At first I thought that this visit to the United Kingdom by Moody and Sankey was just about evangelists doing what evangelists do, without there being a sovereign move of God. But, after a lot of reading of the reports in "The Christian" I am leaning towards thinking that it might have been a move of God.
SCOTLAND
Nearly everything seems right to describe the visit as a revival. Firstly, there were prayer meetings in many places to prepare for the visit of the evangelists; something that is crucial if one wants Holy Spirit to break out. Then, in every town the people were hungry and expectant; another vital ingredient for revival. Nearly every venue was full to overflowing and on many occasions there were one or even two overflow venues. Now, was the people's eagerness to hear the evangelists due to what they had heard about their visits in 1873-5 and 1881-3 or because they were desperate to experience something of God. I believe it was the latter. Their rapt attention and eagerness to stay until the end of the meetings persuaded me that they were there for more than interest's sake.
The aims of Moody on this visit were different from the other two. He decided, with the agreement of the two co-operating committees in Glasgow and Edinburgh that he should concentrate on young men in the provinces. He realised that setting the churchgoers on fire and making them aware of their responsibilities as Christians was really important. Moody therefore preached a lot on the importance of serving God once someone was saved. If he could set Christians on fire, who knows how many lives would be impacted if these people stepped out in their calling, rather than just sit in church. This was why he decided to make many short visits to churches, rather than stay in one spot for months and get all people to come to him. In this way he expected to reach more Christians who he could encourage. This meant that there was a less than usual emohasis on salvation.
Moody's workload was extraordinary. In Scotland he spoke in over 90 towns in four months; he took Saturdays off, so that is only 103 days, and he often spoke three times a day and just think of the travelling time going all around Scotland, except for the islands.
"The Christian" is the only source I have; even the two main biographies of Moody hardly mention this Mission. There were reports daily in a daily newspaper, "The Scottish Leader" but unfortunately the microfiche in the British Library was unreadable, "The Christian" reported meetings up to the middle of Janiuary in quite a lot of detail, but when the evangelists arrived around Glasgow and Edinburgh the reports became very brief. The difficulty I have found in analyzing this Mission is that because Moody and Sankey only stayed for one meeting, up to a couple of days (with the exception of giving a week to Inverness and Aberdeen) in each place, there was often only a brief time, if any, to draw in the net for those wanting to know the Lord. Usually, Moody would, with great skill, conduct an after-meeting for those interested in knowing more and then he and many helpers would have conversations with people, pointing out the way to Jesus.
Despite this draw back, nearly every report of any size, showed that Holy Spirit was definitely pouring out, virtually everywhere the evangelists went. For example, the report on Ardrossan and Saltcoats (early on in the Mission) include, "there were many signs of real spiritual awakening and decision", and "much reaping work was done in the inquiry room." My belief is that, had Moody had more time in each place, there would have been thousands more saved. As it is, there were still many saved and in most places gifted evangelists did meetings immediately after Moody and Sankey had left the area, and there were some reports showing a number saved in these follow up meetings. Unfortunately, no numbers are ever given, so my thoughts on what happened here is about getting an overall picture from all the reports. Nearly all the reports can be found here, https://website.ukwells.org/wells/the-christian-reports-on-moody-1891-2-mission-to-scotland.
There were definite problems at the time of this Mission which undoubtedly meant that the results were considerably less exciting than they might have been.
1. Moody was often complaining of the lack of helpers who could help lead people to Jesus.
2. He was often complaining that many people did not know how to speak to people. This meant that on some occasions Moody, took up a meeting in teaching how to do this.
For me to be able to describe this Mission as a revival I would have expected to see other moves of God popping up all over the United Kingdom, but I have found hardly any. Now, there may be reasons for this.
For instance. It was reported that the condition of the Church in Scotland was pretty dire at the time of Moody's visit. "The Christian" reported, 'The ecclesiastical world of Scotland is at present in a very disturbed condition." This might explain why people were hungry to hear Moody as they were not getting what they needed from their churches. A few years before this mission Charles Spurgeon pulled away from the Baptist Union, because too many of the ministers had watered down their theology after reading about , "the German Higher Criticism," and Darwin's, "Origin of the Species." I assume the Scottish ministers would have been infected as well. Even today, a revival is dependent on the ministers. If they do not walk in it and encourage it, it is not going to come to their church. Holy Spirit can be hovering over our nation, but if the pastors do not want to take part, it will not happen.
