MESSRS MOODY AND SANKEY.
As their Scottish mission begins to draw near its close these two brethren seem to get more intense in aim and unresting in movement than ever. When one thinks of the frailties incident to all human life, and the trying conditions of their work at this severe and changeful season of the Northern year, their continued bodily health and elasticity of spirit become marvellous. Of a truth God is having them in his holy keeping.
Our report last week found them in the somewhat unlovely but populous suburban centre of Coatbridge, preaching and singing the Gospel to crowds who flocked to hear, despite the snow blizzard of Sunday, February 21. Before the week closed the evangelists had visited the sister town of Airdrie and the four villages of Strathaven, Stonehouse, Lesmahagow, and Larkhall. Without entering on minute details of the meetings, it may be said generally that the story to be told in each case is virtually the same - ministers of different denominations rallying around the chief workers, and helping them by prayer and effort; the largest available buildings crowded out, and goodly overflow gatherings to boot; rapt attention to the heartfelt song of the one evangelist, and the cyclonic, burning, soul-stirring, sinner-awakening utterances of the other; the manifest working of God the Holy Ghost in the minds and consciences of believers and unbelievers; great searchings of heart among the Christians through Mr Moody's vehement indictment of the doings of the whiskey-fiend, and his plain-spoken impeachment of the Christian Church for its connivance at the “Infernal traffic"; stricken souls anxiously seeking the way to God, or back to the One from whom they had backslidden in heart and life; not a few making the great decision and receiving the gift of eternal life. This last is a statement not to be made lightly or at random - and one can but judge on appearances; if these are to be trusted, the good old Gospel of full redemption through faith in the finished work of the Saviour Christ is as much as ever in Scotland the power of God unto salvation.
It is no flash-in-the-pan affair. One fact may be taken as a sample of many similar facts. On Saturday evening Mr Moody, by chance as we say, encountered a young minister at a Glasgow railway station, as he was about to start for a fresh field of effort on the Sabbath. This young man was converted through the instrumentalityof the evangelist in 1874; as a divinity student he got a lift from Mr Moody's visit of 1882; now he is an active, earnest worker among the Glasgow masses, and full of thankfulness of having the first opportunity of grasping the hand of the man, who, under God, turned his feet eighteen years ago into the narrow way that will land him narrow way that will land him one day in life eternal, with the souls that God has given him. Such a fact is sufficient in itself to keep the hearts of our American friends full of song, and it is but one of many.
SCOTLAND'S GREAT CURSE.
the whisky bottle has received no quarter from Mr Moody for the past three months, as these columns have amply testified. Of late the evangelist has seemed to outdo himself in the strength and frequency of his assaults on this giant evil that stalks up and down the land, defying God and man and slaying its ten thousands year by year. The point of M. Moody's later references has been the extent to which the so-called Church of Christ has made itself responsible for the continuance and even the growth of such a social and national plague-spot. His contention is that the churches have the disposal of the matter in their own hands and therefore they must bear the heavy responsibility. So long as the makers and the retailers, not to say the consumers of this demon alcohol, get the stamp of respectability and of Christianity put upon them by admission to the membership of the churches, so long will the ghastly farce of attempting to serve God with one hand and the devil with the other go on. How comes it that while in certain sections of society temperance sentiment has made rapid strides these last ten years, the great masses of the population in cities like Glasgow, and in the thickly-peopled suburbs— such as Coatbridge and Airdrie – are becoming more and more the degraded and helpless slaves of the drink? Is it not high time that Scottish churches of every name should with one consent cry truce to their internal squabbles and fall at the feet of God, calling for grace and strength to rid their country of this deadly incubus? One of the most active and best-informed Glasgow ministers has given it as his solid conviction that some thirty thousand men or women go to bed drunk in Glasgow every Saturday night. In view of such a state of things, the new moons and even solemn assemblies of the Churches must be an abomination to God, as was said by the prophet of old time. Mr Moody, at any rate, has effectually cleared the skirts of his garments from all responsibility for this accursed Achan in the Christian camp; it remains to be seen whether his fellow-Christians in Scotland will hear his message to any purpose.
Friday's work was noteworthy for the meetings held forenoon, afternoon, and evening in the large Established Churches at Stonehouse, Lesmahagow, and Larkhall.
From, "The Christian," March 3rd, 1892.
THE FOLLOWING UP
it’s being vigorously sustained at different points. You have no space for detailed notes, but it may be said generally that in the meetings held by Messrs Smith and Bell at Wishaw, by Mr Richard Hill at Lesmahago, by Mr W J Taylor at Larkhall and by Mr J M Scroggie at Greenock, the word spoken has been with power and it is confidently believed that many have been led to the point of true spiritual decision. A large and interesting meeting of converts and workers was held on Wednesday evening last week at Kirkcaldy, despite the fact that that district was in the throes of a hot and many-cornered parliamentary election contest. Some interesting facts are to hand also respecting the work at Coatbridge. Mr Hutchinson of Coats Established Church reports that he has met with a dozen men in his own parish, who trace their conversion to the Sabbath evening meeting in the theatre. Gospel meetings are to be arranged for now in the theatre each Sabbath evening.
From, "The Christian," March 10th, 1892.