The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1883-10-14
EVANGELIST MOODY.
A Prominent Minister Gives an
Analysis of the Noted
Revivalist-

IChicago Times-1
prominent divine and an intimate per
sonal friend of Mr.. Moody contributes the
following interesting sketch of the distin-
guished evangelist: Mr.. Moody. the chief
speaker in the late convention, is a Chicago
production. In his physique thoroughly
healthy and nervous; eager and pronounced
In opinion, and withal possessed Of alarge
amount of good mother wit, he is bound
to carry through anything which he under
takes. Twenty-three years ago the writer
knew him as a ''worker' on the north
side, and indeed all over the city.
Then he was a flame OF fire, and
he has not cooled a single degree since. At
that time wild and anti-church in his senti-
ments he was not an unmi1ed blessing to the
Chicago clergy. He is well remembered as
riding about on n shaggy pony, with an old
cap pulled over bis eyes, and electrifying an
audience many a time in spite of his Hitter
acy. He has achieved the wonder Of becoming
intelligent and consecrated and at the same
time keeping his heat. He has fairly broken
out a niche for himself in history. st. Ber-
nard, Francis d'Assisi, and T~avanarola are
no more sGrc of being known by the future
students OF the Christian church than Dwight
L. Moody. Augustin, Bossuet, Massilon, Jer-
envy Taylor, Robert Hall, and scores of emil
nent preachers have blazed out away along
the line OF Christian prayers. Moody belongs
to another order. Without education, q man
or the masses, he has swept the British isles
and this country, and aroused religious faith
with q success which rivals the first period of
the apostolic age. After so wide a success it
leould not be otherwise than that he should be
a triie p~eremptory, and sometimes dicta-
torial, and it is only surprising that he is not
more so. He is modest, and, on the whole.
quite considerable of those whose field is more
narrow, and he keeps in mind his dependence
on the good will and sympathy of the
clerical body. As is true with every
healthy and severe mind, Moody, to
the surprise of some of his followers
of the morbid type, has an eye for
the humorous side of Christian work. His
quick common sense was illustrated when he
worked in Chicago in 1876. In the heat of
zeal, the theme being 'The Abandoned
Glasses" a widely-known "worker'' proposed
from the platform of the tabernacle that the
young men of the Christian association put
by their scruples and go forth to reclaim the
fallen women of the town. God would go
with them, he said, as he closed his earnest
appeal. Up rose Mr.. Moody: "No, no;
that won't dol Let the women go after their
unfortunate sisters" That ended the debate.
At that time the vouchers for miracles found
no opening for their wonderful stories.
Moody had hardly left town before the Far
well hall meetings had on record some of the
most wondrous events. His method of han
ding men is well shown in the case of
the young man who came to him in
great despair-real, and not feigued. The
world had gone wrong with him, and he had
settled on suicide. Good said Moody,
'let's think about it." 1t was about IL in the
evening. Let's pray awhile, and then il
you think that suicide is the best thing, per-
haps IN help you along" The suicide col
lapsed. Once a brother talked quite warmly
about praying all night. "Bosh," said
Moody, ~ can do all my praying in ten min
utes." BE told a story on wednesday last
that illustrates his open eye, If so it may be
called. Street Preaching was the theme.
Don't put your third-rate men or your good,
strong men who are not quick to make
q point on the street to preach. Why,
1 knew a frSt-rate minister to
try it. There were two of them
went together. The first to begin was q gvod,
abe man, but he had hardly spoken a dozen
words before a fellow OH the edge of the
crowds sung out: The man who discovered
gas did more for mankind than all the
preachers that ever lived This set the crowd
a-laughing. fhe minister tried to go on, but
he couldn't, there was SO much confusion,
and he sat down. The second got up, smiled,
waved his hand. Said he: Look a hero,
my friends; that man out there on the edge
Of this crowd thinks gas is the greatest thing
in this world. Why, if he were a-dying he'd
be a sending round to find the gas man. Tai
brought applause, and gave him the crowd
Untaught as Mr.. Moody was at the start,
his printed sermons are no mean reading.
Indeed, there are few discourses that are
more worth putting into print than kis.
Moody never makes mistakes. He rode the
second hobby eight years ago, but he was
quite prudent and has let that drop. HIS
argumen in favor Of it was mainly: at
does good; it awakens men to think the Lord
iscoming soon," an argument which is too
plainly fallacious to need REPUTATION. He
started off once on the Books OF Moses" and
said some very absurd things, which, if
true, would upset Christianity, but he
let go that string. The books OF Moses are a
kim OF mauvais pas for any but scholarly
men. Even Rev. John Hall, If report be true,
was glad to recall an edition of popular
lectures, and DR.. Gibson just escaped-and
that by the advice Of a clerical friend-put-
ting into print what he might be only too
glad at some later time to unsay. Mr.. Moody
has the good sense to know that his forte is in
a~rousing Christian sentiment and calling men
to repentance, and he rarely essays any other
role. 1t is enough for any man TO be great in
one thing.