rather as a tonic, and he pursued the even tenor of his way oblivious to abuse, criticism, or threat. It was evident to the few favored ones who wore near to Parkhurst in those days that he was preparing for a battle royal against sin, and particularly that phase of sin we are Avon t to call " the social evil." It is suf- ficient to say that neither the great reformer himself nor his friends anticipated his instrumentality in the overturning of the greatest organization of power and the most stupendous corporation of crime the century has known. The man who had spent his life in the pleasantost places of New England, in delving in Con- CHARLES H. PARKHURST. 25 tinental libraries, and in familiarizing himself with facts in history and the great achievements of literature, now began to investigate local conditions w'hich he had just begun to realize. It was now about January, 1887, and the press of New York City w'as ablaze with descriptions of the cor- ruptions and vice of her slums. Occasionally a feeble note was heard from the pulpits of those clergymen whose sense of obligation to mankind in the lower strata was scarcely as well developed as their love of ora- torical efforts and fear of offence to hypersensitive audiences. Not being a city man. Dr. Parkhurst found it hard to realize the possibility of such a state of affairs as the newspapers depicted. He gave the matter much thought and resolved to investigate personally. Many matters of creed he could accept on faith, but he well knew if he was to deal in a successful measure with the hydra- headed monster of iniquity, he must see personally the conditions which he wished to alleviate. One blustry winter night, accompanied by an ex- police commissioner, one of the few men who had held that position and retained his self-respect and integrity, he made a tour of the darkest dens of vice the city knew. He saw vice and crime as it existed in its low- est and most revolting forms. Later, accompanied by another person, he investigated vice as «it existed in higher forms, and at the same time proved to his own mind the profitable and protective connection existing between crime, vice, and debauchery on the one hanc^ 26 CHARLES H. PARKHURST. and the executive branch of the laAv and the officials of the municipal government on the other. Nothing escaped his thoroughl}- aroused and horrified mind, not even the most minute detail. The scenes he witnessed stamped themselves upon his mind indelibly. Almost before he began to realize the enormity and strength of the alliance between vice and the law, he began to study out a remedy. Dr. Parkhurst's election to the presidency of the Societ}^ for the Prevention of Crime occurred on April 30, 1891, immediately after the death of Dr. Howard Crosby, its first president. He made it a condition when he accepted the position that the society's operations must be on the line which has been followed out with much success since he has been its president. Before Dr. Parkhurst's connection with the society, it had worked in conjunction \yth the police. Dr. Parkhurst's fundamental principle was that the Society should henceforth deal with the police as its arch antagonist. Ha believed the police department to be thoroughly rotten and not fit for his society to lean upon. As the congregation was largely composed of young people, many of them young men, his solicitude was ever to keep them from those forms of sin which too soon lead to crime and ruin. His struggle was to be doubly objective — for the best interests of the young people to whoto he is devoted, and for the good of the city at large. GRAPPLING WITH THE MONSTER. CHAPTER II. A Corrupt City. — Attacking the Social Evil. — Befriending Fallen Women — Discrediting Dr. rarkhurst. — Superintendent Byrnes' Attack. — An Open Letter. — Dr. Parkliurst's Idea of a Citizen's Eights. — How He Exercised His Right. Dk. Parkiiurst was begiuuiug to realize more fully that the "social evil" was playing a most important part in the corruption of the city, and that the unlawful connection between the salaried officers of the city, who were supposed to protect the city, and the wholesale panderers to vice, was probably more noted and more open in this instance than in others. Probably it was because he commenced his crusade by visiting disor- derly places, principally hou.ses of ill-repute, that the public press was led to criticise him and to mislead the public into a misapprehension of his work and what he intended to do, whereas he began his work in that way because he thought it was the best means of opening the eyes of the people to the blatant crime to which the city was given over. Dr. Parkliurst's strides in liis attacks upon the evil of which the unfortunate and fallen women were vic- 27 28 CHARLES H. PARKHURST. tims, were rapid and aimed right at the heart of the thing. While his crusade was naturally the means of throwing large numbers of women and girls on the charity of the city, he did everything he could person- ally and by influencing others, to alleviate their condi- tion. His house was literall}" besieged by poor unfor- tunates, who, in many instances, came to curse but went away to bless. The girls seemed to think that their being driven out into the cold, dreary streets by the officers of the law, who were unwillingly performing their duty, was the direct work of Dr. Parkhurst, whom* they looked upon as a man trying to crush them from the earth. Most of them, however, were soon led to see that in Dr. Parkhurst they had a greater friend than in those corrupt " servants '• of the people who were pro- tecting them for a monied consideration. Dr. Parkhurst was not aiming at that end, but at the vice of which they were victims. He was al\va3S ready and \\illing to do anything in his power to help them. In many cases where they appealed to the officers to whom they had paid large sums of money for protection, asking for a little assistance in the hour of need, they were referred to Dr. Parkhurst and told that he would give them what assistance was necessarj\ However, the whole matter worked about its own re- action. It soon became known and appreciated that Dr. Parkhurst and the Cit}' Vigilance League were not persecuting the women themselves, but were after the police, and thej', in turn, were being persecuted by the police. The movement was greatly helped by the fact CHARLES H. PARKHURST. 20 that even the distressed class was beginning to under- stand its spirit. It soon became evident to the police, for whom the investigation was growing too warm, that something would have to be done. They therefore set about to discredit both Dr. Parkhurst and Mr. Gardner, the society's detective. Superintendent Bj-rnes, of the police deparfment, launched out through the medium of the press of New York City statements to the effect that all Dr. Parkhurst' s attacks on the police department were absolutely without evidence to support them, and that he did not really believe in them himself, lie claimed that the crusade was started by Dr. Parkhurst and sev- eral members of his congregation, because one of his (Byrnes') policemen had refused to testif}^ to suit them in a divorce case in which a member of Dr. Parkhurst' a congregation was concerned. lie insinuated that there was a band of members of the Madison Square Presbj'- terian Church, with Dr. Parkhurst at its head, whose avowed intention was to compromise the highest oflicers of the city, from motives that were only revengeful. lie did not seem to think that men with important duties daily claiming their attention could ill afford the time, trouble, and expense necessar}- to making such an attack merely as spite work, or revenge, and he also seemed to think, that the people of the citj'- would overlook the unimpeachable character of Dr. Parkhurst and his as- sociates and take it for granted that their object in making such a crusade was only selfish. Tricky and dishonest methods, of which Dr. Park- 30 CHARLES II. PARKHURST. hurst and liis associates were incnpable, were attributed to them bj' Mr. Byrnes in interviews with reporters from several dail}' papers. Direct statements were not made, unless they were couched in terms which could easiljT^ be construed as having some other meaning than that which was really intended. An effort was made to discredit the movement of reform, by questioning the motives which led to it, almost from its inception. Dr. Parkhurst replied to all these attacks by an authorized interview in one the leading papers. It read as fol- lows: " For the sake of argument, I am going for an in- stant to plead guilty to his (Byrnes') entire indictment ; I am going to assume that my motives have been vil- lainous from the start ; that, as he intimates, I have been actuated by a sheer spirit of revenge ; that some- thing that transpired in a certain ' divorce case ' so embittered me that I have been spending all these months in the attempt to square mj'self with the police department. Supposing all that is true, how docs it help Mr. Byrnes ? Does that fact close up any of the gambling-houses that he has been allowing to run ? Suppose I have been dealing in French pictures, and that my pockets are full of them, does that fact suppress any of the vile dens of infamy in this cit}' which exist be- cause Mr. Byrnes and his department are viciously neglectful of their duty ? "Supposing I have availed myself of members of my congregation and have been putting them upon the track of the city officials and set them to study up the un- CHARLES II. PARKHURST. 31 wliolesome record of any who are to-day in the position of municipal authority, and have arranged with all ray elders, deacons, and deaconesses to discover the facts as to the domestic life of the police commissioners, magis- trates, and captains — what of it? How does that help Mr. Bj^rnes? In what way does it operate to neutral- ize that other fact of the recognized existence in this city of institutions for the practice of unnatural vices? Mr. Byrnes is trying to shift the issue from his shoul- ders to mine. He thinks that by showing the com- munity what I am doing he will make the community forget what he isn't doing. I have only to say that I have exercised my right as a citizen to watch the mu- nicipal service. If exigency arises again, I shall put the detectives on the 'track of the officers again, and if I think circumstances are such as require it, I shall put the detective on Mr. Byrnes. If he is doing right, it won't hurt him ; if he isn't doing right, he ought not to object if it does hurt him. Mr. Byrnes is in our municijial service, and I am helping to pay his salary. His opposition to having our public officers watched has a bad look." This open letter was highl}' characteristic of Dr. Park- hurst. It was a plain statement of his position, which thinking people must see is thoroughly reasonable. In this authorized interview there were clauses which that portion of the newspapers who were in sympathy with the police department, wilfully misconstrued into mean- ings entirely foreign to Dr. Parkhurst's stand in the matter. By almost all the tricks known to newspaper- 32 CHARLES H. PARKHURST. dom, efforts were marie to discredit Dr. Parkhurst. Notwithstanding this, the majority of the intelligent and law-abiding portion of the community gave him their support. Some idea of the character of this sup- port can be gleaned from the account in the following chapter of the banquet given in Dr. Parkhurst's honor. *^::^ HONORING DR. PARKIIURST. CHAPTER III. The Banquet in Dr. Parkhurst's Honor. — General Horace Porter's Speech. — Kemarks by Dr. Parkhurst. — An Address by Bishop Henry C. Potter. — Remarks by Charles A. Sehieren, Mayor of Brooklyn. — Mr. Golf's Address. — The Cru.sade to be Continued. — Dr. Park- burst's Work Bcnetiting Other Cities. Five hundred members of the City Vigilance League and their friends gathered in Jaeger's Banquet Hall on the evening of November 27th to honor Dr. Parkhurst. General Horace Porter, who presided, made the follow- ing remarks : " I have been conjuring my brain to know just why one brought up in the military service should be called to preside over this memorable festival in honor of a rising divine. It may be because in a recent campaign the two professions were equal belligerents, because the church outfought the army, and there was found to be more potency in St. Peter than in salt-petre. The great champion of this campaign had some critics and made some enemies at the start, but he might well saj^, as did one of Napoleon's marshals when some one told him, now that the war was over he ought to forgive all his enemies, ' Haven't any, killed 'em all,' he replied. 33 34 CHARLES H. PARKHURST. " Now, while he did uot fight with wild beasts at Ephesus, he fought with that ravenous beast, the Tam- many tiger. For a series of years there were many excuses made for not fighting that tiger ; there was not courage to do it until there was a person came along who fought him in his cage. Our champion began as the Tammany mentor ; he became the Tammany tor- mentor. There is nothing which so captivates the human mind as the contemplation of the achievements of distinct individuality, of what can be accomplished by marked personality. *' We read of the mighty hosts of the armies described in the Old Testament, but they do not create that same emotion which we experience when we read of the single-handed combat of the young David against the giant. We read with interest of the mightj^ battles of great fleets upon the ocean, but they do not thrill us and arouse us to that pitch of enthusiasm which we ex- perience when we recall that scene in Hampton Roads during the war when the enemy's ironclad came out, a formidable engine of destruction, and sent our navy reeling to the bottom. " There came to New York not many j'ears ago a quiet Monitor, also clothed in sombre black. He found that ravenous beast in New York devouring our sub- stance, destroying the fair fame of our city. He trained liis gun upon it and drove it crippled and helpless to its lair. It was because he had the courage of his convic- tions. He never took counsel of his peers ; his was a faith that saw a bow of promise ; he could proceed CHARLES H. PARKHURST. 35 when others could not ; he looked neither to the past with regret, nor to the future with apprehension ; he was ready to leave all the efforts to man, the results to God. lie will address us this evening — the Rev. Dr. Charles H. Parkhurst." Three cheers were here given and Dr. Parkhurst made the following remarks : ' * Nothing could touch me more deeply and tenderly than the kind and magnificent tribute involved in this dinner, and in j^our personal and interested presence. As I looked over this gathering of earnest, SNnnpathetic friends, I have tried to realize to myself the actual per- sonal pressure which it all implies. I never looked upon an assemblage of men whose manly personality seemed to me so full of significance and so fraught with great possibilities. Every fibre of every one is a fibre of earnestness and sincerity. I cannot look upon such a gathering and feel any particular anxiety as to the future of New York. " We have, however, to remember that it is one thing to win a vicTtory, and it is quite another thing, and a far more difficult one, wisely and concertedly to utilize that victory. There is nothing on earth that you and I and our friends working together cannot do, provided we see and move shoulder to shoulder, forgetting our- selves absolutely in the interest of our common and blessed municipality. I feel strong to-night in my faith in God, and my faith in the members of the City Vigi- lance League. *' You and I, my friends, represent rather a large idea. 36 CHARLES H. PARKHURST. Sometimes it has not been thoroughly understood. Some of you allied yourselves with us in its days when it was not considered reputable or respectable to be in any way identified or associated with myself." The doctor was interrupted here by bursts of laughter from those who well remembered the criticisms aimed at them and their connection with the Parkhurst movement. Dr. Park- hurst, resuming, said: "Yes, it is funny now, but it was not funny then. You and I understand very well that we have from the first occupied a platform that is purely non-partisan, non-political. We have learned to understand that, however many may be the questions into which politics may enter as an ingredient, there are questions that stand up above purely political ones, as the great hills and high mountains lift themselves above sea and valley. ** We are banded together, you and I, not because we are Republicans, for in these matters we are not ; or Democrats, for in these matters we are not ; Hebrews, Protestants, or Catholics, for on these questions we are not. There are principles that rise highw than any one or all of those in our relations to our municipality, and it is along those lines that we hold ourselves. "You and I, dear friends, are not in this business for the loaves and the fishes, and in that lies ninety- nine-one-hundredths of our power. AVe do not care a rap for office. The men who belong to this League have a business of their own. We know that as young men it rests in some measure upon our shoulders and upon our hearts to stand thus just a little aloof from official CHARLES H. PARKHURST. 37 position, to beep a sharp eye and a watchful thought upon everything that is transpiring in our municipality, and, hov/ever hard you and I together have jumped upon Tammany Hall, we are going to jump just exactly as hard on the Republican partj^ if they need it. We do not know that they will need it. Still, they are lia- ble to." In referring to the victory that had been won, Dr. Parkhurst said : "Now, friends, let us present to our minds in great brevity three or four things that still remain to be done. Do you realize that notwithstanding 40,000 or more majority by which we recently won over Tam- many Hall, there are more than 100,000 men inside of this city that believe in a municipal government, as rep- resented by such men as Divver, Sheehan, and dirty Koch? That is a fact that you and I have to take home and have sanctified to us. We cannot afford to forget the strength that lies in 100,000 men, even though they are defeated men, when they have time to gather together and rally for new effort. A hundred thousand is a good many. Now, one thing we have to do — you and I working together — we have got to go and help to convert them. I am not using the word in the evangeli- cal sense, that would be a good deal too much — we have got to go to work and help to convert that 100,000 men, and taking the word convert in the sense I have in- tended, it is not such an impossible task." The following portion of Dr. Parkhurst's speech shows that he was fully aware of the continued corrup- 5« CHARLES H. PARKHURST. tion of the police department, both during and after the sessions of the Lexow Committee. *' We now come to a point or two that is a little more touchy, but I think the easiest way to treat a difficult question is to treat it frankly We have been afraid that good use would not be made of our victory There are sly enemies that are standing in our paths. Let us drop the generalities and take the facts. You know that more attention has been given by the Lexow Com- mittee to the police department than any other I suppose there is no question but that the searching in- quisition that has been applied to the police department should be applied to every other department in this city Now, here is a chance to do good work in a man- ner to secure permanent results I am speaking now of the police department only as an illustration. The temptation always is to mix that which is good with that which is bad. We are to-day in a situation to do work that shall reach all the way from the top clear down to the bottom — for heaven's sake, why not do it ? Here is a department of our city government that has been demonstrated to be rotten from the top down. Notwithstanding the severe inquisition to which it has been subjected, and notwithstanding the vote of repro- bation which was passed on the 6th of November, that department, all the w^ay through from the top to the bottom, is just exactly as rotten to-night as it was three years ago. I wonder if you are aware of the fact that since the 6th of November there has been a remarkable and phenomenal outbreak of crime throughout many CHARLES n PARKIIURST. 39 precincts of the city. That is not exactly what you would call bringing forth fruits meet for repentance, is it? " I trust when it comes time for Mr. Lexow and his Committee to frame a bill that shall be adjusted to the necessities of the case, the}- will see their way to legis- late the entire force, from top to bottom, out of office. If you preserve any of the old virus, rely upon it that in a comparatively short space of time you will have the infection extending through the department. I know the answer is made that there are many honest men in the force , so there are. Legislating the force out of existence, liowever, does not rob us or deny us the pos- sibility of taking those men and re-admitting them into the police department. And it is a far more simple and thorough way to sweep them out of existence, and then start fresh and replace in the force as many as it is thought best. •' There is another thing we want to see. I have al- ways had to oai-n the salt of mj'^ porridge. I want to see a municipal administration that will make its em- ployes earn the salt of their })orridge. It is an un- doubted fact that one great reason why there is always so much in the way of applications for positions under municipal, State, and National administration, is be- cause it is understood there will be a maximum of pay and a minimum of work. I do not know whj' a man in the employ of this city should not earn his salary just as well as the rest of us. " When the time comes that it is understood that the 40 CHARLES H. PARKHURST. einploj^e of the city government has to earn his salary by conscientious and consecutive work, I believe the number of applicants for positions under such an ad- ministration will be wonderfully reduced." Dr. Parkhurst then made reference to some details of the work of the League. After that his remarks drifted to political bossism. He said: " There were two points which, if made during the last campaign, were always sure to elicit a response from an audience, whether that audience were made up of Americans, Germans, Bohemians, Poles, Russians, or what not. These two points were, first, reference to Tammany Hall ; and the second was reference to bosses. We have nothing to say in regard to the personal boss. We are not going to refer to Richard Croker or Thomas C. Piatt. As I have remarked repeatedly, I do not know as there is much difference between a boss of one political com- plexion or the other. They are both of them unmiti- gatedly, unqualified!}', and thoroughly destructive. I believe that the safety of our American institutions lies in the clear and honest appreciation on the part of each man that he has a right to stand up on his own feet, that he has a right to his own opinion, and that he has a right to express it. And I believe that ope great object toward which we have to labor is the building up of that appreciation in the minds and hearts of each growing young man. There is a broad line to be drawn between a leader and boss; there always will be a leader. The leader is he who has the power of repro- ducing his own conceptions, his own ideas, in the minds CHARLES H. PARKHURST. 41 of those that are in any way subordinated to his influ- ence. The boss is the most sagacious!}' devised scheme that has yet been originated for the purpose of crushing out, weakening, and dr3dng uj) individual personality, and therefore you and I, to our dying gasp, are going to fight the boss, Mdiatever may be his professions of re- spectability. The more respectable he is, the more damnably dangerous he is." During the doctor's remarks on political bosses there were numerous expressions of interest from all sides, and he was frequently interrupted by applause. "You send your representatives to Albany," con- tinued Dr. Parkhurst. " I think there is a good deal of a feeling that when our representative has been elected and is at Albany, the link of connection between himself and us is broken. Here is a very practical work j-ou can do — never forget what that word representative means — the man who is a representative represents j^ou and not himself. That being so, he is treasonable if he maintains ideas that are out of tune with those lying in the minds and hearts of his constituents. Therefore, count it a part of your religion to keep your eye on him, and remind him of the fact that ho does not represent liimself, but you. If you do not know, find out wlio is the representative of j^our district. Here is some- thing definite yoa can do, and 3'ou can commence doing it to-morrow if j'ou will, and you can make j'ourselves felt at Albany." In concluding, the doctor said : ' ' Out of a heart that is tender, I do thank you for the wonderful way in which you have shown to me the kindness and 42 CHARLES H. PARKHURS. tenderness of j^our own feeling. As long as God allowa us to stand shoulder to shoulder, casting aside our own personal ambitions, thinking of one another and not of ourselves, thinking not of our own individual advance- ment, but thinking of the weal of our own town, think- ing of the possibilities of our own municipal future, we will go on, more and more wisely I hope, more and more appreciativel}" I hope, but go on the same straight path, rejoicing in the privilege that is ours, of laying ourselves down, not dying, but living sac- rifices upon the altar of our municipal good." One of the features of the evening was an address by Rt. Rev. Henry C. Potter, Bishop of New York, and vice-president of the City Vigilance League, which is reproduced in full. Bishop Potter said: " We have assembled to honor Dr. Parkhurst : the letters we have read and what we have said have very imperfectly as- serted what is in our hearts. And 3'et if you follow as I have the address which Dr. Parkhurst has just de- livered, you must have felt, what has been a fact, that which he himself disclosed. " I suppose Columbus was pi*oud when he discovered America. I am not here to-night with such a great claim, but I discovered Dr. Parkhurst, and I will relate an incident which I do not think he himself has heard : One night at the Century Club — tliat place to ^^hich all good men go sooner or later — I was addressed by a dea- con, who said, 'Bishop, \^e are looking for a minister down at the Madison Square Church, can you suggest anyone?' I said that 1 thought I could. I told CHARLES H. PARKIIURST. 43 him that I had visited Lenox, Mass., a few weeks before, and had heard while there a man who would, in my opinion, fill the bill. A committee was sent to Lenox and Dr. Parkhurst was called. I shall always therefore regard myself as his spiritual father. I would to God I had other sons of whom I could feel as proud. My brother, whose service to this city— yes, and to this country, for the value of what he has done can never be reckoned— my brother, whose service to this city has been so large, has often been challenged and criticised, as you well know, because it has been said he has stepped out of his calling. I wish to say to you that from first to last I believe he has held himself rigidly within it. No word that he has ever spoken, no act that he has ever done, has been inconsistent with his office and ordination as a minister of Jesus Christ. If we want justification of the course of our good brother here, we have it in the early John the Baptist, of whom he is the true successor. Let us hope that the heroism and prophetic foresight with which God has crowned him will make us willing always to follow his lead." Bishop Potter's remarks were followed by great ap- plause, after which Hon. Charles A. Schieren, Mayor of Brooklyn, made an address. Among other things, Mayor Schieren said : " I see the earnestness in your faces, I see that you realize what there is before you. You have only plowed the ground— the doctor has sowed some seed— but watch, the rains of heaven may come down, and they may prosper that ground. But with it will grow also the tares, they will spring up 44 CHARLES H. PARKHURST. again. It is for 5^011 to see that the tares do not out- grow the good wheat. " We are met here to-night to do lionor to a hero of our day and time, one wliose name is now a househokl word for purity in higli places, and a just regard for that which is honest in sight of all men. He exposed a system of blackmailing and evil-doing that would have done credit to Sodom and Gomorrah in their palmiest da3'^s. In the face of discouragements and against the wish of his friends, he persevered until a moral senti- ment, which had long slumbered, was ai'oused, and he was hailed as a deliverer, and to manj^ many poor down-trodden outcasts he proved a savior. To him we are indebted for the ending of a s^'stem which had fastened itself upon the very vitals of our body -politic. The name of Dr. Parkburst will be honored by this generation, and those yet to come will be roused up by his earnestness and manliness of Christian character." ]\Ia3'or Schieren was followed by Charles Stewart Smith, who made a few direct and pertinent remarks. John AV. Goff, the attorney of the Lexow Committee, made a few remarks, following Mr. Smith. He said : "In my opinion, the best thing I ever did in my life was to ally myself with Dr. Parkburst. He tries to ac- complish what the divine Master himself did. Some believe that men and women can be made virtuous by law, a thing that has always failed. What Dr. Park- burst tried to do is to keep the enforcers of the law from combining with the breakers of the law. He has been called bigoted, low-minded, etc. Those who know CHARLES H. PARKHURST. 45 him know that in emergencies his heart is deep, and throbs with softness and pity for those in distress. No kinder lieart ever beat in the breast of man for poor fallen liumanity than beats in the breast of Dr. Park- hurst." Mr. Goflf then traced the operations of tlie City Vigi- lance League from its inception, dwelling at length on Dr. Parkhurst's great personal work. Other speakers of the evening, all of whom referred to Dr. Parkhurst in terms of highest praise, were Father Ducey, Joseph H. Choate, and James C. Carter. * * * Dr. Parkhurst has told his friends that in speaking as he continues to, and with earnestness and direct- ness, he is simply continuing his warfare by agita- tion. He says that it may be necessary to continue it for several years. He believes that in the past, reform movements have failed because it has been thought sufficient to make a revolution in the offices, to turn one party out and put a new party in. His belief is that revolutions of that kind are apt to do more harm than good. Therefore he proposes to agitate, and still to agitate, until he creates and maintains a public sentiment which will be all-powerful. He declares that the politicians never dare to disobe}' public sentiment when they understand it, and he feels sure that after two or three years of agitation they will so understand it as not to stand in the way, but, on the contrary, to serve it. "With this knowledge of Dr. Parkhurst's purpose, it is easy to see that he does not mean to allow his past 46 CHARLES H. PARKHURST. efforts to be wasted. lie has still behind him powerful organized influences, and there is no doubt that on the whole public sentiment supports him, although there may have been some disposition to criticise the severity of some of his utterances. The good people of eveiy community owe the great reformer a debt of gratitude. His crusade in New York was but the beginning of a series of investigations in which the people must win. Other cities of our fair land, though they have no Park- hurst, can follow Farkhurst's example and methods and free themselves from the grasp of the monster. Long live Charles H. Parkhurst ! His monument is erected while he lives 1 THE PARKHURST HOME AND ITS MISTRESS. CHAPTER IV. Mrs. Parkliurst Her Husband's Counsellor and Helpmeet. — Her Early Life. — Her Education. — Her Adniiuistratiou of Manifold Duties. — Her Belief in Her Husband. — Her Methods of Helping Him. — The Administration of Her Household. — Her Charitable Projects. — Her Many Womanly and Wifely Characteristics. "We cannot pass from a description of the life and work of the great crusader without a few remarks on the beautiful life of his wife, who we have seen was once his pupil and whom he married two years after severing his connections with the seminary of which he was a professor at the time she was a student. The noble woman who hae been Dr. Parkhurst's counsellor and helpmaet, in the true sanse of the term, was born in the small and beautiful town of Charlemont, in AVestern Massachusetts. Her father and mother, Luther and Philena Bodinan, were the sort of sturdy New England stock tliat believed in bringing up their children to a life of usefulness, and to live in the enjoy- ment of good health, good mind, and good morals, rather than idleness, pomp, and ostentation. The home life of Ellen Bodman was particularly happy, and all its influences were those that tended to 47 48 CHARLES li. PARK HURST. bring out the lovable and sunshiny side of her charac- ter. She was made thoroughly familiar with household duties in detail, and thus prepared for the arduous task of managing the household of a popular metropolitan pastor, wliich was to be hers in later life. During her earl 3^ life Mrs. Parkhurst was quite ill, and on this account her studies were interrupted, but her receptive brain and naturally briglit intellect enabled her to make rapid acquisitions, so that, notwithstanding the interruption, she was as well educated at eighteen as any of her girl friends at that age. It was her apt- ness and fondness for study and her persevering applica- tion in the effort to make up what she had lost, that first attracted the attention of the young man Park- hurst while he was an instructor of Williston Seminary, which she attended. He was not slow to see the lov- able side of her character as well as the practical. As we have seen, the attachment soon became mutual, and their marriage took place shortly after her graduation. Mrs. Parkhurst was an active second to her husband's undertakings in his pastorate at Lenox, and when their work became more exacting in the larger field in New York, Mrs. Parkhurst seemed fully equal to the demands of increasing church duties and of charitj% as well as the requirements of society and the administration of her household. One of Mrs. Parkhurst's most sensible traits, and the one which has in no small degree contributed to the suc- cess of her husband, is her thorough sympathy with him in all he does. Her whole-souled faith in him leads her CHARLES H. PARKHURST. 49 to SO implicitly believe in all he undertakes, that her capabilities for good advice and practical assistance are most eifectively exercised. From the beginning of Dr. Parkhurst's active life in the Society for the Suppression of Crime, down to his latest work in behalf of the City Vigilance League, and his independent work as an in- dividual reformer, Mrs. Parkhurst has sulTered to a degree that no one but the devoted wife of a public man against whom are hurled the threats and anathemas of a large and powerful body of unprincipled and almost un- bridled law-breakers, can truly appreciate. Scarcely a day has passed since that first sermon, in which Dr. Parkhurst aroused the entire country to a realization of the corruption existing in New York, that threats and letters of harsh criticism have not been received in the Parkhurst daily mail. Almost all of Dr. Parkhurst's mail passes through his wife's hands, and she, anxious to save her husband the humiliation of reading the criticisms of those whom ho naturally looks upon as his friends and supporters, and any worriment wliich might be occasioned on account of profane and blasphemous threats, reads all his mail carefully, allowing him to see only those letters requiring his personal attention, answering or consign- ing to the fire those of which she feels capable of dis- posing. She also, to a considerable extent,*regulates his newspaper reading. Parkhurst is not a man to be easily influenced, either by criticism or threat, but the bravest man is apt to falter if he finds his friends deserting him. It is safe to say that he has not seen one-half the criti- 50 CHARLES H. PARKHURST. cisms that have been published concerning his person- ality, his purposes, and his work. The Parkhurst home on Thirtj'-fifth Street, New York, is truly characteristic of its mistress. One can almost imagine he sees written above doors, "Welcome." There is an air of gentle hospitality which permeates the entire house. One cannot visit the Parkhurst home without a feeling of restfulness and ease. Mrs. Park- hurst has neither time nor inclination for what we call "fashionable society." Anj-one is welcome to her drawing-room who comes in a respectful, honest spirit, come the}'' in ho^mespun or ermine. The amount of spiritual help and good advice which goes out daily from the Parkhurst house is a great and enduring monu- ment to this truly good woman. She is also a liberal dispenser of charity at her home, though her high ap- preciation of the possibilities of organized charity leads her to devote the most of her time and means to several charitable organizations with which she is connected in an official capacity'. Her interests are more especially with the common people in her immediate vicinity. Hence her work in the Third Avenue Mission House, which is connected with her husband's church, is particularlj' enthusiastic. This institution is modeled to some extent after similar European organizations. A garden, emploj'ment bu- reau, sick visitation committees, and a soup kitchen are prominent features. There are also committees on other branches of parish work. She has no children of her own, and many a little CHARLES H. PARKTTURST. 51 waif unconsciously lias this fact to thank for some spe- cial act of kindness on her part. All the ^varnl aH'cction of her womanly heart, which might otherwise have heen lavished upon her own children, seems to go out to the children of the poor. Mrs. Parkhurst is president of the American McCall Society. She is also president of one of the auxiliaries of the societ}', which is located in New York Cit}-. Personally, Mrs. Parkhurst is hard to describe, unless we use that word so dear to the fi'niiuine heart — ''lovely" — which, after all, means so much. On her quiet face are mirrored common-sense, and with it a sin- gular sweetness. From her dark-brown ej'es beams that womanly sj^mpathy wiiicli has made many a poor unfortunate 'Hake heart" and renew a seemingly hopeless struggle. There are no visible evidences in her handsome face of the strong will-power she posses- ses, and her manner does not suggest all that great executive ability which has enabled her so ably to sec- ond licr husband and yet find time and imj)rove oppor- tunity for personal work. Her uniformly good health has been a great blessing to her and her husband in the prosecution of that work to which their lives are devoted. In summing up this brief sketch, which can only give a faint idea of the lovely- life of this lovely woman, it is but suitable to say that she is in ever}' sense womanly and wifely — characteristics which endear her to all American hearts. LIFE OF DWIGHT LYMAN lOODY. THE LIFE OF DWIGHT LYMAN MOODY. CHAPTER I. THE MOODY AND THE HOLTON FAMILIES. —THE TOWN OF NORTH- FIELD, MASS. — THE BOYHOOD OP D. L. MOODY. Lineage of the Moodys and the Holtons. — Description of Northfield. — The Aborigines. — The House in which D. L. Moody was born. — Mr. Edwin Moody. — His Death. — Impression on his Son. — Mrs. Moody's Character and Trials. — Her Pastor. — Traits of D. L. Moody in Boyliood. — A Trial to Mr. Everett. — Love for his Mother. — His First Prayer. — His "Work on the Farm. — His Boyish Pranks. — He attempts to buy a Yoke of Oxen. — His Oldest Brother leaves Home. — Anxiety of the Family. — Early Education. — Influences under which Young Moody's Character was developed. — The Re- mark of an Old Man. — The Story of a Money-loving Farmer. "What manner of child shall this be?" — St. Luke. " A mother's love is next to God's love." — D. L. Moody. The celebrated evangelist D wight Lyman Moody, who now has gained a world-wide reputation as a herald of the gospel, was born on the 5th day of February, 1837, in the beautiful town of Northfield, Franklin County, Mass. His paternal grandfather, Isaiah Moody, was born in 1772 ; went to Northfield about the yeai 17 18 LIFE OF DWIGHT LYMAN MOODY. 