FROM THE LIBRARY OF REV. LOUIS FITZGERALD BENSON. D. D. BEQUEATHED BY HIM TO THE LIBRARY OF PRINCETON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY Section /r? Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012 with funding from Princeton Theological Seminary Library http://archive.org/details/moodysankOOhall THE AMERICAN EVANGELISTS, D. L. MOODY AND IRA D. SANKEY, IX GKEAT BKITAIN AND IKELAND. JOHN HALL, D.D., NEW YORK, AND GEORGE H. STUART. PHILADELPHIA. NEW YORK: DODD & MEAD, PUBLISHERS, 762 Broadway. Copyright, Dodd & Mead. 1875. PEEFATOEY NOTE. That the present religious movement in Great Britain, which it has pleased God to further through the American evangelists, is entitled to adequate and permanent record in book-form on this continent, no one can doubt, to whom its extent and character are known. If any apology is needed for the editors in under- taking this work, it will be found in their personal knowledge of Messrs. Moody and Sankey, deep inter- est in the scenes of their Christian labors, and acquaintance with the " brethren beloved " who have stood by them, co-operated in their efforts, and borne cheerful testimony to the moral and spiritual results. In the reports, from whence the following pages have been compiled and arranged, there is much descriptive eulogy of the men whom God has used for spreading His truth. This has been uniformly omitted, in the firm belief that Christian readers, like the evangelists themselves, desire that man should be of little account, and that God should be all in all. The methods of operation are detailed without the 10* PBEFA TOR Y NOTE. expression of opinion, favorable or unfavorable. Many forms of Christian work are determined by Christian wisdom, and the conditions of society ; and men's views of plans are largely influenced by habits of thought, education, and general church-life. On these topics, and on the place and work of the evan- gelist our readers are commonly as competent to form a judgment as are the editors ; and our care has been to give a clear, colorless, and continuous view of the facts. "We do not pronounce, and we do not predict. The main considerations, we venture to think, are that substantial truth is being held forth, and that the Spirit of God is blessing it, as evidenced by spiritual results. So far as it appears, with the exception of an occasional word respecting the coming of our Lord, there has been no expression of view out of har- mony with the truths most surely believed among us; as indeed may be inferred from the cordial approval given to Mr. Moody's teaching by University and Theological Professors in Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Aberdeen ; in Trinity College, Dublin, and in Bel- fast ; by more than one Bishop of the Irish Church, and by the most trusted ministers of all evangelical denominations in England, Scotland, and Ireland. PREFATORY NOTE. It has always been admitted that the best evidence of facts is their uncontradicted publication by reliable men, at the time and place of occurrence. This evi- dence we have sought to present, availing ourselves of the published communications of Christian men, such as Drs. Arnot and Blaikie of Edinburgh, Kirk- patrick of Dublin, Rev. R. W. Dale of Manchester, C. H. Spurgeon of London, Dr. Lowe of Liverpool, Lord Radstock, Reginald Radcliffe Esquire, and others in whom the Churches of Christ, on both sides of the Atlantic, justly repose confidence. Partly from the desire to condense, and partly from the effort to present the facts as they have been reported by eye-witnesses, the narrative is rapid in movement, and sometimes abrupt in its transitions. Quotation-marks might have been employed in places where they do not appear, because, though the sub- stance of communications is given, there is so much necessary abbreviation that it would hardly be just to the writers to make them responsible for the more curt phraseology we have found necessary in a volume of the extent which we desired to produce. The order followed is of the simplest kind : Who are these men \ How did they come to the front, in 6 PREFATORY NOTE. America ? How did they enter Great Britain % What has been their progress ? What did they teach ? What are the results ? These questions we have sought to answer ; and as to the vital matter, the truths set forth, we give several of Mr. Moody's addresses, as condensed in various journals, to speak for themselves. They occupy over sixty pages of this book, and give to it a peculiar interest. One striking and important feature of Mr. Moody's operations we feel it right to emphasize — the co-opera- tion of the ministers uniformly sought and secured. So rigid is his rule on this point that he declined a visit to Sheffield, until substantial unity was secured in an invitation from the evangelical ministers of the town. On the same principle, meetings are not held at the usual hours of divine service, unless in the judgment of the local ministers* they are desirable. He has always felt that it is mischievous in the highest degree for occasional laborers, however admirable and useful to weaken the hands of the stated ministry, on whose efforts the systematic and permanent instruction of * It may be proper to say, that in England, by the clergy is understood the ministry of the Episcopal Church. This will explain the apparent solecism, " The clergy, and ministers." PRE FA TOR Y NOTE. the people must, under God, depend. To this wise policy — the same pursued by Nettleton in this coun- try — has been due in a large degree the blessed unity of action, and may we not add, the large spiritual success, vouchsafed. If anything is fitted to mar a spiritual work, it is surely vituperation of its pledged friends and supporters. That opposition to this movement has appeared is known to all, though its amount has been far below what might have been expected. It has come from three quarters : those to whom all spiritual religion is fanaticism; those who can only conceive of true work within their own ecclesiastical lines ; and those who have either looked at it from a distance, or formed their estimate of it from unfavorable critics. The first class learns nothing ; the second learns slowly ; and to the third good men can only say, "Come and see." That the interest shown in mass-meetings and by eager crowds where the evangelists have been present should continue, is not to be expected in the nature of things. Only the most superficial will consider the results on this account evanescent. Sunshine, dews, and rains that water the earth, are evanescent in the same sense. The mightiest movements advance, PREFATORY XOTE. en enough, as does the tide ; each successive wave, though refluent in a degree, rising higher on the beach than did its predecessor. This wave, whose prog hing, has carried light and love where certainly they had not gone in our time: and, as t; report of what God does in one region has often raised inquiry, hope, and effort in another, are not without the expectation that the record of progress in our mother-countries may stimulate zeal and effort on this continent, where the children enjoy a no less free Christian life, and where thought and feeling travel no Jess rapidly. Humbly beseeching Almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, whose Gospel we count the means in the hands of the Holy Ghost of all true life and progress, to further J I is work by this lowly in- strumentality, we respectfully dedicate this volume to the ministers of the Gospel, to the Sabbath-school teachers, to earnest laborers with tongue, and pen, and purse, who pray and toil that this fair America may ho a-, the garden of the Lord, and her people a "righteous nation that keepeth the truth." THE EDITOKS. The American Evangelists. CHAPTER I. THE INSTRUMENTS EMPLOYED. MESSES. MOODY AND BANKET.* Mb. D. L. Moody was born in the year 1837 in one of the Xew England States, in the district which was the scene of the great awakening, under Jonathan Edwards, about a hundred years before. He was brought up a Unitarian, and had not even heard the gospel of the grace of God till he was about seventeen years of age. Going, about that time, to Boston, to be trained for business in the establishment of an uncle, he one day went into the church of the late Dr. Kirk. There, for the first time, he listened to an evangeli- cal sermon. It had the effect of making him uncom- fortable, and he resolved not to go back. He felt * Abridged from The British Evangelist, edited by Rev. W. Reid M. A., and Rev. W. P. Mackay, M. A 1* 10 WORK IN CHICAGO. that his heart had been laid bare, and he wondered who had told the preacher about him. Something, however, induced him to go back next Sunday, and the impression was renewed. A Sunday-school teach- er, in whose class he had been, having come to see him and ask for him at his place of business, he opened up his mind to him, and he was enabled to enter into peace and joy in believing. JSTot very long after this Mr. Moody left Boston and proceeded to Chicago, where he entered into business for himself. Being full of the desire to be useful, he went into a Sunda3 r -school, and asked the superintendent if he would give him a class. In this school there were twelve teachers and sixteen pu- pils ; and the answer to his application was that if he could gather a class for himself he would be allowed to teach them. Mr. Moody went out to the streets and, by personal application, succeeded in bringing in a score of boys. He enjoyed so much the work of bringing in recruits, that instead of teaching the class himself, he handed it over to another teacher, and so on until he had filled the school. Then he began to entertain the notion of having a school of his own. He went to work in a neglected part of the city, where SEE VICE OF SONG. 1 1 Roman Catholics and Germans abounded. Mr. Moody saw that, to succeed in such a population, a school must be exceedingly lively and attractive, and as he observed that the Germans made constant use of music in their meetings, he was led to consider whether music might not be employed somewhat prominently in the service of Christ. Not being himself a singer, he got a friend who could sing to help him, and for the first few evenings the time was spent between singing hymns and telling stories to the children, so as to awaken their interest and induce them to return. A hold having in this way been established, the school was divided into classes, and conducted in the usual way. This school became the basis of wider operations. After a time a lively interest in divine things began to appear among the children. This led to the hold- ing of meetings every night, and to the offering of prayers and delivery of addresses suitable to the cir- cumstances of the children. These meetings began to be attended also by the parents, some of whom shared the blessing. Some of those young persons who were converted at this time remain to the pres- ent day the most valuable and active coadjutors in 12 FIELD DETERMINED. the work with which Mr. Moody is associated in Chi- cago. In most cases neither the children nor their parents had hitherto been connected with any Chris- tian Church. Mr. Moody began to find himself con- strained to supply them with spiritual food. At first he encouraged them to connect themselves with other congregations. But it was found that in these they were next to lost or swallowed up ; they felt them- selves strangers, sometimes unwelcome strangers, while they lost all the benefit of neighborhood, mutual in- terest, and combination in the worship of God. Gradually, therefore, Mr. Moody felt shut up to tak- ing charge of them, and supplying them with Chris- tian instruction. Both school and church continued to increase, the school amounting to about a thou- sand, and suitable buildings were erected through the liberality of friends. Mr. Moody bad by this time given up business, so that he might be free to give his whole time and attention to the work. As he felt himself called by the Lord to this step, he re- solved to decline all salary or allowance from any quarter, and trust for his maintenance solely to what it might be put into the hearts of God's people to contribute. Being quite destitute of private means, THE CHRISTIAN COMMISSION. 13 this resolution showed that his faith in a divine call to give himself to Christian work was capable of bearing a great strain. At the same time, while adopting this course for himself, he has never pressed it upon others, unless they should clearly see it to be their duty. And while believing himself called to a kind of supplementary work in the ministry, he is very far from prescribing the same role to others. On the contrary, he is the steady friend of a regular ministry, being fully persuaded that in "ordaining elders in every city," the apostles meant to set up the permanent platform of the Christian Church. Mr. Moody had acquired a position of much influence in the United States in connection with Sunday-school and mission work, when the war broke out between North and South. This led to a new turn being given to his labors. There was a large camp in the neighborhood of Chicago, to which he gave much attention, going there night after night and striving to bring the soldiers under the influence of Divine Grace. When the Christian Commission was organized he was presi- dent of the Executive branch for Chicago, and nine different times he went to one or other of the scenes of warfare, remaining some weeks and working with 14 TEE YOUNG MEN all his might. These services with the army were of no little use, not only in producing direct fruit, but also iu developing that prompt and urgent method of dealing with men, which is still so conspicuous a fea- ture of his mode of address. With wounded men, hovering between life and death, or with men in march, resting for an evening in some place which they were to leave to-morrow, it was plainly, so far at least as he was concerned, the alternative of " now or never;" and as he could not allow himself or allow them to be satisfied with the " never," he bent his whole energies to the " now." Mr. Moody's labors in the army were often much blessed. Of all his campaigns of this kind there was none on which he looked back with more pleasure than that in the State of Tennessee, in connection with troops under the command of General Howard. That General being in the fullest sympathy with Mr. Moody, their work together was very earnest and much blessed. The war being ended, Mr. Moody had more time to develop his work in Chicago. To set others to work in the vineyard had long been one of his chief aims, and by means of the Young Men's Christian CHICAGO FIRE. 15 Association, in which he took a great interest, he was highly successful. The hall of the association became one of the stated scenes of his own labors. The asso- ciation was very unfortunate in the matter of fires — its first building having been burnt down in 1867, and its second in the great fire of Chicago, in 1871. Mr. Moody was accustomed to preach to his own people in the morning, to superintend a Sunday- school of about a thousand in the afternoon, and to preach again in the evening in the hall of the Young Men's Association. In October, 1871, occurred the terrible fire which destroyed a great part of Chicago. Mr. Moody and his wife and two children were roused in the middle of the night to find the fierce fire approaching their dwelling, and, leaving the house and household gear to their fate (all the property he possessed) had to hurry along to seek shelter in the houses of friends. In one month after the fire a temporary erection for mission purposes was completed ! No small ener- gy must have been required to accomplish this, amid the confusion, the bustle, and the variety of things that had to be attended to. But reared the wooden building was, and it has served the purpose of church 16 NEW BUILDING. and school till now, when a new and substantial build- ing is sufficiently advanced to allow the basement story to be used for public services. It was shortly before the fire that Mr. Sankey began to work along with Mr. Moody, who, hap- pening on some public occasion to sit near him, was attracted by his beautiful voice. The thought struck him that Mr. Sankey would be a valuable assistant to him in many ways — in the Sunday-school, in the church, and in the training of the Young Men's Christian Association. He accordingly entered into an engagement with him to help him in his work by conducting " The Service of Song." Mr. Moody has always been eager to secure music — and especially good music — as an aid in preaching the Gospel. "When things had settled down after the Chicago fire, Mr. Moody began to think of permanent premises for his school and church. A suitable site was secured, and it was resolved to proceed with the erection of a large and commodious building, which, besides accom- modation for the schools, will have a hall or church, containing sittings for 2,500. A little while ago it seemed likely that the whole sum necessary would be provided, but the general collapse in business de- IRA D. SANKEY. 17 prived the enterprise of some of the expected contri- butions. The immediate cause of his visit to Great Britain was an invitation by two gentlemen — Mr. Penne- father of London, and Mr. Bainbridge of Xewcastle. It was a singular circumstance that both these gentle- men died before or about the time of his arrival. In regard to the spiritual superintendence of the con- gregation, it is supplied in a large measure by mem- bers of the flock, with occasional help from other pastors. Mr. Moody trains his people to be indepen- dent in fact, as they are Independent in name. It may be stated, however, that in one respect the con- gregation is Presbyterian ; it is governed by a session, not by the whole membership. MR. SAXKEY. Mr. Ira D. Sankey was born at Edinburg, in the State of Pennsylvania, U. S., in the year 1S40. He possessed the advantage of pious parents, so that, like Timothy, "from a child he knew the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make us wise unto sal- 18 CONVERSION. vation," and in his case the truth of the text was exemplified, " Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." Although so religiously educated, it was not until the year 1856 that he experienced that saving change of heart, the new birth, which can alone constitute us members of Christ. In his earlier years he had not been without the strivings of the Holy Spirit, which at such times as the death of relatives, the conversion of companions, or at seasons of religious revivals, often visit the hearts of the unconverted. The circumstances under which he was brought to Christ were as follows : — "With some young com- panions he attended a series of special meetings held in a little country chapel, three miles from his father's home, and while sitting in a state of heed- lessness and levity, the Spirit of God put it into -the heart of an old elder of the church to go and speak to him about his soul. Evening after evening the old man would search him out after the sermon, and plead with him to give his heart and consecrate his life to Jesus. Fear of what his young associates would say kept him long from coming to the Cross of Christ. But at last, after a struggle, lasting ONE TALE XT." 19 seven days, the experienced elder led him to Jesns. He early displayed a taste for sacred music, and took an active part, after his conversion, in pro- moting the efficient training of Sunday-school chil- dren in the singing of hymns, and as soon as he became a Church member, he was invited to conduct the service of praise. In this department of Christian usefulness, together with superintending the Sabbath- school of his Church, and working in the Young Men's Christian Associations of his State, he devel- oped his present power of rendering sacred song. Before meeting Mr. Moody, much of his time was devoted to conducting " Evenings of Sacred Song," and leading the singing at large Sunday-School Insti- tutes, and Christian Conventions. It was at a Xational Convention of Young Men's Christian Associations in Indianapolis, Indiana, that Mr. Moody was struck by his voice ; and, as, on further acquaintance, they found each other's views and desires in regard to energetic mission work iden- tical in aim and spirit, they agreed to labor unitedly in evangelistic services. For two or three years they worked together in con- 20 TEACHING IN SONG. ducting meetings at Chicago, as their headquarters, besides occasionally visiting other towns and cities, such as Philadelphia, Pittsburg, and Springfield. Mr. Sankey is fully persuaded that his mission is to stimulate and encourage the service of singing in religious worship. He is a strong advocate of good hearty congregational singing ; and approves of a large Christian Choir to lead, but not to monopolize the service of praise. In regard to the solo singing, Mr. Sankey, in sing- ing alone, does not propose to substitute this for wor- ship or praise, any more than the minister does when he preaches a sermon. But his aim is to speak to men in hymns and " Spiritual songs," admonishing them that Jesus of Nazareth is passing by. The rnelodeon and songs of Mr. Sankey have played an important part in the revival. As a means of awakening the people, they have been most effectual. Many who would not have gone to hear the preacher, have been drawn into meetings by reports of the sweet singing ; and nothing can exceed the impression pro- duced, after some stirring address by Mr. Moody, by the sweet voice and clear enunciation of Mr. Sankey taking up and enforcing the same theme in song. CHAPTER II. INTRODUCTION TO ENGLAND. IX YORK. Ox Sunday rooming, June 22d, 1873, Mr. Moody preached in Salem Congregational Chapel to Chris- tian workers ; in the afternoon, in the Corn Ex- change, to about one thousand persons ; and in the evening in Wesley Chapel. Many were impressed and some brought to trust in the Saviour. Every evening the following week, Bible lectures were de- livered in various chapels, each service appearing to awaken souls, but especially to quicken believers. On Sabbath-day, June 29th, Mr. Moody preached in two other chapels, and also twice in the Corn Exchange to audiences numbering about one thou- sand each. Every week-evening service was pre- ceded by a service of song by Mr. Sankey. Prayer- meetings were held every noon at the rooms of the Young Men's Christian Association, and many there offered themselves and others for the prayers of God's people. 22 IN SUNDERLAND. The congregations were from the first increasingly large: all denominations opened their chapels and gave their presence and help, various of the clergy also heartily bidding them " God speed." * From York they proceeded, during the month of July, to Sunderland, and commenced their labors in the Victoria Hall, a place capable of holding about three thousand souls. The evening meeting was a large one, and very successful. At the close of the meeting, a large number ad- journed to Bethesda Chapel (Rev. A. A. Rees) ; much prayer was offered up, and many anxious souls were pointed to Jesus, several finding ever- lasting life through His precious blood. The meet- ings continued every night for a week, and at all the meetings souls were awakened, and some at all the meetings found peace. On Sunday (July 27), they were again at the Yictoria Hall. In the evening the attendance was enormous, every seat being occupied, and the aisle and the lobbies crowded ; upwards of three thousand souls were present. The audience was very deeply impressed. An adjournment was then made (as be- * Reported by Geo. Bennett, Sec. York Y. M. C. A. NEWCASTLE-ON-TTXE. 23 fore) to Bethesda Chapel. Here a very touching scene occurred. A. young man, who had long back- slidden, came up the aisle to his father and mother, who are godly persons. He first put his arms round his fathers neck, and kissed him, asking his forgive- ness with many tears ; then kissing his mother, and asking her forgiveness ; afterwards kissing his younger brother. Several other backsliders returned to the Lord, giving hope that their repentance is truly the Lord's work. Newcastle, built, as its name implies, on the river Tyne, is a thriving, populous town, in which the coal and iron give employment to great multitudes of operatives. It was now approached. The minister of the John Knox Presbyterian Church, in JS~ewcastle-on-Tyne, among many others, placed his church-building at the disposal of the Evangelists. Good meetings had been held in the Baptist Church edifice here, Mr. Skerry co-operating heartily. We shall allow the minister of the John Knox church to give his impressions of the work up to 9th September, 1873 : w For some time before the meeting commenced, the church was densely crowded in every part, in- 24: INQ TJIR Y-MEETINOS. eluding aisles, stairs, and side rooms, with persons of all sects, from town and country, while many were obliged to go away who could not obtain admittance. I have not witnessed such proofs of the Holy Spirit's saving power for several years. Mr. Sankey was at North Shields, where an interest in spiritual things has been awakened in the hearts of many, Mr. Moody preached. 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. The impression produced was too deep and true to show itself in violent ebullitions of feeling. The dense mass seemed at every point the subject of intense solemnity and awe. " A large mass of people waited for the second meeting, and seemed quite unwilling to go away. Many convicted ones were prevailed on afterwards to retire to the vestry, where Christian friends were in readiness to point them to the Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world ; others received instruction in the pews of the church. All that were addressed personally retired, so far as I could see, rejoicing in God their Saviour. " This town has not been blessed in the same man- BY ANY MEANS." 25 ner since I knew it, and for many years before that, according to the testimony of older inhabitants who are quite competent to judge. What amount of fruit will remain we must wait to see, but for present tilings God's people have very abundant reason to thank God and to take courage." Special addresses to Christians, a sermon in the " Friends' meeting-house," at the request of members who had been deeply impressed ; meetings at Gates- head for those whose salvation was a matter of deep concern to their relatives; addresses to the factory workmen in the Tyne Theatre at their own request, formed some of the means employed in this great northern center, and on which the Divine blessing richly rested. As many as thirty-four meetings were arranged for one week, and the interest in the noon-prayer meeting was unprecedented. Let the following incident, reported by Mr. Henry Moorhouse, illustrate the feeling among the poor and needy : A gentleman passing down a street in Gateshead heard some one knocking at the window of a cottage. He stopped and a respectable woman came to the 2 26 HOPING GREAT THINGS. door, and said : " Come in ! " He said he could not then, as he was going to a meeting. " Oh, sir, for God's sake come in, and tell me something about Jesus, for I am wretched." " What is the matter? " said my friend. She said, " I am lost ; oh tell me what I must do to be saved. I have been standing at my window all the day to see if a Christian would come along, and if it had only been a beggar who loved the Saviour, I would have called him in." She had been at a meeting a week before, and had been in a miserable state ever since. A Christian lady called to see her and told her about the love of Jesus. She trusted, and was saved. " I saw her to-day," said the speaker, " as happy and bright as possible." At so early a date as October, 1873, Mr. Moody had faith enough to lead him to say to the daily prayer-meeting, at which nearly nine hundred Chris- tians of all ranks were present, that they were on the eve of a great work, which might cover Britain, and make itself felt in America. God would bless them, were they willing to let His Spirit work through them, and to place their influence wholly at His disposal. The daily prayer-meeting must be maintained DAILY PRAYER-MEETING. 27 and cherished if directly evangelistic efforts are to be wisely conducted, and be accompanied with a stream of true life. To his own soul the daily prayer-meetings in America had been a source of unspeakable blessing — nay, had done more to re- fresh and fit him for evangelistic enterprise than all other means of grace put together. The prayer- meetings in his own city had kept his soul on edge from the date of its commencement, fifteen years ago, to the present time. " Why," said our friend, " may the fire not burn as long as I live ? When this re- vival spirit dies, may I die with it ! " The extent of this work around Newcastle is thus described by the Rev. Mr. Skerry, minister of one of the Baptist churches, already mentioned. " Thus it will be seen that, from the common cen- ter of Newcastle, which may almost be regarded as the base of Messrs. Moody and Sankey's spiritual operations, there has spread throughout the neighbor- ing towns and villages this powerful spirit of earnest- ness, and longing for the glory of God to be seen in the quickening of Christian people and the salvation of sinners — a spirit which we trust will grow to more and more fully developed dimensions, until the whole 28 PREVAILING PRAYER. of Tyneside, with its vast industry, and the whole of the north of England, with its sin and suffering, and with its deep and widespread need, shall have come beneath the reviving touch of the Spirit of God. " Truly God has been good unto Israel, and we render to Him all praise and thanksgiving for sending to us, by the hands of our honored American breth- ren, this blessing from on high. For these brethren and their work we also pray most heartily. Wher- ever their feet may turn, we beseech the God of grace to go before them, and prepare their way, inclining the hearts of Christian workers to sympathize with and help them with their self-imposed and arduous though glorious task, so that in many a town and district the work of the Lord may prosper abundantly, and many precious souls may be won for the dear Lord and Master." In the might of such blessing as these prayers bring down, the brethren proceeded, after two months of earnest and fruitful work, on which they had entered with little introduction, to other fields, such as Bishop Auckland. There all the non-conformist ministers and their people had devoted a week to prayer for the blessing STOCKTON-OX-TEES. 29 of God, on their visit. The Rev. Thomas Boyd, Presbyterian minister of the place, after describing the meetings in the "Wesleyan Chapel, says, after the evangelists had gone : <{ Such has been the number of cases, and such many of the parties, that had it been told to any Christian friend a fortnight ago, he would not have believed it. Even with all this before us, so wonderful is it, that we almost feel as if we dreamt. God's Spirit still works powerfully. Every night souls are aroused, and, under the guidance of Christian friends, led to Jesus." At Stockton-on-Tees, in which the early part of November was spent, the result is thus described by an intelligent observer on the spot ; and once for all we call attention to the union of prayer and Catholic feeling before and in the work : " This work has been very great ; and in examin- ing, for our own future guidance and the guidance of others, into the apparent causes of success, we are struck with the following : first, the preparation of united, believing prayer. Mr, Moody said, that on coming into the first meeting, he and Mr. Sankey felt that they were amongst a praying people ; and to this and the next cause, viz. : the united action of the 30 QUIETNESS AND CONFIDENCE. ministers of the town, he mainly attributed the fact, that in no place which they had visited had they witnessed such evident results in so short a time. It was very delightful to see, at each of the services, eight or ten of these devoted pastors, most of them in the vigor of young manhood, strong-souled, intelligent men, representing various shades of denominational belief, but merging all differences in mutual affection, and the common desire to aid in the glorious work ; and many hearts were constrained by the sight to give thanks for such a ministry in Stockton. Another very important feature was the absence of noise in the meetings. The experience of the past few days will, we think, have convinced them that the best and most successful prayer-meetings ever held in Stockton have been the quietest, reminding us of the old lady's description, < God Almighty was so near that nobody had to shout to Him.' " The Convention, in some degree an American in- stitution, has been introduced into Great Britain, the first of any moment in connection with this move- ment having been held at Newcastle-on-Tyne, on "Wednesday, November 12th, 1873. The topics dis- cussed were of immediate interest, such as : EFFECTIVE MEETINGS. 31 How to reach the Masses, How to Conduct Prayer- meetings, How to Conduct After-meetings, How to Secure the Young for Christ, What are the Hin- derances to the Lord's Work ? Fifteen minutes were allowed for the introducer of each subject, and to other speakers five minutes each, Mr. Moody keeping time by means of a small table- bell. On prayer-meetings the Rev. Mr. Haigh said : " Special objects should be stated, with appropriate Scripture promises, and special requests ought to be sent in to the president. On Sunday evenings the one subject ought to be the salvation of souls. Prayer should generally be short. A woman once said to a man who was circumlocuting in prayer, 'Ax Him summat, man ! ' The best means of putting down a man who prays too long is to speak to him privately. In all meetings there ought to be moments of silent prayer. Singing in a meeting ought to be subordi- nate to prayer, and partake of a petitionary character. Mr. Spurgeon had said, ' The prayer-meeting stood in the same relation to the church as the engine did to the factory. If it decline, all our efforts will be abortive.' " 34 NORTHWARD. bring Jesus of Nazareth right down into the streets of our own city, or, again, to take us right up to the gates of heaven, prepared the way for the word of life from the lips of Mr. Moody ; that word was with power, and many were the anxious souls pressing forward to know the way of life. Jesus has become precious to many ; souls have been born of God, and tears of contrition have given place to tears of joy. " This much as to the blessing bestowed on the un- converted ; but what shall be said as to that which has rested upon the Christians ? It has been a time of drawing together such as we have not known any- thing of before. Ministers of the different denom- inations have thrown themselves heart and soul into the work, and the close of the week finds us recog- nizing, not in theory but in fact, that we are all one in Christ Jesus, and banded together, that by our union in Him we may honor His blessed name." So the American strangers had their way opened up in England, and the report under God prepared the people of Scotland to hope and expect great things. CHAPTER III. EDINBURGH. The Rev. John Kelman, of Free St. John's Church, Leith, was induced to visit Newcastle, and became so convinced of the reality and extent of the work of grace there, that, on his return home, he largely spread the good tidings among his brethren in the ministry, and devoted Christian laymen. An earnest invitation was given to Messrs. Moody and Sankey to visit Edinburgh and Leith, which was ac- cepted. This led to the proposal of a conference of those gentlemen interested in the anticipated visit of the American brethren to Edinburgh. A meeting was accordingly held in the Craigie Hall, at which a number of leading ministers and Christian laymen assembled, and gave decided and full expression of their opinion of the great importance of the proposed services ; and thus practically gave a cordial and ear- nest anticipatory welcome to the American brethren. Following up the proceedings of this conference, 36 m EDINBURGH. a prayer meeting was held in the Craigie Hall every Monday, and, as the time approached for the expected visit, it was transferred to the Upper Queen Street Hall, and held daily at 3 p. m. These meetings were characterized by the remarkable fervor, unction, and faith of the supplications poured forth from hearts intensely earnest for the bestowal of the blessing desired. The brief hour of each meeting was felt to be a hallowed season, and from what was ex- perienced at these meetings, a strong impression was formed that a great blessing was about to descend upon Edinburgh. On Saturday, the 22d of November, 1873, Messrs. Moody and Sankey arrived in Edinburgh. On the evening of the following day (Sabbath), a meeting was held in the Music Hall for the purpose of hear- ing Mr. Moody preach, and Mr. Sankey sing, the gospel. The large hall, capable of holding over two thousand persons, was densely crowded, and thousands could not gain admission. Yarious city ministers and laymen took part in the exercises through which were interspersed Mr. Sankey's sacred songs, con- ducting the entire services of the meeting with much unction and power. This introductory meeting con CORDIAL CO-OPERATION. 37 eluded the evening services, there being no after meeting for inquirers held on this occasion. Mr. Moody was hoarse and sick ; but the meeting was well sustained by ministers and laymen, and by Mr. Sankey's singing. jNext day, the daily prayer-meeting was transferred from the Upper Queen Street Hall to the Lower, which is capable of containing about twelve hundred people, and the hour was changed to twelve o'clock, noon. Messrs. Moody and Sankey were accompanied to the platform by the leading ministers and laymen, several of whom aided in conducting the services. This was the commencement of the noon-day prayer meeting, which, as will be shown in the sequel, has assumed such large proportions, and which has been so fraught with richest blessing. In the evening, meetings were commenced in the Barclay Church (Rev. Mr. Wilson's) at seven o'clock, by Messrs. Moody and Sankey. The latter accompa- nied his sacred gospel songs with the American organ, which in no respect prevented the distinct hearing of the gospel message, so strikingly communicated with clear and perfect articulation, to the thousand listening ears. 38 MEN A WAKENED. At the conclusion of the first meeting, a second was held for special prayer, and a large congregation remained in their seats. During this time and after- wards, anxious inquirers, of whom there were many, were dealt with in the several halls of the church by Mr. Moody, the minister of the church, and by other ministers and qualified persons. During the currency of the week, the work greatly deepened and extended. On the following Sabbath evening three meetings were held, the first in the Barclay Church, the second in Yiewforth Church, and the third in Fountainbridge Church. Every part of these churches was crowded long before the time fixed for the meetings, and thousands could not gain admittance. At all the meetings many were awakened, and in the next day's noon prayer-meet- ing, prayer was asked for several special cases ; two, for instance, who had been awakened in the regular forenoon's service in the Barclay Church, and another who had been awakened in the Fountain- bridge Church evening meeting. Thanksgiving was also requested to be given for those who had found the Saviour. During the progress of the week's meetings, the POWER OF THE WORD. 39 ministers and others engaged in the work were, through astonishment and joy, as men that dreamed. Many avowed their joy at the inquiry meetings ; others felt it without any open declaration. An elder, for example, met a man and his wife who had never been at the inquiry meetings returning to their home with their countenances radiant with gladness. The impression made on the Christian mind of Edinburgh is thus stated by the Rev. John Kelman, after three weeks' labor in the city : " The part of the service toward which all the others tend, and in which the power culminates, is the address by Mr. Moody, in which, in simple, vig- orous, and telling language, he holds up before men the truth as it is in Jesus, and makes most earnest and powerful appeals to heart and conscience. Mr. Moody is strikingly free from all pretense and parade; he speaks as one who thoroughly believes what he says, and who is in downright earnest in delivering his message. His descriptions are characterized by remarkable vividness and graphic power. He has a great wealth of illustration, and his illustrations are always apposite, bring out into the clearest light the point which he intends to illustrate, and fix it for- 40 SOLEMNITY OF FEELING. ever in the memories of many. There is very little excitement. There is no extravagance. But the effect of the services is seen in the manifest impres- sion produced on the audience generally, in the anxious inquirers (varying in number from about forty to upwards of seventy, as on Friday last), who remain behind for spiritual conversation and prayer after every meeting, and also in the hundreds of per- sons, in all grades of the social scale, scattered through Edinburgh and neighborhood, who are more or less awakened to realize the importance of eternal things, are burdened with a sense of sin, and longing to ob- tain salvation. Not a few also profess to have been brought out of darkness into marvelous light, to have been made partakers of a new life of faith in Jesus Christ, and to be going on their way rejoicing." The daily prayer-meeting having been a remark- able feature of the work in Edinburgh, it may be proper to notice its history and character : " On the day on which the first meeting was held, more than five hundred persons were present. The attend- ance steadily increased, till there was some difficulty as to fixing on a suitable place. The Rev. A. "Whyte, of Free St. George's, being applied to, kindly offered COME AND SEE.'' 41 his church for the prayer-meeting. Ultimately, on ac- count of its centra] situation, it was resolved to hold the meeting in the Free Assembly Hall. The attendance there was usually upwards of a thousand daily. " The first half of the hour is employed with sing- ing part of a psalm or hymn, reading (in a summa- rized form) the requests for prayer, prayer, and a few remarks by Mr. Moody on some passage of Scripture. During the second half, the meeting is open, any per- son present being at liberty to engage in prayer, read a short passage of Scripture, make a statement about the work of God, or request the singing of any par- ticular psalm or hymn. This meeting is felt to be of the most delightful and refreshing character : and when one o'clock strikes, every person is surprised, and can scarcely believe that the hour is ended. " Christians, who had looked on with a desire to see what would come of the movement, found their diffi- culties melting away by contact with the work, and cordially identified themselves with it. Denomina- tional differences were lost sight of, and oneness in Christ was realized and rejoiced in." Even then, Mr. Kulman, in the faith that expects an answer, and of which we had an example in Mr. Moody's address in 42 « TEACH THE PEOPLE." Newcastle, could write — " It seems as if a winter of wonderful blessing were lying before Edinburgh and Leith." It is not needful to say that Scottish Christians attach little weight to mere feeling without intelli- gence, and in this they were in hearty sympathy with the evangelists, by whom instruction was considered a main and all-important branch of their work. There was no public meeting on the Monday evening fol- lowing the close of the first week's services in the Barclay Church ; but, instead of this, a meeting for the converts who had, during the previous week, pro- fessed to have closed with Christ, and those who were anxious, was held on that evening in the Free Assem- bly Hall. The Monday evenings thereafter were al- ways devoted to such meetings. Some apprehension was felt as to the hymns and instrument of Mr. Sankey producing an unfavorable impression. The Eev. Dr. Thomson published his views after a week's labor in his church, the Broughton Place United Presbyterian. " The service of song conducted by Mr. Sankey, in which music is used as the handmaid of a gospel ministry, has already been described in your columns. REV. DR. THOMSON. I have never found it objected to, except by those who have not witnessed it. Those who have come and heard, have departed with their prejudices van- quished, and their hearts impressed. We might quote in commendation of this somewhat novel man- ner of preaching the gospel, the words of good George Herbert : 'A verse may win him who the gospel flies, And turn delight into a sacrifice.' " There is nothing of novelty in the doctrine which Mr. Moody proclaims. It is the old gospel — old, yet always fresli and young too, as the living fountain or the morning sun — in which the substitution of Christ is placed in the center, and presented with admirable distinctness and decision. It is spoken with most impressive directness, not as by a man half convinced, and who seems always to feel that a skeptic is looking over his shoulder, but with a deep conviction of the truth of what he says, as if, like our own Andrew Fuller, he could ' venture his eternity on it,' and with a tremendous earnestness, as if lie felt that 6 if he did not speak, the very stones would cry out.' The illustrations and anecdotes, drawn principally from his strangely-varied life, are so wisely chosen, so graphi- M UT OF AN IGE HO USE. cally told, and so well applied, as never to fail in hit- ting the mark." There was the greatest variety among the inquirers. There were present from the old man of seventy-five to the youth of eleven, soldiers from the Castle, stu- dents from the University, the backsliding, the intem- perate, the skeptical, the rich and the poor, the educated and the uneducated. " There was," adds Dr. Thomson, u a considerable number of skeptics among the inquirers, but their speculative doubts and difficulties very soon became of no account, when they came to have a proper view of their sins. Some have already come to tell me of their renunciation of unbelief, and their discipleship to Christ. One has publicly announced that he can no longer live in the ice-house of cold negations, and has asked Mr. Moody to publish the address which brought light to his heart, and to circulate it far and wide over the land." The movement in the capital of Scotland had now assumed the most impressive proportions. The people crowded to meetings in such numbers that admission had occasionally to be secured by ticket. The "working-classes" crowded the churches, and AN ALL-DA Y MEETING. 45 young men alone sometimes filled the Free As- sembly Hall. Christian young men eager to receive direction in Christian work, children to be simply spoken to of the way of life, and eager and interested general audiences proved how thorough a hold divine truth had acquired over the feelings and consciences of the people. With the view of extending the movement, an all- day meeting was arranged for the 17th December (1873), at which special subjects were assigned for different hours, the discussion of which was intro- duced in an address of about a quarter of an hour ; full liberty being given to any one in the audience to express his thoughts. Prayers were also offered by various brethren, and Mr. Sankey led the service of praise. Mr. Moody presided. "We are struck," says the Eev. Mr. Taylor, "with the solemn stillness. One of the Edinburgh ministers is closing some remarks on the subject of praise, and is followed by Mr. Moody. We listen to a rapid speaker, with a marked American intonation ; it re- quires a moment or two to habituate our ear to his utterance ; but that attained, we forget all peculiari- ties, in the clearness, earnestness, directness, and tell- 46 AT LEAST PRAISE. ing character of his statements. 'Get full of the word of God ' is the conclusion of what he says, ' and you can't help praising Him.' He tells of a young pastor, newly placed over a church, who, finding his prayer-meetings ill-attended and lifeless, surprised his people one Sabbath, by announcing that there would be no prayer-meeting that week, but a meeting for praise. Curiosity brought out a large gathering of his church ; he told them that as they were so reluc- tant to pray, he wished every one now to look back on his past life, and see if he did not remember some- thing to thank God for, and just to rise up and thank God for it. The result was, that one after another rose up, thanking God for this and that mercy, till the hour was over before they were aware, and they went away declaring it to be the best meeting they had ever had ; and not only so, but this proved to be the beginning of a revival among them. Then fol- lowed Mr. Moody's coadjutor, Mr. Sankey. "After a few words of exhortation not to abuse praise in our churches, by employing it merely to fill up time, but to utter real praise, Mr. Sankey explained briefly the principle of his singing, as intended to be a real \ teaching.' And as he proceeded to sing, we REV. DR. BLAIKIE. 47 felt that it was real teaching. Not merely was there his wonderful voice, which made every word dis- tinctly heard in the remotest corner of the hall, and to which the organ accompaniment was felt to be merely subsidiary, but it was the scriptural thought borne into the mind upon the wave of song, and kept there until we were obliged to look at it, and feel it in its importance and its preciousness." A month's labors in the city had inspired con- fidence, overcome any prejudice that existed against any part of the evangelists' methods, the hymns in which — and with an instrument, too — less familiar to Scottish than to American ears — might especially have been expected to provoke criticism. The num- ber of meetings was increased. We find such men as the Eev. Dr. Blaikie, of the Free Church College (remembered by his visit as a Delegate to America a few years ago), bearing public testimony to the general movement, and to particular parts of it. " Among the most direct and touching fruits," says Dr. Blaikie, " of saving impressions in the case of any one, affectionate interest in the welfare of other members of the family is one of the surest and most uniform. A working man of fifty years of age, for 4:8 ORE AT JOT. example, is impressed and brought to peace in believ- ing, and immediately he comes to the minister and cries out, with streaming eyes, ' Oh ! pray for my two sons ! ' A father and his son are seen at another meeting with arms round each other's necks. In many cases the work of conversion seems to go through whole families. That peculiar joyfulness and expectation which marks young converts, is often the means of leading others to the fountain, and two, three, four, and even more members of the same family share the blessing. There have been some very remarkable conversions of skeptics. Dr. Andrew Thomson told of one who, having been awakened on the previous week, had gone for the first time to church on the previous Sunday. He had hardly been in a place of worship for years, and a week before he would have scouted the idea. He was so happy in the morning that he returned in the afternoon. The blessing seemed to come down upon him. "We have heard of the case of another skeptic who had carried his unbelief to the verge of blasphemy, and who has now come to the foot of the Cross." In St. Stephen's congregation the Rev. Dr. Nichol- son presided ; and every evening there were around CALLS FROM THE COUNTRY. 49 the pulpit ministers of all denominations, from all parts of the country, while among the audience there were members of the nobility, professors from the university, and distinguished lawyers from the Par- liament House. Many came to criticise and seek grounds for opposition, who went away to approve and pray. An Edinburgh newspaper {The Daily Review), representing the general religious feeling of the city, thus describes the condition of things : " There is a general feeling, and it has prevailed for some time, that we need, and that we may expect, a blessing of unusual magnitude. Never, probably, was Scotland so stirred ; never was there so much expectation. May it be graciously granted that the blessing shall be even above all that we can ask or think ! " Requests for the services of Messrs. Moody and Sankey are pouring in from all quarters. Requisi- tions, signed not only by ministers, but by provosts, councilors, and leading citizens, are received daily from towns, large and small. The anxiety for a visit seems to be of a remarkably serious and earnest kind. It is not to gratify curiosity, but to promote spiritual 50 LIGHTS IN THE WORLD. and eternal good, that their presence is sought. Even remote rural parishes in Scotland are meeting to pray for a blessing on their labors, and the belief prevails that what is now going on in Edinburgh will radiate over the country." The work now began to extend ; Leith was visited. Seafaring men were reached, and in lonely ships at sea, the good influence was extended. On Sabbath, 21st December, at 9 a. m., Mr. Moody addressed a meeting of Sabbath-school and Bible- class teachers . in the Free Assembly Hall. Having read five or six portions of Scripture, to show that when Christ was on earth He was the light of the world, and when He went, He left His followers to reflect that light, he spoke at length of the duty of Christians to do this, the eyes of the world being upon them. He then passed on to press the impor- tance of parents and teachers early putting the ques- tion to their children, "Are you a Christian?" and seeking not only to point out to them the way to the Saviour, but to take them by the hand and lead them to Him. He showed that the work of Sunday-school teachers among children would be most blessed, if the teachers first sought to gain their confidence, and THE STUDENTS. 51 convince them it was not merely from a sense of duty but from love to them, that they sought to win them to Christ. Edinburgh always contains a great body of stu- dents, and a meeting for them was held in the Free Assembly Hall. So great was the eagerness to ob- tain admittance, that the doors were besieged by an immense crowd, even after it had become apparent that the hall was already tilled. To mitigate the dis- appointment of those who found it impossible to get into the hall, Mr. Moody, before he addressed the meeting inside, went out and spoke for some time to the immense gathering in the quadrangle. While he was engaged, Dr. Rainy. Mr. AVliyte, the succes- sor of Dr. Candlish, Professor Charteris, and Mr. Sankey conducted service inside. Around the plat- form there were professors from nearly all the facul- ties in the University, and from the Free Church and College, and nearly two thousand students. Meantime numerous requests had been received from all parts of the country f<»r visits. From Ber- wick-on-Tweed, the Rev. Dr. Cairns appeared as a deputation. Mr. Moody suggested that deputations should be sent out from Edinburgh to visit the van'- 52 DR. CHARLES BROWN. ous towns from which the applications had come, and assist in conducting religious meetings. Several ministers and laymen stated their readiness to go. Dr. Cairns took part in the exercises of the meet- ing. We cannot better close this chapter than with the words of Dr. Charles Brown, one of the oldest and most highly respected ministers in Edinburgh. " I have watched," said he, u all the religious movements of the last forty years, and I have never seen any- thing that, in extent and depth of interest, approach- ed to the present movement. I have often prayed for such a blessing, and always longed for it ; and though my prayer had remained unanswered for many years, I am so enriched with gladness at the sights around me, that I could say with Simeon, ' Now, Lord, lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, accord- ing to Thy word, for mine eyes have seen Thy salva- tion, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people.' " The Grassmarket, a spacious square in the center of the old town of Edinburgh, was the scene in by-gone days of those martyr executions which stained the reigns of Charles the Second and James the Second THE GRASSMAREET. 