Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-10-31
GOSPEL HYMNS-sANKEY AND
Moody

Whatever the differences Of faith
nay. whether We have faith OF move
| must concede the great, good work Of
Moody and Ssnkey, just now engaged
IN the evangelizstion of New York,
| With them, IS with Whittle and Bliss,
| who did so much coed here in Mem
phis few months ago, they labor
| through the effective power of earnest
prayer, and appeal 10 the inner conscious
ness Of their hearers. The church al
large, ss We showed on Thursday by the
testimony OF certain New York MethO-
dist ministers, has fallen away so far
from the means used and the plans laid
down by Christ, that the people hail
with the eageTness always characters
tic Of them any movement that looks to
a return by the church to pure and
simple gospel ways, Mr.. Moody, like
Mr.. Whittle, dsvotes himself to a
straightforward statement. and
picture Of the effects OF evil
doing, and next draws in equally
f}deless cOlor5 the peace passing all
show which follows upon an exemplary
christian life. Using plain, vigorous,
hOmely language, he is able to reach the
heart Of the masses, and TO penetrate the
moral darkness for which the churches
sre largely responsible, Illuminating
for joyfDI recognition the path which all
ought TO tread. Thus preaching, he has
I been and will continue to be successful
ia making converts to the one system
which, above ali others, embodies the
wisdom Of all the ages and ssges. he is
| working wonders because he closely i'm
itates the Christ he serves in esrnestness
of spirit and simplicity Of means to an
end. He has no eXtTsneOus helps such
as for instance surround Beecher, snd
for musical relief relies solely upon the
| sacred songs which Bliss so beautifully
iuterureted here and Saukey in Eng
land 50 well IS America. We have be-
fore US q copy OF these Gospel Hymns
and msst confess they appear to us a.
most an inspiration, Superior IN poetic
1 merit % most hymnals, they are also
| superior IN the taste which has dictsted
| the selections or the aITs % Which lDe
hymns are welded. Sung by a supe-
rior singer, by man whose
training and culture are equal to any OF
| the concert singers Of the hour, these
songs reach the people, searching the
profoundest depths Of their hearts, soft
ening and preparing them for the pow
erful appeals Of the great reVivslist. The
! power OF music was never better exem-
plified than by Bliss and Sankey, nor,
in our opinion, can it be put to better
service than that to which they have In
the volume before US applied it. Read
ers Of the APPEAL who can recall the
wonderful effects produced by any Of the
bsIlad.singers who have visited Mem
phis the past twenty years-or, better,
remember NilssOn's rendering Of the
Old Folks at ROmc-will be able to ap-
preeiate the power of these gospel
hymns IS they are sung by Mr.. Bliss,
with his clear articulation and forceful
aecentuation of those passages which
with q skilIful declaimer would be most
marked. Song thus delivered becomes
the most moving of all causes, but gos'
/ pei song especially so. We are not sur
prised, then, at the success OF Moody
and Sankey in New York, combining,
IS they do, simplicity in song service
with simplicity in appeal and illustrs-
ton. Working with such weapons they
deserve success, an / have it.