1796, and it may have been from Hadley, where his brother Jacob lived, before he removed to Northfield. The whole fortune of Isaiah, it is stated, was "the horse he rode on, and his kit of tools in a bag." He was a mason by trade. He married Dec. 15, 1799, Phila, daughter of Medad Alexander, and died Feb. 20, 1835 ; Phila his widow died Nov. 1, 1869, aged 89. They had nine children, — five sons and four daughters. Their eldest son and child, Edwin, was born in North- field Nov. 1, 1800, and died there May 28, 1841. He married Jan. 2, 1828, Betsey, daughter of Luther Holton. They, like his parents, had nine children, — seven sons and two daughters, — as follows: 1, Edwin J., born Oct. 8, 1828, and died young ; 2, Cornelia M.^ born Feb. 26, 1832, and married Bigelow Walker of Worcester ; 3, George F* born June 17, 1833, and mar- ried Julia Johnson, (2) Harriet Brown ; 4, Edwin J"., born June 26, 1834, and settled in Chicago, 111. ; 5, Luther H., born Aug. 27, 1835 ; 6, Dwiglit Lyman, the subject of this memoir; 7, Warreii i., born Oct. 23, 1838, and settled at Elmira, N.Y. ; 8, 9, Samuel S. and Llisabeth C. (twins), born June 24, 1841: the lat- ter married Bryant Washburne. We have not beeix able to connect this branch of the IVIoody family with tliose of the name in Hadley, tliough probably they belong to it. About the year 1660, Samuel INIoody went from Hartford, Conn., to Hadley, where he died Sept. 22, 1689. His widow Sarah was a daughter of John Deming of Wethers- THE MOODY AND THE HOLTON FAATTT.rF.a, 19 field, Conn., and died Sept. 29, 1717. This Samuel is supposed to have been the only child of Deacon John Moody of Hartford, Conn., who Avas son of George Moody of Moulton, County of Suffolk, Eng. ; " a man," says the Candler MS., "famous for his housekeeping and just and plain dealing." This John Moody ^ came to New England in the year 1633, with his wife Sarah ; and settled in Roxbury, Mass., where they became members of the church. He was made freeman Nov. 5, 1G35. Sarah, widow of John, died at Hartford in 1G71. 1 The following is a verbatim copy from the Roxbury Church Rec- ords, p. 19, in the handwriting of the "Apostle Eliot," minister of the First Church in Roxbury : — "John Moody, he came to the Land in the yeare 1633: he had no children* — he had 2 men servants y' were vngodly, especially one of them, who in liis passion would wish himselfe in hell: & vse desperate words, yet had a good measure of knowledge — these 2 servants would goe to the oister bank in a boate, & did, against the counsell of theire govemo'', wliere they lay all night; & in the morning early when the tide was out they gathcin^ oysters, did vnskillfuUy leave theire boate afloate In the verges of »;he chafiell, & quickly the tide caryed it away so far in to the chaiiell y' they could not come neare it, w=*i maide them cry out & hollow, but being very early & remote were not heard, till tlie water had risen very high upon them to the arme hols as its' thought, & then a man fru Rockbrough meeting house hill heard them cry & call, & lie cryed & ran w"» all speed, & seing theire boate swam t:) it, & hasted to tliem, but they were both so drowned before any help could possibly come, a dreadfull example of God's displeasure against obstinate servats. Sarah Moody, the wife of John Moody." * His son Samuel was subsequently bom, It is supposed, in Hartford, where the father resided as early as 1G30, as Uie following from the Colonial Records of Con. necticut, under date of Aug. 1, 1C39, shows: "Juo. Moody had an attachment graunted yppon the g[ood8 of Thomas] Gaines, in the hands of Mr. Stoughton, foi A debt [of 5lb weight of Tobacco]." I. 20 LIFE OF DWIGHT LYMAN MOODY. Betsey (Holtou) Moody, the mother of D wight Lyman Moodj^, was Loin in Northfield Feb. 5, 1805. She was the daughter of Luther and Betsey (Hodf'es) Holton. She was descended in the seventh generation from William Houlton, who in 1634, at the age of twenty-three, came from Ipswich, County of Suffolk, Eng., in the ship " Francis ; " was an original proprie- tor of Hartford, Conn., and in 1654 was of North- ampton, Mass. He was ordained deacon of the first church in Northampton in 1663 ; was a representative to the General Court five years from Northampton, and one year from Hadley. He made the first motion in town-meeting to prohibit the sale of intoxicating drinks, and was the first commissioner to the General Court in Boston in that temperance effort. He died in Northampton, Aug. 12, 1691, at the advanced age of eighty years ; and his widow Marj^ in the month of November following. His son John ^ was the father of William ^, whose son William ^ had a son Lemuel ^ born in 1749, and died Oct. 1, 1786 ; " a very worthy and valuable man," says the church record of North- field. Luther ^ son of Lemuel ^ born in 1777, died Sept. 24, 1835; he married April 2, 1801, Betsey Hodges, who died Jan. 30, 1845, aged sixty-three. They had thirteen children, among whom were Fanny^ born Aug. 6, 1803, married Oct. 16, 1825, Simeon P. Moody; Betsey^ married Jan. 3, 1828, Edwin Moody ; these were the parents of Dwight Lyman Moody : Martha and Mary (twins) born June 11, 1809 THE MOODY AND THE HOLTON FAMILIES. 21 the former married May 20, 1838, Zebalon Allen; the latter married Jan. 14, 1841, Lewis Ferrell of Green- field: Calvin^ born Oct. 11, 1811, married Susan, sister to Anson Burlingame : Samuel Socrates, married (1) October, 1843, Elizabeth J. Clapp of Boston, (2) Try- phenia S., her sister, (3) Nov. 24, 1859, Georgiana D., another sister : Lemuel, born Feb. 21, 1822, married in 1848 Maria Brown, (2) Amelia Smith. Samuel S. and his brother Lemuel have long been engaged in business in Boston.' The town of Northfield, in which the evangelist had his birth, is situated in the north-easterly part of Frank- lin County, Mass., and is noted for its picturesque and varied scenery. The Connecticut River winds gracefully through a rich alluvial soil in the westerly section of the town ; while various mountain-peaks, with charming valleys intervening, present delightful scenic views upon the right and left. Several mountain streams, as the Squa- keag and the Mill Brook, on the latter of which are the celebrated Glen Falls, glide through the landscape, set in motion here and there a saw-mill, and then enter the main river. The principal street of Northfield extends along an elevated plain on the left bank of the river; and the 1 The above sketclies of tlie Moody and Iloltou families Lave been compiled chiefly from that excellent -work, the History of Northlield, by J. H. Temple and George Sheldon, published by Joel Munsell, Albany, N.Y., 1875; and the chart of a portion of the Holton family, bj David Parsons Holton, M.D., of New York City. 22 LIFE OP DWIGHT LYMAN MOODY. dwelling-lioiises, ornamented with gardens, fruit and forest trees, present a scene of quiet rural beauty such as a Shenstone or a Goldsmith mioht admire. The population in 1875 was 1,641. The men are mostly farmers, — healthful, robust, independent; and their extensive herds, as well as ample barns, attest the ^'iLBSflfK^j^ NORTHFIELD VILLAGE LOOKING NORTH. fertility of the soil in this part of the beautiful valley of the Connecticut River. The Massachusetts and Vermont Railway follows the direction of the main street ; and at the centre, near the station, may be seen the two churches of the town, and the rural cemetery where tlie ashes of the Moody famil}^ repose. The Indian name of the place was Squakeag ; and people from Hadley and Northam])ton THE MOODY AND THE HOLTON FAMILIES. 23 began to settle here as early as 1663. Being, however, on the frontier, tiiey suffered greatly from the savages, who saw with no good-will the encroachment of the whites upon their territory. Several assaults were made upon the settlement; and the memory of one of them, in which Capt. Richard NORTHFIKLD VILLAOK LOOKING SOUTH. Beers was killed, is jierpetuated in the name of a mountain in tlie southerly part of the town. Some remains of the ahorigines still appear, among which are two Indian mounds about fifteen feet in height, in the vicinity of the Moody place. There is also a ledge between the Moody place and the centre of the town, which marks the spot wliere Mr. Aaron Belding was killed by the Indians as late as 1748. The town was incorporated Feb. 22, 1713, and is 24 LIFE OF DWIGHT LYMAN MOODY. noted as the birthplace of the Rev. Caleb Alexander D.D. (1755-1828), author of several schoolbooks ; and of Joel Munsell, well known as a writer and an anti- quarian publisher. It is also noted as the residence of Timothy Swan, composer of the original tune " China," who died hero July 23, 1842, at the advanced age of eighty-two years. The first minister of the place was the Rev. Benja- min Doolittle, ordained in 1718; and among his parish- ioners were the Holton family, of whom William Holton had been one of the committee appointed by the General Court to lay out the town. The house in which Dwight Lyman Moody was born, and which is still occupied by his venerable mother, is of two stories, and stands at a little dis- tance from the main street, about a mile north of the centre of the town, and about one-fourth of a mile east of the Connecticut River. It is a plain, commodious farmhouse, well shaded by some fine old rock-maple trees, and having near it a pleasant garden and an apple-orchard. The view from this point is superb. The fair Con- necticut River is seen for several miles sweeping ilong down through the luxuriant meadows, and spanned by a distant bridge ; the grand old mountains raise their wooded sides and isolated peaks on eithe.' hand ; while smiling valleys, in which flocks and herds are feeding, serve to heighten the enchantment of the LIFE OF D WIGHT LYMAN MOODY. 25 scene. If delightful Alpine prospects have some tend- ency to invigorate and inspire the mind with vivid and original ideas, then certainly to the early home of the evangelist, may we not ascribe something of the ■vigor and strength of thought which he now manifests? The house was built by Mr. Lyman P. Moody, who married Fanny Holton, sister of Mrs. Betsey (Holton) Moody ; and the parents of Dwight Lyman Moody came to live in it soon after their marriage on the 3d of January, 1828. The little district schoolhouse, painted red, stood near it ; and a short distance northerly the iSquakeag Brook speeds merrily along into the river. The house was then supplied with water by an aque- duct from the mountains. Mr. Edwin Moody, father of the evangelist, was a strong, active, sensible man, who gained his livelihood by working at stone-masonry and at farming. In form and size his celebrated son resembles him. His wife was a good manager, and noted for her sterling womanly virtues; so that for some time after marriage their home was prosperous, and they indulged the hope that the wants of their increasing family would be well sup- plied. But by an unfortunate speculation Mr. iSIoody lost a large part of his property ; and while engaged in laying stone on the twenty-eighth day of May, 1841, he was suddenly seized with illness of which in a few hours he died, — leaving a widow with six sons and a daughter, the oldest of wliom was but thirteen years of LIFE OF DWIGHT LYMAN MOl»x,Y= Q O o S < a C Ed H 0^ THE MOODY AND TJTE IIOLTON FAMILIES. 27 age, and a homestead of a few acres wliicli was heavily incumbered with debt. About a month subsequent to the decease of tlie father, a boy and a girl (twins) were added to the family. Dwight Lyman, who had been named from a friend of his father, was then a little more than four years old. " The first thing I remember, " saj's ]\Ir. Moody in an impressive sermon on the Prodigal Son, " was the death of my father. It was a beautiful day in spring time, when he fell suddenl}^ dead. The shock made such an impression on me, y<"ung as I was, that I shall never forget it. I remember nothing about the funeral; but his death has made a lasting impression on me." It was fortunate for him that lie had a good mother. Almost all great men have had good mothers. Lamar- tine, Cowper, Wayland, Washington, had good mothers. It is the mother's gentle hand that traces the key-words of its destiuv on the heart of the little child ; it is the mother's approving voice that wakens aspiration in the '^oul. But, with nine small children in that fatherless home, what yould Mrs. Moody hope to do ? With no income, with the burden of such a family, with no visible means of sustenance at her command, how could the very best of mothers keep from sinking under the oppressive weight? Whence were the food ft)r so many little mouths, the shoes for so many little feet, to come '^ 28 LIFE OP DWIGHT LYMAN MOODY. To the God of the widow and the fatherless Mrs Moody went ; and he sustained her. Some of her friends advised her to give a part of her httle ones away. But a good mother loves to have her children at her side ; and so this noble woman deter- mined to keep them all at home, and by rigid economy feed and clothe them as she could. This period of her life was one of care and trial, such as the daughters of ease and affluence learn only from the fashionable romance ; but out of such experi- ence comes that nobility of soul that forms the fairest jewel in the crown of womanhood. She kept the older children steadily employed in cultivating the garden, picking berries, apples, and chestnuts, which are abundant in that region, or in rendering assistance to the farmers of the neighbor- hood, who made the boys a fair compensation for their labor. She found in her pastor, the Rev. Oliver Capen Everett,^ a sympathizing friend who took a lively interest in the welfare of her family. Her brothers and sisters kindly aided her in her struggles to sustain the household; and thus by her own incessant toil and foretliought, by some assistance from the hands of tlie older children, by the encouraging words and aid of 1 He was the son of Otis Everett, aud was born Aug. 20, l;Ll; U.C. 1832; settled over the church at Northfield March 8, 1837, and was dismissed Nov. 2G, 1848. He married May 25, 1837, Betsy, daughter of Daniel Weld of Boston, by whom he had Oliver Weld, Edward Frank- lin, Moses Williams, and Ouvei Hurd. He was subsequently a minis ter at large in Charlestown, Mass. THE MOODY AND THE HOLTON FAMILIES. 29 her benevolent pastor, and the benefactions of her kindred, this brave woman managed to keep her fatherless group of boys and girls together, to send them to the little school near by, and to appear with them on the Lord's day in decent apparel at Mr. Everett's churcli and sabbath school. It was the custom of Mrs. Moody to read and explain to her little ones the books which they brought home with them, and to instil into their tender minds the simple precepts of the gospel. She often repeated to them, as they were seated around the scanty board, some verse of Scripture, or of sacred poetry, which they said over till it was fairly fixed in memory. If quarrels arose among them, she would go away and pray for them ; and returning, as she subsequently said, " I found they would be all again good chil- dren." In such a pious, indigent mountain home, and under the counsel of such a mother, the great evangelist of these modern times passed his bo^'hood. In the hard school of poverty he had his early train- ing ; and for some minds this is the very best school. As he advanced in age he became more helpful to his rt^idowed mother, and was in the main obedient to her commands. His health was good, his complexion ruddy, and his love of sport and play unbounded. Fearless and self- reliant, he used to climb the apple and the chestnut trees, coast down the hillsides, and engage in snow- 30 LIFE OP DWIGHT LYMAN MOODY. ball contests with the larger boys, of whom he always longed to be the leader. For work or books or music he evinced no specia. Tnslinaticn. He learned to read, he worked upon the little farm to please his mother. His genius lay con- cealed beneath the ebullition of his animal spirits ; arjl no one thought of him in his boyhood but as a rugged, headstrong, frolicsome lad, afraid of nothing, and always ready for some new prank or sport by which his wit or skill might be made manifest. At one time Mr. Everett invited him to come and live with him as a boy of all work about the house ; but the worthy minister soon found his patience tried by the innocent pranks and capers of his not very hopeful sabbath-school pupil, and returned him, after a few months' trial, to the counsels of his mother. Her heart was sometimes sorely tried with him ; yet he sincerely loved her, and, when the moment for reflec- tion came, was grieved at any pain he might have, in the exhilaration of his spirits, caused her. This affection for his mother was the golden chain that saved him. He seems in boyhood to have had but little regard for any of his teachers, or but little faith in God. He believed only in himself and his dear mother. " He used to think himself a man," said she, " when he was only a boy." Yet, though he was so self-reliant, he esteemed that mother as the load- stone of his early life. Once at least in those days he called on God for THE MOODY AND THE HOLTON FAMILIES. 31 help. An old fence had fallen upon him when alone, and was holding him a captive. " I tried and tried," said he, " but could not lift the heavy rails. I hallooed for help ; but nobody came. Then I thought I should have to die away up there on the mountain all alone. But 1 happened to think that maybe God would help me, and so I asked him ; and after that I could lift the rails." This is his first recorded prayer. How faithfully he used to perform his work in boyhood, may be inferred from one of his illustrations of the manner in which some people read the Bible. " When I was a boy," said he, " I worked on a farm ; and I hoed corn so poorly that when I left off I had to take a stick, and mark the place, so I could tell the next morning where I had stopped the night before. If I didn't, I would, likely as not, hoe the same row over again." He evidently was not fashioned for a farmer. His leading propensity, said one who knew him well in boyhood, was for sport ; and to be first in this, was ever his constant aim. It is related of him, that on tlie death of an old cat he determined to honor its remains by holding funeral services over them ; and so, inviting the children of the neighborhood together, he had the body borne into the schoolhouse near his home, and then performed himself the obsequies with an official dignity becoming the occasion. Another juvenile freak may here be mentioned in attestation of the buoyancy of his young blood. 32 LIFE OP DWIGHT LYMAN MOODY. Following one day, with other boys, an honest farmer who was riding leisurely along, and noticing that he raised a jug of molasses-and-water to his lips to drink, young Moody hurled a ball, as quick as light- ning, at the horse, which starting suddenly broke the vessel by the shock, and spattered the contents over Ihe poor man's face. The mischievous boy, however, immediately commiserated him on the mishap, and atoned for the offence by asking pardon, and promis- ing not to commit the same again. At one period he spent several months with his aunt, Mrs. Lewis Farrell, in the neighboring town of Green- field ; and while living there he actually bargained for a yoke of oxen for the homestead, under the impression that he could easUy borrow money enough to pay for them. But his young life was not all sunshine. Unremitting labor, interrupted only now and then by a brief attend- ance at the district school, and by the sweet repose of the sacred sabbath, was the imperative necessity of his early days ; and sometimes the sickness of his beloved mother, or some other sad event, would cast a gloomy shade over the humble home, rej)ressiug levity, and lead- ing even the most buoyant to solicitude and reflection. Among the most painful occurrences in the history of this family was the sudden departure of the oldest son from home. Mr. Moody most touchingly relates the circumstances in illustration of the parable of the Prodigal Sou. THE MOODY AND THE HOLTON FAMILIES. 33 (( My eldest brother, to whom my mother looked up to comfort her in her loneliness and in her great afflic- tion, became a wanderer : he left home. I need not tell how that mother mourned for her bo}^ how she waited day by day, and month by month, for his return. I need not say how night after night she watched and wept and prayed. Many a time we were told to go t." the post-office to see if a letter had not come from him ; but we had to bring back the sorrowful words, 'No letter yet, mother.' Many a time have I waked up, and heard my mother pray, ' O God, bring back my boy ! ' Many a time did she lift her heart up to God in prayer for her boy. When the wintry gale would blow around the house, and the storm rage without the door, her dear face would wear a terribly anxious look, and she would utter, in piteous tones, ' O my dear boy ! perhaps he is now on the ocean this fearful night. O God, preserve him ! ' We would sit round the fire- side of an evening, and ask her to tell us about our fat] er, and she would talk for hours about him ; but, if the m ntion of my eldest brother should chance to come in, then all would be hushed : she never spoke of him but with tears. Many a time did she try to conceal them, but all would be in vain ; and, when Thanks giving Day would come, a chair used to be set for him " Our friends and neighbors gave him up ; but oui mother had faith that she would see him again. One day, in the middle of summer, a stranger was seen approaching the house. 34 LIFE OF DWIGHT LYMAN MOODY. " He came up on the east piazza, and looked upon n J mother through the window. The man had a long beard ; and, when my mother first saw him, she did not start or rise. But, when she saw the great tears trick- ling down his cheeks, she cried, ' It's my boy, my dear, dear boy ! ' and sprang to the window. But there the boy stood, and said, ' Mother, I will never cross ihe threshold until you say you forgive me.' Do you think he had to stay there long? No, no: her arms were soon around him, and she wept upon his shoulder, as did the father of the prodigal son. I heard of it while in a distant city, and what a thrill of joy shot through me ! But what joy on earth can equal the joy in heaven when a prodigal comes home ? " An aptitude to learn the elements of literature at school in early life is by no means a sure indication of superior genius in the pupil. Many a boy, pronounced a dunce by his dogmatic teachers, has arisen to com- manding intellectual eminence. There are higher les- sons than the grammar and arithmetic'' afford; there are more potent voices than the schoolroom ever sends into the listening ear of boyhood. A mother's love, for instance, touches chords within the soul which even the most faithful teacher never reaches. Then, too, the book of this grand, living, mysterious nature, so fresh, so varied, and so charming, wakens thought and aspiration in the plastic soul, and gives to it the ele- ments of srich an education as the most assiduous drill- THE MOODY AND THE HOLTON FAMILIES. 35 ing in the schools can never, of itself alone, impart. The schools can make a doctor of divinity, but never a divine. It is a mistake to say that Dwight Lyman Moody is uneducated. Of scholastic training he had, indeed, not much, for the lessons of his school-teachers — Mr. Bruce and others — were generally unheeded ; yet even in his earliest boyhood he was a quick and keen observer of the strange and busy world around him. The tender lessons of his mother were not lost on him ; the sorrows of his family sunk through the effervescence of his spirits, deep into his heart. The tolling of the death-bell, the roar of the mountain wind, the fall of the snowflake, the germination of the seed in springtime, the flight of the birds, the rustling of the leaves in autumn, the current of the noble river, the flowing tide of busy life in Northfield, bright in hope, or dark in sorrow, made indelible impressions on his mind. He received such teachings, pondered over them till they became a part of his own being. He was a learner in the higher sense, — taking his instructions fresh and free, instead of second-hand through books, from life and nature. Hence his originality and power. Plis apt allusions to the soenes and incidents of liis early days, his fine illustrations drawn from memories of childhood, clearly show that he was then a learner, — I had almost said the learner of that period, — and that something higher and nobler than what the schoola 36 LrFE OF DWIGHT LYMAN MOODY. alone rAN MOODY. Willie, to both of whom the father often refers in his discourses. " One day," says Mr. Daniels in his in- structive life of ]Mr. Moody, " he found his little boy with an elegantly illustrated Bible on his lap, digging out the ej'^es of a picture of Judas Iscariot with a pair of scissors. On being asked wdiy he was doing such mischief, the little fellow referred to the lesson read at prayers that morning, which had been the betrayal of the Lord ; and his indignation at the conduct of Judas had taken this form of expression." Mr. Moody was with the arm}^ laboring to the utmost limit of his strength, at the battles of Shiloh, Pittsburg Landing, and of Murfreesboro'. " One day," he said, " at Nashville a great strong, wicked-looking soldier came to me trembling. He said he had got a letter from his sister six hundred miles away, and she said that she prayed to God, night after night, that he should be saved ; and he said that he could not stand to hear that, and he had come to give himself to Christ. And there and then we knelt down together in pra3-er to God, he crushed and broken in heart." Many such instances of answer to prayer came to his observation during his eventful army-life. One of the most remarkable is thus related : — " One night a part}^ of our men found themselves on the battle-field in charge of a great man}'' wounded soldiers, who, by the sudden retreat of the army, were left wholl}^ without shelter or supplies. Having done MR. MOODY'S ARMY WORK. 73 their best for the poor fellows, bringing them water from a distant brook, and searching the haversacks of the dead for rations, they began to say to themselves and one another, ' These weak and wounded men must have food, or they will die. The army is out of reach, and there is no village for many miles : what are we to do ? ' — ' Pray to God,' said one, ' to send ua bread,' " That night in the midst of the dead and dying they held a little prayer-meeting, telling the Lord all about the case, and begging liim to send them bread immedi- ately ; though from whence it could come, they had not the most remote idea. All night long they plied their work of mercy. With the first ray of dawn, the sound of an approaching wagon^ caught their ears ; and pres- ently through the mists of the morning appeared a great Dutch farm-wagon, piled to the very top with loaves of bread. On their asking the driver where it came from, and who sent him, he replied, — " ' When I went to bed last night, I knew that the army was gone, and I could not sleep for thinking of the poor fellows who always have to stay behind ; something seemed to say to me, " What will those poor fellows do for something to eat ? " It came to me so strong that I waked up my old wife, and told Jicr what was the matter. We had only a little bread in the house; and, while my wife was making some more, I took my team, and went around to all my neighbors, making them get up and give me all the 74 LIFE OF DWTGHT LYMAN MOODY. bread in theii' houses, telling them that it was for the wounded soldiers. When I got home my wagon was full ; my old wife piled her baking on the top ; and I started off to bring the bread to the boys, feehng just as if the Lord himself was sending me." Although Mr. Moody was so intently engaged in ministering to the wants of the soldiers in the army, he by no means neglected his beloved mission-work at home. Feeling the need of a chapel for his converts, he raised by subscriptions about twenty thousand dol- lars, with which a neat and commodious building was raised in Illinois Street in 1863, and a church on inde- pendent principles organized. After the long and sanguinary work was done, Mr. Moody was one of the first to enter Richmond ; and no one saw the stars and stripes float over it with greater joy- " I had not been long there," said he in one of his discourses, " before it was announced that the negroes were going to have a jubilee meeting. These colored people were just awakening to the fact that they were free ; and I went down to the African Church, one of the largest in the South, and found it crowded. One of the colored chaplains of a Northern regiment had offered to speak. I have heard many eloquent men in Europe and in America; but I do not think I ever heard eloquence such as I heard that day. He said, ' Mothers, you rejoice to-day i you are forever free. MR. Moody's army work. 75 That little child has been torn from your embrace, and sold off to some distant State, for the last time ; your hearts are never to be broken again in that way : you are free ! ' The women clapped their hands, and shouted at the top of their voices, ' Glory, glory to God!' It was good news to them, and they believed it. It filled them full of joy. Then he turned to the young men, and said, ' Young men, you rejoice to-day ; you have heard the crack of the slave-driver's whip for the last time ; your posterity shall be free. Young men, rejoice to-day: you are forever free ! ' And they clapped their hands, and shouted, ' Glory to God ! ' They believed the good tidings. ' Young maidens,' he said. ' you rejoice to-day : you have been put on the auction- block and sold for the last time : you are free, forever free ! ' They believed it, and, lifting up their voices, shouted, ' Glory be to God ! ' I never before was in such a meeting. They believed : it was good news to them." CHAPTER IV. ME. MOODY'S CHUKCH. — HIS ACTIVITY AS A PASTOR. — FARWELL HALL. — VISIT TO ENGLAND. -HIS HOME. — THE CHICAGO FIRE. — THE TABERNACLE. Plan of Mr. Moody's Church. — His Power of Endurance. — New Year's Calls. — His Trust in God for Daily Support. — President of the Young Men's Christian Association. — Dedication of FarwellHall. — Open- Air Meetings. — Prayer of the Rich Man. — Sunday-School Conventions. — Mr. Moody visits England. — " Out and Out for Christ." — How he prepares a Sermon. — The Man at the Lamp- Post. — Farwell Hall Burned. — The New Home. —Mrs. Moody. —The Bible Readings. — Love. — The "I ams" of John. — Alliance with Saukey. — The Great Fire. — Mr. Moody's Account of it. — Visit to Philadelphia. — The Tabernacle erected. — The Order of Services held therein. —He revisits England. • " This one tMng I do; forgetthig those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the liigh callmg of God in Chiist Jesus." — St. Paul. " It does not take God a great while to qualify a man for his work, if he only has the heart for it." — D. L. Moody. Me. Moody founded a free and independent cliurcli, consistmsr at first of about three hundred members, ou the simple, unsectarian, and fraternal principles of the gospel. " This body of believers," one of its organic articles declares, " desh-e to be known only as Chris- tians, without reference to any denomination. While 76 POWER OF ENDURANCE. 77 the common evangelical doctrines are fully recognized, the plan is to unite in one all who are willing to co- operate in carrj' ing on the work of the common Master. Mr. Moody was the heart and soul of the enterprise ; and it soon became an institution of remarkable power for the dissemination of the gospel amongst the poorer classes in the city of Chicago. Acting on the Napo- leonic motto, " To every one his work," he suffered no member of the fold to rest in idleness. He infused his own progressive spirit into his congregation, so that each and every one was led to make the win- ning of souls to Christ the objective aim and end of life. The church-bell which some good friend had given to him sent forth its pealinr; notes for some kind of meeting every evening in the \P"eek ; and so earnest were the pastor's appeals, so prevalent his prayers, so personal his work, so numerous the conversions, that one continuous revival was the grand result. The sabbath school soon numbered about one thou- sand pupils ; and a quickening influence was sent into the other churches of the city. The amount of labor performed by Mr. Mood}^ in visiting the poor, the sick, and the degraded, in holding extra meetings, in exhor- tation, and in prayer, seems almost incredible. Ills iron constitution, and the ardor of his soul in the good work, alone sustained him. " I am used up. I can't think, or speak, or do any thing else," said he after morning service, one Sunda}' noon, to his friend Col. Hammond. " You must take my meeting to-night : I have nothing left in me." T8 LIFE OF DWIGHT LYMAN MOODY. Col. Hammond went to church prepared to lead the service. The house was full ; and, just as he was rising to speak, Mr. Moody came rushing in with a large company of young men he had induced to follow him from the saloons, and then delivered one of the most affecting sermons that gentleman had ever heard him preach. Wherever he goes he has a kind word for whomsoever he meets, and also the happy faculty of giving every one something to do for Jesus. " Htre, take this pile of papers, stand at that corner of the street, and give one to everybody that goes by," he has said to many an idler in the city ; and, by thus set- ting him at work, has interested him in his church, and finally brought him as an active member into it. Mr. Moody's manner of making calls upon his people on the first day of the year is thus happily described by Mr. Hitchcock, superintendent of his sabbath school : — " On reaching a family belonging to his congregation, he would spring out of the omnibus, leap up the stair- ways (for many of the families lived in garrets), rush into the room, and pay his respects as follows : ' You know me : I am Moody. This is Deacon De Golyer, this, Deacon Thane, this is Brother Hitchcock. Are you all well? Do you all come to church and Sunda}^ school ? Have 3'ou all the coal you need for the win- ter? Let us pray.' Saying this, Mr. Moody would offer earnest, tender, sympathetic supplication that TRUST IN GOD TOK DAILY SUPPORT. 79 God would bless the man, his wife, and each one of his children. " Then, springing to his feet, he would dash on his hat, dart through the doorway and down the stahs, throwing a hearty ' good-by ' behind him, leap into the omnibus, and off to the next place on his list : the entire exercise occupying only about one minute and a half. " Before long the horses were tired out, for Moody insisted on their going at a run from house to house : so the omnibus was abandoned, and the party proceeded on foot. One after another, his companions became exhausted with running up stairs and down stairs, and across the streets, and kneeling on bare floors, and get- ting up in a hurry, until reluctantly, but of necessity, they were obliged to rehnquish their attempt, and the tireless pastor was left to make the last of the two hundred calls alone ; after which feat he returned home in the highest spirits, and with no sense of his fatigue, to laugh at his exhausted companions for de- serting him." Mr. Moody himself occupied a small cottage on the Noilh Side; and, as the good and faithful Miiller of Bristol, Eng., trusted in God for his support. Nor was the trust in vain. " We need a barrel of flour," said his wife to him one morning, as he was going out to work for Christ: "will you attend to it?" The request was soon forgotten ; but, on returning in the 80 L\FB OF DWIGHT LYMAN MOODY. evening, INIrs. Moody said to him, " I tliank you foi that barrel of flour." — " What barrel of flour?" he answered : " did a barrel come ? " — " Yes." — " ^yell," he said, " I haven't thought of it since you spoke of it in the morninsr." But the Lord had thouGjht of it : and so his wants, though he receives no salary, have been till now supplied. In addition to Mr. Moody's earnest labors in his church, and in sabbath-school conventions far and near, he infused by his untiring energy new life and spirit into the noon prayer-meetings of the Young Men's Christian Association ; and then induced that body to erect for its use a noble structure upon Madison Street. " The only way to get a building," said a young member after several schemes had failed, " is to elect Mr. Moody president of the Association." He was, against strong opposition on the conservative side, elected. He planned the work judiciously, and had the pleasure of seeing the beautiful structure dedicated on the 29th of September, 18G7, under the name of " Farwell H-dl." In his address on the occasion, Mr. Moody said, " When I see young men by thousands going in the way of death, I feel like falling at the feet of Jesus, and crying out to him with prayers and tears to come and save them, and to help us to bring them to him. His answer to our prayers, and his blessing on our work, give me faith to believe that a mighty influ- ence is to go out from us, that shall extend through this county and every county in the State, through \ OPEN-AIR MEETINGS. 81 every State in the Union, and finally, crossing the waters, shall help to bring the whole world to God." These words were prophetic. Through the personal energy of Mr. INIoody, sabbath -school conventions were held in every county in Illinois ; a Avave of Christian influence was sent swelling through the country; and millions in lands beyond the sea have been converted, « or wakened to a higher life in Christ. Mr. Moody held meetings sometimes in the open air, and in general with great success. Visiting a certain town for the purpose of reviving the work of God, a pastor said to him, '• You might better have staid at home : winter is the lime ; in summer people here are too busy." Mr. Moody then went into the public square, took his stand upon a box, and began to address the few persons who had followed him. A crowd of people soon came up, and some of them were moved to tears by his deep earnestness. He held another meeting at the church. It was not large enough to contain the people. Other meetings fol- lowed ; and a grand awakening led the pastor to exclaim, " I see, dear sir, that summer is just the time for a revival." In his daily walks, this brave and tireless laborer would neglect no opportunity to address his fellow- men on the subject ever glowing in his heart ; saying to a stranger waiting for the train, " Are you for Jesus?" to a conductor, "Are you all right with God?" to a doctor of divinity, "How does your soul prosper? " 82 LU'E OF DWIGHT LYMAN MOODY. "He seems," says one who knew him well, "to be always carried along on a sea of inspiration. He passes his life tossing on its waves, where he is as perfectly at home as the stormy petrel on the ocean." " TbcUgh earnest in his piety, and full of religiou.5 conversation," says the Rev. David ^Macrae in " The Americans at Home," " Mr. IMoodj'has no patience with mere cant, and wants everybod}^ to prove his sincerity by his acts. At a meeting in behalf of a struggling charity, a wealthy layman, loud in his religious pro- fessions, offered up a prayer that the Lord would move the hearts of the people to contribute the sum required. INlr. JMoody rose and said that all the charity wanted was the sum of two thousand dollars ; and that he con- sidered it absurd for a man with half a million to get up and ask the Lord to do any thing in the matter; when he could himself, with the mere stroke of the pen, do all that was needed and ten times more, and never feel the difference." " In private intercourse," sa3"S the Rev. Dr. Clark of Albany, " I have always found Mr. Moody as full of gentle courtesy towards others, as he was of tender love for his Saviour. I never knew a man so free from selfishness or self-seeking as he. His friendship is as pure as crystal, and his generous love flows out toward all whom he can serve or ben lit. A nobler soul was never formed by grace or spiritual culture. His very presence as a guest is a blessing in any house." In his early evangelical efforts INIr. iNIoody used to SUNDAY-SCHOOL CONVENTIONS. 