53 of England. On the south side of this square is the Corn Exchange, an immense building, capable of holding six thousand persons. In this place a meet- ing was held on Sabbath evening, the 28th Decem- ber, for men only, admission by ticket. The immense hall was filled with above five thousand men. Mr. Moody put it to them if they would like to have another meeting of the same kind, in the same place, next evening. Nearly all hands were raised. Mean- time, in the Eree Assembly Hall, the general audience had been dismissed, and the inquiry meeting was going on in the center of the hall, when the door- keeper came up to Dr. Bonar, who was engaged, along with others, in dealing with the inquirers, and said that Mr. Moody had brought up the whole Grass- market with him. The intelligence was embarrassing, for there were too few to deal with the inquirers already in the hall. It was arranged, however, that these inquirers, with the friends dealing with them, should remove to the galleries, and leave the body of the hall for the u Grassraarket." This was done, and in streamed hundreds of men — many of them young men — it was believed to the number of six or seven hundred. 54 WOMEN'S MEETING. These could not be conversed with separately, and Mr. Moody accordingly addressed them ; asked those who were anxious to find Christ to stand up, when a great body of them stood up. He then desired those of them who wished to give themselves to Christ to kneel down, when they all, and every one else in every part of the hall, knelt down. Over these bended, and, may it not be added, broken-hearted suppliants, Mr. Wilson of the Barclay Church, and afterwards Mr. Moody, prayed, or rather led their prayer in giving themselv r es to Christ. This must have been a sight for angels to rejoice in. These men would have remained till midnight, but it was deemed expedient to dismiss them at half-past ten o'clock. So the work went on — on Monday evening another meeting in the Corn Exchange, at- tended by three thousand persons of the poorer classes ; on Sabbath evening another immense meeting in the Corn Exchange, and a service in the Free Assembly Hall for women only, admission by ticket, in report- ing which next day at the noon hour of prayer, Dr. Bonar said, " that in all his life he never preached to such an audience." During the last week of December a call to prayer CALL TO PRATER. 55 was sent to every minister in Scotland, suggesting the week of prayer from 4th to 11th January as a favor- able opportunity for combined action. This call bore the following, among other honored names : J. H. Balfour, Professor of Botany ; W. G. Blaikie, D.D., Professor, New College; Horatius Bonar, D.D., Chalmers Memorial Church ; Chas. J. Brown, D.D., Free New North Church ; H. Calderwood, Professor of Moral Philosophy ; A. JET. Charteris, D.D., Pro- fessor of Biblical Literature ; Thos. J. Crawford, D.D., Professor of Divinity in the University of Edinburgh ; Alexander Duff, D.D. ; William Grant, Bristo Place Baptist Chapel ; William Hanna, D.D., Robert M c Donald, D.D.; Hamilton M. MacGill, D.D., Secretary of Mission Board, United Presbyterian Church ; James MacGregor, D.D., Professor, New College ; W. Scott Moncrieff, St. Thomas' Episcopal Church ; Bobert Rainy, D.D., Professor, New College ; Wm. Reid, United Presbyterian Church, Lothian Road ; A. Moody Stuart, Free St. Luke's ; Andrew Thomson, D.D., Broughton Place United Presby- terian Church. Such were the men who declared that "God's power was wonderfully at work," and who urged 56 " WATCHN1GHT SERVICE:' dependence not on any human agency, but on God, and earnest crying over all Scotland for His blessing. The last night of the year was observed by special service in the Free Assembly Hall. Mr. Moody an- nounced that "anything that is worship will be in order, and when I am speaking, if any one has an illus- tration to give, or would like. to sing a hymn or offer prayer, let him do so." This gave constant variety to the meeting, so that the interest never nagged, and every one who stole a glance at the clock wondered to see how time passed. Prayer was offered at intervals. Mr. Moody surpassed himself in marvelous fluency and fertility of discourse, as he reviewed the seven "I wills" of Christ. Soon after eleven the Bible study ceased, and the remainder of the year was given to prayer. The intense interest and solemnity of the meeting increased as midnight neared. Five minutes before twelve all sound was hushed. The distant shouts of the revelers outside could be heard. 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 DR. IIORATIUS BONAR. 57 then gave out the last two verses of the hymn, " Jesus, Lover of my Soul," and all stood and sang, " Thou, Christ, art all I want, more than all in Thee I find," etc. After a brief prayer the benediction was pronounced, and all began, like one family, to wish each other a Happy New Year — "a year of grace, a year of usefulness." There probably never was a New Year brought in in Edinburgh with more solemn gladness and hope of spiritual good. The question, " What is the meaning of all this ?" was now being asked over Scotland. Dr. IToratius Bon- ar replied in a letter, of which we give the concluding portion, his name being a guarantee for a clear spir- itual estimate of the movement : M I must say that I have not seen nor heard any impropriety nor extravagance. I have heard sound doctrine, sober, though sometimes fervent and tearful speech, the utterance of full hearts yearning over the wretched, and beseeching men to be reconciled to God. That I should accord with every statement and fall entirely in with every part of their proceed- ing, need not be expected. Yet I will say that I have not witnessed anything sensational or repulsive. During the spiritual movement which took place in 58 STRANGE STILLNESS. Scotland about thirty years ago, in most of which I had part, I saw more of what was extreme, both in statement and proceeding than I have done of late. There was far more of excitement then than there is now. The former movements depended far more upon vehement appeals, and were carried along more by the sympathetic current of human feeling than the present. When the present movement began, I feared lest there should be a repetition of some of the scenes which I had witnessed in other days, and I did not hesitate to express my fear to brethren. My fears have not been realized. I have been as regular in my attendance at the meetings as I could, and though I will not say that there was nothing which I might not have wished different, yet I have been struck with the exceeding calmness at all times — the absence of excitement — the peaceful solemnity per- vading these immense gatherings of two or three thousand people, day by day — the strange stillness that at times so overawed us ; and I felt greatly re- lieve.d at the absence of those audible manifestations of feeling common in former days. Rowland Hill was once asked the question, ' When do you intend to stop ? ' ' Not till we have carried all before us.' So LATENT ENERGIES. say our brethren from Chicago. We say Amen. This needy world says Amen. Human wickedness and evil say Amen. Heaven and earth say Amen. The work is great and the time is short. But the strength is not of man but of God.'' The " "Week of Prayer " had been emphasized by the call to Scotland, and at the meeting on Friday, 2d January, the Assembly Hall was filled to over- flowing — passages, doorways, and platform all crowd- ed. The feature of the meeting was a series of di- rections for conducting prayer-meetings given by Mr. Moody. He began by saying that there was proba- bly more talent in Scotland than in any other place of the same size, but it was in a great measure buried talent. He did not refer to the ministers so much as to the people, who did not draw out their talents for the good of the Church. This was an important matter. If he drew out the energies of ten men, and got them to work, it was much better than doing ten men's work himself. Hence the importance of some of the rules he was about to give them. Such as that the people must sit close together, for if scat- tered, the meeting would be cold and disjointed. The hall or room must be well ventilated, heated. 60 THE PRAYER-MEETING. and lighted ; they should have good singing ; when a meeting was special, the prayers and remarks ought to be special ; requests and thanksgivings should be brought before the meeting; the leader must take no further part in the meeting than to give the key-note ; the subject should be known before- hand, that the people's thoughts may be directed to it ; not to scold the people who had come because others had kept away ; if discouraged not to let the people see it; variety should be given to the meet- ings ; no formal address ; the meetings short and the people sent away hungry, but not weary, else they would not come back ; they should avoid discussions, and put down discussion among the audience ; leave the meeting open a part of the time, and be invari- ably punctual. Under such sensible regulations the meetings proceeded with the deepest interest, and crowds so great that on at least one occasion the prayer-meeting overflowed into the corners of the quadrangle of the Free Church College. Take a specimen of a single meeting. Lord Cavan said he had been particularly struck by the num- ber of requests made on the previous day for prayer. He himself met with eight or nine young men, and THE INQUIRY MEETING. 61 he humbly believed that by the grace of God they were all drawn to Him, and sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise. Rev. Mr. Grant, of Tain, thanked God for the effect which even the reports of this movement had had in communities far distant from Edinburgh. The Eev. Mr. Wilson (Tolbooth Church) said the meetings in his church had grown in interest as the week of prayer wore on. He thought it would be well for the ministers to open their vestries for in- quirers after each of the ordinary services in their churches. They had hesitated in his church, but the people had taken it into their own hands, and at the close of the services in the Tolbooth, on Sabbath, several persons had come to his vestry inquiring the way to salvation. He thought the previous day the most remarkable in the historv of Edinburgh. The Rev. Mr. Talon (Episcopal) said he had never been present at such refreshing meetings. Xew life had been given to him by them, the days of youth had been renewed, and, to the glory of Christ, he had to say that for twenty years he had not preached with the fullness and freeness he did on Sunday, and he did not believe that there had been seen in his preach- ing such effects as were produced on Sunday. Rev. 62 NOT EXCITEMENT. Mr. Wemyss (Congregational Church) spoke of many hopeful cases in his district. "Some said," remarked Mr. Moody, "of these meetings that they merely influenced people by ex- citing them and working on their feelings till they became anxious. Now, he had never said less than he had spoken at the previous night's meeting, and at that of Sunday night, and yet there was a perfect host of inquirers on those occasions. He had asked those who wished to see him to retire with him to a private room, intending, wdien he had spoken to them, to come into the hall and invite out more ; but this he did not need to do, for more than one hundred inquirers came forward spontaneously. He had to close the door on about fifty, being unable to see them. A great many who had not been at the meetings at all had had conviction brought home to their hearts, God having answered the prayers of others on their behalf. The Rev. Mr. Robertson, of JSTewington, stated some facts in regard to the special services held by Messrs. Moody and Sankey in his church during last week. He shrank from premature announcement of results, but it was not too much to say that the Lord had been working with these evangelists. In New- POWER JTOT FORM. 63 ingtoD the indifferent were being awakened, the undecided brought to a blessed decision, and the tempest-tossed carried into a haven of rest. lie did not speak of the inquiry meetings merely, or of the number who had gone into them, but he spoke of many coining and calling upon him and others pri- vately afterwards, or waiting for them at the corners of streets, and asking to be helped out of their diffi- culties, or to be confirmed and strengthened in their faith. He could tell, too, of many Christians being stirred to newness of life and exertion. What had struck him very much was, that many who had been taken up with an empty profession had been seeing the great gulf between the mere form of god- liness and its living power. There had been old men on the brink of the grave coming and receiving sal- vation as a little child, and there had been not a few little children, both boys and girls, perhaps chiefly boys, who. were seeking rest, and not able to get it until they had found it in the Saviour; and then going away rejoicing, having found the pearl of great price. The Eev. J. M'Ewan (Canongate Free Church) said that they, " the ministers, were, with a few of 64 THE CONVENTION. the laymen, so much occupied by the converts that came in, that they had not an opportunity of taking impressions of what was going on ; but the mis- sionaries in the district, who were in the habit of meeting and talking with the people, told him that there was a striking impression made upon the popu- lation. They were to meet to-day, to see what could be done in the way of following up the blessing." So the week of prayer closed on Sabbath, the 11th January. A week, the like of which, according to the testimony of the wisest and most sober of its Christian citizens, never before passed in Edinburgh. A Convention on Wednesday, the 14th January, in the Free Assembly Hall, fittingly followed. Mr. Moody presided. Ministers and others from all parts of the country were present, for the purpose of consulting together and obtaining the advantage of the experience of the two American brethren, in regard to the best methods of conducting various departments of Christian work. The hall was greatly crowded, and so eager were those outside to obtain an entrance, that it was found necessary to lock the quadrangle gate. Dr. Bonar struck the key-note of the conference, in a short FIXAL MEETINGS. 65 address on personal effort, and was followed by rep- resentative men from various parts of the country, lay, clerical, legal, military, and literary. The meet- ins; continued with unflacrvins: interest from eleven o'clock in the forenoon till nearly four o'clock in the afternoon. Several of the ministers present stated that already they were conducting their prayer meet- ings on the model of those held in the Free Assembly Hall. Before the separation of the Convention, Mr. Moody asked the prayers of the assembly for Ber- wick-on-Tweed, amongst other towns in • Scotland. He shortly described the meeting held there, and stated his belief that an important spiritual movement had been commenced in that town. He believed that God was going to give a great blessing to Scotland, if they were ready to receive it. The meeting was then closed with praise and the pronouncing of the bene- diction. The evangelists' last meeting was at the usual union prayer-meeting in the Free Church Assembly Hall, and a conference with ministers and elders in the Free Assembly Hall in the afternoon, on the sub- ject of the duties of the eldership ; and a union prayer- 66 BEE WICK- UPON-TWEED. meeting in the evening. Mr. Moody stated that he had received many letters from young converts, and a great many had come to see him with the question — What can I do for Christ ? It was a sure sign of con- version to be anxious to work for the Master. This disposition should be encouraged and cultivated. Mr. Moody went on to urge upon young Christians not to neglect their work at home, but to adorn the doctrine of Jesus Christ. He prayed, as he left them, that the young converts might stand firm, that God might keep them from the world. And so the brethren left the city of Edinburgh on "Wednesday, the 21st January, and proceeded to Dundee, the next scene of their arduous evangelistic labors, in which were spent two busy and most use- ful weeks, with the same results as in Edinburgh. Meantime a flying visit had been made to Berwick- upon-Tweed for a single day. Professor Cairns thus describes the result : "I feel constrained to add my testimony to the profound impression which has, by the blessing of God, been made on the town. I cannot attempt to describe the appearance of Wallace Green. Church at the evening meeting on Tuesday, when the over- REV. DR. CAIRNS. 67 whelming meeting' in the Corn Exchange was dis- missed, and those who gathered for prayer, with the anxious inquirers, crowded in to fill up every corner of the spacious church. The shadow of eternity seemed cast over the great congregation. Many were observed to be in tears; and as the inquirers, with hurried and trembling step, passed into the vestry (though others found a more private entrance), the deepest awe and sympathy pervaded the meeting. This continued for a full hour, and such a gathering I hardly ever expect again to see in this world. It is believed that nearly fifty in all w r ere conversed with in the Corn Exchange, in the afternoon, and in the church in the evening. Last night (Wednesday) a considerable addition was made to this number, after the addresses of Mr. Leitch, of Newcastle, and Mr. Chedburn of this town. I would close by earnestly commending to all brethren in the ministry a movement which, so far as I know it, is so full of blessing, and so remarkably free from irregularity, or counteracting elements of any kind." 68 THE PRESS. GLASGOW. Glasgow is too near to Edinburgh to remain unaffected by any movement that is felt in the capital. Desire and expectation were strong in this great commercial center. It teems with working people, shrewd, keen, but in too many instances in- temperate, careless, and ignorant of the way of life, and this around very admirable and effective churches and ministers. Messrs. Moody and Sankey began their work in the City Hall, by addressing and leading in sacred song a crowded meeting of three thousand Sabbath-school teachers, and other religious workers, at nine o'clock on Sunday, February 8th. The meeting in the evening of that day in the City Hall was densely crowded, and the overflow filled many of the neigh- boring churches. The entire daily press of Glasgow next morning gave favorable notices of the meetings. Said the Glasgow Herald : " Mr. Sankey has a good voice, and the words of the hymns are enunciated with great distinctness. Mr. Moody's manner is abrupt and hurried ; but though his style is perhaps more forcible than pathetic, the anecdotes he tells illustrative of the plan of redemption are often touching and effective. He THE YOUNG MEN. 69 speaks as a man fully assured of his own salvation, and who wishes others to enter on the immediate pos- session of like confidence — by laying hold of the promises of acceptance and eternal life insured to all who place their reliance on the atonement of Christ." The noon prayer-meeting, held in the Wellington Street U. P. Church, was quite crowded, and on Monday, 9th, there was a large meeting at noon, and about two thousand persons heard the gospel in the Barony and Free Barony Churches in the evening. Wellington Street U. P. Church was filled to over-flowing next day. Mr. Moody in a short ad- dress on the 9th of Daniel, struck the key-note : " what was wanted was power from on high." He had been told that there were in Glasgow seventy thousand young men between the ages of fifteen and twenty-five. When he heard it, his heart sank within him, and he said, " Who is sufficient for these things ? " Then he thought of this prayer of Daniel, and considered if fathers and mothers and God's people would unite in prayer on behalf of these young men, how easy it would be for God to turn their hearts. Daniel sought to be heard TO "ALL HAVE SINNED." " for the Lord's sake." Mr. Moody said that before he was converted he did not understand what was meant by praying " for Jesus' sake." He never prayed for Jesus' sake, but for his own sake. The meeting was thrown open, and, among others, Dr. A. A. Bonar urged to expectant faith : " Can the arm of God, which shook Egypt, not shake Glas- gow? Will that arm which divided the Red Sea not do wonders here ? Is the power of the cross van- ished ? Is the merit of the sacrifice gone ? Is there no more room, or is the great Substitute weary of taking the sinner's place ? We are a little company, but the Spirit of the times of Pentecost is still among us. Let us pray, and never doubt, and the arm of the Lord will still be seen mighty to save." Incidents made their own impression. In the the Barony Established Church the previous evening, while Mr. Moody was speaking, a deeply solemn feel- ing prevailed. Inquirers were asked to retire into the vestry, but all seemed disposed to follow Mr. Moody to the Free Barony Church. In a short time the house was empty, with the exception of one young man, who stood leaning against the door of one of the pews, in deep distress. Mr. Topping and a friend MEETIXG FOR MEN, approached and spoke to him. Mr. Moody's remarks on Bom. iii. 23, " all have sinned,'' had impressed him. J I is distress was great. The Rev. Mr. Topping and a friend explained to him the grace of the Lamb of God, and he left professing to see the way of salva- tion. The ministers having entered into the work in concert, no difficulty was experienced in procuring suitable buildings in Glasgow. The meetings moved from church to church : able -tance was derived from the local clergy, the Earl of Cavan, the missionaries of the city, and admirable elders who entered into the conferences with great earnestness. A spectator, writing to a friend in Lon- don, gives the impression made by the evening meet- ings after a week's labors. " The evening meetings in the Established and Free Barony Churches have been most solemn, every night this week crammed to overflowing, and such a number always staying be- hind to be spoken with. Thursday night at half past eight, in the City Hall, was a meeting only for men. You never saw such a sight ; and Messrs. Moody and Sun key say it is the best they have had in this coun- try. A great many stayed, and Mr. Moody jumped down amongst them off the platform. In a moment he 72 REPORTED PROGRESS. was surrounded by a whole set of rough fellows. One seized his hand, and those who could not get near bent their ears to try to catch his words. It was most affecting ; and a great work was done, I believe, as thanks were given at the noon meeting yesterday for answers to prayer for that meeting." The noon-day prayer-meeting here also became a power. The laborers came together to pray, caught the common spirit, and diffused information. In illustration of the state of feeling the Rev. Mr. Rid- dall remarked that in the midst of a contested elec- tion two of the largest churches in the city were filled with people daily. Mr. J. Campbell White read a letter from Sabbath-school teachers in Dundee. It stated that at the close of the usual Sabbath School service a meeting for prayer was held. It was at- tended by upwards of two hundred boys and girls, nearly every one of whom was bathed in tears, and upwards of seventy were completely broken down, sobbing as if their hearts would break. The Rev. Mr. M'Murtrie, Edinburgh, reported regarding the progress of the work in that city, stating that there was no going back there, and that the meetings were as largely attended as ever. A gentleman rea4 »who had been there eleven years, and during that time had never spoken one word. Not that she was dumb in the ordinary sense, but she was stricken with a sort of paralysis. After one of these singings, the matron heard her saying something to herself. She went near and listened, and she was saying— 1 Depths of mercy, can there be Mercy yet in store for me ? ' "A little girl was stricken with fever, and taken to the children's hospital, where she died. In her de- lirium, she said, and continued saying, ' Take me to the meeting, and set me in the front seat that I may hear the ladies sing ! ' " Another remarkable effect was that the enemy is almost silent. There was, here and there, a spirit of criticism, such as the 'Comic Gospel' of the Satur- 'Jo.'j Review, bat generally the press is either silent or speaking of the work and reporting it respectfully. 148 INCIDENTAL DANGER. The Lord hath done this thing for us, whereof we are glad." In the Established Church Assembly, the notices of the awakening from the lips of the Rev. Dr. Char- teris, and of the Rev. Marshall Lang, successor to Dr. Norman Macleod, were explicit and cordial. They both adverted to a danger apprehended from the out- set, and of which some notice had been taken in the official reports on Christian life and work. Dr. Char- teris said " that, in regard to the remarkable events of the past few months the committee turned with special expectation to the returns from Edinburgh and Glas- gow, in which cities so remarkable an interest in Divine things had been recently manifested. An Edinburgh minister, a member of the Committee, had stated that the experience of nearly five months, since his report was written, had been the happiest and most blessed that he had had in his ministry. The only evil pointed out in those reports was the tendency to Plymouthism. The attraction which Plymouth] sm offered to young converts was its claim to being a pure Church. In the ardor of their first faith and love those young converts looked for some Church without the stains which came from long contact with the FORCE UTILIZED. 149 world, and they often found in the small sect in ques- tion a claim to spotlessness which drew them towards it in a wonderful degree. If it could be shown dis- tinctly that the older denominations, if not, indeed, of spotless purity, could claim to be ruled by the spirit of the loving Redeemer, and to afford means of use- fulness to all, they would rob that deceptive heresy of its chiefest charm, and keep within their own congre- gations those whom they were always most loath to lose ; for it was the very salt of their flocks of which Plymouthism sought to rob them. Every one was aware of the extraordinary revivals in religion which had been manifested in Glasgow and Edinburgh dur- ing the past winter and spring, and the committee were bound to state that all the returns which had been sent in, giving the results of personal observa- tion of that movement, spoke favorably of it, with one single exception." Rev. Dr. Lang said that he knew from the experi- ence of the past Ave weeks that Plymouthism was not an imaginary danger, and the only way of checking it wafl just by welcoming and utilizing all the enthu- siasm that was kindled in the hearts of the young men of the Church. Concerning the spiritual and religious 150 ABOUNDING FRUIT. movement that lias lately been made in the land, he knew that he was touching a subject of considerable delicacy, but he could not read the answers without feeling satisfied that there was a very distinct and memorable movement during the past year. He had had the privilege of taking part from the very begin- ning in the work which God had so highly honored, and with which were associated the names of the two American brethren who had come amongst them. He would ask the house to think respectfully of that work. It was very difficult for any one who had not been in direct personal relations with it to estimate or understand it. " This I can say, that, having been con- nected with the work in Glasgow from the very first day of it to the end, I can feel that there have been — and on the floor of the house I am not ashamed to say it — many tokens that God has indeed been blessing the work. I could tell of much in proof of this. I know that Glasgow has been in many of its homes more joyous for the last two or three months, and that in many an old wilderness and solitary place there are now the peaceable and blessed fruits of righteousness. I don't know how you have felt, fathers and brethren, but I have felt during the past year as if there were A PROPHET A T HOME. 1 5 1 an increased quickening of the whole spiritual forces of our land, a readiness to receive the gospel, a long- ing to come into closer communion with the truth as it is in Jesus." Concurrently with these testimonies in Scotland, the Scottish Deputation to the American Churches, reaching Chicago, visited Mr. Moody's Tabernacle there, and made their report to the churches at home, removing every shade of doubt as to the estimation in which the American prophets were held " in their own country." ;; "We were much interested," wrote the Rev. J. H. Wilson, "in coming to the field of Mr. Moody's labors. We have met with many of the best Chris- tian people of the place, ministers and laymen, and we have heard but one opinion expressed, — of entire confidence and affectionate regard. All speak of his wonderful energy and zeal and devotedness, and of the great results that have attended his labors. They long to have him back again, and are following him during his absence with their prayers. Only the basement story of his tabernacle is erected as yet. It consists of a large hall, and an admirable suite of rooms for classes, etc. I conducted the ordinary 152 SMALLER TOWNS. Sabbath forenoon service, which was attended by a large congregation. In the afternoon we returned to his Sabbath-school, at which nine hundred or a thou- sand Sabbath scholars, old and young, were present. "We met many of Mr. Moody's friends and fellow- workers, who are earnest and zealous like himself. If the building were completed, I have no doubt it will be a great center for evangelistic work in the city. There is much work for our brother to do here ; and when he has done his work in our land, he cannot be back a day too soon. He is claimed by the whole Christian community here, just as he is in Scotland, and the door seems open for him every- where. All over the country we have met with many most attractive Christian people. If America is true to herself, she will occupy a foremost place in the evangelization of the world." In the meantime the smaller towns were being vis- ited, with results which, without burdening the mem. ory of the reader with order and details, we shall state as they were reported at the time by highly esteemed brethren, whose words commanded the con- fidence of the community. KILMARNOCK. 153 At Neilston, a town of four thousand six hundred inhabitants, nine miles from Glasgow, a meeting was held in the evening in the parish church, which was crowded in every part. A remarkable instance of the spirit of unity this revival has produced was afforded in the fact that while the established church minister presided, two others, the Eev. Mr. Ferguson, of the Free Church, and Eev. Mr. Clarke, of the United Presbyterian Church, Barrhead, took part in the service. This is much the same as if in England a Baptist and Methodist minister were to take part in a Church of England service simultaneously with the rector. Souls were quickened and converted. At the after meeting, which was held in the Free Church, upwards of three hundred met together as inquirers after the way of salvation ; and some were enabled to express the belief that they there passed from death to life. A choir of ladies from Glasgow as- sisted Mr. Sankey in the singing. In the Free Church Assembly at Edinburgh on May 20th, Sheriff Campbell said that the news from Ayrshire was very encouraging. The town of Kil- marnock, for which they had been praying much, had been visited by Messrs. Moody and Sankev, who did 7* 154: SALTCOATS. not take any part in the ordinary worship ; but they had evangelistic meetings, and the result of these, and other meetings from the overflow of these con- gregations, was that they had upwards of two hun- dred inquirers in the inquiry-room. He was there amongst them and he never saw more promising cases of conversion. Those whom he spoke to were from fifteen to twenty-five years of age, and some older. All, as far as he could see, were persons who were most deeply impressed, and all that he spoke to before they parted said that they had given themselves to Christ. At Saltcoats arrangements were made for holding three services, the first in the parish church (Rev. D. E. M'Nab's) at four o'clock, afternoon ; also in the same place at seven o'clock, evening ; and in the North Church at the same hour. At the afternoon service, admission to which was by ticket, the church was comfortably filled an hour before the time for opening the meeting. Large numbers of persons continued to arrive, who made their way into the building and through the passages, evidently satisfied to obtain even standing room. Every inch of space in the sacred edifice was packed COME AXD HELP. 155 long prior to four o'clock, and probably there never ^as assembled so large a congregation in any church in Saltcoats. A considerable number were unable to obtain admission. A large number of persons had come from the towns and villages in the district to attend the services. The inhabitants of Irvine, which contains a popula- tion of eight thousand, having heard of the presence of the American evangelists in their neighborhood, hastened to send a deputation to them in Saltcoats on Monday, to solicit the holding of at least one ser- vice by them in the parish church at Irvine. "With this entreaty Messrs. Moody and Sankey complied. They arrived on their visit, which may well be described as a flying one, in time for meeting at twelve, noon. There was a large attendance in the church, although a more unfortunate day could not have been chosen, as the streets were full of conveyances, and furniture, and excited individuals, it being Term day, or Flit- ting day, for the change of residences. Ayr, a town of nineteen thousand inhabitants, forty miles from Glasgow, was next reached. The meeting w&fl :tt four p. m., in the Old Church, a fine old com- modious building, which was filled an hour befprehan I 156 REV. MR. LEITGH. by a great audience of about two thousand people, comprising many of the leading persons of the neigh- borhood. Many were unable to gain admission from want of room. A number of ministers of all denom- inations were present, some having come a distance of thirty miles. It is remarkable how the co-opera- tion of the clergy has been everywhere given to these evangelists. The interval of waiting between three and four p. m., was occupied by the reading of por- tions of Scripture, and by prayer by some of the min- isters. A very efficient choir sang extremely well some of Mr. Sankey's hymns. The large audience manifested marked anxiety to see the expected visit- ors from America, by keeping their vision concen- trated on the vestry door, but kept their seats and maintained a proper demeanor. After entering the church, accompanied by many clergymen, Mr. Moody gave out the One Hundredth Psalm, which was sung congregational^. He then prayed; and the hymn " Once for all" was then sung by Mr. Sankey, with great feeling and expression — the words being heard clearly in the most distant part of the church. Mr. Moody's discourse followed. Of the visit to Kilmarnock, the Rev. Mr. Leitch WORKERS ESrCOXTRAQED. 157 writes, "Their coming was eagerly looked for, and many a prayer was offered that they might come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel. They held three meetings during the day — all apart from the ordinary church services. In the morning, at half- past eight, a special meeting was held for office- bearers and other chtireh workers in the Low Church. Admission was by ticket, and 1,750 were present. Mr. Sankey, accompanied by a number of ladies, led the service of song: his singing was fraught with great power, and produced deep impression. Mr. M >ody spoke on the words ' Occupy till I come,' di- recting particular attention to the ' feeding of the lambs.' Seldom has any audience been more im- pressed : for more than an hour he held them spell- bound as he discoursed on Christian work. Many a heart and conscience must have been stirred as he ex- horted his hearers to work for the Master. When it is remembered that the large audience was composed of workers not only from Kilmarnock, but from dis- tricts miles distant from town, it will at once be seen that the influence of such a meeting will be far- reaching and widespread." At Irvine next day the church was full, though it 158 ATE. was term day, and though the intimation of their coming was given but a few hours before. As the brethren were on their way to Ayr, they could not tarry for an after-meeting, but the ministers of the town arranged to have a united meeting in the evening. Of Ayr, the Kev. John Miller, Newton-on-Ayr, reports : " In the month of February we were fa- vored with a visit from Sheriff Campbell and Mr. Brown Douglas of Edinburgh ; and to the solemn accounts which they gave of the work in the city, not a little of the impulse given to the cause is due. Subsequent visits by Mr. Mossman and a deputation from the young men's committee in Edinburgh, to- gether with occasional addresses by the Sheriff, pro- duced blessed and widespread results. " On Tuesday, 26th May (1874), Messrs. Moody and Sankey visited the town. Great interest had been excited, and from all the districts round multitudes came in hope of hearing them. The Old Church — the largest in town — was selected, and long before the hour of meeting was densely packed. About eighteen hundred people must have been present. Shortly after the hour Mr. Moody arrived, and gave an " 110 USEIIOLDS APj IBT." 159 intensely interesting address. From beginning to end the deepest solemnity pervaded the meeting, while not a few were melted to tears. An effect no less striking was produced by Mr. Sankey's singing ; and as we left the building, it was with the full conviction that the Lord had been with us of a truth. " In the evening, at seven o'clock, the same building was crowded again — Mr. Muodv delivering a still more powerful address. For the overflow, Cathcart Street United Presbyterian Church was opened, and an address of a telling nature delivered by Rev. Mr. Sloan of Aberdeen. All who wished to be spoken to about spiritual things were requested to go to the Free Church, and the meeting was closed. Great care was taken to allow no one to enter save as an anxious inquirer, and it was found that upwards of one hundred and fifty had come in. " One marked feature of the work is the number of Christian families into which the blessing has come. Of course this was looked for, but the extent to which it prevails has far surpassed all expectation. In some families there are four who profess to have received a blessing, in several three, in others two, and so on ; while in a few, every member of the 160 STIRLING. household professes to have found the Saviour. ' Oh, sir,' said one to me the other day, ' this is a changed house now. We used to think that if we went to church and read our Bibles, and taught the little girl to say her prayers, it was all right. But oh, sir, all that is changed now.' " The historic town of Stirling, picturesque, active, and for many years identified with a useful Tract enterprise, conducted by Mr. P. Drummond, was next approached. How natural is the state of things here described : " The Erskine United Presbyterian Church was crowded long before the advertised time of com- mencement. As is frequently the case at the first meeting in a place, curiosity rather than a serious interest predominated. This can hardly be blamed on the part of those who have heard and read so much of the American evangelists, and are at first anxious to ascertain what manner of persons they are. There was an observable change from the commence- ment of the meeting. The gates were locked after the church was filled, and the overflow directed to Mr. Goldie's (Free South) Church. While Mr. San- key sang some of his most impressive hymns, c Almost PERTH. 161 persuaded,' and the new ' There were ninety-and nine,' there was the hushed attention which showed not mere artistic gratification, but deep heart feeling. Mr. Moody preached an hour on ' Ye must be born again,' and riveted the audience. The service was conducted in the other church by Rev. Mr. Park- hnrst, from Chicago, then traveling in Europe. There was a fair after meeting at nine o'clock in the smaller church. Many of the inquirers seemed clearly to make their peace with God." The noon prayer-meeting in Dr. Beith's church, presided over by Mr. Parkhurst, and Mr. Moody's Bible-reading to an immense audience in the Erskine Church at three o'clock on Thursday, closed the ser- vices in Stirling. Perth, Aberdeen, and Inverness are the northern capitals of Scotland, and their influence is widely felt. More time therefore was given to them than the less important towns just noticed, and in which good work was already in progress. The prepara- tion and expectation in Perth had been earnest and decided. Koon-day prayer-meetings and evangelistic meet- ings had been commenced, and continued for twenty 162 GROWING LEAL. weeks, and God gave many drops of blessing during that time. There was a cheering work amongst the children. Professor Martin, from Aberdeen, had held meetings for five weeks, and in these meetings many little ones gave their hearts to Jesus. It was resolved to make, for one month, a strenuous effort to win the older people to Christ by holding evangelistic services every night in the week, Sat- urday excepted. During that month Messrs. Moody and Sankey appeared. A meeting on Friday evening, addressed by the Rev. J. J. Black, LL. D., of Inverness Free High Church and Mr. Robertson, of Newington, prepared the way. Mr. Moody had been called to Edinburgh by the sickness of his child, but Mr. Sankey was present. On Sunday morning a meeting was held for " Christian Workers and those disposed to work," when the City Hall was crowded. Mr. Sankey sang " Go work in my vineyard," that large congregation listening with glistening eyes, and hearts kindled anew in love to Jesus and a desire to work more diligently for Him who suffered so much for us. In the evening there were meetings in the open OLD MEMORIES. 163 air on the South Inch (at which between four thou- sand and live thousand people were present) and in the City Hal], with overflow-meetings in two churches. There followed the noon-day meetings in the City Hall, Bible reading in the Free West Church, and evening meeting in the Xorth United Presbyterian Church. The number of inquirers was very great, and very many obtained peace. " It has been " says a writer in the Christian, u a quiet strong tide of bless- ing ; it is as if God had sent His servants to unlock the flood-gates of His grace, and the water of life has swept out in deep and steady currents, leaving no place for the breaking waves of excitement and mere feeling. Especially this is to be noticed in the Bible- readings, when from day to day the large church in which Mr. Moody lectures is crowded with people reverently and simply studying God's Word." Mrs. Barbour, of whose account of the movement in Edinburgh we have availed ourselves, thus writes of the meetings in Perth : " It was on Sabbath morning that Mr. Moody and Mr. Sankey began work together at 9 a. m., in the City Hall. The many memories that came crowding in of former 164 OLD DISCIPLES. years of blessing corresponded with the looks upon the faces of the eager, earnest, half-restless multitude. There was a rim left beyond the crowd during the first ten minutes; and to those corners of the hall where the hearing is not so good when ordinary speakers occupy the platform, groups, hot and tired from a long morning's walk, were noiselessly moving. Some had left their homes at eight, seven, six, five, and even at four to be there. Although the mass of the faces were strangers to us, individuals gathered in during each special visitation of God's love to Perth, were easily recognized. !Not a few, with the marks of age and toil, and new joy upon their faces, belonged to the ever memorable epoch of 1840, when William Burns was so wondrously used among us. From far and near they assembled that morning. Fruits of Eobert McCheyne's ministry were there. The spirit of Mr. Milne, of St. Leonard's, breathed still so freshly in his flock, and in the town, that we cannot put his name yet among those that have passed away. Sturdy men, unflinching in service, the seals of faithful evangelists, were there. And the whole scene, how it recalled Reginald RadclifTe, as though we had but to look half round to find THE CLOUD VERHEAD. 165 him ! Best of all, the dear ministers of Perth, newly baptized with power, stood there ready to forward the work, and bind the sheaves." The Kev. Mr. Parkhnrst, of the M. E. Church, and the Pev. Mr. Spencer, also from Illinois, were able to give efficient aid here. The weather was unfavor- able to open air meetings, which in Perth had been attended with much blessing in former years, particu- larly in I860 ; but " The blesssed Spirit of Promise, who is drawing to himself all hope, all confidence, as the alone able to glorify Jesus, was powerfully working in some hearts. The cloud, as of a man's hand, was in the sky of that sweet summer's eve, and as the many melted and humbled servants of the King withdrew from the places of inquiry, they silently adored the Mighty One, and saw Him already going forth conquering and to conquer. " At night Mr. Moody preached on ' Son, remem- ber.' Many a conscience was pierced ; many a lingerer arrested ; many a believer's soul stirred to the lowest depths, as we were made to lean over the precipice and look down to the pit of despair. You felt as if you would rather not hear the speaker or any one else preach for long, lest by any means the 166 GO NEARER THE PEOPLE. lines drawn on the heart by God's Spirit should be effaced from the tablet within." The inquiry meeting had become so well-marked a feature of the movement that Mr. Moody made it the subject of an address in which its aims and uses were set forth. " I am more and more convinced every day," said he, " that one of the hindrances to a greater work of grace in our churches is the barrier that seems in such a degree to exist between the pas- tor and people, and the consequent stiffness and formality which prevent the people from coming to the pastor with their troubles or to seek spiritual ad- vice. "I believe the preaching would be much more practical and effective if the minister understood more of the difficulties of those to whom he minis- ters, and I have found no greater help in discovering the wants of the people than in the inquiry meeting, right after the preaching of the word. Jesus en- couraged His disciples to ask Him questions, saying to them 'Have ye understood all these things?' (Matt. xiii. 51.) I feel confident that if the pastor invited his people to come freely to him with their questions, setting aside a special time for them to LET TEEM ASK. 167 come, they would feel more free to accept than if left to come at any time, though they might, of course, be invited to do that also. " A few years ago I lost my way in London, and was glad to have a c shoeblack' direct rne aright. Many now are on the wrong road, and they know it, and yet are ashamed to go to any one to ask the right way. May they not be made to feel that their pastor, with other Christian friends who have walked in "Wisdom's ways and found them ways of pleasantness, are ready to point to them also the way ? " If Christ encouraged the people to come to Him and inquire of his kingdom, should they not now be encouraged to come and speak of Him ? On the day of Pentecost we read of a great cry being made by many who had been pricked by the words preached through the power of the Holy Ghost, ' Men and brethren, what shall we do?' The three thousand added to the Church that day show the result of the inquiry. The thought has risen in our minds, what would some of those who oppose the inquiry meeting do should one hundred make the same inquiry now ? " Can we doubt that God sent Philip into the desert that he might meet the eunuch and explain to 168 EXPECT SUCCESS. him that he whom Isaiah had named ' the sheep led to the slaughter ' was this same Jesus who had been crucified ? We read that he ' be^an at the same Scripture and preached unto him Jesus.' "We can imagine many other ways in which the eunuch might have been reached — even by sending an angel from heaven ; but God allows Philip the honor of point- ing this inquirer to the finished work of Christ. Would an inquirer now, with the same 53d chapter of Isaiah, find the way made plain if applying for help to some of those boasting of the ' broad ' plat- form on which they stand, and yet being called by His name. " I am frequently asked, ' How often should we have inquiry meetings, and should they be on ordinary occasions ? ' I see no reason why they should not. I believe we should expect conversions every time we preach the gospel ; but the preaching of the gospel I would distinguish from the preaching of the word to Christians for their edification and establishment in the truth. But when Christ has been preached and offered freely, should we not expect some to accept, and therefore give the opportunity to those who would hear more to come and ask ? FOLLOWING IT UP. 169 " The question also, who should be admitted into a general inquiry meeting to talk to the anxious has often been asked. I believe if the church has been properly instructed, one half of them ought to be able to point an inquiring one to Jesus. A man or woman whose heart is warm with love to the Sa- viour, and can give a reason for their hope, ought to be encouraged to go and speak to others. I know of no kind of work which quickens a church so much as work among inquirers." The closing labors at Perth are thus described : u Messrs. Moody and Sankey have gone from us, and we must turn now from the glad, calm, mountain- heights, to bear to those who are yet in the valley the tidings of the water of life, of which we have been drinking so deeply in the past ten days. In the dust of the conflict we shall look on this time even as David looked back to the ' water of the well of Beth- lehem.' God grant that, even as he poured forth that blood-bought water, an offering unto the Lord, we may with willing hands hold forth the cup of liv- ing water, blood-bought too for us. "Mr. Moody's Bible-readings came to an end on Friday, the 5th, but two days of busy work yet re- 170 IN THE OPEN AIR. mained before he left us for Dundee. On Sunday, the 7th, there was another meeting for Christian workers, at which the City Hall was again crowded. Much precious counsel Mr. Moody gave — counsel which came straight from an enthusiastic and devoted heart, yet never failed to be practical and clear. " At eleven o'clock he preached at the usual fore- noon service in the Free West Church, taking for his subject, ' The love of God ; ' and in the evening there was the meeting on the South Inch, for which all day long, prayer had been going up to the throne of grace. The evening was one of rare beauty; and when Mr. Sankey's voice was heard leading the well- known tune of the One Hundredth Psalm, it was 1 with cheerful voice ' that the people followed, while the mountains around and the trees overhead seemed also to join in the song — • ' For why ? The Lord our God is good ; His mercy ia for ever sure ; His truth at all times firmly stood, And shall from age to age endure/ " It is difficult to compute the numbers of a crowd standing so closely packed as this gathering was, but not fewer than seven thousand must have been with- LEA VE-TAKING. 171 in the range of Mr. Moody's voice ; while on the out- skirts, where even his voice could not reach, the words of sacred song may have carried conviction and comfort to many. Between six and seven o'clock the meeting was dismissed, and the people slowly dispersed, many of them to attend one of the other meetings which were still to be held that evening. "At the children's meeting there was an unusually large attendance. Many of the little ones who had given their hearts to Jesus during the week had brought their companions to seek Him. " Mr. Parkhurst also had a good meeting in the City Hall, and at the Xorth United Presbyterian Church, where Mr. Moody spoke, and whither many had gone voluntarily declaring themselves unconverted. Very many found peace that night. " On Monday we had the usual noon prayer-meet- ing, at which Mr. Moody and Mr. Sankey were both present ; and in the evening a meeting for young converts, and the usual evangelistic meeting, at which Mr. Parkhurst for the last time presided. Mr. San- key was also present for a short time, according to his usual plan before going to the meeting at which Mr. Moody was speaking. His parting message to 172 CONVERTS' MEETING. that assembly was breathed in the low, sad tones of * Nothing bnt Leaves.' His last soag to the young converts was in the stirring notes of ' Only an Ar- mor-bearer.' Mr. Moody had spoken solemnly and earnestly of the dangers which lay before them in their upward journey, but, withal, so soul- stirringly of the glory to follow, that this song was felt to be the expression of many a young heart's devotion, and there were many whose spirits sang with Mr. San- key's lips — ' Heard ye the battle cry ? " Forward ! " the call. See, see the faltering ones ! Backward they fall. Surely my Captain will remember me, Though but an armor-bearer I may be.' " Before closing Mr. Moody suggested that there should be a young converts' meeting every Monday evening, as there is already in many places. Once more they were commended to His care ' who is able to keep us from falling,' and then came the inquiry meeting, which that night seemed to be a specially solemn and sacred time. " Now God's servants have gone from us, but the fruit of their labor remains. They have been as scythes in the Master's hand, to mow down, in swift and steady strokes, ' the bearded grain and the flow- THE TEST OF TIME. 173 ers that grow between.' May God grant that mow- ers and reapers may be raised up in our midst, and that what has been already mown may be gathered in and cared for ! He is able to make this but the first-fruits of the harvest ; He is able to make even 'the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abi-ezer.' " From Perth a second visit was made to Dundee, of which Mr. McPherson gives the following details in the Christian of June 18th, 1874: " This second visit has been much appreciated, and has given a fresh impulse to the work. It has also served to make it abundantly evident that the work of grace has been going on quietly and steadily in this town and neighborhood during recent months. The ordinary channels of worship and work are full of the river of God — in some cases, indeed, full to overflowing. The pulse of Christian life in this city is beating more strongly and healthfully than it has done for many a day. It is now plain enough that the blessing will be largely permanent and abundantly productive. A thousand earnest souls are longing and praying for greater and still greater things. The impetus given to Christian work 174 "0 UT OF THE MO JJTH OF BABES." in all its departments can scarcely be overestimated. This is especially true in regard to work among the young. During the last three months many of the little ones have been carried away by scarlatina. Many death-bed scenes, full of interest and instruc- tion, have been witnessed. I have often of late heard the children in their last moments speak of the things of God with an intelligence and a simplic- ity of faith which has been both a lesson and a re- proof to older Christians. Beyond measure affecting is it to hear the little ones sing their sweet gospel hymns with their dying breath. < Oh, mother, how I wish you were going with me ! ' said a little girl the other day as she lay dying. ' I cannot go with you, dear,' replied the mother; ' Jesus wants you to go alone to Him.' i Going to Jesus,' repeated the child twice, as if pondering the full significance of the word. Then, after a pause, she said she was satisfied, adding, ' Mother, you will come by and by.' She then sang, ' Jesus loves even me,' and died. "The' young doves are flying to their windows. There is sorrow in many a home here ; but I have never before seen so much joy and praise in the midst of bereavement and trouble. As the little LABORERS WANTED. 