The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-01-10
THE GREAT EVANGELIST.
Pleasant Pictures of Mr.. Moody and His
Home at NOrthield, Mass.
How He Labors and How He Rests-The
Schools for Boys and Girls-A
Powerful Debt-RaiSer.
Sorthfeld Mass, Letter in Chicago Tribune.

olaSs.1 Letter in Chicago Tribune.
| New England towns are all interesting, with
| their Indian and Revolutionary war stories.
| quaint old houses and iron Knockers old time
manners, Yankee thrift, Darius Green boys and
| Priscilla-like maidens, and sweet mountain and
| meadow scenery. For all this they are charm.
ing, say, but when in addition they rise to the
dignity Of being the home or birthplace of some
eminent American, our admiration assumes
boundlees proportions, and we visit and linger
in them in true hero worship. And if these
commonplace, matter-of fact Yankees. who
| grow rich on what they don't spend. do set be-
fore us their pumpkin pies and baked beans as
the chief and best products of the land, and look
upon their great men as good neighbors but
"curus people" what matters that to usl Our
ideas of greatness are too lofty to be jostled
aside by ordinary notions, and, remembering
that prophet is not without honor save in his
own country we think the town and people still
more Economically interesting for their cool un-
appreciativeness.
This is true of Northield, which is all the more
delightful for being not only the home and birth
place of D. L. Moody, but in being, as WELL a
typical New England town. To be sure, it is be-
coming somewhat modernized by contact with
the outer world which the presence Of the great
evangelist draws to it, but the old landmarks are
still here to mark its Puritan antiquity The old
high frame houses, quantity trimmed, set
with their SILENT tomb like parlors severely near
the one long, dusty street of the village while
the school house and town hail. two village
churches, water-trough. postofice, variety store
and little cidermll constitute the business por
ton of the place. These are sufficient however,
as there are good shopping points near, while
Boston is less than 100 miles away. There are
several summer residences in the town, among
which are Mr.. Sankey's and Mr.. Pentecosts AT
one end of the broad street, which is shaded by
double rows OF giant elms and sugar maple trees,
stands monument on the spot where the In
dams in early times scalped some men. The old
annals of Mortified claim for it quite brilliant
page III the French and Indian wars. and
in the revolution though, as for that what New
England town isn't full of traditions of the brav-
cry of its old families2
Mr. Moodv's home is at the prettiest end of
this lovely street, and commands what certain
Boston writer says is the finest view in New
England. Fair garden of the Lord it does
SEEM with its rolling meadows, fruitful orchards
and little manufacturing towns all green walled
by the lofty hills and turreted by the distant
blue peaks of the Green Mountains. Along the
town, and spanned by many bridge, sweeps the
winding willow-fringed Connecticut. Unsur-
passed as this beauty is. however. there is
also with it an unequaled nuisance in the dense
fogs that rise ever after sunset and hang over
the town until late sunrise, chilling the air and
doubtless carrying malaria in its bosom At
this most uncomfortable feature Mr.. Moody
laughs and says it is nothing after being in Lon
don fogs; declares that Northfeld is good place
for invalids, that it agrees with him he weighs
265 pounds). and that Mrs. Moody has better
health here than anywhere else.
The house in which they now live they bought
seven or eight years ago, and have since remod
eled and extended until now it has the proper
tions of modest hotel But it is summed and
shaded by baywindows and verandas and looks
very home-like surrounded as it is by we'll
kept lawn, with tennis ground, broad carriage
way. and beautifed by gnarled and branching
appietrees under which are rustic seats Enter
ing the low hall from the little front piazza of
the house. at our right opens the library with
its well-fled shelves of theological and kindred
books Over the mantel hangs portrait of the
white-haired mother, who lives with bachelor
son. a square away, in the house where her
children were born and her husband died forty
years ago. She is now past eighty.
but is hale and sprightly, riding great
deal and receiving daily calls from Mr.
talking of the evangelist and his work,
though she refused to hear him preach until
after she had passed her SEVENTEEN year, when
she was converted from the Unitarian faith. in
which she had lived and reared her children. Her
last birthday was enthusiastically celebrated in
the seminary chapel by the young ladies of the
school, who greeted her with 1.-THE words are still
on the walll Her children shall rise up and
call her blessed" Mr.. Moody veriies this in his
great devotion and the delight he takes in intro
ducing her to his friends and showing them the
portraits on the library wall. Opposite this
room. on the other side of the hail. is the little
parlor with it's portraits of Mr.. and Mrs. Moody
which some California artist painted and pre-
scented them. Under hers stands the little clock,
the only relic saved from their house in the Chi
cago fire. At the end of the hall is the large
dining room, with the long table. whose many
covers tell the tale of the great-hearted hospi-
tally in the house that is without guests.
But one can see the generous home circle bet
/ Ter in the spacious summer drawing room in the
north wing Of the house. which enter through
broad archway between it and the dining
room. Here on cool evenings there is always
bright CRATE fire, which filings its beams over
full-size crayon portrait of Mr. Moody which
hangs just opposite over the piano This was
done by Edward Clifford when Mr.. Moody was
last in London, ami is good, though Mrs Moody
prefers above all the one by Roman Catholic
that hangs in her ROOM because it represents
her husband more as he was twenty years ago,
in the ''auld lang syne" of their early life to-
bric-a- brac in the house, gathered by the family
in their travels. and here in the
drawing room is large scrapbook
containing all the little newspaper items pro and
meeting tickets used there of which 5000, 900
were distributed. While we look at these we
talk with London lady of noble rank. who sits
by the fire knitting long black stocking. At
the other side of the room, conversing with
prominent Christian worker of America, is her
husband, a Cambridge man, captain of the
cricket team there. and still in cricket garb. He
especially befriended Mr.. Moody when he
went to Cambridge. 1t was thought best to
have some influential man whom the students
would heed and respect on the platform with
him, and this man, the most popular cricketer.
was the one who performed the Office. few
years before his father. one of Mr. Moody's con-
ing if the boys egged him he would share the
persecution with him.
In the room are people of all stations and ma
tionalities-a teacher from Switzerland, mis-
sionary wooing young lady protege, rustic
| student, people of wealth, ard Christian editor
all drawn together by the broad sympathy and
genial kindness of the host and hostess. There