SABBATH AT ABERDEEN.
On Saturday the chief workers were cheered by the arrival on the scene of Rev John McNeill. He has been suffering rather severely from cold contracted in London. His share of the work will be largely regulated by the development of circumstances; he is ready to go wherever he is most needed, and where his presence will help most effectually to fan the flame of Gospel fire throughout old Scotland.
A ROUSING TALK TO WORKERS.
Sabbath morning broke bright and beautiful over the cold grey streets of the granite city. The air was piercingly cold, but the hearts of the Christian people of the town were warm enough to prompt them to flock in crowds to the Music Hall, which was quite filled, galleries and all, soon after 9.30 a.m. There must have been present about two thousand of the very pick and flower of Aberdeen believers. Messrs Moody, Sankey, and McNeill were supported on the platform by an array of local ministers and magnates, and there were a goodly number of ministers also scattered through the great congregation. It was a most inspiring sight to see such a concourse of earnest-minded men and women out early on a winter morning. After prayer by Mr McNeill, Mr Moody, Professor Simpson, of Edinburgh, and others, Mr Sankey grandly sang "Throw out the Life Line." The Music Hall is very defective in its acoustics for speaking, but Mr Sankey's wonderful voice rang through in a way that was quite thrilling. He also sang "When the Mists Have Rolled Away," the fine choir and great organ taking up the chorus.
Mr Moody's half-hour talk was on God's commission to Moses, as recorded in Exodus iii., and the various excuses that Moses put forward for not yielding instant obedience. The address sparkled with good things, characteristic of the evangelist's simple faith and a zeal that is undismayed by seeming difficulties. Mr Moody showed how Moses had to be taught that God can use the most humble instrument that is fully surrendered to Him. The lack of this spirit of humility and the strife as to who shall be greatest is one of the chief hindrances in the Church at the present day. Every true Christian worker must stoop to conquer. Moses pleaded that he was slow of speech, but God showed him that eloquence was not needed. We have too many silver-tongued orators, said Mr Moody; the Lord deliver us from mere human eloquence! Too often it is a snare and hinders a man's usefulness. What we need is to give the people God's word and let Him speak through us. A story was told of a stammering man out in the Western States who was converted through his little girl, who went to Sunday school. He was afterwards instrumental in the planting of twelve hundred Sunday schools, of which many developed into flourishing churches. An earnest closing appeal was made to Christians to listen to the call of God and to obey it. He will excuse us from his service if we insist on being excused, but we shall miss the luxury of doing good now, and we shall miss the crown hereafter.
The Scottish National Union of Young Men's Christian Associations and Fellowship Unions and Associations issue a letter, in which they say:- 'We would remind our members that, the last National Conference in Glasgow, the delegates with one voice expressed their satisfaction at the prospect of an early visit to Scotland of our honoured and beloved brethren, Mr Moody and Mr Sankey. We cannot but regard it as a direct answer to many prayers, and as fulfilling the longing desires of many hearts, that their labours in Scotland should have come so immediately upon the National Week of Prayer on behalf of Young Men. We would see in this coincidence a call from the Lord to our Christian young men everywhere to continue in prayer and to co-operate heartily for the conversion of young men in those places which our brethren may visit. Our work in Scotland owes much to the previous visits of our brethren, many members of associations having shared largely in the marvellous blessing which attended their labours. In the name of the National Union, we earnestly request you to unite with us in waiting upon the Lord for a mighty outpouring of His Holy Spirit, that their labours at this time may result in the conversion to Him of thousands of our young men and others, and the quickening of believers.'
—Yours in the Lord's service,
JOHN PAIRMAN,
JOHN STEVENSON
Please read this letter in your association meetings, and have it exhibited in your place of meeting.
