The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1875-11-05

that Mr.. Moody has done q marvel
Gus work il Great Britain. There
is q great deal of curiosity here to
know exactly what it was, and how
it was done. The remarkable thing
about il seems to be that there was
no remarkable thing about it, save
in its results. Not q reViyalist, but
al evangelist: not 3 stirrer up OF
excitement, but calm preacher OF
Jesus Christ, Mr.. Moody went to
the British people, and talked in his
earnest, homely way upon those
truths which he deemed essential to
their spiritual welfare, in this world
and the next. Men went to hear
him not only by thousands, but By
tens of thousands. Not ouly the
common people "heard him gladly,
but very uncommon people-prime
ministers, earle, duchesses, members
of Parliament, doctors of the law,
doctors Of divinity, and clergymen
by the hundred. ALI testified to
the power of his preaching. The
doubteFs were convinced, the wick
ed were converted, weary teachers
of religion were filled with fresh
courage and hopefulness, and there
was q great turning of thoughts and
hearts Godward. Mr.. TyndaIl and
Mr.. Huxley and Mr.. Herbert Spen
Ger were not vesy much In mems
minds while Mr.. Moody was
around. One thing was very GER
tain, viz. the people wanted some
thing that Mr.. Moody had to bestOw
and they "Went for il"
Since the return of Mr.. Moody to
America, with his companion, Mr..
Sanky, the interVlewers have ascer-
tanned from both of those gentlemen
that the work they have seemed to
do has not been done by them at all.
but by the Spirit of the Almighty.
1t looks like it, we confess. Either
the truth which Mr.. Moody preach
ed was wonderfully needed, and
wonderfully adapted to human
want; either the multitudes were
starving for the bread of their souls
life, or there was some force above
Mr.. MOody's modest means which
must be held accountable for the
stupendous results. This is a scien-
tific age. England is q scientific
country. The great lights of science
now engaged in uprooting the pop
ular faith in Christianity live there.
Sir Henry Thompson and the pray
er-gauge originated there. Here Is
q nut for them to crack. Was there
enough in Mr.. MoodY's eloquence,
or personal influence, to account for
the effect produced2 Would it not
be very unscientific to regard these
little means sufficient to account fol
these regards? 1t is fair question
and it deserves a candid answer
Until we get this answer. people
who have nothing but common
sense to guide them must reposG
upon the conviction that the pow.
er which Mr. Moody seemed &c
wield was in the truth he promGl
gated, or that it emauated from &
source which he recognized as iht
Spirit of God.
But not alone have the scieutistI
received lesson from the wonder
full results of Mr.. Moody's simpl,
preaching. The Christian ministry
all over the world, have found
instruction in it which ough
to last them during thei
lifetime. AS nearly as we can as
certain by reading the reports, Mr.
Moody has not paid very much at
tention to the preaching of judaism
Involving a theism and q system
of doctrine which Christ came t,
set aside and supercede. He has no
paid very much attention to Ok
Testament theology, in short. Pau
hnf ho u H.
anything but Jesus Christ, and W,
are inclined TO think that Mr.. Mood,
descent know ANYTHING but Jesu
Christ. 1t is a fortunate ignoranc
for him, and for the word. Gu
preachers, as a rule, know so many
things besides the Master; the,
have wrought up such a complicat
ed sch me, based GU a Thousand
other things besides Jesus Christ
that they confess they don't under
stand il themselves The man " hi
offered pair of SIX tea to the boz
who would learn II!c catechism, ant
a fOur-stOry house, with n b -OWi
stone front, if he could understand
it, risked nothing eyOnd the fancv
hardware and yet we are assured
that the path OF life is so plain, tina
q wayfaring man, though a fool
need not err therein. And, con
sidering the fact that Christ is tn
veritab Z Word of GOd"-that h,
is, in hi use'f alone, "the Way, M
Truth aud The Life" aud consider
ing also the use that has been mad
of the Bible in compiicating ant
loading down his simple religion
with the theological inventions o
men, it may legitimately be ques
toned whether the progress o
Christianity has not been hinderet
by our possession of ali the sacred
books outside of the evangelical
histories.
At any rate, we see what has com
to Mr.. Moody from preaching with
out much learning, without mucl
theology, and without much com
plicated machinery, the truth as j
is in Jesus Christ. A salvation ant
q cure he has somehow and some
where found in the life, death, ant
teachings of this wonderful histori
cal parsonage. For the simple story
of this parsonage, he has found
more listeners than could count hi
Words-attentive, breathless, hungry
thirsty, believing. They have flock
ed to the refuge he has opened 70
them like doves to their windows
He has helped to start tens of thous
ands in the true way of life. III,
has done well not to be proud of hi
work. He has done well to refus,
the wealth they were ready to be
stow upon him. In this he has ex
empiified the religion of his Master
and shown just appI ecistion of tn
real sources Of the power which b
has been enabled to exert.
Against such demonstrations O
the power OF Christ and Christian
ity as are afforded by the Londol
meetings, infidelity can make n
headway. They prove that MAJ
wants religion, and that when b
finds what he wants, in its purit,
and simplicity, he will get it. The,
prove that Christianity only need
to be preached in purity and sim
plicity to win the triumphs 70
which the Church has looked an
prayed so long. The cure for tn
moral evils of the world is just q
demonstrably in the Christian re
ligiOn as the elements of vegetabl
lite are in the soil. Penitence, for
giveness, reformation, the substitu
ton of love for selfshness as th
governing principle. of life, piet
toward God, and goodwill to me
lin short the adoption of Christ a