83 blame the ministers for the inactivity of the churches. At a certain meeting for the promotion of a revival, one good brother rose and criticised him severely for hif! 11 ncharitableness, when* Mr. Moody said Avilh deep emotion, " From my heart I tliank that brother. I deserved it. Will you, my brother, pray for me?" All hearts were touched by his repentance ; and his course in respect to the clergy ever since proves it to be sincere. The Sunday-school conventions held by Mr. Moody and his helpers were characterized by remarkable solemnity ; and under the impressive appeals of the evangelist, who was gaining every year in spiritual power, thousands were turned from darkness into light. Though rough in speech, the common people heard him gladly ; yet he was not satisfied with himself. The boy preacher, Harry Moorhouse of Manchester, had been in Chicago, and had spoken with great acceptance in the pulpit of the Illinois-street Church. He had evinced surprising knowledge of the Scriptures ; he had re- vealed a new method of studying them. One passage was to bt interpreted by another passage, one revela- tion to be examined under the light of another reve- lation, and the golden thread that held all parts to- gether as an harmonious whole pursued from the commencement to the close. Mr. Moody saw that he had read the Bible hitherto only by piecemeal, and without any consistent plan. He was intensely inter- ested in the system of I\Ir. ]Moorhouse ; and in 18G7 84 LIFE OF DWIGHT LYMAN I^IOODT. visited England for the purpose mainly of learning what to him was a new way of finding out the r:ches of the word of God. In London he met the late cele- brated evangelist Henry Varley, who said to him, " It I'emains for the world to see what the Lord can do with a man wholly consecrated to Christ." These words sar.k deep into his soul. He gave himself more heartily than ever to the study of his Bagster's Bible and to the work of leading wanderers in sin to Jesus. During his brief visit to London he preached almost one hun- dred sermons, and succeeded in establishing a daily union prayer-meeting in that city. Though the time had not yet come for him to do much for London, some fuel was added to the flame in his own soul by the Christian men he met there, and his aggressive power as an evangelist was augmented. " Is this young man all O O ? " said a Christian from tlie city of Dublin to another in London, pointing to Mr. Moody. " What do you mean by 0?" said the one to whom the question was directed. " Is he out and out for Christ? " replied the other. " I tell you," said Moody, " it burned down into my soul. It means a good deal to be O O for Christ." On returning from England, Mr. IMoody with re- newed vigor carried on his work, preaching in his church in the morning, infusing fresh life into his beloved sabbath school now numbering almost a thou- sand pupils, and addressing vast audiences at Farwell Hall iji the evening. He introduced more of the Scrip- THE MAN AT THE LAMP-POST. 85 tiire into his seimous, and spoke as a lawyer to a body of jurymen — intent on llie conversion of one at least to tlie truth as it is in Jesus. " IIow did you prepare that sermon on the compas- sion of Christ ? " said Dr. Roy to him oae da}^ " I took the Bible," answered the evangelist, " and began to read it over to find out what it said on that subject. I prayed over the texts as I went along until the thought of His infinite compassion overpowered me, and I could only lie on the floor of my study, with my face in the open Bible, and cry like a little child." Sermons so composed could hardly fail to move an audience to tears. Mr. INIoody continued during four successive years to hold the office of president of the Young's Men's Chris- tian Association ; and at one time he was, as he himself has said, " president, secretary, janitor, and every thing else." Here is an instance of the kind of outside work he was constantly performing. " Are you a Christian ? " said he to a man leaning against a lamp-post. He answered the question with a curse. '■ Maybe," said Mr. jNIoody to himself, " I am doing mo:e harm than good." One night he heard a knock on the door, and the man who swore at him at the lamp-post, appearing to him on the door-step, said, " Do you remember the man you met about three months ago at a lamp-post, and liow lie cursed you? I have had no peace since that night. Oh, tell me what to do to be saved ! " 86 LIFE OF DWIGHT LYMAN MOODY. (« We just fell down on our knees," said Mr. Moody, " and I prayed ; and the next day he went to the noon prayer-meeting, and openly confessed the Saviour, How often have I thanked God for that word to that djdng sinner ! " In January, 1868, the beautiful building of the Youn^' Men's Christian Association was reduced to ashes ; but there are large-hearted, noble Christian men in the ciiy of Chicago. John V. Farwell, B. F. Jacobs, and otliers came immediately forward, and commenced on the same site another and a better building, which, the ensuing year, was dedicated to the service of the Lord. On New Year's Day, Mr. Moody and his family were taken into a carriage, and driven to a new house, which had been built and elegantly furnished by some liberal friends for his abode. It was filled with old acquaint- ances who greeted him with cordial welcome, while Dr. Robert Patterson in fitting words made the pre- sentation of the lease and furniture to the astonished preacher, who in the fulness of his heart could offer only broken sentences of gratitude in reply. Mr. Moody was very happy in his new home. " Ilis delight was to play with his children," saj^s one of his friends, " and to entertain strangers. He loved to see his whole household in a roar of laughter; and yet, when a passage of the Bible came up suddenly to his mind, he would turn to them with his usual word, ' Come, let us pray ! ' and then all would kneel, and listen silently to the outbreathings of his fervent soul.' BIBLE READINGS. 87 " The spirit of his companion," says the Rev. Df. Clark in an excellent sketch of Mr. Moody, '' harmo- nizes perfectly with his spirit ; and her sympathy and tenderness are among Heaven's choicest gifts to him. A stranger who was visiting his sabbath school noticed a lady teaching about forty middle-aged men in the gallery. Looking at her and then at the class, he said to Mr. INIoody, ' Is not that lady altogether too young to teach such a class of men?' He replied, 'She n-ets along very well, and seems to succeed in her teach- ing.' The stranger did not appear to be altogether satisfied. In a few moments he approached the super- intendent again, and with becoming gravity continued, ' Mr. Moody, I cannot but feel that that lady must be altogether too young to instruct such a large company of men. Will you, sir, please to inform me who she is ?'_' Certainly,' replied Mr. Moody: 'that is my wife.'"" The Bible readings now held by this man of one book became the engrossing topic of conversation among Christians in Chicago ; and hundreds joined his classes for the purpose of obtaining a key to the hid- den wealth of Holy Writ. His plan is to take one word or doctrine, and, by the aid of a concordance, to trace it tlmrigh the various books of Scripture, and thus examine it by the light of inspiration under all its meunings and relations. " I remember," says he, " I took up the word ' love,' and turned to the Scrip- tures and studied it, and got so that I felt that I loved 88 LIFE OP DWIGHT LYIMAN MOODY. everybody. I got full of it. It ran out of my fingers. Suppose you take up the subject of love, and stud}^ it. You will get so full of it that all you have got to do is to open your lips, and a flood of the love of God flows eut upon the meeting. Take the ' I ams ' of John, — 'lam the bread of life ; ' ' I am the vine ; ' ' I am cho water of life ; ' ' I am the way, the truth, and the life ; ' I am the resurrection.' God gives to his children a blank, and on it they can write whatever they most want, and he will fill the bill." In order to aid his eye and memor}^, INIr. Moody coi- nects by a fine hair-line drawn in his Bagster's Bible, which he carries in a pocket made expressly for it, words, names, or passages co-related, and introduces many other marks of reference. In the earl}^ part of 1871, this untiring servant of the Lord had the good fortune, wdiile attending a con- vention at Indianapolis, to make the acquaintance of Ira David Sankey, who has since become so celebrated as " a sweet singer of the gospel." Mr. Moody is him- self no singer; but, aware of the power of sacred music over the hearts of men, he determined wisely to secure his services. A kind of co-partnership in evan- gelization was soon formed between them : and now Mr. Moody with his Bible, and Mi. Sankey with his song-book, move together in fraternal concord, pub- lishing the glad tidings of salvation through the world. The mighty conflagration of the city of Chicago commenced in the evening of the 8th of October, 1871, Mil. Moody's account of the cjkkat fire. 89 and swept over an area of four square miles, leaving but a mass of blocks and smouldcrinG: ruins in its course. Aroused by the uproar of that night of tenor, Mr. Moody and his family fled for shelter from the flames. "Everj^ thing I have is lost," said he, "except my reputation and my Bible." To his wife, who solicited him to take his portrait with them, he replied, " Wouldn't I look Avell carrying my picture through the streets ? " His beautiful house, his beloved church, and Farwell Hall, the evangelical centre of Chicago, were consumed ; and most of his parishioners were left in destitution. As soon as jMr. Moody's family were safe, he hurried back to assist the sick and wounded in their efforts to escape from peril. In one of his discourses, he thus speaks of the dreadful scene : — " It was my sad lot to be in the Chicago fire. As the flames rolled down our streets, destroying every thing in their onward march, I saw the great and the honorable, the learned and the wise, fleeing before the fire with the beggar and the thief and the harlot. All were alike. As the flames swept through the city, it was like the judgment day. Neither the mayor, nor the mighty men, nor the wise men, could stop these flames. They were all on a level then, and many who were worth hundi-eds of thousands were leYt paupers that night. When the day of judgment comes, there will be no difference : dll sinners will suffer." 90 LITE OF DWIGHT LYMAN MOODY. On the evening of the great fire Mr. Moody spoke to an audience of tliree thousand persons in Farwell Hall, exhorting them to become Christians. During the meeting Dr. Thomas Hastings's hymn, — " To-day the Saviour calls : Ye wanderers, come; Oh, ye benighted souls 1 Why longer roam ? ' ' was sung by the congregation, and ten persons re- mained to express their determination to follow Jesus. As they went out into the street, the flames were seen approaching, and three of the number perished in the conflagration. Mr. Moody has a brave heart, sustained by confidence in God. After rendering to the sufferers what relief he could, he went to Philadelphia with the view of raising funds for the erection of a temporary building for reli- gious services. " If I had a thousand dollars I could build," said he to George H. Stuart and others, " a great box that would hold my Sunday school." — " You shall have three thousand," Avas the prompt reply. With this money he commenced a rough tabernacle a hundred and nine feet by seventy-five, of boards, in the burnt district ; and by aid of the hands of poor men, women, and children, who sometimes toiled by night, the rude structure was within eiglit weeks after the fire com- pleted. At the dedication more than a thousand chil- ORDER OF SERVICES IN TABERNACLE. 91 dreii were present. The tabernacle presented a most singular appearance, rising as it did thus solitary among the ruins; and it served tlie triple purpose of affording shelter to the homeless, of storing supplies for the destitute, and of being used as a religious temple. Mr. Moody and his family made it the place of their abcde, and from it charitable distributions were contniually extended to the poor people of the city. Religious ser- vices were often held in it; and by the powerful preaching of Mr, Moody, whom the fire had brought into closer union with his Lord and Master, and by the sweet and touching songs of Mr. Sankey, many wander- ing souls were led to Jesus. Never was there a livelier or a busier scene of varied labor, such as sewing, mend- ing, arranging, and distributing, than that low, tar- covered tabernacle presented for a long time subsequent to the memorable fire ; and the services for the sabbath were, according to the Rev. Mr. Daniels, conducted in the following order : — " The Lord's Supper every Sunday at nine in the morn- ing ; preaching by Mr, Moody at half-past ten, at the close of which he waited at the door to greet the people as tliey passed out ; then dinner in the class-room, at which a numb:!r of the Sunday-school teachers were present to talk over the work of the day; immediately after dinner, a teachers' meeting for the study of the lesson ; at three o'clock the Sunda}^ school, with Mr. Moody for superintendent ; following it a teachers 92 LITE OF DWIGHT LYMAN MOODY. prayer-meeting, also led by him ; then supper in the class-room; then the yoke-fellows' prayer -meeting; preaching again at ha]f-past seven ; after which Mr. Moody held a meeting for inquirers, which sometimes lasted far into the night. Though left entirely destitute by the fire, Mr. Moody toiled, regardless of his own necessities, for the salvation of the masses who came in their j)overty to listen to his heartfelt exhortations. His own pocket-book was often empty while he was engaged in the distribution of the alms of others to the needy. Having preached for the Rev. Dr. Goodspeed one day, ten dollars were tendered to him by the pastor, who at the same time said to him, ' This is all I have.' — ' Then,' replied the self-denying Moody, ' I won't take but half of it, though I have not one cent.' " At the solicitation of three gentlemen, Mr. Moody, after some profound religious experiences, determined in 1873 to revisit England ; and, on being asked why he came to this decision, his quick reply was, " To win ten thousand souls to Christ." He made his preparations for the voyage, leaving his church in the hands of long-tried and efiicient laborers ; but up to the eve of his departure took no tl ought for the money, even to pay his passage. He literally abided by the words of Christ, " Take no thought for the mor- row ; " and his simple trust in God was not in vain. Just as he was about leaving with his family, his liberal HE REVISITS ENGLAND. 93 friend John V. Farwell came to him, and, bidding him good-by, pLaced in his hand a check for five hundred dollars, saying he perhaps would need it after reaching Eno^land. On the 7th of June, 1873, ]\Ir Moody and his family, together with Mr. Sankey, sailed for Liverpool, at which city they arrived upon the seventeenth da}' of the same month. The prayers of thousands followed these gifted messengers of good- will to men ; and the Spirit of Jehovah, speaking through their voices, moved the hearts and tongues of millions in Great Britain to de- clare for the Redeemer and his kingdom. CHAPTER V. LABORS OP MESSRS. MOODY AND SANKEY IN ENGLAND, SCOT LAND, IRELAND, AND AGAIN IN ENGLAND. A Memorable Day. — "Wliy the Evangelists went to England. — Theii Work at York. — Sunderland. — Newcastle-upon-Tyne. — TLe Promises. — Farewell to Newcastle. — They visit Edinburgh. — Distrust of the Scotchmen. — IMr. Moody's Eaith. — The Infidel Club. — Eagerness of the People to hear the Gospel. — INIeetin^ at the Corn Exchange. — Tolbooth Church. — "Week of Prayer. — Farewell Meeting at Arthur's Seat. — Glasgow visited. — Open-Air Meetings. — City Hall. — Erving Place Chapel. — Waiting. — Meeting for Chil- dren. — The Crystal Palace. — Results of Labors. — A German Pas- tor. — Temperance. — Activity of Christians. — Return to Edinburgh. — All Scotland interested. — Perth. — Aberdeen. — Tain. — Hunt- ley. — An Outdoor Meeting at Elgin. — Rothesay. — The Evangelists visit Belfast. — La.st Meeting in that City. — Londonderry. — Dub- lin. — View o^ an Episcopalian. — An Aged Man converted. — Unity of Sentiment. — A Convention of Ministers and Others. — Visit to Manchester. — Sheffield. — Birmingham. — Assemblies described. — Liverpool. — Visit to London. — The City described. — Plan of La- bor. — Results of the Revival on England and America. " Poor, but making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing all things." St. Pauu " Attempt great things for God, and expect great things from God." — Caret. The 17tli of June is a memorable day in the history of England and America. On that day the brave and well-disciplined soldiers of England met in deadly con- flict, on the slopes of Bunker Hill, the hastily gathered 94 WHY THE EVANGELISTS WENT TO ENGLAND. 95 and raw militia of Boston and the adjoining towns. The contending forces found out by that day's expe- rience that they were kindred in blood and soul. It was a lesson they have never forgotten. The world knows that to all intents and purposes the English and Americans are one. It was a fitting coincidence, that Messrs. Moody and Sankey in their evangelistic visit to England should land upon her shores on the 17th of June. They were not invaders with hostile intent, but friends and helpers of all good men and women in saving the perishing multitudes, who, living in the midst of the light of the gospel, were yet rejecting its offers of mercy. The}' did not go to England because there were no living, working Christians there ; for there is, and has been since the days of Wesley, a vital type of Chris- tianity in that country equal to any the world has ever known. They did not visit England for the reason that there was no work for them to do at home ; for in all our great cities there are vast multitudes yet unreached by the gospel. They did not go as religious adventur- ers, but because, like Paul of old, they had heard a cry for help, which they could not resist. They went forth on tlieir mission as evangelists, and they carried their divinely given credentials with them. They were not of the class who send themselves, men, and sometimes women, of small natural abilities, a narrow range of thought, a meagre suppl}' of common sense, and not much religion. They were rather men of holy lives 96 LIFE OF D WIGHT LYMAN MOODY. they enjoyed experimental piety ; they were not covet- ous of wealth or honor ; they had walked witli Christ until their hearts were all aflame with his quenchless love for a dying world; they had known the fellowship of the sufferings of the world's Redeemer, the bitterness of sin, the peace of pardon, the comfort of hope, the joy of adoption, the victory of an abiding faith, and the unspeakable glory of personal communion with the Triune God. If Mr. INIoody had been going into a country where there were no Christian people, then of course his work would have been entirely among the unconverted ; it would have been to preach repentance and faith, and to call men to a knowledge of Christ. In England Christianity had been planted for many centuries, and there were many Christian churches already organized, many professing Christians, and many devout and earnest souls bent on the spread of the Redeemer's kingdom. Besides these, there were vast masses of the unsaved, with more or less knowledge of the gospel, who were living in neglect of the great salvation. Under these circumstances the work of Mr. Moody was twofold in its character. He would first unify and intensify the individual activity of all Christians, and then with their help prochiim the gospel to the entire community. When the two evangelists landed at Liverpool on th3 17th of June, 1873, the}' were met with the disheart- ening news that one of the principal men who had WORK AT YORK. 97 invited them had died. Seeing no other course -to pursue, ]\Ir. INIoody sent a telegram to the secretary of the Young Men's Christian Assoc'ation at York, another friend who liad invited hira to England, that he was ready to begin liis work. lie was informed in reply, that religion was at a very low ebb in Yorlr, and that it would require at least a month to get I'CJdy for a revival. The communication closed by asking Mr. Moody when he might be expected, to which he returned immediately the despatch, " I will bo in York to-night." If one might judge of the character of the people by the number of their churches, as Paul of the Athenians by the number of their gods, the conclusion would be that the inhabitants of the famous old city of York were very religious. Three hundred years ago York had nearly sixty parish churches and chapels, together with an ample supply of monasteries and nunneries. At present, with a population of about fifty thousand, there are, besides the cathedral, twenty-nine churches and about half as many Dissenting chapels. If all the people of York, from the oldest to the youngest, Avere to choose some fine Sunday to go to church, there earnest to do his ^Master's will. Meeting with but limited success in Sunderland, the evangelists went next to Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Here had lived one of the men who had invited them to England ; but he had gone to his reward, without beholding the work he had so much desired to promote. " We have not done much in York and Sunderland," said iNIr. bloody on his arrival, " because the ministers opposed us ; but we are going to stay in Newcastle till we make an impression, and live down the prejudices of good people who do not understand us." This purpose he adhered to with the most encouraging results. The ministers and laj- men gradually came to his help ; and their united efforts w.ere honored of God, by the con- version of many precious souls. " We are on tlie eve of a great revival," said ]\ir. Moody, at one of the meetings at which almost a thousand Christians were present, " which may cover Great Britain, and perhaps 100 LIFE OF DWIGHT LYMAN IHOODY. make itself felt in America. And why," continued he, " may the fire not burn as long as I live "^ When this revival spirit dies, may I die with it ! " On Wednesda}^, Sept. 10, an all-day meeting was held in Rye Hill Chapel, where about seventeen hundred people were present, all manifesting the profoundesl, interest in the novel services. The first hour was de- voted to the reading of the Bible and to prayer ; the second to the promises, when INIr. INIoody said, " These promises, like precious gems, are to be found in every book of the Bible, and to-day we may get into the company of all God's great men who have passed away, and hear what things they have to tell us about our Father's love. We may summon the patriarchs, the prophets, the priests, the kings ; we may listen to the historians, the biographers, the poets, of the Bible ; and they will all give us some of the precious promises spoken by God through their lives to the ears of the whole world. The meeting is to be quite open and free ; not for speeches about promises, but for the read- inn; forth of these s'ood words of God to our souls." Then from every part of the audience came passage after passage, — for the people had their Bibles witi' them, — which set forth the fulness of God's love to man. During the last hour, Mr. jMoody spoke of heaven ; and well it could be said of him, " The pure, full-orbed truths of God's word came in close and certain succession from his lips, and fell with telling power on the hearts of the throng." VISITS EDINBURGH. 101 Mr. Sankey sang Ins sweet songs with touching pathos, and thus deepened the impression made by the outspoken words of Mr. INIoody. The memory of that meeting, said a minister present, " will Uve till the last year of our lives ; and many a soul travelling home to God will think of it as one of the deep poo s by '.he way, dug by the hand of a loving God for the refresh- ment of his children." By the labors of these two evangelists in Newcastle, the churches were awakened, sabbath schools increased, and Bibles circulated. A new style of religious life was introduced into Northumberland. " Never shall we forget," said a person present, " Mr. Moody's fare- well address to the delegates who had come from dis- tant counties to take leave of him. He would not say ' Good-by,' — no, ' Good-night ' rather, and meet them all in the morning in the dawn of the eternal day. Then strong men bowed and wept out their manly sorrow like children, — blessed children, as they were, of the same great Father." Passing through Carlisle, where the Briton and the Scot had so often met in sanguinary conflict, the two evauG^elists arrived on the 22d of November in the celebrated city of Edinburgh, Scotland. Mr. Moody had some fears lest his visit here amongst the learned and wary Scotchmen, set as they were in their own theological opinions, might turn out to be a failure. " What," said he, " can such a man as I do up there amongst those great Scotch divines ? " The work was 102 LIFE OF DWIGHI LYMAN MOODY. indeed derided by some and vilified by others, while many good men were sorely perplexed at the methods of the evangelists and the agencies they emplo) ed. It was shocking to a real Scotchman to praise God with an organ ; and the simple heart-songs of Mr. Sankcy were not by any means to be allowed to supplant th(3 grand old psalms sung by the sainted Covenanters, and the long succession of holy men and women since wor- ship had been free in Scotland. But the power of God was with the evangelists. The difficulties one after another disappeared, and thousands were happily con- verted to God in the capital city of the North. The day after the arrival of the evangelists. Music Plall, which seats two thousand people, could not hold the crowds that thronged to hear them. A noon prayer- meeting was begun the following da}', and inquiry- meetings followed almost every public service. Mr. Moody's constant reference to the Bible, and Mr. Sankey's beautiful songs, as " Hold the Fort," " Jesus of Nazareth passeth by," and " The Prodigal Child," greatly pleased the Scottish people. " One of the first things that impressed us," says the Rev. John Kelman, " was the extraordinary voracity of Mv. Moody's faith. We had been accustomed to go to the meetings, hoping God would bless us ; but INIr. Moody always said, ' We know that lue will bless us.' " " We are all delighted with them " [Moody and SankeyJ, wrote another, under date of Nov. 28, 1873 ; " ministers of all denominations are joining cordially in the service, THE INFIDEL CLUB. 103 and God is indeed working graciously. About two thousand are out every night hearing. Two churches are to be opened simultaneously each night next week. The singing of Mr. Sankey lays the gospel message and invitation very distinctly and powerfully on the consciences of the people ; and Mr. Moody's gospel is clear, earnest, and distinct." On the 2d of December Mr. Moody made a most impressive address on " Where art thou? " in Brough- ton Place Church ; and at an inquiry meeting nearly three hundred, embracing students from the University, soldiers from the castle, old men of seventy years, the mtemperate and the sceptical, listened as for life to the pointed words of the revivalist. At one of these meet- ings Mv. j\Ioody said to the chairman of an infidel club, — " Would you like to have me pray for you ? " " Oh, yes ! I have no objection to your trying your hand on me, if you like ; but I think you will find me a match for you." j\Ir. Moody knelt down and prayed for him in ear- nest, and had the pleasure of knowing subsequently that this chairman and eighteen members of his club were converted to Christianity. The Free Church Assembly Hall, the largest public building in Edinburgh, and the established church, Assembly Hall, were crowded every evening to hear the urgent appeals of Mr. Mood}'-, and the a£f(.;cting gospel songs of the sweet singer. The secular presa 104 LIFE OF DWIGHT LYMAN MOODY. proclaimed the progress of the revival ; and people came from distant towns to share in its blessed infla ence. Denominational distinctions were forgotten, and never before was the city so intent to hear the tidings of salvation. The theme of conversation everywhere was Jesus, and many souls Avere daily born into his kingdom. At the meeting on Sunday night, Dec. 29, in the Corn Exchange, Grass Market, about three thou- sand people of tlie poorer classes were present, and the most profound attention was paid to the pathetic stories and the hallowed songs. About six hundred men came up to the Assembly Hall from one of these meetings, fell on their knees, and j)rofessed themselves willing to serve the Lord. The meeting at the Tolbootli Church, Dec. 31, was perhaps the most interesting one held in Edinburgh. The house was thronged. The ministers and all were deeply affected. " The intense interest," says one who was present, " increased as midnight neared. Kneeling or with bowed heads, the whole great meeting with one accord prayed in silence ; and, while they did so, the city clocks successively struck the hour. The hushed silence continued five minutes more. Mr. Moody gave out the last two verses of the hymn, — ' Jesus, lover of my soul. ' And they all stood and sung, — ' Thou, O Christ, art all I want.* FAREWELL MEETING AT ARTHUR'S SEAT. 105 " The gales were ajar, and our hearts were pressed close to the heart of God. After a brief prayer the benediction was pronounced, and all began like one family to wish each other ' a happ}^ New Year.' " Tlie revival spirit, awakened in Edinburgh, spread through the whole of Scotland ; and constant applica- tions were made to the evangelists from ministers in otlier cities to come and aid them. A letter signed by all the leadiug pastors of Edinburgh was sent to every church in llie country, urging it to make the great work of the American revivalists promiuent in tlieir supplications during the week of prayer. From this, many wonderful results ensued. Messrs. Mood}^ and Sankey continued their labors in Edinburgh until Jan. 21, 1874 ; and the whole city, as it were, came out to the slopes of Arthur's Seat to bid them an affectionate farewell. So greatly had this intelligent city been moved by these two humble men, that not less than three thousand converts were received into the churches ; and Dr. Iloratius Bonar said that almost every Christian household had been blessed with one or more conversions. ]Mr. Moody was steadily gaining spiritual and intel- lect lal strength, while his success in Edinburgh em- boldened him to go forward in his glorious mission. The manufacturing city of Glasgow, forty-two miles west of Ediabuigh, and containing half a million peo- ple, was prepared to receive with 0[)en arms the evan- gelists. They commenced their labors here on the 8th 106 LIFE OF DWIGHT LYMAN MOODY. of February, 1874, by addressing a meeting of about three thousand sabbath-school teachers in the City Hall. The Bible readings of Mr. jNIoody met with great acceptance, while the soul-moving songs of Mr. Sankey 5ent the word home to the heart. Helpers came from Edinburgh, the chnrches entered zealously upon the work ; and conversions, more especially among the edu- cated, multiplied every day, so that soon the whole city became alive to the revival. Three large churches near the City Hall were opened for simultaneous services, and vast assemblages received the glad tidings in the open air. At the first noon prayer-meeting fifteen hundred persons, some of them coming from distant towns, were present. At the meeting in the City Hall on Thursday evening, Mr. Moody spoke with wondrous power on the text, " Ex- cept a man be born again ; " and, when he invited those on the Lord's side to remain, more than a thousand people kept their places. On Sunday evening, Feb. 15, he addressed a vast assembly of men at the City Hall ; and when Mr. Sankey sung in his touching style, — " In the promises I trust, Now I feel the blood applied; I am prostrate in the dust, I with Christ am crucified," — not a head in that great throng was seen to move. More than a thousand remained for prayer. On Mon- day evening, Feb. IG, as many as seven hundred Chris- WAITING. 107 tiau young men at the Erviug Place Chapel agreed to meet every night to watcli and pray for the conversion of the souls of their companions. On Sabbath morning, Feb. 22, Mr. jNIoody spoke in the City Hall to about three thousand Christian workers, from the text, " Send me." At the Erving Place Chapel, Feb. 24, a party of jxnuig men numbering one hundred and one took sides for Jesus ; and at the noon prayer-meeting on Thursday Mr. Moody said he had once, after most urgent solici- tation, preached in a rude church on the prairies, where one Christian woman continued praying day and night for the pleasure-loving young people whose onl}^ enjoy- ment seemed to be the song and the dance. A letter received that morning brought the cheering tidings that in that same spot thirty-two young men were now on the Lord's side and working for him. On Sabbath morning, March 1, he spoke with his usual power to three thousand 3'oung men of the Glas- gow Christian Associations, ]\Ir. Sankey singing with great effect, — " Hold the fort, for I am coming." It is the aim of Mr. Moody to lead Christians to work for God, as well as pray to him. " Now," said Mr. Sankey in one of the ajsemblies, "is the time for work- ing. 1 saw on a tombstone at Stirling this word deeplj carved in the stone, ' Waiting.' There will be time for waiting by and by, but now is the time for ^vork- ingy He tlicn sang with great effect, — 108 LIFE OF DWIGHT LYMAN MOODY. *' Hark, the voice of Jesus ci-ying, — Who will go and work to-day? Fields are white, and harvest waiting : Who will bear the sheaves away? " While meetings of cliildren, of mothers, of young men, working-men, teachers, students, ministers, wer« held in almost all of the one hundred and forty churches of Glasgow during March and April, thousands and th Dusands were laboring personally for the conversior of souls. At one of the great meetings for children, thi be ys, who were delighted with the simplicity of tht pi 3aching and the sweetness of the songs, climbed up th 3 stairs, filled the pulpit, and hung as bees in quest of honey around the speaker. So large was the attend- ai ce at the churches that the Crystal Palace was at le igth opened to the eager multitudes; and, after seven th DLisand five hundred tickets had been distributed, hi ndreds applied in vain to gain admission. At one tiiae the crowd, amounting to about twenty thousand, filted the whole space between tlie Palace and the B'jtanic Gardens, intent on hearing the words of the Auerican evangelists. In his preaching Mr. Moody, ui like most revivalists, was business-like, unpoetical, oiten very blunt, but thoroughly in earnest; and his p( wer was felt not only in every family in Glasgow, biit, through the press and telegraphic wires, in every pt.,rt of the United Kingdom. The writer was in Glasgow a year after the departuie of the evangelists, when ample time had elapsed for FAREWELL AT GLASGOW. 109 110 LIFE OF DWIGHT LYMAN MOODY. measuring the magnitude of the work of the evangelists, Noonday prayer-meetings were still sustained, in one of which a Lutheran pastor from the South of Germany testified that a year before he had been in Glasgow, and attended the meetings. He had been wonderfully blessed of God ; and, when he returned home to his work, the Lord in an extraordinary manner poured out his Spirit upon the people. Many in the villages in the neighbor- hood of his church were earnestly seeking salvation ; and he had returned to Glasgow for the reception of a new baptism, so that he could the better lead his flock. In private conversation with several of the most distin- guished clergymen of the city, one of them remarked that at that time, or within a space of a single twelve- month, more than three thousand people had joined the evangelical churches, and many more were ready to unite with them ; another said that Mr. Moody had done more for the cause of temperance in Scotland than all the lecturers for the last twenty years, and that in Glasgow alone more than seventeen thousand had signed the pledge ; another averred that " dear auld Scotland had never seen such a year of blessing in all her histor}' ; " and still another testified that Messrr. jNIoody and Sankey had done more to revolutionize the seiTice of song in the churches, to liberalize the hard features of Scottish Calvinism, and to save Scotland from the terrible curse of strong drink, than had been done Ijy any twenty men in the last three Imndi-ed years. RETURN TO EDINBURGH. Ill Besides all this, the revival in Glasgow took a practi- cal turn ; and, as never before, efforts were made to save vhe vicious and to help the worthy poor. So great was the activity of Christians, that they could not content themselves with ordinary church work ; but in the long evenings, when daylight lingers in this high latitude, in the open squares, on the bridges or at the corners of the streets, alone or in little companies, devoted Chris- tian men and women might be seen engaged in prayer, or making brief addresses to groups of listeners, or lead- ing the company in singing some of the favorite gospel h3-mns. In May the evangelists returned to Edinburgh, where on the 21st one of the largest assemblies ever seen in that city was gathered in the Queen's Park to hear for the last time the living words and touching music of the beloved heralds of salvation. During the summer of 1874,. they visited most of the large towns in Scotland, and their names became as household words from the Cheviot Hills to John O'Groat's. Wherever they went, the pillar and the cloud went with them ; the work of God spread and prevailed, while Christians and happy converts rejoiced a*, the glorious manifestations of divine power. It was indeed a time of gladness to that land of many saints and martyrs; and it seemed as if the hour were near at hand when the prayer of John Knox — " Give me Scotland, or I die " — was about to be fully answered. The first week in June, Messrs. Moody and Sankey illi LIFE OF DWIGHT LYISIAN MOODY. spent at Perth, on the river Tay, where they spoke to crowded meetings. " It seemed," said one, " as if God had sent his servants to unlock the floodijates of hii guice, and the water of hfe has swept out in deep and steady currents, leaving no place for the breaking waves of excitement and mere feeling." At Dundee a blessed work was done. At Aberdeen they spoke, June 14, in the natural amphitheatre of the Broadhill, to some twenty thousand anxious people. The songs " Almost Persuaded," " Come Home," and " The Lost Sheep," greatly affected them. Many conversions fol- lowed. They arrived at Tain, having about two thou- sand five hundred people, on the 13th of July. The church was densely crowded. About five hundred stood up for prayers, and tearful eyes testified to the power of song. At Huntley as many as fifteen thou- sand were present at the meeting in the open an- ; j-et Mr. Moody spoke so as to be heard by ever}- person. An outdoor meeting was held at Elgin, July 23, wliich Avas said to be the largest ever seen in that cit}'. ft was on Lady Hill, and the spectacle was most impos- ing. " Thousands," says a writer, " hung spellbou.id on tlie speaker's lips. One often hears doubts as to the posi'.ibilit}- of producing an impression in the open air, but there ih no mistake this time. No, there is no mis- taking these long concentric arcs of wistful faces curving around the speaker, and these reluctant te. rs which conscious guilt has wrung from eyes unused to weep. Oh the power of the living Spirit of God ! ' »li \ VISITS BELFAST. 