Monday, 27th July.
On Monday 27th July Messrs Moody and Sankey addressed large and deeply interested audiences at Grantown, in the valley of the Spey. The meetings were held in the open-air during the day and in the Established Church in the evening. The place of the open-air meetings was singularly appropriate. It was an open space in a grove, where the Free Church Gaelic congregation has been wont to meet at communion seasons for the last thirty years. To many who were present the place was a hallowed spot. Souls had been converted there in bygone days; hearts had been warmed, saints had been cheered and strengthened by "the glorious gospel of the blessed God," preached by the late Dr Candlish, the late Mr M'Leod of Lochbroom, and many other servants of Christ now gone to their everlasting rest. On last Monday, in the same spot, the same glorious gospel was powerfully preached by Mr Moody and sweetly sung, in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, by Mr Sankey. The audience was over three thousand. The shops in the town were closed, and work was all but suspended in the country around. There are perhaps no other two men in Scotland and no other subject than the gospel, that could have so interested the whole district, and drawn together men of all denominations and of no denomination to hear addresses in such a place.
Open-air Meeting.
Mr Moody, exhausted by the labours of the preceding day, took no part in the first open-air meeting; but Mr Sankey sang psalms and hymns with a clearness and distinctness that caused every word to be heard over the large assembly, and the word of God was read and preached, and prayer led, by ministers who were present. Mr Moody addressed the second open-air meeting. His subject was Christ's compassion for lost sinners and His worthiness to be trusted; and as he quoted text after text and related incident after incident, opening up and illustrating his subject, his own heart warmed and his eye filled, and he himself was an illustration of his own subject, having compassion for the unregenerate in his audience. On he went in a rushing stream of Scripture quotations, illustrations, anecdotes, appeals, holding forth Jesus Christ with His atonement to deliver from condemnation, His obedience to procure acceptance, His Spirit of power to regenerate and sanctify and pressing each unconverted sinner to "take" Christ then and there. The heart of the multitude seemed touched. Old men and young, women and maidens, were seen melted and wiping away the tears. The day was lovely up to the close of Mr Moody's address; then all at once came a torrent of rain, mingled with hail large as garden peas, and accompanied with lightning and crashing thunder. The people fled for shelter in every direction, but carrying with them somewhat of the impressions they had received.
Evening Meeting.
In the evening, the meeting was held in the Established Church, which was heartily given by the minister, and which was filled in every corner. Messrs Moody and Sankey were both present, and the meeting was in every respect as impressive and interesting as the afternoon meeting. At the close, somewhere between twenty and thirty persons waited for personal dealing and direction in the great business of their souls' salvation; and I happen personally to know parties who seem to give good evidence that the opener of Lydia's heart opened their hearts, united them to Himself and saved their souls in that meeting. The full effect of these meetings will never be known in this world--the great day will reveal it.
"Times of Blessing," Aug 6th, 1874