Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-06-12
NO. 1873.
MOODY.
HIS SERMON AT LAKE FOREST WEDNESDAY
NIGHT.


Mr.. Moody emerged from his seclusion
ruddy and in perfect health. The rustica-
ton has done him good. Every gesture
testfies to recuperated functions and per-
feet nervous exaltation. During his visit
here he has sedulously avoided social con-
tact, except with immediate friends. Open
air exercises and perfect quiet have been
his chief amusements, and he appeared
tonight before from 1000 to l 200 people
reinvigorated and we'll prepared for work.
The services were held in the Presbyterian
church, that ordinarily seats congrega-
ton of 600. Tonight it was jammed from
the pulpit to the vestibule. The aisles
were filled with chairs, and back of the
seats the standing-room was thronged.
Lake Forest is town of country houses
a fashionable residence retreat for the
wealthier few who do business in town
and seek fresh air for the night and morn
ing-a brilliant population surrounded by
every luxury and all that taste can sug-
gest, and so the congregation was bril-
liant one, and would have done more than
honor to the most fashionable of Chicago's
churches.
Sankey's sickness prevented his attend
ance, and H. Thane Miller. the celebrated
Cincinnati singer, took his place. The
exercises were opened by MIR. Sabin, who
led in the hymn, "Come thou fount of
every blessing" The Rev. Mr.. McCorkle
pastor of the church, followed in prayer,
and, after another hymn, Mr.. Moody was
introduced.
Mr. Moody and his sermon. Tall, we'll
made, full beard and moustache, q bunch
of batteries, all magnetism-that fully
describes him. His text was "Grace,"
taken from the whole Bible, and illustrat-
ed by a score of passages taken at ran
dom through the discourse. His theme
was the freedom of the gift of grace,
word of which not one man or woman in
a million know the definition, but which
is grant by the Almighty to the most un-
worthy. If the meaning of the term were
understood, not human being would 60
out into the world unconverted. It Is use-
less to talk of unworthiness. The more
unworthy the better entitled to grace.
This was the score Of the sermon. The
illustrations were sparkling. From the
opening, the interest was enlisted. Quaint.
odd, original expressions flowed from his
lips. Speaking of Christ, his tone and
manner were those of men relating good
anecdotes of boon companions for whose
deeds they entertain the highest respect.
In working up to a point his method is
that of playwright. The object develops
slowly until the climax is reached and the
audience is thrilled with the consciousness
of the application. "You have fought
God," said he-"fought Him well. Let
your hearts tell me who has won." The
audience were still as death till the
question came, and then came the MUIR
mur of voices and the singing Of convic-
ton. In his accent he is decidedly Yam
kee; in his gestures he is as graceful as
an Indian. His voice is sometimes round
as the thunder, and sometimes as dead
and numb as fading echo. He traced
grace to the heart OF God through the
desert of humanity. The Father had sent
the Son to earth to teach the way and the
life, and because He was tramped upon,
the stream of grace was sent in bolder
floods than had streamed down before.
Staying to pray. Most of the crowd
had been attracted by curiosity, but curl
osity died in the interest awakened. as the
speaker painted the offering of God to
grovelling man, and the spurning of the
gift. the wide reputation of the evan
gelist and his words had won congre-
CATION for him, but, as men forget the
head that vouchsafed the oracles, so the
assemblage forgot tho evangelist in the
burning torrent of alternate vituperation
and prayer. pathos and denunciation.
A sample-''If man is lost, it will not
be for Adams sin, but through his own
refusal to accept the balm offered his
guilty soul. may have hereditary con.
sumption, as you have hereditary sin. but;
il l fail to put faith in a guaranteed REM
edy die as you die. II you refuse the
offering of the spirit. the outpouring of
grace. for you measure God by your own
rule. If you want money and can get
an indorser, the banks will give you
three days grace. Is that grace? They
charge you interest for the grace, when
grace means gilt of principal. interest.
and all; and will you refuse this Offering!
God Almighty gave to the Jews the sweet
est garden spot on earth. He beautitied
it beyond mans best desire. That is
not enough, said God. Il will send
steward to double the attractions" He
sent His Son and the Jews killed him.
We have enough said they. and we
want no more Their garden is now
waste place,-a blot on rth,-and their
race is looking for resting-spot. But
they killed Christ. Did they kill grace ?
No; it sweled the heart of God. and dare
ye refuse the offering of that bursting
heart that says whomsoever will take shall
haveP"
Moody's pauses are as impressive as
his sentences. His delivery is rapid, and
the words come rolling over each other
sometimes almost in inextricable cOnfus-
ion, but now and then he hurles male
diction at sin or sweet invocation to
the wounded heart. and thrill follows as
he concludes the one with sudden cast
of the hand, and the other with low.
whispered prayer. He is perfect master
of his voice, and his ideas are enthroned
in his gestures.
His power lies mainly in his penetration
into the fears or the emotions, and per-
feet mastery of the art of SD playing the
one against the other. and combining both
IN tho nuicl q nj in ~ of tho hlon.t nd the AZ.