113 the fascination of the gospel of Christ ! Oh the glad ness of the old, old story to these men and women hurrying to eternity ! " The last meetinling, did not respond. The evangel- ist paused for about the same space as before, motion- less. And now, with a voice still more resolute and fervid, he repeated for the third time the pledge. After a momentary interval of silence, the new con- vert said, — " And now, O Lord, I give my life to thee." Mr. Mcody rose, took his weeping charge by the hand with the words, " Madam, I devoutly thank God," and led Lor quietly to the door. She has ever since been acdvaly employed in religious work. It is injpossible to tell numerically the results of the revival : but while many conversions, manifesting the gracious presence of the Lord, occurred from da}' to day, the sacred flame of love to God and man was made to burn more radiantly in many a Christian heart ; and thousands of ministers and teachers who had come from afar to catch new inspiration for their work went liorae to infuse fresh life into the spirits of those whom they instructed. The press, too, spread the living words of trutn among the pco])le, reaching millions daily who could not personally come within the magnetic influence of the great evangelists. THE REVIVALISTS IN PHILADELPHIA. 14S Arraiic'ements were made for Messrs. Moodv and Sankey to commence laboring in Philadelphia on the 21st of November. An old freight depot on Thir- teenth and Market Streets was hired for two months, and fitted up at an expense of about twenty thousand dollars, by the liberality of the noble Christian, John Wannamaker ; and a choir of six Imndred singers, under the direction of William S. Fischer, was well trained for the occasion. The vast auditorium was provided with more than ten thousand chairs, and mottoes from the Bible were inscribed in large scarlet letters on the walls. Lighted by about a thousand gas-burners, and filled with people, this immense room presented a magnificent appearance. The Philadelphians are proverbially sober, staid, and quiet ; the ministers and churches undemonstrative and averse to change. It was, then, with many a serious question whether the revivalists would ever fill the building, or make any durable impression on the public mind. The clergymen were not ver}- well united, nor had there been any such preparatory prayer as opened the way for the work in Brooklyn. But the words of the Bible and the hearts of men are everj^where the same ; and, when brought together by the burning tongue of some God-appointed prophet, the result is ever the same. Great expectations had been raised on the part of the friends of the movement, for the opening of the work on Sunday, Nov. 21. But tlie rain came down in torrents ; the seats in the churches 144 LIFE OF D WIGHT LYMAN MOODY. ^,,«rfll':1"'*l, lil",«,." ;"li, f%\ \ THE CLASSES OF PEOPLE ATTENDING. 145 generally were vacant. At the morning service in the ^larket-street Tabernacle, however, there were at least nine thousand people present. The aim of Mr. Moody here, as in other places, was to awaken Christians to the necessity of personal labor for the salvation of their fellow-men. After prayer by the Rev. Dr. Richard Newton, the reading of the Scriptures, and the singing of the hymn by Mr. Sankey, — *' Ring the bells of heaven," — Mr. Moody said, "Some ask, 'What is the object of these special meetings ? are there not churches and ministers enougli in Philadelphia ? We have come just to help. In the time of the harvest, extra help is needed ; and harvest time is now. I have been in the school of Christ for twentj'' years, and I have never seen a better time than the present. We are right in the midst of the blessings from heaven. Three classes attend these meetings, and I wish the first class might be brought over to the third. The first class, some of whom are Christians, come out of mere curiosity : they come to criticise, but it does not take brains nor heart lo find fault. To such I say, 'Can you do better? If 80, take hold and show us how.' "The second class come just to enjoy themselves; and when they leave they say to each other, ' Didn't we have a good meeting ? ' They always come early, and take all the good seats. They are always ready to receive, but have nothing to give. We do not want 146 LIFE OF DWIGHT LYMAN MOODY. sucli people here : we want ten thousand workers The third chass consist of such. They come to watch and pray for souls ; and, when they find one 'jy their side weeping for sins, they take him to the inquiry- room, and show him the way to life. A lady in Lon- don," said he in conclusion, " succeeded in converting one hundred and fifty persons, and in speaking of it she said, ' We did not work : we just laid ourselves out for Christ.' That's the way to do it: don't count your strokes, just lay yourselves out. Go ye into the vine- yard : don't wait for the harvest, for — hark!" and after the breathless assembly had waited a moment, hearing only the rain-drops pattering on tlie roof, he added, — '* * Hark ! the voice of Jesus crying, "VVho will go and work to-day ? " when Mr. Sankey sung the song with marvellous pathos and effect. No such singing had ever before been heard in the cliurches of the " Quaker City." The services in the afternoon commenced at four o'clock ; but an hour before, the entire building was crowded, and thousands failed to gain admittance. Mr. IMood}'- spoke on moral courage and enthusiasm, with his usual force ; and his appeals were sent home to the heart by the spiiited hymns, " Hear ye the Battle- Cry," and " Hold the Fort," as sung by Mr. Sankey, with the well-trained choir upon the chorus. Thus was the revival work inaugurated. The plans adopted and the sermons preached were almost t) « THANKSGIVING DAY. 147 same cis those in Brooklyn, and week after week the sur^-inn- crowd contmued to fill the Tabernacle. The speaker had a blunt, ungraceful manner, an unstudied diction, and a husk}^ high-kej'ed voice. What, then, drew out the people in such numbers ? what enchained as by an enchantment their attention ? One attributed the interest to the reputation of the revivahsts ; but how had they gained that reputation? Another said it was their way of putting tilings ; but many min- isters in the city had more eloquent ways of putting things. Still another said it was by hammering at the heart with a sublime persistence ; but some others did this without making an impression. The revival- ists themselves said, " It is because the Spirit of God is moving the hearts of men ; " and this undoubtedly was the true solution of the problem. On Thanksgiving Day the auditorium was decorated with the national banners, and as many as eleven thousand people listened with rapt attention to the fervid utterances of the two great modern apostles of the gospel. " If you want to praise God," said Mr. Moody, " go and do some work ; lift up somebody, relieve the sick, and comfort the heart-broken. By so doing it will be the best praise that we can give to God. ... Oh that we may have live churches ! Oh that we may get rid of these dead churches, with their cold forms and ceremonies, and have them filled with live, happy people ! " Then the choir and congregation broke forth into the song, — 148 LIFE OF DWIGHT LYMAN MOODY. " We praise thee, O God! for the Son of thy love, — For Jesus who died and is now gone above," — dftei" which Mr. Sankey, having told a touching story of a prodigal son, sung with sweet expression, — •' There were ninety and nine that safely lay In the shelter of the fold. But one was out on the hills away, ii'aroff from the gates of gold." Mr. Moody's Bible-readings proved to be a great attraction to the Philadelphians, as many as five thousand being sometimes present to hear his felicitous ■nterpretations of Holy Writ. At the evening meeting, Dec. 19, President Grant, some members of his Cabinet, and some Congressmen, were present, and at the close expressed themselves as well pleased with the services, and especially with the singing of Mr. Sankey. " Mr. INIoody," said Ex- Speaker Blaine, " is a wonderful man." At the in- *quiry-meeting that evening, Mr. Moody said, " It was the best service we have ever had in America or in Europe : it was perfectly marvellous ; it went beyond all my faith." " These are golden days for Philadelphia," said Mr. Wannamuker at one of the meetings : " to-night let this vast congregation join in the solemn prayer for the great and glorious work that is now progressing amongst us." And then the hymn, — '* Rejoice and be glad I the Redeemer has come," — MIDNIGHT WATCH-MEETING. 149 was sung so touchingly that a gentleman on the plat- form rose and exclaimed, " I have frequently heard it said that Jesus loves a musical heart more than a musical voice. If that be so, I tell you that here we have learned how both can be united." At the close of the year 1875 a midnight watch was held, when after various solemn services INIr. Moody invited the whole congregation to unite in silent prayer. While all heads were bowed in supplication, Mr. Sanhey sang in a low and broken voice, " Almost persuaded," then Dr. Newton recited the Lord's Prayer; " Praise God from whom all blessings flow," was sung ; and the silence of j)rofound meditation reigned until the clock struck the knell of the old year. Dr. Plumer of South Carolina then pronounced the bene- diction; and, after Mr. INIoody had bid them all a " happy New Year," the meeting was dissolved. On the 6th of January, 1876, he tenderly addressed a great assembly on the subject of the sabbath school, urging teachers to labor personally for the salvation of their pupils. " ' Now let us go to work,' said I one day to two of my teachers, ' and see if we cannot win those three young ladies in the school to Christ. You take Margaret, you take Sarah, and I will take Henrietta ; and we will give them books, write to them, visit them, and pray for them, work personally with them.' Within a month two of them were led to Christ ; and since I have been in Philadelphia I have learned that Margaret has been converted." 150 LIFE OF DWIGHT LYMAN MOODY. On Fridays he spoke to the inebriates ; and about a hundred and fifty of them were reformed during his stay in the city. On the 14th of January, George H. Stuart wrote to " The Tribune," " The last service of the eighth week of Moody and Sankey's labors in this city was attended this evening by over thirteen thousand persons, filling the great depot building to its utmost capacity. Many thousands were turned away, unable to obtain even standing-room. The interest in these services has from the first steadily increased, and the labors of the evangelists have been and continue to be the all- absorbing topic of conversation." The regular services of the revival were brought to a close on the 16th of January, when the throng of worshippers was still augmenting, and the religious interest deepening. It was estimated that since the work began on the 14th of November, the total attend- ance had been as great as seven hundred thousand, the number of converts four thousand, and the expenses of the revival were about thirty thousand dollars. No orator probably ever addressed in an equal space of time such a large number of people. The immediate effects were grand ; but who can estimate the magnitude of the work as bearing on the future destiny of the mighty throngs that heard the word proclaimed with such con- vincing power? Returning to Philadelphia on the 4th of February, the evangelists met the clergymen and the converts in THE ORANGE-TREE. 151 tlie depot building, which was densely crowded ; and after Mr. Sankej had sung with unusual tenderness Mrs. Emily S. Oakey's fine hymn, — " Sowing the seed by the dayhght fair, Sowing the seed by the noonday glare," — Mr. Moody prayed that God would bless the work accomplished, and that "on the golden shore of the Bej^ond, all who had found Christ might clasp hands without missing the face of one lost brother." He tlien addressed some earnest and affectionate words to the converts, taking for his theme, " God is able to hold you." In the course of his remarks, he used this beau- tiful illustration : " Every Christian's life should be like the orange-tree. In Florida I saw these trees growing in dry sand; and, when I asked how they lived, I was told that every tree had a tap-root which went right down until it struck, water. We, too, must find a fount so pure and revivifying that no surroundings can injure our spiritual growth." " Let word and work," he also counselled, " be our watchword. If you neglect either the one or the other, you cannot be successful. But he who holds the word in one hand, and works with the ether, must advance nearer and nearer to the throne." L'i closing he said with deep emotion, "I do not like the word 'farewell.' I'll bid you good-night, and by the grace of God I want to meet you in the morning." Many eyes were moistened as "The Sweet By-and- By " was sung ; and many a silent prayer ascended to 152 LIFE OF DWIGHT LYIMAN MOODY. the mercy-seat as tie audience left the building in which so many brave words had been spoken, and so many hearts won fir»ni ways of error to the love of Jesus. YOUNG men's christian ASSOCIATION BUILDING, PHILADELPHIA. In one of the meetings Mr. IMoody took \ip a collec- tion for the building of the Young IMen's Christian Association, which amounted to about a hundred thousand dollars. lie himself put iu a diamond ring. VISIT TO PRINCETON. 153 which came to him enclosed in this letter: " Dear Mr. INIootly, — Through the instrumentality of the blessed meetings now closing, my darling son, a prodigal, and his wife, are now resting in a Saviour's love. The accompanying ring, the gift of one dearly loved, and so long worn it seems a part of myoclf, I now offer to my dear Lord and Master as a thank-offering for his un- Fpeakable blessing. Do with it as the Holy Spirit directs." The ring was sold for a thousand dollars, and assisted in paying for the noble structure of which a picture is here given. At the sale of the furniture of the depot building, Mr. Stuart gave fifty-five dollars for the chair of INIr. ]\Ioody, and Mr. Field the same for that of Mr. Sankey. The same day, Feb. 5, Uv. IMoody addressed the students of the college at Princeton, taking for his subject, " What Christ is to us." In the course of his remarks he said, " Some think we are getting wiser than the Bible; but I always say to those people, 'Bring me a better book than the Bible, and I will throw^it away.' You might as well say, ' What splendid gas we have now I Let us build all our houses and churches without windows: we don't want the sun any more.' " The students were deeply impressed by the discourse. At the conclusion of his address on " There is no Difference," the next day, fifteen of them rose for prayers; and before the month closed about one hundi-ed were converted. CHAPTER VII. EVANGELICAL WORK LN NEW STORK CITY, AUG DSTA, GA., AND CHICAGO. The Hippodrome. — Use of Means. —The Meetings opened. —Setting (christians at Work. — Mr. Moody's Sermons. — Extract from a Let- ter. —The Gospel. — Tramps. — A Scotchman's Idea of Christ.— Distinguislied Men present. — Secular Press. — Going to the Stake. — Dom Pedro. — Young Converts. — Convention. — ^Yitty Keplies. — Music. — Closing Services — Results. — An Editor's Opinion of Mr. Moody. — Augusta, Ga. — Mr. Moody's New Church Edifice. — Dedication. — He visits Northlield —Springfield. — Work in Chi- cago commences. — The Tabernacle. — Harmony among the Clergy. — Open Service. — Ministers affected. — Death of Samuel H. Moody. — Sermon on the Same. — Inquirers. — Interest deepening. — Faith- ful Sunday-School Teacher. — Germans interested. " Let him know that he which converteth the sinner from the error of liis way BhaU save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins." — St. James. " lu the cross of Christ I glory, Towerhig o'er the wrecks of time : All the light of sacred stoiy Gathers round its head sublime." John Bowkiso. The two evangelists began their glorious work on Monday evening, Feb. 7, 187C, in the city of Nevr York. The Hippodrome, a huge structure on Madison Avenue, had been engaged for them, and divided into compartments, one seating six thousand, and the other THE HIPrODROME. 155 about four tlioasand people. The space between them had been separated into rooms for inquiry and other purposes. As many as eight hundred singers and six hundred Christian workers had been trained for the revival. Union meetings had been held, in which earnest Christians of various denominations assembled to pray for the outpouring of the Spirit of God upon the people. The ministers were in living sympathy with the movement. Never, perhaps, before had prepa- rations on so grand a scale been made in any city for the advent of an evangelist. Nor were the friends of religion disappointed in their expectations. " Too much machiner}^ about all this," said some who doubted. But for the diversion of the public in that same building, Mr. Barnum had used a great deal more. JNIight not the followers of Christ employ means to lead the erring to him ? did he not himself use )aceans to win them ? and should not the means be in proportion to the work to be accomplished ? The audience that awaited Mr. Moody and his com- peer was the largest ever convened in the metropolis, while thousands pressed in vain to gain admittance. As the speaker came upon the platform, and looked over the vast throng, he said, " Let us all bow our heads in silent prayer." The stirring songs " Hold the Fort," and " What shall the Harvest be ? " soon fol- lowed , and then, choosing for his theme the power of weak things to confound the mighty, he spoke as one whose lips were touched with fire from heaven; and ' p)^ Ijjt of weR/aui^ fet fcl)^iie^ x^ hmm ^ Facsimile from Wyclikfe's Bihee. From the first chapter of St. John's Gospel, Wycliffe's Version, Fourteenth Century. Engraved from the original. THE MEETINGS OPENED. 157 moved, as no other living man could do, the hearts and consciences of the vast assembly. Instead of lessening, his incessant toil in Philadelphia seemed to have re- doubled both his physical and mental energy. In his styh^ .-^f dchvery he had much improved, and ne\ jr had he in any city before commenced his work with sach a powerful sermon. God was evidently with him. All things were ready, and a great awakening was antici- pated. Mr. Moody closed his sermon by saying, " The mighty spirit of Elijah rests upon us to-night. Let us go to our homes, and cry to the God of Elijah, ' Here I am, God, use me,' that we may be ready for all his services." Here was the key-note of the awaken- ing. On Wednesday evening, Feb. 9, the Hippodrome was, in spite of the rain, densely filled; and jNIr. Moody, after the singing of " Only an armor-bearer " and other hymns, spoke on moral courage with such point and impetuosity as made a profound impression on the audience, so that many — " Who came to scoff, remained to pray." On Thursday, Feb. 4, five distinct meet'ngs were held at the Hippodrome, at which there was m aggre- gate attendance of about twenty thousand people. ]\Iany were moved to tears, and about two hundred inquirers remained to converse with the Cliristiao workers. Mr. ]Moody's theme for the evening was, " To every man his work." His sermon abounded ii 158 LIFE 01 DWIGHT LYISIAN IMOODY. felicitous illustrations, and riveted tlie attention of the audience to its close. In his preaching during all the Avork, his chief aim was, to convince Christians that each and every ono has a personal work to do in bringing souls to Jesus. " There are many," said he, " that are willing to do g'-eat things for the Lord ; but few are AAilling to dc little things. The mighty sermon of our Lord on regeneration Avas preached to one man. Many are will- ing to preach to thousands, but are not willing to take their seat beside one soul, and lead that soul to Christ." It is the habit of Mr. Moody to write out a sermon carefully, and then, surcharging his mind with its spirit, to deliver it extempore, varying the illustrations so as to suit the character of his hearers. INlost of his discourses he has repeated, it ma}^ be, forty or fifty times: j-et such is the force and fervor he throws into them, such is the magnetic power of his person, that they are heard over and over again with unabated interest. The lively anecdotes and touching stories he has told so often have been a thousand times published and circulated through and through Great Britain and America. So manv of them refer to his own life and experience that his biography might to a great extent be woven out of them ; yet we ■ love in him this frank, Pauline egotism, revealing as it does the honesty of his soul, as well as the noble ardor which inspires him to go forward in his glorious work. *' Mr. Moody must have great executive ability," THE GOSPEL. 159 wrote to me an attendant on the meetings at tlie Ilip- podromo, "for he controls liis audiences seemingly without any effort ; and you know in many cases there are rough men and boys, and women too, but tlierc is never any disorder, and hardly ever any inattention. He is entirely devoted to his work : he thinks rapidly, and expresses himself as rapidly as he thinks. In the inquiry-meetings he is never at a loss for a reply, and that a good one. ' I don't think I have a soul,' said a lad}^ tliere to him one day, ' any more than a dog.' — ' Then why, madam, did you come to me? I can't reason with a dog,' he instantly replied." The second week of the revival opened with the interest still increasing. On Sunday afternoon, Feb. 13, Mr. Moody preached on " the Gospel" to an audi- ence of about six thousand women. Such a confrregra- tion liad perhaps never before been seen in America. The novelty of the spectacle was almost as great when in the evening he preached the same discourse exclu- sively to men. " I have spoken," he said, " a great manj times in this city ; but I believe I never preached the gospel here but once. That was twelve or fifteen years ago, down in the Tombs. ... I believe I was converted years before I knew what the gospel meant. Now, t]»e word 'gospel' means 'good spell,' or in other words ' God's spell.' " Referring to the interest of Christ in the wandering, he said, " I noticed on my way down this morning not less than four or five tramps. They looJied weary and tired. I suppose they had slept on 160 LIFE OF D WIGHT LYMAN MOODY. the sidewalk last niglit. I thought I would like to have time just to stop and tell them about the Son of God, and how Christ loved them." On Friday, Feb. 18, the noon prayer-meeting was attended by more than six thousand persons, the sub- j K t discussed being — as afterwards on this day — in- temperance ; and in the evening Mr. Moodv preacheil his great sermon on " What is Christ to us ? " In the course of his remarks he said, " I was once speaking on this theme in Europe, and said to a Scotch friend, as wq were going home, I was much disappointed that I did not get through with the subject. He looked at me with astonishment, and said, ' What, my friend ! did ye expect to tell what Christ is in half an hour ? Ye need never expect to tell it in all eternity : ye would never get through with it.'" In the audience were seen sometimes eminent mer- chants, lawyers, judges, and statesmen of the city. Gov. S. J. Tilden, Cyrus W. Field, and Dr. John Lord have been attentive listeners. Mr. Moody said he had never before received such cordial aid and sympathy from the ministers. Among those actively engaged with him were Messrs. Taylor, Tyng, Hall, Chambers, Anderson, Armitage, Orraiston, and Rogers. The latter said that during a ministry of more than thirty years he had never witnessed scenes of such solemnity and power. On Sunda}^ Feb. 20, about four thousand Christians were present at the morning service ; about ten thousand SECULAR PRESS. 161 woinea listened to Mr. Moody's sermon on the text, " Where art thou ? " in the afternoon, and about the same number of men in the evening. The Hippodrome continued to be crowded through the week; and in the streets, the offices and homes throughout the city, such words as " Have you heard Moody?" "Does ' e not send solid shot into his congregation ? " " Did not Sankey sing most touchingly ? " " Were you ever at such grand, good meetings ? " continually met the ear. The secular papers spread abroad the truths spoken by the evangelists ; and thousands of ministers from a distance, catching the inspiration of the great meetings at the Hippodrome, carried something of the flame back to their churches. Never since the apostolic times had the voices of two unlettered men so moved the world. In his address on " Grace," Feb. 25, the speaker gave this pointed illustration: " ' INIoodj^,' said a man to me some time ago, ' have you got grace to go to the stake as a martyr ? ' — ' No ! what do I want to go to the stake for ? ' Another said to me, ' Moody, if God should take your son, have you grace to bear it ? ' — ' What,' said I, ' do I want grace for ? If God should call me to part with my boy, he would give me strength to bear if.' * As thy days, so shall thy strength be.' " Thus these two remarkable men proceeded day after day and evening after evening, Mr. Sanke}' with his melodeon, and jNIr. ]Moody with his Bible, singing and preaching to undiminished audiences in the centre of New York City, quickening the hearts of the clergy, and 162 LIFE OF DWIGHT LYMAN MOODY. turning many people to righteousness. Mr. Moody's sermons — among Avhicli those on " The Divine Compas- sion," " The Blood," " Heaven and its Treasures," " Men's Excuses," " God's Love," " How to study the Bible/' " Work of the Holy Gliost," and " Trust," awak- ened great attention — were always direct, pointed. Biblical, catholic, and hopeful. They were all enrichei^ with apt scriptural citations, touching anecdotes, perti- nent illustrations, and epigrammatic points, that went directly to the heart. In one of his addresses on the Good Samaritan he said, " A great many people ask us, ' What are you going to do with these young converts when you get them? where will you put them, into what church, — Method- ist, Baptist, Episcopal?' Well, we don't know; we have not thought of that : we are trying to get them out of the ditch first." The emperor Dom Pedro was present when Mr. Moody preached his thrilling sermon on " What shall I do with Jesus which is called Christ?" and paid the strictest attention, bowing his head in assent to the remark, "Even a great emperor cannot save his soul, •igith all his wealth and power, unless he bows himself at Christ's feet, and accepts him." On the 29th and oOth of March a revival convention was held in the Hippodrome, at which there were 3,350 pastoral and lay delegates. In reply to the many questions proposed to him, Mr. Moody evinced good common sense with not a little WITTY BEPLIES. 163 native wit. In respect to prayer-meetings he isaid, "They ought to be short. I find a great many are killed because they are too long. The minister speaks five minutes ; and a minister's five minutes is alwa^-s ten, and liis ten minutes is always twenty. The result is, you preach everybody into the spirit and then out of it befoie the meeting is over." To the question, " Why was the Lord not able to do any thing at Nazareth ? " his quick reply was, " On account of their unbelief ; but that was the world, not the church." On being asked if he would encourage women preach- ing in the pulpit, he replied, " That is a complicated point, and we will leave it. I don't care about my wife going around and preaching." To the question, " Would you stop a man's prayer by a bell?" he answered, "If a man's prayer don't seem to go higher than his head, I should not hesitate to ring him down." To one asking him, " What is the best book for in- quirers ? " he said, " Well, the book written by John is about the best I have ever seen." " Suppose none of the congregation understand music?" asked mother: " how are you going to have it ? " — " Well," said he, " I don't understand music, but I can sing, as well as Mr. Sankey. I can sing from my heart. The fact is, people have gone to sleep. Larks never sing in their nests ; it is wdien they get out. A little boy who had been converted was constantl}' sing- 164 LIFE OF DWIGHT LYMAN MOODY. innp ; wlilie his papa was reading the paper one day, he came up to him, and said, ' Papa, you are a Christian, but 3'ou never sing.' Says the father, 'I have got es- tabhshed.' Not long after, they went out to drive, but the horse would not go. The father got vexed, and said ' I wonder what ails him.' — ' I think,' said tlie boy, ' he has got established.' " To the question, " How can you make sinners feel their sinfulness ? " he answered, " That is God's work : you can't do it." During the meeting of the convention, Mr. Sankey sung with great tenderness Miss Fanny J. Crosby's sweet hymn, — " Rescue the perishing, Care for the dying, " — Saying as he came to the third stanza, that it contained one of the most blessed truths referred to b}'' the speak- ers : — ' ' Down in the human heart, Crushed by the tempter, Feelings lie buried that grace can restore: Touched by a loving heart, Wakened by kindness, Chords that were broken will vibrate once more." The services of this great revival in New ^ork, during which so many hearts had been rescued from perishing, so many believers brought nearer to God, were closed on Wednesday evening, April 10, 187G, when Mr. Moody during his affectionate address to the CLOSING SERVICES. 166 Christian Avorkers made this fine comparison : " You say you are in the world. Well, you may b(; in the world but not of It, just as a ship is in the water hut not of it. The moment the water begins to get into the ship, it sinks. You are in the world, but don't let the world be in you." In his address to the converts, of whom about thirty-five hundred were present, he urged every one to serve Christ, saying, " It is not too much to expect that each one of you should bring twelve more to him. One young man came to me, and said he was converted on the 3d of February ; he had a list of fift3^-nine persons, with the residence of each, whom he had since that time been instrumental in leading to Christ. Now, if he has led fifty-nine to the Saviour, each of you ought to be able to reach some. Let each of you go to work, for that is the way to grow in strength." As he bade the audience good-night he said, " We have received nothing but kindness since we came here, and the Lord has abundantly blessed our work. 'Slay God bless all the policemen, the reporters, the choir, the ushers, and all who have aided the liOrd's cause since we came here ten weeks ago ! May he bless all the ministers who have worked so nobly with us for Christ, and may the good work go on when we are far away ! " i\Iaiiy were bathed in tears, and the benediction was pronounced by Dr. J. Cotton Smith. It was estimated that as many as a million and a half of people had attended the various meetings at the Hippodrome, of whom as many as ten thousand dif- 166 LIFE OF DWIGHT LYMAN MOODY. ferent persons had been present at the meetings foi inquiiy. Large accessions were subsequently made to many of the churclies; but what the grand harvest will be, what tongue can tell ? In taking leave of him, one of the leading New York journals said, " Make him the best-read preacher in the world, and he would instantly lose half his power. Put him through a systematic training in sj-stematic theology, and you fasten big logs of fuel to the driving- wheels of his engine. . . . We shall not soon forget his incomparable frankness, his broad undenomination- alism, his sledge-hammer gestures, his profuse diction which stops neither for colons nor commas, his true- ness whioh never becomes conventional, his naturalness which never whines, his abhorrence of PLarisceism and of ecclesiastical Machiavelism, his mastery of his subject, his glorious self-confidence, his blameless life, and his unswerving fealty to his conscience and to his work." At the conclusion of their ministry at New York, Mr. Sankcy repaired to his home in New Castle, Penn.; while Mr. JNIoody, without taking rest, proceeded to Augusta, Ga., where he held, April 25, in the grove of the Piesbyterian Church, a meeting at which about six thousand persons, white and colored, were pies- ent. The Southerners were delighted with his afflu- ence of illustration, and profoundly moved by his patJietic appeals. While referring to the healing of the woman by touching the Lord's garment, in hia NEW CHURCH EDIFICE. 167 Bermon of the next day, he said, " Jesus hud more medieine in the hem of his garment than all the apothecaries in the land." On Sunday, April 30, as many as fifty, moved by his magnetic power, rose up for prayers. He left Augusta on the 9th of May, highly gratified with the kindness he had received, but more especially with having some good evidence that through his preaching manj' hearts were led to rejoice in the Redeemer. Returning by the way of St. Louis, where he held several meetings of great interest, he became, on reach- ing Chicago, the guest of his benefactor John V. Farwell. For the better accommodation of his church and society, Mr. Moody, prior to his visit to England in 1873, planned and commenced an edifice on the corner of Chicago Avenue and La Salle Street ; but, owing to the depression in business, it was not completed till the summer of 1876. It is built of brick and stone in the Grothic style, and will seat about two thousand people. The whole cost of the structure, and the land on which it stands, was about eighty-nine thousand dollars, towards which sum about five hundred thousand sabbath-school children contributed their mite. The building was opened for service in June ; but Mr. Moody then said that it should not be dedicated until it was entirely paid for. It was a bad thing to be in debt. He could not bear to look one in the face if he 168 LIFE OP DWIGIIT LYMAN MOODY. owed him any thing. A collection was then taken which amounted to thirteen thousand dollars, and the whole sum required to pay for the church was soon afterwards obtained. The edifice was dedicated on the IGth of July, the sermon on the occasion being preached by Dr. James H. Brooks of St. Louis. In the completion and dedication of his church, Mr. Moody had a long-cherished desire gratified ; and he then soon repaired to his quiet home in the valley of the Connecticut River, for a little study and repose. But rest he could not find ; for the desire to liear him was so intense, and solicitations for his services in the neighboring towns came in to him so urgentl}^ as to admit of no refusal. On Tuesday, Aug. 15, he preached on revivals, to as many as a thousand people in the Congregational church in Greenfield ; the next day he spoke in Northfield, and on Sunday following, again to a crowded house in Greenfield. On the 22d he delivered his great sermon on "• To Every One his Work," before an audience of above three thousand people in the City Hall at Springfield. He was to have spoken at half-past seven, p.m., in tlie First Congre- gational Church. At four, p.m., it was packed with people ; and when it was announced three hours later, that the services would be held in the hall, well- dressed women leaped from the windows of the church in order to secure seats in season. He also, with Mr. P. P. Bliss, held services on the 10th of September in Brattleboro', Vt. WORK IN CHICAGO COMMENCES. IGO In the mean time earnest Christiar workers of va- rious denominations were engaged ni the construction of a tabernacle with scats for eight thousand persons, and atanding-roora for about two thousand more, hi the business centre of Chicago, for the especial use of tlie evangelists. The structure, which was substantially bailt, costing about twenty thousand dolhirs, was of two stories, with galleries on three sides, and a plat- form in the rear of tlie speaker's stand, intended for the accommodation of about three hundred siniiers. During the construction of this commodious edifice, meetings were frequentl}^ held in the different churches of the city for the purpose of invoking the presence and Spirit of God upon the place, and of more fully pre- paring the hearts of Christians for carrjdng on the evangelical movement. A delightful spirit of harmony prevailed amongst the ministers, who spoke and labored as with one accord for the advancement of the work. Chicago was the scene of Mr. Moody's earl}^ evangeli- cal success ; in that city his character as an aggressive herald of the cross had been established. The clerg}^. had in him full confidence ; the churches and the people needed the burning words of an accredited evangel to awaken them from slumber to the realities of relijrion and of the world to come. But a prophet has not honor at home. Men love novelty. The manner, voice, ideas, and methods of Mv. Moody were well known in the great city of the West. Here he had been prominently identifed with the work of the 170 LIFE OF DWIGHT LYMAN MOODY. Young Men's Christian Association, into which lie had infused a new energy; the erection of the beautiful hall of the Association being chiefly due to his labors. But would the people come to hear him ? Would the ex- pectations of his friends who had made such perfect preparations for the accommodation of the multitude be met ? The anxiety on the P^H part of Christians was intense, yet prayer for the outj)Ouring of the Sj^irit of God continu- ally ascended to the throne of mercy. ]\Ir. ]\Ioody began his evan- gelical labors at the new tab- ernacle in Chicago at eight o'clock on Sunday morning, Oct. 1, 1876 ; and the sea of upturned faces which then I! greeted him at once allayed = the fears of Christians in respect to the result. On the platfoim, supporting Mr. Moody, were many clergymen of different denomina- tions, sitting side by side. The choir of three hun- dred singers, led by Mr. Stebbins, opened the services by singing from leaflets, the Rev. W. P. Mackey's spirited hymn, — " We praise thee, O God! for the Son of thy love, For Jesus who died, and is now gone above," — OPENING SERVICE. 171 after which Mr. Moody said, " If we arc going tc have a blessing in the North-west, it must be from the throne of God." From the " Gospel Hymns," Mr. Sankey sang several songs, as, - " Only an armor-bearer, proudly I stand, Waiting to follow at the King's command," — with a voice of winning sympathy; when the great evangelist rose, and in his impetuous and effective style, unlike that of any other living speaker, delivered his sermon on " Rolling away the Stone from the Door." The three great stones to be rolled away before the revival would succeed were unbelief, prejudice, and a sectarian spirit. " If I thought this morning," said he under the last topic, " that I had a drop of sectarian blood in my veins, I would open them and let it out before dinner. On the great day of Pentecost there was but one mind and one spirit." At four o'clock in the afternoon Mr. Moody preached his sermon on the " Reward of the Faithful," to an audi- ence of nine thousand people, every available spot in the Tabernacle being occupied. An immense overflow- meeting was also held in Farwell Hall. As ]\Ir. Moody went on with his discourse he specified four classes — the ministers, the sabbath-school teachers, the young men, and the mothers — from whom he desired assistance in the revival. While speaking of the nrst class, he touchingly said, " There was one thing that pleased me DEATH OF SAMUEL H. MOODY. 