MR SANKEY
continues to be cheered by hearing of the blessing that has resulted from the singing of his Gospel songs in past years. Some of the hymns from which little result of this kind had been expected have been channels of power to the hearers. Thus, the Gospel singer is encouraged to go on singing the Gospel, with heart and voice, leaving the full results to God and to the day when the books shall be opened and the secrets of all hearts revealed.
THE EVANGELISTS AT EDINBURGH.
The interest that has been aroused throughout Scotland, especially the southern parts of it, by the visit of Mr Moody and Mr Sankey may be said to have culminated in the remarkable gatherings in Edinburgh on Wednesday of last week. They were remarkable for numbers, but still more for their representative character.
Never during any previous visit by our American brethren to the Scottish capital have they been greeted by a company at once so large, so influential, and so full of promise. Before the hour of meeting, 11 a.m., not only was the Free Assembly Hall crammed in every nook and cranny, but the crowd overflowed into the adjoining Free High Church, and about filled the spacious structure.
The composition of the audiences was unique, we should think, in the history of British evangelism. All the professors of the Free Church and United Presbyterian Church Colleges in Edinburgh were there, with Principals Rainy and Cairns at their head. The professorial staff of the Edinburgh University was also represented. As for students, we are informed that there were in the audience 170 from the Free Church College, 100 from the United Presbyterian College, and eighty from the Established Church College. It would probably be easier to specify those evangelical ministers of the city and neighbourhood who were not present than to give a list of those who were. All the denominations were represented. There was a large delegation from Glasgow, both of ministers and laymen, and there were also many leading businessmen and professional men from both cities. Visitors came from many parts of Scotland - north, south, east, and west, while Ireland and India also had their representatives; and workers from the Edinburgh and Glasgow mission and church organisations were as plentiful as blackberries. It was altogether a memorable gathering as to the texture of it, and formed a weighty tribute to the widespread esteem entertained for our evangelistic brethren. The overflow in the Free High Church was addressed by Dr ANDREW A. BONAR, Dr J. STALKER, and Mr SANKEY
Mr Moody and Mr Sankey, who had travelled that morning from Cupar in Fife, entered the hall shortly before eleven, and the proceedings were at once opened with the singing of the well-known:
Come Holy Spirit, heavenly dove
with all thy quickening powers,
Kindle a flame of sacred love
In these cold hearts of ours.
Then prayer was offered by the venerable Principal Cairns, who did not fail to thank God for all the great things He had done in bygone years by the instrumentality of Mr Moody and Mr Sankey in their own land and ours, and for what He is now doing by them in Scotland. There was also a touching reference in the aged Principal's prayer to the Royal bereavement, which the nation was then remembering in connection with the funeral of the Duke of Clarence. Mr Sankey very feelingly sang, "Pray, brethren, pray," with its solemn refrain, "Eternity is drawing nigh." Before leaving for the overflow, Mr Sankey sang, "Nothing but leaves."
MR MOODY ON THE HOLY SPIRIT.
An address on this subject was the principal engagement of the hour. After a brief reference to the personality of the Holy Ghost, Mr Moody remarked there is much ignorance as to the definite work of the Spirit in the economy of grace. First of all, He convicts men of sin, and chiefly of the sin of unbelief. The work of the preacher is to hold up Christ; the Holy Spirit alone can carry the truth home with convicting power. A man might preach with all the eloquence of Demosthenes, but unless the Holy Ghost is working with him, there will be no conversions, and the whole thing will pass away like the morning cloud.
The Spirit also sheds abroad in the heart the love of God. What we need in these days is to be carried above party feeling and sectarianism. Without love in his heart a man is not fit to do God's work. There are many men in our pulpits who might do just as much good by just standing there and ring a tea-bell as they do by their hard and unlovely preaching. How can the Holy Ghost work where there is quarrelling and backbiting - one minister in a town not being on speaking terms with his fellow minister? As the voice could not travel without the atmosphere, so the work of God cannot prosper where it has not an atmosphere of love to work in. May God baptise us with his own love. ("Amen,” "Amen.") Let the Church of God move into 1 Cor. chap xiii, If the Christians in Scotland would live there thirty days, they might revolutionise the whole country. But the love must be
REAL AND SPONTANEOUS.
The Spirit of God imparts hope. If we are filled with Him, we shall not be discouraged and always looking on the dark side of things. If the pulpit loses hope, the same feeling will very soon infect the pews. Why should we be all the time living on past experiences? I meet with so many who are always talking about the wonderful revival there was in 1859! Why, I expect far better times in '92 than there were in '59.
Our best times are on before; do not let us go about whining and moaning and finding fault. God has never yet used for great ends a man who was easily discouraged.
Another thing that the Spirit gives is liberty. I would like the brethren here to testify whether or not they have liberty in their meetings. If they have not, there is something lacking, but do not let the Christians imagine that all the fault is in the pulpit. I do not believe that Gabriel himself could preach with much unction and liberty if the congregation are all the time criticising and picking holes in the sermon. Do you suppose there would have been any blessing on the Day of Pentecost if the disciples had been criticising Peter's discourse, instead of holding him up in prayer?
Mr Moody went on to show how it is the work of the Holy Spirit to testify of Christ.
When a minister holds up Christ as a Saviour before the people, the Spirit has then something to work on. If we preach science or metaphysics and leave out the living Christ, the Spirit has not got a chance to work. As to the dwelling-place of the Holy Spirit, Mr Moody pointed out that while in the old dispensation the Shekinah took up its abode in the tabernacle and afterwards the temple, now the bodies of believers are the temple, in which God desires and delights to dwell. If we are indwelt by the Spirit, how is it that so many of us are without spiritual power?
POWER FOR SERVICE
was the topic of some very earnest closing words. Mr Moody urged that repeated baptisms of the Holy Ghost are necessary for the Church, giving some of the points that were emphasised in our report last week of his Bible reading on the great sermons in the Acts. He said he saw no reason why the Holy Ghost should not fall on that assembly now, and on the city of Edinburgh and on all Scotland? How great is the need! An earnest was made to fathers and mothers to seek the Spirit’s power in saving their land from the power of the drink curse, that is destroying so many of the very flower of Scotland's youth. Speaking on the lack of success in winning souls, Mr Moody illustrated it by an incident of a lady whom he met, and who was led to see the failures in her own life were the cause of her spiritual unfruitfulness, she confessed her shortcomings both to God and to her household; then the Lord used her to the conversion of her husband, of some of her servants, and of a number in her Bible-class. Having graphically described the falling of Elijah's mantle on the young Elisha with a double portion of the old prophet's power, Mr Moody said that the God of Elijah still lives, and is ready to use all who are willing and fit to be used.
Eternity alone could tell the results of that gathering if the power of God were to sweep over all those present. What might be done through those students soon to go forth preaching the Gospel. Why should there not be streams of salvation breaking out in all the parishes from which those ministers came? It appears as if God were very near to us in Scotland; wherever we have gone he seems to have gone before. Surely the time has come for the Church of God to rise, to fall into line, and move forward.
A SOLEMN SEASON OF PRAYER
followed, during which the petitions of the bowed assembly were earnestly led by Principal Rainy, Mr J. Campbell White, Rev John Smith, Dr Marcus Dods, Rev H.M. Williamson, of Belfast, Mr Moody, and others. Mr Moody prayed especially for the young students present, that they might all receive the Unction from the Holy One before they went into the pulpits of the land to preach his Gospel.
After lunch Mr Moody and Mr Sankey hurried off by the 1.40 train to Dunfermline, where they were due at 3 o'clock, to commence a two-day' mission.
From, "The Christian," January 28th, 1892