Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-11-01
EVANGELIST MOODY.
OPENING OF THE REVIVAL MEETINGS AT
THE GHAPLINE STREET RINK.
Immense Crowds in Attendance Hundreds Unable 10
Gain Access in the AfiernOOn-Fins Ser
mons BY the Evangelist

heN. ONlHut L. N1OOusy A.
evangelist, arrived in the city on Satur-
day and took apartments at the Mcclure.
Yesterday AFTERNOON he conducted the first
of the series of large public meetings to be
held at the Ctapline street rink, in the
next ten days. At 9 o'clock anna meeting
for Christians was held in the Fourth street
Methodist church, which was largely at
tended. Nh. Moody's talk on this occa-
sion was something beautiful and eloquent,
and his hearers manifested the deepest in
forest, being more deeply impressed than
ever with the necessity for combined Wig
orous and untiring work or the part of all
Christian peopl. for the gpod of the souls
that are each day straying further from
the fold.
THE AFTERNOON MEETING
was immense, one of the largest religious
meetings ever held in the city. Long be-
fore the hour set for opening the services,
people began flocking to the large editice,
the floor of which has been covered with
chairs and benches, making the seating
capacity very large. At 3 o'clock every
available bit of space was occupied and
hundreds who appeared later were COM
PEELED to leave, rs il was impossible to
crowd more into the hall.
An excellent choir of two hundred
voices, under the direction of DR.. I. h.
Logan, sang q number Of familiar gospel
songs, among which were ~interspersed sew
eral pieces from the new Gospel Choir, y
Miss DOddridge presiding at the organ.
One beauty of the meetings is that persons
are not allowed to pass in and out of the
rink during Mr.. Moody's sermons. Those
who do not get there in time, get left, and
those who hear the evangelist talk could
listen to him with interest u much longer
time than is consumed by any of his
talks. Even the most hardened sinner
finds himself becoming deeply interested
in the truths that the speaker reveals to
them in such a plain, yet beautiful man
ner. A little history of Mr.. MOOdy's life
and labors will doubtless be interesting to
those who have heard him, as well as those
who will hear him later.
A SHORT HISTORY OF THE EVANGELIST.
Mr.. Moody was born near Mortified,
Mass, February 3, 1887. When the boy
was four years of age his father died, leaY-
ing the care and support of a large family
to young MOody's mother, a most eStlma-
BILE lady of the Unitarian faith, to whose
influence and superior traits many of the
strong elements of Mr.. Moody's character
and work are contessedly due. In 1854 he
sought employment in a Boston shoe store,
and in the following year went to Chicago,
to enter a similar business situation. In
both OF these cities his earnest impulslve-
ness to do good became a marked feature
of his daily life. The excellent ministra-
tions of the churches which he at
tended confirmed him in his convic-
ton of his life mission, and he
resolved to relinquish all business ola per-
s0nal nature and devote himself to the
work of evangeli zing. He took an active
interest in the Young Mems Christian
Association of Chicago, and established
the North Market Mission Sunday school,
since become so famous for its success in
the conversion of mel to religion. In the
summer of 1861, says n b%iOgrapher, he de-
voted most of his labor to the volunteers
of the War Of the Rebellion who were sta
toned in Chicago, and in November OF that
year, when the United States Christian
Commission was established, proceeded
under its auspices to the camps and bat
tie fields of the South, where he worked
alternating the sufferings and supplying
RI. Spiritual nnnnSSitinS nf
BOTH FRIEND AND FOE.
In August 1862, he was married to Miss
Emma Revell, ofChicago, by reason of whose
sympathy of temper and religious ardOr
the union has resulted in great good, not
to them alone, but to the world. Mr..
Moody has been blessed with two children,
a son and ~a'daughter.
The duties in the Christian Commission
did not prevent him from attending to his
school. A chapel-Farwell Hall-was
built to supply its growing needs, and
soon out of the org aniZatiOn arose n indie
pendent church, of which Mr.. Moody be-
came the pastor. In 1865 he was elected
President OF the Young Mems Christian
Association, and was incessent and indie
fatigable in his labors TO further its work.
Within two years thereafter, chiefly
through his influence, a building, admira-
bly, adapted to its purposes, was erected at
a cost of 5000, 600.
In October, 1871, the terrible fire which
devastated Chicago, destroyed Mr.. MoOdy's
home, Farwell fall, and his church; but
within a month thereafter the latter wa
replaced by a wooden structure, called the
North Side Tabernacle, and capable OF
holding 800 persons. Here his labors,
aided by the musical abilities of Mr..
Sankey, continued through several years,
until the summer of 1873, when he visited
England, accompanied by Mr.. Sankey.
Since that time Mr.. Moody mas been un'
firing in his good work. He is one OF
the most r~esOlutc and successful of evan
gelists.
AFINE SERMON.
His text yesterday afternoon was taken
from q portion of the first chapter OF
Johns Gospel, and the sermon was one OF
the most eloquent and telling ever heard in
the city, the vast audience sitting almost
s~pell-bOund from the beginning to the
close. The meeting proper ended at -four
o'clock, and Mr. Moody announced that
those who desired could leave before the
beginning of half-hour prayer meeting.
Very few left the building, and
the meeting was one full OF
interest and deep religious feeling, great
good being accomplished. After singing a
hymn, the benediction was p%ronunced, and
the immense audience dispersed.
THE EVENING MEETING.