175 saved children go in at the gates singing, fathers and mothers are catching glimpses of the glory, and wish- ing they were in too." There is necessarily much uniformity in the modes of operation in the various cities. Mr. Moody's plan usually included a meeting at the very outset for the " Christian workers " and all who were willing to be employed. Then followed vivid presentations of vital truth on such Scripture words as " There is no difference," "The Two Adams," or "Sinners' Ex- cuses," and direct and faithful dealing with men's souls. «tf Thus it was at Aberdeen. The labors of the evan- gelists commenced on Sabbath, the 14th, by a nine o'clock meeting for Christian workers, admission by ticket. There were three thousand issued, and the Music Hall was quite filled, every available place being occupied, either sitting or standing. The singing of the Hundredth Psalm opened the proceedings, after which the Rev. T. Gardiner, Old Aberdeen Free Church, engaged in prayer. Mr. Moody then rose, and, after reading a short portion of Scripture, spoke for about three quarters of an hour from the text, "Here am I; send me." Mr. Sankey, assisted by a most efficient 176 AT ABERDEEN. choir of male and female voices, effectively rendered several hymns, among which the principal were, " Hark, the Yoice of Jesus Calling," " Go, work in my Vineyard," and "Nothing but Leaves." The meeting was a most solemn one, and the audience was most attentive. The evening meeting, at 5 p. m., was on the Links, in the natural amphitheatre of the Broadhill, where a platform had been erected for choir and speakers. It was here that the deep interest in these gentlemen — arising, of course, from mixed feelings of curiosity and desire to know more of that better way of which they speak — showed itself. One may be allowed to say that the town was moved to come, and see, and hear. Some ten thousand were in position before and around the platform long before the hour of meeting ; and yet from before five till past six there were continuous streams of men, women, and chil- dren, from the city, Footdee, "Woodside, Old Aber- deen, and as far as Dyce, flowing to the one point on the Broadhill. There could not have been fewer than twenty to twenty-two thousand on the Links that evening. Mr. Moody spoke from the words, u The wages of sin is death," and was listened to with TUB CITY MO VED. 177 rapt attention, while the hymns were distinctly heard over the vast crowds in the stillness of a quiet summer evening. The next meeting was announced for eight, in the Music Hall, but it being filled before seven, Mr. Moody began at that hour. Prayer was led by Mr. Walter, of Free Trinity Church, Mr. Moody speaking on the subject of the prodigal son. There was much power. The chief hymns were. " Jesus of Nazareth," " Come Home," and "Almost Persuaded." There were many inquirers. The crowd outside was very great, and Free West Trinity and the Baptist Chapel, Crown street, had to be opened, and were more or less filled; while several ministers conducted an open-air service in one of the squares. " We have never at any time, I may say, seen the city so moved as it was this day." The next day, Monday, the meeting was in the South Parish Church, and a prayer-meeting at 3 p. m. Amongst the audience there were between twenty and thirty ministers of various denominations. Pend- ing the arrival of the evangelists, various hymns were sung by a choir which has been organized to assist Mr. Sankey in singing. Two hours before the time announced for com- 178 ENEMIES VANQUISHED. mencing the evening meeting in the South Parish Church, a crowd had gathered at the door, and no sooner was admission gained than every seat and corner of the large church began to be rapidly filled. The people seemed contented to wait any length of time for an opportunity of hearing the singing of Mr. San key and the preaching of Mr. Moody. It was soon seen that the numbers waiting outside could not gain admission into the church, and provision was immediately made for having an open-air meeting in the quadrangle of Marischal College. After devotional exercises, interspersed with hymns and Scripture expositions of a brief and pointed char- acter, Mr. Moody preached from Luke ii. 10 : " Be- hold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people, for unto you is born this day a Sa- viour." "His love for the Gospel," he said, "had taken out of his way four of his bitterest enemies. Before he was converted, death to him was a horrible monster, but now he had no fear of it. He had re- ceived several letters from people who were probably out of their mind, threatening to take his life, but fear of them never gave him a thought, for he went through the world crying, ' O Death, where is thy AN OPEN AIR TEXT. 179 sting?' and he heard a voice rolling down from Calvary's cross, saying, ' Buried in the bosom of the Saviour.' He had attended the wounded at the American War, and had seen death under many phases. In illustration he told an anecdote of the war, so graphically, and with so much pathos, that a consid- erable portion of the audience was deeply affected. The other enemies which the knowledge of the Gos- pel had removed from his path were the grave, sin, and the judgment, all of which were bitter enemies to his peace of mind previous to his conversion." Later in the evening, another and yet larger con- gregation, including a greater number of careless persons, heard another sermon on " the Gospel." He expressed himself greatly pleased with the character of the meeting ; he liked open-air meetings on week days, because all kinds of people could come to them, while, no doubt, a good many came all eyes and mouths open for curiosity's sake. The text he had chosen was an open-air one, and commanded them to preach the Gospel to every creature, and in a few sentences he pointed out how comprehensive was this injunction of the Saviour's. Throughout both his evening discourses, Mr. Moody showed a wonder- 180 TO THE SOLDIERS. ful power of seizing the circumstances around him to illustrate his meaning, thereby giving a kind of personal interest to what he was saying. Then fol- lowed a prayer-meeting in the Free High Church for about half an hour, those who desired private con- versation retiring to the hall below the church, the prayer-meeting being continued in the church by several clergymen until after ten o'clock. The in- quirers' meeting lasted still longer. Among the side-meetings held in this neighbor- hood, was one of special interest for soldiers and sailors, in the Aberdeen School of Song. It is a new hall ; and this was the first meeting held in it. The meet- ing was arranged through the exertions of Sir Francis Outram and Dr. Thomas Farquhar. The wives and friends of the soldiers and marines were also present ; and the company was a large one, numbering many hundreds. Mr. Sankey and his choir attended. Sir Francis Outram presided, and the Eev. Mr. Greig engaged in prayer. Mr. Sankey gave a short and effective address, and sang the hymn " Hold the Fort," the audience joining in the chorus. Major Ross then addressed the meeting. The Rev. Mr. Sloan spoke on the text, "Endure hardness as a good soldier of APPLICATION OF TRUTH. 181 Jesus Christ." Mr. Sankey followed with the hymn " The Life-boat." After prayer, he again sang, with great power, the hymn "Ninety and Nine." The meeting lasted for an hour, and was intensely inter- esting. We trust much good was done through it. Several of the officers were present. At Peterhead two meetings were held, one at five p.m., a second on the Links — an open-air gathering continued in the church, of which one of the min- isters writes thus : " The large church was quite filled in the after- meeting, some standing in the passages. Mr. Moody addressed the anxious. In closing, he asked those that knew they were unsaved but wished to be prayed for to stand up. This being a new thing for Peter- head, it was some time ere any had the courage. At length one, then another, and another, then twos and threes, rose, till between thirty and forty stood before that vast audience to be prayed for. It was a solemn moment. They soon got company, however, for no sooner had God's servant requested the children of God who felt the desire for greater spiritual blessing to rise, than up stood a throng. The front area seats were then cleared for the anxious. Many men on 182 RESPONSIBILITY. one side, and young women and boys and girls, came forward, and, after the assembly was dismissed, were spoken to personally. I believe great good was done by that short visit, — an impression made on the town that will not soon leave it ; many convictions planted in breasts, and former impressions deepened, and not a few led to Jesus. The children of God, too, have received a blessing indeed. The constantly expressed desire is, ' If we could only have had him a week just ; ' others, ' Well, it is clear we can't have him, and why do we not bestir ourselves and be blessed still more ? ' " The impression produced by the " Bible-readings " is thus described in a letter to The Christian from Aberdeen : " We cannot over-estimate the benefit and enjoy- ment which the privilege of being present at these lectures occasioned to many. We can only hope that the method of studying the Scriptures so attractively illustrated by these lectures may be largely imitated by private Christians, along with the steady consecu- tive reading and study of books and portions of the sacred word." After a week's labor in the city, the following re- WATER ON THE THIRSTY. 183 suits are reported, all the more remarkable because the time had now come when both ministers and peo- ple began to leave for summer holidays. "In Free Trinity Church, as usual, an overflow meeting was held during the earlier part of the even- ing; and at nine o'clock the meeting for the men began. The audience having been consulted as to whether this meeting should be continued for another week at least, all present, apparently, expressed their desire that it should be so. About the same number of anxious inquirers remained in both places of meet- ing each night. The average each night throughout the week may be reckoned roughly at one hundred and fifty. This is truly ' great things' done for us and among us by the Lord ; and many of God's peo- ple are filled with joy at His mighty doings. " In addition to these results, there are blessings received which come not always to view. There are the reviving and quickening of God's people ; the enriching of the experience of the large staff of Chris- tian workers ; the tightening of the cords of Christian love and unity ; the increase of the spirit of prayer and hopefulness ; and largely a new view of the sacred function of praise in the service of Christ, and as a 184 FLOODS ON BE T GRO UND. means of winning souls to Him, of comforting the downcast, and of warring against the assaults of the wicked one." Among the incidents in the inquiry-room was that of a young lady, who, in speaking with Mr. Moody, said, " You made it so plain last night, that I now know the way and the scheme of salvation thoroughly, and there remains but the surrender of the will." The brethren commenced their second and last week's labors in Aberdeen, June 21, 1874. Mere curiosity had had time to be gratified, but still large audiences flocked to hear them. " Many," says a writer in The Christian, " who, with Scotch caution, were inclined to stand aloof from the movement for a short time, have come round to recognize that there is good being done, and that the men are not mere butterflies, fluttering in a breeze of religious excite- ment. Their influence has gone beyond the gather- ings that they themselves bring together. There has been created a renewed interest in evangelistic work, which is bearing fruit in numerous well-attended meet- ings being held throughout the town, conducted by clergymen and laymen. At the same time there is an absence of that emotional excitement which was MUTUAL HELP. 185 greatly in vogue in some previous revivals, and which, in a measure, is to blame for the indifference of not a few good church-going people to evangelistic preaching. A vigorous lecture on Daniel in the morning, a ser- mon in the cathedral, Old Aberdeen, which was densely crowded, a closing meeting on the Links — the Scottish " Common" — an evening meeting in the Music Hall, and separate meetings with the men and women who had received a blessing — these were the farewell services on June 28, 1874, in Aberdeen. " Perhaps in no place which he has as yet visited," says the Rev. John M. Sloan, " have his ministrations been attended by greater or more interested crowds. The Music Hall, larger, we believe, than the City Hall, Glasgow, and capable, when crowded, of accom- modating close on three thousand live hundred — was full every night during the fortnight of the evangel- ists' stay among us. Kot only so, but the overflow sufficed to fill at times more than one of the adjacent churches. The Bible lectures, which were held in the South Parish Church, were attended by close on two thousand ; while the daily prayer-meeting in Belmont Street Chapel was attended by one thousand or more." Of the manner in which young men influenced one 186 YOUNG MEN'S RESOLVES. another, no better illustration could be given than from the closing meeting in Aberdeen, though simi- lar facts had occurred elsewhere. u During the evening, a young gentleman rose and said, ' Mr. Moody, if you can tell me how my soul can be saved, you will be the greatest benefactor of my life.' Another immediately rose, and said, 6 That gentleman has exactly expressed what I feel.' Another young man rose, and spoke to this effect : 'Some few evenings ago I was in Free Trinity Church at the men's meeting. At one point in the proceedings I was taken aback by the person next to me in the pew rising up and saying, " I want to let this large company of young men, many of them my friends and acquaintances, know that I am a Chris- tian, and that by God's grace I mean to stand on the Lord's side. It will save trouble my telling you all this at once." When he sat down, the young man sitting in the same pew, but on the other side of me, rose and made a statement to the same effect. I felt some- what uncomfortable sitting between two making such a declaration, in the full view of all the congregation. The place was unpleasantly hot for me. But God blessed the testimonies of that evening to the awaken- DISCRIMINATION. 187 ing of my soul, and ultimately to my conversion; and now I am here before this audience to tell them that I too am on the Lord's side, and mean by His grace to live for Him." ' Huntly received a visit — reawakening memories of the efforts made by the excellent Duchess of Gordon. Montrose, where the earnest and zealous Mr. Xixon has lived and labored for a genera- tion, welcomed even a day's work, and Rev. G. S. Sutherland reported that though the visit was " painfully brief, it had left behind lasting fruit : " and Brechin, once the scene of Rev. Dr. McCosh's labors, had its crowded meetings. Forfar and Arbroath were visited. It may illus- trate the observant discrimination with which Scot- tish Christians followed the steps of the American evangelists, that a most appreciative writer in the Times of Blessing, a journal originated for the dif- fusion of revival intelligence, thus describes Mr. Moody's address in the latter place : " The first meeting was held in the Old Church (Established); and though the hour — three o'clock, afternoon — was one at which none of tbe working classes could attend, the large building, capable of 188 TRUTH RIGHTLY DIVIDED. holding two thousand people, was well-nigh full. The meeting was opened with the One Hundredth Psalm, led by Mr. Sankey and the organ ; and Mr. Irvine, the pastor of the church, engaged in prayer. i Nothing but Leaves,' and ' Whiter than Snow' followed, divided by the reading of Rom. iii. In this section was found the theme of Mr. Moody's address, * There is no Dif- ference,' — words which he held up as testifying that all men everywhere stand on the same platform as sinners in relation to the law of God. The audience listened with rapt attention, the illustrations being specially telling. The writer of this notice heard the same address in Glasgow ; but on the present occasion Mr. Moody seemed to take a firmer grasp of his sub- ject, and preserved more unity of structure in the ad- dress itself. He seems also to be more careful in his way of explaining what faith in Christ is than before, showing by this that if he have given benefit to Scottish ministers by the exhibition of his method, he has also been reaping some benefit from their well- weighed style of expression." That this kindly criticism accompanied the most cordial and enthusiastic estimate of the man, will appear from another paragraph — almost the only CORDIAL APPROVAL. 189 eulogistic description we have thought it good to in- sert, for, " he that glorieth let him glory in the Lord." u Mr. Moody's voice has suffered a good deal by his exposure on a wet Sunday on the Links at Aberdeen ; when he addressed an enormous audience under um- brellas. It was very husky to commence with, and only got back its old power and sharpness, as he worked it clear. "When a man gets a bad cold, and goes on with such colossal work, without intermission, one comes to ask : ' Is he made of iron only in a figure, or is he really so ? ' The more one sees Mr. Moody, the more one is amazed at the nervous power and the unwearied spiritual and mental activity. Did he only do what he does as an inspirer and organizer m of young men's associations, or of work among the young, he would be doing a splendid life-labor ; but he is doing the work of three or four evangelists into the bargain, and that with the force of a locomotive engine. One would almost fear him as an embodiment of half a dozen agencies condensed into one person, did one not see unmistakably, every here and there, traces which tell that the masculine nature has the humility of a child and the tenderness of a woman." Blairgowrie had been praying, and when, early in 190 BLAIRGOWRIE. July, the evangelists appeared, seven thousand eager hearers met them, and the Rev. Mr. Baxter reports : "After devotional exercises had been engaged in, Mr. Moody spoke. The discourse abounded in rich utterances of a free gospel. The glad tidings of mercy through Christ were clearly enunciated. The offer of immediate salvation was pressed on every one with great seriousness and solemnity. By means of evan- gelical truth luminously stated, anecdotes pointed and most graphically given, illustrations fresh and felici- tous, attention was arrested and sustained, and many a countenance betrayed in its expression the interest which was being felt and the deep emotion which was being awakened. A wave of divine influence seemed to pass over the immense audience, and so stirred were the hearts of many, that they were ready to say, ' Surely the Lord is in this place.' It was a marvelous, and will be a memorable, meeting. The vast congregation, the glorious proclamation of God's grace, the eagerness with which the truth was listened to, the widespread concern about everlasting interests, will be long remembered with no ordinary degree of pleasure and profit." At Inverness, the next field, from the beginning of INVERNESS. 191 the year a prayer-meeting had been held daily at noon in the large hall of the beautiful building erected a few years ago by the Young Glen's Christian Asso- ciation, and the people were expectant of a blessing. We shall allow the Rev. G. Pobson to describe the closing meeting only taking the liberty to abbreviate : "The closing meeting, Free High Church, at 8 p. m. ; densely packed ; the Hundredth Psalm sung, and prayer. Mr. Sankey sang the hymn, ' We shall Part, but not forever,' the choir joining in the chorus. Mr. Moody delivered a most arresting and solemn address. The close of his appeal, when he deplored his in- ability to speak for Christ with the earnestness he desired, and with tears entreated the unsaved to close with the Saviour, was listened to amid a silence broken only by the irrepressible signs of deep emo- tion on the part of his audience. There were not many dry eyes in the vast congregation, and many heads were bowed. At the close of the address, the Pev. Dr. Black engaged in prayer, and then Mr. Sankey sang a farewell hymn, beginning, ' And now, dear Friends, we must bid you adieu,' in which he ad- dressed the different classes present. He sang it with 192 "PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION." even more than his usual distinctness, and the sin- gular appropriateness of these farewell utterances lent to them additional effect. While the Twenty-third Psalm was being sung the meeting separated, the men being invited to an after-meeting in the Con- gregational Church, and the women to remain in the Free High Church. It is impossible to give any idea, by words, of the deep solemnity and holy emotion which characterized this closing meeting. ' The Lord has been in the midst of us to-night,' said Mr. Moody, as the meeting was separating. ' Ah. yes ; glory to His name ! ' was the reply. The after-meeting was the most solemn I ever witnessed. Pew after pew was cleared for those who professed to be seeking Christ, and still they pressed forward. There were upwards of a hundred of them; and their earnest attention while Mr. Moody, in simple, tender words, pointed out to them the way of salvation — the per- fect stillness which prevailed, as, with their heads bowed upon the book-board, they engaged in silent prayer — the manifest anxiety, reverence, and sincerity which animated their behavior during the subsequent solemn exercises — the spirit of prayer manifestly per- vading the Christian ladies who filled the pews on "IF YE HAVE FAITH." 103 either side of the church — all testified to the presence of the Holy Ghost in that hallowed hour, never to be forgotten. The men's meeting in the Congregational Church, conducted by Mr. Sankey, was also greatly blessed of God, and a very large number of inquirers were conversed with. It was late at night before Messrs. Moody and Sankey slipped away from the scene of labors which have been owned of God for the conversion of many souls and the quickening of many believers." In Xairn and Elgin the same scenes were repeated. At the latter place Mr. Moody urged faith and effort on the Christian people; he read a portion of the ninth chapter of Mark, in reference to the case of the father whose son was possessed of a devil. From it he en- treated Christians, like the man in the chapter, to bring their friends to Jesus, to whom no case was too hopeless. "Now," Mr. Moody continued, "if there is going to be a blessing in Elgin, we must have faith. All know Christ can do it, and what we want is to get the 'if' in the right place. 'If we can believe, that moment we get the 'if in the right place. Un- belief was the greatest obstacle that Christ encoun- tered, both on that and this side the cross." Mr. 9 194 ELGIN. Moody then very earnestly appealed to God's people to have faith, to come as empty vessels, devoid of self-conceit and everything selfish, so that they might be filled. To Nairn the visit was made on the 21st July (1874), the Eev. Dr. Cunningham, of Philadelphia, giving some aid in the meetings. "An inquiry meeting was held at the close, and about sixty or more were conversed with, while many retired to their homes with an arrow in their hearts. Some professed to close with Jesus, and some left undecided for the Lord. Mr. Moody and his fellow-laborer left the town next morning, while the services were carried on by the ministers in town and an evangelist. The in- quiry meeting on Wednesday evening was full of interest, many professing to close with Jesus. The whole town was moved." The ancient town of Elgin received a two days' visit. An open-air meeting was held on Ladyhill. The Elgin Courier thus describes the scene : " The sun, as he sank to rest in the west shed his dying glory over the most picturesque scene on the hillside. It was estimated by some that there were between five and six thousand persons present, it being the , REV. R. S. MACPHATL. 195 largest gathering of the kind we ever remember having seen in Elgin. Tempted by the fine evening all classes of the people turned out, many arriving from all parts of the snrrounding districts. At the foot of the hill a platform was erected, which was occupied by the choir and speakers. The whole hill- side, for a great distance up and round about was cov- ered with the dense multitude, that presented, with their varied dresses, a most imposing spectacle." The liev. K. S. Macphail gives his ideas of the moral and spiritual results as indicated by the ad- journed meeting : " In the parish church the scene was unprecedented. Much as we had prayed for seven months and expected, we were not prepared for the results our God gave. Not only did the num- bers exceed our most sanguine expectations, but per- sons remained seeking salvation whose- presence filled our hearts with thanksgiving and rejoicing. This has been so at all these meetings, but on Sabbath night most strikingly. On the Thursday previous about two hundred and fifty inquirers were dealt with. How many there were on Sabbath night I do not venture to indicate, as there were fewer means of computing the great gathering. Such a Sabbath 196 A GLAD SURPRISE. Elgin never saw ; and the results of that day's work will, I believe, remain, not only in the lives of very many in Elgin and for miles around, but in the tone and religious character of oar city. The power of the word originated influences which, by God's blessing, will tell very powerfully in our midst. We found our way to our homes that night at a late hour i like men that dreamed.' Truly we might, as we did, say, i The Lord hath done great things for us.' " Of a second visit made to Elgin one of the Young Men's deputies from Edinburgh writes in cordial ap- preciation of the zeal and fervor of the Highlanders : " How the Elgin people pounced upon Mr. Moody when they heard, three days after he had left them, that he had one more free day in the midst of his busy life ! Of course they never dreamed of him tak- ing a rest ; and there was great joy on Wednesday afternoon when it was flashed through the country side that on the following evening there was to be another great open-air gathering. I cannot tell jou who were there, or how many, or what a good choir there was, or what Mr. Sankey sung, or which digni- tary prayed. I cannot tell you how beautifully the sun was setting, or how fresh the background of come AND in-: LP us. 197 woods looked, or how azure the sky was. But these old men penitent, these drunkards petri^ed, these strong men's tears, these drooping heads of women, these groups of gutter children with their wondering eyes ! Oh, that multitude of thirsty ones — what a sight it was ! What could the preacher do but preach his best ? And, long after the usual time for stop- ping, was it a marvel to hear the persuasive voice still pleading on with these Christless thousands? " It is useless to attempt to give even an approxi- mate idea of the extent of the blessing which fell upon Elgin on Thursday night. The whole of Mo- rayshire has shared it, and a powerful hold has been gained in nearly every farmhouse and village through- out the country side ; a hold which, it is earnestly hoped, the members of the new Young Men's Christian As- sociation will take immediate steps to develop, and which, with the prayers of the Christian friends of this corner of the vineyard, may yet be fertile of great and enduring blessing." They could not well pass by Banff, for " a memo- rial signed by two thousand two hundred ministers, elders, members, and adherents of the various churches in Banff and Macduff had been forwarded to 198 TOO HARD FOR THE LORD? them. An unusual interest was consequently mani- fested on their arrival. The railway station was quite crowded with people who were waiting to give them a warm welcome." Open-air meetings, Bible-readings, sermons, in- quiry-meetings, for men exclusively, filled up the greater part of a week. The Rev. J. W. Geddie says of the results : " Mr. Moody's words seemed to pierce like arrows, much emotion was manifested in the congregation, and the number of inquirers was greater than before. The meeting for men was also more largely attended, and not a few of the anxious seemed to decide for Christ. " Thursday, 6th Aug. (1874), was Mr. Moody's last day in Banff. At twelve o'clock he appeared in the prayer-meeting, to the evident delight and satisfac- tion of all present. He gave what he calls the key- note of the meeting in a few earnest and encouraging words, chiefly in the question, ' Is there anything too hard for the Lord ? ' Several brethren then prayed with great power and unction. It was felt that surely the Lord would very specially bless the word in the evening. " And so it was. Thursday evening will be long CRAIG CASTLE. 199 remembered by many in Banff. The discourse was pointed, powerful, and pathetic. At the close he thrilled the audience, as he bade them farewell, and with tears urged the unconverted to close with Christ at once. " We are truly grateful for the visit of these hon- ored brethren. They have been instrumental in giv- ing an impulse to Christian life and work here, which, we trust, will lead to still greater results. "We bid them God-speed." At Craig Castle, the residence of J. S. Gordon, Esq. , a series of evangelistic meetings has been held for many summers. The Sabbath evening meeting, 9th August, must have been of unusual interest. "Every valley and hamlet within a radius of ten miles sent its company in gig, cart, or afoot. The gathering resembled somewhat one of the Covenanter hill-side meetings, save that, while the bibles were still present, the broadswords were altogether absent ; and the rendezvous, instead of being a wild, rocky pass, was a hospitable castle with its fairy dell and leaping linn, celebrated in song, and known as one of the loveliest spots in Scotland. The beauty of the scene seemed specially to move Mr. Moody, who re- 200 UNCERTAIN NA VIGATION ferred to it again and again in his discourse, which was one of peculiar beauty, power, and pathos. Standing in an open carriage placed near a towering tree, the preacher spoke for nearly an hour from the parable of the Marriage Feast. A very marked im- pression was produced, and many retired at the close of the service for conversation with the preacher and other ministers and friends. The Craig gathering of August, 1874, will, we believe, be ever memorable to not a few as 'the beginning of days' to them." In one of the intervals between engagements, a hurried run was made to Aberdeen, but other towns, like Wick and Thurso, awaited the coming of the evangelists. In that region, the navigation is often uncertain. Midnight on Monday (10th August), found Mr. Moody steaming slowly out of Aberdeen harbor, after a hard day's work, in which he held four large and successful public meetings. Tuesday morning found him close in shore, opposite Wick, with a contrary wind, and most violent contrary currents, making things on board the St. Nicholas about as disagreeable as possible. On the shore, a large party awaited his arrival, but it was soon apparent that the heavy sea JOHN O'GROA T'S HO USE. 20 1 which was running in the bay would make any at- tempt to land quite out of the question. But the good people of Wick were no losers by the misfortunes of the first day, for Mr. Moody soon in- timated his intention to devote two extra days to Wick, and one of these a Sabbath. On Wednesday, of course, the whole country-side poured into Wick to hear Mr. Moody, and by six o'clock, the commodious Established Church was crowded to the door. The aid of Mr. Somerville, of Glasgow, was enjoyed here. A monster meeting for the fishermen was held on the Saturday. They were there in thousands, just then, from all parts of Scotland. The fishermen do not, of course, go to sea on Saturday night. The meetings on Sabbath were most successful, one hundred and fifty men pro- fessing decision. John 0' Groat's House is famous as the most north- ern point of Scotland. On Thursday, the 13th, Mr. Moody, with a party of friends, visited John O'Groat's and Duncansbay Head. The news of his presence spread rapidly amongst the inhabitants of the neigh- borhood, and a considerable gathering of men and women, attired in their Sabbath dress, with Bibles in 9* 202 AN EAGER COMPANY. their hands, intercepted him as he stood upon the site of John O'Groat's House, and urgently requested that he might address a few words to them. Mr. Moody made passing allusion to the circumstances of his visit, to the probability of his never meeting his audience again in this world, to the scenery, the situation, and the tradition of the place. The speaker, standing as he did on the northmost mainland of Britain, with the blue waters of the broad Atlantic rolling between him and his home, seemed as a link binding the two nations together in that unity and brotherly love which are the main characteristics of his doctrine. This was, probably, the first sermon ever preached on John O'Groat's House. A scene in Wick, whither he returned, is thus de- scribed by Rev. George Renny : " He requested those who were yet unsaved and anxious, to cross the platform where the pulpit stands, and retire to the hall below. Slowly one, and another, and another rose, and, in the face of the audience, moved to the place appointed. It soon became full of inquirers, so much so that there was not standing- room. Mr. Moody then intimated that the church would be cleared for them to return, but that if there THE GLORIOUS GOSPEL. 203 were others before him still anxious, they should, in the meantime, move below. The minister's vestry was thrown open and was rilled. Thereafter, the back stair, which leads to the pulpit, was also crowded. It was found that not fewer than two hundred men — a few of them with silvery locks, and a few young in years, but the vast majority in the full vigor of man- hood, and occupying various positions in the social scale — confessed themselves unconverted, and anxious for salvation. Christians accustomed to speak to the anxious were requested to occupy a certain place in the church ; other Christians were asked to adjourn to the Baptist Chapel, and pray for direction, and the revelation of Christ to those who remained, and the promiscuous assembly separated. The inquirers then returned, and took their seats in front of the pulpit. The way of salvation was explained by Mr. Moody, in a very simple and forcible manner, and the texts of Scripture which had been most blessed in the way of delivering and assuring his own soul, were dwelt upon. The gospel was brought home with such sim- plicity that one felt how true it is. The wayfaring men, though fools, need not err therein. Regret was expressed that the souls before him could not be 204 A SOLEMN HOUR. spoken with individually. He then requested that all would engage -in silent prayer, and that as many as were enabled to trust in Jesus should in these solemn moments receive Him as their Saviour. This done, he then asked that those who had now committed their souls to Christ for salvation, should rise up ; when slowly, one by one, there rose one hundred and fifty, or thereby — every countenance bearing the imprint of seriousness, every eye bedimmed with a tear, but no excitement and no outburst of feeling. It was a sight for angels to witness. Mr. Moody after this requested them to repeat audibly the words of a dedication prayer, so full of directness and simplicity, that as every lip, quivering with emotion, slowly echoed the words, we seemed carried back to the days of the Covenant. This concluded, there burst from the heart of the audience a prayer from a young man who has been much identified with this work of grace, such as told of the tremulous joy which was present to the minds of all of us, and the earnest desire that all who had witnessed the good confession might by grace be found faithful to the end. " In a brief time, the newly-professed converts re- tired, and those who had kept their seats and were still THE GROUND PREPARED. 205 anxious were conversed with, some of whom seemed to find their way to the light. Never, never will that night be forgotten. Many, doubtless, will watch for the halting of these men. Let us continue instant in prayer that they may be kept steadfast and immova- ble, always abounding in the work of the Lord." " It is now," says Rev. W. R. Taylor, of Glasgow, who was at Wick and in the neighborhood with Mr. Moody, " fifteen years since Thurso was visited with a marked blessing, and of that happy period I retain a record, which tells of upwards of four hundred in- quirers, and of one-half of these becoming members of the church within a few months thereafter. May God grant like and even greater things in this year of grace." This hope was amply realized. The encouraging state of things on Monday and Tuesday evenings, combined with the urgent request of friends, led Mr. Moody to decide on remaining here till the end of the week, instead of giving only two days, as first arranged. On the following (Thursday) evening, Mr. Moody preached on Faith. When min- isters and other workers dealt at the close of the ser- vice with inquirers, they found that the way had been paved for them to an unusual degree, and that many 206 OBAN. who had been previously seeking hope among their own feelings, were now prepared to close, in the strength of grace, with the offered and offering Saviour. For example, as one man was being con- versed with, after the Christian friend speaking to him had said a few words, he suddenly bowed his head on the bookboard, and poured forth from an overcharged heart a fervent prayer, expressive of immediate acceptance of the Lord Jesus as his Saviour, and of thanksgiving for the light received. To speak to inquirers under such circumstances was a work as easy as it was blessed. A most useful Convention was held in Inverness in the end of August. Of the last week in Scotland, we should be glad to give more ample details did our space admit. The following is a concise account of the meetings : After the Convention at Inverness, Mr. Moody, with a company of local friends, went down the Cale- donian Canal to Oban, and there, on Friday the 28th, gave an address with much apparent blessing in the United Presbyterian Church. There had been much preparatory work in the town, not only in the open-air meetings, but also in other special services ; and in CAMPBELTOWN. 207 the two preceding months the Rev. H. Bonar and the Rev. A. Bonar, had ministered the Word in the Free Church. From Oban Mr. Moody went to Campbel- town, by way of Tarbert, on Loch Fyne, and remained from the 29th to the 3d of September, when he left for Rothesay, taking the Tarbert route, and staying on his way at the house of the Rev. W. Mackinnon at Ballinakill, where many were gathered from various parts of Kintyre to meet him. His work at Camp- beltown was deeply interesting, and was crowned with remarkable blessing. He commenced on Sun- day the 30th by three services ; speaking first to workers, then on the Blood, and lastly on the grand command, u Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." The result after that last address was most striking. Upwards of fifty stood up to ask to be prayed for, and to declare their desire to be Christians. The meeting had been overcrowded, and some went to the Drill-hall, where the gospel was preached by willing helpers ; but in the great after-meeting in the church, all were united, and it was felt to be a time of wonderful enlargement and power. On the three following days the interest was deepened at successive meetings ; till at the last, 208 THE VOICE OF REJOICING. on "Wednesday night, when Mr. Moody had preached on God's invitation and man's excuses, a very large number were gathered into a hall, either as converts or inquirers; and it was manifest that much fruit had been gathered to life eternal. There is the joy of seeing many now rejoicing in Jesus, who were wont to walk in the shadow of death, and believers are learning to work when God is calling in the harvest, as it is written, " He is a wise son who gathereth in summer." It is well known that the Highlanders are intensely strong in their religious convictions and preposses- sions ; hence many who knew the Highlands were afraid that Mr. Moody's preaching would not suit the Celtic mind; while Mr. Sankey's songs, it was feared, would stir up a perfect storm of opposition in the minds of the people. Happily, neither of these pre- dictions was verified. Mr. Moody's addresses melted the hearts of thousands, while Mr. Sankey's hymns have become as great favorites in the Highlands as they are in the South of Scotland. In the remote Highland glen you may hear the sound of hymn-sing- ing ; shepherds on the steep hill-sides sing Mr. Sankey's hymns while tending their sheep ; errand FAREWELL TO SCOTLAND, 209 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. A clergyman of the Church of England heard a Scotch minister speak of the work in Scotland at the Mildmay Conference. He was just on the eve of starting for Norway, where he intended to spend his holidays. He decided to come to Scotland instead ; it was his first visit to the Xorth, and he enjoyed the magnificent mountain scenery very much. But he enjoyed the spiritual work still more. u Xever," said he, " have I enjoyed a holiday like this — such breath- ings of the Spirit, such holy joy, such delightful meet- ings as I have seen during my visit to Scotland. Truly this has been a memorable year for Scotland. Let the readers of Times of .Blessing pray that Messrs. Moody and Sankey's labors may be abundantly blessed in their visit to Ireland, and that the w T inter of toil in our great centers of population, to which they are looking forward, may be productive of even more glorious results than have followed their labors in Scotland.". The farewell to Scotland we must give in the words of an eye-witness. It was at the close of the Inverness 210 HEARTY THANKS. Convention. "Mr. Moody referred with very much feeling to the work in Scotland. His sentences were interrupted by bursts of tears ; he bent over the pulpit sobbing, and buried his face in his hands. Among the audience the flood of emotion was overpowering ; the whole meeting was bathed in tears. It was a moment of inexpressible tenderness ; the thoughts and feelings of past months came rushing back in a tor- rent. Mr. Moody said if he had given offense to any one since he came to Scotland, he now asked to be forgiven. He would leave Scotland with a sigh, and he hoped that he and his dear friend Mr. Sankey would be remembered affectionately in prayer at many a Scottish hearth, as they went further in their work. The last nine months had been the dearest in his life. He was leaving friends who would be ever dear to him, and whose kindness he could never for- get. Some had departed, especially the honored friend (Principal Fairbairn) who had opened the Glasgow Convention, and had there delivered a speech that stirred every heart, and was said to be the speech of his life. In conclusion, he wished to do what he had not done before — to thank briefly those who had furthered his work. First, he had to thank DWELLING IN UNITY. 211 the ministers. From them he had received nothing but kindness ; all denominations had cordially worked with him. " As a layman, I did not expect it. And Mr. Sankey and I have received far warmer welcome than we deserved. Secondly, we owe our gratitude to the Press. Little has been written we could object to. "Wherever we have gone, the Press has given us a helping hand, and aided in the success of our work. Thirdly, I have to thank the young men of Scotland, who, wherever I have gone, have rallied round me in such a remarkable way. To officers of the church, to parents, and all others who have aided us, I return my thanks. There has not been one word of strife or discord among the fellow-laborers all these months ; and even in the open meetings, which some supposed would open the door to animosities and stupidity, there has been nothing objectionable. God has won- derfully kept us. And now, will you let God's Spirit go on working? Very much more may be done. Dear friends, farewell ! May God bless you, and by and by may we meet on the eternal shore ! " Of the spirit in which the work had been prose- cuted, and in which he now looked toward Ireland, a hint was given in his Bible-reading, when he said 212 DWELLING IN UNITY. that in considering what should be the subject for the Bible-reading, he thought what was it he wanted most himself. When nine months ago he came to Scotland a perfect stranger, he felt utterly powerless, and could only have been sustained by the Holy Spirit's help ; now when he was going to Ireland he felt just the same; and if he attempted to go there resting upon the grace given for Scotland he should fail. He needed a fresh anointing for this new service. In this spirit of entire reliance upon the Lord, Mr. Moody contemplated the Irish field. God honors those who honor Him. We shall see how much this confidence in the Lord was justified by the results of effort in Ireland. CHAPTER V. THE NORTH OF IRELAND. Belfast is the capital of Ulster, the northernmost of the four provinces of Ireland. It is also the capi- tal of the Presbyterianism which has become a prom- inent feature of Ulster, and of which the United States contain so many representatives, the emigra- tion to the Western world having proceeded for a century and a half. Belfast has, probably, a popula- tion of over one hundred and fifty thousand persons ; it is marked by much enterprize and activity. It is not only nearest to Scotland, but it is more like Scot- land in habits and feeling than any other town in Ireland. As far back as the month of January, the people of Belfast were promised a visit from Messrs. Moody and Sankey in May. But other duties interfered. They reached Belfast on Saturday the 5th of Sep- tember (1874). A local committee had made arrange- ments for their services. 214 BELFAST. On the first Sabbath an early meeting at eight a.m. was announced for Donegal Square Wesleyan Church, of Christian workers, chiefly Sabbath-school teachers and office-bearers in churches. By the time the hour for opening arrived, the aisles were occupied as well as the pews. Ministers of all the evangelical denom- inations were present. The One Hundredth Psalm — ■ so of ten employed in Scotland ; Mr. Sankey's hymns; prayers by Rev. W. Park ; an address by Mr. Moody, on the things God employed, base, weak, foolish; a sermon in one of the largest Presbyterian churches at noon ; the building over-crowded ; the service be- gun before the time, and a similar service in St. Enochs', the very largest church-edifice in the place — these gave to at least five thousand persons the oppor- tunity to hear the truth, many of them neglectors of the sanctuary. Next day, a noon prayer-meeting was begun, and Mr. W. A. Breakey thus describes the progress of the evangelists' labors. The Donegal Place Wesleyan Church was the place. " The building was crowded long before the hour of commencing. There were present Rev. J. W. M'Kay, Rev. Dr. Applebe, Rev. Henry Osborne, Rev. EXTEMPORIZED SERVICES. 215 George Shaw, Rev. J. B. Wylie, Rev. William John- ston, Rev. William Park, Rev. H. Mi Williamson, and many ministers from the country districts around. It was felt that it would be necessary in future to move to the largest of our central churches ; and it was temporarily arranged that the noon meeting should be held in the May Street Presbyterian Church till further notice. Mr. Sankey sang as usual, both in leading the congregation and solos, accompanied by the organ. The address by Mr. Moody on prayer was well-timed and earnest. Mr. Johnston, Mr. Williamson, Mr. Osborne, Mr. Sanke}-, and others led in prayer. The evening meeting was announced for Rosemary Street Presbyterian Church at eight p. M. This church is capable of accommodat- ing about two thousand persons, and at seven it was quite full ; and those who arrived afterward could barely get inside the porch, just to hear that there was no possibility of their getting into the church. MeoBre, Moody and Sankey having arrived at half- past seven, commenced the service immediately, it having been announced by the Rev. Mr. Park that two more churches would be opened, viz., Donegal Street Independent Church, and Donegal Square 216 SEPARATE GATHERINGS. Wesleyan Church. Thither many went; but not- withstanding the crowd remained. Mr. Sankey sang two of his solos, and led the congregation in two other pieces. Mr. Moody addressed the people from the text, i There is no difference.' The manner in which he applied the numerous anecdotes he tells made the message most powerful, and a great many remained to be spoken to on the all-important question. There was also an after-meeting for inquirers in the Inde- pendent Church, to which Mr. Sankey went just be- fore Mr. Moody commenced his address. Rev. Mr. Johnston, Rev. John White, Rev. James Robertson, Presbyterian, Independent, and Wesleyan respective- ly, addressed and took part in that meeting." A meeting for women only was tried in Fisherwick Place Church ; Rev. H. M. Williamson, pastor, pre- sided. The large church was crowded. Mr. Moody addressed the assembly. An evening meeting, for men only, was tried in Rosemary Street Presbyterian Church. About fifty inquirers remained for an after conversational meeting. Both were continued. On Wednesday, 9th September, the noon meet- ing was held in May Street Church, which was crowded, as was the meeting for women assembled in AVOWING CONVICTION. 217 Fisherwick Place Church. At eight p.m. another crowded meeting for men was held in Rosemary Street Church. The Donegal Street Independent Church was opened for a general meeting of men and women, and it too was largely attended. Mr. Sankey and others addressed it. Many in both places re- mained for the after-meetings. This being the usual evening for prayer-meetings in the various Presbyte- rian churches, it was remarked that the attendance at them was if anything larger than usual. There is an evident stirring among God's people to keep pleading with Him. While Mr. Moody preached, many prayed. The committee of arrangements announced a w^eek in advance the chairman and the subjects for the noonday prayer-meeting. At the evening meeting for men only (the division became necessary from want of a larger building,) the attendance was very large. Mr. Moody, after prayer, asked the body of the house to be cleared, and requested those who wanted to be Christians, and those who had professed to become Christians the night before, to come into the place reserved for them. During the singing of the hymn, " I Hear Thy welcome Voice," he asked those who really were anxious not to be afraid to 10 218 AVOWING CONVICTION. show it. Almost the first who came forward were two soldiers, — one a color-sergeant of the Thirteenth Regiment, stationed here. This had a good effect, and gave courage to several more timid ones. There were, say, forty at least who thus came forward, and several ministers and Christian friends conversed with them — sometimes individually, sometimes in groups of twos and threes. It was very solemn to watch them anxiously stooping forward, listening to the old, old story of the way of life. It was noticeable how easy speaking was to the class ef young men who are in Sabbath-schools — how useful their stock of scrip- tural information is in such circumstances ; an intelli- gent faith is the simplest mode of description which can be given of their grasp of the truth. It was felt that this was indeed a blessed night to many. Some went away still anxious ; others with beaming coun- tenances, in which might almost be read that they had found peace. So the meetings proceeded from day to day. The little boys who used to be seen selling newspapers on the streets, supplied themselves with a stock of Sankey's melodies, and plied the passers-by with, " Hymn-books with songs sung at Moody and San- THE WOMEN'S MEETING 219 key's meetings ! " Large numbers of these were put in circulation. On Saturday a children's meeting was held in May Street Church at noon — Mr. Sankey presiding. The church was crowded, the day being fine. Perhaps a little better than one-half were children, a great many of their parents being present with them. Rev. Messrs. Shaw, Park, Robertson, Dr. Watts, Woods, etc., and Charles Finlay, Esq., J.P., were present. Rev. John White and others led in prayer. Rev. Mr. Robertson (Wesleyan), gave an excellent address. Mr. Sankey was there, sang "When He cometh," and addressed the children suitably. Mr. Charles Finlay prayed. Among the requests for prayer read, was one which Dr. Watts stated was for a young man who had recently adopted materialistic views. At the end of the first week the Rev. Win. Park writes : " The meetings have been immense. With the exception of the first two evening meetings, when the crowd was overwhelming, they have been calm, quiet, earnest, almost beyond description. The wo- men's meeting at 2 o'clock has been most popular. But the deepest impression seems to have been made 220 IN THE OPEN AIR. on young men. Fifty or sixty would be a very moderate average of those who have attended from night to night the inquirers' meeting, and on last evening the number seemed larger than ever. It was most interesting last night to go from seat to seat, and, in answer to questions asked, to hear such replies as these: 'Yes, sir, I think I found Christ here on Monday night ; ' ' I gave Christ my heart on "Wednesday night;' 'I should so wish to trust in Christ, but I cannot come.' It is hard to move young men in a busy town like Belfast; and the presence of so many in the inquiry rooms, and the tears which so many were shedding freely, proved plainly how deeply they are moved now. We do not know, of course, how this movement may pro- ceed, and we must be very cautious in counting, up results, but we thank God for what He is doing." On Sabbath, the 13th September, Mr. Moody held a second meeting for Christian workers, at the early hour of eight, and the place was crowded, so that the overflow filled an adjoining room. The address was touching entire consecration to God, and more whole- hearted activity in his service. An open-air meeting was held at half -past two o'clock in an open space, in MILL-WORKERS. 