Southwest-sentinel. [volume] (Silver City, N.M.) 1883-189?, 1894-01-23
MOODY AND SANKEY.
STORY or HOW MOODY DISCOVERED
THE MAN TO HELP HIM.

Heard by tho Stirring Evangolist-Their
First Work.
II was at indianapolis in 1870 that
these two men first made each others
acquaintance. Mr. Moody was already
displaying that zeal in evangelistic work
which subsequently made him famous,
though then his efforts and his reputa-
ton were confined largely TO Chicago.
Mr.. Sankey's home was ia Newcastle,
Pa. where he was then serving as an in
ternal revenue officer. His father was q
banker and active in politics aud held
under Lincoln's appointment the impor-
tant position Of collector of inland rev
enue for four large counties in western
Pennsylvania. Young Sankey was then
a Christian, having been converted a
number Of years before during a Metho-
dist revival, and his talent of song had
already begun TO be used for his Master.
Coming t Indianapolis to attend as a
delegate from Newcastle the national
convention If the Young Mems Christian
association, MI. Sankey attended one
morning a 9 o'clock prayer meeting, held
in the basement of the First Baptist
church, led by Mr.. Moody. The singing
dragged, and Mr.. Sankey, at the sugges-
ton Of a minister who was seated beside
him. started up the familiar hymn,
"There is a fountain filed with blood. "
It went well and was followed by other
songs equally successful, and Mr.. Moody
became so interested that he looked
about to see whence the new impetus in
singing came. After the meeting closed,
with Characteristic q~uickness of deci-
sion, Mr.. Moody, hardly waiting for an
introduction, said to Mr.. Sankey:
you're the man / have been looking
for for the last eight years. Come and
lunch with me-" The invitation was
accepted, and later in the day the two
men got together, and the subject Of a
future combination of forces was talked
over in downright earnest. MI. Moody
pressed upon Mr.. Sankey the duty of at
once joining him in Chicago, but in
Sankey's mind there were some prac-
teal objections arising from his bust
ness and family connections. II am a
government officer" he said to Mr..
Moody, land may find it difficult to get
released" There is a better govern
ment to serve than this" was the re-
ply that flashed instantly ont. But,
persuasive as Mr.. Moody was, he did
not carry his point then and there. Mr..
Sankey took several manths in which to
consider the matter.
That very afternoon, however, the
first Moody and Sankey public meeting
was held, with no advertisement except
the singing as led by Mr.. Moody's newly
found friend. 1t was an outdoor gather
ing, and the masses were there. Mr..
Moody brought out a box from a store
to a favorably located street corner,
mounted it, and there a short but fer
vent service of preaching and song was
held. AT the close of this open air meet
ing the two evangelists headed a pro
cession for the Academy of Music, where
the convention meetings were held, sing
ing as they marched with the crowd i
to the Academy of Music, the conventioA
having adjourned the discussion 81
"How to Reach the Masses and gone
to supper. When the delegates got
back to the academy building, they
found it nearly half full of the very
elapsed masses" about whom they had
been discussing. Mr.. Moody cut short
his second address, dismissed the audi.
ence and went out with Mr.. Sankey
get something to eat. Mr.. Sankey wal
greatly impressed with these two meet
ings and said to Mr.. Moody, "You arc
reaching the masses while other people
are talking about Them"
After the convention was over Mr..
Sankey went back to Newcastle and
talked the question oven with his wife
and family. Ee did not see his duty
clearly all at once, but Mr.. Moody KEEP
writing for him to come to Chicago and
at last persuaded him to go out for
week to look The ground over. Arrivin
in Chicago in the early morning, he wen
first to Mr.. Moody's house, reaching
there just as family prayers We're being
held. Almost before Mr.. Moody intro
duced him 10 his family he asked him Il
sing a hymn and thus contribute hi
part toward the informal service O
praise. Then the two men went on
into the streets Of the city visiting tn,
sick and unfortunate.
That day must have been a notable
one in the personal history of the tw'
men, who afterward commanded tn.
eager attention Of great audiences o.
both sides of the sea. On this occasion
as two ordinary missionaries, they wen
about from louise to house, singing an
reading the Bible and speaking the wo.-
Of cheer and hope wherever it wa
needed. THIS was their first days labo
together. Evening meetings were he
during the week in the Illinois stree
church, of which Mr.. Moody was tn
head and leader.
On Sunday a large meeting was he'll
in Farwell hall, and as the organist haI
pened to be absent Mr.. Sanltey had t
sing without instrumental accompani
ment, not having even a small cabinC
organ there. The effect Of the servic
upon the people there was so marke
that Mr.. Moody turned TO the singer an
said, You f}e l was right" There wer
that night not less than 100 inquiries
The earnest preaching and consecratc
song had gone home to many q hear.
From that + ne until the present thes
men have been colaborers, and the stog
of their career here and in Great Britai
is so familiar that it need not again /
rehearsed.- - ongregationalist