[Transcriber's Notes]
Here are the definitions of some unfamiliar (to me) terms.
antediluvian Person who lived before the Biblical Flood. Very old or old-fashioned. cavil Raise irritating and trivial objections; find fault unnecessarily. conies Rabbits Chromo (chromolithograph) Colored print livery (clothing) Distinctive uniform. tares Weedy plants of the genus Vicia, especially the common vetch. Several weedy plants that grow in grain fields.
[End Transcriber's Notes]
MOODY'S ANECDOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS.
RELATED IN HIS REVIVAL WORK
BY THE GREAT EVANGELIST
DWIGHT L. MOODY.
FULLY ILLUSTRATED FROM GUSTAVE DORE
REVISED EDITION. EDITED BY REV. J. B. McClure.
CHICAGO: Rhodes & McClure Publishing Co. 1899
Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1896 by the Rhodes & McClure Publishing Company, in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, Washington, D. C. All Rights Reserved.
PREFACE.
The breathless interest given to Mr. Moody's anecdotes while being related by him before his immense audiences, and their wonderful power upon the human heart, suggested to the compiler this volume, and led him to believe and trust that, properly classified and arranged in book form, they would still carry to the general reader a measure of their original potency for good. The best anecdotes have been selected and carefully compiled under appropriate headings, alphabetically arranged, making the many stories easily available for the private reader and public teacher. Mr. Moody's idiom has been strictly preserved. He tells the story. "Gold" will be found scattered through the volume, which includes Mr. Moody's terse declarations of many precious and timely truths.
The compiler acknowledges the benefit received from the extended reports of the Tabernacle meetings given in the Daily press of Chicago, also the Hippodrome services reported in the New York papers, and the volume of Addresses revised by Mr. Moody. With the earnest prayer that God's blessing may accompany the reading of these stories that have blessed so many thousands as they fell from the lips of the great Evangelist, this volume is dedicated to the public by the compiler, J. B. McClure Chicago, Ill.
REVISED EDITION.
We retain in this, all that was in former editions and give forty pages additional of new anecdotes, properly classified, taken from the revival work in Boston and elsewhere. We also give engravings of Messrs. Moody, Sankey, Whittle, and the late lamented P. P. Bliss, the four evangelists who have so long and industriously labored together, and whose names conjoined, are household words throughout the land. The hearty reception already given by the public to this book justifies these improvements, which are gladly made, and which lead the compiler to hope that in this form the volume may prove yet more interesting and effective for good.
The engraving of Mr. Moody is from a copyrighted photograph by Gentile, used by permission. That of Mr. Whittle is by the same artist.
J. B. Mc.
REVISED EDITION 1896
This edition includes additional anecdotes and many handsome and appropriate illustrations.
Over one million copies of this book have been sold since the first issue. No single volume in the history of literature on the American continent has met with such a sale, and probably the only approximate comparison in the world is that of "Pilgrim's Progress."
Both of these volumes, it should be noted, derive their merited power and success from the vital truths of the Holy Scriptures which they so aptly illustrate. May Heaven's blessing follow.
J. B. McClure Chicago, Ill.
DWIGHT L. MOODY
Self-made, and conscious of the absolute truthfulness of every Bible declaration, Dwight Lyman Moody is today, perhaps, the most independent and powerful of living evangelists. Man, rather than books, and God, rather than man, have been his study, and made his life intensely individual, and one which has constantly increased in good works. In his thirty-five years labor for Christ, from his mission class of fourteen scholars in a Chicago saloon, down to the ten thousand listening souls in the Halls of Europe and Tabernacles of America, he has been the same faithful, persevering, original, and pungent D. L. Moody, with an unshaken faith in God, and a burning desire for the conversion of souls. At home Mr. Moody is cheerful and happy; in the social circle he is genial and companionable; in the pulpit he is Truth on fire. His native town is Northfield, Mass., where he was born February 5th, 1837. He is therefore now, (1896), fifty-nine years old.
IRA D. SANKEY.
Ira David Sankey, known throughout the world as the companion of Mr. Moody, was born in Edenburg, Pa., August 28, 1840. His musical talents were early developed. Political glee clubs at first monopolized his genius, but after his conversion in 1857, the Sunday School and Church opened wider fields, in which he has since labored with increasing usefulness. In June, 1870, at a Christian Convention in Indianapolis, after a morning service, where Mr. Sankey led the singing, he met, for the first time, Mr. Moody. "Where do you live! Are you married? What business are you in?" at once inquired the Evangelist; "I want you." "What for?" "To help me in my work in Chicago." "I cannot leave my business," replied the now astonished singer. "You must," said Moody. "I have been looking for you for the last eight years." And thus was Mr. Sankey "called" to be the companion and helper of the great Evangelist. They have been laboring together, for about a score of years.