221 the midst of the mill-workers of our town. The attendance was estimated variously at from ten to twenty thousand ! The weather was exceedingly favorable. Mr. Moody's address was founded upon Mark xvi. 15, " Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." Mr. Sankey sang " Jesus of Xazareth passeth by," and the glistening eye, and the deep sighs of many, showed that it was even so. In the evening, Mr. Moody held a meeting exclu- sively for inquirers; none else were admitted: the attendance was upwards of three hundred. At the meeting for women, on Monday, in Fisher- wick Place, there were present about fifteen hundred. An evening meeting for women was held, to give to workers in mills and warehouses opportunity to attend. More than an hour before the time of meet- ing, the streets around were packed with a dense mass of women ; and when the gates were opened, the place was filled almost in a moment; and after that, with the overflow, three large churches. In all these meetings, the anxious, willing to be spoken to, were more than could be overtaken. Strangers from long distances visited Belfast to attend the meetings, and in this way the work was widelv extended. 222 MILL-WORKERS. The most marked features were desire to hear the "Word of God, willingness to be spoken to upon the state of the soul, frank confession on the part of many that they do not savingly know Jesus ; and most blessed of all, the equally frank confession on the part of many that they have " found Him of whom Moses, in the law and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth." On Thursday, 17th September, the number waiting to be spoken to was so great, that an attempt to speak to each individually was scarcely made. Two or three addresses were given with the view of pointing them to the Lamb of God. The Friday mid-day meeting was for professing Christians — the subject u Assurance." The work began, meantime, to spread to the adja- cent towns. Meetings were held for some four nights in Bangor, ten miles from Belfast, by H. Moorhouse, Rev. II. M. Williamson, and some others, and consid- ering the size of the town, the attendance there was equally remarkable. An intelligent observer, from the center of Ireland, thus described his impressions of the meeting on the second Sabbath. It may stand for the description of many similar occasions : M1LL-W0REER8. 223 i; The opening prayer, by the Moderator of the General Assembly, could be heard everywhere, and distinctly too, by all that vast multitude. It was really in the Holy Ghost. All were brought unto God's presence for a blessing. To be in the open air, it was extraordinary ; the people must have felt them- selves being lifted up right into the presence of God. u Mr. Sankey then sang, alone, ' Jesus of Nazareth passeth by.' It was not difficult to hear him every- where, as there was scarce a stir, and God was really arresting the people, who were eagerly drinking in every utterance of that sweet hymn, so full and so fragrant of ' Jesus only.' " During the address, it seemed as if some mighty spell was binding the people, and riveting their atten- tion. Mr. Moody preached from ' Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.' I never heard the gospel outside preached with such power before ; all could hear ; all might take. As I stood listening, I could not help saying to myself, 1 Oh, if I was a sinner unsaved, I could be saved here to-day a thousand times over,' as the Lord Jesus was set forth in such a variety of ways. But I am certain as the faithful word was proclaimed with burning 224 MILL-WORKERS. heart and lip, that not a few were taken out of them- selves and put right into ' the arms of Jesus.' God's dear children, too, were surely quickened and blessed. I could hear the 4 Amen,' and ' praise,' and ' thank God,' as the word came down in the power of the Holy Ghost upon that great audience, going up from the hearts of many of them. " Mr. Moody said, ' God has put it into the hearts of these ministers to call this meeting to-day. Now, I have a full and free salvation for every one of you, for the worst of you, and the best of you. The gospel is for the very dregs of sin and sorrow ; the apostles might reason concerning this man and that man, and this people and that people ; and say, ' Oh, there's no use in my going there.' But, in the face of the com- mand, all must vanish, for they had a gospel for all, ' for every creature.' Those who will not take eternal life, their damnation is sure." Some idea may be formed of the interest felt in the meetings from the circumstance that for the second daily meeting for women, in Rosemary Street Church, an immense congregation assembled an hour before the time for commencing, when it was found necessary to close the gates. By this time a disappointed crowd A PROTRACTED MEETING. 225 had assembled, and, after some delay, it was announced that May Street Presbyterian Church, Donegal Place Primitive Wesleyah Church, and Donegal Square We&leyan Church would be opened for the " overflow." To these both men and women were admitted. After the Friday evening meeting, when the Eev. T. Y. Killen had closed with prayer, Mr. Moody asked those in the assembly who had not accepted Christ, and yet wished to do so, to stand up. Mr. Moody said, truly, ' ; Thank God, I can't count them, there are so many ! " He then invited those in the gallery down, and directed the spectators and others present to leave, and clear a space in the body of the church, in order that the inquirers might be conversed with. A large number came forward, far more than at any preceding meeting, and it was with difficulty the church could be cleared at a reasonable hour, owing to the groups in conversation with troubled ones scattered through the church. Eev. Hugh Hanna dismissed the meeting, after prayer. The Saturday (19th September) meeting, in May Street, was for the young, and was conducted by Mr. Sankey. The attendance was so great, that after the aisles were filled, the doors had to be locked, and many 226 AN AWAKENED TEACHER. turned away. Mr. Sankey was followed by Revs. Dr. Knox, Hugh Hanna, and George Shaw. Several hymns and the Twenty-third psalm were sung. It was a delightful meeting, and the children seemed to enjoy it heartily. The Rev. William Park, the faithful chronicler of the work (successor to Rev. John MacNaugkton), writes at the close of the second week : " The after meetings are, in their own way, as crowded as the regular services. The lecture-room and two class- rooms of Rosemary Street were filled each evening with men and women waiting to be spoken to person- ally ; and, on two occasions, personal dealing w T ith in- dividual souls could not be carried out on account of the vast numbers to be dealt with, and general state- ments of the plan of salvation, by one after another, had to be resorted to 'instead. Many will come out, under the influence of feeling no doubt — especially in an assembly of women. But the private conversa- tions we have had with many, both men and women, show how wide-spread, and, in a multitude of instances, how deep is this religious earnestness, this longing after Christ. ' I have been teaching a Sabbath-school class for years,' said one young lady, ' and the awful VISITORS. 227 thought laid hold of me the other evening here, that I have been teaching what I knew nothing about ; but I have really given myself to my Saviour now.' ' Pray for me,' writes a mother, c that my unfaithful- ness to my own sons, none of whom are converted, may be forgiven, and that my mouth may be opened to speak to them about salvation.' ' I believe I found Christ here two nights ago,' said a young man one evening, ' and I have brought two of my companions here, to be talked to to-night.' ' I knew the truth,' writes another, ■ But I never seemed to feel it before. I trust I can now say and feel that Christ has found me, even me, cold-hearted and dead as I was.' ISTeed I tell you there are difficulties and hindrances ? And yet the Lord has been pleased, so far, wondrously to open the door for His servants ; and, as far as I am aware, at no time has there been so deep a religious feeling abroad in our town and province since 1859, as there is at this moment. Ministers, elders, Christian men and women, are coming from far and near to hear the good news, to see the good work. We have several ministers and friends from Scotland here at present. May they carry home with them good tidings ; may they be stirred up themselves, and be 228 CHRISTIAN UNION. used by the Holy Spirit as the means of stirring up others." In the Witness, a weekly religious paper which has done good service in diffusing information, the catholicity of the movement is emphasized : " Not the least gratifying feature of the movement is the happy bringing together of all evangelical de- nominations to which it has given rise. In all the meetings, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, and Metho- dists are mixed and mingled without distinction. On Monday night, in Rosemary Street Church, the Rev.Mr. Dickson, incumbent of the Mariners' Episcopal Church, was one of the busiest among the inquirers ; and on Tuesday evening, the Rev. I. H. Deacon, incumbent of Trinity Episcopal Church, occupied the pulpit of Eglinton Street Presbyterian Church. If the present stirring do nothing more than help to banish the bitter- ness of sectarianism, and lead Christian men to live and work in accordance with the truth that we are all one body in Christ, it will have wrought unquestionably a work for which none can be too thankful." On the third Sabbath the " overflow " from the 8 o'clock morning meeting filled two other large buildings. A second open-air meeting was held, as WORKERS WANTED. 229 before ; and, at a meeting of anxious inquirers in the Ulster Hall, the largest building in town, at 7, the area of that building was as full as it could com- fortably be for the purposes of the meeting about half-past 6. Rev. Mr. Park, Rev. Dr. Murphy, and subsequently several other ministers in town, and many Christian workers, were in attendance to con- verse with them. Many professed to have had their doubts removed. Mr. Moody and Mr. Sankey left the meeting in charge of the ministers, and at 9 o'clock went to May Street Church, to a large meet- ing of men assembled there, which Mr. Moody stated he had specially convened in order to enlist young men in active Christian work. Four crowded meetings were held on Monday (21st Sept.), and the Tuesday evening meeting was announced for St. Enoch's at 8 o'clock, but as early as half-past 5 there were persons waiting for the gates to be opened. The meeting was commenced by the Rev. Mr. Hanna, pastor of the church, at a quarter-past 7. Rev. Mr. Ballard, Rev. Dr. Knox, Mr. Sankey, and others took part in the meeting. About one-half of the assembly waited for an after meeting. This was taken charge of by the Rev. 230 SCRIPTURE-SEARCHING. Messrs. Hanna, Henry, Carlisle, and Shaw. Mr. Moody asked the anxious to retire to Ekenhead Church, which was speedily almost filled. There cannot have been less than a couple of hundred who came over here to be talked to by ministers and Christian workers, and among them were many in- teresting cases. Eglinton Presbyterian Church was opened about half-past 7 o'clock for the " overflow " from St. Enoch's, and the Rev. Mr. Deacon, Episcopal Church, took the chair there. Rev. Mr. Macintosh and others spoke. The Frederick Street Wesleyan Church was also opened for the " overflow." On the 23d, a new feature was introduced to Bel- fast, namely, a Bible-reading by Mr. Moody at 2 o'clock in Fisherwick Place Church. He urged upon all the necessity of systematic and regular Bible- reading, recommending the plan of reading and com- paring the various passages on a particular subject, and exhausting it before proceeding to another. In the evening, more than an hour before the time appointed, St. Enoch's Church was crowded, so that the meeting practically commenced at a quarter-past 7. Rev. Messrs. Hanna and Robertson took part in the service, and Mr. Sankey led the singing. Inquirers, as be- 0* CONCURRENT MEETINGS. 231 fore, were directed to retire to Ekenliead Church, while the young men were sent to the men's meeting in May Street. About one-half of the assembly in St. Enoch's remained for an after meeting, conducted by Rev. Messrs. Simpson, Spence, Black, and Han- na. Ekenhead Church was filled with inquirers. On Saturday, 26th September, the noonday meet- ing for children was held in May Street Church. The attendance was so large that it was necessary to close the gates, and many left disappointed. The Kev. TV". Park says, after the third week's la- bors : " St. Enoch's, Mr. Moody says, is one of the largest churches, if not the largest, he has preached in, in Europe, and it is full every night an hour be- fore the time. A separate church has now been taken for the inquirers, and they pass to it from St. Enoch's as soon as Mr. Moody's address is concluded. Minis- ters and Christian workers make their way to it about the same time, and no one else is admitted. Thus perfect quiet is insured. The 2 o'clock meeting is no longer set apart for women. It is a Bible-reading, and all are admitted. And every evening there are now five meetings in five different churches, including the inquiry-meeting and the young men's meeting. 232 LONGING SOULS SATISFIED. " There are one or two things which may be noticed with regard to the week's work. Christians are be- ing deeply moved and roused to diligence and duty. Last Sabbath morning the meeting for Christian workers, which had been removed to May Street Church on account of its size, filled every corner of the building ten minutes before 8 o'clock, and its overflowings filled two other places of meeting besides. Many are now offering themselves, Christian women as well as men, to engage in the work of directing inquirers, and they now find their own souls stirred and their faith strengthened in their efforts to guide and comfort others. I believe that in no other town which Mr. Moody has visited has there been such a number of anxious inquirers from the very outset as in Belfast. There seems to have been a mighty movement at work unseen for months past among young men and women — an anxious longing after Christ, which made itself felt and seen at once when these special services began. The meeting in the Ulster Hall on last Sabbath evening was one of the most precious and happy services I have ever attend- ed. It was held at 7 o'clock, to prevent ordinary church-going people coming to fill up the space which " OTHERS MOCKING." 233 was required for others. No one was admitted at the door but those who wished to be talked with about salvation, and those who had tickets from the committee as workers. The immense hall was not too large for the numbers who came. Two hours were spent in earnest private conversation. Then all gathered into the floor of the hall, and every one who had a text to repeat was asked to rise and give it. Many of the most precious promises of God's word were thus brought out, accompanied sometimes with a single sentence of explanation or illustration. One or two hymns were sung, and some prayers offered Dp ; but even after Mr. Moody left many remained, unwilling to leave till they could find rest in Christ. I do believe that many in that meeting were enabled by the Holy Spirit to receive and rest on the Lord Jesus Christ as He was freely offered to them in the gospel. If, from this circle of seekers and believers, we pass to the outer circle of mere spectators, their feelings and words are of the most varied kind. Some hate this revival work with a bitter hatred. Some mock it and caricature the workers and their work. But not a few feel solemnized as they see God's hand so plainly in this movement. They are 234 REPORTS BLESSED. willing to be spoken to about religion, and willing to think about what is said. Not a few young men who seemed given over to the world and sin, are now asking the way to heaven ; and it is touching to see these youths, to many of whom we should scarcely have ventured to speak about religion before, with tears in their eyes, waiting so earnestly to be talked to by any Christian about the way of life. Here is one of the requests for prayer handed in last Friday : ' Pray for a young man who has been in deep dark- ness and strong temptation, so that he has had thoughts of drowning himself, but has now found his way to the inquiry-meetings/ Here is another : ' A young man who is deeply anxious about his state de- sires the prayers of this meeting, that he may be able to see Jesus as a personal Saviour.' Last Sab- bath morning in my own Sabbath-schools, three young men presented themselves as teachers. They had been brought to Christ at these meetings, and wished to work for Him. " Nor is the blessing confined to those who hear the word which is sung or spoken by those friends who are now in the midst of us. In the General Hospital at present a young man is lying, suffering THE SEARCHES OF THE LORD. 235 from a severe accident. lie had not been at any of these meetings. A medical man, who is earnest in God's service, went to see him, and talked to him about his soul and his sin. On Thursday last he put into my hand a letter which he had received from him in which he says : — ' This morning a terror seized me, and I am in awful anguish of soul. I see how great a sinner I have been, and there is a great weight upon my soul. I would like to see you soon.' From places at a distance we receive letters, saying that the first drops of the blessing have been felt, and are being anxiously waited for." When men are in earnest in inviting attention to God's word, they become ingenious in making fresh presentations of its truth ; so, when the Eev. William Fleming Stevenson of Rathgar, Dublin, presided at a noon-day meeting in May Street, he addressed the meeting on the subject of '* The Searches of the Lord," viz., the search after the lost referred to in Luke xv., and the search into the heart referred to in Psalm cxxxix. Mr. Moody followed up this by a practical address on the necessity of Christians searching their hearts, whether they were as actively engaged in Christian work as they might be. 236 HEW HEARERS SECURED. At the Bible-reading in Fisherwick Place Church. Mr. Moody's subject was the seven " Beholds," begin- ning with Job's confession, " Behold, I am vile," and ending with the statement as to Saul of Tarsus, " Be- hold, he prayeth." A new feature in Belfast was a boys' meeting, com- menced in the Linen-hall Church Schools, and ad- dressed by Christian gentlemen. The correspondent, of whose judicious and discrim- inating reports we have already availed ourselves, says, after the fourth week's labor : " On two occasions this week we have tried the plan of admitting by ticket to the evening service in St. Enoch's Church, and have found it to work admi- rably. These tickets are given out in some central place, and the only condition necessary for receiving them is, that the persons who apply have not yet been able to hear Mr. Moody and Mr. Sankey. In this way these ticketed meetings bring in a new class, and enable our brethren to reach, three thousand on each occasion who have not been reached before." At a special meeting for converted young men, to which admission was by ticket, nearly four hundred appeared. THANKS GIVEN. 237 On Monday Fisherwick Place Church was thrown open to inquirers from 2 till 10 o'clock at night. These eight hours were divided into three parts, and a separate set of ministers arranged to be present at each. Other Christian workers came in large num- bers; and, though the inquirers were many, there was not one but was personally dealt with about salvation. Those who took part in it felt it to be one of the most profitable evenings since this good work began. In more than one case young men from a distance — in one or two cases from Scotland — have come to Belfast on business, or to attend these meetings, and have found the pearl of great price. To-day, at the noon prayer-meeting, thanks were returned on behalf of a mother in Edinburgh for the conversion of her son in Belfast. This request for prayer was presented yes- terday : " A young man who came into town to attend these meetings is afraid of returning home without Jesus. In the inquiry-meeting last night he was pointed to Christ, but has not yet found peace." There have been instances of Roman Catholics and Unitarians convinced of sin at these services, and brought to the feet of Jesus. There does not seem, speaking generally, to be the same deep and awful 238 FO TJRTEEN HUNDRED SO ULS. sense of sin among those who are awakened as there was in 1859, but there is a true feeling of the need of Christ as our Sacrifice and our Saviour. A young man in one of our large business establish- ments found Christ about a fortnight ago at an even- ing in Rosemary Street Church. Next day he gathered some of the men who are employed in the warehouse round him, and spoke to them about the meetings. One of them said lightly to him, " What sort of meeting had you last night?" "I thought a moment," he said, " what reply to make, and then I answered, ' That meeting has changed me for life, at any rate.' " Less than a week after that man came back to tell him that those words had been ringing in his ears ever since, and that now he too had become a changed man for life. The blessing spreads. In Bangor and Carrickfer- gus very interesting meetings have been going on, and, in the former place especially, there are many anxious inquirers. At the noon meeting on October 4th, Mr. Moody said, " When Mr. Sankey and he were about to leave Edinburgh, one thousand four hundred persons pro- fessed to have been converted since their arrival. MEN CONVERTED. 239 People who did not believe in the work, however, asserted — with wheat truth he did not know — that one thousand one hundred of these were women, obviously hinting that this kind of thing could only make prog- ress among females and weak-minded men. When he and his friend went to Glasgow, therefore, they made it a special prayer that they might be able to refute this notion by being honored in the conversion of young men, and this wish was so far gratified, that when they were about to leave that city, they held a meeting of those who believed that they had been brought to Christ since their coming ; and out of the three thousand two hundred who attended, one thou- sand six hundred and thirty were men. Foiled in this point, the enemies of the work now found a new cause of fault-finding. They could not deny that many men had been blessed, but they affirmed that these were not of the class which most needed to be wrought among, the abandoned class of the com- munity. When coming to Belfast, therefore, Mr. Moody prayed that he might be specially owned in doing good to this class ; and his prayer had so far been answered, that on the preceding Sabbath even- ing, at the meeting of converts held in the Assembly's 240 A HUNDRED TEARS OLD. Hall, Ma j street, the first three who rose to tell that they had become changed men were men who had been drunkards, one of them acknowledging that he had been twice drunk on the previous Sabbath. He had also heard of another case where a mother, whose heart had been broken by a son who almost nightly was brought to her door drunk, now had the comfort of seeing him in his right mind. Nowhere, in all Europe, had he met with more encouraging re- sults than in Belfast." At the mid-day prayer-meeting on Friday, a young man, well known some time ago as one of the finest scholars in Queen's College, Belfast, who carried off with ease every honor for which he competed, stood up before the crowded assembly, and with deep feel- ing, said, " Many here know how careless and prayer- less I was, yet some of my Christian friends never gave me up, but continued to pray for me. Blessed be God, He has heard their prayers, and last Sabbath, having sent the arrow of conviction into my soul, He enabled me to rejoice in my Saviour. It pleased our God and Father to enable me to be much in prayer since then ; and thanks be to God, though it is not one shout week, it seems as if I had lived almost a FISHERS OF MEN. 241 hundred years of Christian life." Nor is this the only literary man of repute that has come under the influence of the present movement in Belfast. Whatever attracts notice in Belfast, especially in religious matters, interests the entire province of Ul- ster. Many had heard of, many had seen the work. It was no longer confined to Belfast. In Bangor, Donaghadee, Carrickfergus, and Randalstown meet- ings were held nightly, and deep religious earnestness appeared. The want of a sufficiently large building was felt, and a great open-air meeting to supply this want was held on October 8th. The Kev. H. M. Williamson, successor to the late venerable Dr. Mor- gan, writes of it, and also of Mr. Moody's last work in the town : " The joy of last week has almost been forgotten, by reason of the greatness of the blessing bestowed upon us this week by the God of all grace. It has been to us as the waters of the sanctuary in Ezekiel's vision, ever increasing in depth until now, when the waters are risen, 1 they are waters to swim in.' It is a most glorious sight to witness the fishers standing upon it from one end of the city to the other, and the fish, according to their kinds, exceeding many (Ezek. xlvii. 1-10). 11 242 SO ULS IN DISTRESS. " Sabbath morning dawned upon us very wet and windy. We had fears that it would be impossible for the masses of the people to meet in the open air ; but a little while before the hour of meeting the rain ceased, the sun shone out, and the weather became most auspicious. Here let me say it has been most noteworthy that, during the last weeks, while we have had most inclement weather, every Sabbath-day, and at the hour of our great gatherings, it has been all that could be desired. To-day, while I write (Octo- ber 8th), the day of our great meeting in the Botanic Gardens, the sun is shining brightly, and the weather more than we asked or expected. Doubtless some will say, ' A happy conjunction of circumstances ; ' the children of the heavenly Father know Him ' who hath gathered the wind in his lists.' "Mr. Moody held his usual meeting on Sabbath evening for those in deep distress about salvation, and for those who had found eternal life during the past weeks through faith in Jesus. The meeting was ex- clusively for men, and admission solely by ticket. The hall in which it was held was completely filled. Mr. Moody stated in the noon-day prayer-meeting on Monday that, in his judgment, it was the most remark- PRAISE TO GOD. 2±< able meeting he has had yet in Europe. To God be all the praise ! One after another of these young men — and they comprise the very flower of our youth — rose, and, with clearness and wonderful felicity of expression, in burning words, declared what God had done for their souls. At length, at nine o'clock, the meeting was closed. "Meanwhile another meeting of men was assem- bling in my church. It was already very nearly filled when we heard the tread of a large company approaching. It was a phalanx of these redeemed youths. They sang the new song. In a spontaneous burst of praise they were telling forth the wonders of redeeming love. Xo language can describe the scene. The heavenly echoes of that burst of praise, I think, will never be forgotten by any who heard it. The meeting that followed, consisting of some two thousand men, I need not say, was one of profound interest — Jesus was felt to be in the midst. ;' During each day of this week and at every gath- ering, more and more of the presence of the God of salvation has been manifested. Let me in a sentence or two, describe one, which, in sober language, was most. wonderful. Mr. Moody addressed on Monday 244 ACCEPTING CHRIST. evening in Fisherwick place Church, a meeting of men. At the close of his address, all who had re- cently been found by the Good Shepherd, and also all who were seeking Him, were requested to retire to the adjoining, lecture-room. Some six hundred men did so. Mr. Moody again sifted them, by requesting that those only who were deeply anxious to be saved should adjourn to anotfler room. Probably nearly three hundred did so. In breathless stillness Mr. Moody addressed them, very briefly stating that he could do no more for them — that they had heard the gospel, and that it was for themselves to decide. He called upon them to kneel and pray for themselves. They bowed as one man, and now here and there might be heard the short cry for mercy — a few earn- est words of supplication, probably about thirty or forty so cried to God one after the other. Surely the Lord is in this place ! was the thought which rose in holy fear in the hearts of all. " After a short prayer by Mr. Moody, he addressed them very faithfully. He again held forth Christ, and invited all to rise who felt that they could there and then accept Jesus. All of that large company, save twenty or thirty, stood up, and solemnly avouched SWJVEMS' EXCUSES. 245 the Lord to be their God. This wonderful sight can- not be described. The glory of it cannot be realized even by those best acquainted with divine things. 'Unto Him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made lis kings and priests unto God and his Father, to Him be glory and dominion for ever. Amen ' (Rev. i. 5). " Thursday, October 8th, was the gathering of the masses in the open-air. The weather was splendid ; everything as regards order and decorum, all that any of us could wish. It was the largest open-air meet- ing I ever attended. I cannot pretend to fix a limit to the numbers. He who counts the stars knew the history of each present, and what were the dealings of his heart with Christ and the free offers of his sal- vation. The only regret that seems to be expressed by any was, that the services were so short. "Mr. Moody addressed the vast multitude from the words, i I pray thee have me excused.' With graphic felicity, great clearness, and soul-piercing power, he exposed the miserable pretenses by which Binnera impose upon themselves in refusing a present offer of present blessedness. The address seemed to strike with convicting power many consciences, and, 246 REV. DR. KIRKPATRICK. from many instances coming under my own observa- tion, at the inquiry-meeting in Fisher wick-place Church, I have reason to believe in salvation power." One of the wisest, purest, most experienced and also most cautious clergymen in Ireland is the Rev. Dr. Kirkpatrick, the senior minister of Rutland Square, Dublin. In a letter to the Irish papers, he said : " It is understood that the American evangel- ists, Messrs. Moody and Sankey, whose labors in Scotland and in the North of England have been followed, it is believed, by great spiritual benefit to hundreds and thousands of persons, are about to visit Dublin, and that the Exhibition Building has been engaged for their reception. In prospect of this visit, it may interest many of your readers to be furnished with some brief account of the services which they have been conducting for the last few weeks, in the North of Ireland. Having had occa- sion to be recently in Belfast, I went to attend one of the evening meetings, at which Mr. Moody was to give an address. On reaching St. Enoch's, the place of meeting, half an hour before the time of service, I found the gates locked, the house having been filled for near an hour previously. On obtaining ad- USE OF AFTER-MEETINGS 247 mission through the gate, by special favor, I was still unable to enter the church, the doors having been se- cured to prevent the entrance of a crowd of people who had scrambled over the railings. After some time I was admitted, and I observed that every avail- able spot was occupied in a church which Mr. Moody Bays is larger than any church in which he has ever preached in Europe or America. He had proceeded towards the conclusion of his address. His words were not eloquent in the ordinary acceptation of the term ; they were homely, vigorous, pungent, setting forth the ' old, old story ' of the cross, and bringing it to bear with directness of appeal and intense ear- nestness of manner on the consciences of his hearers. The immense audience was held in fixed attention, nor was there the slightest appearance of levity, in- attention, or disorder in any part of the house, that came under my observation. Immediately after this service I attended a meeting of persons — most of them young — who waited to converse with Mr. Moody, and with others whom lie employed to assist him — most of them being ministers — in giving instruction to these inquirers. The object proposed by these private conferences was to answer questions, to re- 248 THE MINISTRY HONORED. move difficulties and doubts, to confirm purposes of good, and to lead to decision in the service of Christ. These meetings are uniformly held after Mr. Moody's addresses, and there are often fifty or a hundred, and sometimes two or even three hundred, who re- main for these conferences. " On the next day I was present at the mid-day prayer-meeting, at which there were from one thou- sand two hundred to one thousand five hundred per- sons in attendance for an hour every day in the week. One of the local clergy presided, and others besides Messrs. Moody and Sankey led the assembly in prayer. These evangelists always recognize the ordained min- istry, and avail themselves of clerical aid in every place which they visit. I observed many of the clergy mingled with the general audience. " At two o'clock, an hour after the close of the prayer-meeting, Mr. Moody held what he calls his Bible-reading service. On this occasion he read a chapter of the Old Testament, illustrating and en- forcing its lessons with characteristic energy. Imme- diately at the close of his address, Mr. Sankey fol- owed with an appropriate hymn, which was sung with the most touching pathos, and was well calcu- RESULTS IN BELFAST. 24:9 la ted to deepen the impression made by the appeal of Mr. Moody. There are many other special ser- vices held by Messrs. Moody and Sankey, but I con- fine my statement to what I have myself seen. " In reference to this great movement, I remark : — " 1. The amount of solid good accomplished, time will tell ; but it is surely a matter of vast moment that multitudes of people should be roused from their ordinary state of spiritual insensibility to inquire about the interests of eternity. " 2. There are none of those doubtful physical ac- companiments which characterized the awakening of 1S59. There is no other excitement than that which is produced by the truth of God, brought home to the hearts of a listening multitude of awakening sinners. " 3. The great object of these evangelists seems to be to turn sinners from the error of their ways, and to bind in loving union believers of every Christian denomination. ' ; 4. The ministers of religion and many of the most intelligent and sober-minded Christians recog- nize these men as faithful and honored servants of the -Divine Master. 250 LONDONDERRY. " 5. Messrs. Moody and Sankey go from place to place, expecting that God will bless His own truth proclaimed by their lips, and they desire and hope that a similar spirit of prayerful expectancy may take hold of the people of Dublin." Next to Belfast, Londonderry is the most impor- tant city in Ulster. It retains the old walls, which its siege made memorable, and while a large Roman Catholic population finds employment in its manufac- tures and trade, the spirit of the place is strongly Protestant. The place has long enjoyed very faith- ful ministrations in its pulpits. It was visited in the early part of October. With much cordiality the ministers of all denomi- nations joined in the original invitation to Messrs. Moody and Sankey, and also assisted in the further- ance of the work. Presbyterian, Wesley an, and In- dependent seemed to have but one object and one desire — to make the work of revival among the peo- ple as general and wide-spread as possible. The First Presbyterian Church was selected for holding the meetings, as it was the largest and therefore best able to accommodate the numbers likely to be present. Messrs. Moody and Sankey arrived in Derry from AID IN SONG. 251 Belfast on Saturday evening, and commenced their labors on Sunday the 11th Oct., with the same spirit of energy and enthusiasm which carried them through so much in Belfast. There were in Mr. Moody's discourses the same fertility of illustration and pointed application, the same earnestness and sim- plicity, the same zeal and enthusiasm, and the same intense desire to win souls for his Master. Three services on the Sabbath, and the same number on each of the following three days of the week, with inquiry- meetings each evening, made up his programme, and he never seemed to fail either in body or mind. He appeared conscious of the shortness of his visit, and seemed to grow more earnest in consequence. While Mr. Moody faithfully presented the gospel Mr. Sankey was no less faithful in his lessons in song. He was so admirably assisted by a local choir as to draw a special eulogium from Mr. Moody at one of the noon meetings. He said he had heard a great many choirs assist at these meetings, but he had never yet heard one which sang so sweetly and so well as the one which had been organized to assist in singing the praises of God in Londonderry. On the same occasion he referred to the importance of the 252 NEW SONGS. Church pajang greater attention to the subject of praise. Some were only for singing the psalms, but he thought they should also sing " new songs." A new hymn was just as good as a sermon. They could sing the gospel into many a man's heart. He hoped the Church would feel alive to its duty in this matter of praise, and not be hindered by prejudice, which is the twin sister of unbelief. The opening meeting was intended for Christian workers, and Mr. Moody dwelt especially on the sub- ject of Christian work, and gave some earnest and practical counsel. On the same day two meetings were held in the First Presbyterian Church, one at four and the other at eight o'clock. The ordinary congregational services were conducted in the church at twelve o'clock, without, of course, any instru- mental accompaniment in the praise. At both special services the church was crowded to overflow- ing, and the gates had to be closed half an hour be- fore the commencement of the service. Indeed, at the evening-meeting, the church was filled at seven o'clock, the people crowding in such numbers to the service. Overflow-meetings were held in the Wes- ley an Chapel, and were well attended, though better in the evening than in the afternoon. EXCURSION-TRAINS. 253 On Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, three ser- vices were held each day, including one children's ser- vice. Owing to the heavy downpour of rain on Monday, the church was not so well filled as on the other days, when the congregations were very large ; but on each evening fully two thousand found accommodation in the church, filling it from floor to ceiling, while the hundreds unable to gain admission went to the Wes- leyan Chapel, where they were suitably addressed. The concluding meeting on Wednesday evening was especially large, and the services particularly solemn. On each occasion the meeting was conducted after the style of the meetings in Belfast, — already fa- miliar to our readers. The audiences were thoroughly representative. Young and old of all classes, not only of the inhabi- tants of Derry, but of the surrounding districts, for miles around, attended. Excursion-trains on the Irish North-western Railway and Northern Counties Railway brought many into the town, while hundreds walked and drove many miles, in order to be present at the meetings. The attendances steadily increased to the close, and as the last of the services approached, there seemed to be a general expression of regret. 254 SAPPERS AND MINERS. A noticeable feature of the meetings was the large number of clergymen present at them. The prevailing characteristic of all the meetings was intense solemnity, but without any undue excite- ment. The services seemed to awaken the liveliest interest in the public mind, and to produce a marked impression. The inquiry-meetings after the first night were well attended, large numbers of both sexes remaining for conversation and prayer with Mr. Moody and the Christian workers who were admitted (by ticket) to converse with the anxious. In this re- spect every precaution was taken that none but duly qualified persons should be admitted. The time oc- cupied at these meetings was brief, but the addresses and conversations earnest and impressive. The upper room was set apart for female inquirers, and the lower schoolroom for males. The Rev. A. C. Murphy, one of the ministers of Londonderry, gives his impressions of the men and their aptitudes in such a way as indicates that min- isters have something to learn from them. "Better sappers and miners of spiritual indiffer- ence, and the infidelity that is born of sinful living, could not be found. In addition to his astonishing \ THE TWO BOOKS. 255 vigor and versatility of thought, and his keen sympa- thy with all the familiar movements of the human heart, the speaker's organizing faculty and instructive wisdom give him an all but absolute sway over large assemblies ; while the ' sweet singer ' who accompa- nies him always manages to hit the mood of the mo- ment by some appropriate cadence of joy or tender- ness. The audience are never allowed to weary, and wish one part of the service ended before the next part has begun. Even the least affected go away rather regretting than relieved that the exercises are over. It would do a world of good if those who are in the habit of conducting public prayers would learn from Mr. Moody the triple virtue of brevity, of point, and of confining themselves more or less closely to the matter in hand. Ministers, as a rule, have little idea what damage is done by long, vague, expository prayers. The Bible lecture, again, is, in its way, an excellent mode of instruction, substituting as it does for the logical treatment of a subject the more popu- lar treatment by association of ideas. It is, besides, peculiarly appropriate in Mr. Moody's mouth, as his two principal studies are the word of God and the book of the human heart." 256 THE ANXIO US ONL 7". After this four days' visit to Londonderry, the evangelists returned to Belfast. The Rev. Mr. Park thus describes two further meetings : " Admission was to be by ticket, and for four days we were busily engaged giving out these tickets. Great care was exercised that none but anxious in- quirers should receive them for the one evening, and none but those who made a credible profession of having been brought to Christ during the past few weeks for the other. The name and address of the applicants were taken down, and the name of the con- gregation with which they professed to be connected, so that every minister may obtain a correct list of his own people who have been moved and blessed. As far as we can judge, we gave out somewhere about two thousand two hundred tickets for the first meet- ing, and about two thousand for the second. That is to say, more than four thousand persons profess to have been brought under serious concern about salva- tion, or to have accepted Christ, during the past few weeks. We cannot pronounce on all, or indeed on any of these cases ; we must wait to see the fruit of the new birth in the life and conduct. But the mere fact that such a vast number have professed to be ILLUMINATING TEXTS. 257 anxious or to be converted shows how wide-spread and mighty this movement must have been. " Among those who came to get tickets, there were many cases of the deepest interest. One man had attended some of the services at the beginning. He had then fallen ill of fever, and as he lay in the hos- pital, he thought over what he had heard, and came out of it, he believed, a new man. By far the great- est number who told us about themselves were able to point to some text or texts of Scripture which had been to their souls a window through which they saw the truth. John iii. 16 and John vi. 37, seem to have been useful to hundreds ; John i. 12 and 1 John i. 7, were very precious to many: John iii. 14 and 15 had enabled others to see the simplicity of the way of sal- vation. Matt. xi. 28 and John xiv. 1 seem to be not only full of comfort for Christians, but full of guid- ance and comfort also for the anxious and inquiring. Isa. liii. was often quoted as the passage on which the soul was resting, and sometimes 1 Pet. ii. 24. Rev. iii. 20 was mentioned by others who had opened the door to the Saviour who knocked so long. It is well that those who have to instruct inquirers should know these passages, which have been useful to so many. 258 A SOUL WAITED FOB. "How can I describe these two great meetings? On Thursday night '( After those who had inquirers' tickets and those who had workers' tickets were ad- mitted, five or six hundred of the general public were accommodated in the galleries. Amid breath- less silence, Mr. Moody preached to an audience of nearly three thousand persons, taking up text after text, trying to make the way of salvation plain and easy, and pressing home the truth upon every heart. Earnestly did he urge the duty of immediate de- cision. When he had finished, Mr. Sankey sang 1 The farewell hymn,' and the assembly was at once dismissed, to go home, and think, and pray. Great numbers were in tears. Many were unwilling to leave the church. At length all seemed to have gone away, and the lights were put out, when the minister of the church (Mr. Hanna), passing down the aisle, thought he saw dimly some figures in a pew. He found two women waiting with a companion, who was in deep anxiety about her soul. He took them into the vestry; he talked to her and prayed with her. He asked her companions to pray for her also, which they did ; and before she left the room the darkness had passed, and the brightness of pardon and peace was shining in her face." DUEL IX. 259 From Belfast, the brethren proceeded to Dublin. It was a hopeful sign that a well-attended noon prayer- meeting was in operation, that a great body of the ministers had agreed together as to the mode of opera- tions. At a prayer-meeting during the week before the arrival of the evangelists, the Rev. Dr. Marrable, Rector of St. Andrews, read the opening of Ezekiel xxxvii., which, by a happy coincidence, formed part of the Scripture for reading in the Episcopal service, on the Sabbath when the evangelists were to commence. The preparations had been very thorough. A central building, called the Metropolitan Hall, was secured on the north side of the city for the daily noon prayer-meeting. It has capacity to seat almost two thousand people. On the sonth side £500 had been paid for a month's occupancy of the Exhibition Palace, also central, where were held the daily evening meet- ing, and the afternoon service on the Lord's day. This is a huge glass building, capable of seating in its center aisle and transept about twelve thousand per- s, and affording numerous rooms for after and in- quiry meetings. Part of it had been screened off, suf- ficient to accommodate five or six thousand people, and seats had been made for four thousand, to be added to as the demand for accommodation increased. 260 TEE EXHIBITION PAL A CE. There was a thorough working committee, com- posed of ministers and laymen of all the evangelical churches, and the unity prevailing was an excellent beginning and foretaste of the blessing we expect. We infer from the reports that concerning no town yet visited had there been such deep anxiety. It was the first where the Protestants are few and the Roman Catholics many ; it is the capital of the country, and especially of the Roman Catholic population of the country. "For the first time," says the Rev. James S. Fletcher, Incumbent of St. Barnabas, Dublin, " and in connection with this movement, have we seen the clergy of all the evangelical churches working cor- dially together, without the least shade of envy or party spirit — all feeling that they are workers in the same holy cause, children of the same Father, servants of the same gracious Master. " On Sunday last the Christians of Dublin wit- nessed a sight to gladden their hearts. It has been estimated that at the first service at 4 o'clock from twelve to fifteen thousand persons were in the palace. Never before was it put to so blessed a use. I am persuaded that in future years many a dear child THE REV. HAMILTON MAGEE. 261 of God will remember it with deepest gratitude, and will say, ' I was born there.' " The weather being beautifully fine, the attend- ance increased each succeeding evening. On Monday evening, and again on Tuesday evening, Mr. Moody spoke of Jesus coming ' to seek and to save that which was lost,' interspersing his discourse with many forcible illustrations. The following evening his sub- ject was the powerlessness of the Law to save, and then he set forth Jesus as the only and all-sufficient Saviour. Thursday and Friday evenings were de- voted to showing the necessity of Spiritual Eegenera- tion. On all these occasions the Lord Jesus was lifted up, and every eye and every heart directed to Him. Will He not fulfill His gracious promise — 'I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men unto Me ? ' Blessed be His name, already we can tell of many having been so drawn." The Rev. Hamilton Magee writes : " The noon-day prayer-meeting in the Metropolitan Hall continues to grow in numbers, interest, and power. At the meeting to-day Mr. Moody presided ; and the hall, which accommodates more than two thousand three hundred persons, was filled in every 262 THE UNIVERSAL DISEASE. part. The eagerness of the people to be present is something wonderful, and there are abundant and increasing tokens of the presence of the ever-blessed Spirit of God. " Mr. Moody seems jealous lest the attention of the people should be directed too much to him. He is ever pointing them to God himself as the Author of blessing and Source of power. Indeed, it is this losing sight of himself in God which seems to me to constitute one of the great secrets of his success. " In all our meetings hitherto, little or no reference has been made, by name, either to Protestants or to Roman Catholics. This is, in the judgment of most of us, as it should be. Mr. Moody is exceedingly careful in this matter not to give needless offense, or provoke opposition that might be avoided. He ad- dresses sinners as such — telling them the very same i old, old story ' of redeeming love, or, as a good man known to us has put it, he deals with the catholic or universal disease of sin, and the catholic remedy pro- vided in the gospel. The disease has affected us all equally; the remedy is provided for and offered to us all equally. There is here no distinction of persons. His method in this matter constitutes one great secret REV. J. G. PHILLIPS. 