173 this momiug, and that was the eight thousand pco[)le who came to this building-, and the hirgc number of ministers who seized me by llie hand with the tears trickling down their cheeks, and who said to me, ' God bless you ! ' It gave me a light heart." Others had happy hearts that day ; for some were earned to Jesus, and Christian workers felt assure! a movement so auspiciously inaugurated would eventuate in success. The field was white for the harvest ; the reapers had put in the sickle ; and the aim of jNIr. Moody's sermons, as in other places, for the first week or tAvo, was to urge them to lay their hands with vigor to the work. On Friday, Oct. 6, the evangelist was startled by the nteiligence that his youngest brother, Samuel Helton Moody, had died at his home in Northfield in a fit ; and, leaving his work so well begun, he came home immedi- ately to weep with the afiBicted famil}' over the remains of the loved one passed away. He was buried on Tuesday, Oct. 10 ; and fifty young men whom he had r^een iiistrumental in converting folloAved him to the grave. In a sermon preached on his return to Chicago, INIr. Moody said, " M}'' call to mourning was the deepest I have ever known ; for next perhaps to my wife, ni}'- two children, and my aged mother, I loved none so dearly as this youngest brother." TLe first night on Avhich rooms were opened for in- quirers, a large number, especially of the neglected and 174 LIFE OF DWIGHT LYJMAN MOODY. the poor, were present ; and when Mr. Moody, Nov. 6, met the young converts at Farwell Hall, he had the pleasure of addressing at least three hundred who had just set out to run the Christian race. Every day the tone of religious feeling was deepening in the city. j\Ieu and women of every class were seeking for salvation and crowding to hear the living word of God as sung or spoken by the revivalists. The noon prayer-meet- ings at Farwell Hall were well attended, meetings for the intemperate were crowded, and the meetings at the Tabernacle, especially on Sunday evening, were thronged with people who under the impassioned elo- quence of Mr. Moody were swayed just as the sea by the deep ground-swell. Tn his service on Sunday morning, Nov. 2, Mr. INIoody said, - - " I will tell you how I got my first impulse in this personal work for souls. I hadn't got hold of the idea ; there was no one to teach me, and I was going on with the general work of my school in 18G0, when a man who was one of my Sunday-school teachers came into my place of business one day, looking very ill. I asked him Avhat was the matter, and he replied, ' I have been bleeding at the lungs, and the doctors have given mo up to die.' " ' But you are not afraid to die, are you ? ' " ' No, T tliink not,' he answered ; 'but there is my tiass, — I must leave it, and there is not one of therj converted.' FAITHFUL SUNDAY-SCHOOL TEACHER. 17c " It was a class of young girls that gave mc more trouble than any other class in the whole school ; and he had hard work to get along with them. ' Well,' said I, ' can't you go and call on them before you go away ? ' " ' No,' he said : he was too weak to walk. " So I went and got a carriage, and took Lim round to see those careless scholars ; and he pleaded with them and prayed with them, one by one, to give their hearts to Christ ; he spent ten days at this work, and every one of that class was saved. The night before he left the city for his home at the East, where he was going to see his mother and to die, we got the teacher and the class together ; and such a meeting I never saw on earth. lie prayed and I prayed ; and then the scholars, of their own accord, without my asking them, — I didn't know as they could pray, — prayed for their teacher, and for themselves that they might all be kept in the way of life, and by and by all meet again in heaven. " I have thanked God a thousand times for those ten days of personal work." An immense audience listened to INIr. Moody at the Tabernacle in the afternoon as well as evening. As many as a thousand persons presented themselves as seekers of salvation during the day. In the interim between the usual services, Mr. Moody preached a brief sermon to the Germans in Farwell Hall. Aftei 176 LITE OF DWIGHT LYMAN MOODY. Mr. Sankey had sung to them " Where are the Niue? the Rev. Mr. Hager rose and said, " The secret of the great success of these evangehsts may be found in three little words, — ' God, Virtue, Immortality.' " CHAPTER VIII. CONTINUATION OF TIIE REVIVAL IN CHICAGO. — IvQlTUODS 4.N1 RESULTS. — AN ACCOUNT OF THE WORK, BY THE REV. GEORGE F. PENTECOST. Meeting in Farwell Hall. — A Conversion. — Singular Notions in Eespect to Mr. Moody. — A Convention. — Great Meetings. — Letter from a Prisoner. — A Pledge. — An Incident. — Spread of the Revival. — An Appeal to the Churches. — Christmas. — Death of Mr. Bliss and "Wifo. — Influence of the TVork. — An Account by the Eev. Mr. Pentecost. — Great Audiences. — Reports from Churches. — Union of Christians. — Plan in tlie "Work. — Sectarian Walls deniolislied. — Christians awakened. — Assurance. — "Worldliness. — An Incident. — Dumb Christians. — Backsliders restored. — Effect on the Clergy. — Mr. Moody's Belief. —The Intemperate. — The Inquiry-Room. — Talk •with a Sceptic. — Converts. " Thy statutes have been my soiigs in the house of my pilgiimage." —David "Strong in the Lord of hosts, And in his mighty power, "Who in the strength of Jesus trusts Is more than conqueror. " — Cuaeles "Wesley. A MOST impressive meeting was held in Farwell Hall, Thursday, Nov. 16, for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. It was continued on Frida}', and drew from Mr. Moody the remark that it was the most profitable one he had ever held in Chicago. The songs of Mr. Sankev in these assemblies seemed to soften the hearts of the people, and prepare them for the reception of the seeda 177 178 LITE OF D WIGHT LYMAN MOODY. of truth as sown by Mr. Moody. A gentleman from Elgin, who had been awakened by reading the reports of the revival in " The Chicago Tribune " came up to the meeting to-day, and on being asked by Dr. Thomp- son, — "Are you willing to confess Christ to your friends? ' ro]:licd, — " Yes, I am." " Will you kneel down here, and promise it to God ? " " Yes." The two then kneeling joined in prayer, and rose rejoicing in the Lord. This is but one instance among many like it constantly occurring. God was there in the midst of them, speaking in a still small voice to thousands. Christian women organized themselves into a society in aid of the revival, and visited those parts of the city out of the usual line of evangelical effort. They were not a little surprised to find some w^lio had never heard of the revival meetings. " What," said these people, " is Mr. Moody a stai actor? " " Do they have dancing at the Tabernacle ? " Bat many were induced to go and see for themselves; and some were led by the sweet influences of the house of prayer and praise up to a better life. At a grand meeting for the business men of the city, many rose and testified to the good hope they had obtained of pardon and adoption. On the 21st inst., a great Christian convention was held, when about twenty-five hundred clerical and lay A CONVENTION. 179 delegates from the churches in the North-west were present. The meetings, conducted as in Phihidelphia and New York, were characterized by fervor and so- lemnity. Mr. Moody illustrated what he considered the best method of carrying on evangelization by referring to the work as it was then proceeding in Cliicago. At the close of the convention, Nov. 24, a large number of delegates entered into a covenant to pray for the special presence of the Spirit on their respective fields of labor. On Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 80, Mr. Moody gave a dinner to the reformed inebriates, in his own church on the north side of the river, where about two hundred and fifty partook of the feast. An old Scotch woman once kept the noon prayer- meeting alive in Chicago, by performing all the exer- cises by herself and to herself. The next day Messrs. ]\Ioody, Farwell, and Jacobs came to her rescue ; and the noon prayer-meeting became an altar where the sacred fire burned most steadily in that city. But so wonderfully had religious interest deepened, that on t'riday, Dec. 8, as many as seven thousand were present at that meeting, and the most reverent attention was given to the solemn services. In the afternoon Mr. Moody continued his Bible-readings ; and in the even- ing, though a storm was raging, had as many as four thousand at the Tabernacle, to hear his sermon on the "Rich Man" spoken of in the twelfth chapter of Luke. In his effe(3tive sermon to 3'omig men, on " Your sin vill find you out," at tlie Tabernacle, Dec. 13, Mr. Moody said, — 180 LIFE OF D WIGHT LYMAN MOODY. " A man was cursing me on the street to-day foi sending a poor fellow back to the penitentiarj^ in Ohio, to meet the just punishment of his theft and his per- jury ; but, if he had not done that thing, he never could have stood before God in judgment. He must confess his sin; and, thougli it meant three j^ears in prison, still he must reap what he had sown. I have received a letter from that man, and he says that he is a happy man in spite of his prospect of a prison. God is with him, and is helping him bear his punishment, now that he has confessed and given his heart to Christ." At the Friday noon prayer-meeting on the 15th, the exercises were opened by the singing of Uoratius Bonar's familiar h^'mn, — " What a friend we have m Jesus, All our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry Every thing to God in prayer 1 " After which Mr. Moody spoke to about seven thousand people on temperance, who, rising at the conclusion of his address, pledged themselves to abstain from the use of wine and other intoxicating beverages at their recep- tions on New Year's Day. During his address Mr, Moody related tlie following affecting incident as an illustration of God's readiness to answer prayer: Six weeks ago the speaker had read a letter from parents in Scotland, begging him to find their wandering boy Willie. For six weeks Mr. Sawyer, who has charge oi SPREAD OF THE REVIVAL. 181 the temperance work, sought in vain to find the boy ; but a weclv ago last Friday a young man came up to Mr. Sawyer accidentally, and addressed him. " What is your name? " said Mr. Sawyer. "Willie ,'" he replied. " Is it, indeed ? I have been seeking for you the last six weeks." "How can that be?" answered Willie. "You do not know me." " Yes," said Mr. Sawyer. " We have a letter telling of your mother's love and prayers for you." " That," said Mr. Moody, "broke his heart; and on Friday he stood up and told a story that melted tho whole audience to tears. Years ago he married a beau- tiful girl, a minister's daughter. Already he had begun his downward course. His wife, who had been his guardian angel, soon died. They had a little girl. He left her, and became a homeless wanderer. Whe:a about to start for Australia, his little girl, kissing him good-by, said, ' You will not be gone long, papa.' H'; had not seen her since. He had gone the world around, — a very prodigal, full of sin and shame. But now prayer had been answered ; God had brought the lost one home." " Strong men," says The Interior, fairly sobbed, and the whole audience was in tears. ^Ir, Moody, with a voice broken with sobs, gave thanks for answered prayer, and cried to God to keep the boy, by his grace, unto eternal life." The revival influence had now spread out fiom 182 LIFE OF D WIGHT LYMAN MOODY. Chicago into many cities in the North-west, and helpers went forth to assist the pastors. Messrs. Whittle and Bliss carried on the good work at Peoria, jNIr. Harr}'- Morehouse at Racine, and Messrs. Needham and Steb- bins at Fort Howard in Wisconsin. Mr. Moody was to have closed his labors in Chicago, Dec. 17; but sui-h was the manifestation of divine power on the hearts of the people that it was deemed advisable for him to con- •■-'■rue one month longer. He wrote, Dec. 20, an appeal to the churches of the North-west, in which he said, '■'■ The work in Chicago ought to be regarded as only a small part of a great general awakening," and urged them to unite and seek for it in importunate pra3"er. In his sermon on Christmas Eve Mr. Moody made this point, which moved the vast audience as if the angel notes were pealing over it : " You are in debt to God, and you have nothing to pay; but Christ offers to pay it all if you will accept him. Set down all the sins you can think of, and then write underneath, ' The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.' There it is over there, painted on the gallery- front. I am glad they painted the ' ALL ' in big let- ters. That is the gospel : all your sins are washed away in the blood of Jesus Christ. Surely that is the very best news you could hear." The intelligence of the death of Mr. P. P. Bliss and his wife in the terrible railroad accident at Ashtabula Bridge, Dec. 29, filled the hearts of the evangelists with profound sorrow. On the sabbath following, the choir INFLUENCE OF THE WOKK. 183 at the Tabernacle sung several of the bymus of Mr. auJ Mrs. Bliss ; and when Mr. Moody came upon the platform he repeated with intense emotion the words of Davift, " Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen in Israel ? " He then said, " Let us lift up our hearts to God in silent prayer," and proceeded afterwardu to speak in eulogistic terms of the deceased. He subse- quently raised ten thousand dollars by subscription for the children of the departed singers, and also had money contributed for a stone to perpetuate their memory. It were utterly impossible to measure by numerical signs the mighty influence of this evangelical enter- prise in Chicago. As well might we attempt to make a record of the sunbeams dancing over tlie waves of ocean. The hearts quickened, the eyes opened, the homes gladdened, the kind words spoken, the prayers answered, the seeds of truth scattered, the trains of influence started, can be counted only in the land beyond the river. " It has been," says The Interior in speaking of the revival, "a great day in Chicago, in many respects the greatest our city has ever seen. It has been the day of her merciful salvation. Unlike her day and her nights of lire and sackcloth and ashes, it has been a day of joy and gladness ; it has been a day of Pentecost, a day of extraordinary privileges, u day of great and blessed opportunities. It has brought salvation to many hearts and many homes, to the splen- did mansions of the rich and to the humble dwclhngt' of the poor. There are many who have been able tc 184 LIFE OF DWIGHT LYIMAN MOODY. fihy during these three months, as they have never said before, ' The Lord hath clone great things for us, whereof we are glad.' Our churches are reuved, our ministers are revived, our sabbath schools aie revived, cur Christian homes are revived. In many new homes thb voice of prayer ar.d praise is now heard where it was never before. If ever any thing was put forward by system, it has been this revival movement ; one man performing one kind of labor, and another, another kind of labor ; Mr. Moody and the ministers and the workers sounding out more and more warmly the great battle-cry. The instrumentalities have been short prayers, short ser- mons, pathetic gospel songs, Bible readings, hard work, common sense in an unusual degree, and a zeal and faith which grew stronger every hour up to the close." After the foregoing pages had been written, the following interesting account of the revival in Chicago was received from the Rev. Mr. Pentecost : — " The ordinary seatiug-L.a23acity of the Tabernacle was eight thousand ; but on Sundays and special occasions two thousand extra chairs were introduced to accom- modate the great throngs of people. Those who are accustomed -to see only the ordinary six handred or one thousand persons who make up an average city congre- gation can have but little idea of the imposing effect [»rcdu,ced by witnessing that vast audience of ten GREAT AUDIENCES. 185 thousand people, all with eager, interested faces, listen- ing to the rapid and oftentimes impassioned utterances of the evangelist. Yet this great, and in this country unprecedented audience, was sustained night after m~iv'l-TMr^\ INTERIOR OF TABERNACLE, CHICAGO. night for nearl}^ four months ; and three times each Lord's day was the building filled, — at eight A.M., and at four and eight, p.m. But the meetings in the Taber- nacle were not the only ones held. Twice every day 186 LIFE OF D WIGHT LYMAN MOODY. Farwell Hall, with a seating-capacity of twenty-five hundred, was filled to overflowing. At noon the people gathered in it to spend an hour in prayer, and at three o'clock, P.M., again to listen to a Bible-reading by INIr. Moody. Beside these main meetings there were held every day a men's meeting and a women's meeting In additioii to the union meetings there was, as a result of the work of JMessrs. Moody and Sankey, an unusual interest awakened in nearly every evangelical church in the city, so that almost daily the various pastors held inquiry-meetings in their churches. " It would be a great mistake to suppose that this awakening was confined to Chicago. Such was not the case : it was felt throughout the entire North-west. By twos Mr. Moody sent out evangelists, one to sing, and one to open the Word; and in all the leading towns and cities round about the truth was preached with power and in the Holy Ghost. Of this great work in the North-west, it may be said in the language of one of the sweet gospel hymns, — ' The half was never told.' The noonday prayer-meeting in Farwell Hall was thrilled again and. again, as the reports came in from the churches, and by telegram from the outlying cities, where the evangelists were at work, of the great things God was doing in righteousness. " One of the most blessed results of the meetings in Chicftgo was the fusing together of the evangelical PLAN OF THE WORK. 187 (ihuTclies. Sectarianism seemed for once to have been laid low in the dust ; and it will be impossible in tliis generation, if ever again, to revive it. It was " the church wliich is in Chicago." One had to make dili- gent inquiry to find out to what denomination the min isters who were in constant daily attendance belonged. This alone must result in good unspeakable. " The mere casual observer might not have noticed an)'- distinct plan in the meetings ; but a little close observation reveals the fact that never did a general plan a campaign with more method and precision of detail than were those meetings and the work in con- nection with them pre-arranged. " As near as can be indicated, the results aimed at were as follows : — " First, To bring about union of effort on the part of the evangelical churches and ministry. This Mr. Moody makes a grand condition of success. At first the union may have been more apparent tlian real ; but as the work proceeded, the beauty, power, and blessed- ness of real union, in the effort to promote results dear aUke to all evangelical believers, were realized. The ministers worked together as brothers; and, catching Mr. Moody's spirit, they seemed to realize that ' the church which Christ purchased with his blood,' was of more importance than any sect within the church ; and, as a consequence, sect and sectarianism took their proper and subordinate places. It is pretty certain that hereafter the walls between Methodists, Baptists, 188 LIFE OP D WIGHT LYMAN MOODY. Congregationalists, PresLyterians, &c., will be regarded as walls that bind together, rather than as those that sej)arate. " Second, The noxt general movement was upon the Christian people themselves, and the work was thus divided. First, Christians were taught the sin and misery of living in doubt respecting their relationship to God. The finished work of Christ was urged as an all -suflScient ground for coming into absolute assurance of salvation. Frames and feelings were made to give place to assurance based upon the promises of God, which cannot be broken. When the question was put, ' Are you a Christian?' or 'Are you saved?' the doubtful ' I hope so,' or ' I think so,' were made to give place to the simple ' Yes,' or the assured ' I am ; ' and this was not the language of presumption, but simply that of faith. The ' verily, verilies,' of Christ to believers were made prominent; and, throwing them- selves upon the word of God, Christians were lifted into confidence. 'These things,' says John, 'havo I written to you that believe, that ye may know that ye have eternal life' (1 John v. 13), 'I hiow whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day ' (2 Tim. i. 12), and other scriptures of the same import, were brought forward. The result was joy, gladness, and liberty among the believers. I'hat snare of Satan, that to have assurance is presumption, and to be in doubt is humility, was entirely broken ; and scores WORLDLINESS. 189 of Christians who had been raised, it is true, out of their grave of trespasses and sins (Eph. ii. 1), but who came forth bound hand and foot with their grave- clothes, and who had been living for years thus bound, were loosed and set free (John xi. 44). It was most refreshing to be in company with these Christians, walking in confidence, and yet in great humility. Their very presence, with happy voices and shining faces, were living sermons. Truly that was seen again which is recorded : ' Then were the churches edified, and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied' (Acts ix. 31). Second, a most direct and searching delivery of the word of God was made upon that vast multitude of worldly and formal Christians who have a name to live indeed, but cire dead, — who, being in the church nominally, are yet really in and love the world. Truly they came to church once or more on the Lord's day, but beyond that they had apparently no part or lot in the matter. Such persons were plainly taught that, *if any man love the world, tlie love of the Father is not in him.' The result of this plain, straightforward preaching to the cold and inconsistent members of the church produced a very marked effect, as the following incident will serve to illustrate : — " My attention Avas attracted, in one of the women's meetings, to a remarkably line-looking woman, past middle life, plainly l)ut elegantly dressed, and evi- dently a person of influence and position. Yet above 190 LIFE OF D WIGHT LYIMAN MOODY. all mere dress and bearin": there was sometliiiiGr in hex face that marked her as being thoroughly devoted to, and enthusiastic in, the work. On asking who she was, a friend replied to me, ' That is Mrs. . She is one of the leading women in Chicago, — wealthy and very influential. A few weeks ago she was found in the inquiry-rooms; and, when Mr. Moody asked if she was a Christian, she replied, " Mr. Moody, I am a member of the church ; but I am goins: straisiht down to hell. And that is not the worst of it : I am leading my husband and children down there with me." She then went on and told a story of early con- version, of removal in early life to Chicago, of the prosperity of her husband in business, of accumulated wealth, of worldliness coming with the wealth, of a mere nominal Christian life, and ^low for years slie had been plunging headlong into every fashionable pleasure and dissipation. Now the whole course of her life had been suddenly brought before her, and she was con- science-smitten, especially as she believed, that, but for her sin and folly, her husband and her children might have been saved. She had no hope for herself, but was in great distress about her family. She longed to see them, saved. ]\Ir. Mood}'- turned her thought to God's word to backsliders, and pressed her to come to Ilim who said, " Return, thou backsliding Israel, for I am merciful." The result was, that then and there she gave her heart back to the Lord, accepting his plenteous mercy. Going to her home, she confessed to her hus DUMB CHRISTIANS. 193 band and her children the sinfidness of her past life, and, seeking their forgiveness for unfaithfulness, she besought them to turn to the Lord, which they did ; and salvation came to all in her house. Then, turning to the Loid for service, she gave herself entirely to it, and became, by reason of her zeal, ability, and position, one of the most efficient workers in Chicago.' " It might also be mentioned that very many men who had been silent and inactive in the church, except in its business meetings, have been greatly quickened in this revival. Dr. Goodwin gave me this incident, in connection with his church : ' One of our best men. yet one who never took any part in our devotional meetings, went one day to a brother in the church, who like himself was a " silent member," and said to him, "Brother , you and I have been in the church a number of years, and yet I never heard your voice in prayer or testimony, nor you mine. Now, I think wo have been dumb long enough. We have no trouble in talkins: to each other on 'Change about our business. What do you say to calling with me upon Brothers A and B and C and D, who like ourselves have been silent so many years, and having a meeting of the dumb CJiristians of our church?" The result was a gathering of the dianb for prayer. They had their meeting all alone, and had it again ; " and now," said Dr. Goodwin, " we can scarcely get a word in edge- wise." Several of the largest mercantile houses have suspended business during an afternoon, and, calling 192 LIFE OF D WIGHT LYMAN MOODY. their employees together, have held prayer-meetings This is notably true of the house of John V. Farwell & Co.. find, I understand, of Field, Leiter, & Company. " Third, Throughout the entire North-west, and espe- cially in the large towns and cities, there are thousands of men and women, who, having removed from the East- ern and Middle States, have taken no letters from their home churches, or, if so, have failed to ally themselves with any of the churches in their new homes, and from various causes have slipped back into the world, and are known or unknown as backsliders. Vast numbers of these wandering and backslidden Christians have been reclaimed, and restored to the churches. " Thus has this great awakening gone through the churches. The best have been quickened ; doubt and despondency among morbid Christians have given place to confidence and joy; worldly Christians have been led into a new consecration; and many open, sad back- sliders have been turned from their backslidings, and restored to God. The work in the church would of itself be an unspeakable blessing. It ought to be added that the influence of these meetings upon the clergy has been most helpful. They have learned new lessons in the work of the pulpit. First they have learned that the most effective preaching is not the most elaborate, and that the best preaching is that which the most simply expounds the word of God ; and second, that written sermons are not, for effectiveness with the masses, to be compared, as a general rule, with direct, simple, warm-hearted, extemporaneous address. THE INTEMPERATE. 193 "After a week or two spent in stirring up the churcli, and inciting Christians to consecration and service, the preaching was directed mainly to the un- converted. ]\Ir. Moody's style of speaking is direct and simple. He adheres rigidly to the plain statements of •the word of God, — teaching that all men are sinners, tliat there is no difference as to guilt, ' for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God ; ' that ' God commended his love toward us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us ; ' that Christ as the Son of God has through incarnation, death, and resurrection, made a complete and finished atonement for sin ; that God desires the salvation of all men ; that all, even the Avorst, may come to God through Christ now, and be saved ; that conversion occurs the instant the sinner believes. His sermons are character- ized by an intense, living earnestness. One feels that he loves the souls of men, tliat he has a perfect hunger for them, and that ho is trying all the time not only to induce them to trust God through Jesus Christ, but also by his own simple and vehement faith to lift them himself into reconciliation with God. He believes thorough]}' in the existence of a personal Devil, in future punishment, and that eternal death awaits all who reject Jesus Christ. Tliis makes his preaching terribly earnest. He has, or seems to have, a supcrabounding love for the very poor and the deeply fallen, especially for the drunkard. His work among the intemperate is especially marked and wonderful. He teaches that 194 LIFE OF DWIGHT LYMAN MOODY. drunkenness is not only a misfortune, but a sin ; that it can be dealt with effectually only by grace ; and that this can and does save drunkards from drunkenness as well as from the desire for drink, as it saves a liar from lying and from the desire to lie. The hope of perfect salvation from the appetite for drink has in it a charnr for the drunkard, — who has so vainly striven to break loose from the bondage of the ' rum-devil ' as he calls it, — that leads him to seek Christ and salvation from all sin. Many thrilling incidents of salvation coming to life-long drunkards might be related, — how heart- broken families have been lifted up and restored ; how men who have gone home for many years under the influence of liquor have returned at last converted. Several hundred drunkards in Chicago have been thus saved. " The main work among the unconverted is done in the inquiry-rooms. The sermons are designed mainly to awaken an interest in the things of God, and to induce the unconverted to go into the inquiry-rooms where the work of the meetings is really done. The methods used are substantially as follows: — " After the sermon, which is always short, all persons desirous of being saved are invited to retire to one of the many inquiry-rooms in the building. Then the benediction is pronounced, a hymn is sung, and the congregation is dismissed. Usually from one to three hundred persons find their way into the inquiry-rooms. Here a brief address is made explaining more fully the CONVERTS. 195 way of life, then follows a season of prayer; then at once a Christian finds out some unconverted one, and the two, going together apart from the crowd, sit down face to face, the worker having the Bible in his hand. The sin of the human heart is laid bare, and the saving grace of God held up. Repentance, faith, and the confession of Christ are urged. All over the room, earnestly conversing in suppressed voices, these little groups may be seen, apparentl}^ oblivious of the presence of other people. After a while two persons may be noticed slipping quietly from their chairs to their knees, which indicates that the surrender to God has been made, and there upon the bended knees the heart is given to Jesus Christ ; sometimes it means that the darkness of the mind is so great that no progress can be effected, and that an appeal is made to heaven for light and pardon. " The following incident may serve to illustrate the nature of the work : — " The inquiry-rooms had been crowded all the even- inGf. It was now about eleven o'clock, and most of the 'workers' and inquirers had gone home. A few, however, of both classes were lingering still. I had just left a man — a straightforward German — w ho had given himself up to God through Jesus Christ: and was about leaving the room, not seeing tliat there was an} thing more for me to do, when I was approiiclied by a young Christian who said, — "'Mr. Pentecost, before you go won't you come and 196 LIFE OF DWIGHT LYMAN MOODY. speak to that young man ? [pointing to him] I do not seem to be able to meet his need.' " ' Certainly,' said I, and went over to where tlie young man was seated, and, drawing a chair up to him, said, — " ' Can I be of any help to 3'ou, my brother ? ' " ' I don't hnow, I am sure ; but, if you can give me any help, I will gratefully receive it.' " A few questions developed the fact that he was a cultivated young German, the son of a German ration- alistic theologian. He had been but a short time in this country. He was thoroughly conversant with the cur- rent Continental sceptical philosophers, he told me that he was fond of study, and especially philosophical study, and gave good evidence of familiarity with the various schools of thought current and past ; he said he had been led to think of Christianity as an ingenious m3^thology, having a very slender thread of historical truth in it, more or less the product of an early enthusiasm that had exalted Jesus into Deity. He confessed that he had never made the New Testament a study, but had iinliibed his opinions mainly from Strauss. He went on to say that he had been attracted by curiosity into the Tabernacle, and had been amazed at the vast audi- ences held toGfethcr week after week without excite- ment, simply by the rehearsal of Christian truths and Bible stories. He admitted that he was impressed with the matter of INIr. j\Iood3's preaching, and was con- vinced from his manner that he was a sincere and A CONVERT. 197 honest teacher. Finally he determined to talce up the New Testament, and carefully read it. He had done so, and this night he had come into the inquirj'-room to 3eek conversation with some Christian who would explain, if it were possible, some of the chief difiSculties that he met with in the New Testament. He was altogether frank and candid, saying that he was free to admit that a careful reading of the New Testament revealed a purer and altogether better system of ethics than any of the philosophers with whom he was acquainted, and that the whole book liad an air of sincerity and truth about it. But there were several insuperable difiSculties in the way of his acceptance of it as truth. " I asked him to state his difiSculties, which he did in about these words : — " ' There are three great claims set forth in the New Testament, upon the truth of which it seems to me the whole system must stand or fall.' " ' What are they ? ' " 'Why, first of all, it is claimed all through the New Testament that Jesus was the Son of God, i.e., God manifested in human nature — a supernatural being. This he claimed for himself, and even died in defence of the claim ; for, if I am not mistaken, that was the charge upon which he was put to death by the Jews, that in claiming to be the Son of God he made himself to be equal with God, which is blasphemy. Certainly he believed himself to be God ; and so did his apostles, especially John and Paul." 198 LIFE OF DWIGHT LYMAN MOODY. " ' Well, what is your next difficulty ? ' " ' Why, the next difficulty is that our salvatioi: depends not upon the uprightness of our own lives, but upon the fact of Christ's death, which is represented as a sacrificial act, — what Mr. Moody calls the atone ment.' " ' Well, what is the other difficulty ? ' " "'Why, the resurrection of Christ from the dead. Every thing in Christianity depends upon that.' " 'Well,' said I, ' now, why are these things difficul- ties to you ? ' " ' Why, I cannot possibly believe that Jesus was God : he could not be. And it is not possible for any one who was really dead to rise again : such a tiling never was in the world, and it cannot be ; and even if it were so I do not see how any one could be saved on account of another's death, and not on account of his own upright- ness.' " I confess that the task before me seemed very great indeed. But he seemed guileless in his desire to know the truth, and so with a prayer in my heart for help I said, — " ' Well, now, let us look at the first difficulty, — ■ the incarnation. As I understand it, you are a theist: you believe in the existence of a personal, eternal, and omnipotent God, who is the author of the universe and our being ? ' "'Oh, yesl' " Very well. Now, with that for a starting-point you A CONVERT. 199 cannot philosophically hold that the incarnation is an impossibility, — that it could not be.' A very little talk ended in his admitting the possi- bility of the incarnation, but denying the probability of it ; and then he went on to say with the quickness of thought, and the clearest perception of the whole matter, — " But I think Jesus was himself deceived. I grant that he may have in moments of enthusiasm thought he was the Son of God ; and that he did at times make this claim, there is no doubt. But at other times he cer- tainl}'- made such statements as forbid us on his own testimony to believe that he was equal with God ; indeed, he admits that he is an inferior being. In fact, Christ's own testimony concerning himself is contra- dictory ; and this leads me to question the truth of the Gospels, and so to reject Christ as the Son of God, and hence Christianity itself; for Christianity is nothing but a beautiful delusion if Christ is not what he claims to be. Now, he says in one place, " I and my Father are one ; " and again, " He that hath seen me hath seen the Father;" and as I have before said, when on trial before the high priest, he still claimed, and that in the face of certain dearth, that he was the Son of God. But he said on another occasion that his Father was greater than he. Now, he can't be one with God, and at the same time inferior to God. And he says, " All power is given unto me." Now, that is an admission that he did not have power himself, but it was given to him ; 200 LIFE OF DWIGHT LYMAN MOODY. and rsurely he that receives power is inferior to him that gives it. Now, are not these contradictions in his own testimony ? and do not they destroy the worth of it entirely ? It se^ms to me, that whatever of truth there may be in the historical existence of Jesus Christ, he only imagined that he was the Son of God, and that in speaking of himself he spoke according to the mood he was in, sometimes believing himself to be the Son of God.' " Finally I said, after turning to the passages he had referred to, and reading them aloud^ — " ' Now, suppose that j^ou had been on earth when Jesus was here, and had heard him make these con- tradictory (?) statements, and had asked him, saying, "Master, I do not quite understand you. A little while ago you said, ' I and my Father are one,' and, ' He that hath seen me hath seen the Father;' and again 3'ou say, * My Father is greater than I; ' and, 'All power is given me.' How can you be one with the Father, and yet less than the Father? and how can you be equal with the Father if your power is given to you and not yours independently?" And suppose he had said in repl}-, " My child, what if for the purpose of your redemption from sin and th3 curse of the law, I voluntarily laid aside my eternal glory, and suffered myself to be made of a woman, and made under the law, thus limiting my being to the conditions of your nature, that I might in that nature ofler up to God such a sacrifice for sin as would enable him to proclaim forgiveness of sins to the A CONVEET. 