PUBLISHER'S PREFACE. THE GOSPEL AWAKENING of the present time is the great religious event of the Nineteenth century, in our own land and Great Britain; and it has had no parallel since the mighty revival labors put forth by Wesley and Whitefield, a hundred years since. At the appearance of two plain and zealous Evangelists, town after town, and city upon city have awakened out of religious lethargy and sectarian rivalry. the foremost ministers and laymen have been glad to co-operate with and learn from these consecrated lay preachers; night organizations for reaching the great masses have been extemporized, as if by magic; and better still, the quickening impulse of a Christlike life has been imparted unto myriads, so that countless multitudes of sinners have been converted within the space of a few years, and cold congregations have been fired with a burning desire to work for the Master. It is the object of this volume to give an adequate record of this wonderful revival movement, by tracing it from its conception as a germ in the heart of a single man to its full and glorious fruition, as it now challenges the admiration of believers and the silent respect of the skeptical. We have sought to embrace within the compass of a single book, a compact and cheap edition of Mr. Moody's sermons, that his awakening and intensely interesting discourses may be put within the reach of the great American public. So the present volume presents above a hundred and twenty of his best sermons, as delivered in Philadelphia, New York, Chicago and Boston, besides full reports of the notable Christian Conventions in those cities, with other addresses, Prayer Meeting Talks, Bible Readings and Prayers, as well as occasional services by Mr. Sankey. As comparatively few have heard more than a small portion of these discourses, while vast numbers have as yet been unable to attend a single meeting held under their auspices, we have the confident assurance that this effort to present a complete people's edition of these words spoken and deeds done will be appreciated. The accompanying biographies of Messrs. Moody, Sankey, Bliss, and several of their fellow laborers, have been prepared by an author who reverences them because of the Christlike spirit and blessed results he has witnessed in their self-denying labors. A peculiarly vivid light is thrown upon their public career by a narration of their early life and Christian experiences. Indeed, the story of their personal training, by a series of providential events, is intensely fascinating. It thus becomes apparent to every reader that these men were Divinely fitted and called to the work of being Missionaries of the Cross, throughout the English-speaking world. We have been urged by friends and readers of Mr. Moody's sermons, to add to our new edition, one or more Sermons, Addresses and Bible Readings of his able co-adjutors, whose biographies were given in the first edition. Acting upon this suggestion, we have had special reports made of their sermons and addresses, and present in an APPENDIX (page 809) Biographical sketch of Rev. George F. Pentecost, with Sermons and Addresses by Rev. Joseph Cook, Rev. Geo. F. Pentecost, Maj. D. W. Whittle and Frances E. Willard. |