263 of Mr. Moody's peculiar adaptation for evangelistic work among the mixed audiences that gather around him in a city like ours." In Times of Blessing, ISfovember 12, 1874, the Rev. J. G. Phillips writes: u To a stranger attending one of the services of these American evangelists, it would seem as if they were addressing a Dublin audience for the first time, the crowds are so great and the interest evinced is so intense. Day after day every meeting is crowded. Xeither time, distance, nor weather, appears to have much effect in diminishing the number of those who attend. On Monday morning, the 2d inst, as the rain was coming down very heavily at the hour for the noon gathering, and had been doing so for some time previously, I thought there would be but a very small attendance at the prayer-meeting; but when I got there I was agreeably disappointed to find that the audience was not much smaller than usual. And last night, Friday, the attendance at the Exhibition Hall was larger than I have seen it on any week- night since these meetings began. And not only is the work growing broader, but I believe it is also growing deeper ; it is becoming a more personal 26<± SOUTH AND WEST. thing with many. It is not simply what Messrs. Moody and Sankey have to say ; bnt it is, What have Christ and Christianity to do with me? To many hearts this question is now brought home, and many, very many, with deep earnestness are asking: ' What must I do to be saved ? ' " The inquirers' meeting, which I have already mentioned, held in the Metropolitan Hall at half-past 8 o'clock, was a most interesting one. A large num- ber was present, and many went away rejoicing in Christ. " The meetings of Sabbath were an index to those of the whole week; for, from the prayer-meeting at noon on Monday, to the children's service in the Exhibition Palace at noon to-day, Saturday, all the meetings were most interesting, solemnizing, and edi- fying, and were all very largely attended. The in- terest attaching to these meetings is not confined to the people of Dublin and its immediate neighborhood. Persons are coming from some of the most southern and western counties of our island to be present at these services. I myself was speaking at one of them to a man who had brought his son, a boy about four- teen years of age, a distance of one hundred miles for EEV. W. FLEMING STEVEXSOX. - ; 05 this sole purpose. And when these persons go back, in many cases they go not unblessed, but carry gracious sheaves with them, and thus their own neighborhood comes in for a share of the blessing which is now falling so richly on Dublin." The Rev. W. Fleming Stevenson, author of Pray- ing and Working, and minister of a large Presbyterian church in Dublin, gives his general impressions after three weeks' observation and hearty co-operation : " A third week has in no way diminished the at- tendance. Instead of lesser numbers, additional seats for nearly a thousand have been provided in the Ex- hibition Palace, and even the passages in the Metro- politan Hall are now thronged. Once or twice the quietness prevailing has been slightly broken ; but it is marvelous that when so many must stand, and even then perhaps not hear, the stillness is so deep. There are some who do not miss a meeting ; but the even- ing audience is a very shifting one, and the faces are always changing. The number who have heard the gospel at this time must therefore be enormous. In- deed, there are scarcely any that one meets who either have not been at the meetings, or who are not plan- ning to go. In tram-cars, omnibuses, railway carriages, 12 266 ROMAN CATHOLICS. the services are a subject of universal conversation, and of universal interest. The visitors from the country, are always on the increase. The other day some people in a small southern country town organ- ized an excursion-party of thirty, and a second of sixty has been organized since in the same place. Chris- tians come two hundred miles to rejoice and help in what is done. A gentleman came seventy miles, found the Saviour, went back for his family, and now they are all here. " Some of the abandoned have stolen in, and many drunkards have been brought by their friends. The motley character of the evening crowd is striking: every section of the population is represented, even to the outcast ; and surprises are constantly felt as one and another are recognized of the most unlikely to be there. Two Roman Catholic servants noticed, not far from them, faces with which they were curiously familiar. The men were disguised, but it did not need much penetration to discover the two priests who con- fessed them. The other night a Roman Catholic clergjmien, hymn-book in hand, was among the most earnest of the worshipers. Another, who was asked by one of his people if it was wrong to go, is said to A DEEPER WORK. 261 Lave replied that there could be no harm in hearing about Jesus. The reporter of a paper unfriendly to the movement is among those whom that movement has carried toward Christ. There is not an evening that Roman Catholics as well as Protestants have not found their way to the inquiry-room. Probably one reason is that there is no denunciation. Men are not addressed as by their particular Church, but as sinners. Roman Catholics are not even mentioned by name at the evangelistic service ; and feeling no hurt, and not having opposition forced upon them, those who go once are pretty sure to return.'' Having regard to the character of the impressions produced on the mul- titudes addressed, Mr. Stevenson further says: " The lack of depth that was noticeable at first, the absence of any great breaking down of men's hearts, seem to be now signs of the past. It is, at last, as if God's word had got a grip of those that came to hear. Those who remain are more deeply concerned, more willing to speak because more sensible of their burden; and their number is rising rapidly. The area of the large concert hall is now occupied with the anxious and those who deal with them, and additional meetings have been held for them in the Metropolitan Hall. 26 S AT THE ELE VENTH HO UR. There is not a day but some evidently pass from death unto life, and the crushed and miserable depart to their own house in the joy and peace of believing. An officer of rank in the artillery was in Scotland during Mr. Moody's visit, but did not attend the meetings. He has come in Dublin ; there was earnest prayer for him by his friends ; and from a very worldly life he has now been brought to Jesus. An open skeptic was constrained to remain, had his doubts swept away as the Lord Jesus drew him to His feet, and on another evening came bringing three more persons with him. Thanks were returned one day for a young minister who had found Christ. A young man had been three months seeking rest. Hearing at a meet- ing that the gospel is the gift of Christ to sinners, it struck him with so much force that he said quite out, ' That's beautiful.' He apologized afterwards, saying he could not help it just at the moment when he found what he had almost despaired of finding. An ungodly man, whose friends and companions were like himself, came to one of the meetings. It was the only one, for a few days after he died, joyfully confessing to his ungodly acquaintances that Christ had found and saved him at that meeting." THE HYMNS. 269 Mr. Stevenson singles out some special features of the work as specially noteworthy : " Here, as elsewhere, several of the hymns sung by Mr. Sankey alone have been wonderfully blest. An old man of seventy came into the inquiry-room in tears, saying he had found no rest since he heard ( Jesus of Nazareth Passeth by.' A cabman, the other evening, asked that prayer should be offered for himself and his comrades. He had heard the "first sermon in the palace, and the same hymn had made him uneasy then, and he had been uneasy ever since. In a country where party-feeling has always been" strong, one notices w T ith pleasure the following : "The brotherly unity among the ministers is main- tained unbroken, and a delightful illustration of the breadth of this unity among all classes was given at a public breakfast this week. Nearly two hundred ac- cepted the invitation to meet Mr. Moody and Mr. Sankey, and among them were over fifty clergymen, some well-known noblemen and military men, and many of the principal citizens of Dublin of all profes- sions. Two hours after breakfast passed only too quickly in brief addresses from representatives of almost every denomination, bearing a united testi- 270 THE SPREADING MOVEMENT. mony to the singular good that has been done, and expressing a united resolve to carry on the work after the American brethren have left in the same harmony in which it was now begun. The inquiry was very naturally raised, "What results have followed elsewhere ? Here is the answer : " Although the movement was to gather no greater force, it would still be the most remarkable that there has ever been in the city ; but there are many who believe that we see only the beginning, that probably even next week will witness far greater things than these, and that spiritual blessings will be showered down on our land. The last tidings from Ulster speak of just such a fullness of blessing there. It is not con- fined to one or two cities, but the news comes from country towns and hamlets, and lonely prayer-meet- ings. The presbyteries over the north are stirring, and arranging for special evangelistic work, for the people are everywhere moved. The joy that is thus quickened prompts to but one request for our Irish churches and our Irish people, that prayer be made without ceasing unto God for us." Mr. Magee gives some illustrations of the force of truth: FAIR PLAY!" 271 " Our Roman Catholic brethren, as a rule, have acted a noble part. They have been respectful, and to a certain extent, sympathizing. In this week's number of t\\Q Nation — an organ at once of National (as it is called) and Ultramontane principles — an article has appeared, entitled, ( Fair Play ! ' which is exceedingly creditable, and which indicates the ad- vent of a new day in Ireland. The editor informs his constituents that ' the deadly danger of the age comes upon us from the direction of Huxley and Darwin and Tyndall, rather than from Moody and Sankey. Irish Catholics desire to see Protestants deeply im- bued with religious feeling, rather than tinged with rationalism and infidelity ; and as long as the relig- ious services of our Protestant neighbors are honestly directed to quickening religious thought in their own body, without offering aggressive or intentional insult to us, it is our duty to pay the homage of our respect to their conscientious convictions ; in a word, to do as we would be done by. 7 " One very marked feature in the movement is the number of men that are influenced. Many people have remarked the large proportion of them that are inquiring. 272 THORO UGHL Y BIBLICAL. " A few nights ago an old gentleman, more than seventy years of age, threw himself down on his knees and sobbed like a child. He said, 'I was utterly careless about my soul till last night, but I have been so unhappy since, I could not sleep. I seemed to hear ringing in my ears, " Jesus of Nazar- eth is Passing by," and if I don't get saved now I never shall be.' • " Already the influence of this work has begun to tell upon the most remote districts of the country. Parties of thirty, fifty, sixty, etc., are being organized from the most distant parts to Dublin. Many of these carry back with them much blessing. We hear of the young converts witnessing for Christ fearlessly in the trains on their way home from their meetings. "Mr. Dowling, an Episcopal clergyman, one of the best expositors of Scripture we have among us, said he had heard and read much of the work carried on by our brethren, when they were in Edinburgh and elsewhere, and he had thought much of it; now that he had seen it for himself he thought much more of it than ever. He regarded it as the noblest testimony to the power of evangelical truth ever given in this country. He was delighted, he said, A P UBLIC BREA KFA ST. 273 with the thoroughly Biblical character of the move- ment. It put honor upon the Personal 'Word, and honor upon the "Written Word, and honor upon the Holy Spirit, the great mediating Energy between the Personal and the "Written "Word. Speaking of Mr. Moody's preaching, he said that the Bible seemed a quiver in his hands, and every text a sharp, polished, glittering arrow that God gave him for us to shoot straight into the heart and conscience of his hearers." A novel feature in Dublin was the public breakfast in the Shelbourne Hotel, with Sir E. Synge Hutchin- son in the chair, addresses in admirable spirit from Lord Carrick, Lord James Butler, Dr. Craig, Rev. Charles Dowling, of the Irish Church, aud many other clergymen. Two of the largest rooms in the Shelbourne Hotel were completely tilled by the com- pany, which numbered about two hundred. The object the gathering evidently had in view was the en- couragement of Christian unity, which every speaker in the course of the proceedings warmly advocated, in the belief that it is especially needful at the pres- ent time, and essential to the further spread of the gospel in this country. The company was thoroughly representative in its character, both clerical and lay. 12* 274 CONCERT WITH MINISTERS. Mr. Moody said that was the first meeting of the kind he had ever attended. The question had been asked, " What was to be done to keep up Christian unity ? " He would tell them. Keep preaching Christ, and don't talk about their church, creed, or doctrine, and then people would be attracted to them as surely as iron filings to a magnet. By this should all men know that they were Christ's disciples, that they loved one another. He hoped they would preach Christ simply, treating men not as of this de- nomination or that, but as sinners. He would leave them one word, i Advance.' When General Grant, after a career of victory in the West, was put in command of the Potomac Army, which had been be- fore invariably defeated, he was asked to retreat. Retreat had been the constant word, and at his coun- cil of war all his commanders were in favor of falling back ; but he remained silent, and an hour after, the army were astonished to receive from him the command, ' Advance in solid column at day- break.' This was his counsel to them." One of the aspects of Mr. Moody's work, which gave special satisfaction to the most judicious Chris- tians in Dublin — and among its fifty or sixty thou- REV. DR. MARRABLE. 275 Band Protestants, are many most earnest and devout believers — was the concert maintained with the min- isters. The effects were of the happiest kind. Rev. Dr. Marrable mentioned that "on their Com- munion Day the number of those who remained to partake of the Lord's Supper was nearly double what it used to be. This was a good sign and a source of much happiness to him. He felt deeply interested in these meetings, and especially the conversational meetings for anxious inquirers. So eager was he to get into the room that no sooner was the preaching service at the Exhibition Palace concluded with the benediction, than he hastened to the inquiry-room with the avidity of an army surgeon who ran to bind up the wounds of soldiers after a battle. The work of grace that was manifested at these meetings was truly wonderful. Some of those who became con- verted belonged to Dublin, some came from distant parts of the country — people of all classes — young and old, high and low — are finding the Lord, and re- joicing in Him as their precious Saviour. On the previous night (Sunday) they had a conversational meeting for men — none but men — and there were upwards of fifteen hundred present. The attendance 276 RESULTS IN DUBLIN. was astonishing. He was diffident about alluding to particular cases ; but lie could not help referring to the case of a divinity student— he was sure that was not too personal — who came to him and said he was about to enter the ministry, but he did not feel happy" about his own soul ; but before he left he was brought to rest in peace in Jesus." Fourteen years ago the Kev. Denham Smith, then a Congregational minister, did a good Evangelistic work in Dublin. He was, like Mr. Brownlow North in Scotland, and Mr. Grattan Guinness in England — able to give some aid in the meetings— pleasing evidence that the fire kindled so long ago had not ceased to burn. After witnessing five weeks' labor in Dublin the Rev. W. Fleming Stevenson gives the following ac- count of the results : " No one would question now the magnitude and importance of the spiritual work which has gathered round our American brethren in Dublin. No similar movement has ever produced a like impression. At any previous time of revival, the interest was con- fined within a narrow circle, but at present it pene- trates the entire city ; and the country — and not the serious people in the country only — is as much VARIED TESTIMONY. 277 moved as the city. Those who spoke lightly at first — those "who thought they could ignore it — those who were persuaded it was only a new sensation, have slowly altered their mind. It is seldom that in a company it is not mentioned with respect. Men who had laughed and sneered at first are now the first to rebuke others if they sneer. The newspapers con- tinue to chronicle the meetings with a fullness never displayed before ; special articles are occasionally written, and now and then a thoughtful and favor- able editorial draws everbody's attention. Three of the bishops have been at the meetings, and one of them, the Bishop of Kilmore, has warmly commended ' the wonderful work in Dublin ' when presiding over his Synod. The eloquent Bishop of Derry, when lately preaching at the re-opening of York Minster, and illustrating the place and power of praise, said that ' in Scotland and Ireland a strong fervor had been awakened, and hundreds and thousands had been made earnest by a single voice as expressed by him- self, " singing the gospel of Jesus Christ." ' The Rev. Lord Plunket, ' while not personally relishing all the accompaniments of their teaching,' ' blesses God for the good which is being done by our American vis- 278 DIFFIG UL TIES VERCOME. itors,' and ' rejoices that Christ is being preached and souls are being saved.' Men of all the church parties attend the halls, and having come once are apt to come again ; and one of the most constant workers is Dr. Sydney Smith, the Professor of Biblical Greek in Trinity College, whose daughter wrote the simple and wide-spread hymn, 'Oh for the Robes of White- ness.' A weekly Roman Catholic journal rebuked the silence of its contemporaries by some abusive arti- cles ; and the next week the Nation, an able paper in the interests of the same faith, rebuked the rudeness, and bade the movement God-speed. Growing in Strength. " As for the meetings, there is not only no lessen- ing of interest in them, but a positive increase. It was supposed by many whose sympathies went en- tirely with them that there would be a falling away, and the supposition was not unnatural. The Protest- ant population is small — only a fourth of the whole ; and nine-tenths of it adhere to the Episcopal Church, in which, more than elsewhere, the ministers shrink from openly identifying themselves with either lay preaching or the inquiry-room. So that while all the MOCKERS ATTRACTED. 279 ministers of the other denominations came forward round Mr. Moody, probably not more than a third or fourth of those belonging to the dominant communion took the same stand ; and some, who are earnest men of God, even took up a hostile position. Yet there has been no slackening of the marvelous attendance, either by day or by night. Every increase of accom- modation is met by a fresh in pour of eager men and women. During the last Bible-readings, not only were the passages choked, but a dense throng swarmed round each door, far beyond hearing point, and as many left as would have filled another building. For two Sabbaths it has been necessary to lift the tempo- rary curtain, and allow the people to overflow the en- tire area of the Palace ; and every evening a crowd of two or three hundred, mostly well-dressed persons, patiently waits in the November cold round the outer doors, in the hope that there may be still some place for them when these doors are opened for a few min- utes, just before the sermon. " There are some in this crowd who do not come with the best motives. i "Won't you run in and be converted?' one young man said to another, a few evenings ago, with a laugh. ' "Well, I don't mind 280 MISGIVINGS BANISHED. having a try at it for five minutes,' his companion re- plied, elbowing his way in. Yet in five minutes af- ter they were seated their faces were riveted on Mr. Moody, a part of that most impressive upturned mass of faces that is fixed on him as long as he speaks ; and there is not an evening that men do not acknowl- edge in the inquiry-room having entered as carelessly as these, and having been arrested and forced to ask, * What must I do to he saved f ' " It has to be said, also, that many ministers who do not come prominently forward are ardent friends of the work, and that large as the platform is, the min- isters upon it are only a small part of those at the meetings. They come from the most remote districts of the country. And there are very many who at first were doubtful, and who regarded the movement with misgivings, who are now blessing God for what is done in Dublin ; and whose prayer is that He may work the same works over the whole island. Even those whose position removes them farthest from sympathy speak now with frank respect both of the service and of the American brethren. Nor can anything be more cordial and delightful than the practical and truly brotherly unity with which the various clergymen " BABES AND SUCKLINGS." 281 work together, rejoicing in the truth, and not seeking their own, but in honor preferring one another ; and it is impossible but that this spirit will pass out from them to the other ministers of their respective Church- es, or that those who have learned a mutual esteem and acquired a mutual regard in this toil for the Mas- ter will shrink back again into their former relation. The Children. " Besides the noon prayer-meeting (at which there are now as many brief spontaneous addresses as pray- ers), the evening evangelistic service, and the Bible Headings, a children's meeting at four, and a men's meeting at nine, have been maintained. The chil- dren's day still makes Saturday a festival. When Air. Moody presided, he turned it for a time, and with the happiest effect, into a huge Sunday-school class, the answ r ers to his questions corning back in overpower- ing volleys from the thousands of voices, and with so much precision that he once or twice good-naturedly told the children they should be in his place. At all these Saturday meetings there have been little ones led to Jesus ; and very happy stories they have to tell, when they come asking for 'a convert's ticket.' ' It 282 SOLDIERS THOUGHT OF. was when Mr. Sankey told us about the cleft in the rock, and how, when a little child was put in, it was quite safe ; and I just let Jesus put me in,' one will say ; and then another ; ' It was Mr. Moody that said looking at the brazen serpent meant that we should look at Jesus, and I was ver}^ sorry, because I knew I had been naughty ; but I did look to Jesus, and I know Jesus loves me, and I'm not afraid to die.' " Yarious classes were approached. Thus Sir Arthur Cotton's daughter, Miss Cotton, was induced by Mr. Moody to leave her work at Dorking for a little : and she addressed four very large assem- blies of women in Dublin, and three in Belfast. And a concert, for which the Exhibition had been engaged before it was taken for the preaching of the gospel, led to the most characteristic service that has been held, as there could be no public evening service. More than seven hundred soldiers, of every arm of the service, accepted an invitation to tea, presided over by officers' wives and daughters. Mr. Sankey sang for them and with them, and the shout of the chorus to " Hold the Fort " quite overcame many who were present ; while Mr. Moody, saying that the sight of the red coats had driven his sermon out of THE INQ UIR Y-ROO.V. 283 his head, simply told story upon story out of his own experience in the American war till he was overcome with emotion, preaching the gospel with a tenderness and force that were marvelously impressive, and that allowed no surprise when so many of the men re- mained for the inquiry-meeting, and of those that re- mained so many declared they had found Jesus. The morning meeting for workers was resumed on the final Sabbath of his stay, and was a re-delivery to men onlv, of the lecture on Daniel, which he had given at the Bible-reading three days before, with a power which those who heard it previously in Scotland de- clared he had never approached. The great building had been engaged for a month, but another week's occupation of it was secured, and a convention for three days was arranged for at the conclusion of the services. We give in substance the account of it, furnished, with many other details, by the Rev. W. Fleming Stevenson, only abbreviating in parts, his graphic report : - Among the points of interest in Dublin, there is none more singular, and at the same time more sol- emn than the inquiry-room. Sometimes the large concert-hall has been occupied, sometimes the small, 284 HUSBAND AND WIFE. sometimes both. Once or twice the main building has been given over exclusively to women, while the men have been withdrawn to one of the side halls. The numbers who remained for conversation were often very large — many hundreds, now and then approaching a thousand. The band of workers who spoke with, them has also been large, and includes, perhaps, fifty ministers. Persons have come of every shade of opinion. A skeptic has written down his feelings in a note-book — an honest doubter, who submits them seriatim for answer, and expresses thankfulness as they are met, and his mind is left more open to receive Christ. One has come to scoff, and avows that he only wants to see into the thing ; but a pointed, firm word, spoken in love, has sunk below his shallow scorn, and he finds himself grappling with sin. A gentle- man has come from a town many miles away ; he has fallen into sin, and wandered far from Christ. His wife had often borne the burden on her heart to God, and, on returning home from a short absence, finds he has gone hurriedly to the meetings ; now, in the inquiry-room she finds the wanderer restored, full of sorrow, but more full of thanksgiving, and the hus- band and wife leave the building together, with a joy MOTHER AND DAUGHTERS. 2S5 that is unspeakable. Here are two, a gentleman and his wife that have traveled one hundred and fifty miles from their home. They are greatly moved ; the woman sobs, the man cannot check a silent tear that trickles down his cheek ; their quest for peace seems only to have brought them into woe ; but before the meeting breaks up, the light has broken in, and they rejoice in the Lord. There is a young Swede, who has only recently come from the North, and tells his trouble through very broken English ; the next evening he is looking to Jesus. Some are Roman Catholics, probably very ignorant of Bible teaching, but receiving the truth with avidity ; coming, per- haps, again and again. Some, with a beaming face and a great but gentle earnestness, are leading in others — sisters with sisters, young men bringing friends. There is a lady who has come up from the country, and has brought in four grown-up daughters. A minister is passing, and stops. He has already long since led that lady to Christ, and he has baptized these four girls; but it is fourteen years since he left their neighborhood for another, very distant. He sits down beside them, and does not leave till the mother re- joices with him over them all. 286 STUDENTS FROM COLLEGE. " In such work as this, the hour passes quickly away. All are busy, too busy to note what happens around them ; the sound of prayer and earnest speech rises everywhere ; then, as one leaves after another, Mr. Moody stands near the door, and speaks a parting word to each, the lights are put out, and the work of the day is over. For some time past another large meeting has been conducted in another part of the city (in the Metropolitan Hall) at the same hour as the evening inquiry-meeting (for during the day also there are op- portunities for inquirers), and yet the attendance at both has daily increased. It is exclusively for young men, and is conducted by Mr. Henry Drummond, who was urgently entreated to leave work of the same kind in Derry, that he might come up to this. At first it seemed harder to deal with them, and less impression was made than elsewhere ; but that is all past, and probably there are nowhere more striking instances of the grace of God. Latterly, several of the students have been here, and some have believed ; and it is a distinct rallying-point for young men. " From all this, it is natural to expect that fruit is being gathered every day. " The son of Christian parents is in a house of busi- " IIAPPY AS A KING." 287 ness, where one of the young men especially was an undesirable companion, and many prayers had ascended that the lad might be kept from harm. Not only has he been led to Jesus, but four others with him, and among them that very one whose in- fluence was so dreaded. In another house several had scoffed, and were profane and skeptical ; but one of the first who decided for Christ there went ven^ sim- ply round the rest, and told them where he stood, that, as he said, there might be no mistake. t There are four brothers, besides myself/ said a fine, intelli- gent lad in a printing office, ' and the Lord has found us every one.' Four sisters came together for tickets to the converts' meeting. They had only been a week or two in Dublin, coming to it from a country town, and already they had the joy of believing. A mechanic came in to-day. i I hurried down from the shop,' he said — it was the fitting shop of one of the great railway stations — ' as soon as we knocked off work. There are more than twenty that have been greatly concerned, and there'll be many of them will want a ticket. We have hard times of it among the rest ; but I was just like them, and I can't complain. And, Sir, I am just as happy as a king.' 288 MOTHER AND SON " A gentleman residing in Belfast came up with his family to Dublin ; and now, in Dublin, the children have all been brought to the Lord. Two brothers lived in Glasgow while Mr. Moody was holding meetings there. One of them was converted, but he could not induce the other to go to the meetings. Some time after they were separated. The former was obliged to change his residence for London, the latter for Dublin. The heart of the one yearned greatly over the other, and when he learned that Mr. Moody was in Dublin, he pleaded with his brother more than ever. At last he got leave, and hurried across himself to induce him to attend the meetings; in his earnest compulsion, brought him, introduced him to Mr. Moody ; and within a week the brothers were rejoicing together. " An elderly lady introduced herself to a minister, her eyes full of tears. ' Sir, on Monday evening I saw my sins like burning flames. Oh ! I did not know before that I was a sinner. I did not know how to escape. It w r as like fire on every side of me. And they spoke to me of Jesus. I broke out crying quite loud. I couldn't help it. And when I went home, and my son met me, I said : " What will they think LITTLE RIDICULE. 289 of me, acting in that way?" "Mother," said he, " don't be ashamed of the tears of repentance." * I can't keep from crying now, but they are tears of joy. And Sir, it was my son would give me no rest till I went to the meetings ; for he had gone himself, and came back believing in Jesus." Happy mother, happy son ! " A gentleman had not heard a sermon for two years, as he had grown deaf, and his minister's voice was low. , He went to Mr. Moody, sat near the front, and heard. His joy was very touching when God had opened not only the ear but the heart, and he came for a ticket to the meeting for converts. An infidel, who was led to come, and was led to faith in the Saviour, afterwards came bringing three like himself. "I have strung these incidents loosely together; they are examples of what is occurring every day, and what it is hoped will be occurring for many a day to come. There is scarcely a parish or congregation in the city where there has not been blessing, and in some, the blessing has been very full ; while numbers who came up from the country have gone back again praising God. " The town is more full than ever of what is happen- ing. There is comparatively little ridicule, and there 13 290 NO NATURAL CA USB. is much inquiry. At a well-known meeting of scien- tific men the other day, the discussion turned largely on Mr. Moody and the meetings, and it appeared that several of those present had been there. One, who does not trouble himself about the Christian faith, said that, he could not find any sufficient natural causes that would quite account for them — causes that would satisfy scientific inquiry — and that he was driven to the persuasion that there must be a super- natural cause. " At a meeting of one of the principal medical soci- eties, the chairman, in his address, touched earnestly on the opportunity the physician had as a Christian, and the dignity it lent his office ; and though the members are of very opposite religious persuasions, and his course was so novel as to startle many, the remarks met with hearty approval. " It has been desired to continue at least some of the meetings after the brethren leave, and in the same spirit of unity. There will be the daily noon prayer- meeting in the Metropolitan Hall, except on Saturday, when there will be a meeting for children at two o'clock ; and on Sabbath, when there will be an after- noon service at four, in the large concert-hall of the THE CONVENTION. 291 Exhibition Palace. It is also intended to have a united evangelistic service every Tuesday evening at eight, in the Metropolitan Hall, and to keep up the evening meeting for men." The Convention of Ministers was a happy inspira- tion; due to the indefatigable secretary of the General Committee. There were only a few days to prepare, but the details were carried out with an energy that was marvelous. It was like nothing so much as the hearty haste with which the posts went out to ' all the provinces of King Ahasuerus.' Arrangements were made by which return-tickets could be had from any part of Ireland for a single fare, and yet be available for a week ; and hospitality was so abundantly offered that every visitor found a kindly welcome. The num- ber of ministers was probably not short of eight hundred, of whom more than half belonged to the Episcopal Church, the Presbyterian and Wesleyan making the bulk of the remainder ; but the Inde- pendent and Baptist Churches, and the Society of Eriends were also well represented. The geographi- cal representation was as complete as the ecclesiastical. Frttm County .Kerry to County Donegal, from Con- nemara on the west, from Cork, and Wexford, and 292 « THE M1NISTB T: Waterford on the south, from cities like Belfast and Derry, where the blessing has been rising like a full tide, and from ancient and secluded hamlets, where the news of God's work has been slow to penetrate, from rectories and manses, the streams poured into the capital. The days of the Convention were days of joyful surprise, as friends unexpectedly met from one distant place after another. Many had already come on Monday evening, and were soon in service, addressing an extemporized meeting that had to be formed of those who could not get access into the building, or speaking with inquirers, and thus came at once in contact with what had been reported to them; for the sermon on that evening, "What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ ? " (Matt, xxvii. 22), had been with unusual power, and the large halls for inquiry were crowded. It was, however, at the all-day meet- ing on Tuesday that the Convention assumed its real proportions, and the interest and blessing that had gathered round the previous weeks were carried to their highest point. The ministers formed a com- pact body, in seats numbered and reserved f or thejn ; the crowd stretched beyond, and from one o'clock it THE TOPICS CHOSEX. 293 was so large that it filled the building from end to end. u Mr. Moody presided throughout, and members of every evangelical communion joined in the addresses and prayers. The noon hour was devoted, as usual, to the subject for the day ; and though the requests for prayer number now sometimes many hundreds, and are simply massed in groups, they were made impressive by the brief supplication of a single sen- tence with which each group was fittingly followed by the reader, the meeting all the while continuing bowed in silent prayer. The three topics chosen for conference were : Praise and Thanksgiving, How to reach the Masses, and How to fill Ireland with the Gospel. The two former were introduced by Epis- copalian clergymen, the latter by a Presbyterian ; and besides these longer addresses, there were others of five minutes, which fell to ministers of other com- munions. Conference, in the strict sense of the word, was precluded by the size of the hall and the audience ; but the same subjects were treated on Thursday in a four hours' meeting, when none but the ministers were present, and when, from the smaller numbers, interchange of opinion was easy. 294 " PROSEL TTINQ FROM CHURCHES." The remaining two hours of the day on Tuesday were occupied by Mr. Moody ; the first by the " Question Drawer," and the second by his lecture on " Works." In the former, the answers to which he gave most time were on drunkenness and sectarian- ism. " God had vouchsafed a blessed unity ; woe to the unhappy person who should first break it." Yet it would be broken if there was proselytism. This would be the triumph of sect over Christ. The cry is, " Come out ! come out from a sect ! " But where ? into another sect ? Every body of believers is a sect. This spirit that always cries, " Come out ! " that proselyting from the Churches, is from Satan. I say, Stay in. If you have a minister that preaches Christ — and your town has many — stand by him. You will gain nothing but trouble and pride by leav- ing him. There are people who consider that de- nouncing Churches and finding fault with ministers is " bearing testimony." These people will bear tes- timony for years, and that is all Christ gets from them. I warn you, as a Christian brother, beware of trying to get some of these young people away from the folds where they have been fed. You will heap guilt on your head. The moment we begin to lift up " THEY WHO SEPARATE:' 295 our little party or our Church, then the Spirit of God seems to leave, and there is no more conversion." The effect produced by these timely words was profound. Those who had come dreading that, after all, this movement would be like some previous, and end in secession and the weakening instead of the strengthening of Christians, were reassured ; and throughout this hour and the next, the majority of the ministers who had not heard Mr. Moody speak before learnt something of the power he wields, and were forced into the same unity as those who had been fellow-laborers from the beginning. Indeed, the condition of the meeting was one of the most eager and responsive sympathy. Every chord was true, and vibrated at the lightest touch. Aged min- isters bowed their gray hairs, and wept at times with joy. A minister would grasp the hand of another he had never seen before, merely because he sat beside him. One might sit, at first, with a look of wonder and almost contempt, but further on in the day the face would quiver with emotion. Many an eye glistened with quiet tears. Now, for the first time in the meetings, the excitement would not be controlled, but broke out in applause that even the self-recol- 296 IRREPRESSIBLE FEELING. lection of some, and the cry of " Hush ! " did not always repress. In truth, the atmosphere was elec- tric, though there was little cloud in the sky: and without any sufficient cause flashes would break out, soft and swift and pervading as summer lightning. At one point during the discussion of Ireland, the central subject of the day, and when Mr. Sankey, seizing the opportunity with his usual tact, sang " Hold the Fort," alone, and the vast multitude, the ministers leading, lifted up the chorus in a mighty shout, the enthusiasm was overpowering and alto- gether indescribable. Such a scene was never wit- nessed in Ireland before, for there never had been such a meeting. It was the first time that all these ministers had met on a platform broader than their Churches, gathering close together round their com- mon Saviour ; and it is easy to see already that the impression on the country is very deep. Four of the daily papers devoted long reports to the meetings, one of them as much as six columns ; and not only is the news thus spread, but even the happy device, by which the committee gave the clergymen of one com- munion as guests to the members of another, helps the fusing and widens the catholicity. It was a time Q HITTING IRELAND. 297 that will be always memorable in the history of Ire- land, — that many hope will be the starting-point of an Ireland where all things will be new. This concluded practically the labor of the breth- ren in Ireland. They now turned their faces towards the great cities of England, to which a brief chapter must be given. 13 CHAPTER VI ENGLAND AGAIN. Early in December the American evangelists passed over to Manchester, where much prayer had been offered for a blessing on their visit. The Rev. "W. H. Drewett gives a concise view of their opening efforts in that great city. We omit details, the coun- terpart of which has been fully reported in connec- tion with other places. " Many thousands of Christian people have been praying for Manchester. The preparatory work, in- deed, has been going on all the year, especially since the month of April, when united evangelistic services were held in almost all the Nonconformist places of worship throughout the district. These preparatory meetings were brought to a close last Saturday, with a Communion Service, in which upwards of two thousand Christians of various denominations joined. " At the meeting for workers on Sunday morning, the attendance was astonishing, numbering nearly, if MANCHESTER. 299 not quite, two thousand five hundred persons. Most of these had walked distances varying from one to three miles, some far more, though the rain fell in tor- rents through a thick, cold fog. " Perhaps the first feeling with many, after curiosity was satisfied, was something like disappointment. But soon the meeting was filled with an influence quite distinct from any of the usual effects of oratory. It seemed as if, as in the olden time, 'the Holy Ghost fell on them that heard the word.' Mr. Moody's theme was i Christian Courage,' and in dwelling upon it he evidently sought to strike the key-note for all the services to follow. When, at the close of the address, the hymn was sung, ' Hold the Fort,' few eyes were dry. " The work has been going on since, much as it did during the first week or fortnight in Dublin, and in other places. There is no doubt that Messrs. Moody and Sankey have already made a most favorable im- pression upon a large portion of the Christian public of our city. The charm of Mr. Sankey's affectionate nature has been felt by many, as well as the power of his gift of song. The gifts which fit Mr. Moody to be the leader of a religious movement like the 300 FIRST FRUITS. present are recognized by every one. Men accustomed to authority willingly put themselves under his or- ders. He inspires confidence. All feel at once his practical good sense and singleness of purpose. Among his natural endowments is a power of pathos which must tell everywhere, but will tell especially upon a Lancashire audience. It seems to lay hold of the men even more than of the women. In his energetic, vigorous nature there is a great depth of tenderness, which now and then breaks forth in his addresses with extraordinary power. Above all, he feels and speaks as though he felt that the excellency of the power is of God, and not of us. " The crowds which flock to hear our friends, if they do not increase, continue undiminished. Already not a few have found peace in Jesus through their word. Mr. Moody has more than once said in public that nowhere, during the first week of his labors, have such meetings been held as in Manchester. Still, it would be folly to suppose that the work as yet is more than just beginning." How it proceeded the Rev. C. A. Davis tells us : "None could withstand the conviction that the Spirit of God was operating in the solemnized assem- HIS WHOLE SELF." bly as they beheld, under the influence that swayed the meeting during Mr. Moody's appeals, business men, one after another, rising to be prayed for. The address had been growing in earnestness ; the speaker seemed to come into contact with the souls of the people before him. He requested any who wished to be prayed for to rise. He quietly repeated the invi- tation. One was seen to stand in the left-hand gallery and cover his face with his hands ; another in the area. Mr. Moody said solemnly, " There is one risen ; thank God for that. Another ; and another. Chris- tians, keep on praying. Another. Jesus is passing by. You may never have such an opportunity again. You may never again have so many Christians pray- ing for you." Before many minutes people were stand- in all parts of the hall, amid deep silence, broken only by a hushed response at each new appeal for continued prayer. At the close of the meeting the anxious ones were invited into the inquiry rooms, where Mr. Moody conversed with them individu- ally. A man with whom the writer conversed, rose from his knees, where he had committed "his whole self" to Christ, and said, " I came from Bolton to-day. I 302 THE SO UL OF THE MO VEMENT. did not think I should find Christ." A brother min- ister brought up another young convert. It was this man's nephew who had just found peace. The two greeted each other with joyful surprise. Afternoon meetings for women have been held in the Rev. A. McLaren's chapel, Oxford Road. It is strange to observe them thronging the road on their way to the chapel, and still more strange to see them oc- cupying all the available standing-room in the spacious building. Not less than two thousand women were present on Tuesday afternoon. These meetings, like all the rest, increase in power as they proceed, and on Thursday when Mr. Moody entered the lecture-hall, he found it filled with weeping, kneeling inquirers. Many left with the joy of pardon on their spirits. The noon prayer-meeting has, with one exception, been held in the Free Trade Hall, with an attendance of from two to three thousand. In these meetings may be found the soul of the movement. It is the daily united cry to God which brings upon the city the power of the Holy Spirit for conviction and conver- sion. On Thursday, dealing with the objection that this work is not of God, Mr. Moody said, " What do these noon prayer-meetings mean ? what do men come CO- OPERA TION ASKED. 303 here by hundreds, I might say by thousands, to pray for ? A genuine work of God. And will He give us a counterfeit ? If we ask bread will He give us a stone ? The Shunammite fell at the feet of Elisha and said, ' As the Lord thy God liveth I will not leave thee.' She wasn't going to trust in that old staff, nor in the servant. She would trust only in the master ; arid well it was for her, or she would never have got back her child. And the prayer-meeting clings to the feet of God. We will not have the staff ; we will not trust in the servants, but only in the Master Himself ; He can and will raise the dead." Finding one influential class of ministers — whose co-operation was always sought — poorly represented at the meetings, Mr. Moody issued the following circular : "TO THE CLERGY OF MANCHESTER AND SALFORD. " Having come to Manchester with my friend, Mr. Sankey, for the month of December, with the one object of preaching Christ, it has been a matter of disappointment that not more clergymen of the Church of England have attended our meetings. " As God has granted large blessings where unity 304 " THATS ME: has prevailed, we earnestly trust that you will join in seeking a blessing for Manchester. "Manchester, Dec. 4, 1874. D. L. Moody." Not at first, but with increasing knowledge of the work, the Episcopal clergy entered into it in consider- able numbers. The feeling among the men was developed in a wonderful degree at the beginning. In an early meeting, Mr. Moody stated that on Friday a man had found peace, and instantly cried out, " I am coming, mother," when a man rose and cried out in the center of the hall, " That's me," and burst into tears. The incident sent a thrill through the audience. Had there been time for an inquirers' meeting many would have remained, but they were wisely sent home to pray. The Eev. W. Rigby Murray, who labored with great earnestness in Manchester, thus reports, in the second week of effort here : " On Saturday evening, the Oxford Hall presented a spectacle which those who witnessed it will not soon forget. In response to Mr. Moody's invitation, some three thousand persons, professedly Christians, and chiefly young men, assembled to hear him counsel REGINALD RADCLIFFE. 305 them regarding Christian work. The heartiness with which they ever and anon broke forth into song be- fore he made his appearance, and the manliness with which they sang, especially 'Dare to be a Daniel,' indicated that they were ready to receive with glad- ness the word of command from the lips of the great organizer. He spoke briefly but effectively. He told of the work done by the young converts else- where, especially in Glasgow, in connection with the evangelization of the masses. He made particular reference to the noble army of volunteers that rose to their feet in that city when the appeal was made to them, 'TVlio will work for Jesus?' And then, when he made the same appeal to themselves, calling upon all who were ready to work for the Master to stand up, almost the entire body of young men — a grand and inspiring sight — sprang to their feet. One could not help exclaiming, ' God be thanked ! there's hope for our city ! Manchester, with such a host, may yet be won for Christ ! ' By a special arrangement, as it seemed, of Providence, Mr. Reginald Eadcliffe was present, and immediately put before them a definite plan for making a great gospel attack, so to speak, upon the city. He suggested that an ordnance 306 CITY MAPPED OUT. map of Manchester should be cut into small squares, each representing a district, and that two or three young persons should undertake to cany the gospel, in the shape of a tract or otherwise, to every house, great and small, within that district, so that no single dwelling should be omitted. The plan appeared to approve itself to the judgment of the meeting, all the more so that he told us how successfully he had car- ried out a similar one in Edinburgh and Liverpool in years gone by. The Lord grant it abundant success ! " The workers' meeting, yesterday (13th), was the largest since Messrs. Moody and Sankey came to Manchester. The address was most powerful. A forcible appeal was made to Sabbath-school teachers in this city ; but one conviction seemed to exist in the minds of the vast audience of five thousand, ' Let us arise and work.' " Had Mr. Moody come to deliver only this address, his mission had not been in vain. In the afternoon, from fifteen thousand to seventeen thousand struggled for admission. Yarious meetings had to be held in the Free Trade Hall, Oxford Hall, and Cavendish Chapel ; all crowded as they never have been before. A HO USE CHAXGED. 3<> 7 As many more halls of the same size could have been filled. Some twenty to thirty meetings were held in the streets of the neighborhood, where addresses were delivered by ministers and laymen. At every meet- ing the Lord was present to heal. Anxious inquirers were very numerous. Great numbers professed to find the Saviour. To God alone be praise ! u The meeting for young men, in Oxford Hall, at eight, was also crowded to excess, hundreds being unable to obtain admission. Mr. Moody spoke as if tongues of fire hovered over his head." The Rev. R. Mitchell said at the second Mon- day meeting where reports of progress were usually made : " There is no lack of facts to encourage us and strengthen our hands. Last night after the meet- ing, a gentleman came up to me and said : i 1 want to have a talk with you.' So we walked down the street together. He told me he had been a skeptic for years, had heard Messrs. Moody and Sankey in Scotland, but could not understand what it was all about. He was a commercial traveler, having occa- sion to be from home frequently. When he went home last time, after having been away a month or two, there seemed to be a complete change in the 308 A MEDICAL MAN'S VIEW. whole house. His wife had been going to the meet- ings held in Edinburgh, and had been awakened and had found peace in believing, and had been instru- mental in leading the whole family to the Lord. This change in his dear ones led him to inquire into the work, and the result was, that the unbeliev- ing skeptic is now a humble believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. On Saturday he came fifty or sixty miles, that he might spend one day in these meetings. He was in this hall yesterday. " I may mention another case. As I rode home in the omnibus last Friday evening, a medical gentle- man, who had been sitting on the opposite seat, came over to my side. 'Mr. Mitchell,' he said, 'a few days ago I was speaking lightly of this revival work. But one of my friends who was living utterly regard- less of religion has just been telling me that he has found salvation at the meetings. His very words were, speaking of Christ, "I could die for Him." If that be a specimen of the revival work,' said the medical man, ' it is the work of God.' " We cannot withhold from our readers a vivid de- scription of two of Mr. Moody's addresses in Man- chester, from the correspondent of the (London) POWER OF "NO." 309 Daily J¥ews. They will show the style of address bv which. Englishmen were instructed and interested : "He began his discourse this morning without other preface than a half apology for selecting a sub- ject which, it might be supposed, everybody knew everything about. But, for his part, he liked to take out and look upon the photographs of old friends when they were far away, and he hoped that his hear- ers would not think it waste of time to take another look at the picture of Daniel. There was one pecu- liarity about Daniel, and that was that there was noth- ing against his character to be found all through the Bible. Xow-a-days, when men write biographies they throw what they call the veil of charity over the dark spots in a career. But when God writes a man's life He puts it all in. So it happened that we find very few, even of the best men in the Bible, without their times of sin. But Daniel came out spotless, and the preacher attributed his exceptionally bright life to the power of saying ' No.' "After this exordium Mr. Moody proceeded to tell, in his own words, the story of the life of Daniel. Lis- tening to him it was not difficult to comprehend the secret of his great power over the masses. Like Bun- 310 DANIEL'S VICTORIES. yan, he Las the great gift of being able to realize things unseen, and to describe his vision in familiar language to those whom he addresses. I am afraid his notion of i Babylon, that great cit} 7 ,' would barely stand the test of historical research. But that there really was in far-off days a great city called Babylon, in which men bustled about, ate and drank, schemed and plot- ted, and were finally overruled by the visible hand of God, he made as clear to the listening congregation as if he were talking about Chicago. He filled the lay figures with life, clothed them with garments, and then made them talk to each other in the English lan- guage as it is to-day accented in some of the Ameri- can States. " The story of Daniel is one peculiarly susceptible of Mr. Moody's usual method of treatment, and for three quarters of an hour he kept the congregation en- thralled whilst he told how Daniel's simple faith tri- umphed over the machinations of the unbeliever. Mr. Moody's style is unlike that of most religious re- vivalists. He neither shouts nor gesticulates, and mentioned ' hell ' only once, and that was in con- nection with the life the drunkard makes for himself. His manner is reflected by the congregation, in respect EVERYTHING REAL. 311 of abstention from working themselves up into ' a state.' Bat this makes all the more impressive the signs of genuine emotion which follow and accompany the preacher's utterance. When he was picturing the scene of Daniel translating the King's dream, rapidly repeating Daniel's account of the dream, and Nebu- chadnezzar's quick and delighted ejaculation, i That's so!' 'That's it!' as he recognized the incidents, I fancy it was not without difficulty some of the peo- ple, bending forward and listening with glistening eye and heightened color, refrained from clapping their hands for glee that the faithful Daniel, the un- yielding servant of God, had triumphed over tribula- tion, and had walked out of prison to take his place on the right hand of the king. There was not much exhortation throughout the discourse, and not the slightest reference to any disputed point of doctrine. The discourse was nothing more than a re-telling of the story of Daniel. But whilst Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, Abed-nego, Darius, and even the one hundred and twenty princes, became for the congregation living and moving beings, all the ends of the narrative were, with probably uncon- scious, certainly unbetrayed, art, gathered together to 312 mCODEMUS. lead up to the one lesson, that compromise, where truth and religion are concerned, is never worth} 7- of those who profess to believe God's word. '"lam sick of the shams of the present day,' said Mr. Moody, bringing his discourse to a sudden close. ' I am tired of the way men parley with the world whilst they are holding out their hands to be lifted into heaven. If we are going to be good Christians and God's people, let us be so out-and-out.' " Last night I heard him deliver an address in one of the densely-populated districts of Salford. Admission to the chapel in which the service was held was ex- clusively confined to women, and, notwithstanding that it was Saturday night, there were at least a thou- sand sober-looking and respectably-dressed women present. The subject of the discussion was Christ's conversation with Nicodemus — whose social position Mr. Moody incidentally made recognizable to the con- gregation by observing that ' if he had lived in these days he would have been a doctor of divinity, Nico- demus, D.D., or perhaps LL.D.' His purpose was to make it clear that men were saved, not by any ac- tion of their own, but simply by faith. This he illus- trated, among other ways, by introducing a domestic THE BRAZEN SERPEXT. 