, 1877-01-14
Henry Ward Beecher's: Comparison
Of Commodore Vanderbilt
and P. P. Bliss.
A Jewish Estimate Of Daniel De-
ronda.--The Last Words of
Christ.
Notes and Personals at Home and
Acknowledgement Services
To-Day.


AN OPEN LITTER
D. L. Moody, Esg.-MT DEAR BROTHER: 1t
is well known to some who are associated with
rou in your Guspe1-mcctjn~s that you have had
very largely my sy,npathes in your religious
work from the very first. And when learned
taat you were to begin q series OF services in
this city, did not Lesltate to say that was
c1ad you were coming, and that wished YOU
Success. Even wlcu subsequently it became ap-
rayert that portion OF the Christian commune
n was to be shut out from active participation
in thesc meetings, and that these meetings
were to be union' only so far as they included
the eo-callcd evangelical denomina-
tious, | did not Withdraw Elv interest
in them, nor cease to hope that they might be
produc:iyc Of much good. However might
dissv,< %.oul your general policy, was deter
mined :r. there should be no uncharitablcness
in an,t,4.... might do or say In reference to
yopr work, and no organized hindrance to it on
tne part OF those differing from you, so far as
my example and advice might go.
The series Of meetings under your direction
IN this city Is HOW ABOUT terminating,
and you are soon to leave this locality
to commence a sirnilar work in Boston.
As an outside portcr.' one who has known
something Of you during the most Of 1is seven
,evn years residence in this CITY, and who sim
ce1ciy desires to recognize the good in any form
u Christian work, aud do justice to all conse~
Grated servants OF Christ OF every name, have
thought it possible that III unrcseEved state
meut Of the impression which your Gospel meet
iugs hate made upon my mind might be OF
syryiee TO the cause OF relision possibly Of ben
eft to you. rs we'll as just to myself.
OF your meetings, regarded merely as assem-
blascs Of the people but little need be said. The
newspapers have told the story, and told it well.
Numerically. the meetings have been great
succets, aud it must have made your heart glow
many time to look into the faces OF such
multitude Ut people. s...
As talker, your success has bcen almost rs
pronounced as your audiences. Your sermons
and addresses hare been always forcible, galler-
aly interesting, and frequently admirable Few
men, in the same space OF time, could say as
much without uttering more injudicious and
foolish things.
OF the permanent results OF your labors
this is not thu time to express an opinion.
Many have been converted; more have
fecn convicted, more still encouraged
to lead better life. For every soul won to
Christ, or that has received even encouragement
10 walk III the right way, atn personally
thankful.
And now, my brother, with the same frank
ness that have commended your fidelity and
recognized your usefulness, shall proceed to
specify certain phases of your work from which
am compelled to dissent, and which believe
a.c needless obstacles in the way Of your use
fullness.
rour Gospel meetings have done good,
ba. thcy have also done harm. The
Many persons hare been helped, but
some hare been hindercd; while others have
lsd their faccs turned away altogether from
religious things. grant you no plan is per-
iet, ard tue best Of schemes may operate un-
tlvoFaby in some directions; but if the excep-
tious to the utility OF the rule arc numerous
The presumption is that the rule is at fault. A
plan Of work that will save thousand OF the
number members Of Society, and disaIect an
hunarc.. Of the more thoughtful, ruling classes,
Is lscesta:nly open to critcism1 for, in the end,
tht hundred will influence more than the thou
sand, and thus largely couuteract the good
do1e.
Ny brother, you have been very free to ex-
pftss your opinion Of other peoples bellets ana
methods Of work. Acting on tue rule ~ wi,lch ns!
you yourself arc governed, shall without hes1-
tanry specify three particulars made prominent
IN Your meetings in this city, which think are
oocn to objection. and have lesscned your use
1ulness.
F1rs-l believe you made mistake In plan.
ming Your meetings By excluding the so-cal!co
non-evangc1ical sets from official participation
IN them: Had tie call to organize these meet
M ines been extended to all Christian
CHURCHES willing to cooperate in a Sc
1les Of Gospel meetings under
!olr leadership, you would have secured mucf
Wider support, won the taror by your cathoiicty
o1 constituency which your scctar1an posltlon
somewhat alenatel. and presented to the com
m1unity united and cooperating Chr1stiat
Gaurch that would have been IN honor to the
tn1lst'an profession, and the herald OF bc1tcl
Time Such spectacle would have touched tht
hearts OF hundreds whom you now can never
reach The revival has been sucncsstul; nut II
might have been more successful and mort
widely useful.
Let me suggest to yo11, my brother, that II
comme nc:n- yorr meetings in Boston you "aoei
Four Invitation to the churches so as to include
tnem all With NO propricry can you ignore, II
!oar religious work III that city. such men 2:
3ae tser. Edward ETcret1 Hale, Dr. Alonzo 4
Ainer, the Rev. DR.. Worcester, etc..-nen o.
long devotion to the cause OF Christ. and o1 con
eplcdous prominence in almost every branch o.
reform. Il, on account OF any peculiar ideas O
se1gs, you cannot work with such men as they
Win what pFopriety can you talk about unlo1
u all Christians, Willie you thus dcl!oeratei3
aud purposely exclude from official participation
h5our Gospelmectlncs very large anu prom
neal portion OF the best Christian Lie IN bos
ten!
Seond-The second criticism 1 make upor
tour labors here is your persistent efforts te
SHOW tie worthless,less Of morality as All e1e
msnt in the souls salvation. Aud you em
pnasl.e this idea SO repeatedly, and go e1nphat'
t01tE declare that man cen do notta1.- Niiit
eeser toward saving himself, and that the NOR
ne t12cs tn do so the further he is from tho re
sun, that you seem IN nc Tot only to under
3a1e tifc value OF morality as factor In human
He, but actually discourage effort to obtain it.
our purpose is clear enough You wist
70 hare it appear that Christ is tht
~; That one drop OF His sacra1icla
1lood vii save the soul from the companion
snip OF cerils, and that nothing else will. but
~ Jour S2sl to do that you arc led into cc:1a1I
serious errors. You maize the blood OF Christ