| Mar 2008 | They Met at Calvary |
| Apr 2008 | Keeping the Easter Rumour Alive |
| May 2008 | The Way to Pentecost |
| Jun 2008 | Where our Unity lies |
| Jul 2008 | The Californian Redwood |
| Sep 2008 | "Dwight L. Moody, 1837-99" |
| Oct 2008 | Nine Marks of a Good Church |
| Nov 2008 | Mammon |
| Dec 2008 | Advent and the Evangelists |
| Mar 2009 | A Pattern for Lent |
| Apr 2009 | We have seen His Glory |
| May 2009 | Witnesses To The Resurrection |
| Jun 2009 | The Holy Trinity |
Apart from Billy Graham, D.L. Moody is the greatest evangelist of modern times. Moody was the son of an American bricklayer. In 1855 he was converted to Christ. Almost immediately he began a ministry to impoverished children. His work as a successful evangelist grew out of his ministry as a Sunday school worker. He organized Sunday school Conventions and regularly preached to 1,800 youngsters.
In 1867 the transformation of Moody’s Christian life and ministry occurred with a deeper love of God under the preaching of Henry Moorhouse. In 1870 at the YMCA International Conference in Illinois Moody met the musician and singer Ira D.Sankey
In 1871 there occurred the great fire of Chicago. The city was devastated, 50 churches and missions were burnt down, 300 people perished and 100,000 were homeless. Everything Moody had laboured for was gone. He now lost interest in everything except THE PREACHING OF CHRIST and WORKING FOR SOULS.
Moody was determined to be free of all entanglements. There was a NEW URGENCY in his preaching. He resolved that his hearers must decide for Christ without delay. Lovingly and urgently he resolved to call for a decision!
1871 marked Moody’s personal Pentecost - a new outpouring
of God’s Spirit.
He was alone as the fire of the Spirit of love fell
upon him. I had such an experience of God’s love that I
had to ask him to stay his hand.
From 1873 to 1875 Sankey accompanied Moody to Britain.
Their tour throughout Britain was supported by the clergy of
all denominations. In 1875 in London Moody preached to
2.5 million people; he reduced the population of hell
by a million souls
. Who was responsible for this great
success? Was it God and Marianne Adlard? She was a bedridden
woman. She heard of Moody’s ministry in the States, so she
prayed that (1) he would come to Britain (2) that he would be
Spirit-filled (3) that he would lead many to Christ.
In 1886 Moody helped to form the Student Volunteer Missionary Union, out of which grew the SCM and modern ecumenism. In 1890 Moody gave a very generous subscription for his new local RC church. When Moody built his own church and school all the bricks for the foundation were carried up the hill, by night, by the congregation of the Catholic parish!
Moody said he knew only two books - The Bible and human nature – and he knew both - from cover to cover. He summed up the gospel in what he called the three Rs – we are all – Ruined by the Fall – Redeemed by the blood - and Regenerated by the Spirit.
Norman Wallwork
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