Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-03-11
MR.. MOODY.
He Commences His Services
Here.
ENORMOUS CONGREGATIONS.
Programme for the Week-SOme
Subjects for Grave
Consideration.

Angeles MuOh b1O AhOCsAOA "a
revival meetings comes up, the peregri-
mating evangelists can certainly draw
more people together than anything else
on or off the road. The enormous audi
ences to which Sam Jones held forth at
the Pavilion are matters of record here,
but never did such an assemblage throng
into the Pavilion as that which, at
; O'Clock yesterday afternoon, greeted
Mr.. Dwight L. Moody's first service in
this city. Although two additional seat
ing galleries have been put up overlook
ing the stage, yet, twenty minutes before
the hour advertised for the opening ofthe
meeting, every foot of space was occupied.
rest was out OF the question at any
time after half-past two, and all that the
reception committee could do was to-
pack the arrivals up as closely as possi-
Bile until at last there was no more room,
even the rafters being occupied by ven
turesome individuals who found In them
points of vantage. When matters had
reached this stage, orders were sent to
the door-keepers to close up, and al
though fully 1000 people arrived after
this was done they had to remain out
side for the simple reason that there
was no room for them within. 1t lacked
about eight minues of the hour when a
stir among little knot of black attired
individuals at the side of the stage
showed that the evangelist had arrived,
and a few seconds later he pressed
his way to the front of the platform and
looked around with pleased expression
on his face at the enormous audience be-
fore him. A rather short and portly-
looking individual.th noted evangelist
proved to be, with well-shaped head
and face, ON which the cropped beard is
beginning to show, by streaks of gray,
the fact that Mr.. Moody is evidently
somewhere in the fifties. In attire the
evangelist resembled well-to-do busi-
ness man, and when in a few well-chosen
words he opened the proceedings, the
clear toEes of his voice could be heard
with distinctness in all parts of the build
ing. As is usual in revival services, prayer
was the first in order and then the Y.
M A. string orchestra, which was
on the stage played accom-
paniments to several well-known
hymns. in which, by request,
the audience joined. Duets were sung
by Mr.. ]. G. Stebbins and Miss A. l.
Boole, who, in company with Mr..
Moody's family, travel with him about
the country, and who are evidently
picked singers, for they chanted 80 har-
moniously that it was all the audience
could do to refrain from applause at the
conclusion of their efforts. A reading of
the 32nd Psalm was given by Mr.. Moody,
after which he commenced short dis
sertation on it, which was interrupted by
a gentleman in the gallery, who fell
down in a fit and had to be carried from
the building. Referring to the words of
the Psalm, Mr.. Moody said that
sorrows increased until sins are
confessed, and that God does not
ask man to rejoice until something has
been forgiven. "You will know when
your sins have been washed away" said
the speaker, "for there will come unto
you wondrous Joy and gladness." Be-
fore commencing his sermon Mr.. Moody
announced his programme for the week
az follows: Bible lectures at P. NJ. on
Tuesday and Wednesday, Thursday and
Friday, and sermon beginning with
praise service on each of those evenings
at 7 80 O'Clock. To-day there will be no
afternoon lecture, but q sermon and
praise will be given in the evening
at 7:30.
THE SERMON.
The evangelist then commenced his
sermon by announcing the text as from
the fifty.ifth Chapter of Isaiah and the
seventh verse; but, before reading it, he
called for perfect silence, saying that his
auditors could afford to miss the hymns,
or part Of his sermon, but they could
not afford to lose the Word of God. "It
is a remarkable thing" said Mr.. Moody,
9fthat people do not care about the text
as a usual thing. They say, ooh, that is
old or 4 can read that any time.' Per-
hsps SO; but 80 per cent OF them don't
know it, and if left to themselves never
would. He then gave the text as fol-
lows: "Let the wicked forsake his way
and the unrighteous man his thoughts
and let him return unto the Lord, and he
will have mercy upon him, and to our
God, for he will abundantly pardon"
"Here are five things to be done"
said the preacher, "three of them belong
to us and two to God. We are called
upon to give up our sinful ways and
thoughts, and the Lord will forgive us
our transgressions. But how can God
forgive our sins If we are not willing to
confess them, or how can He put them
away if we don't want Him to. Look
at it in a matter-of-fact light all you who
have families. Suppose a boy takes
money from his fathers desk during his
parents absence and the theft is discov-
cred and the culprit arraigned. Now, if
he should say, in spite OF complete proof
against him, Il did not take it,, and then
on the evidence being brought before
him, i am not sorry; 1 will not promise
not to do it again. could you imagine
that his father would remark, Never
mind, l forgive you.' OF course not
neither should you expect God to forgive
you your sins if you will not confess
them. 1 was asked by friend the other
day how did account for the fact that
although Mahomet was on this earth |
since Christ, he has more followers than
has the Christian religion. replied that
the reason was because the followers of
the prophet can live in sin, but they
can't do it and be Christians. Men love
sin and are not willing to give it up, and
If the preachers OF the Christian religion
suddenly came out with announce
ments that those who followed
Christ could indulge in some of the
things countenanced by the Mohammed-
ms, then there would be two church
nen for every one that there is at the
present time. A good many men think
hat they cannot give up sin, but they
an Every one can il he would only |