Moody Gold is a compilation of editorial research put together by well known New Zealand evangelist, Ray Comfort (now living in the States). This book gives a brief history of Dwight Lyman Moody's life, his accomplishments, including photos, and some of his famous sermons and quotes. It is an easy read and is inspirational for young evangelists like myself.
Dwight Moody was born into a family of nine on February 5, 1837 in Northfield, Massachusetts, USA. His father was a small- hold farmer and stone mason, but unfortunately he was also an alcoholic who died at the young age of 41 years, when Moody was only four years old.2 He left a widow, seven children and twins on the way. To make matters worse he left a big mortgage and not a single penny. The creditors came and took nearly everything the Moody family owned, including their firewood. At times, the children were so cold that the only way they could stay warm was to remain fully-dressed in bed until it was time to leave for school.3 Moody's uncle eventually came to the rescue, and helped the Moody family get by. As they were now under the uncle's care the whole family attended the Unitarian church. Moody went to the Sunday school and became a worker to bring other children along on a Sunday.4
Two of the people who particularly influenced Moody's life were Edward Kimball and Mr. Henry Varey. Kimball was the Sunday school teacher for Mount Vernon church which Moody attended in his youth while he worked at a shoe store. During a church meeting, Kimball decided to talk to Moody about Christ. It was on Saturday, April 21, 1855, when Kimball went to the shoe store where Moody worked, and found him in a back room packing shoes. He approached Moody and talked to him about Jesus Christ. Moody committed his life to Christ there and then. 5 Years later, when Moody was on his first visit to England, he heard the words that changed his life and sent him on a journey looking for a deeper relationship with Christ. These words were spoken by Mr. Henry Varey, a famous evangelist. They were: "The world has yet to see what God will do with and for and through and in and by the man who is fully consecrated to him."6 Moody wanted to be that man, and I believe he was.
Moody did not have much of an education. He didn't attend school beyond the fifth grade; he could not spell and his grammar was horrible. His manners were brash and quite crude, and he never became an ordained minister, 7 but history shows that God greatly used Moody to reach the lost. It just goes to show that everyone can be used by God for great things.
There were a lot of important incidents in Moody's life, but I will just focus on one- the revival in England. Moody went to England in 1872 to learn more about the Bible, he didn't intend to hold any meetings while over there, but simply went to study the Bible and visit Charles Spurgeon. He accepted an invitation to speak at a morning and evening service at Arundel Square Congregational Church in northern London. The Holy Spirit seemed to fall on the congregation and afterwards the inquiry room was crowded with people seeking salvation. He then went to Dublin in Ireland only to be called back to the church in north London to continue his meetings. He stayed there for ten days and four hundred people were added to the church, before he returned home to the United States. 8
Later on, he was invited to England again by two friends. They insisted on paying for his trip. He waited for the money to arrive, but it did not come, so he borrowed just enough for the voyage. On arrival he found out that both his friends had died. All doors seemed to be shut, but then an invitation arrived from the YMCA in York to come and preach to the young men there. Mr. Moody and Mr Ira Sankey, the gospel singer who travelled with Moody, began a series of meetings in York which lasted for five weeks. The meetings gained momentum and the place was packed half an hour before the services even started. While in England, Moody and Sankey published their first hymn book. Moody went all over England preaching the good news. Many were saved. Revival hit England like it did in Wesley and Whitefield's time.
Moody greatly encouraged his congregation in overseas missions especially after he had met Hudson Taylor, the pioneer missionary in China. He established the Chicago Bible Institute, now the Moody Bible Institute and the Northfield Schools which are now colleges. He saw the need for hymn books and Christian books at a price available to everyone and set up his own printing press; this publishing company is now Moody Press. His legacy continues to this day.
This book has inspired me to reach the lost and win souls for Christ. I gained a great insight, that God can use anyone to do His most amazing work. We do not need to go to Bible College or get a PHD in theology; all we need is a willing heart and a zeal for the lost.
"God doesn't seek for golden vessels and he does not seek for silver ones but he must have clean ones."9 -D.L.Moody
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