313 scene from the life of the children of Israel in the wilderness at the time the brazen serpent was lifted up. The dramatis personce were a young convert, a skeptic, and the skeptic's mother. The convert who has been bitten by the serpent, and, having followed Moses' injunction, is cured, ' comes along,' and finds the skeptic lying down ' badly bitten.' He entreats him to look upon the brazen serpent which Moses has lifted up, but the skeptic has no faith in the alleged cure, and refuses. ' Do you think,' he says, ' I'm going to be saved by looking at a brass serpent away off on a pole? No, no.' ' Well, I don't know,' says the young convert, 'but I was saved that way myself. Don't you think you'd better try it ? ' The skeptic refuses, and his mother ' comes along,' and observes, ' Hadn't you better look at it, my boy ? ' ' WelJ, mother, the fact is, that if I could understand the philosophy of it I would look up right off; but I don't see how a brass serpent away off on a pole can cure me.' And so he dies in his unbelief." The Rev. D. Macgregor reports of the third Mon- day meeting: u At noon there was a large gathering. We ob- served honored brethren from distant towns, who had 14 314 CONVERTS STEADFAST. come to see for themselves, and carry back tidings of the movement. Brethren of the Episcopal Church are becoming numerous. After prayer for the nu- merous cases brought before us, Mr. Moody made some observations on the subject of ' Praise,' insisting on it as a Christian privilege. " When the meeting was thrown open, testimony was borne by various ministers and laymen to the progress and permanency of the work in other places. "We were especially pleased to have the evidence of a minister from York, who stated that Mr. Moody had begun services in his place of worship some sixteen months before, when the movement was yet but small. About fifty converts had come into connec- tion with his church, and, so far as he knew, they all continued steadfast in the faith, while many of them had become centers of blessed influence. The like testimony has come from other quarters; and when we now hear the oft-put question, ' Will it stand % ' we answer, 'It has stood.' What if some do fall away ? that is the case also with those who join our churches in the steadiest times." From the scriptural character of the addresses, and the Bible readings, a new feature appeared in Man- CORBOBIXG GABE8. 315 Chester, and is noticed by Mr. Macgregor. It recalls Glasgow, where the book-stores were literally emptied of Bibles during the meetings there : " We notice that many have learned the habit of bringing their Bibles and turning over the leaves to find the passages. If the Bible readings accomplish nothing else but familiarizing many with the daily use of their Bibles, they will have done much." It would be delightful, if space permitted, to mul- tiply illustrative incidents. At a meeting, for ex- ample, a gentleman said : " There are many most delightful cases in this hall. I should like to relate one. I was speaking last night to those who were inquiring after Christ, up there in the gallery. I saw one workman sitting there. I felt I did not need to ask how it was with his soul; I could see in his beaming face how happy he was. I went up to him, and said: 'Friend, have you found the Saviour?' 'Yes.' 'How long is it since?' 'Only three nights since I went to the Free Trade Hall, I heard them sing, "Safe in the arms of Jesus;" the first verse I sung carelessly through, but when we came to the second verse — " Safe from corroding cares " — it struck me that the people seemed in 316 PRA TING FOR A FRIEND. earnest — that they meant it — I looked at the verse — I felt it was mockery for me to sing that — I sat down in great trouble. That night I went home in agony. Next morning I went to my work, but I had not got over the trouble. My shopmates saw there was something up with me. They asked, ""What was the trouble ? " I told them, my soul ! my soul ! Two nights after I was no better, I went again to the meeting — there I heard, " I must look to Christ and Him alone." Just then I was enabled to look, I went home, rejoicing in the Lord, a new and happy man.' 6 Are you waiting for a talk with Mr. Moody ? ' i Oh ! no, I am just praying and waiting; I brought a dear friend with me to-night, and she's over there ; some one's talking to her, and I am praying God may save her.' ' Is it your wile ? ' ' No, sir, I am not married, but it is a dear friend.' Here he was watching and praying, while she was hearing the way of salvation. I believe his prayers were answered last night." Mr. San key said : "My heart was moved last night at the Young Men's meeting. I can truly say that during all my wanderings I have never attended a better meeting than the one held last night in Roby Chapel — a more TEACHER AXD SCHOLAR. 317 hopeful and prayerful meeting — I am looking for great results from that place. My dear friend, Mr. Drummond, was there, whose father you all know has done so much work in publishing and distributing tracts in Scotland, and, I may say, all over the world. When Mr. Drummond had opened the meeting, he asked all who had been recently converted to rise and tell it. Many stood up and told what the Lord had done for their souls. Old men stood up, young men, and even boys. When we were engaged in silent prayer, Mr. Drummond asked that any who wished prayer for themselves, or for friends, would just stand up and ask it, while the Christians were pray- ing. One by one from all parts of the chapel came the requests, ' pray for me,' ' pray for my soul,' ' pray for my father,' ' for my mother,' * for brothers,' ' for sisters,' ' for wives.' Mothers ! fathers ! your sons were there in Roby Chapel last night, praying for yon, pleading for you. Won't you join them ?" One man asked prayer for one of his Sunday scholars, who was there in the meeting — before the meeting broke up, that lad had given himself to Christ. A commercial traveler remained to the in- quiry-meeting. He had been at one time super- 318 IN THE WAREHOUSE. intendent of a Sabbath-school. He had, however, fallen into intemperance, and had gone astray. " Now," he said, " I want to get back to my father's house ; my dear wife has been praying for me. My eyes are opened once more, and I want to cling to Jesus ; He will keep me in His arms safe." Mr. Beith told of one young man, in a large ware- house in the city, who had been utterly regardless of divine things. ki However, he went, as so many had done, to the meeting, to see what was doing. He was almost struck dumb when he heard Mr. Moody speak. "Was this the same gospel that he had so often heard preached ? Ere long he was melted, went down stairs into the inquiry-room ; there he was spoken to by a Christian minister, who pointed him to the only Saviour. He was enabled, by God's grace, to accept the offer of salvation, and went home rejoicing. In his warehouse there was a large number of young men ; he was determined to do his duty, so he, in a frank, manly way told of the great change he had ex- perienced. He induced some of his fellows to come to the evening meeting along with him. And before three days there were eleven converted young men in that warehouse. These have now formed them- THE WINE-MERCHANT. 319 selves into a praying band, for the other young men in that warehouse." Rev. Dr. Garrett (Episcopal) said, " It does cheer my heart to hear of the work that has been doing here yesterday. I and many other ministers have our own work on Sundays, so that we cannot possibly be pres- ent in your meetings. But I wish to tell of the good result I have seen in my own district, a quiet part of Manchester. There has been, I find, a great blessing both in my congregation and in my Sabbath-schools. I wish also to mention one incident which will illus- trate the Christian unity springing up amongst min- isters of the various denominations, and also the good which is sure to flow from that unity. The Wine-Merchant and his Wife. "Atone of your inquiry-meetings I met a minister I had not known previously. I do not even yet know to what denomination he belongs. He was that night talking to a lady who was in terrible distress about her soul ; her husband was engaged in the wine trade and had beendrawn gradually into the habit of drink- ing with his customers, so that if he had many bar- gains to strike in the course of the day, he was sure 320 TEE MILL-GIRLS. to come reeling home at night, deluged with this poison. For twelve months, before coming to jour meetings, she had never entered a church door. She was, however, here awakened, and led to Jesus. Anxiety was then awakened in her heart for the sal- vation of her husband, upon whom she wished that minister to call, but as he lived at a great distance from her house, he promised to get some one else to do so. Having observed me at the meeting, and knowing that she was in my district, he wrote to ask me to see her. " I called on Christmas eve ; and spent one of the happiest hours I have ever known in her house. She is now rejoicing in the Saviour, and her husband told me that he has resolved to give up the wine trade, and trust in the Lord to open up to him some other path of life. Yesterday they were both in my church, and I firmly believe that these two have been led to the feet of Jesus." Mr. C. A. Davis said, " I wish to speak of the mill- girls. Last night three of these girls were led to trust in Christ. One of them said to me, ' Oh, sir, a girl cannot be good in a mill.' It is true, indeed, that it is difficult, there are so many temptations, and so WANTED— A GUIDE. 321 many evil companions. But here is an encouraging letter I have received this morning from a mill-girl who was converted a week since. She says that she has been enabled to tell her co-workers of the change she has experienced, and the result of her faithful witnessing is that ten of her companions in that mill have been impressed, and are coming with her to the meeting to-night. She concludes by asking our prayers that these girls may be converted." A middle-aged man rose and said : " Last night (Sunday) as you are all aware, was very thick and foggy. I was on my way into Manchester from a neighboring village (I may say that I am a stranger here), and I happened to take the wrong turning in the road, and very soon, without being aware of it, I was on my way to Bolton. After I had walked some dis- tance, I saw a gentleman on the opposite side of the road, and I thought I would just ask him if I was going right. 'Am I on the road to Manchester ? ' He crossed the road towards me, and said, ' Do you wish to reach Manchester to-night,' I said ' Yes,' ' Well you are going directly from it : your back is turned to the city ; but I am going there, and will show you the way.' I was very glad to accompany him. Then all 14* 322 A G UIDE FO UND. at once he began to ask me questions, which I thought were very impertinent. ' Was I a Christian ? ' and so on. I said nothing, however, as I did not want to have him leave me. By-and-by I began to like his talk, and by the time we reached the city, we were very friendly. i Have you ever heard of Mr. Moody ? ' he said. ' Oh, yes, often, they're building a large wooden hall for them in Liverpool, where I come from.' ' Well, I am going to one of his meetings, will you go?' 'No.' ' Oh, do come in just to hear him.' Well, I didn't like to refuse and went with him ; when we got into the hall, Mr. Moody was thundering out the words, ' Whosoever will let him come.' I wondered if this could mean me. How- ever, I came away when the meeting was over. As I walked away with Mr. Bell (that I found was the gentleman's name), I could not resist any longer, and I broke out, ' Can Christ save me — such an one as I am ? ' ' Oh, yes,' said he, ' Whosoever believeth in Christ shall not perish, but have everlasting life ' (John iii.). We had some more talk, and I bless the Lord that He has now opened my eyes to see that not only is He able and willing, but that He has saved me." At a public meeting James C. Stuart, Esq., Treas- BUILDING FOR YOUNG MEN. 323 urer of the Committee for Manchester, stated the amount of expenses to be provided for by the friends in the city. " So far as he could judge, the expenses of the movement would be about £2,000. He wished it to be made public that Messrs. Moody and Sankey re- ceived no money from the committee. The sum named was for the rent of halls, printing, and such like expenses." At a later meeting Mr. Stuart * reported : " At a meeting, held last night, the Young Men's Christian Association decided to purchase the block of build- ings adjacent to the Theater Royal for the sum of £30,000. "Will you not help us to raise this money before the close of the year ? I feel all the more hopeful in this matter, as we have Mr. Moody at our back, and he has promised to assist us, and make an appeal for us. I may add that the building will be used for the men's meeting to-night." The tide of feeling rose and spread. Salford, and other places in the neighborhood were as it was ex- *Mr. James C. Stuart is the nephew of one of the Editors of this Volume, and a banker in Manchester. His co-operation has been given in Manchester, Liverpool, and London. 324 THE " Y. M. C. A.' pressed, " on fire," and it was greatly regretted when the time of the evangelists expired. The close is thus described : " The closing week has been the most joyful of all. The tide of blessing, which has been steadily rising, has this week reached its flood ; the earnestness of the preacher and the eagerness of the people have seemed alike to intensify, and the unconverted have been called to take refuge in Christ with a vehemence of entreaty which has exerted a mighty influence on the assem- blies. During these five weeks God has answered the prayers of many years, and we cannot but feel that what has been going on in the city has made Man- chester peculiarly interesting to the dwellers in heaven. " At nine on Wednesday evening, about two thou- sand men reassembled in the hall, to hear what Mr. Moody had to say on the subject of the Young Men's Christian Association. Mr. Herbert Spencer occu- pied the chair, and gave a brief address, intimating that it was in contemplation to buy the Museum for the Young Men's Christian Association for £30,000. Mr. Moody delivered an inspiring harangue, in which he enlarged on the spiritual advantages of the Asso- ciation, and urged the straining of every effort to A HAPPY TEAR. 325 reach the young men of Manchester, and to secure the building in question for the Association. A col- lection towards the object, made at the close, realized £1,S00, £1,000 of which was given, I believe, by the chairman. This amount, with former contributions, including £5,000 given last week by Mr. J. Stuart, makes £8,000 * " On Thursday morning Mr. Moody addressed a crowded meeting in the Higher Broughton Presby- terian Church, and then came on to the noon prayer- meeting in the Oxford Hall, where he read and com- mented on the earlier part of the 103d Psalm. He said he had to bless the Lord for what He had done for him. It had been the best year of his life. He had been more used by God than in all the seventeen preceding years. He did not know of one sermon he had delivered, that had not been blessed to the conviction or conversion of some souls. It was a de- lightful meeting. Every word uttered was set to the tune of ' Bless the Lord, O my soul ! ' When one minister rose to say, ' I have to praise God for the conversion of the brother of dear friends of mine, who have prayed for him twenty-five years ; for the * More than the amount has since been raised. 326 SHEFFIELD. conversion of the sister and of the servant of another friend ; for the salvation of three persons in my own congregation ; for the dispelling of the doubts of a young man who traveled one hundred and fifty miles to these meetings — all which blessings have been given in the course of the present week ; ' when another minister rose to say he had never met with so much of scriptural teaching concerning the way of salvation, and the clear direction of inquirers to Jesus, as in Mr. Moody's addresses ; and another to say that the last ten days had been the happiest of his life — that he had derived an inspiration, had dis- covered how to preach Christ, had enjoyed sweeter communion with Jesus, and felt like a man whose chains were broken ; — they only uttered what many could have endorsed, as a description of the blessings they themselves had received." Promising, God willing, to make a visit in January, they left for Sheffield. Sheffield contains two hundred and fifty thousand inhabitants. It has had among its skilled artizans a considerable number of free-thinkers, and its religious statistics are not favorable. Three years ago there was a general " mission " UNA CGO UNTABLE INTEREST. 327 throughout the town, chiefly conducted by clergymen of the Church of England, with the mission preacher, the Rev. R. Aitken (then a veteran in the cause) at their head, with good results. Lay evangelists were called in, among others, Lord Radstock, Mr. Robert Baxter, and Mr. Xeville Sherbrooke. The correspondent of the Daily Review (and we are glad to avail ourselves of the side-lights of the secular press) thus describes the state of feeling in Sheffield, during that first week of January, 1875 — the week of prayer throughout Protestant Christen- dom : " Sheffield is being greatly stirred by the revival services of Messrs. Moody and Sankey. They are at present the subject of conversation in families, offices, workshops, and factories. The merits and demerits of the American evangelists are keenly discussed by excited groups at the corners of streets, and the op- ponents of the movement attribute its success to vulgar curiosity, sensational advertising, and press exaggeration. Meanwhile the meetings in connec- tion with the movement are on the increase. The numbers seeking admission to them are beyond all precedent in Sheffield. The admission to the mass- 328 A DYING MAN'S WANTS. meeting last night was by ticket, and it was found necessary to engage an additional hall, capable of ac- commodating two thousand persons. The average attendance at each of the four meetings held in the Albert Hall yesterday may be stated at two thou- sand five hundred — total, ten thousand. Thirty re- quests for the prayers of the noon meeting were read. They were from persons in all stages of life and grades of society. Mr. Moody stated that many more had been received, too late for arrangement, which would have to be deferred till next day. The Yicar of Sheffield made a touching appeal on behalf of a dying man, from whose bedside he had just come. This man, he said, had never heard of Jesus till the previous day. Such a crowd of earnest listen- ers as attended Mr. Moody's Bible lecture on ' Salva- tion by Blood ' was perhaps never before witnessed in any assembly hall in Sheffield. Mr. Moody proposed at the mass-meeting for men, that similar meetings should be instituted, to be held every night in tem- perance halls. He asked all approving the proposal to stand up, and nearly the whole assembly respond- ed." On Thursday the demands for admission became QUIET ORDER SECURED. 329 so numerous, that the committee restricted the ad- mission by tickets, and had the hall-doors closed as soon as the hall was filled. A long list of requests for the prayers of the noon meeting was read previous to the commencement of the service, and it was again intimated that it had been found impossible to arrange nearly all sent in. A new feature was, that many persons desired to return thanks for their con- version through these meetings. Mr. Moody, in a brief address from the words, " Declare His doings among the people," referred to recent accounts of their work in Dublin, Glasgow, and Manchester. These were remarkable for their mention of the great number of young men who had become converts, and devoted themselves to Christian work. He affirmed that none of their public services had been followed by more gratifying assurances than last night's mass- meeting for men. Half an hour before the Bible lecture the hall was filled, the doors shut, and many hundreds left standing around the entrances. It was reported that many of those at the noon meeting had remained in their seats. Mr. Moody illustrated the Bible lecture by some of the most touching anecdotes and appeals ; but happily he repressed the distracting 330 MEN ONLY. exclamations which were frequent among his early audiences here. When he requested a few minutes' silent prayer, a stillness as of death fell on the vast assembly. Many hundreds had to be denied admis- sion to the evening meeting, at which Mr. Moody gave a very impressive address from the words, " Son, remember." Two other meetings — one for men, an- other for women — were held elsewhere. The total attendance at the meetings that day was about twelve thousand. On Friday, Mr. Moody having gone to Manchester, the prayer-meeting was presided over by the Rev. Rowley Hill, Yicar of Sheffield, and participated in by other clergymen. Several laymen also took part in the proceedings. Forty requests for prayer were sent in by letters and telegrams. The evening meet- ing was presided over by the Rev. Robert Stainton, Independent minister, and addresses bearing on reli- gious work were delivered by ministers of all de- nominations. A meeting for men only took place at a later hour in the Temperance Hall, and was largely attended. The singing was conducted by Mr. San- key, who rendered, with much effect, some of his most touching solos. HOW TO ADDRESS CHILDREN. 331 Rain having fallen heavily all forenoon, the chil- dren's meeting at midday on Saturday, the 9th, was not quite so largely attended as had been anticipated. About one hundred adults were present. Mr. San- key presided, and in his opening address gave an interesting account of the children's meetings in Edinburgh. He deprecated lengthy addresses to children. His experience was, that such meetings could be made attractive to children by brief, simple discourses from several speakers, along with the sing- ing of hymns in which the children could intelligently join. Addresses were also given by the Yicar and other speakers, among whom was Mr. Drummond from Edinburgh, a young man already well known in connection with the present revival movement. In closing the meeting, Mr. Sankey made a touching allusion to his approaching departure, that being in all probability the last children's meeting he would ever address in Sheffield. The evening meeting was crowded, and many hundreds were denied admission. Mr. Moody spoke from the words, " He was wounded for our transgressions," etc., and the picture he pre- sented of Christ's death drew tears from hundreds. "When he spoke of the resurrection, the enthusiasm 332 THE LOWEST STB A TUM. became irrepressible ; it broke out in every part of the hall. On the conclusion of the service, hundreds went to the inquiry room. A meeting for men was held in the Temperance Hall, which was crowded. This meeting was addressed by Mr. Drummond and others. The excitement and enthusiasm have not been so high in Sheffield before. Mingling in the crowd, one hears Mr. Moody compared to Paul on Mars' Hill. The attendance up to Saturday night reached sixty-eight thousand. Four meetings were held in the Albert Hall on Sunday the 10th. The first, for Christian workers, at eight o'clock, was well attended. It would probably have been crowded, but a thick drizzling rain, which continued most of the day, kept many at home. A service for those who do not usually attend any church or chapel took place at eleven o'clock. The hall was filled, but not quite by the class for whom the service was intended. Strenuous efforts had been put forth amongst the denizens of the slums to awak- en their interest in the movement. Hundreds on hundreds of tickets were given away amongst them, and expectations were entertained that they would attend in large numbers; but a cursory glance was FINAL MEETINGS. 333 sufficient to convince the practised observer that the audience did not differ in any perceptible degree from former audiences. Many new faces were to be seen, but they were those of decent, orderly working-peo- ple, or visitors from the rural districts — not the besot- ted countenances of the residents of the slums. A meeting for women only was announced for three o'clock, but by half-past two the hall was crammed to suffocation, and the wide street in front was blocked with a crowd of both sexes. Every means of persua- sion was tried to induce those who were crushed out to go and listen to other speakers elsewhere, but in vain — they would hear none but Mr. Moody. Final- ly, Mr. Moody left the Albert Hall, and addressed the people assembled, to the number of many thou- sands, in the parish churchyard, situated in the cen- ter of the town. Similarly the hall was crammed, and thousands denied admission, an hour before the commencement of the evening service. The interest and the numbers grew as the days of the second week passed, till the sixteenth, when final services, four in number, one of them being for con- verts to the number of about six hundred, the fruit of the fortnight's labor. 334 THE WORLD'S TOYSHOP. To the value of the work in Sheffield, testimony was borne by the Yicar (the Rev. Rowley Hill, M. A.) : "I rejoice that God has put it into the hearts of those two evangelists to come and visit Sheffield. We wanted a good stirring up from end to end in this town, and there is nothing that more delights my heart than to have people brought under the sound of the Gospel. A great number of people who do not go to church or chapel have been stirred up by these men, and I trust very great blessing will re- sult from it. All I have heard fall from the lips of Mr. Moody, or sung by Mr. Sankey, was really re- freshing to one's soul. No doubt we shall always have starchy, stiff kind of people who don't Mike that sort of thing ; ' but when a man preaches the Gospel, when a man is seen doing the work of God, and when there can be little doubt the Holy Ghost is working with him, it is a solemn thing to do any- thing as gainsaying that work, or do anything to op- pose or hinder it." From Sheffield the American brethren proceeded to Birmingham — " the toyshop of the world " as it has been called, with a population of four hundred thou- REV. H. W. DALE. 335 sand. Of the first week's work there, a writer in the Signs of the Times reports : " The audiences are very much larger than at Man- chester ; and the city is moved to a much greater ex- tent. The noon-day meetings in the Town Hall are attended by three to four thousand people, and the evening meetings in the Bingley Hall by ten thou- sand to fifteen thousand. " One cause that has undoubtedly conduced to this result is the prominence given by the Birmingham newspapers to reports of the meetings. Two or three columns have been given by some of the local papers every day, furnishing accounts of the proceedings, whereas in Manchester the Press took little or no notice of the movement. Another cause is, that many of the local clergymen of the Church of England have taken a leading part in the movement at Birmingham." Prominent among the ministers who stood by the evangelists in Birmingham, was the Rev. R. W. Dale, successor to the pulpit of the well-known John Angel James, author of the "Anxious Enquirer, " and who for a long life-time preached and lived the truth in the city. AVe shall allow the Birmingham Morning News 336 WHA T DOES IT MEAN? to convey the impression the evangelists made on the community. One does not look for the report of the spiritual results in a secular paper : " Unheralded, and comparatively unknown, Messrs. Moody and Sankey came to England, without any new creed or sectarian formula, and straightway be- gan a work which gathers power and force as it goes on. On a dull, raw, and inclement Sunday morning in January, such is the unseen magic of their names, that they can crowd a large hall in the center of a practical, industrial town with worshipers at an hour which would be considered early even on a week-day. That same evening they attract to a still larger edifice crowds which would be almost unusual in a period of intense national excitement. Again at noon-day, at a time when the bench and the desk chain their workers with the strongest bonds, thousands after thousands throng to meet them at the prayer-meeting until the Town Hall presents the appearance of a gigantic bee-hive, swarming with masses of people, to whom it is evident there must be some strong induce- ment thus to forsake the ordinary routine of their lives. " Kor does the story close here. In the evenings A T BINGLEY HALL. 337 at Bingley Hall is gathered together an assembly which equals the population of many towns, and a degree of enthusiasm manifested which promises to increase the numbers present at every succeeding meeting. A small harmonium, a few simple hymns, and short, stirring addresses on religious topics com- prise all that the public see or hear. Yet the influ- ence of Messrs. Moody and Sankey is overwhelming ; and although it may be almost too soon to speak defi- nitely of the permanent results of their labors in 1 evangelizing the masses,' it is not too much to say that in numberless instances they have evoked a state of anxious inquiry with regard to the future in minds which ordinary religious services failed to arouse." Then follows a description of the men, not how- ever required by our readers, interested particularly in knowing what manner of work they appeared to do. The News proceeds : "Entering Bingley Hall, between four and five o'clock in the afternoon, the visitor sees a wide wilder- ness of chairs. Although it is more than three hours to the commencement of the service, groups of intend- ing hearers are scattered about the building, some sitting meditatively quiet, reading hymn-books or 15 338 THE VOICE OF PRAISE. Bibles, others holding subdued discussions upon re- vival themes. In the galleries are temporary stands, which make the hall a sort of oblong amphitheater, the speakers' platform being on one of the sides. The abundant use of crimson cloth in draping the stands has given a very comfortable aspect to what is, per- haps, in its normal state one of the dreariest-looking public buildings in the Midland Counties. As the hours wear on, small groups of people are, by a wise arrangement, admitted as they assemble at the doors, and thus crowding and crushing at the entrances in a great measure are obviated. Suddenly, from some part of the assembling mass, is heard the beginning of a hymn. As fresh comers enter, the strains are taken up, and the effect in the empty aud resonant space is singularly impressive. Hank after rank of the silent sitting crowds take up the melody, until it fairly rolls through the building. The greatest favor- ite seems the hymn ' Hold the Fort.' Singing this and other hymns, crowds of people continue to pour in until the hall is filled, ten thousand chairs being occupied. Round the galleries, too, is a thick fringe of human faces, and the hall seems to be from one end to the other literally packed with human beings. PRACTICAL WISDOM. 339 " The Gospel addresses delivered every evening to these vast audiences by Mr. Moody have their effect, heightened by the hymns and solos of Mr. Sankey. In his discourses Mr. Moody evidently knows the power of describing home-life, both scriptural and modern, with all its pathetic touches. Relating now some of his own American experiences, or again, inci- dents of his stay in England or Dublin, he charges home upon his hearers the lessons he wishes learnt. Now and again he moves many persons in the audience to tears by a homely expression so entirely spontaneous and unstilted that it carries every one with it. And when, after the sermon and a period for silent prayer, the preacher exhorts those who ' really would like to be Christians to go right to the Pres- byterian Church,' where he would meet them, and between two and three hundred persons obey the call, it cannot but be doubted that Mr. Moody's oratory, whatever its excellence or defects, can produce results Which are unusually and significantly powerful." Of Bingley Hall, a correspondent of the Christian shrewdly says (and the hint is worth the consideration of all who desire moral and spiritual results) : " It has been provided with nine thousand chairs. They were 34-0 THE CONVENTION. hired for a fortnight, at a cost of seven pence per chair, including fixing and removal. It may seem incongruous to say that a person is more likely to be converted in a chair than on a seat without a back, but this is really so, for if he be sitting in an uncomforta- ble position, it is impossible that he should pay the same attention, or yield himself to the influences around him in the same degree, that he would if his attention were not distracted by his physical discomfort. " Not a sound of footsteps is heard, for the floors of the galleries, as well as of the area, have been laid with sawdust. The noiselessness consequent upon the arrangement is not a mere negative advantage, for the unusual stillness in so vast a throng adds won- derfully to the solemnity of the audience." The " Convention," as at Inverness, Dublin, and elsewhere, wound up the Birmingham services. The Rev. Newman Hall, from London, the Rev. W. Flem- ing Stevenson, from Dublin, and many strangers, took part, and made addresses. It was held in Bingley Hall. Mr. Moody presided all day. It was a great meeting in every sense of the term. The audience numbered from ^.yq thousand to six thousand. RESULTS TO CHRISTIANS. 341 The attendance of ministers of all denominations, from all parts, was very large. The results of the services are thus summed up by an intelligent ob- server : " Messrs. Moody and Sankey have finished their term here, and retire for a week to rest, before they enter on their engagements in Liverpool. The last three days have certainly been the most impressive we have had. Evidently the Lord has been on the scene. If we don't take that view of the unparalleled movement in the history of Birmingham, we are even at a greater loss to account for it than the world itself. That there will be much that will pass away with the men as they go will prove nothing against those who stand, and will be nothing worse than what hap- pened in our Saviour's time, when ' many went back, and walked no more with Him.' But, separating the chaff from the wheat, we have these four great bless- ings left : " 1st. Christians have learned to love one another, and work together for one common object — the salva- tion of souls. " 2d. A great quickening of the divine life in the souls of believers. We have learned to pray more, to 342 FAREWELL VISIT. watch more closely, to work more earnestly for God. " 3d. Many souls have been converted of whom there is no doubt. Their works bear witness that they are born of God. "4th. Yast numbers have heard the word, who, although they have not yet found the Lord, may be led to think, to believe, to praise God for his salva- tion. " May our hearts be tuned to sing the praise of our dear Lord Jesus Christ, and yield to Him the full tribute of affectionate service ! " Mr. Moody speaks in high terms of the committee that arranged for him aud assisted him here, of the building where he preached, and the orderly character of the congregations." A visit was made on Friday, February 5 th, to say farewell to those who had received spiritual life, as they hoped, during the fortnight's mission. At the service held in Bingley Hall, about fifteen thousand persons were present. Seats were railed off for those who had been converted, and every one of them was filled, admission to that part of the hall being by ticket. Mr. Moody addressed himself chiefly to the LIVERPOOL. 343 converts, and the service was concluded by a hymn of farewell, sung by Mr. Sankey. Great emotion was exhibited by the audience.* In Liverpool. These eminent evangelists commenced their labors in Liverpool on Sabbath morning, 7th February, un- der the most encouraging circumstances. The ser- vices were well attended — thousands were excluded from the afternoon and evening meetings from want of accommodation. The people listened with intense earnestness. The meetings were held in the Victoria Hall — the new building specially constructed- for the puq)ose being so named. It is entirely of wood, and has cost about £4,000, a large sum for a building that was only to be used for a month, and taken down at the end of that time. "It affords accommodation to about 8,000 persons, exclusive of platform seats. It is lighted by eighty- * Up to this point the Editors have enjoyed, and gratefully ackno%vledge the valuable aid of the Rev. I. S. Woodside, whose earnest labors in Northern India have been greatly blessed of and whose season of much-needed rest in this country has been varied by not a few useful labors. May he be permitted to see in his chosen field similar religious awakening 1 344 THE VICTORIA HALL. three windows, and there are no less than twenty doors for exit, all opening outwards. There are five staircases for the gallery. Yery complete arrange- ments have been made for lighting and warming. Interiorly the sides or walls have been covered with canvas and papered with oak paper. Yentilation is provided in the roof by two large trunks with outlets. In rear of the large hall are two l inquiry ' and meet- ing-rooms, and retiring rooms for ladies and gentle- men. About thirty thousand cubic feet of timber have been used in the construction, and three thou- sand two hundred superficial feet of glass. The erec- tion has occupied altogether thirty-nine working days." The first meeting — for Christian workers — was held at eight o'clock in the morning, and though the weather was intensely cold and raw, about five thou- sand or six thousand were present. Probably so great and so striking a gathering of a similar charac- ter has never before been seen in Liverpool. The somber appearance of the building itself was a little relieved by the red baize around the front of the galleries, on which, in large white letters, were the texts, ■" Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ;" "Be ye EXPECT GREAT THINGS. 345 reconciled to God ; " and " Ye must be born again." At the platform end of the building was exhibited in still larger letters the words, " God is love." A large number of ministers and laymen occupied seats on the platform, where also were stationed the choir of young ladies and gentlemen who have been spe- cially trained to sing at the service. Precisely at eight o'clock the choir, which seemed to be excellently trained, the voices being bright and well-balanced, and skillfully led, commenced the hymn, " Jesus Loves even Me." The Rev. Henry Baugh (Episcopalian) having en- gaged in prayer, Mr. Sankey having sang u Hold the Fort," and some other pieces, Mr. Moody delivered his address to Christian workers, and in the course of his remarks said : — " Xow if we are going to see a great work in this town of Liverpool, the children of God must be of good courage. Let us expect great things and not be afraid of public opinion." Before the departure of the congregation he condemned the sale of hymn-books at the doors on Sundays, and con- tinued: "It had been said that they were making money out of the sale of the hymn-books. But this was not so, for they were only connected with the 15* 346 MONEY-MAKING. publication of one edition, the proceeds of the sale of which were handed over to Mr. Hugh Matheson of London, for charitable purposes. - The enemy were also saying that they were making a great deal out of the sale of organs. They were not selling organs, nor were they hired by any organ society or company to represent them. He saw boys selling an account of his life, with portraits of him. He wished peo- ple would not buy them." Even with the miserable weather, there was an audience of at least ten thousand people at the even- ing meeting, and it is said about four thousand or five thousand persons were unable to get admission. The great bulk of the audience was composed of the mid- dle and respectable artizan classes, with here and there representatives of the poorer classes in fustian jackets, while no mean proportion of the assembly was made up of youths and girls. On the platform were several ministers, and several gentlemen of prominent positions. On Monday the first of a series of mid-day prayer- meetings was held at which about three thousand people were present. The evening meeting was held at half past seven, " THE WORLD TO COME." 347 and was attended by an immense gathering. Mr. Moody opened with the hymn, " Free from the Law," and Mr. T. Shuldham Henry led in prayer, and was succeeded by the reading of Luke, chapter 15, and a solo from Mr. Sankey. Mr. Moody preached on Christ's mission in the world. At the conclusion of his sermon Mr. Moody asked all who were uncon- verted to stand up, and a great many stood up. An after-meeting was held for which about two thousand people remained. On Tuesday's mid-day prayer-meeting no less than five thousand people were present. At half-past seven on the same day the evening service was conducted, which was likewise well at- tended. Mr. Moody spoke of Christ's willingness to save sinners, and said there were hundreds of ways in which he sought them out. Referring to eternity, Mr. Moody said he believed in the old-fashioned hell and the old-fashioned heaven ; and as he believed no heart could conceive the bliss of heaven, so he be- lieved no heart could conceive the horrors of hell. Several thousands stopped for the inquiry-meeting, held immediately afterwards. On Wednesday the noon prayer-meeting was 348 ANXIO US INQ HIRERS. crowded. Mr. Moody opened the service with the hymn, " Sweet Hour of Prayer." A large number of requests were read, and prayer offered on their behalf. At the evening service Mr. Moody preached from Isaiah, 6th chapter, to a large and attentive audience. An inquiry-meeting was held at the conclusion of this service, and several thousand people remained to be conversed with. Thus, with little variation from week to week, the services continued in Liverpool. Of the third week it is testified : " Despite the arctic severity of the weather during the past week, the audiences at Victoria Hall at the afternoon and evening meetings of the American evangelists have been as crowded as ever, and large overflow meetings have been held in the evening in Newsome's Circus. The anxious inquiry-room, which holds between two and three hundred, has been un- able to contain all who resorted to it, and some hun- dreds of anxious inquirers have been addressed and conversed with in the large hall at the close of the evening service." That Mr. Moody encouraged no " healing slightly " MISLEADING COUNSEL. 349 of wounded hearts, will appear to a thoughtful reader, familiar with a certain style of revival effort, from his words to the Christian workers in Liverpool : "I don't fear so much evil from attacks c our enemies as from the want of wisdom amongst some of our friends. Only the other night I heard one friend say to the anxious inquirer to whom he was speaking, 'You believe you are saved, and you are saved.' Now, that is not in the Word of God. You cannot find it in the Bible, that we are saved if we believe it. We are told to believe in Christ. Another said, 'Do you feel you are saved?' Now, that is the worst possible advice. What we want is to get men out of their feelings. Feeling is the last plank the devil slips beneath the sinner when he is trying to reach the Kock of Ages. When the poor sinner feels his feet on this plank he thinks he's all right. But soon away goes the plank, and he is again cast on a sea of perplexity. Then he cries, ' Dear me, I thought I was converted, I felt so happy!' What we must have is to get them to rest on some text of God's Word, and then they'll stand safe. I could point many other errors, but I wish just to show you the right way of dealing with the anxious. 350 BIBLE WORDS. Have a Bible in your hand, ready to show chapter and verse for every hope. It does them good to see the Word of God. I have no sympathy with that class who tell the inquirer, 'Now you are converted.' " "We don't know that — God alone knows the heart. Let it be a question between the sinner and God himself. It is well to have some useful passages marked in your Bible ready to turn up. I will give you some that I have found of great benefit: Romans x. 10 ; Isaiah i. 18 ; John v. 24 ; John i. 13 ; 1 Peter ii. 24." There is no minister in Liverpool enjoying more fully the confidence of the Christian public than the Rev. J. B. Lowe, D.D., of St. Jude's. He writes thus : " If I were to select one word by which to express my impression of the work of Mr. Moody and Mr. Sankey in this town, I should speak of its genuineness. The men themselves are genuine. They are not arti- ficial, with anything of the character of an actor; they are true men, their heart in the Lord's work, and their eye single. Some persons are disappointed when they first hear Mr. Moody, and say he does not genuineness:' 351 come up to the expectations they had entertained respecting him. Herein he differs from an artificial got-up man, who would put his best foot foremost, and come prepared to make a great impression, and to take every one by storm. " But Mr. Moody aims not to produce a mere effect, but to instil vital truths of saving power into the minds of his audience, and the impression made by him grows stronger and stronger as he proceeds. His manifest sincerity and earnestness are prominent fea- tures. Some, after hearing Mr. Moody for the first time, are surprised at the fame of these evangelists which has been noised abroad, but on going again have formed a higher estimate of his preaching. His continual increase in power over his hearers, is, in its way. an illustration of the proverb, 'The righteous shall hold on his way, and he that has clean hands shall wax stronger and stronger.' "As regards the genuineness of the work, as well as of the men, one is struck with the great simplicity of Mr. Moody's speech, and the total absence of carnal excitement in his manner and utterance. Earnest- ness there is, indeed, and zeal and eloquence (though not oratory), but it is moral and spiritual, not carnal 352 POWER OF HOLDING ON. or sensational. His manner is rather behind than at the head of his subject-matter." * * Probably no one has better known or more cordially sus- tained Mr. D. L. Moody than Mr. J. V. Farwell, of Chicago, equally known as an energetic merchant and Christian worker. " The good thing," said he, fl about Brother Moody is, that he keeps on the one line, and the longer he is known the more he is trusted." CHAPTER VII. LIVERPOOL TO LONDON. In this concluding chapter we shall not attempt to enter into the same details as have been given con- cerning other places, for the religious newspapers of March and April, and even the better class of secular papers have been describing the evangelists' work in Liverpool, Birmingham, and London. We shall en- deavor to combine with the facts, the expressed opin- ion of widely-known Christian men. We shall also seek to answer the very natural question : " What is the state of religious feeling in places visited, say a year ago ? " Rev. R. W. Dale, of Birmingham, the Rev. Mr. James' successor says, in the Congregationalist : " Some people have said that it is easy to get crowds of women to ' hysterical ' religious services. But al- though the morning and afternoon meetings were largely attended by women, I believe that the major- ity of the evening congregation always consisted of men, and of men of all kinds — rough lads of seven- teen or eighteen, working-men, clerks, tradesmen, 354: NOT HYSTERICAL. and manufacturers. I happen to have on my desk a list of persons that came into Carr's Lane Lecture-room one evening, to tell me that they had ' found Christ,' during the fortnight that Mr. Moody and Mr. Sankey were here ; out of twenty-one on the list eleven are men. I have another list of persons who came to me the same evening, who had been quickened to earnest religious anxiety, but were not yet at rest; out of thirteen, eight are men. I believe that these lists im- perfectly represent the proportion of men to women among those who were impressed by the services;* for I generally find that men are slower to express religious decision than women. " How, I ask, is the great interest of the people in these services to be accounted for ? The truest, sim- plest, and most complete reply to the question which I can give is, that the power of God was manifested in an extraordinary degree in connection with them." After mentioning concurrent circumstances favor- able to impression, such as expectation raised, general concern among church-goers who never decided, and letters of friends, Mr. Dale adds : " After the first day or two, the services were ; ad- vertised ' in a very much more efficient manner than THE BEST AD VERTISEMENTS. 355 by newspapers or placards: every evening, at the 1 after-meeting,' a considerable number of persons received Christ as their ' Prince and Saviour,' and judging from those with whom I conversed, most of them went home with overflowing joy. I have seen occasional instances before of instant transition from religious anxiety to the clear and triumphant conscious- ness of restoration to God ; but what struck me in the gallery of Bingley Hall was the fact that this in- stant transition took place with nearly every person with whom I talked. They had come up into the gallery anxious, restless, feeling after God in the darkness, and when, after a conversation of a quarter of an hour or twenty minutes, they went away, their faces were filled with light, and they left me not only at peace with God, but filled with joy. I have seen the sunrise from the top of Helvellyn and the top of the Righi, and there is something very glorious in it ; but to see the light of heaven suddenly strike on mau after man in the course of one evening is very much more thrilling. These people carried their new joy with them to their homes and their work- shops. It could not be hid. " On the Sunday after Mr. Moody and Mr. Sankey 356 ALL CLASSES OF PERSONS. had left us, I invited those members of my own con- gregation to meet me who had come to Christ during the services of the preceding fortnight. A few who were still out at sea, longing to make their way to quiet water, came with them. Nothing was easier than to tell the difference between the two classes ; I think I could have separated them into two divisions with- out asking a question and with scarcely a mistake. Those who were still * inquirers/ if they did not look anxious and troubled, looked like other people ; the 6 converts ' were bright with their new joy. It is as yet too early to obtain any general information about the extent of the influence which I have attributed to the converts themselves ; but among the names that I have on several lists of persons that I saw myself, I find the names of two clerks who sat side by side at the same desk, three pairs of brothers and sisters, three husbands with their wives ; and four brothers — rough working-men — all of whom have been awak- ened to religious thought by Mr. Moody's addresses. " The people were of all sorts, young and old, rich and poor, keen tradesmen, manufacturers, and mer- chants, and young ladies who had just left school, rough boys who knew more about dogs and pigeons WARMTH AND BRIGHTNESS. 357 than about books, and cultivated women. For a time I could not understand it — I am not sure that I under- stand it now. At the first meeting, Mr. Moody's ad- dress was simple, direct, kindly, and hopeful : it had a touch of humor and a touch of pathos; it was lit up with a story or two that filled most eyes with tears ; but there seemed nothing in it very remarkable. Yet it told. A prayer-meeting with an address, at eight o'clock, on a damp, cold January morning, was hardly the kind of thing — let me say it frankly — that I should generally regard as attractive ; but I en- joyed it heartily ; it seemed one of the happiess meetings I had ever attended. There was warmth and there was sunlight in it. At the evening meet- ing the same day, at Bingley Hall, I was still un- able to make out how it was that he had done so much in other parts of the kingdom. I listened with interest ; everybody listened with interest ; and I was conscious again of a certain warmth and brightness which made the service very pleasant, but I could not see that there was much to impress those that were careless about religious duty. The next morning at the prayer-meeting, the address was more incisive and striking, and at the evening service I began to see 358 « EAST TO SPEAK SO." that the stranger had a faculty for making the ele- mentary truths of the Gospel intensely clear and vivid. But it still seemed most remarkable that he should have done so much, and on Tuesday I told Mr. Moody that the work was most plainly of God, for I could see no real relation between him and what he had done. He laughed cheerily and said he should he very sorry if it were otherwise. I began to won- der whether what I had supposed to be a law of the Divine Kingdom was perfectly uniform. I thought that there were scores of us who could preach as ef- fectively as Mr. Moody, and who might, therefore, with God's good help, be equally successful. " In the course of a day or two my mistake was cor- rected ; but to the last there were sensible people who listened to him with a kind of interest and delight with which they never listen to very ' distinguished ' and eloquent preachers, and who yet thought that though Mr. Moody was 'very simple and earnest,' he had no particular power as a speaker. I do not intend to suggest any comparison between Mr. Moody and our great English orator, but I have met peo- ple who have talked in the same way about Mr. Bright, and who seemed to think that to speak like Mr. Bright was possible to nearly everybody. LIGHT IN TEE SOUL 359 " One of the elements of Mr. Moody's power con- sists in his perfect naturalness. He has something to say, and he says it — says it as simply and directly to thirteen thousand people as to thirteen. He has nothing of the impudence into which some speakers are betrayed when they try to be easy and unconven- tional ; but he talks in a perfectly unconstrained and. straightforward way, just as he would talk to half a dozen old friends at his fireside. "The number of persons who remained for the af- ter-meeting was so large, that a general appeal had to be made again and again to Christian people in the congregation to give their help. Some responded who had more enthusiasm than good sense. But notwithstanding this, the results of the after-meeting were extraordinary. I have already spoken of the number of persons with whom I conversed myself, to whom, while I was conversing with them, the light came which springs from the discovery of God's love and power, and from the acceptance of His will as the law of life. Testimony after testimony has reached me from converts, to whom the same light came while conversing with others. ' I went up into the gallery,' said one young man to me, a day 360 THE AFTER-MEETING. or two ago, * and Mr. Sankey walked up and down with me, and talked to me as though he had been my own father, and I found Christ.' " The preaching without the after-meeting would not have accomplished one- fifth of the results. ■ It was in the quiet, unexciting talk with individuals that the impressions produced by Mr. Moody's addresses issued in a happy trust in Christ, and a clear decision to live a Christian life. The galleries were a beauti- ful sight. Mr. Moody's quaint directions were almost universally followed : ' Let the young men talk to the young men, the maidens to the maidens, the elder women to the elder women, and the elder men to the elder men.' Cultivated young ladies were sitting or standing with girls of their own age, sometimes with two or three together, whose eager faces indi- cated the earnestness of their desire to understand how they were to lay hold of the great blessing which they seemed to be touching, but could not grasp. Young men were talking to lads, some of their own social position, others with black hands and rough clothes, which were suggestive of gunmaking, and rolling-mills, and brass-foundries. ' Ladies of re- finement were trying to make the truth clear to NUMBERING THE PEOPLE. 