The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-08-16
An Analysis Of Their Pc
culiar Methods.
WHY THEY ARE SUCCESSFUL.
What the Clergymen Of New York
Think of Them.
THEY MUST DO GOOD.

old, have almost turned the world upside down, has
created little stir in the community Not alone
the religious people Of New York and OF the United
States interested in them but the general public is
anxious TO and to hear the two who have
aroused the stagnant and formal religion that was
Spreading itself not only Europe but America
also 1t is true that both sides Of the Atlantic the
English speaking peoples have ever had a certain de-
gree of reverence and respect for religion but never
during the century has there been such religious
awakening and springng from such apparently made
quate that under Messrs. Moody and sankey
Comparatively Insignificant in the United States, and
almost wholly unknown in Great Britain, they went
forth TO that land Of steady habits and there has not
been seen such a shaking among the dry bones there
since the days Of Wesley and Whitfield And yet these
men went there unheralded Very few, save their most
Intimate friends this side knew anything about their
departure when they len these shores over two years
ago And when they landed on British soil they were
unknown unhonored and unsung But every
movement they mako is matter OF interest 10 two
tinents every word they almost will be read
the ends OF the earth What has produced this result?
These just modest and unselAsh to-day as
they have been, and they probably
pions to-day than they were two years ago.
Success, we say, has gwen them this prestige But
wHAT GAVE TRIM SUCCESS?
Not eloquence certainly. For probably a cruder and
less sentimental less polished preacher does live
to-day L. Moody Not high culture and deep learn
ing he has been the student ofbut book
mariculated in any of colleges Not high sounding
titles which give fictitious value who Of little
worth with or without them for he has had mono of
them Not the singing Of Mr.. sankey, who accompanies
Mr. Moody; for the latter had of be-
fore he became associated with his friend and sankey
had about the same measure OF success Of
q local sort before he joined with Moody.
We must look, then, elsewhere for the
source Of their wonderful power and success. Both
men possessed of vigorous constitution and
capable of much physical endurance; and this is
clement and important one in the success Of most
ministers Though there and have been many
preachers of great bulk but of little power and there
have been and there still among of fine in
telec but Of feeble body muscle does not always in
dictate mind and is at best but very poor indicator
Substitute for it, Their nationality element in
their success on the other side of the Atlantic The
fact that they Americans insured them hearing
and measure Of respect from the masses Of the
British and Irish peoples This factor Of course viii
drop out of any degree Of that may hereafter
attend their ministry this side. The general
spect for the Sabbath and the Church which prevails in
England helped them greatly also. We in America
In certain sense less respectful this regard
more democratic than the English Our ideas are
more modified by the Cosmopolitan character Of our
people than theirs Not that would violently
assa the Church seek to overthrow the buwars OF
morality; but we travel on each in his own way and
let the Church attend her bust
ness and attend ours That Is the
Kind OF spirit and sentiment that prevails among
There is probably not place of all this
land where such an could have taken place as
that reported 70 have occurred in Liverpool Manches
ter where when couple Of actors stepped TO the foot
lights and one addressing his fellow remarked that he
felt Moody tonight and the answered that he too
felt Sankey monious the entire audience would have
Missed and the rough fellows the gallery would strike up
SANKEY'S SONG
Hold the fort for I coming, &c
the English audience did while the actors cowed and
abashed retired behind the scenes. This deep and
general respect fer religion the English an
other element Of eyangeiss success in the British
Isles
The novelty of Mr. Moody's American accent and
familiar way Of enforcing religious truth his ransa-
ton OF Bible narratives into the vernacuar Of the nine
teenth century; his vivid Imagination for details max
ing the familiar stories as real as the events
of modern daily life and his stock OF fresh effectively
told anecdotes together with the entirely peculiar
feature Of Mr. Sankey's singing urged as sufficient
explanations Of the of evangelists But
while these points have doubtless contributed much to
bold which the services have taken upon people Of
grades for the unwcaryng eagerness with which they
have been followed and for the continued attendance
for weeks of the same persons many OF them OF the
most cultivated class Mr. Moody and Mr. Sankey
have, however frequently said IN public that meet
ings like theirs could not reach the very lowest
classes directly. Ne persuasion could induce
them TO come IN large numbers II they were TO feel
the influence it must DO through the patient personal
efforts Of those who should find in the meetings slim
illus 60 and them in their wretched homes. Some
portion OF English and American writer's upon this
movement have held that il was a mushroom growth
coming up out Of the rank soil Of ignorance and super
stton, which time would soon deposit with the for
gotten things of the past But it still lives. And in
all those places in England where
AMERICAN BvANGELTsTs
have abored and where buildings have been specially
banded together, are continuing the work The
who attend them are not moved simply by curiosity
ignorance else why do they continue 70 GOT These
qualities Of mind would soon saate Sound minds do
not feed on husks
If as it is said some Of their converts do not stay
converted the same holds true OF portion Of all
vers and not only Of the excited followers Of revival
meetings but also Of the calm and cultivated hearers Of
conservative and careful preachers The simple facts
are astounding. So many hundreds Of thousands OF
hearers 900 hearers IL is said In four months In
London and 275 meetings-aI this by plain UMPIRE
fending preacher with the help Of single assistant as
singer In M human aspects these facts are unsurpassed
In modern history To musical people Sankey's per-
and choirs Of England this Yankee minstrel sings more
people together and holds them together than any Of
tnO-e, ana II theFe 70 90 music OF the lutuIe why
exclude from II the simple eOqucnce Of the human voice
in devout song and The human heart in answer 70 that
songY
But the great and real OF their not
touched at all by these suggestions Fine physical
situations ony eoquence culture ttular theology the
ordinary respect Of preachers hearers for religion,
mans nationality or his. crude methods Of presenting
the truths Of the Gospel merely-these have never
opened pockets and hearts the time these have
saved human souls the thousands and gathered
hearers Of the Gospel by the million.
or SUCCESS
and the source Of power be sought elsewhere
Aud find IL in the remarkable intimacy Of the Two
evangeliss with their Redeemer and God in their firm
faith Ia His personal presence at all times their re
gous assemblies IN the simplicity Of their message OF
salvation and In the fact that they we're aymen Tins
last NAV be considered Of much account in the sum-
ming up Of the evidence, but II has much greater
weight with the than ia generally sup
posed. A supersttous reverence for the priest
aud the minister still cllngs 70 many persons With
their white neckclohs and their ecclesiastical attire
and their usually stiff sacerdotal manner which seems
.tIc Ifrnt ~ n. O.