Year: 1875

GIVE BROTHER MOODY CHURCH.


Tue Great Fire of 1871 was impartial in its
destruction, and therefore did not spare the
mission-school in which Brother MOODY,
then unknown to fame beyond the limits Of
Chicago, labored for the good Of the territory
in which it was located, "A territory, by the
way, which sadly needed the labcrs Of some
Jealous home missionary like Brother
MOODY, who has now become an evangelist
Of worldwide fame. He had no denomina-
ton or congregation to fall back upon for
help in this emergency. His constituency
was poor, ragged, and impecunious, and not
only could not help in the erection Of new
edifce, but had never contributed anything
towards the running expenses Of the old one.
So the charitable people Of the community
and those interested in Brother MooDx's Pc
culiar work took hold and commenced the
erection of plain, but substantial, church
on the old site on North LaSalle street, half
a dozen blocks north of the river, and
had succeeded in erecting one story
when. the funds gave out The
panic then set in, and it became
impossible to raise any more money, and thus
the building remains unfinished. It is at
present an ungainly and unsightly blot in
the midst Of a section rapidly being im-
proved with handsome buildings


The friends of Brother MooDx are now or
ganizng movement in this city which has
for its object the completion Of the church
pending his return from Europe. Such an
act will be very graceful recognition of
Brother Moopx. he has richly earned it.
He has conferred honor upon the city and
has made its name more widely known and
respected than ever before. When he left Us
upon his religious mission, he was compara-
lively unknown out Of the city; now he is
known to the whole civilized world When
he left us, he had been comparatively sue
cessful in conducting mission-school
md managing the religious and charitable
affairs of the Young Mems Christian Associa-
dom of Great Britain into religious fervor,
and attracted thousands upon Thousands Of
people to hear him discourse in his simple,
but earnest and convincing, manner. When
he left us, his auditors were the low est
classes of society now he has talked to
aristocats, mobiles, and royalty ITSELF Al
most at bound, he has reached the exalted
place held by WHITEHEAD and other evangel-
lists, and has made his name known the
world over. Chicago, therefore, cannot do
less than to recognize not only what he has
done in the cause Of religion, but what he
has done for Chicago. To finish his unsec-
tartan church will require comparatively
small sum. and little time, and the testimonial
will be but very slight one in comparison
with his services for piety. In this connec-
ton, there is another thing to be remem-
bered Brother MooDY now not only
belongs to Chicago but to the whole country,
by virtue of the remarkable unsectarian work
he has been doing. When he returns, he
should receive warm welcome from Chicago
as well as from. all the large cities in the
United States, and it is not impossible that in
the midst Of this general enthusiasm tempt
ing offers viii be made to secure his services.
In Ill probability, St. Louis, Cincinnati, New
York, Boston, and other cities which have q
chronic jealousy Of Chicago, will make des-
'perate efforts to get him away from Chicago,
which must therefore be up and doing, and
show Brother MooDY that he is appreciated,
md that his wonderful work is recognized
by his own city. We do not believe that any
form OF testimonial would be SO pleasing to
him as the completion Of his unsectarian
mission church, about which cluster his
fondest associations, or that anything would
suit him better than to resume his labors
where he inaugurated them To do this the
more effectively the material should be placed
in his hands complete. The evangehzer Of
Great Britain should not be greeted with the
sight Of ha1f-story church, standing in all
its defornity just as it was when he left here.
AL the churches, evangelical and unevan-
gelical, liberal and dogmatic, should unite
their efforts to accomplish this result, and we
have no doubt that the unconverted public
viii. also cheerfully lend helping hand in so
good cause.


BAsEBALL AND The CHURCHES.


a new departure has been taken by one OF
the churches Of this city-the Plymouth Con-
ereeotional- commends itself, namely:
the culture of muscular Christianity. Upon


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