201 whole world? In such a case can you not conceive that there is no contradiction in these sayings of mine ? For indeed I am one with the Father, and he that hath seen me hath seen the Father ; but for purposes of atonement I have "voluntarily assumed an inferior posi- tion, that I might thus take your place and die, which I could not have done unless I had taken a subordinate place. Thus I sometimes speak of my eternal relation to God, and sometimes my relation to him as the mes- senger of the covenant sent for to redeem." ' " He listened attentively to this, and then said, as if speaking to himself, — " ' Yes, that might be. I can see how that might be. But [speaking to me] did Christ ever make such an explanation ? Is that the theory of Christ's subordina- tion to the Father ? ' " I in answer turned to the second chapter of Philip- pians, and said, ' Certainly this is the explanation of it. For see : Paul was trying to inculcate lessons of humility by exhorting the Philippians to voluntarily take a subordinate place in relation to each other, though they might as a matter of fact and right stand on an equality ; and enforced his exhortation by this reference : " Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus; who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God [thought not his equality with God something to be contended for], but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a ser- vant, and WIS made in the likeness of men, and being 202 LIFE OF DWIGHT LYIMAN MOODY. found in fashion as a man he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." ' (Phil. ii. 5-8.) " He took my Bible in his hand, and read the passage over and over himself, and said, ' Wonderful, wonder- ful ! ' And, still holding the book in his hand, with quivering chin and moistened eyes he said, — " ' Yes, the Son of God made himself of no reputa- tion for me, and took my nature, and died on the cross for me.' " And then looking up into my face, said, ' What have I got to do about it? ' " To which I replied, ' Accept him, believe on him, and confess him as your Saviour.' '"May I?' " I replied, opening my Bible to Rom. x. 9, ' If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.' " ' Let me see that.' " I handed him the book, and he read it aloud, and then said, — " ' I do believe in my heart that God raised him from the dead, and I do acknowledge liim as my Saviour.' " We dropped down together upon our knees (with a little group which had gathered about us), and I offered a little prayer of thanksgiving to God for his conver sion, and a little petition for his keeping. " It will )»e seen at a glance that there was no attempt CONVERTS. 203 made to meet his objections by an exhaui tive argument, but by simply presenting the Biblical statement to him,, leaving the work of conviction to the Holy Spirit. As a mere argument, the statement may have been very defective ; but God can take his own truth and use it more mightily than the strongest argument man can construct." " The blessed work went on from night to night, and from day to day, for nearly four months. Nor must it be supposed that the only personal efforts of this kind made were in the inquiry-rooms. Far from it. In homes, in shops, in counting-rooms, all over the city, God was working through his people. There must have been great joy in heaven in the presence of the angels of God during the continuance of this work. At the close of it the names of forty-eight hundred converts Vho resided in Chicago, to say nothing of those living elsewhere, were recorded. May such a work, yea, a far greater one, be done in Boston I " CHAPTER IX. THE EVANGELISTS IN BOSTON. — PROGRESS OF THE REVIVAL. - SECRET OF MR. MOODY'S SUCCESS, Preparations for the Revival. — The Tabernacle. — Unity of Sentiment. — Dedication of the Building. — Obstacles to the "Work. — The Beginning. — Luxury of Doing Good. — Mr. Moody's Aim. — He asks for Prayer. — His Success. — Temperance. — Ladies' Meeting.— Reasons for Separate Services. — Jericho and Boston. — Rooms of Inquiry opened. — Spii-it of the Meetings. — An Intemperate :Man. — Days of Fasting. — Ministers at the fleeting. — " Faith." — Praise Meeting. — Dr. Mallalieu preaches on the Revival. — Mr. Moody's Belief. — His Sermons on Heaven. — Story of ]RIr. Saukey. — Service of Song. — Elements of Ins Power. — Simi^le Language. — Imagina- tion. — Study of the Bible. — Earnestness. — Naturalness. — Rapid- ity of Utterance. — The Spirit of God. — Mr. Moody's Personal Appearance. — "Voice. — Manner. " I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance." — St. Peteb. " Ride on in thy greatness, thou conquering Saviour; liOt thousands of thousands submit to thy reign. Acknowledge Uiy goodness, entreat for thy favor, And follow thy glorious train." S. F. Smith. The two evangelists commenced their labors in Boston on Sunday, the 28th of January, 1877, under tlie most favorable auspices. Extensive preparations had been made, and every thing that human foresight 204 THE TABERNACLE. 205 could devise was provided to secure success. A meet- ing at which seventj-eight churches were represented was held as early as the 8th of May, 1876, when it was voted to invite Messrs. jMoody and Sankey to labor in Boston, and to extend to them hearty co-operation and support. On the 28th of June Mr. INIood}^ himself visited Boston, and held a conference with the repre- sentatives of about three hundred churches, but came to no decision as to when he might commence his evan- gelical efforts in the city. At a meeting, Sept. 13, held by the committee before appointed, it was enlarged to fifty members, of which the Rev. E. B. Webb, D.D., was made the chairman. By the 6th of November the sum of thirty thousand dollars had been given or pledged for the construction of a building for the use of the revivalists; the work thereon Avas immediately commenced, and at the close of the second week in January completed. It is a substantial brick edifice on Tremont Street, with eight entrances, and capable of seating about six thousand persons. It has an ample platform for about eight hundred persons in addition to the choir, together with rooms for inquirers and other I)urposcs. It is well lighted, warmed, and ventilated ; nnd, on the whole, presents without as well as Avithin a tasteful, neat, and inviting aspect. While the Avork- men Avcre constructing this large tabernacle, earnest prayers in churches, ministers' meetings. Christian con- ferences, sabbath schools, and domestic circles. Avere ascending for the baptism of the Holy Spirit on the DEDICATION OF THE BUILDING. 207 people. Evangelical ministers were united, spiritual forces were combined, and Christians, forgetting the denominational lines dividing them, held union meet- ings, and freely gave their talents, time, and mone}', to lielp on the preparations. A choir of about two thou- sand singers under the direction of Dr. Eben Tourjee, and divided into five complete organizations, together with a large company of Christian workers, was trained for the spiritual awakening ; ushers Avere appointed under the direction of Mr. Franklin W. Smith ; the new " Gospel Hymns," prepared by Messrs. Bliss and Sankey, were sold by thousands ; and other provisions for efficient co-operation with the long-expected heralds of salvation made. The building was dedicated on Thursday evening, Jan. 25, when addresses were made by Bishop Foster, the Rev. R. Thomas, the Rev. R. R. IMeredith, and the Rev. Dr. E. B. Webb ; the dedicatory prayer was offered by the Rev. A. J. Gordon ; the singing by Dr. Tourjue's large choir Avas grandly effective, and a [iro- found solemnit}^ prevailed through all the services. A free-will offering of $2,390 was made by the assembly. Preparaticns for evangelism on such an extended scale had never before been seen in the metropolis. But Boston prides itself on being the " Athens of America." Mr. iMoody sometimes breaks the rules of grammar: will the people come to hear him ? Boston is sesthetical, fond of literary culture, critical. i\lr. Moody has no taste for any thing but the Bible : \ OBSTACLES TO THE WORK. 209 will he command attention ? Boston, with its numer- ous schools and institutions, is scientific, philosophicaL Mr. IMood}^ never studied Darwin: will his teachings be accepted ? Boston abounds in learned theologians. Mr. INIoody never read Hooker, Paley, Hodge, or Chan- ning : will he make an impression ? Such couoidera* tions filled the minds of some with doubt ; 1 ut those who knew the man, who had traced his wonderful career in Great Britain and America, felt assured that the Tabernacle had not been raised in vain. The two evangelists arrived soon after the dedica- tion; the preacher making his home with Mr. Henry F. Durant, the sacred minstrel his at the Hotel Bruns- wick. All things are in readiness : now what will the opening of their evangelism, what will the harvest be? On Sunday afternoon, Jan. 28, the Tabernacle was densely crowded with an expectant throng ; and the services were opened with singing by the choir, and a prayer by the Rev. Dr. Webb. At length the two evangelists appeared upon the platform, Mr. Sankey taking his seat beside his beloved melodeon, and Mr. Moody at his little desk. The favorite hymns " Ninety and Nine " and " Only an Armor-Bearer " were then sung with sympathetic fervor ; after which Mr. Moody rose and delivered in his usual earnest and impetuous tone his oft-repeated sermon on " Going up to Possess the Land," adapting various parts of it, as he went along, to the condition of his audience. His aim was here, as in the beginning of his work in other cities, to 210 LITE OF DWIGHT LYMAN .MOODY. incite Christians to personal consecration and activity. " When we came to Boston," said he, " some people thus spoke to me : ' Mr. Moody, we must give you a little warning. You must remember that Boston is a peculiar place, a^d you cannot expect to do the same here as elsewhere ; there are a great many obstacles.' It is the same old story : Boston is the same as other places. The enemy cannot hinder God from working, if we only have faith. This terrible unbelief God can shake in Boston, as easy as a mother can shake her little child." The audience appeared to be highly pleased with the brusque and earnest manner of the speaker ; and many felt and said, " There is a power here, of God or man, that cannot be resisted." In the evening the Tabernacle was agaiu thronged to its utmost capacity, and " overflow meetings" were held in Clarendon-street and Berkeley-street Churches. Mr. Sankey concluded the introductory exercises by singing in his charming style the popular hymn by " Paulina " (Mrs. Bliss), — " We're marching to Canaan with banner and song," — when Mr. Moody came forward, and enchained the attention of the grand assembly by his spirited address on " Christian Courage," of which he himself might be cited as an illustrious example. The sermon abounded in stories, anecdotes, and epigrammatic points, with here and there a touch of pathos moving many in tho LUXURY OF DOING GOOD. 211 audience to tears. The luxury of doing good lie t'nus vividly set forth : " Suppose," said he, " an angel could wing his way to this world to-night, and should go back to say, ' There is just one solitary child in Bos- ton, whose mother is dead, and whose father is drunk ; and the pooi homeless, motherless boy is wandering iii the street ; ' and God should call around his throne the angels, and ask if any one of them was willing to live here for fifty or a hundred years to save that little child : I don't think there would be one who would not volunteer. I can imagine each one saying, ' Lord, let me go, and have the luxury of leading one soul to Christ.' And yet the Church has folded its arms, and a great many of us are sound asleep.' " In his closing prayer he used the strong expression, " O Son of God, beat back these dark waves of death and hell, that come rolling down through the streets ; and may the day come when of the city of Boston, as of the city of Samaria, it shall be said, ' There is great joy in that city.' " After this, Mr. Sankey sung, as none but he can sing, " Hold the Fort ; " and the Rev. Phillips Brooks (Episcopalian) pronounced the benediction. The first noon prayer-meeting was held on J\Ionday in Park-street Church, which was filled to overflowing. In the evening ]\Ir. iMoody delivered his sermon on the text " To ever}' man his work," before an immense assemblage at the Tabernacle, — his design being, aa before, to bring Christians into earnest personal labor for the salvation of theii- fcllow-mcn. He regards the 212 LIFE OF D WIGHT LYMAN MOODY. Church as God's great instrument for the conversion of the world, and therefore labors wisel} in the outset for its renovation. In the prayer-meeting held after the close of the reg- ular services, Mr. Moody said, " Vv^e are here to-night to pray for one another. Remember me in your prayers. I do not understand it, but I have many times felt when I have gone from one place to another, and tried to do the work with the grace that God has given me to work in another place, it seems to me that every time we change we need a fresh baptism, a fresh power, a fresh supply of grace ; and, now we have come to Bos- ton, we would like to have you pray for us, that God may bless us with his Spirit, and Christ may enter all our prayers, and be a power in us to preach the simple gospel. And now, if there are any friends to pray for us and to be prayed for, would you just rise ? " As many as three thousand people rose, and the Rev. Mr. Pentecost made a fervent prayer. At the noon prayer-meeting in Tremont Temple on Tuesday, Jan. 30, there was an immense crowd pres- ent, and hundreds were not able to obtain admittance. Mr. Sankey sung INIrs. Lydia Baxter's fine hymn " Take the Name of Jesus with you" most effectively, and Mr. Moody spoke upon his favorite theme, " The Char- acter of Daniel." The large attendance at the various meetings during the week, the heavy blows that Mr. ]\Ioody struck into the formalism and indifference of Chiistians, the hearty response of ministers and others ladies' IvrEETINQ. 213 to liis appeals for greater personal activit} , the effectivo solo and chorus singing, together with the interest observable in the respective churches, gave assurance that the Tabernacle had not been raised in vain. The long-desired revival had already begun. Hearts which the eloquence of the learned could not reach were moved and melted by the simple and pathetic words of the evangelists. At the Friday noon meeting, Feb. 2, the Tabernacle was completely filled. The theme was " Temperance ; " and in the course of his remarks Mr. Moody said, " What are we Gfoinjr to do to stem this terrible torrent of ini- qnity ? We have tried a great many methods : we have had our temperance societies and bauds of hope, our lodges and our reform-clubs ; we have had the pledge. But I am almost discouraged with these things ; I am coming to the conclusion that the only hope is that the Son of God is to come and to destroy man's appetite for liquor." Such is the view of the evangelist : yet he believes in means and instruments ; must we not, then, use them in respect to temperance until the Son of God does come ? In the course of the meeting three re- * formed inebriates spoke ; and, when the audience began to applaud the last speaker, Mr. Moody rose at once and said, " Let us praise God with our hearts, and keep our hands still." At the close of the meeting at the Tabernacle another very devotional exercise, at which about a thousand ladies were present, was held in Berkeley-street 214 LIFE OF DWIGHT LYMAN MOODY. Church. At Chicago Mr. INIoody gave as a reason for classifying some of the meetings, that he could thereby do the most good to the greatest number of people. " There were a great many good brethren p,nd sisters wlio seemed bound to attend every single meeting. They were always on hand promptl}^, and always occu- pied the front seats. When he and Mr. Sankey were in New York, there was one man who always sat up in front, and even Mr. Sankey said he got tired of seeing that same face in the same place every night. "When they went to Philadelphia, they thought they had seen the last of this brother ; but no, he was there every night, and seemed to have nothing to do but to come early and get one of the best seats. [Laughter.] When they returned to New York, there was their old friend again in his old seat; but he couldn't get into the woman's meetings, and tlien at least he had no chance to crowd somebody else out who didn't have his oppor- tunities for attending:." Although his son Willie was seriously ill, Mr. Moody presented himself in the evening at the Tabernacle, and spoke wiih his wonted vehemence on the text " Who is my neighbor? " sajdng with startling effect, — " I don't think Jericho is far from Boston : I don't think you have got to travel thousands of miles to get to Jericho. I think you will find a great many who have been stripped and wounded and left half dead in the streets of Boston. Eight or ten Christians came to me to-day to set them to work. I looked at them in SPIHIT OF THE MEETINGS. 215 perfect amazement, — persons who liave been living ten and fifteen years in Boston, and yet want a stranger to set them to work ! Ali ! you will find enough to do if you will keep your eyes open." On Sunday morning, Feb, 4, Mr. Moody preached to sabbath-school teachers, and said as he went along tliat he had never had his work open better than in Boston. In the afternoon he delivered his sermon on " Sowing and Reaping " to the ladies, and in the even- ing, the same discourse to men alone. The inquiry rooms, opened for the first time to-day, were visited by as many as five hundred people, some of whom had just found peace in believing. In the morning Mr. Moody attended service at the Technological Institute, and listened to an eloquent sermon by the Rev. Phillips Brooks. The noon meeting at the Tabernacle, Feb. 8, was attended by about five thousand people. A praise- meeting well conducted by Mr. H. L. Whitney, and man}^ requests for prayer, preceded ]Mr. ]\Ioody's ser- vice. This was upon the " Necessity of Salvation," and by it many hearts were moved. Although some take exceptions to the methods used in the revival-work, — such as the urgency of appeals to the inquirer., and the presentation of so many special requests for prayer, — the solemnity of the meetings, the numbers converted, and the brightening of the hopes of Christians, are sure indications that the Spirit of God is silently moving the hearts of the people. 216 LIFE OF DWIGHT LYMAN MOODY. To an Irishman who presented himself to Mr. Moody as a Catholic, he said, " I suppose you are an enemy of all righteousness." — " What makes you think so ? " replied the indignant visitor. " I smell your breath," answered the revivalist. He afterwards knelt with the intemperate man in prayer. Many of the churches in the State observed this day as one of fasting and prayer on behalf of the efforts of the two evangelists in the metropolis. It was also obseived in the city of Chicago. The meetings at the Tabernacle still continue to increase in interest, and the awakening is felt in many of the city and suburban churches. The Tabernacle on the 9th inst. was densely crowded, and the opening prayer was made by the Rev. PhilUps Brooks. Mr. Sankey sung, "Free from the Law," and " Hallelujah ! what a Name ! " with his usual tender- ness, after which Mr. Moody's strong sermon on " The Spirit of the Lord is upon me," &c., commanded the undivided attention of the audience until its close. He daily gains in power ; and few can listen to his fervid utterances and breathe the spirit of his audiences without exclaiming, " God is here ! " The evangelists began upon the third week of their work in Boston on Sunday, the 11th of February, when five meetings of profound solemnity were held. That in the afternoon was for ladies, that in the evening for men. The Rev. Henry Ward Beecher occupied to-day the pulpit of Mr. Moody in Chicago. The desire to MINISTERS AT THE MEETING. 217 Uear him was intense, and thousands were unable to gain admission to the church. It was pleasant to see at the evening service, Feb. 13, as many as fifty clergymen seated on the platform, and listening to Mr. Moody's effective sermon on " The New Birth." More eloquent speakers and skilful singers than these two evangelists we have, but none that so gain access to the interior chambers of the heart, and so unseal the fountain of tears. Mr. Moody preached a very practical sermon on " Faith," at the afternoon meeting, Thursday the 15th, pleasantly illus- trating one point by referring thus to the Rev. Dr. Gordon : — " Some say they are so constituted they cannot believe God. Away with that delusion ! What has your constitution to do with it? Suppose Dr. Gordon here asked me to take dinner with him to- morrow, and I said, ' Doctor, I'd like to, but I don't know that I can.' — ' Why, are you engaged ? ' — ' No,' I reply, ' but I don't know that I feel just right.' — 'Don't feel just right! What do you mean? Don't you want to come to dinner with me ? ' says Dr. Gordon. ' Oh, yes ! ' I say, ' but I am so constituted I can't believe you want me to come.' [Laughter.] Ah I you laugh, but yet that is what people are doing when they say they are so constituted that they can't believe the Eternal God. God invites you to the feast, and it is a real invitation. If God sent his Son down into this world, and didn't give you jjower to believe. 218 LIFE OF D WIGHT LYMAN MOODY. and then punished you eternally for not believing on him, he would be an unjust God. But God doesn't do that: with the command to believe, God gives you the power." Mr. Moody is remarkably prompt in respect to every service, — commencing and closing precisely at the time appointed. He thus not only inspires confidence, but sets a fine example to dilatory ministers and men of business. On Sunday evening, Feb. 18, Mr. Moody repeated to men his sermon on " The Compassion of our Lord," which he had given in the afternoon to ladies. The praise-meeting under the direction of Dr. E. Tourjee was admirably conducted ; and, as the strains of music from the immense congregation rose and swelled and died away, the soul had some sweet foretaste of the harmonies of the golden shore. The praise-meeting is an admirable feature of the service. In his own church to-day the Rev. Dr. Mallalieu preached a sermon on *' The Critics of the Evangehsts," during wliich he said that we are learning by this revival that the gospel may be preached effectively by the uneducated, as well as by learned ministers ; and that the jDlain, cheap Tabernacle, with the Lord's work in it, is solving the question, " How to reach the masses in our cities." Of his opponents Mr. Moody takes no notice ; but, with an eye single to his Master's service, presses enthusiastically on his way,, rejoicing in the luxury of doing good. SERMONS ON HEAVEN. 219 The churches are ahve, and " evangelical religion in Boston," says a leading journal, " never presented a bolder front. There is no longer any doubt as to the doctrines held by the revivalist. He is an out-and-out believer in the ruined state of man, in the substitution of the blood of Christ for broken law, and in pardon gained through faith in him. He believes in the Trinit}^ the personality of the Devil, the second coming of Christ, the salvation of those believing in him, and the everlasting punishment of those rejecting him. He also holds that conversion is instantaneous, and that good works follow as a consequence." Mr. Charles M. Sawyer, a reformed inebriate of Chicago but formerly of Boston, is rendering him assistance in respect to temperance ; and many men who have renounced strong drink are among the trophies of this awakeninGT. On Feb. 20 j\Ir. Moody preached his famous sermon on " Heaven," repeating it in the evening to an assembly composed largely of young men. The service was opened by the Rev. Robert Lowrj^, author of "Shall we gather at the River?" and other beautiful hymns. More than three hundred requests for prayei were made to-day ; and the eyes of many ministers, of whom there might have been one hundred present, were filled with tears at the reports of a revival of religion in many of the churches. The inquiry-meet- ings are now kept open from four until nine o'clock, P.M. ; and Christian workers are busily employed, with the Bible in hand, leading 3'oung and old to Jesus. 220 LIFE OF DWIGHT LYMAN MOODY. On Wednesday afternoon, Feb. 21, the vast assembly at the Tabernacle listened to the revivalist's second great sermon on " Heaven," which was repeated in the evening. Many people from the country were present and heard for the first time the celebrated preacher. The singing was inspiring ; and, in the glowing elo- quence of the evangelist, all forgot the characteristics of his style or diction. It is the subject, sharply de- fined, distinct, and luminous, that he presents to the mind's eye of the listener, and not its di apery or him- self. At the noon meeting Mr, Sankey, in referring to the " living water " spoken of by our Saviour, told a little story of a girl who had a garden and in it beautiful flowers. After a short time, however, the plants began to droop and fade, and gradually they died. " Her mother upon questioning her said, ' Did you water the plants, my child ? ' to which she replied that she did, and took the water from a spring near by That was just the difficulty : the water, being cold and clear as crystal, had eventually chilled the flowers and plants so that they perished. " That is the veiy reason why many of our works are not more successful. We shed abroad this cold love of ours, and it has the same effect as the spring water \ipon the flowers. Let us set it in the sunlight of rignteousness, and then apply it, and notice the diifer- ent result. " Let us impart more life to our works, and have the word in the heart as well as in the mouth." STORY OF MR. SANKEY. 221 The sale of Bagster's Bible has greatly increased this season in the city, while that of the " Gospel Hymns No. 2 " by Sankey and Bliss has been immense. The meetings on the 22d were largely attended ; and, it being tlie birthday of Washington, praj^ers were offered for the country. The singing by the choir, as well as Mr. Sankey's rendering of Mrs. M. A. Kidder's fine hymn on immortality, — ** We shall sleep, but not forever: There will be a glorious dawn," — was deepl}'' impressive, and will never be forgotten by those present. The Rev. Charles E. Robinson, author of " The Songs of the Sanctuary," made an eloquent address during the closing services. At the meeting on Friday evening, Mr. INIoody in speaking on " Grace " said, "A man came to the Taber- nacle Thursday night to hear Mt. Sankey sing. When he had satisfied himself, he wanted to go out before the sermon ; but some one who was with him induced him to remain. When I got to the story of the man in Chicago who spent twenty-one thousand dollars and became a beggar, the Spirit of God found him out. I found him at the young men's meeting. " When I had told him how he could be saved, ho said, ' I wish 3-ou would pray for a brother-in-law of mine.' That is grace. The moment a man becomes a partaker, he wants some one else to be saved." With Mr. A. S. Ackers at the organ and an excellent 222 LIFE OF DWIGHT LYMAN MOODY. choir, Dr. Tourjde's praise-meeting wliicli precedes the regular service is a most fitting and delightfid prepara» tion for the preaching and the singing of tlie gospel by the great evangelists. On Monday evening, Feb. 26, a grand service cf song was held at the Tabernacle, which was filled in everj part. Dr. Tourj(^e led the choir, consisting of more than six hundred voices, which sung the fine old hymns with an effect truly sublime. Mr. Sankey said : — " I believe there are more ways than one of praising God in singing. There are many, many ways, and it is not exclusively confined to singing h3rmns. Several hymns are put under the head ' Hj-mns of Praise,' while there is no praise in them at all. As to singing solos, I am convinced that this kind of singing is not thor- oughly understood by most people. If I were to come here and sing a solo of some of these songs, there would be no praise in them ; but yet your prayers often recite, ' As we join together to sing His praises, may his bless- ings descend upon the preaching of his word in song.' " Now, there is praising and teaching and preaching in song ; but these missions of song are not full}'' understood. Take the hymns ' Jesus of Nazareth passeth by,' and ' What shall the Harvest be ? ' they are called hymns of praise often ; and 5^et there is not a word of praise in them. They are teaching hymns but ' Praise God, from whom all blessings flow,' is a hymn of praise. I suppose many have wondered why I have sung alone. They have thought, ' He cannot SERVICE OF SONG. 223 ofifer up praise for all these people.' Well, I sing alone because I believe that I may reach some heart that could not be reached by the congregational sing- ing. I praise God to-night that he has blessed our service of song." Brief addresses were made by the Revs. W. O. Holman and H. M. Parsons ; the congregation sung, " Trusting Jesus, that is all." Mr. Sankey closed the musical services by singing in his own sympathetic style, " Waiting and Watching for me." In speaking of the noon meeting, which was very large, at the Tabernacle on Tuesday the 27th, the " Evening Traveller " says, — " Notwithstanding the inevitable ' sameness ' of the exercises, the crowds still press onward to the Taber- nacle to hear the ' word ' presented by Mr. Moody, and the ' goodness of his grace ' sung by his companion. This blunt man, with his wonderful store of the richest gems of thought, still brings men to a more complete realization of their own sinfulness ; and the multitudes Bit entranced by the almost magic music of the singer, as at the commencement of the religious movement in this city." Many instances of conversion have occurred under the influence of the sympathetic singing of Mr. Sankey. One young lady, leaning her head upon her mother's shoulder during the execution of one of his touchinf* melodies, said, w'lile the tears were fast falling. 224 LIFE OF DWIGHT LYMAN MOODY. " Mother, I can hold out no longer : I will be a Chri 3 tian." In his able sermon on " Excuses," Feb. 28, Mr. Moody said, " I was over at the young converts' meet- ing Monday evening, and heard them tell of their joy and happiness. Well, my good friend, after you be- come a Christian you can talk about happiness. You want a Christian's experience before you become a Christian ; that is the trouble : and you are looking for their experience before you have taken God at his word. " I met an excuse in the inquiry-room the other day ; in fact, it was quite common : ' I would not like to be converted, Mr. Moody, in the time of a revival.' If it is really a bona fide excuse, you can jump on the train, and drop off at some country town where there is no revival ; and if you cannot go out of town I think we can find some churches in Boston where there is no revival. I don't care where you find Christ, as long as you find him. If you come to us we will try and hunt you up some church where they haven't had any revi- val for years, if you really want to become a Christian." Miss Frances E. Willard, a lady of rare accomplish- ments, conducts efidciently the ladies' meetings held at one o'clock, p.m., in a church near the Tabernacle. The question is often proposed, " How is this un- lettered speaker, ignorant of the arts of eloquence, thus able to command the attention of the largest audiences, and produce such v/onderful results? Whitefield, Wesley, Finney, had learning to sustain them : how ELEMENTS OF HIS POWER. 225 does Mr. Moody produce without it such imfressions ? What is the lever by which he moves the world? " Under a human point of view, the secret of his power consists, it may be, in a felicitous combination of these several characteristics : — 1. He uses simple Saxon language. He knows ao other. His words are household words, plain, homely, pertinent. They present his thought precisely as it is, unshaded by the diction. The hearer takes his mean- ing without thinking of the form in which it comes to him. The words are Bible words, familiar to us from our infancy. The idea shines through them as the 'ight through crystal. Perhaps no man since Bunj'an has presented grand religious truths in plainer drapery. A child may understand him ; and yet the learned are frequently astonished at his sharp, trenchant, and original expressions. A friend of mine once took a dictionary with him to church, in order to find out the meaning of the minister. Mr. Moody's language is not that of science or theology, but of business and the Bible. This is one point. 2. But Mr. Moody is in the higher sense a poet. He has not made rhymes or verse ; and yet he has the glowing conceptions of a poet. He sees things vividly, he paints them vividly. His use of tropes and meta- phors, to be sure, is but infrequent ; yet at times he manifests Shaksperian power in the representation of actual or imaginary scenes. Take for example, as one instance out of thousands, a description of a scene of 226 LIFE OF DWIGHT LYMAN MOODY. sorrow, in a sermon preached at Brattleboro, Vt., Oct 5, 1875: "One of my little scholars was drowned; and word was sent by the mother that she wanted to see me. I went. The dripping body was there on the table. The husband was in the corner drunk. The mother said she had no money to buy a shroud or coffin, and wanted to know if I could not bury Adehne. I consented." What could be more graphic, or better fitted for the pencil of a painter ? Mr. Moody is matter- of-fact, to be sure ; but still he has a grand imaginatioa 3. His persistent study of the Bible forms another element of his power as a preacher. He pores over the pages of the sacred volume, not through the spectacles of some learned commentator, but with his own ob- servant eye comparing passage with passage, and text with context. He makes the Bible interpret the Bible. He traces out a line of thought in it, as the miner a vein of gold through the rock-bed of the mountain. He is emphatically a man of one book, and that the soul-rousing, the soul-sustaining book of the ages. His intellect has been nurtured, quickened, and magne- tized by this word ; his weapons are drawn from this word; his positions are fortified by this word; his plans are formed upon this word ; and this is another reason why he speaks with such convincing power. It is surprising to mark his familiarity with the Scriptures. They have been, as with David, his medi- tation day and night. Their contents are engraven on his heart. His revelation of then- meaning shows aa ELEMENTS OF HIS POWER. 227 well to-day as when inspiration dictated them that they are the power of God unto salvation. When a clerk in a shoe-store in Chicago, and long ere he was known or thought of as a preacher, Mr. Moody used, after spend- ing the evening in joyous recreation, to retire to his bed with his Bible in his hand, and read and pray him- self to sleep. He has since made it the intimate com- panion of his life, — studying it by night and by day, and drawing from it the enginery whereby he breaks the strongholds of the adversary. His sermons on the study of the Bible indicate the origin of a great deal of his intellectual strength. 4. Enthusiasm in his work has much to do with his success. He has a great warm, lovmg, and unselfish heart. It is in profoundest sympathy with the suffer- ings of humanity. He sees in every man, however poor and penniless, a brother, and he would help him bear his burden. He is never so happy as when lifting some abject, hopeless mortal to a higher plane in life. His heart is a fountain of sympathy, not pent up by fear and formalism, but open, free, redundant. He believes in his miission ; he glories in it. With him Christ is a reality, life is a reality, heaven is a reality. He is on a battlefield with the foe before him: the guns are pealing ; he smells the fire ; he sees the blood ; he hears the peal of victory. Abstractions with him go for nothing : he takes God at his word, grasps the tremendous issues of the future, and speaks of them as present, actual, living verities. Hence he is, because so 228 LIFE OF DWIGHT LYMAN MOODY. fixed in faith, maldug it the very " substance of things hoped for," profoundly earnest and enthusiastic. With his own spirit thus enkindled, he electrifies the spirits of those who hear him. 5. He has also, as a check to his enthusiasm, an ample fund of good, sound common sense, so that, while the ardor of many revivalists leads them into fanaticism, he is, in the main, self-possessed, and adopts such methods as commend themselves to the good judg- ment of the people. " Common sense," says a writer " stamps all his earnestness and all his plans ; and this ■wins in a remarkable manner all who come in contact with him. Wliatever else may be said of him, no one can call him a fanatic ; and this gives to his steady, in- vincible, untiring self-sacrifice such irresistible power." 6. Though not prepossessing in his voice or gesture, Mr. Moody is intensely natural. This is of great ad- vantage to him as a speaker. He is just such a rugged, ■whole-souled, unaffected man as nature made him. There is no study, no art, no pretension at all about him. He never stood before a glass to practise attitude or gesticulation ; he never stopped to ask himself the question, "Is this movement graceful, or ungi'aceful ? " He never drew, perhaps never saw, Hogarth's Line of Beauty. He is intensely natural, — a little rougli sometimes it may be, but characteristic, forceful, and original. 7. IL may also be added, that, in speaking, IMr. Moody's ra])idity of uUorancC — it being often at the rate of two MANNER. 22fl liundied and twenty words per minute — tends to keep up the interest of the audience. The Revs. Henry Ward Beecher, Phillips Brooks, and other eminent speakers, well understand the effect produced by quick enuncia- tion. By the mere velocity of Mr. Moody's tongue something is doubtless done to disarm criticism, and to deepen the intensity of feeling in the assembly. 8. Still with all these varied elements — simplicity of diction, a vivid imagination, long study of the Bible, enthusiasm in his work, good sterling common sense, naturalness and rapidity of speech — combining, it were not easy to account for his wonderful abilit}^ to sway the minds and change the intents and purposes of the hearts of such vast multitudes of men. Another and a hi[Thcr element must be acknowledfred. What is it ? Not man alone, not the Bible, nor the manner of pre- senting its subHme instructions, but the Spirit of the living God, co-operating specially with the spirit of tlic speaker, and preparing the minds of those that hear for the reception of the trutli. This untutored evangelist is a man of prayer. He has drunk deeply of the hid- den wisdom of God ; the mantle of inspiration has fallen upon liim ; and the doctors of the law, as well as the common people, sit and weep and wonder at his feet. Did the High and Holy One cease to dwell in the hearts of men when the canon of the gospel was completed ? May we not, then, admit that over and above and through the points referred to, his special presence is the real, tlie efficient cause of the surpris- 230 LITE OF DWIGHT LYMAN MOODY. ing influence that Mr. Moody exerts upon the hearts and consciences of men ? " The Holy Ghost is here in power," says he; and this alone is the solution of the problem. " God is with me : this is all the strength I have," he says agam ; and herein is the real secret of his might. In person Mr. Moody is of medium size, thick-set and compactly built, with broad shoulders, a round head, ruddy face, and short neck. His eyes are dark and piercing; his nose is very well formed; but his mouth is wanting that fine classic finish which bespeaks the orator. He wears a long, full beard, which, though it may improve his looks, is detrimental to his speech. He dresses plainly, in the style of a man of business. His voice is somewhat shrill and husky, his articula- tion indistinct; yet his lungs are powerful, and he easily succeeds in making liimself heard by as many as ten thousand people. His unstudied gestures are some- times quite forcible, and his attitudes often lead one to suppose him utterly unconscious of the audience before him. A SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF IRA DAVID SANKEY. IRA D. SANKEY. mS BIRTH AND BOYHOOD. —EDUCATION. — lUSSION. Birth. — Education. — Love of Music. — Keligious Impressious. — Con- version. — Unites with the Church. — SuiJerintendent of Sunday School, and Class Leader. — Study of the Bible. — Army Life. — Connection with the Revenue Service. — His Character. — Sings in Conventions. — President of the Young Men's Christian Association. — Meets ^Ir. Moody. — Consents to labor with hiui. — Singing in Chicago. — His Manner and Motives. — A Touching Story. — Talies Charge of the Ser\-ice at the Tabernacle. — His only Hymn. — Visits Great Britain. — Overcoujes Prejudice. — His Singing popular. — Effects of his Music. — In tlie Higldands. — Opinion of an Ediu- burgli Journalist. — Of Another Writer. — Popularity of Certain Songs. — Theatre and Circus, London. — " Ninety and Nine." — Hia Singing at Brooklyn; at Philadelphia. — His Views of Church Music. — His Singing at New York. — Address at the Close. — Gospel Songs No. 2. — Singing in Boston. — A Prayer for Song. — Mr. Saukey's Tact and Power. — Remarks of " The Intei'-Ocean ; " of Mrs. Barbour. — Mr, Saukey's Personal Appearance. — An Address to him by Mr. Caverly. '* Speaking to yourselves in psalms and bymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody In your heart to the Lord." — St. Paul. " A verse may whi him whom the gospel flies, And turn delight into a sacrifice." — Geokqe Hebbeet. " Music speaks the heart's emotion, Music tells the soul's devotion; Music heavenly harps employs, Music wakens heavenly joys." — Anok. The deligl.tful and effective singer and composer Ira David Sankey was born in the little village of 233 234 LIFE OP IRA DAVID SANKEY. Edinburgh, Lawrence County, Penn., on the twenty- eighth day of August, 1840, and is therefore at the pres- ent time thirty-six years old. His parents, David and ]\Iary Sanlcey, the former of English, and the latter of Scotch-Irish descent, are respectable and pious people. They brought up their children — nine in nmnber — in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. They taught them also how to speak our language with propriety. In early boyhood Ira began to manifest a love for Bacred music, and the sweetness of his voice was noticed in the sabbath school which he attended. He had a pleasant disposition, an engaging manner, and a bright, sunny smile, which won the hearts of all who knew him. " He was," says one of his companions, " the finest little feUow in the neighborhood." His attention to the subject of personal religion, as he him- self relates, was first awakened by an old Scottish farmer of the name of Frazer, living in the neighbor- hood. " The very first recollection I have of any thing pertaining to a holy life," said INIr. Sankey in addressing a company of children in the city of Dundee, Scotland, " was in connection with that man. I re- member he took me by the hand, along with his own boys, to the sabbath school, — that old place which I shall remember to my d3dng day. He was a plain man, and I can see him standing up and praying for the chil- dren. He had a great, warm heart, and the children all loved him. It was years after that when I was con- verted ; but my impressions were received when I was very young, from that man." UNITES WITH THE CHUECH. 