Moody's Anecdotes and Illustrations Related in His Revival Work by The
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[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. 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. Illustration: Portrait of D. L. Moody 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. Illustration: Portrait of IRA D. SANKEY 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. Illustration: Portrait of D. W. WHITTLE 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. Illustration: Portrait of P. P. BLISS 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.