Year: 1876




Correspondence of the NORTHERN TRIBUNE.


CHICAGO, Nov. 6, 1876.


There are so many things that lwould
like to tell you about this great city, that
| hardly know where to commence. II
were sitting with you in your sanctum
would commence with the first thought
and would tell you os the peculiaritles
have noticed here. so different from your
own village. that it would seem strange
to YOU. that is if could only tell you In
such language that you could as fully
realize in it as do with it all passing be-
fore my eyes.


Every man. woman and child in this
city seems to be in most magnlncent
hurry. The idea of being in such grand
hurry as that may seem ludicrous to you,
but have no other word that will ex-
press my meaning. The men business OF the
town crowd and iostle each other on the
street as they pass along, so filled with
the Importance of their business that In
every motion and every:action they seem
to wish to convey to you the idea that
the whole world.:was meant for them and
no one else.


They all seem to delight in this crowd
ing and rushing to get by each other on
the street, and if by some miscalculation
in dodging to get by another, mans
hat is dislodged from its owners head
and goes rolling in the gutter, he does
not deign to growl around or even NUT
ter swear, but goes for it i'm such a way
that you are at once impressed with the
fact that time is too precious for Linn to
lose the fractional part of a second on so
small a matter as that.


This is the last day before election. and
for my part shall be glad when to-mor-
row has passed. Political excitement
has now run high in this city during the
campaign, and l should say that the raj
lies on both sides upon every OCCASION.
and they were almost nightly, have been
a success. | have only attended one oi
these demonstrations, an, that was when
bob" IngersOll gave his talk, ami really
I think it would liaye done your neigh
bors of the Free Press some good to hear
the whole truth as he told it. l have
noticed as general thing that Demo
Gratis i'm this city are annoyed at the
truth when plainly spoken.


The meetings OF Moody AMI Sankey
have worked up a remarkable interest u.
matters of religion. Ii WAS Thought
when they first commenced. five weeks
ago, that it would not be possible to
awaken much Of an interest in such
things right in the height of a political
campaign such as the present one. But
the contrary has been the effect, tOI
nightly has that vast building been
crowded to its utmost capacity. just
think of it, ten thousand people assem-
bling nightly to hear the talk of Mr..
Moody and the singing of Mr.. Sankey
and his vast choir of five hundred sing
ers. / have attended quite often, and
hardly know which has the greatest ten
deEcy to draw the crowd, the preaching
or the singing. For myself | am free to
say that it is the singing. L never have
heard anything in choir singlng,so incom-
parabIy sweet as the way they sang that
beautiful hymn. "Only Thee The choir
singing the verses and the vast audience
joining i'm the chorus. This was always
tavOrite with me, because we had
always sang it when at Sunday school in
your village. and it took me back to the
old home instantly, and my thoughts
came crowding each other so quickly un-
til could see in fancy every face was
won't to meet there -.


For an hour before service that audi
ence sits and waits. The time is usually
passed in singing by the choir. The
audience joining i'm the choruses. Prompt
ly on time. Messrs. Moody and Sankey
appear, each takes his place, Moody at
the desk and Sankey at the organ. The
whole audience usually sing with the
choir the opening hymn, after which
few verses of Scripture are read, when
Mr.. Moody directs that the ushers shall
close all the doors and keep them so.
while Mr.. Sankey sings "Watching and
Waiting" The deepest silence settles at
once upon that vast audience, When MIR.
Sankey, in the strongest yet sweetest
voice, speaking every word so distinctly
that at the farthermOst part of the taber-
ernacle every word is distinctly heard,
sings his favOrite hymn. 1t is wonder
full what an Interest this peculiar preach
ing and singing seems to have awakened,
seemingly on the increase nightly. am
led to wonder what the final result will
be before the first day Of January, when
they must end, for then Messrs. Moody
and Sankey go to Boston tor series OF
meetings.


r. d.