SUNDAY IN ELGIN
The last Sabbath of the year. Three sermons from Mr Moody, one of which would’ve been a good days preaching work, as modern preaching goes. In Morayshire not only is the outward temperature much more genial than in the extreme north, but one seems in a different zone, ecclesiastically and religiously. The people down this way are much more in the current of revived life and are fully alive to the need of such special efforts. Elgin was the residence of the late Brownlow North and the scene of his remarkable conversion. It has been blessed with many earnest and evangelistic pastors in bygone days and thus the way of our American brethren was well prepared.
At the morning diet of worship Mr Moody preached in Rev Mr Cowan‘s Free Church, giving the large assembly a pathetic Christmas discourse from the words “There was no room for Him in the inn”. To a packed congregation in the afternoon he spoke on the need of the Holy Ghost for service. As his burning sentences rang out over the hushed assembly, it seemed as though the heavenly gales of which he spoke had begun to blow. The impression made by the discourse cannot be described in words, but it was evident that God had mightily helped his servant in setting forth the duty and privilege of the believer placed as a beacon light in this dark world of sin. At night, the spacious Established Church in the centre of the town was crowded almost to suffocation, aisles and passages being densely packed. The sermon was on “Sowing and Reaping” and was followed by a large after-meeting, at which Mr Moody explained, in very clear and simple words, the Way of Life. The throng was so great that there was no hope of doing any effective personal work and so the people were dismissed with the words of appeal and exhortation and invitation still sounding in their ears.
Mr Sankey was present at a children’s service in the forenoon and took part in it with the Provost of the town, under whose auspices it is regularly held. The singing evangelist also had his full share of work, afternoon and evening, filling up the measure of the Gospel testimony rendered to the community throughout the day.
Rev John McNeill intends joining the evangelists at Aberdeen on Saturday to cooperate with them in the mission in the Granite City
ELGIN AND DUFFTOWN
The second day’s meetings in Elgin were noteworthy for the attendances. The congregation in the Established Church on Monday afternoon was far the largest that has come out to a weekday Bible reading since this tour commenced. In the evening the great church was about full. Mr Moody’s sermon was on “Excuses.” In this discourse he threw out a very wide net that seemed fitted to catch all sorts of people, as the very excuses that people offer were set forth and shown to be inadmissible.
A recent curious experience of Mr Moody furnishes him with a fresh illustration showing the perversity of the human heart. The last person he spoke to in the inquiry room in one of the towns visited was a man of 80 years of age, who, by his force of character had risen from the position of ploughman to that of landed proprietor. His world prosperity however, had not given him rest of soul or power over sin. This evening Mr Moody had a long talk with the man, striving to set the truth of salvation clearly before him. Some words of Christ were quoted, but the man replied that Mr Moody was not Christ and that Christ himself must speak to him. Peter‘s testimony was cited, but the same objection was raised. The man seemed to be expecting some special revelation of the truth through his mind and heart, but it was only a shuffle so that he might salve his conscience for refusing to accept salvation on God‘s terms. His parting compliment to Mr Moody was to the fact that he was much too conceited a person to do him any good!
The immediate reaping work at Elgin cannot be said to have been extensive. Not that there were not plenty of anxious souls, but the convenience for sifting the congregation is so it’s to find them out we lack. There is no lecture hall or building adjacent to the established church, where inquiry meeting work could be carried on. One can hope that the following up time, maybe one of rich harvesting. Rev Simeon McPhail, of Liverpool, once Pastor of the Free High Church of Elgin, is a man of intense zeal and courage. He has complied with a pressing request that he should continue the special effort in his old town throughout this week. He will be warmly welcomed and supported by the local workers and great hopes are cherished as to the issue. Mr Moody has remarked that he never preached on “Excuses” without hearing of some results and he was not without this experience at Elgin. Indeed, one young lady was so deeply influenced that she came to the railway station next morning to thank the preacher for his words. She confessed she was not a believer but was desiring to be led into the Light and that she will.
From, "The Christian," January 7th, 1892.