361 "women whose worn faces and poor dress told of the hardships of their daily life. Men of business, local politicians, were at the same work with men of forty and fifty years of age. And there was the brightness of hope and faith in the tone, and manner, and bear- ing of nearly all of them. Christian people who want to know the real nature of the work of our American brethren, and to catch its spirit, should take care to spend a few honrs at the after-meeting. If they go twice, they will find it hard to keep away. " Separate arrangements were made for those of the young men who preferred an after-meeting of their own. A Presbyterian church in the neighborhood of the hall was thrown open for them, and the at- tendance was generally very large. Mr. Moody does not approve of the publication of the number of per- sons who have declared that they have been led to begin a Christian life as the result of these services, and I therefore do not feel at liberty to publish in these pages the information on this point which is in my possession. A week after he had left us, he re- turned to hold a farewell meeting for converts and inquirers. Ministers sat at the office of the Young Men's Christian Association to receive applications 16 362 REFLECTION AT HOME. for tickets from both these classes of persons. In every case I believe that there was personal conver- sation with the applicants. Their names and ad- dresses were registered, and the congregations with which they were already connected, or with which they intended to connect themselves. " The effect of this work has extended beyond those who were present at the services ; and very much of the good that has been effected is never likely to be known. Since I began to write this paper, a son of one of the members of my own church, a lad of seventeen, came to me and said he wished to enter the Church. I talked to him for a few minutes, and took for granted, that Mr. Moody's services had led him to religious decision. He had all the brightness and joyousness which I have come to regard as characteristic of the typical ' Moody con- vert.' I asked him which of the services had had the greatest effect on him, and he said that his busi- ness engagements had prevented him from going to any of them. ' How was it, then,' I asked, ' that you came to trust in Christ?' 'Well sir,' he said, ' I could not go to the meetings, but I heard a great deal of what these two gentlemen were doing, and I ClIMSTIAWS HELPED. came to the conclusion that they could not be doing it themselves, but that God must be doing it ; and then I came to see that I could look to God myself and get all the good.' " Some of the most remarkable results of the visit of our American friends are to be found, perhaps, among those who have long been members of Christian churches. I hardly know how to describe the change which has passed over them. It is like the change which comes upon a landscape when clouds which have been hanging over it for hours suddenly vanish, and the sunlight seems to fill both heaven and earth. There is a joyousness, and an elasticity of spirit, and a hopefulness, which have completely transformed them ; and the transformation shows itself in the un- ostentatious eagerness with which they are taking up Christian work. u If I thought it worth while, I could speak of some things in this work which are not to my taste, and some things which my judgment disapproves. But, before Mr. Moody and Mr. Sankey came to Birming- ham, I had arrived at the conclusion that what was said of the early evangelists of Antioch was the truest account of the work of these American evan- 364: MISSING THE BLESSING. gelists in Scotland and Ireland — ' The hand of the Lord was with them ; and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.' This conviction has been deepened and confirmed by all that I have seen of them. When Whitefield and "Wesley were renew- ing the religious life of England, there were learned, orthodox, and devout ministers who were distressed by ' The Decay of the Dissenting Interest,' and the low state of religion throughout the country ; there were ministers who had written pamphlets on these subjects in the hope of re-awakening in the Christian churches of that time the faith and zeal of earlier and better days, but who regarded Whitefield and Wesley with a distrust like that with which Mr. Moody and Mr. Sankey are now regarded by some excellent people. The very objections which are urged against Mr. Moody and Mr. Sankey were urged against the leaders of the great evangelical revival which saved England from sinking into atheism. The result was inevitable ; these ministers and their churches missed the blessing for which they had been longing and praying. When 'the power of God' is with men who preach what we acknowledge to be the great truths of the Gospel, it is surely our clear SYMPATHY NEEDED. 365 duty to* co-operate with them heartily and frankly. If in their methods, and if in their very conception of Christian truth and the Christian life, there are some things which we cannot accept, these may surely be borne with, and even forgotten. These men es- pecially, who are in the habit of insisting on ' breadth' of sympathy with all in whom there is genuine Chris- tian earnestness, and who are always saying that rigid accuracy in doctrinal definitions is of inferior impor- tance to a living faith in Christ, ought to be able to rise above the kind of objections which seem likely to alienate some of them from this work. " It is possible that in some places, our American visitors may not achieve the kind of success which has hitherto followed them. Before they came to Birmingham, I felt very doubtful whether they would accomplish here what they had accomplished in Dublin and Belfast. I believe they will accom- plish very little in any place where they are not sus- tained by the hearty sympathy of Christian people, and where Christian churches do not earnestly en- treat God to manifest in connection with their work the transcendent greatness of His power and love. There were people among whom our Lord Himself 366 BEV. W. H. M. AITEEN. 1 could do no mighty works, because of their unbe- lief.' " The work in Liverpool is thus described by Rev. "W. H. M. Aitken, Christ Clmrch (we necessarily ab- breviate), after it had been in progress for some time, and when the noonday service was attended by about six thousand persons : " There is no diminution in the interest which Messrs. Moody and Sankey's visit is occasioning ; on the contrary, the meetings have never been so full as during the first days of the present week. It is a very hopeful sign that, at Sunday morning's meet- ing (Feb. 21), the hall was completely filled by 8 o'clock ; whereas, when Mr. Moody first arrived, and there was all the influence of curiosity to bring to- gether a large audience, the hall was not more than half filled at that hour. The meeting for non-church- goers was again well attended. Some who were present felt that the tone of the meeting was not quite equal to the wonderful morning meeting of the previous Sunday. " The meeting for women was again crowded ; and so was the supplementary meeting for young men at St. James' Hall, where addresses were delivered by .1 HABVEBT-NIGHT. 367 the Rev. Mr. Symington, and Mr. Balfour of Edin- burgh. In the evening an immense multitude of men was gathered together, and the circus, as well as the Victoria Hall, was crowded. The number of those who were seeking the salvation of their souls is stated to have been very large, both on this and on the two following nights. The circus has been se- cured for the next fortnight, and is bein^ utilized every night — first for an overflow-meeting, which lasts from 7 30 to 8 30, and then for a meeting specially for young men from 9 till 10. " Perhaps Tuesday night last was one of the most remarkable harvest-nights that Mr. Moody has had here. After a considerable number of inquirers had gone into the ante-room, he invited the anxious, and only those, to remain in the body of the hall. It is impossible to say that there may not have been some considerable proportion of real believers mixed up with the multitude of persons who remained behind ; but as these numbered something like one thousand, even making allowance for the believers present, the number of those who were really seeking after the Lord must have been very large. e special meetings in Victoria Hall have 368 OPPOSITION MELTED. taken an intense hold on the town. The great build- ing is much too small for the work. Messrs. Moody and Sankey hold eighteen meetings in it weekly, and day by day the hall is packed to overflowing. Mr. Moody gave his lecture on Daniel at 8 o'clock last Sunday morning to an audience of not less than ten thousand, and those who could not find room in the hall were addressed in the circus adjoining by Cap- tain Dutton of the 'Allan Line.' Many thousands had to travel long distances in the bitter weather of last Sunday to reach the hall in time for the meeting. ~No movement like it has ever been seen in this part of England. " The finger of God is seen in all departments of the work. The erection of Victoria Hall for the meetings, made the expenses of the visit to Liverpool unusually heavy. Nearly four thousand pounds have been already received, and God will provide the rest. Then, again, the apathy of many in the meetings has been turned into the deepest interest. Opposition to the movement is diminishing. In fact, it may be said there is now no intelligent opposition, and any ignorant opposition that exists is fast melting away. When the critics ' come and see ' the work of B TS IX WORK- SHOPS. i I i ! I the Lord, they very soon assume a respectful attitude. Testimony to the blessed results of the meetings is most abundant. Every day large numbers of sincere inquir- ers testify, by their eager desire to know the way of God more fully by private conversation in the ' inquiry- room,' that the truth has taken a living hold upon them. The testimony, not only of the majority of the clergymen of Liverpool, but of ministers from all parts of Wales and the Xorth of England, who have come to the meetings, is that their own souls have been strengthened, and that they feel God is pre- paring them for times of refreshing and revival in their several spheres of labor such as they have not seen before. There are few Sunday-schools here where the teachers are not teaching with new fervor and power. Some are filled with amazement at what the Lord is doing in their classes. Take one in- stance of twenty lads, mostly employed in an iron- work at Birkenhead, where youths, as in other work- shops, too often and too readily learn the blasphe- mous language and vile ways of the workmen. Their Sunday-school teacher is praising God to-day for the change wrought upon his class within the past weeks. Instead of foul talk they are now heard sing- le* 370 " NEVER BE AS WE WERE." ing Mr. Sankey's Gospel hymns ; and by their con- duct to their parents and teacher, and both in their work and ont of it, they are showing that they have been with Jesus. Take another case of a similar sort. At a shipbuilding yard not far from Birkenhead, the young lads, since these special meetings commenced in Victoria Hall, have met for prayer and the read- ing of the Scriptures in the smithy during the dinner hour ; until the men began to drop in, and the num- ber so increased, that last Sunday week they applied for accommodation for this dinner-hour prayer-meet- ing in a neighboring mission house, and, at the gath- ering last Friday, sixty-four were present, and the presence of God was felt to be with them. JSTo one but God knows where the movement in Victoria Hall will end. The remark which dropped from the lips of one of our leading laymen, at the close of the meeting for Christian workers last Sunday week, accurately describes the universal feeling of all Chris- tian hearts : ' We can never be as we have been.' " The meetings on Sunday last were overwhelming. Four times Victoria Hall was crowded to its utmost capacity, whilst Newsome's Circus and St. James' Hall were twice filled. There must have been not A LAD TS ACCO TJNT. 371 less than forty-five thousand persons present at the various meetings. There were special trains from St. Helens and Southport for the accommodation of many who desired to attend. The morning meeting for Christian workers, although at the early hour of eight o'clock, was not only crowded, but large num- bers were unable to gain admittance." Of Victoria Hall, the following is a lady's account: " Victoria Hall is the name given to the wooden structure built for Mr. Moody's meetings. It is most successful for hearing, and for speedy entrance and exit of a crowd. It has twenty doors, and can be emptied of the crowds in six or seven minutes in case of need. " It is as ugly at first sight as can be, but grand in the thought that it was built at great cost for tem- porary use only, and for the preaching of the Gospel. But at night, seen from the raised back seat of the plat- form, it looked beautiful and grand; crowded— literal 1 v packed in every corner ; earnest, listening faces, and perfect decorum and order. Then there must have been the ten thousand that can get standing-room. On the red cloth covering of the front of the galleries are the texts, in very large white letters ; ' Be ye re- 372 BELFAST REPORTED OK conciled to God ; ' ' Ye must be born again ; ' ' Be- lieve on the Lord Jesus Christ.' Above the platform is, l God is love.' " Early in March two " all-day meetings " were held in Liverpool, from the addresses at which we may judge of the work in progress in other places where the evangelists had been, as well as in Liverpool. Tidings of the Lord's Work from various Parts of the Country. After the meeting had been opened by Mr. Moody, the Rev. Dr. Knox, from Belfast, gave an account of the results of the work in that town ; of the Chris- tian unity amongst the various denominations, such as never existed before ; and of the large increase in the number of communicants. A hundred had been added in one congregation, three hundred in another, and ninety-five in another. The work had been speci- ally satisfactory amongst the young men, no less than ninety of whom had offered themselves for mission- ary work. The results have also been very apparent in the various factories and houses of business. There was scarcely one of these in which conversions were not still taking place from week to week. In one PREACHING IMPROVED. 373 place of business no less than forty young women had recently been brought to the Lord, and in another sixty-seven. He also pointed out the great change which had taken place in the character of the preach- ing of the ministers of the Gospel. They preached the same truths as before, but with a directness and spirit of expectation such as previously they had been strangers to. Rev. Dr. Harrison, of Liverpool, spoke of the large number of backsliders who had been reclaimed ; and the deep interest taken by the working classes in the movement. In the course of his daily visits he was continually asked by the poor people whether he was attending the services. Eev. T. Macpherson, called attention to the Lord's quickening all those who professed to be God's peo- ple ; the increase of courage on the part of weak and timorous Christians, so that they were enabled to speak for the Master; the hundreds of letters from relatives showing the intensest desire for the conver- i of their friends ; and the extension of the work to all ranks and classes of society, many of the poor- est of the poor having evidently been surprised by the manifestation of deep interest in their spiritual 374 MANCHESTER REPORTED ON well-being on the part of those in a superior social position. In many eases old memories of forgotten truths had been revived. On several occasions no less than from four hundred to five hundred persons had been spoken to in a single night. And the blessings had not been confined to this hall, but in their various congregations the droppings had been falling fast. He further called attention to the consideration that in this movement we had had a proof of what we might expect God to do when His people were united as one. Eev. Mr. Robinson, of Manchester, gave some ac- count of the results of the work in that city. He had been eleven years in Manchester, and had never seen anything like the present state of things. Christians were bold to speak for Jesus, and large rooms had been engaged in various parts of the town, and crowd- ed meetings and conversions were still taking place. He mentioned that, during Mr. Moody's visit to Manchester, three clergymen had come from Pres- ton, and had gone back full of a desire to commence similar meetings there. He himself had seen some four thousand people gathered together in the Corn Exchange in that town, and there was a great and general quickening of spiritual vitality there. D UBLIN AND EDINB URGE. 3 75 Mr. Smithson, of Dublin, gave an account of the deputations from the Young Men's Christian Asso- ciation in Dublin, which were carrying the fire and the heat generated in connection with the work in Dublin all through the country. Mr. Smith, of Manchester, stated that, as a result of Mr. Moody's visit to that city, the Young Men's Society there was in a most flourishing condition. Six gentlemen had come forward witli princely dona- tions, and had placed a sum of no less than thirty- three thousand pounds at the disposal of the Society for the erection of suitable buildings, while eleven thousand pounds more had been collected by others, many of whom were ladies. Eev. Dr. Bonar spoke of the free breakfasts in Edinburgh, of the house-to-house visitation in that and other towns, and of the power of prayer as a means of gathering in the multitude. " We must pray them in, and avoid dull preaching." Sunday, March 7th, was Mr. Moody's last day in Liverpool. Mr. Sankey had, however, left on the previous day for Birmingham. At the Christian workers' meeting in the morning, the addresses consist- ed entirely of imparting practical advice to Christians 376 THE LONDON TELEGRAPH. as to the studies and duties most adapted for their spiritual growth. At eleven o'clock the meeting was for anxious inquirers, and the subject of the address was " Trust." The three o'clock meetings were solely for women, and not only was Victoria Hall filled but also Xewsome's Circus and St. James' Hall, whilst even then large numbers could not be accommodated. The address was from the text, " Come thou and all thy house into the Ark," and the appeal at the close of the address was one of the most impressive yet de- livered. A very large inquirers' meeting was held at the conclusion of this service, it being computed that nearly four hundred remained. It was in view of the facts thus reported, and pa- tent, that anticipating the visit to London, the Daily Telegraph contained the following language : u People in the metropolis will soon judge for themselves how far the provinces have been justified in their emotion at the revivalists from across the Atlantic. It takes a great deal to move Londoners in any such manner, and many here will abruptly dis- pose of the whole business by the familiar phrase, 1 religious hysteria.' This success, however, appears rather too complex, and we may add, socially useful, GO AND SEE." 377 to be explained so easily by the phrases of mad-doc- tors, materialists, or cynics. Wherever those people come, they seem to effect at once that which arch- bishops and rural deans and curates from the Univer- sities cannot do : they ' convince people of sin ; ' they wake hundreds of thousands of hearts to the considera- tion of ' righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come.' Unless, then, we are to call all religious feel- ing hysteria and mania ; unless St. Paul preaching on Mars' Hill, and Dr. Yaughan in the Temple, are equally appealing to the excitable nervous systems of automata, we cannot clearly see why the churches should be scandalized at the work done by the two revivalists. It rather seems to us, that when Moody and Sankey come to London, the dignitaries and min- isters of all the churches would do well to go and see what amazing things real genius and unselfish ardor can accomplish, even in the present age. They will hear, people say, some ' pieces ' spoken about this life and the next, which, delivered with a nasal twang or not, go to the souls of people straighter than any ser- mon bought in Paternoster Pow. They will see — if London reproduces what Dublin and Liverpool have witnessed — congregations stirred with the ' old story,' 378 LONDON ENTERED. told newly, as the seas are raised by storm-winds. And, notwithstanding all the easy talk about hysteria, epidemics, magnetism, nervous systems and the like, the philosophers and divines have yet to explain to us why it is a bad thing for these Yankee itinerants to turn people by the thousand to right and virtuous lives, and a good thing when a bishop or a cardinal manages to convert half a dozen." On the termination of the Liverpool meetings the evangelists proceeded to London, and we are obliged to content ourselves with some notice of their open- ing meetings. It is with satisfaction we notice the friends who stood by them at the beginning, now that they have been given such a hold on the atten- tion of the people that while we write this statement (April 19th), the most exalted personages in the land are among their hearers. The first of the series of noonday meetings at Exeter Hall was held on Tuesday, March 9th. Lord Radstock was in the chair, and there were present Lord Cavan, Admiral Fish bourne, Samuel Morley, M.P., Revs. Newman Hall, Donald Fraser, etc. The meeting was opened with prayer by Lord Radstock. Rev. Mr. Chapman, Episcopal clergyman, read EXETER HALL. 3 i 9 mmel, chap. v. 22 to the end. He said : "The tidings we have heard from Scotland, Ireland, and many of our largest towns, also the spirit of expec- tation in London,' all lead us to inquire — Is it not true that the Lord has gone before us ? K Lord Radstock said — " It will now be open to any brother to lead us in prayer. But as our time is short, the prayers must be short and very definite. Let us ask for a distinct blessing, and look for a dis- tinct answer. Do not let the requests be clouded by many words. There might be time for ten brethren to lead us in prayer in these seventeen remaining minutes, if they will only pray to the point. Let us pray distinctly, so as to be heard ; but let us remem- ber that we are not speaking to the meeting, but speaking to God, and that we are responsible for what we say/"' Five or six gentlemen then engaged in prayer, and a hymn having been sung, Lord Radstock offered up an earnest prayer, after which the doxology having been sung, the meeting separated. The next day Messrs. Moody and Sankey were present, as were also the Earl ot'Cavan, Admiral Fish- bourne, Captain Moreton, R.X., R. Paton, Esq., Rev. 380 THE WATCHWORD. Dr. dimming, and a number of eminent clergymen and ministers. The proceedings were opened by singing the hymn, " Sweet Hour of Prayer." The requests for prayer were then read by Rev. Mr. Chapman, Episcopal clergyman of Lock Chapel. Mr. Moody then said — " I wish to call attention to a verse in the 22d chapter of Jeremiah. This verse we have taken as our watchword in every town we have visited for the last twenty months, ' There is nothing too hard for the Lord.' God would have us remember, as we come day by day, bringing these requests before the Lord, that nothing is too hard for Him. Let us lift our eyes to Him, remembering that all power is given to Him in heaven and on earth. There is nothing too hard for the Lord. He can save the greatest drunkard, or the greatest blas- phemer, as easily as I can turn my hand. God is challenging the Christians of London to call upon Him. He delights to do great things. Nothing pleases Him so well as for us to ask for great things. Let us, then, boldly ask for a mighty blessing on London. It is to talk to God that we have met to- day ; let us be full of faith in the power of Christ. AGRICULTURAL HALL. 3S1 "We may learn from the story of the Shunammite woman, that we are not to be content with the pres- ence of a servant ; we must have the Master him- self, ' As the Lord liveth, I will not go without thee.' His presence must accompany us, if we are to labor successfully in His service." The first meeting in the Agricultural Hall is thus described : " For a week past or more the Agricultural Hall has been in course of preparation for their visit, and it was computed that the arrangements would afford accommodation for about fifteen thousand persons. By the hour appointed for the commencement of pro- ceedings every part of this vast space was densely packed, and a crowd outside were knocking at the doors and clamoring for admission. " It is said that soon after four in the afternoon applicants for admission were on the spot with little bundles of bread and butter and bottles of cold tea, awaiting the commencement of operations at half-past seven. With the opening of the doors at six o'clock people passed in by hundreds, and the interior of the vast building, with its huge circles of gas-jets, its crimson platform, and the throngs flocking into it, 382 BO WED IN SILENT PBA TEB. presented a very pretty and animated scene, the pla- cards at the entrance requesting the people to take their seats quietly, and not to engage in conversation, being very generally overlooked or disregarded. " After the evangelists had arrived, Mr. Moody called upon the audience to rise and join in singing the Old Hundredth Psalm, praising God for what He was going to do in London. The grand old tune was sung accordingly, and a mighty and impressive vol- ume of sound it was. The Rev. R. C. Billings offered up a prayer. Another hymn was sung. And then Mr. Moody requested the audience to engage in silent devotion. A concourse of fourteen or fifteen thousand people bowing the head in silence, broken only by an occasional cough, and all presumably animated by a devotional spirit, is rather a solem- nizing spectacle ; and there were, perhaps, few present who were incapable of understanding the feelings of the man whose voice, when he next spoke, became, after a few sentences, broken and tremulous. It was only for a moment, however, and he finished his prayer in his characteristic tone of energy and earnest- ness, and then called on Mr. Sankey for his contribu- tion to the service, which it was quite evident was awaited with intense eagerness." A ERANi / EMENT3. 3S3 It will be interesting to note the arrangements for the accommodation of the vast multitude thus meeting daily in the hall. In the body of the hall twelve thousand new chairs have been placed, to reinforce two thousand already belonging to the establishment, in addition to room for two thousand on forms. The platform at the west end is arranged in steps, that will seat twelve hundred persons. In the center of the north side is the platform for the choir organized by Mr. Joseph Proudman, of the Tonic Sol-fa Association, and for Messrs. Moody and Sankey. The accommo- dation here is for two hundred and twenty. The eastern platform is fitted with nine hundred seats, and in the south gallery are three thousand chairs. The addition gives a total of twenty-one thousand three hundred and twenty, not including the west and east end galleries, each capable of containing six hundred more. The lighting of the hall is effected by means of large gas chandeliers, hanging from the roof, aided by lines of gas-jets along the sides, straight, save at the centers, where they rise in three semi-circular arches. The acoustic properties of the hall are greatly aided by an immense sounding-board over the speak- ers' platform. Mr. A. O. Charles, of the Home for 384 ASPIRATIONS. Little Boys, is acting as manager at the hall, assisted by a number of stewards, known by their wands. The perfect order which is maintained throughout the services speaks well for the completeness of the organization, and is very helpful both to the comfort and success of the meetings. There and in other places — as it is deemed desira- ble to reach the people — the meetings proceed with undiminished interest and power. May the Lord, who has been with these brethren hitherto, pour out showers of blessings over London ! CHAPTER VIII. PRESENT CONDITION OF THE CITIES VISITED. In bringing to a close this record of one of the most remarkable religious movements of modern times — a movement we are thankful to feel not of the past, but still in progress — never we hope to be at an end, we can readily anticipate the question from our read- ers : How is it in those places where the charm of Mr. Sankey's singing and the forceful eloquence of Mr. Moody are no longer felt? The question is natural and reasonable. Ireland is commonly sup- posed to have a mercurial and excitable population. There, if anywhere the decline of interest might be expected to show itself. But it has not. From the Witness (issued in Belfast) of February 5, we make the following extract. It will be remembered that the evangelists had quitted Ireland in the end of No- vember. We ought to add further that the places reported on, in Belfast, are towns of from live to ten thousand inhabitants throughout the province of 17 386 PROVINCE OF ULSTER. Ulster, and that they were never visited by the evangelists : " At the noon prayer-meeting, many very cheering reports were given. The Rev. Hugh Hanna, who presided, said that on last Sabbath the communion was dispensed in his church, when sixty-two came forward for the first time. Seven of these were policemen. He also told of a warehouse in town where fifteen of the young women employed have been converted, and are now laboring for the good of others. He was glad to see on every side tokens of a continuance of God's presence and power. A layman described a cottage meeting in which he was inter- ested, which had now gone on for four weeks, and which was crowded nightly with people who were deeply moved, and largely profited by the services. The Rev. William Park said he was sure the meeting would be glad to hear that the good work was pro- gressing in Monaghan. The First Presbyterian Church was so crowded at the special meetings there, that forms had to be placed in the aisles. Inquiry meetings were also held with good results. A stranger next spoke of what is being done at Dro- mara. Very large and successful meetings are being ORGANIZED EFFORT. 387 held here, with sometimes as many as one hundred inquirers remaining at the close. In Lisburn, also, he said, the good work continues, and has now taken a very practical turn — new efforts being made to bring in the neglected and instruct them. Mr. Mul- lan said that in Portadown they were now in the eleventh week of special nightly meetings. The usual attendance at these was from three hundred to seven hundred, and it was computed that up to the present time three hundred persons have been turned, from the error of their ways since the movement began in the town. Special efforts were also being made to bring in the neglected. The town is now divided into thirty-three districts for the purposes of visita- tion, and this work is being regularly and systemati- cally prosecuted. Eev. E. C. Johnston said he had recently been in Gilford, and he was glad to say the good work had commenced there. A " mission " had recently been held in the Episcopal church with grati- fying results — sometimes one hundred inquirers remaining at the close of a meeting. " During the past fortnight seven special evangelistic services have been held in the Presbyterian church, Greyabbey. The attendance ranged from three hun- 388 ARMAGH. dred to four hundred and upwards each evening, and included a large number of non-churchgoers in work- ing dress. The Rev. Robert Jeffrey was generously assisted by the Rev. Oliver Goldsmith, incumbent of Grey abbey ; Rev. S. Hawthorne, Rev. J. K. Elliott, Rev. M. Macaulay, and Mr. Jones, of Belfast. " The work of grace in the old primatial city of Armagh* has attained to dimensions that are indeed marvelous. The meetings commenced with the ]STew Year, but during the first week they were separate — one meeting being held in the Lecture-room con- nected with the First Presbyterian church, and another in the Methodist church. In the second week of January the union meetings commenced, and though the meetings have continued every night dur- ing the whole of January, and throughout the present week of February, there is no flagging of interest. On last Saturday night, it was computed that there were nearly one thousand people in the Presby- terian church, and nearly two hundred anxious souls in the Methodist church, afterwards inquiring * One of the editors of this volume having been for nearly six years pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in Armagh, he makes this extract with no common gratitude to God. COOKSTOWN. 389 the way of salvation. It would be presumptuous to attempt to make an accurate census of the souls that have been brought to Christ through the power of the Word and Spirit of God ; but keeping within the lim- its of sober calculation, it may be affirmed that there are over one hundred souls that have been changed from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God. A most intelligent person, who knows the city well, said to the writer of this brief report to-day — " The ministers don't know anything like the ex- tent of this movement, or how many are seeking the way of peace, and how many in this city have found Christ to be precious." " The united evangelistic services that were com- menced in Cookstowu, on the first week in January, have been continued with increased interest and atten- tion up to the present time. Latterly, a large num- ber of Christian laymen, of different denominations, have cordially united with the ministers in giving short addresses, and leading in devotional exercises. A large, influential meeting of Christian workers was held, when it was resolved to visit the town, distribute tracts, and invite all to the meetings. This plan has been followed with marked success in bringing out many who attend no place of worship." 390 DUBLIN. From Dublin, at the same date (February 5), it is reported : u Our daily prayer-meeting has been carried on as usual. The encouraging signs about it, which I men- tioned last week, have been still more marked since then. And while none of the spirit of heartiness has departed, the numbers attending are steadily increas- ing. It is evident that the hour of prayer is a time of much enjoyment to many, and we may reasonably hope of profit. " The accounts given in on Monday of the progress of the Lord's work during the previous week were truly cheering and encouraging. One minister said that Sabbath evening last was the most blessed season he had had in his congregation since he came to Dublin. Another said that in his church between three and four hundred people waited till half-past 10 o'clock in the inquiry-meeting, which was held after the evening service, and they had had most delightful tokens of God's presence. Another minister said that in one of the Sabbath-schools connected with his con- gregation, attended by about one hundred scholars, sixty of the pupils have lately professed to have found their Saviour. And many of these are very rough ARO UNB D UBLUT. 391 and "wild boys and girls. A gentleman present said he had been invited by the principal of one of the large educational establishments in the city to visit her school. He went, and he found that out of sev- enty young ladies twenty -live have professedly, within the last three months, given themselves to God. u The reports of the work going on in the suburbs of Dublin, and also in more distant parts of the county, were equally encouraging. At the little village of Lucan, in the neighborhood of the city, where united evangelistic services have been held nightly for the last fortnight, the most blessed in- dications of the Spirit are seen. The meeting on Sabbath night was the most crowded of any, though it was not known till a short time before the service that any meeting was to be held that night. !Not a night has passed since the meetings began there in which souls have not been born again. There, as in other places, the fields are white to the harvest, and the people in the neighborhood are very sorry that the services cannot be continued. ' Very interesting accounts also were given of the progress of the work in other parts of our land. In the County Wicklow many are being brought to God 392 THE WEST OF IRELAND. from week to week, while in more remote districts many others are being awakened and converted. In Galway the Protestant community is moved to the very center, and some of a different persuasion have been brought to read the Book of Life. In another western town the effect among our fellow country- men, who in matters of faith do not see with us, has been so great that their spiritual directors, alarmed, sent for the Redemptorist Fathers to counteract the movement. Special reports from these and other places were read by the Rev. Mr. Mullan from Plain Words for this month. A very striking incident was related by a gentleman of a town with which he was acquainted. A committee there having charge of the prayer-meeting and united services, etc., had engaged the court-house to hold their meetings in, but a party of play-actors came and secured the house for themselves by paying more money. Their speculation, however, was not suc- cessful, for while the prayer and other meetings were thronged with thousands, the audience who patron- ized the play on the first evening numbered six per- sons, and on the second evening two ! " If it be asked how, after a year's experience, is the AUXIVEESART IN GLASGO W. 393 work now regarded in Scotland, the following para- graph affords the reply : " Monday being the anniversary of the commence- ment of Messrs. Moody and Sankey's labors in Glas- gow, an all-day meeting was held in Ewing Place Church. The meeting was in every respect success- ful, the church being crowded from the beginning to the close of the proceedings. The subject for the first hour — from twelve to one — was introduced by Dr. A: Thompson, of Edinburgh, who delivered an ap- propriate address on ' Prayer ; ' various other gentle- men also took part. Dr. A. Bonar took the chair from one to two, and opened up the subject of ' Praise,' which was afterwards spoken of in an interesting and instructive manner by several ministers and lay- men present. In taking up the subject for the third hour, namely : ' What more can be done for the lapsed masses?' the Pev. TVm. Arnot presided. At the close it was unanimously resolved to send a tele- gram to Messrs. Moody and Sankey, expressive of gratitude for the work they did while in Glasgow, and assuring them of continued and prayerful inter- est in their welfare. In the evening a fellowship meeting was held, when the church was again crowded." CHAPTER IX. THE TRUTHS TAUGHT. What does Mr. Moody preach ? This is a natural question. "We shall furnish an answer by allowing him to speak for himself, and giving specimens of his addresses on practical topics, as reported with care and fidelity in such organs as The British Evangel- ist, Times of Blessing, etc. The Qualifications for Soul- Winning.* Dan. xii. 3. If we would be soul-winners, we must — 1. Shake off the vipers that are in the Church, for- malism, pride, and self-importance, etc. 2. It is the only happy life to live for the salvation of souls. 3. We must be willing to do little things for Christ. 4. Must be of good courage. 5. Must be cheerful. God had no children too weak, but a great many * Delivered in Rev. Dr. Bonar's church, Edinburgh, 7th De- cember, 1873. OD'S INSTR UMENTS. 395 too strong to make use of. God, he continued, stands in no need of our strength or wisdom, but of our ignorance, of our weakness ; let us but give these to Him, and He can make use of us in winning souls. Now we all want to shine ; the mother wishes it for her boy, when she sends him to school, the father for his lad, when he goes off to college ; and here God tells us who are to shine — not statesmen, or war- riors, or such like, that shine but for a season — but such as will shine for ever and ever ; those, namely, who win souls to Christ ; the little boy even who persuades one to come to Christ. Speaking of this, Paul counts up five things that God makes use of — the weak things, the foolish things, the base things, the despised things, and the things which are not, and for this purpose, that no flesh might glory in his sight — all five being just such as we should despise. He can and will use us, just when we are willing to be humble for Christ's sake, and so for six thousand years God has been teaching men ; so with an ass's jawbone Samson slew his thou- sands, so at the blowing of rams' horns the walls of Jericho fell. Let God work in His own way, and with His own instruments ; let us all rejoice that He 396 VIPERS SHAKEN OFF. should, and let us too get into the position in which God can use us. There is much mourning to-day over false " isms," infidelity, and the like, but sum them all up, and I do not fear them one half so much as that dead and cold formalism that has crept into the Church of God. The unbelieving world, and these skeptics holding out their false lights, are watching you and me : when Jacob put away his idols, he could go up to Bethel and get strength and the blessing — so will it be with the Church of God. A viper fixes upon the hand of the shipwrecked Paul; immediately he is judged by the barbarians some criminal unfit to live ; but he shakes it off into the fire, and suffers no harm, and now they are ready to worship him, and ready too to hear and receive his message : the Church of God must shake off the vipers that have fastened on hand and heart too, ere men will hear. Where one ungodly man reads this Bible, a hundred read you and me : and if they find nothing in us, they set the whole thing aside as a myth. Again, a man who has found out what his true work is, winning souls to Christ, and does it, such is the happiest man. ISTot the richest are this — least of UNLIKEL Y AGENTS. 397 all those who have just got converted for themselves, and into the Church — lost what pleasure the world could give, and found none other. Job's captivity turned away when he began praying for his friends ; and so will all who thus work for others shine not in heaven alone and hereafter, but here as well, and now. But you say " I haven't got the ability." Well, God doesn't call you to do Dr. Bonar's work, or Dr. Duff's work, else He had given you their ability, their talent. The word is, " To every man his work." I have a work to do, laid out for me in the secret coun- sels of eternity ; no other can do it. If I neglect it, it is not true that some other will do it ; it will re- main undone. And if, for the work laid upon us, we feel we have not the ability or talent necessary, then we have a throne of grace ; and God never sends, unless that He is willing to give the strength and wisdom. The instruments He often uses may seem all unlikely, yet when did they fail ? — when once ? and why not ? Because He had fitted them out as well. He sent Moses to Egypt to deliver His people — not an eloquent, but a stuttering man. He refuses a while, at last he went ; and no man once sent by God ever did break down. So was Elisha a most unlikely 398 «B TTT FIVE LITTLE BO TB." man to be a successor to the great prophet Elijah. Men would have chosen some famous man, some pro- fessor in the school of the prophets. God took one from the plough ; but He gave him what was needed. Elisha had but to keep by his master to the end ; and he received even a double portion of the Spirit. And if we want to get it, we too must keep by the Lord, nor ever lose sight of Him, should He, as Elijah Elisha, in one way or another try our faith. And further, we must be ready to do little things for God ; many are willing to do the great things. I dare say hundreds would have been ready to occupy this pulpit to-day. How many of them would be as willing to teach a dirty class in the ragged school % I remember, one afternoon I was preaching, observ- ing a young lady from the house I was staying at, in the audience. I had heard she taught in the Sabbath- school, which I knew was at the same hour; and so I asked her, after service, how she came to be there ? " Oh," said she, " my class . is but five little boys, and I thought it did not matter for them." And yet among these there might have been, who knows, a Luther or a Knox, the beginning of a stream of bless- ing, that would have gone on widening and ever AMONG THE ANGELS. 399 widening ; and besides, one soul is worth all the king- doms of the earth. Away in America, a young lad y was sent to a board- ing-school, and was there led to Christ ; not only so, but taught that she ought to work for Him, By- and-by she goes home, and now she seeks, in one way and another, to work for Him, but without finding how. She asks for a class in her church Sunday- school, but the superintendent is obliged to tell her that he has already more than enough of teachers. One day, going along the street, she sees a little boy struck by his companion, and crying bitterly. She goes up and speaks to him ; asks him what the trouble is ? The boy thinks she is mocking him, and replies sullenly. She speaks kindly, tries to persuade him to school. He does not want to learn. She coaxes him to come and hear her and the rest singing there ; and so next Sunday he comes with her. She gets a corner in the school of well-dressed scholars for her- self and her charge. He sits and listens, full of won- der. On going home, he tells his mother he has been among the angels. At first at a loss, she be- comes angry, when a question or two brings out that he has been to a Protestant Sunday-school ; and the 400 ■ • OUTG TO HE A VMM. father, on coming home, forbids his going back, on pain of flogging. Xext Sunday, however, he goes, and is flogged, and so again, and yet again, till one Sunday, he begs to be flogged before going, that he may not be kept thinking of it all the time. The father relents a little, and promises him a holiday every Sat- urday afternoon, if he will not go to Sunday-school. The lad agrees, sees his teacher, who offers to teach him then. How many wealthy young folks would give np their Saturdays to train one poor ragged urchin in the way of salvation ? Some time after, at his work, the lad is on one of the railway cars. The train starts suddenly; he slips through, and the wheels pass over his legs ; he asks the doctor if he will live to get home; it is impossible. "Then," says he, " tell father and mother that I am going to heaven, and want to meet them there." Will the work she did seem little now to the young lady ? Or is it nothing that even one thus grateful waits her yonder? Another thing we want is, to be of good courage. Three or four times this comes out in the first chapter of Joshua ; and I have observed that God never uses a man that is always looking on the dark side of things : what we do for Him let us do cheerfully, not because ±:i :>ur duty — not that we should sweep away the word but because it is our privilege- What would my wife or children say if I spoke of loving them because it was my duty to do so ! And my mother — if I go to nee her once a year, and were : say — a Mother, I am come all this way to discharge what I feel to be my duty in visiting you ; " might she not rightly reply — •• My son, if this is all that has brought . might have spared coming at all ! n and go down in broken-hearted sorrow to the grav A London minister, a friend of mine, lately pointed out a family of seven, all of whom he was just reeeiv- _ into the Church. Their story was this : going to church, he had to pass by a window, looking up at which one day, he saw a baby looking out ; he smiled — the baby smiled again. Xext time he passes he looks up again, smiles, and the baby smiles back. A third time going by, he looks up, and seeing the I throws it a IdsB — which the baby returns to him. Time after time he has to pass the window, and now cannot refrain from looking up each time : and each time :..-.:■ <.- s-.vc- :".:■:•: e :. : -.-:s :; :_viv, :.•;? ?-...; '.■/.-._; g * - : till by-and-by he sees the whole family : the window — father, mother, and all. 402 ALL BY A SMILE. The father conjectures the happy, smiling stranger must be a minister, and so, next Sunday morning, after they have received at the window the usual greet- ing, two of the children, ready dressed, are sent out to follow him : they enter his church, hear him preach, and carry back to their parents the report that they never heard such preaching ; and what preaching could equal that of one who had so smiled on them ? Soon the rest come to the church too, and are brought in — all by a smile. Let us not go about, hanging our heads like a bulrush ; if Christ gives joy, let us live it ! The whole world is in all matters for the very best thing — you always want to get the best possible thing for your money; let us show, then, that our religion is the very best thing: men with long, gloomy faces are never wise in the winning of souls. I was preaching in Jacksonville, and, at the house in which I stayed, my attention was attracted by a little boy, who bore a different name from the house- hold, and yet was in all things and in all respects treated as one of themselves ; to the other children he was " brother," and they were " brothers " and " sisters" to him, and with them he came up to the mother for the same good-night kiss. By-and-by I ALL FOR CHRIST. 403 asked the lady of the house who it was. She told me the father of the boy was a missionary out in India ; some years before, father and mother had come home with their five children to have them educated. After being home a short time, the father resolved to return to India, wishing to leave the mother with the children till their education should be finished. She wanted to go back with him ; he opposed to it, saying it was hard enough for him to leave them, for her it must be impossible. Still she wished to go, — she had received and been some blessing in India, — and she would give up even all for Christ. Ultimately it was arranged that the children should be received into various families, — treated as part of them, — and that father and mother together should return. So with the boy the mother came to this friend's and stayed a few days along with him. The night before she had to leave, sitting with the lady of the house, she told her how anxious she was that her boy should receive the impression that his mother had for Christ's sake cheerfully left him behind, and that for this end she wished to leave him without a tear at parting. The struggle this would cost the lady well knew, especially as the boy was of a peculiarly amiable disposition. 404 THE LORD'S WORKERS. JSText morning, passing the door of the mother's room, the lady overheard a sobbing, struggling prayer for strength to do what was on her heart to do. In a short time the mother came down with smiling, cheerful face ; and looking so, she took leave of her boy, to go by rail some miles further on to bid a like farewell to another of her family. She went with her husband to India. A short year after, a still, quiet voice came to her, to come up to meet her Saviour. And would not a welcome await her there, who had so loved Him here, and so cheerfully served Him % They that be wise shall shine, etc. The Lord help us as humbly, devoutly, and cheerfully to abound in His work ! The Lord's Workers.* What men want in doing the Lord's work is (1) Courage, (2) Enthusiasm, (3) Perseverance, (4) Sym- pathy. The man who is afraid, who holds down his head like a bulrush, is not the worker whom God will * Delivered to young men in Edinburgh, 14th Dec, 1873. COURAGE. 405 bless ; but God gives courage to him whom He means to use. I have been all along with young men, and a great portion of my work these fifteen years has been among them, and I find that they generally fail for want of courage. There is any quantity of young men in Edinburgh just now whose lives are a blank to them, and who have not discovered that God sends us to do work for Him. He can qualify them for that work. John Wesley said, " Give me thirty men of faith, and I shall storm the citadel of Satan and win it for Christ ; " and he did it too. Talk of Alex- ander being a great conqueror, he was nothing com- pared with that little man, Saul of Tarsus. Once I had been fishing long, and caught nothing, and I almost got discouraged. My Sabbath services were barren one day, and I was greatly disheartened. My heart was down, and my head was down. In came a brother. "How does the work goon with you?" I asked of a fellow- worker. "Splendidly," he said. " Great blessing on Sabbath." I told him my state of mind. He said, " Did you ever study the life and character of Xoah ? " "Yes; I know it by heart." " Well," said he, " study it again." And I did so, and I found in him wonderful courage. For one hundred 406 ENTHUSIASM. and twenty years that the ark was building, he la- bored to get men to believe in God's righteousness. He did not get one, and I said, " What have I to be discouraged about after that ? " Sol went down to the prayer-meeting, and a man behind me clasped me by the hand, and said, " Pray for me, for I am in great trouble." And I thought what would Noah have given for encouragement like that ! And a man rose up, and told that a hundred young men had just come to Christ in a neighboring town. What would old Noah have said to that ? One hun- dred and twenty years, and no fruit at all ; and yet he had courage to go on preaching ! All at once the clouds were all gone from my mind. If you get dis- couraged, keep it to yourself; don't tell anyone about it ; for you will just discourage others if you do. Be strong and very courageous if you would do any- thing for God. 2. Enthusias7n. — We need more enthusiasm. The more we have the better. I have a great admiration for Garibaldi, though* I cannot, of course, approve of all his acts. When put in prison he said, " It were better that fifty Garibaldis should perish, than that Home should not be free." This was the cause get- COMPLETE DEVOTION. 