Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-02-20
Nelson F. Evans Recalls
Revival of 1876 in This
City and Compares the
Men, Results and Condi-
tions of Both Campaigns
Baseball Evangelist's Task
Greater, Says Writer, Be-
cause of Greater Evils and
More Complex Problems of
Present Epoch.
Bv NELSON F. EVANS

BV ElLND
Mr. Exams tpds a member Of the EDecu-
tive Committee IN charge Of the Moody-
saykey campaign and chief usher at the
oreot meetings He iDds at that time
,;ce president Of the Y. M. O. A. IN this
oi,v. later becoming president Of that IN
,IijDtiou The foIlotDind tUdS tcrttten bJ
hin, nj m request Of tho Evening Ledger
and Is p;Safed enCiusively IN this paper.
4 when the Moody and Sankey revival
campaign opened in Philadelphia on No
yenibcr q. 1875, the whole atmosphere of
the time, political. commercial, social and
religious. was decidedly different from
tbat of today We were then but ten
wears removed from the Civil War, which
had left the country full of mourners, and
but two years from a great financial crisis
which had brought widespread depression
and loss. As a result of these conditions
the people we're tender and accessible to
tho serious questions of life.
Into this atmosphere came Mr.. Moody,
with his earnest, serious. persuasive man.
ner of preaching, and the record OF two
spectacularly successful years of CAM
palgnng IN Great Britain.
Mr. John Wanamaker had purchased
the old freight depot which occupied tho
site upon which his store now stands, and
offered the building for use In the revival
campaign, postponing business. A great
auditorium was constructed within the
walls OF the depot, leaving an inside lobby
20 feet wide Between it and the brick
walls. There was seating capacity for
If 900 persons and there were six Wide
aisles. Three hundred ushers, divided
into groups of 100 for each service, and
SO policemen handled the crowds, and
although on several occasions there were
fully $4,000 persons in the building, there
was no serious accident or Inconvenience
to any one throughout the eight weeks
campaign,
Expenses Were $4,000
The expenses of the revival. such as
alterations to the building, its furnishing,
printing, clerical work and the like,
amounted to about $4,000. This sum was
tons being taken at the meetings except
at the closing service of the campaign,
with which was blended the anniversary
OF the Y NJ. C. A., when well organized
appeal was made for that association
and about 100000 was collected.
Another feature of these services was
a choir of 500 voices, organized and led
by william G. Fischer, a well known
Philadelphan, who served gratuitously
and with great success
l have no record of the conversions at
the meetings; indeed, I believe that no
complete record was ever kept, although
they amounted to several thousand In
response to the appeals made by Mr.
Moody at the close of the services those
who came forward were ushered into
committee rooms behind the platform,
and were iudiclously assigned to personal
workers, who gave each one Individual
attention, taking the name and address to
be Immediately forwarded to the pastor
of some church and giving words of coun-
sci, advice or prayer.
A Great Evangelist
To describe Mr.. Moody and his work I
can find no better words than those or
the Rev. DIR. Washington GLADDEN., who
writes:
MIR. Moody's preaching was also most
persuasive and convincing The style was
always homely; the rhetorical structure
was often imperfect; but he knew ex-
actly what he wanted to say and he drove
straight at It, with unswerving directness
HIS theology sometimes bore a traditional
sediment; the great themes of human
need and the divine compassion were pre-
sented with such clearness and fullness
and tenderness that the medieval deposit
was submerged
"Above all, the spirit OF the man was
so sweet, so tolerant, so kindly, that he
drew all hearts toward him. He had no
bitter or censorious words to speak about
those who differed with him; ne kindled
no suspicious or hatred In human hearts,
he hurled no maledictions."
Mr.. Sankey had a pleasing personality
handsome face and a clear and power
ful tenor voice. full of heart and pathos.
lie could sing the Gospel with an enun-
clatlon so perfect that every word could
this became as interesting and moving as
Dir Moody's preaching.
Since MIR. Moody's work here eondi-
iions In this country have changed great
W giving Mr.. Sunday a crop OF new evils
as well as the old ones, to deal with
The population of the United States, as
well as that OF Philadelphia, and the
number Of forelgnborn residents have
more than doubled since 1875.
There has been marvellous industrial
development the accumulation of colossal
wealth and worldly tendencies of the
largely increased church membership
challenge Mr.. Sundays courage and skill
n attacking specific evils. How well he
is doing his work in his peculiar way Is
already well known in Philadelphia.
Sunday and Moody
Mr. Sunday differs from Mr.. Moody in
his intensely dramatic manner and in a
Vocabulary more extensive. miscellaneous
ana lurid, ana in general is more versatile.
but he Is much like his predecessor In
having begun HIS work IN Chicago in
connection with the r NJ C. A.; in hav-
Ing model family life to his credit: in
adherence TO the traditional orthodox
ihsolosy; In attaching great Importance
% the study OF the Bible, and IN reach
ans All classes OF people, as a preacher OF
righteousness. justice and pure morality,
= vel as Christianity in general.