D.L. MOODY:
One Devoted Man
By Nancy Drummond
Christian Focus. 144 pages. £5.99
ISBN 978 1 781 916 766
A very inspiring book. It shows what determination can do in the face of difficulties.
Trust in God and a sense of working for the kingdom launched D.L. Moody onto a pathway of speaking, preaching and loving all he came across, in order to win as many as possible for Christ.
Ease to hardship
Born in 1837, the sixth of nine children, he was a young man when his father died and his life turned from relative ease to hardship. But he didn’t turn bitter.
Like many children in the past, he left school at an early age and went out to work. He didn’t have the luxury of anger, or time to think about how badly life had treated him or how little attention he had from an overworked mother with eight other children to attend to.
From fear to love
As a real Christian he turned his zeal as a seller of shoes into an enthusiasm for winning people for Christ. He had a real gift for drawing people to come and hear the gospel. The Sunday schools he opened for both children and adults in various places had to move to larger premises due to the large numbers wanting to attend.
Later, after meeting Sankey, a great singer, he would adjust his message from one of turning to God out of fear of his wrath, to one of turning because of the love of Christ for the sinner who repents. How wonderful it is to know that God continues to teach us and mould us to his image throughout our lives.
As an unschooled teacher, preacher and encourager, he was able to turn his natural gift of selling into ‘selling’ the gospel to whoever he met.
The phrase ‘Moody and Sankey’ trips off the tongue and it was the winning partnership of Moody’s preaching and Sankey’s great baritone singing that drew the crowds, to the end of introducing people to Christ and encouraging them to follow him consistently. Not only did Dwight L. Moody preach Christ in the United States, but he was invited to the UK. Many of us would love to have a gift like this, but it also took hard work and dedication to travel and set up schools, as well as organise new premises when audiences grew larger. All in all, this very stirring book will thrill and encourage children (and adults) to do all they can, trusting in the Lord, to serve their God.