235 On attaining the age of fifteen years he began to compose tunes for his own amusement ; and he was soon after led during a revival of religion in Edin- burgh, by the entreaties of an old steward of the church, to consecrate himself entirely to the service of the Lord. This brought to him that peace of mind which passeth understanding. Not long afterwards his father removed with his family to the large town of New- castle, Penn., where the young singer had the benefit of some academical instruction, and obtained the rudi- ments of a useful English education. He also became a member of the IMethodist Episcopal Church. He made the word of God and sacred music his chief study ; and the tones of his sweet, silvery voice in the songs of devotion attracted many people to the house of wor- ship. Such was the beauty of his Christian life, such his knowledge of the Bible, that in 1859 the churcli appointed him superintendent of the Sunday school, and subsequently a class-leader. In training the voices of his school to sing, his own musical taste was im- proved, his reputation as a vocalist extended ; while his discussions as a class-leader with those older than himself led him to a closer examination of the sacred volume. "TeU me your condition," said he to his beloved class, "in Bible language. The Scriptures abound in accounts of religious feeling of aU descrip- tions. There is no state of grace which may not be described by a text." As a leader of the choir, he insisted on the proper deportment of the singers, as 236 LIFE OF IRA DAVID SANKinT. well ?.s on the correct expression of the sentiment of the hymn. He believed that song was intended for the dissemination of the gospel ; and he early began to sing solos for this purpose. In this way he was making preparation, though unconsciously, for the glorioua work in which he is now engaged. On the call of President Lincoln in 1861, for men to sustain the Government, Mr. Sankey was among the first in Newcastle to have his name enrolled as a soldier. He remained in the army, enhvening the camp and endearing his companions to him by the sweetness of his music and his temper, until the expiration of his term of service, when he returned to Newcastle to assist his father in his office as collector of the revenue. " In the civil service, as in other departments of labor," says one who knew him intimately, " he was noted for conscientiousness, and patient, faithful attention to duty. In his rank he stood first in the district, and had the entire confidence of all the officers and tax- payers with whom he had official dealings. In his long connection with the service, there were never known any irregularities in his accounts, or any loss to the government. On this account he left the service with honor and with the regret of those who were asso- ciated with him." On the 9th of September, 1863, lie married IVIiss Edwards, a member of the church, a singer in his choir, and a teacher in his sabbath school. She is an estimable woman, and the mother of three sons ; of whom Henry, MEETS MK. MOODY. 237 the oldest, is now beginning to assist his father in his evangelism. One of the children was born in Scotland. While engaged in the civil service, Mr. Sankey found many opportunities, especially in the way of sacred song, to labor for his Lord and Master. His fame as a singer had spread through Western Pennsylvania, and invitation after invitation crowded in upon him to attend conventions, conferences, and other public gatherings, for the purpose of singing his beautiful solos, and of leading other voices in song. These invitations he generally accepted, believing that the gospel should be sung as well as preached; yet his rule was never to receive any compensation for his services. He had not studied music scientifically, or even as an art. His intention had never been to make the practice of it a profession ; but he saw in it a mighty force foi the advancement of the kingdom of the Redeemer. He consecrated his power of song, as every other gift, entirely to that noble cause, and God has wonderfully blessed the consecration. Some time in the early part of 18G7, a Young Men's Christian Association was, through the activity of Mr. Sankey and other gentlemen, formed in Newcastle, of which he subsequently was elected president. Through this institution his Christian influence was extended, and he became instrumental in leading many by his voice of praj'cr and praise into a Christian life. The 238 LIFE OF lEA DAVID SANKEY. acquaintance between him and j\Ir. Moody began in June, 1870, at an international convention held in Indianapolis, to which he had been sent as a delegate. The singing at an early morning prayer-meeting being intolerably dull, Mr. Sankey was invited to take charge of it. Coming forward modestly, he complied with the request ; and such was the charm of his manner, such were the sympathetic and flexible tones of his voice, varying so as to express every emotion of the soul, such were the freshness, tenderness, and beauty of his songs, that every heart was won. Though ignorant of music, Mr. Moody understands full well its power ; and he saw in Mr. Sankey just the man whom he had long been searching for to aid him in his work. On being introduced to the sweet singer, he said to him in his characteristic way, — " Where do you live ? " " In Newcastle, Penn.," Mr. Sankey answered. " Are you married ? " « Yes." ■ " How many children have you ? " * One." " I want you." " What for ? " " To help me in my work at Chicago." " I cannot leave my business." " You must : I have been looking for you for the last eight years. You must give up your business, and come to Chicago with me." SIEGING IN CHICAGO. 2S^ "I will think of it," replied Mr. Sankey. "I will pray over it ; I will talk it over with my -wife." The result was that the singer of Newcastle, after prayer and consultation with liis wife, determined to identify his interests with those of Mr. INIoody, to live with him the life of trust, and enter on the work of evangelization in the city of Chicago. In this almost romantic way commenced that Christian fellowship between these two gifted servants of the Lord, which the toils and trials of six long years have cemented as a bond that death alone can sever. Although Mr. Philip Phillips, author of " I love to sing for Jesus," and other beautiful tunes, had in some measure prepared the people of Chicago to listen to the " solo singing of the gospel," still many supposed it an unscriptural innovation ; yet such was the melody, the flexibility, and pathetic charm of Mr. Sankey 's voice, that opposition soon changed to admiration, and his services soon came to be justly appreciated by the clergy and the churches. He entered heart and soul into the missionary work of Mr. Mood}', and led the great congregation and sabbath school in his church, as well as at Farwell Hall, in the service of song, giving it hfu and variety by intermingling with the mighty choruses some touching strain, as, " Sweet Hour of Prayer," " He Icadeth me," or, " I love to tell the Story," sung tenderly and touchingly by himself alone. These hallowed and refreshing songs, rising sweetly at the close of some earnest appeal of Mr. Moody's, 240 LIFE OF IRA DAVID SANKEY. would melt the audience into tears ; and amidst the profoundest feeling every tone would touch the heart, as if an angel's wing were sweeping over it. INIr. Sankey sings, not for money nor for reputation, but for the lofty purpose of winning men to Christ. He be- lieves in the power of song to do this. His songs are Bible songs : he puts his soul, and that an inspired soul, into them. He makes the music all subservient to the sentiment, and so, by its heavenly ministry, fixes it in the listener's mind. Though not an artist, he sings with such excellent taste that the cultivated ear re- ceives his simple melodies with delight. The gospel in song thus becomes more charming and potential in its swdj. He himself relates a most touching instance of its influence : — " During the winter after the great Chicago fire, when the place was built up with little frame houses for the poor people to stay in, a mother sent for me one day, to come and see her little child, who was one of our sabbath-school scholars. I remembered her very well, having seen her in the meetings, and was glad to go. She was lying in one of these poor little huts, every thing having been burned in the fire. I ascer- tained that she was past all hopes of recovery, and that they were waiting for the little one to pass awa}'. ' How is it with you to-day ? ' I asked. With a beauti- ful smile on her face, she said, ' It is all well with me to-day. I wish you would speak to my father and mother.' —'But," said 1, 'are you a Christian?' — A TOUCHING STORY. 241 * Yes.' — ' When did you become one ? ' — 'Do you re- member last Thursday in the Tabernacle, when we had that little singing meeting, and you sung, " Jesus loves even me " ? ' ' — " ' Yes.' — ' It was last Thursday I beheved on the Lord Jesus, and now I am going to be with him to-day.' " That testimony from that little child in that neg- lected quarter of Chicago has done more to stimulate me, and bring me to this country [Scotland], than all that the papers or any persons might say. I remember the joy I had in looking upon that beautiful face. She went up to heaven, and no doubt said she learned upon the earth that Jesus loved her, from that little hymn. If you want to enjoy a blessing, go to the bedsides of these bedridden and dying ones, and sing to them of Jesus, for they cannot enjoy these meetings as you do. You will get a great blessing to your own soul." "When the conflagration in October, 1871, had swept away that section of Chicago where the two evangelists were laboring, Mr. Sankey returned to his home at New- castle : but as soon as the rude Tabernacle was erected he came back, and, lodging in a small room in the build- ing, assisted Mr. Moody in supplying the wants of the destitute, and iii carrying on the mission work in that quarter. It was at that period that the touching inci- dent just given occurred ; and by it Mr. Sankey's soul 1 The words and music of this beautiful song are by tlie late lamented P. P. Bliss, killed by the railway accident at the bridge over the Ashta- bula River in Ohio, Dec. 2a, 1876. 242 LIFE OF IRA DAVID SANKEY. was moved to make a profounder consecration of ila powers to the service of the Lord. He not only sung, but spoke and prayed, for the conversion of tlie people ; he selected Bible hymns or " spiritual songs " of ster- ling merit ; he adapted them to lively music, sometimes rf his own composing ; he encouraged others to com- pose; he conducted meetings, leading in all the services himself ; and, during Mr. Moody's visit to England in the spring of 1872, he took charge of the work and worship at the Tabernacle. On his return Mr. Moody found him cherishing the same Biblical spirit which he himself had imbibed in England ; and they both,, as fit- ting counterparts in sweet accordance, toiled together, comforting and reviving many churches. In the mean time Mr. Sankey, with remarkable good taste, was select- ing from the new stores of hymnology and revival tunes such spirited and popular pieces as would best pro- mote his evangelical work. In addition to the beautiful airs of Bradbury, Lowry, Main, Root, Grape, Phillips, Doane, and Bliss, he composed man}^ excellent tunes himself ; and with the fine lyrics of Annie S. Hawks, Fanny J. Crosby, Lydia Baxter, Prof. Gilmore, Ellen H. Gates, Anna Warner, Kate Hankey, Mrs. Bliss, and others, had, as it were, a stock of sacred songs adapted to almost every exigence. His voice, which is a rich baritone, was constantly gaining power, and no singer ever better than he knew how to suit his music to the time and the occasion. The composition of hymns he does not consider within his sphere ; yet " For me, for VISITS GREAT BRITAIN. 245 me," the only one of his that has been published, indi- cates that he is endowed with poetical as well as musi- cal ability. Among his tunes, " The Ninety and Nine," to words of Miss E. C. Clcphane, is perhaps the most popular. Mr. Sankey with his family accompanied ]Mr. Moody in his remarkable evangelistic tour through Great Britain, and assisted him materially in producing that grand awakening which filled all Christendom with surprise. It was feared at first that his new style of songs, his solo singing, and his melodeon, would meet with great opposition on the part of Christians, espe- cially in Scotland, where Rouse's rough version of the Psalms and the plain old tunes had become so deeply imbedded in the hearts of the people. But the Ameri- can minstrel put so much of his soul and of the gos- pel into his song that he soon overcame all prejudice, and made himself the most popular sacred singer in the United Kingdom. In passing from Southampton through mid-England, in the summer of 1875, the writer was surprised, as well as delighted, to see the songs of iMr. Sankey in various forms for sale at almost every station, and to hear them sung by laborers and by children in the streets. America seemed to have filled the heart of England with her music. Of Mr. Sankey 's service of song in Edinburgh, Dr. Thompson said, " Those who have come and heard have departed with their prejudices vanquished, and their hearts im- pressed." The Rev. Mr. Taylor also said, "As Mr. 244 LIFE OF IRA DAVID SANKET. Sankey proceeded to sing, we felt that it was real teacMng. Not only was there his wonderful voice, which made every word distinctly heard in every cor- ner of the hall, and to which the organ accompaniment was felt to be merely subsidiary, but it was the scriptu- ral thought borne into the mind by the wave of song, and kept there till we were obliged to look at it and feel it in its importance and its preciousness." Mr. Sankey not only sang, but preached the gospel, conducting meetings, and, though not delivering ser- mons, inviting in simple and persuasive words the people to the cross of Jesus. While addressing a group of inquirers at Glasgow on everlasting life, and emphasiz- ing the word hath^ a woman listening attentively ex- claimed, " That word hath has done it all," and went away rejoicing in the Lord, In Paisley he produced a profound impression by singing in his moving way "Nothing but Leaves, the Spirit grieves." At Perth the song, " Go work in My Vineyard," awakened the o-reat congregation to labor more earnestly for the idvancement of the Redeemer's kingdom. At Aber- deen he was assisted, as in many other places, by a most efficient choir of male and female voices, and his American melodies produced a wonderful effect. His songs met with special favor in the North of Scot- land, where it was supposed that the prejudice against them would be strongest. " In the remote Highland glen," says an interesting writer, "you may hear the sound of hymn-singing : shepherds on the steep hill- OPINION OF AN EDINBURGH JOURNALIST. 2it sides sing Mr. Sankey's liymns while tending tlieir sheep ; errand-boys whistle the tunes as they walk along the streets of the Highland towns ; while in not a few of the lordly castles of the North, they express genuine feeling." The Daily Edinburgh Review thus spoke of the sing ing of Mr. Sankey in Scotland : — "Why should there be any prejudice ? 'For genera- tions most of the Highland ministers, and some of the Lowland ministers too, have sung the gospel, sung their sermons, ay, and sung their prayers too. The only difference is, that they sing very badly, and Mr. Sankey very beautifully. He accompanied himself on ' the American organ,' it is true ; and some of us who belong to the old school can't swallow the ' kist of whustles' 3''et. It may help us over this stumbling- block if we consider, that, with the finest voice and ear in the world, nobody could maintain the proper pitch of a melody, singing so long as Mr. Sankey does. And then, 'the American organ' is only a 'little one.' When a deputation from the session waited on Ralph Erskine, to remonstrate with him on the enormity of fiddling, he gave them a beautiful tune on the violon- cello ; and they were so charmed that they returned to their constituents with the report that it was all right: ' it was na' the wee, sinfu' fiddle that their minister operated upon, but a grand instrument, full of grave, sweet melody.' Em afraid some good, true Presby- terians will be excusing Mr. Sankey's organ, and them- selves for hstening to it, by some such plea as that." 246 LIFE OF ERA DAVID SANKEY. Another wrote : " Tlie admiration of Mr. Sankey's music is enthusiastic. When he sings a solo, a death- like silence reigns in the audience. When he ceases there is a rustling like the leaves of a forest when (Stirred by the wind. We might apply to him the language of Scripture, ' Lo ! thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one who hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument.' No one can estimate the service he has rendered to the Church of Christ by the compilation of his book of ' Sacred Songs,' and their sweet tunes. They are the delight of all ages. I have heard in Scotland that they are already sung in our most distant colonies. Ere long, I believe, the}'" will be sung wherever .the English language is spoken over the earth. Nor will they be confined to that language, for a lady is already translating them into German." In Belfast the newsboys cried out as they went on their daily rounds, " Hymn-books with songs sung at Moody and Sankey's meetings ! " and sold them in large numbers through the city. In Londonderry Mr. Sankey was so well sustained b}'' the local choir, that his co-worker said he had never before heard such sweet music, adding, that he thouglit they should sing " new songs " as well as old ones, and that they could sing the gospel into many a man's heart. In Manchester a Mr. Cook, one evening at the Royal Theatre, sung in imitation of the popular song "He's a fraud," the words, — " We know that Moody and Sankey Are doing some good in their way," — THEATRE AND CIECUS, LONDON. 24T au J received both clieers aiid hisses from the audience ; but, on repeating the Avords, the displeasure was so great that he was obliged to leave the stage. This testimony of theatre-going people even, in favor of the evangelists, was noticed in the morning papers, and the fact also that the song was not repeated. Public sentiment in favor of the evangelists was the same in Dublin. During the performance at the circus, on a certain evening, one clown said to another, " I'm rather moody to-night : how do you feel ? " To which the other answered, " I feel rather sankey-monious.^' This was met with hisses, and the whole audience joined with grand effect in singing, — "Hold the fort, for I am coming, Jesus signals stiU; Wave the answer back to heaven, By thy grace we will." The greatest favorite at Birmingham was " Hold the Fort," by jNIr. Bliss. The vast audiences joined in the stirring chorus, filling the Bingley Hall with rousing peals of sacred song. In London " Tlie Ninety and Nine " and " Only an Armor-Bearer " appeared to afford the most delight ; but other hymns, as, " Almost persuaded," and "The Prodigal Child," by Mrs. Ellen II. Gates, became immensely popular, and were daily heard in all quarters of the city. While in London, the Princess of Wales, the Duchess of Sutherland, and other distinguished personages, at- tended the revival meetings, and united heartily in the 18 LIFE OF IRA DAVID SANKEY. choruses of Mr. Sankey's songs. His singing here won many hearts, and his labors amongst the inquirers were, as usual, owned and blessed of God. The testimony of one young man is that of many : " I went," says he, *'into the inquiry-room, and Mr. Sankey walked up and down with me, and talked with me as if he had been my own father ; and I found Christ." At the close of the meetings in Liverpool, Mr. Sankey sung as a farewell song, " Home, Sweet Home," with remarkable pathos, moving many in the audience to tears. Mr. Sankey gathered several new and beautiful hymns and tunes during his mission-tour abroad, with which he has since enriched his sacred song-books. He found the words of the song " Ninety and Nine," in " The Christian Age " of London, and immediately composed the music for them. They were written (as he afterwards ascertained through a letter from her sister) by Miss Elizabeth C. Clephane of Melrose, Scotland, a short time before the author's death, and were first published in Dr. Arnott's " Family Treasury," in 1868. The hymn commencing, — ♦' Beneath the cross of Jesus , I fain would take my stand," — for whijh Mr. Sankey also wrote the music, is by the same author. Soon after his return to America in 1875, Mr. Sankey published, in connection with Mr. P. P. BUss, *' Gospel Hymns and Sacred Songs," of which an im- mense number of copies have been sold. It contauis SINGING AT BROOKLYN. 249 eight of hia own musical compositions. At the Taber- nacle in Brooklyn, Mr. Sankey was supported by a well' trained choir of two hundred and fifty voices ; and the singing during the revival was remarkably good. The pieces sung were familiar to the people, and fears were entertained lest on this account the effect would not be as great as it had been across the sea ; but in this all were happily disappointed. One of the first hymns given out was, " Plark ! the Voice of Jesus crying ; " and, says a reporter, " as Mr. Sankey's magnetic voice and wonderfully expressive singing filled the great auditorium, the sympathy among his hearers grew and increased until it seemed as if, had he continued the sweet melody and earnest supplication, every person in the whole audience would have risen and joined with him in a grand musical prayer of mingled appeal and thanksgiving. The effect he produced was simply marvellous. Many responses, such as ' Amen ! ' and ' Glory to God 1 ' were heard from all parts of the vast assembly ; and at the close a great many men, as well as women, were in tears. Mr. Sankey's voice is a marvel of sweetness, flexibility, and strength. There is a simplicity about his vocalism, that disarms the criti- cism that would apply to it any of the rules of art. It has a charm purely its own, which attracts and holds one with a power that is gentle but irresistible." In Philadelphia he had the assistance of a choir of five hundred singers under the leadership of Prof. Fischer, and rendered the same effective assistance as before to 250 LIFE OF IKA DAVID SANKEY. Mr. Moody in his evangelical mission. His songs sunk into the hearts of the people, so that such questions as " Did you hear the ' Ninety and Nine ' ?" " Isn't his singing better than a sermon ? " " Wasn't that hymn ' Nothing but Leaves ' impressive ? " as well as the singing of the songs themselves, were frequently heard along the streets of the city. The Rev. Dr. Sheppard said, " The first song I he.ird Mr. Sankey sing was, ' Jesus of Nazareth passeth by ; ' and it was the most eloquent sermon I ever heard. It spoke of the opportunity present, soon to pass, and actually past. It was most impressing and powerful." At a convention held near the close of his labors in Philadelphia, Mr. Sankey said, in respect to church music, — and his words are worthy of attention, " It should be conducted by a good large choir of Christian singers, who should encourage the congregation to join heartily with them in the songs of Zion, instead of monopolizing the service themselves. I would have the singers and the organ in front of the congregation, near the minister ; and would insist on deportment by the singers in keeping with the services of the house of God. The conduct of the choir during the service will have very much to do with the success of the preaching. Instead of whispering, writing notes, pass- ing books, and the like, the choir should give the closest attention to all the services, especially to the preaching of the word. There should be the most intimate relation between the leader of the singing and VIEWS OF CHUKCn MUSIC. 251 the pastor. Old familiar hymns and tunes should be used, and now and then a Sunday-school song ; so that the children may feel that they have a part in the prayer-meeting, as well as in the Sunday school. All should try to understand the sentiment of the hymn or sacred song, and enter into it with heart and voice, in a prayerful frame of mind, silently asking God to bless the song to every soul." During the meeting Mr. Sankey spoke of the pleasure he had received in hearing his songs sung in the capital of Switzerland, which he visited before returning to America, — and also on the railways in France, — add- ing that by God's grace he would keep on singing, and encourage others to sing those sweet stories of Jesus and his love. In respect to church psalmody, Mr. Sankey at another time said that music occupied a very prominent place in the Lord's work ; and that the choirs in the churches should consist of Christian people, and be led by a Christian chorister. If he could not find sufficient members among the congregation, he would go into the Sunday schools, where they would generally find the gospel songs sung more heartily than anywhere else. The ministers, also, should encourage the singers. Mr. Spurgeon, in London, never gives out a h3'mn without telling the people just how he would like it sung ; and the result is that the whole assemblage of people partake of his earnestness, and sing it with spirit. 252 LIFE OF IKA DAVID SANKEY. Mr. Sankey hoped that he should be pardoned if he said that ministers did not make as much of the singing as they could. The singing, he thought, should be prayed for as much as the preaching. It has been an important part in the services in all ages. The choir sliould not be away in the back galler3^ The singers should be near the minister, alongside the platform, so that he could be in accord with them. In churches there should not be two parties, one at one end, another at the opposite end of the church. He did not think there should be any people in the choir whose deportment would grieve the children of God. Mr. Sankey said he once heard a bishop preach, and during the whole service a young lady, a member of the choir, kept talking and writing notes to a young gentleman, which behavior so distracted his (Mr. Sankey's) attention that he did not know actually what the bishop was talking about. The man, he said, who leads, should go into the Sunday school and into the prayer-meetings. If he cannot do tliis, he will exercise no very marked influ- ence for good in the choir. In the Sunday school Mr. Sankey would have a little organ. He admired the large, the noble instrument ; but people did not sing so well with it as with the small one. "When a large organ is being played, it drowns the voices, and people just sit and listen without sing- ing. A little organ will only give the singers the key* HIS SINGING AT NEW YORK. 253 note. We do not, in fact, need any instiument.il music in the house of God : we only want the key-note. Then he would insist that the organist should play softly. He had a pretty strong voice, but the strength of some of the organs would effectually drown his voice. If there are any evangelistic services to be held in 3'our midst, every minister, when he sends in lists of people for our choirs, should send in the very best. When the choir meets, let the exercises be commenced and closed with prayer. He believed four-fifths of the traditional trouble in choirs is because of the ungodly people composing them. He would not have a man get up and flourish a book or stick in leading. When practising, of course it might be admissible ; but, when we come to worship God, the less the display the better. Mr. Sankey concluded by touching upon the necessity of a correct pronunciation. " Owing to a careless reading, people do not under- stand the words as they are sung ; consequently they cannot take up the hymn and sing in unison with the choir. If the reading were better, there would be a gieat deal more interest manifested b}' the congrega- tions." At the Hippodrome in New York City, Mr. Sankey afforded Mr. iMoody essential aid in conducting tlie long-extended services of the revival, adding to the interest of the meetings not unfrequently, by a pertinent 254 LIFE OF IRA DAVID SANKEY. illustration or a story, as well as by his soul-moving songs. " His singing," said one of the religious jour- nals, " contributed much to the inspiration which ani- mated the services, and helped to draw the vast crowds which felt their influence. Every hymn was a gospel message ; and the tunes seemed not only to be made on purpose for the hymns, but the expression given to their spmt, and the articulation given to the words, were scarcely less than perfect." At the conclusion of his labors here he said in a large meeting, " I feel in my heart to-night a sad minor note sounding there, — one of sadness and regret that the meetings which have been so blessed are so soon, so far as we are concerned, to pass away; this is a sad thought and note in the song of my heart to-night : yet still there is a louder note, one of a joyful tone, telling me we shall meet again. I desire to say before giving way to others, that in all our work, both in this and other countries, we have never had more hearty, warm, and efficient help than we have had in New York in all the departments of our labor. We feel that each one, in whatever secluded place, has done his duty ; and my heart goes out to each of you with a hearty ' God bless you ! ' " After the close of this campaign, Mr. Sankey's health became somewhat impaired : yet feeling the need of new hymns and music, he engaged zealously with his friend Mr. P. P. Bliss in the preparation of " Gospel Hymns No. 2," which contains twelve of h:*s own tunes, to- SmGING IN BOSTON. 256 gether with some by Messrs. Bliss, Doane, Rcot, Vail, Perkins, Lowiy, Phillips, Main, Bradburj, and others, and which is now used at the Tabernacle in Boston. In the midst of his arduous labors in the city of Chicago, Mr. Sankey was suddenly called to mourn the death of Mr. and Mrs. Bliss, with whom he had been so long associated in the sweet service of song. Tlie assurance only, that through Christ the}'' should beyond the river sing a sweeter strain in company, could assuage his grief. At the opening of the Tabernacle for the renowned evangelists in Boston, on the 28th of January, 1877, the expectation in regard to the singing of Mr. Sankey was very great ; as this city is noted for its knowledge and its love of music. Will Mr. Sankey's simple melodies, his unartistic style of singing, satisfy the public taste ? Will the efforts of the Western vocalist with his melo- deon be appreciated ? The desire to listen to his songs was perhaps as strong as that of hearing the distin- guished preacher. The sei vices opened, and the minstrel who had charmed so many audiences, both in the Old World and the New, came in and modestly took his seat beside his little instrument on the platform. The hymn commencing, "There were ninety and nine that safely lay," being then announced, he arose, and in a clear, distinct voice made the following supplication for a blessing upon sacred song : — " Our heavenly Father, in the name of the Lord 256 LIFE OF IBA DAVID SANKEY. Jesus we come to thee at this moment, asking that th^ blessing may rest upon the singing that has already been done, and shall be done, in this great Tabernacle. Bless, we pray thee, the message of thy love as found in these songs. And we pray, our Father, that thou wouldst bless the singers who have just come here, and will come day after day, to lift up the voice of praise unto thee. And as in days of old, when singers were wont to make a joyful noise unto the Lord, do thou meet with thy people in this temple dedicated to thy service. And, our Father, shall we not ask that ere long we may even see the prodigals being brought home by the Good Shepherd himself; having wandered far away from thee, they will hear that ringing voice of thine, and say, ' I will arise and go to my Father.' Lord Jesus, bless us now in all that we shall do here, and we will give thee the praise for evermore. Amen." He then in tones of remarkable sweetness sung the celebrated song, enchaining the attention of the great assemblage, and convincing all, that, though he might not satisfy the high demands of art, he had the power to send his voice into the soul, and touch the secret chords of its most profound devotion. This indeed is something higher than art, and captivates when art is powerless. It is not so much by the force, as by the peculiar timbre^ the searching quality of his voice, that Mr. Sankey produces such effect. INIany of his songs, as rendered by very accomplished vocalists, are power- less to move the heart. People hear them thus per* TACT AND POWER. 257 fcrmed in the social circle, and wonder how and why they ever make such marked impressions. The reason may be that Mr. Sankey sends by an intense sympathy, and by tones peculiarly his own, the sentiment of the song into the hearer's soul. His objective point is the conversion or the sanctification of that soul ; the list- ener then, forgetting the singer and the song, turns his thought inward to himself, and the truth as it is in Jesus wakens the emotions. To know the power of Mr. Sankey's songs, the only sure way is to hear him. He may well be called the Dempster of sacred song. His voice, especially in the middle notes, has a pecu- Har sympathetic sweetness that steals into the heart, and mysteriously unlocks the fountain of tears. He reveals, as none others can, the sentiment of his hymn, and, enunciating every word and syllable with remarka- ble distinctness, makes himself heard with ease in the remotest parts of the very largest audience-chamber. He has also the tact of adapting every song to the subject-matter of the speaker, or to the peculiar mood of the congregation, so as to produce the best effect. Sometimes a doubt arises whether he or Mr. ^Nloody draws the greater number to the Tabernacle : certain it is, that neither would succeed so well alone. Per- sons of a delicate, sensitive, and emotional temperament would undoubtedly prefer the t^ingcr ; those who love to hear plain truths enunciated fearlessly would prefer the preacher : j-et, as the public is made up of both these classes, it finds that in tlie union of the two evangelists its spiritual demands are satisfied. 258 LIFE OF IRA DAVID SANKEY. " Mr. Moody," says The Inter-Ocean, " startles us and arouses us, while Mr. Sankey soothes and com- forts. Mr. Moody, earnest as he is, succeeds without the grace of voice and manner : Mr. Sankey, earnest as he is, succeeds because of grace in voice and manner. He is well fitted to be Mr. Moody's companion, and those who hear him do not wonder at his continued success in this peculiar field." " Mr. Sankey," says Mrs. Barbour truthfully as well as beautifully, " sings with the conviction that souls are receiving Jesus between one note and the next. The stillness is overawing ; some of the lines are more spoken than sung. The hymns are equally used for awakening, and none more so than ' Jesus of Nazareth passeth by.' When you hear ' The Ninety and Nine ' sung, you know of a truth that down in this corner, up in that gallery, behind that pillar which hides the singer's face from the listener, the hand of Jesus has been finding this and that and yonder lost one, to place them in his fold. A certain class of hearers come to the services solely to hear Mr. Sankey, and the song throws the Lord's net around them." Sustained by the efficient choir of Dr. Tourjde, this gifted singer, criticise him as we may, continues to perform admirably his part in the varied exercises of the Tabernacle. The great congregation listens with ever-fresh delight to his well-rendered songs, " I need Thee every Hour," " Hallelujah, 'tis done," " Where are the Nine?" "Hold the ISrt, for I am coming," ADDRESS BY MR. CAVERLY. 