The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-12-25
Speaker Was Intimately Ac-
quafnted With Great Divine.
TWO MEN MUCH ALIKE
Preacher and AgnOstic We're
Alike In Many Particulars.
Both Known on Account of
Their Religious Teachings.

These were the opening words of an
address delivered by Bishop J. II. Vim
cent at the Y. NJ. c. A rooms Sunday
afternoon. Bishop Vincent had been
asked to compare Moody the evange-
list and Ingersou the agnostic, both Of
whom have been the greatest men in
their respective spheres, in direct OppO-
sition to one another. for the past quar-
ter of a century, and both of whom
have recently passed into the great be-
yond.
All the available space in the asso-
citation rooms was utilized, and even
then standing room was at a premium
The corridor even was packed to the
stairway, and those who came a little
late had to be compelled to catch q
glimpse of the speaker from a dis
tance.
For a nation to possess a good man
q man of power" continued the bishop,
lis a blessing for which every citizen
should give thanks to God.
I'VE speak this afternoon of such a
man, a man who is known the world
over, a man whose name has gone even
to the farthest oriental lands, where he
himself never had an opportunity 10 60
the name of Dwight L. Moody.
I first knew Mr.. Moody in 1857. It
was at a Sunday school convention at
a Clark street mission in Chicago that
I met him. He was then q years old
and was just entering the career IN
n
was a stout, robust, ardent young Eel
low, shaking hands with everybody and
smiling on them in his cheerful way
and the smile was not put on either-it
was genuine.
I crossed the continent with him in
1871 to attend the California Sunday
school convention, and again in 1872
crossed the Atlantic in his company
when he first went to London to hold
eVangeliStic services At the invita- ton
of Mr.. Buley, the originator of the Dub
I'm tax system, and ph1lanthrOplc
gentleman of large means, / spent sew
eraI days at Mr.. Buley'S home near
Dublin in company with Mr.. Moody, and
there became better acquainted with
the man himself Since then have
met him many times
Mr.. Moody was bold. courageous in
his advocacy of the things which he be
lieved. He did not know what self.
consciousness was. He was never en-
barrassed-at least he never showed it.
He had unlimited faith in the divine
power to carry him through difficulties.
To be sure he sometimes failed in his
plans-things did not go just as he
wanted them to, but he never worried
over such things. Once in ireland
made fun of some of his old stories I
said. See here, Moody, I have heard
YOU tell these same stories over and
over again, and now I'd like to hear
some new ones He looked at me in Il
hurt sort of way and with tears in his
eyes he said, Don't say that. have
to use them I made up my mind then
that if any man could use an old sword
as effectively as D L Moody did
would never criticise him for it.
Mr.. Moody was a man of profound
religious convictions. He believed in
God with his whole soul. He was never
troubled with dOubts-be believed in
Jesus Christ as his personal savior, one
who could break the stubborn heart
and transform character. Moody was
an orthodox man. He was never con-
fused or troubled over theOlogies. He
a
and believer, and never wayered in be-
lief in positive doctrines.
Mr.. Moody was aggressive in his re-
ligiOus work. When very young. per-
haps Is years old. he asserted his right
to take part in public services in BOs-
ton, and his Boston pastor attempted
to sit down on him. The pastor said,
Now, Moody, I don't believe you had
better talk in meeting. That would
have everlastingly silenced most peo-
pie, but it didn't work that way with
Moody. If it had, his great work would
have been undOne.
while fixed in his own faith, he was
liberal towards people of diverse faiths.
Henry DrummOnd was converted under
his teachings, as were thousands Of
other students in Scotland and Eng
land I wish I could tell OF a rebuke
Moody once delivered to one of his as
sOciates. At a conference one who was
views. This associate wished to dog
Matte. but Mr. Moody said, "A little
more love. a little more love- Then he
simply said, Let US pray
Once in Chicago he went to call on
a. Roman Catholic bishop. I have talk
ed religion with almost everybody said
Moody, and I thought I would come
and talk to you. Besides some of your
boys throw stones at a mission over on
the north side That's very wrong in
them said the bishop. and 1 viii tell
them they must not do So So they
talked about religion for a while, and
then Moody said, You pray, bishop?
Yes said the bishop. Let's pray
now said Moody, and they did, and
they parted fast friends. Moody had
largeuess Of soul while he had positive
ness of faith. 1t would be good if we
had more like him.
No man has died in this country in
years for whom there has been a, wider,
greater. fntenser affection than there
was for Dwight L. Moody
Moody and IngersOlI occupied atten-
ton at the same period. and both have
died within the year. They We're both
men of remarkable physical and intel
lectual power. Neither was a philosO-
pher, but both were platform orators,
but Moody was simple while Ingersoll
was ornate and gorgeous. They We're
not unlike in many characteristics. I
assume that they We're both men of up
right characters, for never take rum
ors to be true unless I know them to be
So Both were married, but the wife
of one was an atheist, while the wife
of the other was a fervid Christian. 1t
makes a deal of difference sometimes
where a, mans wife stands.
Moody and Ingersou both lived in
the greatest epoch in the history of the
world. 1t is a great thing to live now.
To come on to the sphere of action in
1857 and to leave in 1899, just at the
close of the century, IS to live in the
greatest part of the greatest century.
Both were religious teachers, Inger-
soil especially. His fame rests upon his
religious teachings. rather than on any
thing else he ever did. But there was
this difference between them-One was
an unbeliever, a procle lined agnOstic,