Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-02-05
A TALK WITH MOODY
The Great Evangelist and His World
Wide Work.
BIS ADVICE TO YOUNG MINISTERS
Tells the Story of His Most Re-
markable Conversion.
HIS MEETING WITH SANkEY
Copyright. 1898. by the s. S. Mcclure Co,

Copyright 1898 by the s. S. Mcclure Coz
Written for The Evening Star by Earl Mayo.
1t was in Boston, some forty-two years
ago, that Dwight L. Moody began the work
which has sihce made mis- name house
hold word, not only in this country, but
wherever the Christian religion prevails.
In the course of his remarkable career as
an evangelist, MIR. Moody has addressed
upwari of 10000 meetings, and has travel
ed half million miles. He has visited
nearly every country in the world, and has
laborei among all the English-speakinS
peoples. while his writings have been trans
lated into German, French, Swedish, Dan
ish. Norwegian and half dozen other
languages. Probably no less than 10,OOO,O0O
people have listened to his voice. He has
made 10000 converts for the churches,
while the number of those who have been
helped by listening to his earnest words
must be far greater.
This array of statistics is impressive
enough. but 1t is impossible to state the ex
tent of Mr.. Moody's work with mere fig
ures. But there the work stands, some of
it visible in the form Of churches and
schools. more of it invisible in the hearts
of converted men and women, and the world
recognizes 1t a mighty work, and re-
spects the man no has accomplished it.
The evangelist usually meets with ex-
treme reticence all efforts to draw him into
conversation about himself, but 1 found
him in a retrospective mood a few days
since and learned from his own lips many
interesting things about his wonderful ca
reer. .,..
How He Began Preaching.
1T was in Boston. Mr.. Moody. that your
work began" / suggested. How was it
that you came to begin it? Did the deter
minaticn- come to you suddenly, as con-
version sometimes does to a MANI"
Not at ALL replied the evangelist. Il
was clerk in my uncles store at the time,
and h insisted on my attending church.
My religious experience began Sunday
school scholar. l was eighteen then. L
had had no particular bent toward religious
work Like most boys. / had not thought
much about it, But finding that religion Was
good thing for myself, L made up my mind
1t would be good for some of the other fell
lows, and l began to get them into the
school and prayer meetings. 1 wasn't much
eood at taxing, out L could bring young
sterS OF my own age in where others could
get at them. ] used to speak sometimes,
but my tongue didn't work very We'll and
the best could do was to blurt out few
sentences, and that was more trying to me
at first than hard days work in the store,
but after time l got used to it.
Il had nc idea of giving myself entirely
to religious work then, even afterward,
when / moved to Chicago. / simply want
ed to do what could in the Sunday school
and the Christian association, which l had
joined But the work piled up. i saw how
much of 1t there was to do and how few
there were to do it. l gave up more and
more of my time to it until finally at the
request of some of my Christian associa-
ton friends l dropped out of business,
where knew that l should never be miss
ed. and began this work. where 1 hoped
that could do some good.
That wasn't any great change. 1t was
the same kind of work 1 had been doing
before, only l gave all instead of part of
my time 10 it, l talked 10 young men alone
or talked to them from a platform, just
mi and 7
doing what my hands found to do, and that
Is the way it has been ever since 1t was
all general work. 1 never was ordained
minister"
First Meeting With Sankey.
''But you had church in Chicago"
well, they called it a church. 1t was
an outgrowth of my mission work, and not
Ike mos churches. Still, l had a pleasant
time there until the fire came and wiped
Us out Soon after / met Mr.. Sankey and
We branched out into the work we have
been doing ever since"
How did you come to join forces with
MIR. Sank-y?''
We met al a religious convention in In
diardPolis- He was delegate from Pitts
burg, l from Chicago. / heard him sing,
AKA tnat rich. powerful voice, CARVING
coz SicolGn IN every note, stirred me to The
very depths of my soul. 1 said TO myself:
Here Is the man who can DO the work L
want 10 see DONE and as soon as | could
1 got him to join me-
You evidently think that singing is a
most elective way to appeal TO a mans
Religious naturt2-'
There isn't any doubt of it You can
TAX 10 man and argue with him. and
maze everything clear as you know
now, and sill he will stand I'D and answer
you and say: Yes, that's true; but I'm not
ready YET, or he'll find some other excuse
10 get out of the corner you have driven
MN INTO. But sing to him and see the eff
iect- Fefhaps that song calls UP a vision
OF MS Ole mother as she was when he was
DoS' or, perhaps. it is hymn that he
mas heard his dead wife sing in the days
when she was still moving about the hons,
and making it glad for him. He hasn't any
argument or any excuse then. Then tears
roll down his cheeks, and he comes to the
ailar ana kneeis down. or he stands up in
MS place and asks US to pray for him
MCst hymns are just message There's
no argument in them. and they work their
way INTO a mans heart and win him over
In spite of himself"
Nv hat was the largest meefinp vo,, a,-ar
addressed, Mr.. Moody
Inc meeting In Agricultural Hall Lon
uon, IN 1910, was, / think tn. largest in
uooT assemblage i have spoken to OPEN
air meetings when there were a good many
more present When / began my English
tour III London there were only about 400
people al the first meeting but when we
returned after Our work in other parts of
the Kingdom the great hall was crowded TO
oterHoWlnS- 1t was estimated that over
1".Vo persons were present | have seldom
mad an audience that responded more read
lily to my appeal
Remarkable Convention.
What was your most remarkable con-
version
1t was at that same meeting 1 think
II was that of an English racing man
named St1dd. He was a man devoted to