New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-08-04
GATHERING AT NORTHFIELD
THE TENTH CONFERENCE TO OPEN TO-DAY
THE ORIGIN. SCOPE AND SUCCESS OF ME-. MoopY,s
EDUCATIONAL PLANS
tBr TELEGRArH TO THE Tribune,

tBT TELEGRArH TO THE TkIBUNE.1
Mortified. Mass. Aug. 3.-MtNors of people know
rhat D. /. Moody and Ira D. Sankey have achieved
q. evsngcliss comparatively few have any idea Of the
great experiment in practical education which they
have conducted to successful issue in this picturesque
corner OF Massachusetts, The biographical dictionaries
NAME this Mr.. Moody's birthplace His aged mother
stu lives In the venerable homestead his own spacious
white summer house stands neighboring decIyity
and relatives scattered the surrounding hills
but within few years groups of substantial brick
college buildings have sprung up the knobs ragged
farm lands have been smOothed into a great college
campus. private dormtories for students and Queen
Anne dwellings for professors peep through clun,ps
Of leafy elms and the long lemon colored hotel whose
pazzas command one OF the finest prospects in the
Eastern states becomes once a year the Mecca
for growing horde OF enlightened pilgrims.
The regular annual influx OF the visitors has lust be-
gun Mortified lies conveniently near the borders OF
both Vermont and New Hampshire. From the home
stead you can look down the winding Connecticut
with its bridge piers nErored in the clear current
which divides the two States. and many seated North
field stages are kept rumbling all day up and down
hill 10 three or four railroad stations.
Nhe tenth Mortified General Conference for Chris
ton Workers. TO give II It's full name, will open to-
morrow night. The first conference held In 1850
under Mr.. Moody's direction. During two years his
absence abroad caused a temporary suspension. This
wear hs is again In Europe but DR.. A. J. Gordon OF
Boston, will come here tomorrow to take his place
Mr.. sankey's robust form is omnipresent. A. IT,
Moody, Mr.. Moody's energetic nephew, is general OF
the large force OF officers and laborcrs and strong
speakers, OF wide reputation, are announced Tor the
meeting which this year will be considerably pro
tongd During the school season the Northheld stu
dents greatly overtax the capacity of the dormitones
and many are lodged in the village during the con-
ference season. Visitors crowded out of the eXcep
tisnaly comfortable and well managed hotel are taken
care OF In the cottages and at the MarQuand Memorial
Hal. A hotel register has been opened and the stu
dents chapel we'll their refectcry, is filed with
rows OF long dining tables.
Northfeld or the Moody part Of IT, consists OF the
summer conference and Of three secular schools or
semnaries, two opening and closing with the usual
school terms with the English Bible as leading col
lateral branch OF study In all courses. Inc most
healhfu and picturesque of retreats 1t possesses even
more potent attraction than pure air and superb
scenery confer. Admirably fitted to allure fashion II
charms by its refined unwordlineSs. With hrstrate
facilities for education, II attempts no emua
ton OF the conventional summer school, In inc ho'ei
parlors the guests flock to morning ana evening
prayers vet nothing could be less like an old iashohea
ampmeeting An impulse of pure philanthropy
directed It's birth and growth ard the atmosphere 1t
seeks to cultivate Is well typifed by these notices,
yreHxed to the local guide book. taken from Fred
enc Harrison the other from ST. Augustine " Mans
business here IS 10 know for the sake OF living not
20 live for the sake of knowing and the ehd OF
learning is to know God. and out of that knowledge
TO love Him, and to initiate Him. as we may by pos
sessing our souls of true virtue"
Mr.. Moodys Northhed plan emphasizes IN a start
ling way the amazing fertility of American educators
In devsing methods for reaching new classes OF
students and their persistent energy In prosecuting
them OIL successful lines. Chautauqua, II was thoueHt
had said the last word concerning popular instruction
but Mortified is original in regard 10 'hausuqa
as Chautauqus in regard to everything before IT,
The Chicago fire, which burned Mr.. Moody's nome III
that CITY in 1871 Is directly responsible for the North
field enterprise from 1872 to 1873. lie ana MI
sankey preached and sang to mulitudes III hheiNiu'
so tba. when they returned America their celebrity
abroad almost great a. thAt they mao lelt III
home While living temporarily in this village Win
his family Mr.. Moody went out driving one DAY
through the Northfeld mountain notch, ana the
.nec,ncI. Of neglected education which he there en-
counte,cd among a farmers family OF young girls
moved him to consider the establishment OF schoo
where he might Undue them with an enthusiasm iOr
Bible study and wake them up to lives OF Chrsuan
usefulness To this end he and II. " F. Marshall III
,a-s honrht on the spur Of the moment, sixteen
scres OF land nearly opposite Mr.. MOodys house TO
serve as a possible site. In the spring Oh io'o
another fifteen acres were bought
Meanwhile Mr.. Moody, with characteristic down
rightness had begun 20 make alterations In MS own
house. at his own expense, TO accommodate prospective
oil
usrrant the erection Of brick schOolhouse, or rec
,ation hall to hold 100 girls but while building opera
tions were pending, he housed twenty-five uhueI ih'
roof telling the teachers TO use his own hViheoonl'
for rotations During winter whch PECAN VIZ"
. fall of sixteen inches Of snow in losO dornitory
bri,dinr WAS begun. The seminary, rs the woman >
departmert OF The Mortified educational system ~
called now comprises a halfdozen large buildings rs
Thoroughly equipped arc those Of many ODER ana
moro pre,entious Institutions. The twenty-five pnpiH
had grown last year to J40, OF wh"n 'hr"c came
from Alaska two from Russia, one from NOF"a! anu
one from Turkey
rrom the outset Mr. Moody had a thrcefold object
l., ~. first 10 supply women with better, and
a.,,clv biblical education; second, TO meet the de
nand for trained for disunctively mission
work especially among the CRY poor ana tiniu' "
use the buildings conference gatherings Inc semi
nary I'm its workings has constantly borne close
r.1s,,onsbip 10 Wellesley College. Miss Evelyn s..
Hall the present principal is graduate OF "ehe'iey'
and 50 were her predecessors 1he COURSE "non oo'
80 nsvchology Latin prose and kindred advanced
h,cbos Nts candidates 10 enter either wellesley OF
yassor while the fec for tuition Is only Sloo year
Mr. Moody Is no less believer in the domestic
virtues than In higher education ior "ohei' i"o''
fore his Mortified girls, besides iear'i"s 'noii '
napities are instructed In the practical details Oh
,o,-,,.rv undor a plan devised by Mrs. Emily Hunt
,nc,o, miller who supervised the fttingnp OF large
sneci.I classroom in Msrquand HALL BeSlues the care
Of the house students learn cookery VI" '''''' ,
principles and the details In the course roneerni"s
lcarstarching. darnng aid buttonhoie mah'"s Sno"
that seminary life In this case - " Az ,n.
expected TO entail clustered 'pi''e' . ,o ar1
,l =, GOOD character over fifteen years OF age anu
In GOOD health-and the transformation e'ec'u -
cursin graduates offers weighty guarantee Vi w.
benefit OF the tralnng-may be accep'eu' IVY
students occupy room In the dormitofe'' WIN" a.,
homeke and neatly furnished with ooo"'i"0"N '','
student lamps. Dentistry, shopping anu ,s =,
Ing, 1t is especially cnloined sh'uiu w g.. min.
80. .,o ,acot,ons 90 as TO leave time Tor uh'h
,errn,ed study: and the inclusion In the heoeNN"'' ;
,rardnAs III 4nnllen hJle and IeSglhs Inu