THE MUSIC HALL MEETINGS,
afternoon and evening, were crowded—in the one case with women and the other with men. Mr Sankey gave two solos to each congregation, and then left for the overflows in the Free West Church. Mr Moody preached splendidly on both occasions, the only drawback being the difficulty of hearing his words, owing to the wretched acoustics of the hall. There were large second meetings. In the afternoon, many requests for prayer on behalf of unsaved friends were presented, and subsequently a large number rose for prayer on their own behalf. At a third meeting, on the orchestra, personal conversation was held with inquirers, and fruit was gathered. The second meeting in the evening was drafted into the Christian Institute adjoining. Mr Moody addressed the men for some time, being joined later on by Mr McNeill and some others. Personal effort again followed, and though the crust of reserve seemed very hard to break, it cannot be doubted that good and real work was done in leading men to spiritual decision. It was a fall Sabbath for Mr Moody, who had preached at eleven o’clock in Free St. Clement's Church, and thus took a leading part in no less than six different meetings during the day. But his labours were not in vain in the Lord.
GOOD THINGS FROM MR MCNEILL.
Afternoon and evening, Rev John McNeill preached to crowded overflows in the Free West Church, the congregations being composed of both sexes. In the afternoon the preacher made an overpowering appeal to timid Christians to declare themselves on the side of Jesus Christ; the text was 1. Chron. xii. 32: "At the time, day by day there came to David, to help him until it was of great host like the host of God.” As it was with David, so (said Mr McNeill) it is with the cause and Kingdom of Jesus Christ.
He is not always to be in the background. This is a day of revival, and Christ is saying to the men and women of Aberdeen: "Are you for me or against me? Take your side and stick to it." The Kingdom of Jesus Christ is today the one great going concern, whether in Aberdeen or in London, with all its massive wickedness and indifference. Let the people of Aberdeen catch the spirit and enthusiasm of the hour. If they were tempted to be ashamed of Jesus, let them forever give up their shame. Pray, what is there to be ashamed of in Him? Why should any young fellow blush like a boarding-school miss if somebody should say he has been converted? Men were not ashamed of their sweethearts, or wives of their husbands; why should they be ashamed of Christ? There is nothing to apologise for in Him or in his glorious Gospel. Young people like to belong to a big thing; if ever they were drawn to a big concern, let them come out openly and boldly for Christ. The longer he lived the longer he was amazed that Christ should condescend to take their help and should want for it.
A PARABLE OF SALVATION.
At night, Mr McNeill took the story of blind Bartimæus and expounded it in a most sparkling and delightful way as a picture or parable of the way of life, drawing a contrast between the rich young ruler and the blind beggar, both mentioned in the same chapter. He said that if the first was stripped of his accidental wealth, there was little to choose between them. Coming to Christ it is sometimes an advantage to be poor; there is less to give up. Bartimaus was free from many of the hindrances that might keep back a substantial Aberdeen businessman. In referring to the cry for mercy of the beggar when Jesus was passing by, he said that though he liked things done decently and in order he felt strongly that it would be no violation of decorum if there was more downright clamour for salvation. If one of them should cry out there in the church, "Thou Son of David, have mercy on me," God would not consider it an innovation or an interruption. It would break in upon the thrice accursed routine of going to church and coming from church with dry eyes and drier heart. Earnestness about salvation is not unnatural or unbecoming, it is the stifling of soul need that is unreal and vulgar and false to the core. If salvation is worth having at all, surely it is worth asking for, as though it were really wanted. The crowd wanted to shut the mouth of Bartimæus, and the crowd wants to do so still. If there are signs of true soul-earnestness the cry is raised, "Silence, it is not refined nor aesthetic." The organ or the choir may play and sing as loud as anything, but the cry of the perishing sinner is to be scouted and scowled down. But let no anxious one be afraid of the cold shoulder or the wet blanket, even though it might be administered by their own minister. God would feed the flame of their heavenly desire till full satisfaction came.
Mr McNeill asked young converts if they heard people talking scornful things about the Moody and Sankey business, about him, to turn round on them and ask what they stand in the thick of it and rebuke the scoffers. The preacher closed a very telling gospel sermon by appealing to his hearers to imitate Bartimæus, to strip themselves of their garments of self-righteousness, and come to Christ for healing.
Very beautiful and pathetic was the picture he drew of the man with his restored sight, gazing on the Christ who healed him, "Jesus is a grand sicht for sair e'en." He could imagine that up in heaven Bartimaus kept as close to the Saviour as he could; he would be one of those who "follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth."