D. W. WHITTLE.
For many years D. W. Whittle has been engaged in evangelistic work, giving it all his time, talents and energy. His first effort in connection with Mr. Bliss, who afterwards became his companion in the cause, was made over twenty years ago in a small town near Chicago. It was on this occasion that he told the story, "Hold the Fort," which the "Singing Evangelist" has rendered immortal. He is in the prime of life, and earnestly devoted to the Master's cause. His discourses are concise and clear, abounding with Scripture quotations, and, like those of Mr. Moody, interspersed with pointed anecdotes and illustrations. His preaching has been signally blessed wherever he has been called to labor.
P. P. BLISS
Philip Paul Bliss, the "Sweet Singer," was born in Clearfield County, Pa., in 1837. It was not until after he had reached the period of manhood that he "felt the stirrings of his musical gift." And then, under the inspiration of his wife, he entered upon the study of musical science, and laid the basis of his immortal "hymns," now sung around the world. In 1864 he removed to Chicago, where his musical talent and Christian character soon placed him in charge of the choir and Sunday School of the First Congregational Church, and where he made the acquaintance of D. W. Whittle, with whom, for the last five years of his life he labored in the great Gospel work. Deep spirituality and persuasiveness pervade all of Mr. Bliss' musical compositions. It is doubtful if the world ever heard sweeter hymns. Had he lived longer we should have heard more, but God, who raised him up for the work, called him:
For those who sleep, And those who weep, Above the portals narrow The mansions rise Beyond the skies-- We're going home to-morrow.
CONTENTS.
A
A Blind Man Preaches to 3,000,000 People
A Boy's Mistake--A Sad Reconciliation
A Business Man Confessing Christ
A Child at Its Mother's Grave
A Child Looking for its Lost Mother
A Child's Prayer Answered
A Child Visits Abraham Lincoln and Saves the Life of a Condemned Soldier
A Commercial Traveler
A Day of Decision
A Defaulter's Confession
A Distiller Interrogates Moody
A Dream
A Dying Infidel's Confession
A Father's Love for his Boy
A Father's Love Trampled under Foot
A Father's Mistake
Affection
Affliction
A Good Excuse
A Heavy Draw on Alexander the Great
A Little Boy Converts his Mother
A Little Boy's Experience
A Little Child Converts an Infidel
All Right or All Wrong
A London Doctor Saved after Fifty Years of Prayer
A Long Ladder Tumbles to the Ground
Always Happy
A Man Drinks up a Farm
A Man who Would not Speak to his Wife
A Mother Dies that her Boy May Live
A Mother's Mistake
An Emperor Sets Forty Million Slaves Free
Angry at First--Saved at Last
An Infidel who would not Talk Infidelity before his Daughter
An Irishman Leaps into the Life-boat
A Remarkable Case
A Rich Father Visits his Dying Prodigal
Son in a Garret and Forgives him
Arthur P. Oxley! Your Mother Wishes to See You
A Rumseller's Son Blows his Brains Out
A Sad and Singular Story
Assurance
A Story Moody Never Will Forget
A Voice from the Tomb
A Wife's Faith
A Zealous Young Lady
B
Believe
Bible Study
Black-Balled by Man--Saved by Christ
Blind
Broken Hearts
By the Wayside
C
Calling the Roll of Heaven
Cast Out but Rescued
Child Stories
Christian Work
Christian Zeal
Christ Saves
Condemned to be Shot
Confessing Christ
Conversion
D
Decision
Deliverance
"Deluged With Blood"
Dr. Arnott's Dog "Rover"
E
"Emma. This is Papa's Friend"
Engaging Rooms Ahead
Excused at Last
Excuses
F
Faith
Faith More Powerful than Gunpowder
"Father, Father, Come This Way"
Five Million Dollars
Forgiveness
Forty-one Little Sermons
Four-score and Five
"Free"
G
George H. Stewart Visits a Doomed Criminal
Get the Key to Job
Gold (Appears in many pages)
Governor Pollock and the Condemned Criminal
Grace
H
Heaven
"He Will Not Rest"
"Hold the Fort, for I am Coming"
How a Citizen Became a Soldier
How a Little Study Upset the Plans of a few Prominent Infidels
How a Young Irishman Opened Moody's Eyes
How Christ Expounded It
"How Funny You Talk"
How Moody's Faith Saved an Infidel
How Moody's Mother Forgave her Prodigal Son
How Moody Treated the Committees
How Moody was Blessed--Mark your Bible
How Moody was Encouraged
How Three Sunday-School Children Met their Fate
I
I Am not All Right
I Am not One of the Elect
I Am Trusting Jesus--A Young Lady's Trust.
