The evangelistic labours among the Scottish people of our two American visitors have terminated, and the workers are now enjoying a period of needed and well-earned rest. The last three days of Gospel work were as full of real interest, perhaps, as any in the whole campaign. There were two meetings in the Drill Hall, Galashiels, on Monday week. The universal testimony was that this thriving, industrial centre had never before shown such widespread interest in eternal things. A very large proportion of the inhabitants must have been present at the gatherings of the two days.
On the Monday evening, while Mr Moody was wielding the sword of the Spirit with great effect on the crowded assembly in the Drill Hall, a very interesting overflow was being held in the United Presbyterian Church. After a simple but telling exhortation from Hon. Henry Scott, son of Lord Polwarth, an address was given by
MR. A. L. BROWN, M.P.
for the Hawick District of Burghs, and a tweed manufacturer in Galashiels. Earlier in the day he had conducted Mr Sankey and some friends through his mills, and shown them the ingenious processes of converting the native wool into tweed cloth. On the evangelistic platform, Mr Brown is an earnest and interesting speaker, and naturally free from the conventionalities of utterance of the regular preacher. He weaves bits of personal experience into clear and freshly expressed statements of Gospel truth and is fitted to be an effective expositor to his fellows of spiritual things. He was very emphatic in his tribute of thankfulness to Mr Moody for the impressions produced on himself by the evangelist's addresses on the preceding Sabbath. When he had spoken, Mr Richard Hill made an extremely powerful appeal for immediate decision. Overflow congregations are generally regarded as made up of semi-disappointed persons, but on this occasion, at any rate, they had no reason to complain.
The closing after-meeting in the Free Church was one of the largest that Mr Moody has held during the past four months, and, we should think, one of the most fruitful. The supply of workers was unusually good, and all were kept busy directing the inquirers into the way of life.
INNERLEITHEN AND PEEBLES
had & meeting each on the Tuesday - at both places in the parish church. It was the weekly half-holiday at the former place, and so the villagers could freely join the country folk in attending the meeting. Mr Sankey sang several of the most popular of his solos, and Mr Moody preached so as to enchain the attention of the people, who were quite melted by some of the evangelist's closing incidents. There was no time for an after-meeting, but the congregation seemed quite ready for on and moved out of the building with evident reluctance.
The meeting in Peebles was one of the largest that Mr Moody has addressed for some time. Mr Sankey's notes rang through the lofty building with splendid effect. A goodly number proceeded at the close to a church at some five minutes' distance, and personal conversation was earnestly kept up, after some guiding words from Mr Moody. A number professed to step " over the line."
PENICUICK AND LINLITHGOW
were the last two places on the programme. Early in the mission Penicuick came into public prominence because of some foolish remarks by its parish minister, who declared that the evangelists would only enter his church over his dead body.
His fellow pastors in the neighbourhood were of a very different opinion, for they invited Mr Moody and Mr Sankey to visit their town, near which is situated the Maurice- wood coalpit, where an explosion took place a few years ago, causing the loss of over sixty lives. Having arrived in the little town ahead of the hour of meeting the evangelists were very hospitably received at the residence of Mr John Cowan, of Beeslack, an earnest Christian gentleman who takes a practical interest in the welfare of the people. The meeting held in the Free Church was large and enthusiastic.
Mr Moody has stood before few more receptive and responsive congregations. He gave them two discourses full of positive truth and had so much liberty of utterance that he found it difficult to close the meeting. If an after-meeting could have been held the apparent fruits would certainly have been great. As it was, a hasty departure had to be made. There were no convenient trains, and a carriage drive of nine miles had to be made to Edinburgh to catch a train to Linlithgow.
A large assembly came together in the Victoria Hall of this ancient burgh for the final Gospel meeting of the Mission. Mr Sankey sang three of his most telling solos, while Mr Moody preached from a threefold text on "Seeking the Lord." His last words took the form of an intensely earnest appeal to parents to see to it that they and their children were safe within the ark. The after-meeting was held in the Town Hall. Mr Moody could only address a tew words to the inquirers and hurry off to catch the evening express back to Edinburgh, leaving one of the local pastors in charge. This concluded the third lengthened mission in Scotland by the two evangelists.
ALL-DAY MEETING IN EDINBURGH.
The three monster gatherings at the Free Assembly Hall, Edinburgh, which. occupied the closing day of the month were not in Mr Moody's original intention; at the urgent entreaty of the Edinburgh Committee, he agreed, however, to spend the day in that city. An all-day conference having been held there in January, the evangelist resolved to address himself to Christians on work in the inquiry-room, and how to use the Bible in dealing with the anxious. The interest shown in the occasion was widespread and very great. No tickets were issued, and the hall was freely open to all. It was crowded to excess at all the three meetings, and large numbers who were disappointed of entrance, betook themselves to the Free High Church close by, where to Mr Sankey and a number of other friends took part. In the Assembly Fall itself Mr Sankey sang a number of his songs, old and new, being accompanied in many of them by his esteemed and musically gifted friend Miss Darling. Many well-known ministers of different denominations and Christian workers were present. It was a noticeable fact that at the afternoon meeting both the Moderators-Elect of the coming Established and Free Church Assemblies, Professor Charteris and Professor Blaikie, were present, and in consequence of the pressure on seating accommodation had to share between them the president's chair. This fact may be taken as a crowning illustration of the brotherly and thoroughly unsectarian spirit that has marked the Mission in almost every place where the meetings have been held throughout the length and breadth of old Scotland.
