Through Moody's Eyes

The evangelist D.L. Moody saw the world differently than most men of his generation. Moody saw the world as a wrecked vessel going to pieces on the rocks, and God had commissioned him to get a lifeboat to rescue as many as he could. Moody spent his life filling that lifeboat of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Since his conversion, he made it a daily habit to do personal witnessing. Later in life, he said that not a day had passed but he had spoken to at least someone about his soul. There is an incident in the life of Moody I want to share with us today, friends.

Moody had a personal assistant whose name was Peter Billhorn, and this man traveled with Moody on his evangelistic campaigns. In 1892, they were in Buffalo, New York for meetings, and Billhorn decided to test the evangelist to see if it was true that he really witnessed to a person every day. The following comments are made by Moody's assistant, Billhorn.

One stormy Monday morning, after reading and prayer, I ventured to ask him where his power lay. He said, Billhorn, I will tell you this much. I made a promise to God and the rule of my life that I would speak to at least one man every day about his soul's salvation.

I said, but Mr. Moody, the opportunity does not always present itself. He quickly replied, it will if you keep in touch with God and keep your eyes open for the opportunity. I was anxious to see just how he approached men on the subject of salvation.

So watching him closely from morning to evening, I was sure that no one had called that rainy day to see him. I knew that the elevator man was a Christian, also the desk clerk and the man who waited on the table. The storm which had been gathering grew more severe and at about time to get ready for the meeting, it seemed to be at its worst.

I said, guess there won't be out many tonight in this storm. With sort of a grunt, he said, there will be a houseful if you believe there will. We ventured out into the rain and I held an umbrella over Moody as I urged him to get into the waiting carriage first.

But no, he pushed me in and then followed. He had hardly closed the door of the carriage when he opened it again. He stuck his head out and shouted to the driver, drive close to the curbing.

Water was running down the street like a river and almost reached the stepping board. Every few minutes he would open the door and stick his head out in the storm. Soon he called the driver to stop.

Moody stepped out of the carriage and into the rain and stood there a moment. Soon a man came along, pushing his way against the storm with an umbrella. Moody stopped him and said, where are you going? The man replied, I'm going to the opera house to hear Moody preach.

So am I. Step in and ride. He literally lifted the man in, hardly had the man seated himself when Mr. Moody said to him, are you a Christian? No, I am not. Would you like to be? The man, shaking water from his hat and collar said, you don't think I'd be coming out in the storm to hear Moody preach if I wasn't thinking that way, would you? Then Moody said to me, Billhorn, you pray for this man.

We both prayed and then Moody put the question to him and the man accepted, saying, yes, yes, I do, I do. Before long we reached the auditorium where ushered the man to the front row. Soon the bulky evangelist appeared, preached, and concluded with an invitation.

With many others, the new convert arose, pointing at him. Moody asked, are you a Christian? The man called out, I was saved in a carriage tonight coming here. A man prayed for me.

I guess that was you, mister. Well, I love that story, friends, but it shames me. Moody did more for God than the rest of us all put together.

I ran some numbers on Moody's vow to speak to at least a person a day about their soul, and I estimated that in the 42 years since that vow, he personally witnessed to between 15,000 and 30,000 people one-on-one with the gospel. How many have we witnessed to? Our problem is we don't have a burden for souls like we should. We should see the world through Moody's eyes and go get our lifeboat and go out and rescue as many of the perishing as we can while we still have time to do it.