Morning journal and courier., 1880-09-07

A Letter from a New Haven Visitor. NoRrHF1E1D, Mass, Sept. 4, 1880. To the Editor of the JOURNAL AND COURIER:
 The convention for prayer called by D. |. Moody to meet in this beautiful village is well started, with large attendance of peo- pie from all parts of the world. Northfeld itself is struggling village of about 2,0O0 people among the hills of northern Massa- chusetts, on the Connecticut river, just at the junction of Vermont and New Hampshire. I It is delightful spot to spend short vsca- | tion, or @ long one either for that matter. AS I sit by my tent (for the crowd is so great that some of us have taken to tents) on the 1 hill top directly back of MT. Moody's house the scene that stretches out before me is most beautiful Hill and valley and mountain, in light and shadow, with the Connecticut river winding in and out like fringe of silver, unite to form picture that is weH-n1gh ln- describable.
 ReligiousIy, Northfeld is stronghold of the Unitarians, and has been such, MT. Moody says, for 8 hundred years, more or less. The only two churches are Congrega- tional and Unitarian. When MT. Moody re- turned from England few years since near ly all of his relations were members of the
 Unitarian church, and although he has been 8Dl0 LO VIII ulO6b UT tA1 O1 bAou4 HUH bAS Unitarian ranks to a belief in the divinity of Christ he has never been able to get hold of the people of the village. While New York, Chi cago, Boston and most of the large cities of Scotland, England and America have yielded
 before the power that sways his life, his na- tive town remains unconquered. And not withstanding the fame and money, through his school and the constant coming of visit ors, he has brought to it. there are many of it's people who certainly do not love him, but who rather seem perfectly willing to prove the truth of the Scripture 'tNo prophet Is accepted in his own country" This matter seems to lie close upon Mr. Moody's heart, and he neglects no opportunity to get 8 Christians revenge andsdo honor tofthe place of his birth and bring the gospel to the doors of his fellow townsmen. Probably in no place in the world to-day are more prayers going up to heaven in the name of Christ than right here in the houses and halls and on the hills of Northfeld. It seems as if God was going to right matters and make up in some measure for the lack of honor shown here to His Son for the past 100 years.
 As to the meeting, while those regularly appointed are at 6. m. and and p. m., there seems to be constant prayer meeting going on from early morn till Il o'clock at night. The ladies, of whom there are large number present, hold separate meetings ex- cept at and D. m. in the new Seminary building in which they lodge and with nearly all the delegates take their meals. The men hold meetings in their rooms under the tents and trees or on the hill tops, so that often one may see several groups kpeel- ing and praying in different localities at the same time. The direction of the meetings seems to be left almost wholly to the spirit of the time, with the general subject of the need of sef-consecration and the Holy Spirit. Thus far there has been almost constant con fession of sin and an absorbing desire to get right before God and man. And some of the scenes in the meetings in connection with this have been most stirring. Strong men have cried like children. Mir. Pentecost, for instance, broke down yesterday morning and almost had to stop speaking, and after he sat down MT. Moody tried to pray and could only utter half dozen words. The meetings are increasing inpower and you may hear strange news from Northfield before next Fri day. The delegates are Q fine look ing and most agreeable class of people. Every one seems to try to make it pleasant for his neighbor, and MT. Moody especially, most of all, in season and out of season, la bors for the bodily and spiritual welfare of his friends. Among those present is Ben. Hogan, the converted prize fighter of New
 York. This morning, just after the morning prayer meeting had broken up, he was stand ing in conversation with another converted sporting man, John Currie of Montreal
 Talking of an effort he had made some time since to get Joe Goss and George Rourke to give up prize fighting and become Christians, he said he thought that they would both be converted some day. Currie suggested that they pray for them, and down on their knees
 on the hillside they all fell, and one of the most touching things Lever listened to was the prayers of those ten men for these prize fighters. There was scarcely Q dry eye among those present when Hogan, with tears and sobs, prayed, "Oh, Father, convert them; You did me! Oh, Father, do do help them!"
 Hogan is wonderful fellow about forty years of age. He could not read when he
 was converted, there years ago. He has since learned to read, and now is having a marvelousEnfuence over his old companions,
 who flock to hear him in cities wherever he goes to speak. He is coming to New Hay en for day or two after these meetings close, and if any one really doubts the power of Christ to change a man they should hear his experience. J.C