The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1898-08-10
Letter From Rev. Mr.. MeAnInch.
NonrnrrrLp. MASS. July %.

The ascriptiOn of praise-"Beautiful
for situation is Mount Zion, the joy ofthe
whole earth," might in some measure be
applied now to Northfeld. Lying on a
slight elevation close to the river banks
and hemmed in by two parallel ridges of
hills comparing in size and beauty 10 the
river hills ofthe Allegheny this siaid old
New England town presents to the eye a
scene fair to behold The valley here is
perhaps three miles in width and is well
titled The soil is sandy but fertile and
the inhabitants seem to be prosperous.
The town is long drawn out, there being
but one principle street, but that reaches
about two miles. In fact it now consists
of two towns each having postoffice but
l believe only one set of municipal Off
GERS. The new part, or Fest Mortified,
has been the result largely of Mr..
Moody's work in building here college
for girls, and in the many conferences
held here during the summer
Northfield was settled very early and is
a place of considerable historic interest.
While assing through the south end of
the village l saw cut in the face ofa large
granite rock by the road side the follow
ing inscription: "Here under large oak,
standing until 1869, the first public relig-
ious services were held in 1878" At the
ment containing two inscriptions, ma
thaniel Dickinson was killed and scalped
by the Indians at this place Apr. l5,l7F,
and "Assbel, son of Joseph Burt, COM
panion of Dickinson and sharer of his
fate"
The street is very wide and has two
rows of stately elms on each side, the
wide spaces being kept like lawn.
Northtield owes it's present popularity
to Mr.. d. L. Moody. 1t used to be
known only as his birth place and the
home of his mother, to whom Mr.. Moody
was most devoted. In late years 1t be-
came known through New England on
account of the boys and girls schools es-
tablishcd here by Mr.. Moody and known
throughout the whole christian world on
account of the various conferences for
christian workers held each summer in
July and Aug.
The girls school consists of eight
buildings used as dormitories, class
rooms, ETC., a library, and gymnasium.
There were two hundred and seventy
students present last year. Here also is
the auditorium with a seating capacity
of :, 500 and where all the conferences are
held. On bit of rising ground across
the river and four miles down is Mt.
Herman, the boys school, where are 45O
students. In both of these schools the
students help to pay their expenses by
doing all the work the girls doing all the
cooking, etc, and the boys the farming,
laundry, bakery, creamery, etc.
The corner stone of the new chapel at
Mt. Herman, for which the money was
largely contributed by Mr.. Moody's Eng
lish friends, will be laid next Wednes-
day, to which the conference is invited.
In making the announcement Mr..
Moody said it might Sc m little odd to
lay corner stone after the roof was on,
but he likes something new. He ex-
planned it by saying the stone had been
left out but was ready to be slipped into
its place.
There are now about two thousand
people here, the total number who will
spend at least few days here will prob
ably exceed 5000 The majority will at
tend the entire conference. These come
from all parts Of the country. have no
means of obtaining any information
about the people who come here except
by meeting them and looking over the
register of the hotel where | stay. There
are lbs in this hotel and they represent
Cal, Mo-. Kansas and Chicago in the
far south as Tenn. The social atmos-
phere is delightful. There are no strang-
ers here. Every one is at once taken in
but not after the usual seaside resort
style. They are call of one accord in one
place." and the main topic of conversa-
ton everywhere is religion. The servi-
ces are all intensely spiritual and en-
tirely free from all bigotry, lop-sided
notions, and all national, denominational
or sectional prejudices.
Among the speakers are four men from
London, Eng. Mr.. Smith has been
speaking to the children. Rev. Henry
Varley preached a few times, but Revs.
Morgan and McGregor are the principle
speakers of the conference preaching
every day at from 10 TO IL o'clock, the
one following Immediately after the
other. There are also services at 3, 4:3O,
$3.50, and 7:3O regularly each day, and on
Sunday the services are almost contin-
GUS from 6 a. m. to 10 at night. Mr..
Moody does not expect us to attend all
these services and warned the people
against the danger of spiritual dyspep-
sa. The English brethren hayp given
very strong expression of their sympa-
/ thy for our nation in this war, one of
them speaking at considerable length in
a way that would meet with hearty ap-
proval anywhere. Spain has been prayed
for very earnestly. Mr.. Moody believes
it christian duty and brings it up every
day. He has been very actively engaged
in the Y. NJ. G. y. work among our sol
diers and sailors since they have been
called into service and has been instru-
mental in getting several Of the best
christian workers to engage in this. Last
| Sunday Mainr Whittle. so well known as