Mr Sankey's Gospel Songs in the Free West Church were very telling, and fitted in well with the preaching. Everybody seemed to be of opinion that Sabbath was a day of great privilege for Aberdeen. Certainly, the spirit of hearing was wonderful. Of a truth, the good old Gospel has lost none of its power to attract, to charm, and to save.
The Aberdeen papers of Monday give copious and good accounts of the Sabbath meetings. The ‘Scottish Leader’ continues to do yeoman service to the good cause throughout the country by its full and special daily reports, written with great care and ability by Mr F. Lawrence, who has been specially commissioned to describe the meetings from Nairn onwards.
Mr Moody and Mr Sankey expect to proceed next week to Montrose, Arbroath, and Forfar, going the following week to Kirkcaldy, Dumfermline, and other places in Fife. Mr McNeill's future plans are not yet definitely arranged; they will depend on the development of the Aberdeen work.
A WEEK'S WORK IN ABERDEEN.
It is necessary to change the heading of these reports, since the chief human agents in the work have become multiplied by two. Mr McNeill's accession was chronicled last week; a fourth worker is now in the field in the person of Mr J. H. Burke, an American Gospel singer whom Messrs Moody and Sankey sent for to assist. He reached the north of Scotland towards the end of the week--in time to be introduced by Mr Sankey to Aberdeen audiences, and to show that he has distinct gifts in proclaiming the Gospel through tuneful and artistic song. He has a rich and finely cultured tenor voice and sings with great expression. For the present he will accompany Mr McNeill.
In attempting to chronicle within a brief compass the past week's work in Aberdeen, one's greatest difficulty is the
EMBARRASSMENT OF RICHES.
The whole of this issue might not unprofitably be occupied with a record of the sayings and doings of the week. Perhaps the first thing to be noted is the firm hold that the old Gospel has on the minds and hearts of these shrewd, hard-headed Aberdonians. Towards the end of the week Mr Moody said he had been told when he arrived in this country, that he would find “a new Scotland"; such had not been his experience. Certainly, the aspect of Aberdeen during these past days gives no colour to the assumption that the Gospel which Mr Moody preached in bygone days has been shorn of its power to attract. Weather is supposed to affect the attendance at religious meetings, even in church going Scotland. The weather of the last week has been as wild and wintry in the north of Scotland as the most ardent Esquimaux might desire. Yet, day after day, and twice a day, the frost-bound and wind-swept streets of the city have been thronged with men and women flocking to church or hall simply to hear the old, old story of Jesus and his love rung out in clarion notes either in sermon or in song. That is a phenomenon which modern philosophers, advanced theologians, and higher critics may be left to explain to their own satisfaction—or otherwise.
One cannot but feel that it has been a day of gracious visitation for "Aberdeen and twal' mile roun'," as the proverbial phrase goes. How far Aberdeen will know and will profit by this visitation, it is not within the province of any human observer to say. There is this hopeful element in the case-hopeful, at any rate, in Mr Moody's view. He sometimes remarks, as the result of long experience, that when God is working with saving power in the hearts of the people, the devil is busy propagating lies. Last week there was served up in the Scotch Press an ample dish of canards, baseless rumours - “the chatter of irresponsible frivolity" - and ignorant, uncharitable criticism. So, one may confidently believe that God has been doing great things in setting free for his service many hitherto bound by the chains of sin or held back by prejudice and indifference. Mr Moody's unfailing answer to all “the chatter" referred to is -
'Then shall my heart keep singing.'
With two preachers of such originality and force as Mr Moody and Mr McNeill addressing great audiences pari passu, there is great temptation to enter on
COMPARISONS AT ONCE UNFAIR AND ODIOUS.
God does not repeat himself, and the speaking gifts with which He has endowed both these servants are distinctly apart, though equally effective for the one supreme end of rousing sinful men and women out of their sleep of indifference and slothful Christians out of their beds of ease and selfish unconcern. Mr Moody almost glories in the fact that he cares little for what is known as "systematic theology." He leaves that branch of human thought (or speculation) to specialists. He loves to declare the sovereign love of the Father for a lost world; to lift up in the most comprehensive terms a living and ascended Christ - once the Sin Bearer of the whole race, and now the Saviour of all who will come to Him for pardon, peace, and power.