407 ting above the man ; that is what we want. We want to forget ourselves. There are one hundred thousand men waiting now to be brought to Christ, to be invited to come to Him, and shall we hang back \ Let us have enthusiasm. This formalism that abounds at the present day, is the worst ism of all — it is worse than all the infidelity and skepticism of the land. I remember reading in some history of the ninth century of a young general who with only five hundred men came up against a king with twenty thousand. And the king sent to him to say that it was the height of folly to resist with his handful of men. The general called in one of his men, and said, -• Take that sword and drive it to your heart." And the man took the weapon, and drove it to his heart, and fell dead. He said to another, " Leap into yon- der chasm," and the man instantly obeyed. Then, turning to the messenger, he said, " Go back and tell your king that we have five hundred such men. AVe will die but we will never surrender." The messen- ger returned, and his tale struck terror into the hearts of the king's soldiers, so that they fled like chaff be- fore the wind. God says, " One shall chase a thou- sand, and two put ten thousand to flight." Let us 408 A FRIEND OF CHRIST'S. have confidence in God. When men are in earnest they carry everything before them. The world don't read the Bible, but they read yon and me. 3. P 'er 'severance. — The men who have been suc- cessful are not those who work by fits and starts, but three hundred and sixty-five days in the year. By the grace of God, these eighteen years I have been kept working for God. People complain how cold other people are : that is a sign that they are cold themselves. Keep your own heart warm, as if there were no other but you in the world. Keep working all the time at steady, constant work. For the last eleven years I have not let a day pass without saying something to somebody of Christ. Make it a rule that never a day pass without speaking for Christ. People won't like it. If you are a living witness for Christ it makes people mad against you. You will suffer persecution, and be spoken against, and yet they will send for such a man first when they are in trouble or on their death-bed. The man that is popu- lar with the world is not a friend of Jesus. You cannot serve two masters. The world hates Christ, and if you are a friend of the world you cannot be a friend of His. You may be sure that something PERSEVERANCE. 409 is wrong- with you when everybody is your friend. Every man here can win souls for Christ. The public-houses in America are called " saloons." There is a hall with a bar, and behind, a dining-room, and above, sleeping-apartments, and in these saloons the young men congregate at night, and drink and gamble. There was a terribly wicked man who kept a saloon, whose children I was very anxious to draw to my Sabbath-school. So one day I called on this man and said, "Mr. Bell, I want you to let your children come to the Sabbath-school." He was ter- ribly angry, said he did not believe in the Bible, school or anything else, and ordered me to leave the house. Soon after I went down again and called on this man, and asked him to go to church, and again he was very angry. He said that he had not been at church for nineteen years, and would never go again, and he would rather see his boy a drunkard and his daughter a harlot than that they should attend the Sab- bath-school. A second time I was forced to leave the house. Two or three days after I called again, and he said, k * Well, I guess you are a pretty good-natured sort of 18 410 PREACHING IN A SALOON. man, and different from the rest of Christians, or you would not come back ; " so seeing him in a good humor, I asked him what he had to say against Christ, and if he had read His life : and he asked me what I had to say against Paine' s " Age of Reason," and if I had read it. I said I had not read it : whereupon he said he would read the New Testament, if I would read the "Age of Reason," to which I at once agreed, though he had the best bargain : and I did so. I did not like it much, and would not advise any per- son to read it. I asked Mr. Bell to come to church, but he said they were all hypocrites that went to church. This he would do, however : I might come to his house if I liked, and preach. " Here, in this saloon ? " " Yes ! but look here, you are not to do all the talking ; " he said that he and his friends would have their say as well as I. I agreed that they might have the first forty-five minutes, and I the last fifteen of the hour, which he thought fair, and that was settled. The day came, and I went to keep my appointment, but I never in all my life met such a crowd as when on the day appointed I went to that saloon — such a collection of infidels, deists, and reprobates of all kinds I never saw before. Their A CHILD'S PRAYER. 411 oaths and language were horrible. Some of them seemed as if they had come on leave of absence from the pit. I never was so near hell before. They be- gan to talk in the most blasphemous way ; some thought one thing, some another; some believed there was a God — others not; some thought there was such a man as Jesus Christ — others that there never was ; some didn't believe anything. They couldn't agree, contradicted each other, and very nearly came to fighting with one another before their time had ex- pired. I had brought down a little boy, an orphan with me, and when I saw and heard such blasphemy I thought I had done wrong to bring him there. When their time was up, I said that we Christians always began service with prayer to God. " Hold," said they ; " two must be agreed first." " Well, here are two of us." And so I prayed, and then the little boy did so, and I never heard a prayer like that in all my life. It seemed as if God was speaking through that little boy. With tears running down his cheeks he be- sought God, for Christ's sake, to take pity on all these poor men ; and that went to their very hearts. I heard sobs throughout the hall, and one infidel 412 " THIS ONE THING." went out at this door and another at that ; and Mr. Bell came up to me and said, " You can have my children, Mr. Moody." And the best friend that I have in Chicago to-day is that same Joshua Bell, and his son has come out for Christ and as a worker for Him. There was a family which for fourteen years I had tried to draw to Christ, but they would not come, and I had almost given them up as hopeless. We have a custom on New Year's Day in America of calling on our friends and acquaintances, and wishing them the compliments of the season. Last New Year's Day I thought I should call on the old doctor, which I did, and I offered up just a short prayer. That week he and his wife came to Christ, and next week his son, and a few days after his daughter, and now the whole family are converted. " This one thing 1 do" said Paul. He had re- ceived thirty-nine stripes, and if he had other thirty- nine stripes to receive, " This one thing I do ; " for- getting the things that " are behind, I press towards the mark." A terrible man he was — this man of one thing and one aim, and determined to go on doing it. u To every man his work " (Mark xiii. 34). If bless- THE STRANGERS. 413 ing don't come this week, it will come the next, only persevere. Be of good courage, Christ will strengthen your heart. 4. Sympathy to touch the hearts of men is needed too. Some men have courage, perseverance, and zeal, but their hearts are as cold as an icicle. Christ might have been born in a palace had He chosen, but poor men would have said He had not come for them ; but He was born in a manger, lower than their own rank of life. The minister who speaks to people as if he were separate from them, that tells them what they should do, this and that, will not carry them with him. To speak to men from a higher platform is not the way to do them good. It should be what we do, — we poor sinners, and you. The milk of human kindness is a great element in bringing souls to Christ. We have, in Chicago, a meeting for strangers ; and it is most blessed. Every Monday night, seventy-five to a hundred young men newly arrived in the city, assemble to find friends. A young man coming from the country to a situation, or to college in town, feels very lonely. He walks the street, and has no one, of all the crowds, to speak to him, and he is miserable. 414 in NEED OF A FRIEND. That is the time when his heart is softest ; then, if any one speaks to him or shows him acts of kind- ness, he never forgets it. The devil watches for friendless youths like those ; and the ensnaring paths of vice seem refuges from loneliness. Such a young man, walking along the street, sees a big brown paper pasted on a boarding, or at a railway station, or some- where else, having painted on it, " Strangers' Meet- ing to-night. All strangers invited to attend." So he goes, and meets a kind look and words of friend- ship, and it is better to him than anything in the world. During our war, there was a Southern man who came over to a Wisconsin regiment, saying he could not fight to uphold slavery. Some time after, the mail from the north came in, and all the men got letters from their relations, and universal joy pre- vailed. This Southern man said he wished he were dead ; he was most unhappy, for there were no let- ters for him. His mother was dead, and his father and brothers would have shot him if they could, for going against them. This man's tent-mate was very sorry for his friend, and when he wrote to his mother in "Wisconsin, he just told her all about it. His PO WEE OF LO YE. 415 mother sat down and wrote to lier son's friend. She called him her son, and spoke to him like a mother. She told him, when the war was over that he must come to her, and that her home would be his. When the letter reached the regiment, the chaplain took it down to where this man w T as standing, and told him it was for him ; but he said it was a mistake, that no- body would write to him ; he had no friends, it must be for some one else. He was persuaded to open it, and when he read it, he felt such joy. He went down the lines, saying, " Tve got a mother ! " "When afterwards the regiment was disbanded, and the men were returning to their homes, there was none who showed so much anxiety as this man to get to his mother in "Wisconsin. There are hundreds of young men who want mothers, and any kindness done to them will not lose its reward.* * The intensity of the feeling under the burning words of Mr. Moody may be judged of from the effect being such that, at the close, there was a great burst of applause with hands and feet just commencing, when Mr. Moody checked it, by quietly lifting his hand and saying, " We don't want applause : and mind, it's Sunday! " 416 THE BLOOD. The Blood.* " Some inquirers come to me over and over again, and never seem to get on, but go round and round like a horse in a mill. They don't rest where God rests — in the blood of Christ. Blood runs throughout the whole Bible. Turn with me to Gen. iii. 21. JSTo sooner had Adam fallen, and death entered, than God interposed, and made coats of skins and clothed them. God then must have been the first to shed blood ; God covered sin ; God dealt in love with Adam, in justice with Christ, when the blood of those victims slain came between Adam and his sin. Turn again to Gen. iv. 4. Abel brought blood. Cain's offering was more beautiful — the fruit of the ground. You may say blood is repulsive, hateful; some women faint at the sight of blood, but by blood was the way God marked out for coming to Him, from the very first, and Abel came by that way, and was accepted. Any religion that is not founded on 'the blood? comes from the pit of hell. There is no other foun- dation, any other is not God's way. The world is * Delivered in the Free Church Assembly Hall, Edinburgh, 9th December, 1873. THE PASSOVER. 41' full of Caiiiites. All who think they do not need the blood of Christ are Camites. "Gen. viii. 20, 21. Sixteen hundred years passed away. God saved Noah by the ark, and when he left it he offered the blood of every clean beast and fowl on the altar. The second dispensation was founded on blood ; it came between Noah and his sin. The world was set up afresh under Noah, but it began from the blood. " Gen. xxii. 13. Abraham saw Christ's day, and was glad. God opened his eyes probably on that very Mount Moriah, after the sacrifice of the ram was over ; and he saw down the stream of time the great Atonement, likely the identical spot, for Mount Cal- vary was near Mount Moriah, where Christ was to be offered. God so loved Abraham that He spared him his son; but He so loved you that He gave His for vmu. John said, ' Behold the Lamb of God that tak- eth away the sin of the world.' Abraham was glad when he saw the substitutionary offering of Christ. All went in all ages to heaven by the royal highway of the blood. " Exodus xii. 13. ' When I see the blood I will pass over you.' He does not say, When I see the 418 LIVING TO CHRIST. live lamb tied up to the door-post, I will pass over you. No more does He say, When I see the living Christ in all His moral glory and loveliness, scatter- ing blessings all around His path, I will pass over you ; but when I see the blood, c for without shedding of blood is no remission.' Sinner, Christ has shed His blood for you. You will have peace looking to His blood ; you will be safe there, or you will be ex- posed to the wrath of God without it. When you go to the station, and take a "ticket for London, and seat yourself in the train, the guard will come to look at your ticket ; and it matters not to him whether you are black or white, rich or poor, so long as you have got a ticket. He looks at that, not you. The blood is God's ticket. God says, Have you got your ticket or ' token V If you are behind the blood, you are as safe as on the golden pavement of heaven. A little sparrow was as safe in the ark as the great elephant. If you are behind the blood you are safe, though you die to-night. " Exodus xii. 11. They were to eat the lamb, as well as be sheltered by its blood. You should not be satisfied with being safe. You should eat the lamb. God's elect fed on the lamb. The more you feed on THE CRIMSOM THREAD. 419 Him the stronger you will become. Feed on His Word ; feed on Himself. "Exodus xii. 2. ' This shall be the beginning of months to you.' Everything dates from the blood ; IS 73 counts back to Calvary, and begins from the blood. Even infidels date from the blood. Israel's story, for four hundred years of slavery, is wiped out. You may say you are seventy-five years old, but you didn't live till you came to Christ. I was born twice, once in '37 ; once again in '55 ; so I am only eighteen years old. Some there are here also, who are only twenty-four hours old to-night. " Exodus xxix. 16. I was brought up to think that there was no need for the blood of Jesus, and when I knew better I went back to my native town and preached on the atonement, and after I was finished the minister of the place was very angry, and said to me that there was no more efficacy in the blood of Jesus Christ than in that of a chicken. That is Uni- tarianism. That doctrine is damnable. If, in prayer, you don't come to God through the Lord Jesus Christ, you may as well talk to a post. Call it prayer ! It ain't. If you cut the crimson thread that binds the Bible, it falls to pieces. 420 ANGEL'S FOOD. " Exodus xxx. 10. The sacrifice of atonement was kept up year after year till Christ came. The work was never done. The priest in Israel never sat down. Christ was offered once, and His sacrifice was forever, thank God. Adam and Eve were in God's favor, but the devil tripped them up, and the precious blood of Jesus reconciles us to God. We are 'justified by His blood? " Lev. viii. 23. The ear sheltered behind the blood heard the voice of God, and the hand behind the blood did what was pleasing to God. The unre- deemed may give money and build churches, think- ing that they will please God, but it is a delusion. Till they get behind the blood their offerings are an abomination to God. Blood upon the great toe de- noted walking with God. God often visited men, as Adam and Abraham and others, but He never dwelt and walked with His people till blood was shed and redemption accomplished, and then the Red Sea fled as He walked with them ; angels' food came to them ; the rock burst .with water which followed them. ~No man could resist them when God walked with them. And we will always be in trouble about government till Christ comes back again to reign, and then men MERCY AND TRUTH. 421 will have a government that will suit them. He will be back again one day and set up His kingdom, but it will be founded on the blood. Your life hangs on tliis word. AVake up ; for you'll never get to heaven unless you are floated thither on the crimson tide of Christ's precious blood. 4i Lev. xvii. 11-14. Some people say they hate this subject of blood. I hated it once. I would have walked out of such a meeting if so much had been said about it as is now said. I used to say that a God who demanded blood is a tyrant. But God could not save without it. This is three times repeated. Why ? God is very merciful, but He is just too. If the queen was so kind-hearted as not to punish any one, and insisted on pardoning every murderer, and set- ting free every prisoner, she would not be queen twenty-four hours. Every woman here would rise up and demand that she should not be queen. If you get God's mercy you get His justice too : they go together. He rides in a chariot with two wheels rolling side by side — justice and mercy. God said to Adam, ' On the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.' Adam sinned and he died. Jesus was man's substitute, and He died for man, for God's 422 « KILLED THE PRINCE OF LIFE." justice demanded man's life, or a substitute for him. If you take out the blood from my Bible you may have all the rest. " 1 Peter ii. 24. Who is a substitute for you ? Adam sold out cheap in Eden; don't God say ye shall be redeemed without money (1 Pet. i. 18, 19). If gold could have redeemed the world, God would have created a thousand worlds rather than take the brightest jewel in the diadem of heaven, but God de- manded life alone, and gave His Son. Consider that God gave the blood of His Son, and you don't care for it, hate it ! If you are behind the blood it cries for pardon and gives peace — if you are not, it cries for damnation ! ' Let His blood be on us and on our children,' cried the murderers of Christ. Oh ! if they had added ' to save usf but no, it was to condemn, for they cried, Crucify Him, Crucify Him, and it has been upon them and their children ever since, for they have had no king and no country, but are a hiss- ing and reproach to the nations, and even the little children in America call the Jews ' Christ-killers.' " Not long ago one thousand Jews assembled in Paris, and clapped their hands in applause of the sentiment that they had killed the Christians' God. THE CLEANSING BLOOD. 423 This was indorsing the fearful wickedness of their fathers. There will be a sad prayer-meeting one day : and those who would not have the blood to cover their sins, will have to call on the rocks to fall on them and cover them ! Get sheltered now by the blood, if you would escape in the days of His wrath. " He'll prevail by-and-by. The spear forced by the Roman soldier into the side of Christ was the crown- ing act of sin, yet blood flowed over the spear and covered it, the crowning i act of love.' Without shed- ding of blood is no remission. You may say prayers, and build churches, but without the blood it is all useless. Let us look now at — " Heb. x. 28. Died without mercy. Listen ; no mer- cy ! What will you do with the blood of God's own Son ? When Jesus left this earth He took away with Him His flesh and bones, but left His blood drained out for you. What are you to do with it ? The key to heaven is not prayer, as the little hymn says, but blood. " A soldier in America was dying in the time of the war, and he was heard to say, ' Blood, blood, blood.' A clergyman, thinking that the scenes of bloodshed on the battle-field which he had recently 424 HE A YEN. witnessed were troubling his mind, went to him to lead his thoughts to brighter themes. ' I wasn't thinking of the battle-field,' said he, ' but of the blood of Jesus, which has covered all iny sins.' Some make light of that blood, and have no faith in it, the only thing that would be a shelter and safety for them. The dying saint of whom brother Sankey sang, left his wife and child joyfully, and went ' sweeping through the gates into the kingdom, washed in the blood of the Lamb.' That was a victor's shout. " How different such a departure from the coach- driver in California, who, feeling with his foot said, 1 I'm on the down grade, and cannot reach the brake,' and died. Oh ! shelter yourselves behind the blood of Christ Jesus, He will save every one who believes in Him." Heaven.* " I believe that heaven is real, hell is real, the devil real. God is real. If God did not wish us to speak about heaven, he would not have put so much about it in the Bible. * Delivered as a Bible lecture. The report is from the notes of a hearer, and can only be regarded as " notes." THE HOME OF JESUS. 425 " (1.) Let us first locate heaven. Where is it? It is said in Scripture to be above. God went up from Abraham. God is a Person, has a throne, a dwelling- place (John iii. 13). The angels asked the disciples, ' "Why stand ye gazing up into heaven ? ' Jesus was 1 received up ' when he went to heaven. Down from God's dwelling place (2 Chron. vii. 14 ; 1 Kings viii. 30). It is a great pleasure to think that God has a home (Matt. vi. 9). "(2.) But let us now think of the company in heaven. 1. The Father of grace and glory is there. We say, ' Our Father, which art in heaven.'' A great many people are lost by that prayer. It is not the Lord's prayer, but the disciples' prayer. The Lord's prayer is the 17th chapter of St. John. Satan rocks many off in a cradle to sleep on that so-called Lord's prayer. None but a disciple of Christ can use it, and say ' Our Father.' To the unsaved, Christ said, ' Ye are of your father the devil.' You pray for forgive- ness while your heart is full of enmity. c Thy king- dom come.' That is praying for your own damna- tion, if unconverted. " 2. Jesus is now in heaven. In Acts vii. 55, 56, Stephen saw not mansions, but Jesus. Yes! the 4 426 v ITS INHABITANTS. Master is there, and the redeemed are there. Stephen saw Him at the right hand of God, and he saw- Stephen being stoned on earth, and stood up to receive him. Oh ! what a reception ! Jesus is there ! ' That same Jesus ' who died for us, whose Spirit quickened us, whose love saved us ; and we shall soon see him there ; if not before, crowned with glory and honor. " Acts iii. 20, 21. It is as much the Christian's duty to watch for the second coming of the Son of God from heaven as to work for Christ. It is perfectly safe to obey God and watch for His coming again, for it may be at any moment. The marriage-supper of the Lamb is coming, and we may be caught up for it at any time. " Matt, xviii. 10. 3. Angels are there. The pure and spotless creations of God, who have known nothing of sin and sorrow and travail, who have ever lived their life of bright intelligence and holy service in the sun- shine of God's presence — these are in heaven, and we shall meet them, and tell them of something they have never felt — the love of Jesus for sinful men. " Rev. vii. 9, 10. 4. Saints are there, the best of earth — all the pure and holy, from righteous Abel NAMES IX THE BOOK. 4-i^T downwards. All the old heroes of God, the warriors and kings, the prophets and the poets, the apostles and the early martyrs, all will be there, and we shall be able to hold sweet communion with them all ; and our own loved ones, the fathers and mothers, sisters and brothers, the babes, and the young and the old ; they will be amongst the shining band who go to swell the ranks of the redeemed before the throne of God. Oh, what a company is there — Father, Jesus, the Holy Ghost, angels, saints — all who have fallen asleep in Jesus — all waiting for us to come ; and I don't mean to lose that appointment; and, if I know myself, would rather be torn limb from limb than do so (John xii. 26, xiv. 3). "We have work to do to get ready our- selves, and get friends in. What would have been ]S~oah's feelings if one of his sons had been left out of the ark ! " 5. Luke x. 20. That's it ! our names are in heaven. My name's gone on before me. i Eejoice,' saith Jesus. There's a terrible day coming. It is going to be dark. May God bring that little Miss up there to Jesus ! There would be joy all over heaven, and her name in half a second would be written in the Lamb's book of life, and never to be blotted out again. Just 428 TREASURE IN HEA VEN. as a man sends goods before him and he follows after, just so our names have gone on before, and we are journeying after them. We are known by name in heaven before we get there. The name of every saint is in the book of life, and cannot be blotted out again. A mother of nine children, dying in Con- necticut, said to her husband, ' I charge you to bring all those children home.' " A soldier in America was dying, and was heard to say ' Here ! ' When asked what it was, he said, 'Hush, they are calling the roll in heaven, and I am answering to it ; ' and he cried, Here, and died. " (3.) What do we have in heaven f Heaven is our treasure-house (Matt. vi. 20). Many Christians trouble themselves so much about heaping up treasures down here to leave them to their children, which is often their ruin. Lot may have Sodom, but look at the end ! He was burnt out. Abraham was on the hill- top with God. If your treasure is in heaven, your heart will follow. The only things we have, or can have, as saints, will be found there. All else must be left. Death strips us of everything not laid up in heaven. 'Lay up treasure in heaven.' It will be found there all safe when we want it, for there REWARD IX IIEAYEX. 429 neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, nor do thieves break through and steals " (4.) How we may get a title to heaven (John iii. 3). You must be born into the kingdom ; there is no other way to get to heaven, than to be born an heir to it. Have you that birthright ? God was alone in creation and in redemption. He is alone in regenera- tion. Have you got a home beyond the grave ? Are you born of the Spirit ? that's the question of the day! None but those who are born again enter there. " 2 Tim. iv. S. Paul was striving for the crown. He got salvation here. The devil found his match when he encountered Paul. Paul, I have no doubt, thanks God to-day for that Philippian jail. The Philippian jailer was saved by his being a prisoner there, and was the first man converted by him in Europe. John Bun van thanks God for those twelve years in Bedford jail. I dare say the devil was not fifteen minutes in Eden before he ruined man, and he would conquer me to-night before I had tea were it not that my life is hid with Christ in God. But to sufferers for Christ, he 3, ' Great is your reward in heaven? There, every man will receive his own reward for his own work. There will be no mixing up, no confusion, 430 HEA VEN NEAR. but to each man will be given a full reward, accord- ing to his own labor. "Heb. iv. 9. People think that the Church is a place to rest in ; but God commands work ; and when a man's work is done, he will be told to ' come up higher.' What are we to do before we get there? Let us ask God. " Heaven is nearer to us than people think. I have read of a man in this country who got discouraged, and dreamed that he went up to heaven, and saw the glories there ; and Jesus took him to the battlements, and told him to look down, and asked what he saw. He saw the earth, and men blindfolded, and a fiend leading them to a deep pit ; and Jesus asked him whether he would stay in heaven, and share its joys, or go back to earth, and lead men to see their danger and rescue them, and he said he would return, and never wish to go to heaven until God called him. He awoke, but was never discouraged again. The child of infidel parents, a girl of three years old, who had never heard the name of God but in her father's oaths, was dying, and said, " Duley's coming, God," and died. " This conference is a foretaste of heaven ; there HIGHER, HIGHER. 431 have been no denominations here, but all are Chris- tians ; so will we be in heaven. We will love Jesus, too, the more we know Him. I do not love my wife the less because I have been married twelve years. A lady tract-distributor wished to take a lady friend to see a bed-ridden saint. God has many stones in His temple, some for use, and some for ornament, and this was one for ornament, polished by years of suffering. They went up a stair for five stories, and at the first the friend said, ' It is very dirty here.' ' It will be better higher up,' was the reply. At the next story the friend said it was ' very dark there.' ' It will be better, higher up.' And at the top, they came into a pretty, clean sick- room, with light and flowers. A child was dying, and it said to his father, ' Lift me up,' and the father did so; 'Higher, higher,' said the child, and again, ' Higher, higher,' till it was held at the stretch of its father's arms, and its Heavenly Father reached down and took it. Let our prayer be, ' Higher, higher, higher ! ' • Nearer my God to Thee, nearer to Thee ! ' I will look back on this as one of the hap- piest days of my life, when we talked about Christ. Napoleon struck a medal after a great battle, on one 432 THREE BITTER ENEMIES. side of which was the date of the battle, and on the other * I was There ; ' and we, looking back on this meeting here to-day, will gladly say in heaven itself, ' I was There.' " God bless you all. We will never all meet again on earth, but very soon we will meet in Heaven." The Christian Conflict.* You must all remember that you have three ter- rible enemies to face. The first is the flesh, the second the world, and the third the devil. When the children of Israel got through the Red Sea, they began to sing their song of deliverance, and praise God, as if the whole of their trials were over, never thinking of the journey through the wilderness, with all its perils, temptations, and privations, which was before them. You who have been converted must not imagine that your troubles have ceased with your conversion and Red Sea deliverance. We have all got a wilderness journey and a warfare before us, and * Being the farewell address to young converts in Edinburgh, 16th January, 1874. Eleven hundred and fifty were present. THE FLESH. 433 we must not forget them, but brace ourselves up for them. If you turn to Galatians fifth, and read from the sixteenth to the twenty-second verse, you will learn something of your first enemy, the flesh. The warfare goes on continually between flesh and spirit. God did not change the flesh at your conversion. It re- mains still unchanged and unchangeable. That which is born of the flesh remains flesh until it is dropped in the grave, or at Christ's coming; and in the mean- time you must pray against the evil passions men- tioned in these verses, and keep the old man in the place of death. You must take care not to feed " the old man which is corrupt" by the follies and pursuits of the unconverted world. Eead novels, attend the theater, go to the dance, if you want to feed "the old You cannot serve both God and mammon, and the only way you can serve God is by opposing the flesh, and by the Spirit mortifying the deeds of the body. " In me — that is, in my flesh — dwelleth no good thing,-' says Paul, and this we must alv. keep in remembrance. Christ is in us; but there is no good thing in the flesh. If we learn that fact in 19 434: LET ALONE. the morning of our Christian life, it will be a happy- day for ns. For a time after I was converted I thought all the conflict was over ; but I found it was not so, and so will you. When God converted us He gave us a new nature — life in Christ — and the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary the one to the other. The flesh will always continue to lust against the Spirit, and you must maintain the conflict resolutely. Ungodly men say they have not that conflict ; but the reason is, they have never known the life of God. There is a story told of a gentleman in our country who had a servant — a negro — we call such Sambo — and he was a converted man, and his master used to banter him about his religion, and to say, " Sambo, you are always talking of the conflict ; I don't have any of your groaning and the conflict you talk of." One day they were out hunting. His master blazed away at some ducks, and did not mind the dead ones, but sent Sambo after the wounded ones. "Massa," said he, when he next spoke to him of his warfare, "as you did not care for the dead ducks — you knew you had them ; so Satan leaves you all quiet. You P UT SELF A WA T. 435 are dead, and lie lets you alone ; but he is after me, because I am wounded, but alive." I have found, however, that those who try to serve both God and the world have most trouble, and that those who come out boldly for Christ, and turn their backs completely on the world, and are out and out for God, have little or no trouble. .Remember what is said in Philippians iii. 3 — " Have no confidence in the flesh" Have all the confidence you can in Christ, but have none in your- selves. The moment you put confidence in "the flesh" it will bring you into captivity and darkness. Peter had confidence in himself, and it led to his denying his Master. If you are going to work and speak for the Lord Jesus, take care of one thing — do not speak about yourselves. I am disgusted some- times when I hear men get up at these meetings and talk about themselves, or if they don't get an oppor- tunity of doing it in a speech, they take the chance which a prayer offers, and tell the audience their whole history, when they are ostensibly addressing God. Shun that above all things. When you say or do anything, speak or do it in the name of Jesus Christ, and keep self entirely in the background. 436 THE WORLD. Then will God bless your efforts. When " the flesh " comes and wants you to submit to it, don't listen ; but say, " You're not my master ; I serve the Lord Christ." " Not I, but Christ ; " " Not in the flesh, but in the Spirit," is our happy state. But you need to watch " the flesh " as an enemy ; for depend upon it " the flesh " is not dead, and will never be so, until we are in our coffin, or " changed in a moment." I would say to young men : Never get into argument with skeptics or reasoners on doctrine — it will get you into the flesh, and you will never convince them. When Job argued, he went down ! The sore boils — his losses — his wife — and all his trials he could stand ; but when he got into argument with his friends, " the flesh" came out in all its offensiveness. Do not exhort much in the meetings, but point out what the grace of God has done for you or others, simply and humbly. Talk about the Master, and not about the servant, and people will be always glad to hear you. Let your theme be " Jesus onlyP 2. The World. — John xvii. 15, lj3 : " I pray not that Thou shouldst take them out of the world, but that Thou shouldst keep them from the evil." Re- member that you are out of the old creation and into WORLD UNCHANGED. 437 the new creation. Daniel was kept witnessing for God in Babylon. Yon must learn to be like a rock in the stream, past which the current flows rapidly, but it is unmoved. You are still in the world, but you are not of the world. You are citizens of another world, and only strangers and pilgrims here. We belong to America ; we are only temporary sojourners with you. "While here I am an American ; so while in the world I belong to heaven — not to America; I live there, that's my home. We have got our natural- ization papers out for heaven, and we belong to it alone. What would we do mixing with the joys of this world ? We have something better; and as the world is after the best thing, if they see you happy, they will want it. What retards Christianity so much is the Church getting mixed up with the world. People may think that if they go into the world a little — attend the theater, opera, balls — they can get the world drawn into religious meetings; but it is a delusion. Though we throw a piece of fresh beef into the sea, we don't make it fresh; so, though we go into the world ever so little, we don't change it for the better, but it will change us for the worse. We must come right out, and be separate. 438 WHAT IS GIVEN UP. Those who are separate draw many with them to heaven ; while one worldly Christian deludes and drags many down to hell. It was the mixed multitude that came with Israel out of Egypt that made them lust after the things of Egypt, and loathe the manna which is called angels' food. If you mix with the world, it will give you a distaste for divine things, and you will be both use- less and unhappy. Worldly Christians are very unhappy. If you do not leave the world entirely, with its novels, theaters, and operas, it will never leave you, and you will be poor, miserable Christians. But if you leave the world entirely, you will have ten thousand times more enjoyment than you could have ever had in the world's pleasures. For eighteen years 1 have had something better. I enjoy every year more than the preceding, so true is it that if you give up anything for Christ, He makes it up to you many times. His love smile, His gracious approval, is more than all the world. But are • children not to play at all on be- coming Christians ? These boys must not think that I am saying they may not go and play their cricket and their games of ball, but I say that when they are THE PRINCE OF THIS WORLD. 439 at play, at these healthy exercises, they must always keep in mind that they are Christians, and they must not stand to hear the name of the Master whom they serve profaned by their companions, but leave them entirely if they do not desist. 3. The Devil. — Now look at 2 Corinthians xi. 14: "And no marvel, for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light." It would be well to take a Concordance and look up all the names of the devil. You would find him called the great red dragon, and you would be frightened for him as such, but not as an angel of light. And mark you, Satan does not, as many think, come in a hideous form, in which he will be known, but sometimes even as an angel of light. You want to be on your guard against him, for in him we have a terrible enemy, and all the more dan- gerous that he can transform himself into an angel of light. The devil never got away any one who has been converted; but he may make them lose their hap- piness and spoil their testimony in the world. Sam- son was strong; but Satan got hold of him, and ruined hie testimony to the world. You will find he is called "the prince of this world" in John xiv. 30. 440 EVIL THOUGHTS. Christ is not the King of this world just now; they cast Him out, and slew Him. And that is a very good reason why we should break off from this world, and have only to do with that one where Christ is on the throne. Bear in mind your three enemies — the flesh, the world, and the devil — who would fain bring us down to hell, and, if they cannot do that, keep us in disquiet and dispeace. But we have three friends for us who are greater than the enemies against us — God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, and all the hosts of heaven. They are able to keep us, and beat back the doubts and fears and evil thoughts suggested by our enemies. When Elisha's servant's eyes were opened, he saw the mountains full of horses and chariots about them — all the hosts of heaven on their side. There are more for us than all who can be against us. Some young converts are much distressed about evil thoughts. Now, the sin lies not in them coming into your mind, but in your harboring them. As one has said, "We cannot help the birds from flying over our heads, but we can pre- vent them building their nests in our hair." Ask God's help to beat those evil thoughts off. In our- selves we have no power against those terrible ene- CLOSE TO THE ROCK. 411 uiies; but we have, got Christ, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, in whom is our strength, and through Him we may have constant victory. Turn to Exodus xvii. 6 : " Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb ; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel." Here we have the Trinity. The rock is Christ ; the water the Holy Ghost: and "I" is God the Father. The water is everything. There is refreshment, and it follows us ; for 1 Cor. x. 1 reads, " They drank of that spiritual Hock that went with them ; and that Rock was Christ." There is a tunnel over the Eocky Moun- tains, and the bore is so contracted that there is no room for a man to escape if two trains were coming alongside of each other ; but they have cut niches in the solid rock, into which a person may go and be safe. Two children were thus caught one day — a sister and her little brother; and after she got her brother into one of these niches, she went to the one on the opposite side, and just as the trains were about to whisk past them she cried to her little brother, "Cling close to the rock." The trains passed, and 442 FOUR PRECIOUS THINGS. they were safe in the clefts of the rock. This is all you want, dear young Christians; cling close to the Rock of your salvation — Jesus your Saviour. That Rock which is a place both for spiritual rest and re- freshment, "that Rock which folio weth you, that Rock which is Christ" (1 Cor. x. 4). Get good foot- ing on that Rock : as the Irishman said, you may tremble on the Rock, but the Rock will never trem- ble, however much the waves may beat against it. And never forget where God found you. The Lord's portion is His people ; Jacob is the lot of His inheritance. He found him in a desert land, and in the waste, howling wilderness. He led him about, He instructed him, He kept him as the apple of His eye. There are four precious things here — God found you J He leads you about, instructs you, and keeps you as the apple of His eye. A story of thrilling interest was lately recorded in an American weekly illustrated paper. The Spanish authorities in Cuba had arrested a man who, though born in England, was a naturalized United States citizen. He was charged with con- spiracy against the Government, and ordered to be shot.' But the consuls of both England and America SAFETY BY THE BLOOD. 443 believed the man to be innocent, and used all the persuasion and entreaty in their power for his release, but the proud Spaniards haughtily disregarded their petition. The hour of execution had now arrived, and a com- pany of soldiers were drawn up in line. The con- demned English-American marched out before them, calmly awaiting his fate. He stood at the foot of the grave, already dug, his coat off, and his hands pin- ioned behind him. The officer ordered his men to load, and at the word "present," they brought their rifles to their shoulders, awaiting the word of com- mand to fire. . In the awful suspense, suddenly there sprang for- ward from the bystanders the two consuls ; the one drawing from his breast the Stars and Stripes, wrapped it right round the prisoner, whilst the other threw over him the Union Jack. The consuls now stood on either side, defying the Spaniards, who dared not fire on the flags of two of the mightiest nations under heaven, and the man was released, and proved his in- nocence to the satisfaction of the authorities. Well may the Christian exclaim, "Oh, the security and the blessedness of being enveloped in the bl 444 A STRAIGHT PATH. stained banner of the Cross ! " or, in the triumphant words of Paul in Romans viii. : "Who shall lay any- thing to the charge of God's elect?" His banner over us is love ! He that toucheth a child of God touches the apple of His eye. Always keep in mind that it takes the same power to keep you that it took to con- vert you. " Let us run with patience the race that is set be- fore us, looking unto Jesus, the author and the fin- isher of our faith." When I w r as a boy, I used to try to describe a straight path through the snow in a field by looking down at my feet, but it turned out to be a zigzag, because I was looking down at my feet. The way to make a straight path would be to look at an object beyond ; and so in this passage we are directed to have our eye on the mark at the right hand of the Majesty in the heavens, and be " looking unto JesusP In Col. ii. 6, there are seven things enjoined. The first thing we have to do is to receive Christ, then to vxtllc in Him, be rooted in Him, and be built up in Him. We will then be complete in Him, and be buried with Him in baptism, and be raised with Him. In our country there are sometimes seen great HE IS ABLE. 445 trees blown over and torn, up by the roots, and the occasion of it was the shallow soil. So it is with many professors — they for a while believe, but in time of temptation they fall away, because they had not been rooted in Christ. Be rooted in Christ, and built up in Him as ye have been taught. This points to the inward and outward growth of the Christian. The only way to keep from falling is to grow. Turn to 1 John iv. 9, 10, and you will see that Christ was manifested to give us life, put away our sins ; and herein is love, that we then got peace, and God dwells in us ; and this is power, and we will have boldness in the day of judgment, because as He is, so are we in this world. You will find in Heb. ii. 18, that Christ is able to succor them that are tempted; and in Rom. xiv. 4, that He is " able to make us stand." Daniel, Mioses, Elijah, were made able to stand. Remember that word "able." Keb. vii. 25, "Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make inter- cession for them." " He is alle to make all grace abound toward you" (2 Cor. ix. 8) and able to help you to work for Him ; and "He is able to keep that 446 nsr THE FURNACE. which we have committed to Him against that day" (2 Tim. i. 12). What gives us confidence in the Bank of England ? Because it is able to pay every demand made upon it. What gives us confidence in a certain line of steamers ? Because they have never lost a single passenger; they have a reputation for safety, and we commit ourselves to them with all confidence ; and our life is surely safe when " our life is hid with Christ in God." Be strong in faith, for what God has promised He is able to perform (Rom. iv. 20). We may have the most perfect confidence in the God who has promised. The three men in Babylon who were threatened with the fiery furnace would not bow down to the idol, but said, with all confident bold- ness, " Our God, whom we serve, is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace ; and He will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image thou hast set up" (Dan. iii. 17, 18). They were cast into the furnace ; but one like the Son of God walked with them, and they came forth unhurt " from the midst of the fire." And so will we come forth from every trial, for our FAREWELL TO CHRIST. 447 God is able to deliver us. He numbers the hairs of our head ; no one cares for us so. When Joseph was ill-treated and sold into Egypt, it is said, " God was with him ; " and He delivered him marvelously. Trust in God, like Paul, who says, " Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver ; in whom we trust that He will yet deliver us " (2 Cor. i. 10). Bear in mind that God never leaves you, and that if you ever get away from Him it is because you have left Him. And if ever you do leave Jesus to go back to the world, do with Him as you would when going to leave any earthly friend. Go into your closet and say, " Lord Jesus, I am about to leave Thee, and go back to the world. I thank Thee for all Thy kindness, and for the joy I have had since I knew Thee ; and now, as I do not mean to come to Thee any more, I have come to say farewell." The bare idea of such a thing is intolerable. '*' He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think " (Eph. iii. 20) ; and " He is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy," (Jude 24). He is able to keep these young converts. The next time you and I all meet, we will he 448 A HERALD OF THE CROSS. before Hini, and that will be a glorious day, "pre- sented faultless before the presence of His glory." May God grant that that may be your end and mine ! "We need not fall if we put our trust in Him who is able to keep us from falling. I remember Mr. Sankey reading out of the papers the obituary of one who had been holding up Christ, and it ran thus : " He was a true herald of the cross / he died with the shout of victory on his lips and the trump of God in his hands." Let it be so written of us when we go hence. Live in loving fellowship with Jesus, treating Him as a personal friend, and He will never leave you nor forsake you. As long as we live we never shall forget these blessed happy days we have spent with you in Edin- burgh, and I hope we shall meet you all at the Lamb's right hand in the day when He makes up His jewels ; and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Amen. Peayee.* I suppose there has been no word on Christians' lips so frequently at this time as the word " Peatee," and there is not one in this hall who has not thought * Delivered at the noon prayer-meeting, Edinb., Jan. 6, 1874. PRAYER HEARD. 4i9 often, during the last forty-eight hours, of the impor- tance of prayer. During this week of prayer, they are a great many not only thinking about it, but talking about it. "When there is a special interest and awakening in the community on the subject of religion, then it is that a great many skeptics and infidels, and a great many mere nominal professors of Christianity — we will not judge them — begin talking against "prayer." They say, " The author of the world doesn't change His plans because of these prayers. The world goes right on. You cannot move God to change His mind or His doings." You hear this on every side. These young converts hear it. I have no doubt that many are staggered by it, and when you kneel down you say, " Is it a fact that God answers prayer ? Is there anything in it \ " I think it would do us good in the week of prayer to take the word "prayer," and run through the Bible tracing it out. Read about nothing else. I think you would be perfectly amazed if you took up the word "prayer," and counted the cases in the Bible where people are recorded as praying, and God answering their prayers. 452 HEZEKIAE'S CRY. derstanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ." He tells us to make our wants known ; to make our requests known to Him by prayer and supplication. It is right to come and make our requests known. He has told us to come and pray for the cod version of souls. It is said by many people that God does not do anything supernatural in answer to prayer ; that the God of nature moves right on and never changes His decrees. Read the first six verses of the 20th chapter of 2d Kings, and see — " In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death : and the prophet Isaiah, the son of Amoz, came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Set thine house in order ; for thou shalt die, and not live. Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the Lord, saying, I beseech Thee, O Lord, remember now how I have walked before Thee in truth, and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in Thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore. And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the Lord came to him, saying, Turn again, and tell Hezekiah, the captain of my people, Thus saith the Lord, the God of David, thy FOR CHRIST'S SAKE. 553 father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears, behold I will heal thee; on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the Lord, and I will add unto thy days fifteen years ; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the King of Assyria ; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake." Was not that a direct answer to prayer ? Hezekiah was only praying for his own life ; we are come together to pray for the life of others, and not their temporal but their eternal welfare. He was not praying for Christ's sake as we now do, but we can come to-day and ask God to save the souls of men for Christ's sake, not only for our sake, but for the sake of the beloved Son. He loves to honor that Son, and to see Christ honored. "We can come now and ask Him to save souls, that it might bring glory and honor to the Son of His bosom, and glory and honor to the Son He delights to honor. " I will," He says to Hezekiah, " defend the city for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake." That is only one instance. Look also at Daniel praying. It was his prayers that took the Jews back to Jerusalem. It was his prayers that turned Xebuchadnezzar to the God of 454 JEHOSHAPHAT. Israel, and brought Gabriel down from heaven to tell him he was greatly beloved. He had power with God. See also how God answered Jacob's prayers and Isaac's prayers. All through the Bible we have records of the answers to prayers. It would be ter- rible to think that God did not delight to answer prayer. Turn to the 20th chapter of 2d Chronicles. There we read that the Moabites, the Ammonites, and others coming against Jehoshaphat, he was afraid, " and set himself to seek the Lord," and that after- wards Judah " gathered themselves together to ask help of the Lord." That is what we want — to seek the Lord not only here in the public assembly, but alone. If you have got an unconverted friend, and are anxious that he should be saved, go and tell it privately to Jesus, and if a blessing does not come, like Jehoshaphat, spend a few days in fast- ing, and prayer, and humiliation. "If when evil cometh upon us, as the sword, judgment, pestilence, or famine, we stand before this bouse, and in Thy pres- ence (for Thy name is in this house), and cry unto Thee in our affliction, then Thou wilt hear and help." GOD SA VE SCOTLAND. 455 When I go into the streets, and see the terrible wickedness, and blasphemy, and drunkenness that is in them, it seems dark, but I look up and think that God can repel those dark waves of sin and iniquity. Let us pray that God will bless this land of Scotland, bless and save all the people in it. It would be a great thing for us, but very little for God. May God give us faith ! PRINTED BY LANGE, LITTLE & CO., NEW YORK. BOO« JT«"t \ 1 i