The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-03-30
The Hippodrome Convention.

The revival which Moody and SaDkey
have had in hand for the last few weeks cul-
inmates in the Convention which is now
being held in the Hippodrome. Ministers
of all denominations and from incredible
distances have come to the central fire,
hoping to carry back lighted torch with
which to ignite their several congregations.
The assembly is certainly unique for more
than one reason. In the first place, sectarian
methods are laid aside and the common
Christian belief is made prominent. Views
are freely exchanged on such important
questions as, How the outlying masses, who
hear the church bell but do not heed it, may
be reached? how clergymen can make their
pulpit ministrations more effective? how
Sunday schools, prayer meetings and inquiry
rooms can be made more serviceable? and, in
a word. how vast deal of monotonous re-
ligious routine can be got rid of and more
modern and efficient machinery substituted?
All the journals of the day have treated this
Convention, as q component part of the re-
vival movement, with large and generous
courtesy, because religious effort, when it
public interest. When the end of preacher
is to make Episcopalians, or Methodists
or Congregationalists, the work is more
or less partisan, and in proportion to its
partisan character is the subsistence of
journalistic commentator. When, how
ever, all preachers come together, leaving
their UNCONVENTIONAL eccentricities behind
Al II. L.
devise some means of putting religion within
the reach of all classes, then the movement
commands the good wishes of every right
minded man.
In the second place, the Convention is
unique because of the character of its
this kind is headed by the prominent
scholars and the most eloquent orators of
the day. At the Hippodrome, however, the
gray haired and honored clergy, the profound
and venerated d. d. and the popular orator
with his constituency of thousands all sit
at the feet of layman, who is sublimely and
sweetly Indifferent to the ordinary rules of
grammatical speech and learn from his
strong common sense what the theological
seminaries have never taught. Mr.. Moody's
mighty earnestness and his vast experience
in dealing with the doubtful, the Indifferent
and the evil minded seem to be worth more
than whole libraries in the practical work of
the ministry.
We have watched this whole movement
from the beginning and come to the con-
clusion that the clergy will be benefited by
it as much as any other class. The pulpit
tends to the clouds 1t scars too frequently
and lights too seldom. 1t teaches religious
truth in terms too technical and uses rhet-
ORIG that astonishes when it fails to in
struct. 1t has too much of the lofty ambi-
ton of the eagle and too little of the humility
of the ground bird Mr. Moody never gets
up very high, but his flights are so encourag-
ing to the masses that they seem half in
clined to try their own wings. The object
of preaching is not so much to show how
we'll the minister can fly as to teach the
people that they also have wings.
Though by no means beyond the reach of
honest criticism it must be confessed OF tho
erangelists that they have created a great
demand for the Bible and set the whoie
community thinking about religious matters.
They have revived pulpit pew and people,
and deserve the hearty sympathy of all for
the singleness of their purpose and the
honesty and fervency of their zeal.