The Florence daily tribune., 1899-12-30
DWIGHT l.. MOODY
CAREER OF THE EVANGELIST


Dwight Lyman Moody. the evangcl-
list, was born In NorthhSld. Franklin
county, Massachusetts. February >.
1887. He received a limited educa-
ton, and worked on farm till he
was IL years old. when he be-
came clerk in n shoe store In BoS-
ton. He united with a Congregational
church soon ufterward. and In 1856
went TO Chicago, where he engaged
with enthusiasm in mission work
among the poor. and in less than year
established Sunday school with
more than 1000 pupils. During the
Civil War he was employed by the
Christian Commission. and subsequent.
ly by the Young Mems Christian Asso-
citation OF Chicago rs lay mission.
airy. \ church was built for his con
Verts, and he became Its uncrdained
pastor. In the fire OF 1871 his church
and Mr.. Moody's house and furniture
We're destroyed, but n new and much
larger church has since been erected.
In 1873, accompanied by Ira u. San
key. he visited Europe and Instituted
n series of weekly day religious SER
Vices in England. Scotland and Ireland,
which resulted in great religious awnk-
enings IN the principal cities In these
countries. The evangclists returned 10
the United States In 1879 and organized
similar meetings In various parts of
the country. In 1883 they again visited
Great Britain, and since that time have
been engaged In evangelistlc work
there and in their own country.
Bishop IL. w. Warren says Of Mr..
Moody:
The first thing that strikes one in
thinking OF Mr.. Moody Is the
prodigious extent Of his influence In
IN III .T .1,g t.E.
the dozen are In such demand that
newsboys on nearly all trains carry
them. AS speaker, on both sides OF
the Atlantic, he had addressed audi
ences limited only by the size of the
auditoriums and armcries. And this
not Il few times, but month after
month. year after year. AS an educa-
tor his three schools mt Mortified.
Massachusetts, and one in Chicago, are
amazing successes. For seventeen
years he has brought scholars and pro-
fessors from all parts of the learned
world to his summer conferences and
Bible lectures. His influence over men
of wealth was extraordinary At his
request men gave up large accumula-
lions of u life time for philanthropy
and religion.
He would be n very distinguished
man-author. professor, lecturer, lit
erary, scientific, historical or humor-
ous-who could have n moiety of this
mans influence in any one of his de.
partments.
1T must be remembered that this
man rose out 90 humble life, received
a very meagre education. worked on n
farm till he was Il years of age and
never went to school thereafter.
What is the secret of his success?
Aside from the push of his strong will
and the clearness of his common sense.
what of the influence of the environ
riaent to which he related himself?
HE spoke the language of the COM
mon people. AS Luther largely made
the German language by unwearedly
seeking the speech of the common peo-
pie and embodying II in his translation
of the Bible, SO Mr.. Moody SO spoke
that, like his Master, "the common peo-
pie heard him gladly
He must have uttered what ap-
pealed to the human heart as true and
adapted to meet It's needs to have Sc.
cured the Endorsement of such hear
ing. His utterance of truth compelled
many mans conscience to say, That
means me-
But especially, above all other
things, two reasons for Moody's influ-
ence must be stated.
"First-He believed thoroughly and
emphatically in the Bible as n reliable
record of Gods dealing with men, past,
present and future. He was troubled
by no doubts, entangled by no higher
criticism, appalled, by no impossibili-
ties. Tie thought what was impossible
with man might be possible with God,
in the Word as in the world
"Second-He believed that God was
as really helper of his humble and
obedient instruments to-day as ever in
the past