259 " Waiting and Watching," " Have You on the Lord believed ? " "Go bury thy Sorrow," " Pull for the Shore," and others of a world-wide reputation, and always joins with united and exultant voices in the chorus. Mr. Sankey has a pleasing personal appearance. Though not as large as Mr. Moody, he excels him both as to S3unmetry in form and grace in manner. His hair and eyes are dark ; his countenance is open, genial, expressive, and sometimes, when he is engaged in singing, radiant with joy. The artist has in the accompanying portrait presented truthfully and to the life the features of this charming vocalist, and the auto- graph is copied from a letter in my possession. Without the force, mental or physical, of his fellow- laborer, Mr. Sankey has more of personal beauty, more of culture, and also of that natural suavity which wins the hearts of all who know him. May his life be long continued, and his tongue, tuned to still loftier notes of praise, call, by the power of con- secrated song, yet mightier throngs of people to rejoice in God their Saviour! The following: lines addressed to him were sent tc me by the author for this work : — " Sing on, minstrel, heavenward bearing; Music moves the world from sin; Onward, then, God's truth declaring; Faith and works are bound to win, — 260 LIFE OF IRA DAVID SANKEY. Bound to win in every contest, Though the odds be ne'er so strong ; Truth the firmest, hope the fondest, Cheer thee in thy " gospel song." Drones can never rise to glory. Doomed to perish in the strife ; God ordains it, true the story, ' Workers reap the joys of life.' Sing, then, songs new, sweet, and holy ; Lure the world away from sin ; Lift the burdens from the lowly ; Upward, onward, work and win." BOBERT B. CaVEBLY A SKETCH OF THE LIVES OP MR. P. P. BLISS AND DR. EBEN TOURJEE. LIFE OF P. P. BLISS. THE BIRTH AND EDUCATION OP JIR. BLISS. — HIS MUSIC, WOKK, AND DEATH. — DR. EBEN TOURJlfcE. Birth of Mr. Bliss. — Early Taste for Music. — His Disposition. —Comes to Chicago. — His Wife's Influence over him. — He conducts ^Musical Institutes. — Effect of his Singing on Mr. Moody. — At a Sunday- School Convention. — His Publications. — His Connection with Major Whittle. — A Notice of one of their Meetings. — A Letter. — "The Gospel Songs." — Style of the Music. — Sources of his Hymns. — •• Lower Lights." — " I am so glad." — " Life- Boat." — " More to fol- low." — "Meet me at the Fountain." — Effects of his Music. — An Incident. — His Mission. — Mrs. Bliss. — The Boyalty on "The Gos- pel Hymns and Sacred Songs." — "Gospel Hymns No. 2." — "Wait- ing and Watching." — Singing at Chautauqua. — liemarks on Church Music. — A Letter. — A Prophecy. — Disaster at Ashtabula Bridge. — Death of ^Ir. and ^Irs. Bliss. — Telegrams. — Letter of Condolence. — Memorial Services at Chicago. — Boston. — Notice from " The Trib- une." — Mrs. Bliss. — Personal Traits of Mr. Bliss. — His Monument. — Birth of Dr. Tourj tions are vivid, and his mental combinations rapid, though distinct and clear. With great suavity, and tenderness of feeling, he at tho same time possesses a reserved force equal to any emergency that may arise ; and, if life is spared to him, will make a still higher record in the musical world. The folio vdng incident from his pen, and relating to his beloved mission, carried on now for about ten years, 300 LIFE OF DR. EBEN TOURJEE. will serve as a specimen of his spirit as well as of his style in writing : — • " One Sunday," says Dr. Tourjde, " a man came in to our Sunday school at the Boston North End Mission, drawn by the sweetness of the children's singing. He remained until the close, and came again that evening to our prayer-meeting. When the customary invita- tion to seek the Saviour was given, he came, forward, and found 'peace in believing.' To a few of us who had remained to pray with the penitent seekers he said, ' My friends, I feel that I'm a saved man ; and I oive it to your childrerCs singing " Jesus loves we," this after- noon. I couldn't realize it, I've been such a ii iserable sinner ; but after I went away I thought it over, " Jesus loves me ; " and then I thought of the next line, " The Bible tells me so," and I tried to believe it ; and I came here this evening to get you to pray for me.' He became a regular attendant at the mission, and while with us gave the clearest evidence of a genuine change of heart. "This is but one of very many similar instances of almost weekly occurrence at this mission. This same man soon after felt called by the Holy Spirit to prepare himself for the Christian ministry ; and at present he is regularly occupying a pulpit in Massachusetts, spending much of his time during the week in lecturing upon the evils of intemperance." SACRED SONG IN EVANGELISM. SACKED SONG IN EVANGELISM. THE POWER AND RESULTS OF SACKED SONG IN EVANGELISM - RE]\L\RKS ON THE PSALMODY OF THE CHURCH. General Effect of Music. — Singing in Ancient Times. —St. Augustine. ^Ambrosian and Gregorian Tones. — Luther and the Reformation. — Eicliard Baxter. — Our Forefathers. — Hymns of Wesley. — An Actress. — An Irishman converted by Song. — A Ilymn of Charles TTesley. — Revival Songs. — Contributions to Hymnology. — "W. B. Bradbury, Bliss, Phillips, and other Hyniuists. — Effect of their Songs. — Sankey's Singing. — A Young Girl converted. — A Gentle- man led to Christ. — An Old Man's Saying. — An Infidel. — An Aged Man's Story. — Singing at Glasgow. - -A Highlander. — A Sceptic. — An Incident. — Mr. Baxter, — Isaac R. Diller. — Remarks of "The Moravian." — Dr. Talmage. — ^Maggie Lindsay. — A Touching Death- Scene. — Influehce of the New Style of Music on the Psalmody of the Church. — More of the Gospel Hymns. — Psalms of David. — Gospel Songs. — "Teaching Hymns." — More Singing needed.— Formality in Music. — Design of Church Music. — How far is the Revival Slethod of Singing practicable? — What is requisite? " Teaching and admonishing one another hi psahns and hjTnns and sphitual songs, shiging with grace in your hearts to the Lord." — St. Paitl. " I would begin the music here. And BO my soul should rise ; Oh, for some heavenly notes to beai My spirit to the skies 1 " — Isaac Watts. " Saints below with heart and voice, StiU in songs of praise rejoice ; Learning here, by faitli and love, Songs of praise to sing above." — James Montgobieet. The influence of music on the heart of man is mighty. There is no soirow it maj- not alleviate, no jOS 304 SINGING IN ANCIENT TEVIES. joy it may not exalt. Hence the military commander the dramatist, and the reformer, have in all ages pressed it into service. Its power lies nofc only in imparting immediate pleasure, but also in awakening sweet or grand associations, and in breathing into the soul fresh ardor for the accomplishment of its purposes. The battle-hymns of nations have sometimes roused, more than the words of orators, the spirit of the people ; and, when all other arts have failed, a simple song has sometimes brought back reason to the mind of a distracted king. Since, then, music has such marvellous power, it is not at all surprising that the servants of God have in every age employed it, not only for the expression of grateful praise, but also as a means for propagating the religion they profess Indeed, the singing of psalms, as David tells us, " was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob ; " and he also declares in one of his sweet Ijaics, that when all the people praise God, " then shall the earth yield her increase " (Ps. Ixvii. 6). The disciples of our Saviour sung a hymn at the Last Supper ; and Paul and Silas whiled away the hours of their imprisonment, as many others in bonds have done, by singing the inspiring songs of Israel. The eai-ly Christians understood full well the power cf music, and used it both for consolation and for the advance- ment of the Master's kingdom. "How many tears have I shed," says St. Augustine, " when I heard hymns and canticles sung in the churcb LUTHER AND THE REFORMATION. 305 to tliy praise, O my God! While the so and thereof struck my ears, thy truth entered my heart ; it drew tears from m}" eyes, and made me find comfort and delight in those very tears." St. Ambrose instituted the Ambrosian chant at Milan, " that the people might not languish and pine away with a tedious sorrow ; " and in the fourth century St. Gregory introduced the Gregorian tones into Rome, which on certain occasions are still chanted. During the mediseval ages many Greek and Latin hymns as — " Jeinisalem the golden, With milk and honey blest," — the"Stabat Mater," and "Dies Irse," were written, and sacred song was practised to inspire devotion and to keep alive the embers of religion in the church ; yet it may be noticed that whenever any thing of a revival spirit rose, then with it swelled more fervently the tide of hallowed praise. The great reformation was in part produced by music. Luther knew and confessed its power. " Next unto theology," he said, " I give the place and highest honor unto music." " It is," he also said, " a half-discipline and schoolmistress to make the people gentler, milder, more moral, and wiser." In accordance with this opinion, he introduced new hj-mns and music, such as the Old Hundredth, to be sung congregationally in the reformed churches. The Prot- estant armies sometimes sung this and other grand old chorals on the eve of battle. The Nonconformists of 806 HYMNS OP WESLEY. England, as well as the Covenanters of Scotland, alle •■/iated their burdens and poured forth their praises in psalms and spiritual songs. " Methinks," said the pious Richard Baxter, a celebrated Nonconformist, " when we are singing the praises of God in great assemblies, with joyfid and fervent spirits, I have the liveliest foretaste of heaven upon earth ; and I could almost wish that our voices were loud enough to reach through the world, and to heaven itself. Nothing comforts me more in my greatest sufferings, or seems more fit for me while I wait for death, than singing psalms of praise to God ; nor is there any exercise in which I had rather end my life." Our forefathers appreciated the value of music con- secrated to the service of the Lord: it served to lighten the burdens of life in the wilderness, and give them a foretaste of joys to come. " Amid the storm they sang; And the stars heard, and the sea; And the somiding aisles of the dim woods rang With the anthems of the free. " It is a significant fact, that when, in the days of witch- craft, religion had declined to the lowest point, the singing in the churches also became almost intolerable. The people could execute but three or four tunes, and those only by rote. During the great revivals under the lead of the Wesleys and under the eloquent George Whitefield, sacred music played a conspicuous part. If AN ACTRESS. 307 was then that Charles Wesley produced Lis glorioua hymns, as, " Jesus, lover of my soul," " I know that my Redeemer lives," " Depth of mercy ! can there be ? " and insisted on the use of a livelier style of music, which should not only express the sentiment of the hymn, but also inflame the hearts of the congregation. The effect produced by the singing of these new evan- gelical hymns by large assemblies was sometimes mar- vellous. Many were converted by hearing them, and continued to sing them alone and in their homes until the close of life. An actress one day heard some poor people in a cot- tage singing, — " Depth of mercy 1 can there be Merc J still reserved forme? " — and also a simple prayer which followed it. Her heart was touched, and when first importuned by the mana- ger of the theatre to perform her part, declined to do so, but afterwards consented. When the curtain rose she was to sing a song, and the orchestra began to play the accompaniment ; but she did not appear. It com- menced again, when, coming forward with her eyes suffused with tears, she sung, instead of the appointed song, — •' Depth of mercy 1 can there be Mercy still reserved for me? " — with such effect as to lead some present to consecrate themselves, as she herself had done, to the service of the Lord. 308 HYIVIN OF CHARLES WESLEY. Thousands who cared but little for the spoken word were drawn into the religious meetings just to hear the new and stirring songs of Wesley. Mr. Southey speaks of one instance which he regarded as the most singular case of instantaneous conversion ever recorded. It was in Wexford, Ireland, where, to avoid the violence of the Romaj lists, the worshippers shut themselves up in a barn. In order to open the door to their opponents, an Irish- man c oncealed himself in a bag ; but when the singing commenced, it so delighted him that he decided to remain and hear it through, and after that the prayer. But the service so affected him that he from his place of concealment cried outright. The people then remove I him from the sack, and found in him a real penitent. The preaching of Charles Wesley was indeed effec- tive ; yet his glorious hymns, which have now been ringing round the world for one whole centur}', are a thousand-fold more effective. Every day they bring, by their sweet influence, souls to rejoice in hope of glory. I would rather have written the grand, comforting, and reviving hymn, — " Tesus, lover of my soul, Let me to thy bosom fly," — than to rule a kingdom. Princes die ; their graves are seldom visited : but in that hymn Charles Wesley lives forever, and by it he makes others live who love to scatter flowers upon his resting place. Tlie Wesleys, W. B. BRADBURY. 309 Dr. Watts, Dr. Doddridge, and Mrs. Steelo produced b^ their inspiring strains a new departure in hyranology ; and they still go on singing the gospel songs through the generations. The revival of forty years ago in this country called forth a certain class of new hymns which were set to lively music, and sung with spirtt ; yet many of the lyrics, as, — " Don't you see my Jesus coming ? " — ♦' Now the Saviour stands a-pleading At the sinner's bolted heart," — " When I was down in Egypt land," — are entirely destitute of any poetic merit, and the tunes are secular. But the excellent hymns of Samuel F. Smith, our Lest writer of sacred lyric poetr}^ of Dr. Thomas Hastings, and others, together with the music of Zeuner, Mason, Kiugsley, Hastings, and Webb, soon put to silence what were called " the revival melo- dies." These rich contributions to hymnology and psalmody, in connection with the wealth of hallowed song from Great Britain, especially from the gifted pens of Heber, Lyte, and Montgomery, met for a while the wants of oui evangelical churches. Then William B. Bradbury came, and set the world a little forward by his beautiful songs. He emb dmed many new and sweetly devotional hymns, as Walford's " Sweet Hour of Prayer " and Gilniore's " He Leadeth me," in simple yet heart-moving music which the church holds as a precious legacy. While he sings the 310 EFFECT OF THEIK SONGS. beatific song, the pleasant strains he left us cheei unnumbered pilgrims on their way to join him in the anthems pealing over the " sweet fields of Eden." But the kingdom of our Lord is ever rolling on, and as it rolls demands new men, new measures, and new fiongs. Bliss, Phillips, Lowry, Fischer, Sankey, enter on the stage, and in'^a style unknown before sing songn so fresh, so sweet, so cheerful, and withal so evangelical, as to win the hearts of millions to the Saviour, and to form a new era in the psalmody of the church. Never perhaps in the whole course of Christianity have any songs turned, in so brief a period, so many hearts to seek the Lord, as those of Mr. Bliss ; never perhaps has any voice ever preached the gospel so effectively in song as that of Mr. Sankey. Thousands and thousands of people attribute their conversion to some truth sent into the heart, and made to stay there, by the silver tones of his sympathetic voice. They were drawn, perhaps, to the place of worship by the fame of the "gospel singer." They heard unmoved the fiery appeals, the touching stories, of Mr. Moody ; but the rare tenderness of some strain of the " gospel singer " stola into deep recesses of the soul, awakening it, as the breath of May the flower, to life and beauty. The burst of song that rises grandly from a vast congrega- tion has the general effect of inspiring all with an emotion of sublimity: the voice of one alone comes searching more directly into each individual heart. Mr. Sankey literally sings the gospel. He makes the A YOUNG GIRL CONVERTED. 311 music altogether subservient to the words, and these he enunciates with the utmost clearness. His melo deou sounds more like an ^olian harp than a reed- organ ; and he puts his soul in all its trembling delicacy so entirely into his words, his voice, his instrument, that the effect is wonderfully sweet and winning. vVhen the hearer feels the gospel is thus sung for nothing but to save his soul, how can he find it in his heart to reject the message ? The following incidents revealing the effect of Mr. Sankey's and other singing on the heart, and as instru- mental in producing conviction and conversion during the revivals, both at home and abroad, will undoubt- edly be read with interest, and it is hoped with profit also. A thoughtless young girl, unable to get into -one of the revival meetings in Edinburgh, remained outside ; and hearing Mr. Sankey sing in his own affectionate style, i' I am so glad that Jesus loves me," said, " I cannot sing that," and at the close of the service went in among the inquirers, and became a Christian. A gentleman in the same city was in distress of soul, and happened to linger in a pew after the noon-meet- ing. The choir had remained to practise, and began to sing the song of Mr. Bliss, — " Free from the law, oh, happy condition! Jesus hath bled, and there is remission," — when the Spirit of God entered his soul, and led him to rejoice in the removal of his burden. 312 AN INFIDEL. " Perhaps," says a correspondent, "not a week has passed during the last year, in which we have not had evidence that the Lord had directly used a line of one of these hymns in the salvation of a soul." Mr. Sankey said to a young minister one time, " I am thinking of singing, 'I am so glad,' to-night." — " Oh, no ! " replied the minister : " do rather sing, ' Jesus of Nazareth.' An old man told me to-day that he had been awakened by it the last night you were down. ' It just went through me,' said he, ' like an electric shock.' " " Many of the most thrilling and marked cases of conversion in Scotland," says the Rev. Mr. Pentecost in a communication to me, "have been attributed to the solos sung by Mr. Sankey. I recall two cases. One of them is that of an infidel, a man past middle life, who for years had been zealously engaged in attacking Christianity and propagating infidelity. He came to the meetings to scoff, and to expose, as he said, the ' humbug.' One night Mr. Sankey sung the exquisitely tender hymn, ' Waiting and watching for me ; ' and when he came to the verse, — * There are little ones glancing about in my path, In want of a friend and a guide ; There are dear little eyes looking up into mine, Whose tears might be easily dried. But Jesus may beckon the children away In the midst of their grief and their glee : Will any of them at the beautiful gate Be waiting and watching for me ? ' — AS AGED man's STORY. 313 The memory of an infant's face that once looked up into his, but which had long years ago been ' beckoned away,' came up so vividly, that his heart was melted. That was God's opportunity. The truth entered his soul, and he became one of Mr. Moody's best Christian wojkera." I heard one day a man whose hair was white with more than fifty years rise up and tell the story of his conversion. He was a well-known citizen, a prominent politician, yet had led a somewhat dissipated life. He was present at one of the meetings, and heard Mr. Sankey sing " Jesus of Nazareth passeth by." When the last verse was sung, — " But if you still this call refuse, And all his wondrous love abuse, Soon will he sadly from you turn, Your bitter prayer for pardon spurn ; • Too late, too late 1 ' will be the cry, •Jesus of Nazareth hath passed 6y.' " He said that he had always secretly intended to be a Christian some time before he died ; but with the verse and with the words, — " Jesu3 of Nazareth hath passed by," — the terrible thought came to him, " What if Jesus of Nazareth has passed me by, and it is too late ? " The thought moved his heart. He went home, fell on his knees, sought the mercy of God, and found peace in believing. 314 A SCEI'TIC. Speaking of the first meetings of the evangelists in Glasgow, Dr. Andrew A. Bonar said, " Mr. Sankey's singing began at once to be felt as indeed ' the gospel ' preached by singing ; impressive, melting, as well as most attractive. Is it another of the Lord's many new ■ways, in these last days, of graciously compelling men to come in, — like the Grecian mother's agony of desire, expressing itself in the song that lured her wayward child back from the precipice to safety ? " A wicked young man in a Highland parish was brought to see and abandon the error of his ways by hearing the Rev. W. O. Cushing's simple hymn, — " When he cometh, when he cometh to make up his jewels," — for which the music was written by Mr. George F. Root. While the revivalists were at Manchester, an infidel was converted by hearing Mr. Sankey sing Fanny J. Crosby's fine hymn, — " Safe in the arms of Jesus, Safe on his gentle breast, There by his love o'ershaded, Sweetly my soul shall rest." " I believed," he subsequently said, " only in God and the Devil ; the latter I served well, and sat laughing at the Christians about me, whom I thought to be nothing better than fools." While listening to the song, as touchingly rendered by the singer, a sudden thrill went through his heart. AN INCIDENT. 315 " There is," said lie, " a Saviour. Who is he ? where is he?" It is enough to add that the scoffer found him, and with brightening eye exclaimed, " I will now live and work for Jesus." At a noonday meeting Mrs. Emily S. Oakey's hymn, — " Sowing the seed by the daylight fair," — was given out, when Mr. Sankey rising said, " Before we sing this song, I will tell you one reason why we should sing these hymns ; and that is, God is blessing them to many a poor wanderer who comes to this building night after night. Last week a man who had once occupied a high position in life came into this hall, and sat down. While I was singing this hymn he took out his pass-book, and wrote out these words, — « Sowing the seed of a lingering pain, Sowing the seed of a maddened brain, Sowing the seed of a tarnished name, Sowing the seed of eternal shame ; Oh, what shall the harvest be ? ' Last night that man in the inquiry-room went on his knees, and asked God to break the chain that had dragged him down from such a high position to the lowest of the low. He said he had resolved when he went out of that praise-meeting that he would cease to indulge in the intoxicating cup ; but before he reached home he went into a saloon, and broke his resolution. We prayed for him last night. He is now praying that 316 MB. BAXTER. God may break liis chain. I want you to pray that this brand may be plucked from the burning, and that God may use these gospel hymns to turn the hearts of sinful men." J great many instances of the power of the songs of Mr. Sankey to reach the hearts of men, and turn them to the Saviour, might be presented. At one of the meetings in the Tabernacle in Chicago, Mr. Baxter rose and said that two years ago his mother died, and so intemperate was he then that on his way to notify some neighbors that his mother was dying, he stopped and got drunk. Five weeks ago he came to Chicago from Naperville to put himself in a reformatory institution, and got drunk on the way. He wandered into the Tabernacle one Sunday for rest, being broken down physically and mentally by drink, and heard Mr. Sankey sing, " Waiting and Watching." This set him to thinking about his mother ; and, if there was any word that would touch his hard heart, it was that word " mother." All Sunday night he paced the street, una- ble to think of any thing except of his mother in heaven watching and waiting for him. On Monday he went to FarwoU Hall, and was there converted. He had had nothing but happiness since that. He had found that the blood of Jesus had power to cleanse from all sin. Mr. Isaac R. Diller, a prominent politician, also in another of the meetings rose and made this state- ment, — " I believe no one can be a politician without being REMARKS OF "THE MORAVIAN." 317 tempted to use intoxicating drinks. I found myself, by reason of my associations, going on from bad to worse, and almost breaking the heart of my wife. I have attended these meetings a good deal. The first time I heard Mr. Moody was at the Park-avenue Methodist Church some years ago. When he asked those who were Christians to stand up, I did not rise : now, thanks to God, I know that I am a Christian. The first inti- mation I had from God's Spirit was when I heard Mr. Sankey sing, ' Jesus of Nazareth passeth by.' It was at the Tabernacle ; the hymn came home to me most powerfully, and I began to wonder if Jesus had passed me by. But to-day I can say he has not passed me by. I am here on the Lord's side." Thus, through the potency of truth sweetened by song, the kingdom of God is set onward. " Men untouched," observes " The Moravian," " by any thing that Mr. Moody says, break down under the song-question, ' Oh ! what shall the harvest be ? ' They feel that they cannot face the awful reaping of what they have been sowing ; and they go into the inquiry- rooms to learn how they may see better things. One evening as we sat behind nine or ten thousand people, the words of the hymn were distinctly borne to us over the heads of the multitude, — ' No room, no rooml Oh, woful cry, " No room! " ' And we felt, as we have seldom done, that the day is indeed coming when the door will be shut. 318 DK. TALMAGE. " As the song, ' Scatter seeds of kindness,' is being sung, we watch the faces before us ; and when the words, — ♦ Ah I those little ice-cold fingers, How they point our memories back To the hasty words and actions Strewn along our backward track I ' — sound out, we are startled to see how the arrow goes home. These are but instances of the general po"«er of Mr. Sankey's singing. Scarcely a day passes with- out a letter or a conversation which records a conver- sion through the same song-word, made sharp by the Spirit in the heart of the king's enemies." " I do not know," says Dr. Talmage, " how we shall stand the first day in heaven. Do you not think we shall break down in the song from over-delight ? I once gave out in church the hymn, — * There is a land of pure delight, Where saints immortal reign.' An aged man standing in front of the pulpit sang heartily the first verse, and then he sat down weeping. I said to him afterwards, ' Father Linton, what made you cry over that hymn ? He said, ' I could not stand it, — the joys that are coming.' " Sometimes these precious songs have proved a source of consolation to the sufferer on the dying bed. In the touching services held in the Free Assembly Hall, Edin- burgh, on the last night of the year 1873, Miss Maggie MAGGIE LINDSAY. 319 Lindsay, an interesting young lady of seventeen years, was converted ; and on the twenty-seventh day of Jan- uary, 1874, she was fatally injured by the wreck of a train near Linlithgow. She was reading, when the accident occurred, the hymn-book of Mv. Sankey ; and there was a leaf turned down at her favorite hymn, " The Gates Ajar," by Mrs. Elizabeth Baxter, — " There is a gate that stands ajar, And, through its portals gleaming, A radiance from the cross afar, The Saviour's love revealing." (( At one time," says the minister who attended her iu her dying hours, " when we thought she had fallen into a sleep eagerly wished and prayed for by us, we moved away out of her sight ; but in a few minutes we heard her in low, gentle tones, singing to herself the words, — ♦ Nothing either great or small Remains for me to do: Jesus died, and paid it all, — All the debt I owe.* (( She also sung, before she fell asleep in Jesus, Mr. Sankey's hymn, ' For me, for me.' " A aother very touching account is given by an Eng- liih (vriter, of the dying hours of a girl about ten years old, who was greatly pleased with the h3'mns of Mr. Sankey. " Oh, how I love," said she, " those dear hymns I" naming especially that by Fanny J. Crosby, — - 320 A TOUCHING DEATH-SCENji. " Safe in the arms of Jesus, Safe on his gentle breast." " ' Wlieu I am gone,' said she, ' mother, will yoii ask the girls of the school to sing the hymn, — ♦ Ring the bells of heaven ! there is joy to-day For a soul returning from the wild; See, the Father meets him out upon the way, Welcoming his weary, wandering child.' " The night before her death she said, ' Dear father and mother, I hope I shall meet you in heaven. I am so happy, mother! You cannot think how light and happy I feel.' Again, ' Perhaps Jesus may send me to fetch some of my brothers and sisters : I hope he will send me to fetch you^ mother.' " Half an hour before her departure she exclaimed, ' mother, hark at the hells of heaven! they are ring- ing so beautifully I ' " Then closing her eyes a while, presently she cried again, ' Hearken to the harps ! they are most splendid. Oh, I wish you could hear them ! ' " Then shortly after she spoke again, — " ' O mother I I see the Lord Jesus and the angels ! Oh, if you could see them too I He is sending one to fetch me ! ' " She had been counting the hours and minutes since she had heard the mill-bell at half-past one, p.m., long- ing so earnestly to depart, yet expressed a hope she might see her dear father (then absent at work) before she went. INFLUENCE OF THE NEW STTLE OF MUSIC. 321 " At last, just five minutes or so before her expiring breath, she said, — '"Oh mother! lift me up from the pillow, — Mgh^ high up ! Oh, I wish you could lift me right up into heaven ! ' Then, almost immediately after, — as doubt- less conscious that the parting moment was at hand, — 'Put me down again, — down quick!' Then calmly, brightly, joyously, gazing upward, as at some vision of surprising beauty, she peacefully, sweetl}', triumphantly breathed forth her precious spu-it into the arms of the ministering angel whom Jesus had sent to fetch her ; and so was forever with the Lord she loved." But what effect, it may now be asked, is this new style of hymns and music to have on the service of song in our churches ? It may perhaps be safely said in reply, that it will be the means of introducing into it more of Christ and his precious gospel. The Psalms of David are indeed most excellent and dear to every Christian heart ; but it must not be forgotten that they were written under the old dispensation. I have in mind an aged Christian who will tolerate nothing but the psalms and hymns of Dr. Watts ; overlooking the fact that David had the thoughts and spirit of the old di?^JC isation, and perhaps not knowing that Dr. Watts has given us nothing more than a loose para- phrase of the Psalms. Some of them are minatory, and inapplicable to tlie times in which we live. In his version Dr. Watts infused into them as much of hristology as he dared to do ; and for it was severely 322 GOSPEL SONGS. criticised by the rigid Hebraists of his day; but the churches wanted Christ, and so acceiited, against much opposition, the new paraphrase. In every fresh revival more of Christ was wanted, and the Psalms by slow degrees gave way to hymns founded on some passage of the gospel. It is interesting to observe that from the day of Watts down to " The Songs for the Sanctuary," the church hymn-books, both in England and America, present in less and less proportion versions of the Psalms of David. The revival hymn-book of that earnest and successful Christian armor-bearer, the Rev. A. B. Earle, does not contain a single psalm ; and I am not aware that more than one or two are ever sung in the Moody and Sankey meetings. The reason is that Christ and him crucified is the grand central theme of Christian song ; and David had but dim foreshadowings of his Avork or power. As the Church advances on its conquering way, it will turn more and more to Jesus as its king and counsellor, and will consequently demand more and more of him in its song. One result, then, of the new departure in hymnology will be to introduce still more of the new, instead of the old dispensation, into the worshipping assemblies. But has the gospel scope and variety enough to sup- ply the church with song ? Dr. Johnson intimates in his unfair life of Dr. Watts, that, from the paucity of the topics, no one can excel in sacred lyric poetry. He had not sounded the depths of that word " grace." In its relations to man, as a sinner, as a Christian, and aa "TEACHING HYMNS." 323 au heir of immortality, the gospel gives unnumbered topics to the sacred poet's pen. The redeeming love of Jesus is a sea without a bottom or a shore. Some of the grandest lyrics written since the days of Dr. John- son have been inspired by the advent, work, and. death of Jesus Christ. Cowper, Heber, Lyte, Montgomery, Kelly, Smith, Hastings, Bonar, Palmer, Crosby, Adams, ind Bliss have proved by their precious hymns that the subjects clustering round the cross are inexhaustible, and adapted also to the higher demands of poetry. But nobler strains are yet to come, and the Church will wisely press them into its service of song. This new style of singing may bring into the sabbath services of the church more of what are called teach- ing^ in contradistinction to praising hymns. We have already, in our church manuals of song, many didactic hymns, or such as convey some knowledge of doctrine ; but they are often so spiritless and prosaic, as to pro- duce but little or no impression on a congregation. There are needed in our public service hymns that in the way of a story, or of illustration, teach some gospel truth, or enforce some religious duty. Let a congrega- tion drawl out the words to some such heavy minor tme as " Burford," — " Naked as from the earth I came, And crept to life at first," — and then break into the stirring song that tells and teaches something heartily, — 324 FOEMALITY LN MUSIC. ** Ho, my comrades! see the signal "Waving in the sky," — and the spiiit of the people changes instaiitlj' from torpor into joy. Such songs as " Hold the Fort " might not be always appropriate ; but could they not, indeed T/ilJ they not, occasionally come in between the Psalm of David and the dull didactic hymn, to arouse, if nothing more, the audience from its somnolence ? Why should the sabbath school and the revival meetings have all the best of the music ? Such, then, again, is the wonderful effect of this new stjde of sacred song in the conversion of sinners, that it will doubtless be the means of bringing more of sing- ing, and that congregationally, into our public worship. As a rule we sing too little in our sabbath services. "Worship is in form threefold or triplicate. It consists in preaching, praying, singing ; but the people join actively only in the last-named service. Since, then, it may be so effective, since it may combine prayer and to some extent preaching also, should not more of time be devoted to its practice ? Will not the marvellous results of the singing of the modern revivalists, as well as of the " Service of Praise " introduced by Dr. Tour- jde, have a tendency to lead the people to demand more of song in stated worship in the sanctuary ? So again (and here will be the greatest benefit), the singing of Mr. Sankey and other revivalists m&y tend to break up in some degree the cold formality, which ia indeed but solemn mocker}', that prevails to a lament- DESIGN OF CHURCH MUSIC. 325 able extent in this part of worship in the house of God. The end of church music is to lead sinners to Jesus, to quicken the spirit of devotion, and to glorify God. But in too many instances the singers perform their parts to glorify themselves. Sitting far apart from the minister, and having but little sympathj'- wilh him or his preach- ing, they but too often spend the time he occupies, in looking over books, or in listless inattention : they sing expressly for a musical effect, and nothing more, except for the pay which they receive. Now, this is simply sacrilege ; but the people encourage it, the churches tolerate it, and hence one source of their spiritual weak- ness. The objective end of the singing of the revival- ists, and of their hymns also, is the conversion 'of souls and the glory of God. Hence the rich fruits that follow. The people see this, know this, feel this ; and hence we may be sure that a kind of revolution in our church psalmody is at hand, and that music will be made ere long to fulfil its grand mission for the advance- ment of the Redeemer's kingdom. But can the methods of the revivalists in song be practised and sustained in the churches ? Perhaps not. A Sankey is not found in every congregation ; solo and chorus cannot always be performed ; and it is strictly Biblical that psalms and hymns, as well as what are called revival melodies, should be sung, — just as St. Paul says, " teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs." But the people can sing congregationally ; the children can blend their 326 WHAT IS REQUISITE? sweet voices with them if the sabbath-school pieces are sometimes brought forward ; the choir can sing to lead and teach and praise ; and the whole, as the apostle beautifully enjoins, can sing with " grace " in the heart *' to the Lord." This is the perfection of praise. So whetk^r we sing the mighty psalm, — ♦' Before Jehovah's awful throne, Ye nations, bow with sacred joy : Know that the Lord is God alone; He can create, and he destroy," — or the tender hymn, — " There is a fountain fiUed with blood Drawn from Immauuel's veins ; And sinners, plunged beneath that flood. Lose all their guilty stains," — or the spiritual song, — " Ring the bells of heaven : there is joy to-day, For a soul returning from the wild ; See, the Father meets him out upon the way, Welcoming his weary, wandering child," — we are still exalting our Redeemer's name, extending his dominion over this sinful world, and training oui voices for that fair song-home, — •* Where the saints of all ages in harmony meet. Their Saviour and brethren transported to greet ; While the anthems of rapture unceasingly roll, And the smile of the Lord is the life of the soul." ILLUSTRATIONS OF MR. MOODY. ILLUSTRATIONS OF MR. MOODY. CHOICE SAYINGS, INCIDENTS, STORIES, AND ILLUSTRATIONS OF MR jrOODY, Christ Conquering. —The Net. — Realities. — God here. — Feeling.— Jesus. — Mysteries. — Knowledge. — Purgatory. — The Blood. — Feeling and Faith. — Morality. — Consequential People. — The Devil yi Church. — Down Grade. — Thankfulness. — Judas. — Nearness to God. — Book of Wonders. — Strength. —Juniper-Tree. — Keasou for Faith. — Lost. — Faitli. — Three Steps. — Garibaldi. — Laziness. — Wesley. — Bravery. — Ilushlight. — Dead Sea. — Adversity. — "Work- ers. — Missing Stone. — A Smile. — Conversion. — RoU-CalL — Light. — Prairie on Fire. — Love. — Not Me. — Duty. — A Lie. — Your Life. — Law. —The Earth. — The Law. — ISIan a Failure. — Chain and All. — Scarlet Thread. — A Resolve. — Infidel. — A Substitute. — The Crown. —The Surgeon. — " Blazing." — The Soul. — Burden-Bearer. — God and the World. — The Shadow. — God's Love. — Now. — Life- Boat. -Heart and Head. —The Rescue. —A Lady Converted.- Belief. —Norwegian Boy. — The Worm. — A Want. —The Bible. — Not Enough of Them. — One in Christ. — Money. —Higher Qi*. — Sympathy. — The Check. — Silence in Heaven. — Eleventh Hour. — Prayer. — Enthusiasm. — A Line. — A Scotch Woman. — Trust. — Pride. —The Bible. — Run upon the Banks. " The heart of the wise teacbeUi his mouth, and addeth learning to his Ufa" — Solomon. " Sometimes he tells them stories and sayings of others, according as his text hivites him ; for them also men heed and remember better than exhortations." — George Herbert. Christ Conquering. — It is said of Julian the Apostate in Rome, that, when he was trying to stamp 329 330 THE NET. out Christianity, lie was pierced iu the side by an arrow. lie pulled the aiTow out, and, taking a handful of blood as it flowed from the wound, threw it into the ai: shouting, " Thou Galilean, thou hast conquered I " Caught in the Gospel Net. — A man told me the other day that he came to see the chairs. He said he heard there were ten thousand chairs all in one hall, and he thought they must look so strange. He had a curiosity to see them. Thank God, that man got caught in the gospel net that very night ! and I hope some others that came just out of curiosity this even- ing will get caught with the old gospel net. Realities. — I believe heaven is a city quite as real as London is. What we want is, to make heaven real, and hell real, and God real, and Christ real, and live as if we behoved these things to be real. God is heee. — We have abundant manifestation that his influence from heaven is felt among us. He is not in person among us, only in spirit. The sun is ninety-five million miles from the earth, yet we feel its rays. God has a dwelling-place, God has a home, God has a throne. Feeling nothing to do with Believing. — A great many are sajang, " Do you feel this and that ? Do you feel, do you feel, do you feel ? " God does not BIBLE MYSTERIES. 331 want you to feel : he tells you to belie\ e. He says, " When I see the blood I will pass over ; " and, if you are sheltered behind the blood, you are perfectly safe and secure. Suppose I say to a man, " Do you feel thiX:.A.>:Cy>