I Can't Feel
"I Don't Know"
"If I Knew"
I Have Intellectual Difficulties
"I Know"
Infidel Books
Infidelity
Intemperance
It's Better Higher Up
"It Will Kill Her"
J
Jesus "Wants them All to Come"
Johnny, Cling Close to the Rock
Jumping into Father's Arms
L
Lady Ann Erkskine and Rowland Hill
"Let the Lower Lights be Burning"
Liberty
Liberty Now and Forever
Little Folks
Little Jimmy
Little Moody
Love
Love, not the Rattan, Conquers Little Moody
Love's Triumph in John Wannamaker's Sunday-School
M
Madness and Death
Money Blind
Moody and his Little Willie
Moody and the Dying Soldier
Moody and the Infidel
Moody and the Judge
Moody Asks a Few Questions
Moody a Young Convert
Moody in a Billiard Hall--A Remarkable Story
Moody in a California Sunday-School
Moody in Prison
Moody on Duty--How he Loves his Mother
Moody Puts a Man in his Prophets Room
Moody Visits Prang's Chromo Establishment
Moody with Gen. Grant's Army In Richmond
Moody's Declaration
Moody's First Impulse in Converting Souls
Moody's First Sermon on Grace
Moody's Little Emma
Moody's Mistake
Mothers Are Looking down from Heaven
"More to Follow"
Mr. Morehouse's Illustration
Mrs. Moody Teaching her Child
N
Napoleon and the Conscript
Napoleon and the Private
Never to see its Mother
Note What Jesus Says
O
Obedience
O, Edward
Old Sambo and his Massa
One Book at a Time
One Word
Out of Libby Prison
P
Parental
Peter's Confession
Praise
Prayer
Prayer Answered
Pull for the Shore
"Pull for the Shore, Sailor"
R
Rational Belief
Reaping
Reaping the Whirlwind
Removing the Difficulties
Reuben Johnson Pardoned
S
Sad Ending of a Life that Might Have Been Otherwise
Sad Lack of Zeal
Safe In the Ark
Sambo and the Infidel Judge
Satan's Match
Saved
"Saved"
Saved and Saving
Snapping the Chains
Song Stories
Sowing the Tares
Spurgeon and the Little Orphan
Spurgeon's Parable
Stubborn Little Sammy
Sudden Conversion (See Conversion)
T
Taking the Prince at his Word
Ten Years in a Sick Bed--yet Praising God
Terribly in Earnest
That is the Price of my Soul
"That is Your Fault"
The Arrows of Conviction
The Artist and the Beggar
The Bible
The Blind Beggar
The Blood
The Cross and Crown
The Cruel Mother--Hypothetical
The Czar and the Soldier
The Demoniac
The Drunken Father and his Praying Child
The Dying Boy
The Dying Child
The Eleventh Commandment
The Faithful Aged Woman
The Faithful London Lady
The Faithful Missionary
The Family that Hooted at Moody
The Fettered Bird Freed
The Finest Looking Little Boy Mr. Moody Ever Saw
The Horse that was Established
The "I am's," "I will's," Etc.
The Invitation
The King's Pardon
The Little Child and the Big Book
he Little Tow-headed Norwegian
The Loving Father
The Missing Stone
The Moody and Sankey Humbug
The Most Hopeless Man in New York now a Sunday-school Superintendent
The Orphan's Prayer
The Place of Safety
The Praying Cripple
The Praying Mother
The Prodigal Son
The Repentent Father
The Reporter's Story
The Rich Man Poor
The Scotch "Draw the Bible" on False Doctrine
The Scotch Lassie
The Scotch Lassie and Dr. Chalmers
The Sinner's Prayer Heard
The Skeptical Lady ?
The Sleep of Death
The Stolen Boy--A Mother's Love
The Two Fathers
The Way of the Transgressor is Hard
The Young Convert
The Young French Nobleman and the Doctor
Those Hypocrites
"Three Cheers"
True Love
Trust
Two Young Men
V
Very Hard, yet Very Easy
Very Orthodox