After prayer at the forenoon meeting by Dr J. H. Wilson, of the Barclay Free Church, Dr Andrew Thomson, Broughton place United Presbyterian Church, and Lord Polwarth, Mr Moody addressed himself to what he regards as
THE PRESSING NEED OF THE CHURCH
in the present day. He said he would not speak in any spirit of fault-finding, but experience had driven him to the conclusion that nine-tenths of the church members were not qualified to do Christian work. He did not altogether blame them for this; the fact was, that church members generally were not trained to work. Many a time during the past months he had seen scores of people go away from the inquiry meetings unspoken with, simply because there were no workers willing or qualified to converse with them. Although this dealing with the anxious is the very cream of the Church's work it is left undone; if it were properly attended to the professed disciples of Jesus Christ would be doubled throughout Christendom within twelve months. There are words of guidance and comfort in the Bible to meet every conceivable case of soul concern or bondage; if Christian men and women only understood how to use the Bible, how greatly they would be blessed in leading the anxious to decision. Impressions that are not dealt with on the spot are apt to fade away, and thus the fruit of preaching is lost for want of someone to gather it. Mr Moody repeated his oft-expressed conviction that after every Gospel meeting the net should be drawn, and he gave some instances of success where the Sabbath evening service had been devoted to this kind of work. The pastor should have the support and practical help of his office-bearers, and the active spirits in his congregation. When the minister is left to do all the preaching and the talking to inquirers, the church will be
A COMPARATIVE FAILURE.
In taking up his subject proper, Mr Moody said that there was great variety in the spiritual as in the natural kingdom, and one worker could scarcely lay down hard and fast rules for another; he could only give some hints and show how the plans he followed had proved successful. Workers should study the Bible as a whole, and find out what parts of it are best suited to meet the need of different cases for example, what would have been splendid advice for the Publican would have proved rank poison to the Pharisee. Nicodemus and the woman at the well in Samaria needed altogether different treatment. Then, workers should not put forward their own peculiar experience, otherwise the inquirer may look for the same sort or experience. Take the anxious one straight to the Word and take plenty of time with him. The work cannot be done in a wholesale way. If it is it will not be lasting, and this is what gives occasion for criticism of special evangelistic efforts. Be content to speak to one and do the work thoroughly. Plenty of people can be found who will address the crowd, but the great need is for those who can intelligently deal with individuals.
In order to this, however, Christians must be sure of their own salvation. Too many professed believers are living in Doubting Castle. It is the privilege of every Christian to walk in the unclouded light of God's countenance, but in many of the places he had visited throughout Scotland the Christians seem to be living on doubts. There are three classes of professors who ought not to have assurance - those who are only nominal Christians, those who are not willing to confess Christ before men, and those who will not take their part bearing the heat and burden of the day. Mr Moody referred in detail to passages in John's first epistle which was written for the express purpose for confirming the faith of believers. He also urged that in order to have sure and certain footing for our faith, we must abide by the old doctrine of Atonement. Let philosophers and rationalists speculate as much as they like, joy and peace can only flow from the assurance that Christ has tasted death for us and borne our sins in his own body on the tree. Another test by which we may certainly know if we have passed from death to life is love of the brethren. One reason why so many are in doubt as to their salvation is their unwillingness to treat sin as sin rather than as infirmity.
REPLY TO CRITICISMS.
At the afternoon meeting, which was even more crowded than in the morning, in commencing his remarks, Mr Moody took occasion to reply to some criticisms that had appeared in the daily papers of that morning: They were to the effect that he had cast a slight on the educated ministry in one of his addresses at the recent all-day conference in Glasgow. Mr Moody asserted that he had said he did believe in an educated ministry and appealed to those present who heard him if that was not the case. In the Chicago Training School with which I am connected (said Mr Moody) the man at the head is not only a college man, but he also studied two years in Germany. The principal of our Young Ladies' Seminary at Northfield is a graduate of a college for ladies that stands higher educationally than any I know of in this country. Our Training School for dressmaking, cookery, and Bible knowledge is also superintended by a college graduate. At our Mount Hermon School for young men, nearly all the teachers are graduates from leading colleges in America. I have sent one of my sons to college, where he has lately graduated, and I want my second son to go through college and the Theological Seminary as well. I do believe in an educated ministry,
BUT I DO NOT STOP THERE.
Mr Moody went on to say that many young men enter on Christian work far too late in life for them to go through the regular college course. The Church ought to take these men in hand and give them the chance of doing that for which they are fitted. Peter, the unlettered fisherman, did work as good as Paul, the man of education. Of course, Paul did his special work better because of his education. But there are some kinds of work that men, whether educated or not, are not fitted for.