He exalts the Holy Spirit as the present Witnesser of Christ, and the effectual, ever-willing agent of salvation. Such is his simple but sufficient creed, as it comes out in his public teaching; and he severely fights shy, as a rule, of controversial doctrine.
Last week, however, he gave one afternoon his Bible reading on "The Blood," showing from the cumulative teaching of Jewish type and symbol and ritual, how God was preparing the world for the advent of Him who by the one sacrifice on Calvary made full atonement for the sins of Adam's race, and in whom God was reconciling the world to Himself. Though he does not often touch on disputed doctrines, Mr Moody has no sort of sympathy with any so-called Gospel that minimises or leaves out of view the Cross of Christ and all that it signifies. There have been many expressions of pleasure and gratitude, on the part of ministers and others, at the evangelist's restatement his staunch, unfaltering belief in these foundation truths of justification by atonement and sanctification by the gracious working of the Holy Ghost. And Mr Sankey, who has the best possible right to speak on the point, affirms that his fellow-worker never preaches on "The Blood" without seeing many seals to that ministry of reconciliation.
MR. MCNEILL'S ADDRESSES
during the past week have been the theme of much admiring comment. Indiscriminate eulogy of his utterances would be neither good for the gifted preacher himself nor glorifying to God. With the fine gold of his fearless and powerful speech there is an admixture of alloy that time and experience may be trusted to purge. But the fact remains that Mr McNeill, by consent of unprejudiced preaches of this time, is one of the few great preachers of this time. Mr Moody is not addicted to gush, and he is unstinted in his words of praise with respect to the discourses of his young fellow evangelist. It has really been a noteworthy sight to see day after day the large and growing group of ministers who have attended the Belmont-street Congregational Chapel and the Free West Church afternoon and evening, and have listened with a dazed and wondering eagerness to the glowing periods of Mr McNeill. In his hands the pages of the good old Book have become luminous with new beauty and pregnant with meanings and lessons undreamt of before. His forte lies in translating the sacred narratives and writings into the vernacular of today. And no subject seems to come amiss to him. He is equally effective in closely knit argument and in popular appeal. Throughout his discourses there runs a vein of subtle sarcasm or of flashing and unstrained wit that does more execution in paving the way for the serious aspects of truth than tons of lumberous logic could accomplish. More need not be said with respect to the peculiar qualities of Mr McNeill's preaching, as these pages will contain from week to week condensed notes of his rousing and sparkling addresses. Of course, they suffer much from condensation - even when reported fully, the expressive play of feature, the intonations of a rich and plastic voice, and the inimitable gestures are lacking. Mr McNeill has great power in putting his hearers into a corner, and shutting them up, so to speak, to an immediate acceptance of the truth. If he becomes as great an adept in the work of the after-meeting, he will prove a mighty evangelising instrument in the hand of God. During the past week he entered heartily into the work of the inquiry-room, not only at his own meetings, but at those held by Mr Moody.
THESE AFTER-MEETINGS
are, of course, the crux of evangelistic work, and it is a matter greatly to be deplored that many Scottish ministers, speaking generally, do not seem to be at home in personal dealing with anxious souls. It will need a thorough and radical upheaval in methods of college training before a better state of things prevails; and the man or men who will bring about this ecclesiastical earthquake will be far greater benefactors to the race than if they were to discover the long-sought-for "philosopher's stone." Much reaping work has been done in Aberdeen, both afternoon and evening, but much more might have been done if adequate arrangements had been made for inquiry-room accommodation, and for furnishing an army of trained workers of both sexes. Some of the cases of soul-concern and soul-decision met with have been intensely interesting, but there is no space for details.
