Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1877-03-02
BOsTON's IMPREsSTON OF MOODY.
ne Talks Like an AuetIoneer,- Is q
Great Man. and Even RemInds one
of Jim Fisk.


ne Talks Like an -AuetIoneer.- Il
Great Man. and Even Reminds One
of Jim Fisk.
The Moody and Sankey revival
continues to occupy the Boston
mind, though not so exclusively as
it did last week. 1t has even suffer
ed little from not being sufficiently
attacked and scoffed at. IF the
newspapers and the liberal pulpits
had quarreled with it, or laughed at
it more vehemently, the public de-
sire to hear and see as much of it as
possible would have been stimulated
more than it is by the common cho-
rus of praise with which the Yankee
evangelists were at first received.
Objecting and soothing have begun
this week, however, and, if they are
properly kept up, it will be a real
help to Moody and his companions.
The Unitarian and Universalist min
listers took to preaching about them
last Sunday, and some very good
things were said. James Freeman
Clarke intimated that what was best
in Moody is due to his Unitarian
bringing up,-that his religion, !, be-
ing composed In about equal parts
of good works and a warm interest
in Jesus, was very like old-fashioned
Unitarianism. Never, indeed, was
famous preacher less of a theolo-
gisn than Moody, or less an orator.
He talks to his thousands in the
plainest business-hke way, remind
ing one of seriously disposed suc-
tiOneer, while even his prayers sound
like orders for goods sent by tele-
graph to the kingdom of heaven.
His strength lies in the common
sense and popular philanthrophy at
the bottom of all that he says. He
calls for an active virtue, not too
fastidioqs are sanctifed, but ready
to put on a ''business suit" and 90
on the street, or anywhere else, at
moments notice. OF the shouting
and convulsive way of conversation
he seems to know little. Personally
be is fat, round-shouldered Chris
tian, who combines in himself the al
ternatives allotted by Lowell to the
children of the pedant-
Who fulfilling in turn the same fearful con-
Either preach through theirnOsesOr go upon
missions.
Mr.. Moody does both-he is nasal
and he is a missionary-sn earnest
and a successful one, as | believe
but nasal and Yankee beyond all
doubt. He utters "aour," ''theous-
an" 'peower," 'jest," and other
Yankee shibboleths without hesita-
ton or concern. Opening his Bible,
he says, "Let me Jest call yer ten
ton to this passage, and he clips
his words where the western Masss-
chusetts man has been accustomed
to clip them. Something in his air
made Inc think of Jim Fisk, but he
more resembles, in figure and man
ner, the late John King, of Spring
field; and he has not little of Mr.,
Kings good sense and obvious kind
illness of heart. He does not pro-
woke men to opposition, any more
than he wins them by eloquenoe, and
this also is one secret of his power.
His friend Sankey is a very different
person,-more finely organized, with
a musical and sentimental nature,
but not leader, and falling natur-
ally into the secondary place which
is given him in the meetings. His
singing is more remarkable than
Moody's preaching, but whether it
accompishes any more, in the end, /
doubt. The choral singing is less
impressive than | supposed it would
be, though the ehoirs are large and
well drilled. An increasing number
of women are visible in the auds
ences, this week, and the whole at
tendance has constantly increased
The Tabernacle, where the largest
meetings are held, is seldom crowded
in the daytime, though it has been
overaowed in the evening. IL Is a
very plain building, with nothing
glaring about its external fitting up
and Communication. 1t is also easy
TO hear in, and few of the six thous-
and listeners need to miss a word Of
the preaching, wherever they may
sit in the big hall. Phillips Brooks,
whose own new church is to be con-
secrated on Friday, is . frequent at
tendant at the Tabernacle, and ad-
7ises his people to 60.
Cor. Springfield Rspss5licGn.