Heroes of the Faith - D L Moody, by Bonnie C Harvey

This is the second book I have read in the series Heroes of the Faith; the first being the life story of Eric Liddell. Dwight L Moody is most remembered now for pioneering the Bible Institute, bearing his name, in Chicago. This was in 1889, ten years before he died, but his previous 55 years were also filled with extraordinary endeavours on two continents, preparing the way for his legacy as the “father of the evangelical movement”.

This little book retells his fascinating story, from childhood and his acceptance of Christ at age seventeen, to his life’s work. It commences with these words, “The world has yet to see what God will do with a man fully consecrated to Him”, said in Moody’s hearing in Britain in 1872, by lay preacher Henry Varley. Challenged and envisioned, Moody vowed to be that man, and from that point his already energetic and sometimes hectic lifestyle, gained new purpose and direction.

His early life, as the youngest of seven children, brought up in a farming community in Northfield, Massachusetts, was very humble and difficult, but those early trials enabled him always to identify with those at the very bottom of the social structure. Right throughout his life, although he spoke to crowds of thousands and received acclaim from Royals, he retained a desire to see the poor and needy given the opportunities to receive salvation and be trained for the work of Christian mission.

Moody’s first Christian venture was to set up Sunday Schools for ragamuffin children, becoming known around Chicago as a “children’s missionary”. He then preached to the troops during the American Civil War and later developed the nickname “Crazy Moody”, because of his frenetic schedule, which left his assistants exhausted. His vow to not allow a single day to pass without speaking to someone about Christ set the tone for his life’s ministry.

Expanding his horizons, his first trip to Britain, in 1867, came about because his English-born wife Emma suffered from Asthma, but he desired to meet three people whom he greatly admired: George Williams, founder of the YMCA; George Muller, founder of an orphanage and missionary organization; and Charles Spurgeon, Baptist minister whose sermons were becoming known worldwide. During this short trip he also met Henry Varley, a man of prayer who made a deep and lasting impression on Moody.

His introduction to singer songwriter Ira Sankey in 1869 forged a lasting friendship and partnership, the legacy of which was the publication of Moody and Sankey hymnals, still used throughout the world. Then in 1871, came a turning point in his almost ceaseless activity, which had grown more and more complicated. An Englishwoman, Sarah Cooke, who became convinced that Moody needed the power of the Holy Spirit in his ministry, along with her friend Mrs Hawxhurst, sat on the front row at every meeting praying for him. God began to speak to him about going to all the land to preach the Gospel, but he resisted. Through a ferocious fire which destroyed much of Chicago, including everything he had built, he realized where his future ministry lay and finally submitted to the fire of the Holy Spirit to transform him from “Crazy Moody” to “Moody, the man of God”.

His energy never depleted as he embarked on an itinerant ministry in America and Britain, which resulted in extended revivals in Northern England, London and Scotland. Returning to New York after two years, Moody and Sankey were now international celebrities, and Dwight finally had a platform from which to reach out to his home town of Northfield. By 1880 he had set up a Christian girls’ school in the town, designed for those in ‘the humbler walks of life’. A boys’ school along the same lines, quickly followed. This later became a seminary, with minimal fees and manual labour as a character-building part of the course.

Although Moody was never ordained as a Christian Minister, could not read Greek Testament and was self-taught, he could explain Scripture in a down-to-earth manner, which everybody understood. In all, Moody travelled to the British Isles seven times. He became adept at coercing money for building projects from wealthy Christians and his entrepreneurial ways continued, as he longed to set up a school in Chicago to train Christian laymen for the church. His Bible Institute dream was finally realized when he bought thee large houses in Chicago Avenue. He continued to preach to the end of his life, and finally died peacefully at home in Northfield, after seeing a vision of heaven.

There is obviously much more to Moody's story, which is beautifully retold in 200 pages. His passion to fulfill the great commission helped to birth the great missionary thrusts which followed. His was a truly inspiring life and I would recommend this version of Moody’s biography.