A VISIT TO HADDO HOUSE
was one of the interesting items of the week. It was not in the original programme, but Lord and Lady Aberdeen were so importunate in their entreaties to Mr Moody and Mr Sankey to help in the public opening of a new hall, erected close to the family mansion, that they at last consented. The only condition exacted was that the Aberdeen meetings should not be interfered with, and, through the generous arrangements of the Earl and Countess, this was carried out. The evangelists left Aberdeen by special train after the close of the Music Hall meeting on Wednesday evening and were driven from the Udny Station to Haddo House, where they rested for the night. The snow drifts had blocked up the country roads, but Lord Aberdeen was equal to the emergency; he had a gang of his men out with the snow plough at three o'clock on Thursday morning, and before dawn the principal roads for many miles around were passable, either for foot or vehicle traffic. Thursday was a glorious day overhead though bitterly cold, and soon after eleven o'clock a large company had come from far and near to be present at the inauguration of the beautiful hall which his lordship has erected under the shadow of his own residence for the holding of religious, social, and other meetings among his tenantry. A contingent of the Aberdeen choir went out to help in the song and were hospitably entertained by Lord and Lady Aberdeen. The Earl introduced the speaking by one of his hearty and neatly-expressed speeches. Mr Moody preached the Gospel with great unction and charm of manner, and Mr Sankey made the rafters ring with his melodious song. The evangelists returned to town by carriage and special train, just in time to be at the opening of the three o'clock meeting in the South Parish Church. They will retain very happy memories of this flying visit. On the previous Sunday evening Lord Aberdeen had given an interesting detailed account, at a meeting in his private chapel, of the leading facts in Mr Moody's career and of the work of his schools at Northfield and Chicago.
MR MCNEILL AND ABERDEEN STUDENTS.
The students in Aberdeen University got a taste of Mr McNeill's peculiar qualities as a speaker on Saturday forenoon, when some 450 of them, drawn from all the “faculties," assembled to hear him in the Natural History classroom of Marischal College. Professor Cowan presided, and in a few graceful, laudatory sentences introduced the preacher-visitor. Before Mr McNeill entered the room the students were frisky enough after their kind, but all fears of any unseemly ebullition of youthful spirits soon vanished when he rose to address them. His text was "The beginning of miracles " at Cana of Galilee, and he swayed them at will with apparent ease. Humour, argument, pathos, and direct Gospel appeal were blended throughout with sacred skill. He showed that though this was the beginning of miracles with Christ, no man can say where the Lord's miracles are to end. Every single conversion is a miracle as wondrous as the turning of water into wine. His exposition of the phrase "the wine failed" (R.V.) was wonderfully fine and telling. He pointed out how all through human life the wine of health, of intellect, of moral conduct, of social happiness, fails; and how Christ alone can make up for the failure. He closed with an eloquently expressed and profound passage from one of Browning's poems, and the crowd of clever young Aberdonians dispersed in a much more subdued frame of mind than they had assembled an hour before.
From, "The Christian," January 7th and 14th, 1892.
MR MCNEILL IN ABERDEEN.
Throughout the past week Mr McNeill has kept the fire of spiritual interest well alight in the northern city by his remarkable addresses given twice a day during the week.
Large crowds continued to go and hear him, and at the evening meetings in the Music Hall numbers have manifested spiritual concern by rising for prayer. On Wednesday evening last week Mr McNeill preached in the North Parish Church in the east end of the city. A good proportion of the congregation were apparently of the genuine bourgeois type, and the preacher's words were such as would appeal to their peculiar difficulties and surroundings. The influence of this special effort is being very widely felt throughout the city. District visitors and Bible women say from personal knowledge that in almost every house they visit there is a deep interest awakened, and it can truthfully be said as of old, that "there is great joy in the city." One case has a peculiar interest. A man was present in the Music Hall one evening and decided to accept Christ. When he went home he found that his wife had attended a kitchen meeting that evening and had also experienced the beginning of a new life. The joy in that humble home that night may be "better imagined than described."
Last Sabbath Mr McNeill preached three times, in the forenoon in Rev G. Adam Smith's Free Church at Queen's Cross, and in the Music Hall afternoon and evening.
This week the meetings will be dispersed more throughout the city, Mr McNeill's desire being to break through the crust of sleepy indifference in the churches and stir them up to take hold on the irreligious masses around them.
From, "The Christian," January 21st, 1892.