Having mentioned these negative points, there are also some really encouraging signs that God was truly on the move. This letter was one of them. It was sent out by the Free Church in February, to all its churches in the North and it indicates that God was moving powerfully in many places in the North of Scotland:-
"On two successive Committee days there has been special conference among brethren in reference to the work of religious awakening which appears to be going on in various parts of the country. Strong testimony has been borne to the existence of a widespread desire for plain and earnest dealing with souls concerning the things that pertain to their peace, and encouraging reports have been made of the apparent fruit in connection with the means used in various places. A Committee has been appointed, which has secured from various brethren promises of help in the work in any places where these services may be required, and they are now anxious to ascertain in what congregations and districts there may be an opening for efforts in this line.
We shall be glad to learn whether, in your opinion, it would be desirable to have special meetings and services in your congregation and district, with a view to awaken religious interest and inquiry, or to extend and deepen these where they have been awakened. The Committee would endeavour to provide assistance on the part of brethren of the ministry willing to be so employed, We believe many persons in almost every district have lately been led in some degree to serious thoughts; that many more might, with God's blessing, be so led; and that we might cherish the hope of a signal ingathering in connection with the earnest and prayerful use of fitting means. We beg the earnest prayers of yourselves and of believers around you, that the work of the Lord may go on without hindrance and without offence; that the Spirit may be graciously poured out from on high, and that all the churches may be enabled to use wisely and successfully the opportunities which appear to be opening at this time."
These leaders clearly believed that the north was in revival. The fact that Holy Spirit was so active in the North is a really good sign, because some in the North still did not like music in the church, so Sankey's singing must have been difficult for some ministers. Also, Moody constantly talked about coming to be saved, now! This was against the theology of some Northern ministers who were ultra Calvinistic. About the only area of Scotland that rejected the 1858-64 revival, was Ross-shire and the North-west. The evangelists visit to Ross-shire on this occasion was very successful. I firmly believe, that, although less reported, Holy Spirit's work could not have been any less powerful in the South of Scotland.
Also, there was this report from Rev Lee from around Nairn which shows that follow-up meetings by different ministers were producing results.
"Meetings have already been held at Findhorn, Burghead, Lossiemouth, and Grantown, with excellent results. The movement in Grantown is most remarkable." Moody did not visit any of these towns.
One of the amazing aspects of this Mission was the extraordinary degree of unity that was shown all across the UK, far in excess of what happened during the evangelists' other visits. In virtually every town all denominations took part. The most iconic moment during the Scotland visit, was in the final meeting, when the about to be heads of the Church of Scotland and the Free Church, shared a large chair due to overcrowding. Most of the ministers in an area would attend the meetings and in many towns pastors got together to continue meetings once the evangelists had left. One would have hoped that the result of this would have been the ministers catching the fire and setting the countryside alight all around. However, there is a disturbing comment in "The Christian," "Surely they must have caught some of the fire that Mr Moody’s utterences always generate! But indeed, observation throughout Scotland needs one to believe that the average modern minister is a very incombustible entity!" So, is this why I have seen so little fruit coming post Moody? Did the ministers just come to the meetings to watch and their flocks to learn?
"The Christian" reported, "The circumstances are so diverse in different places that it is very unfair to draw comparisons in gauging the results of a widespread movement such as that which is now in progress throughout the length and breadth of Scotland. " Clearly, they viewed the power in all of Moody and Sankey's meetings as "a widespread movement," but did they see anything beyond their meetings.
Another common theme throughout the Scottish Mission, was Moody's denouncing of the manufacture, sale and consumption of whisky. So much pain came from the addiction to whisky in Scotland and Moody attacked it mercilessly, with the result that many signed pledges to give it up. He was warned not to keep preaching on the subject because he would not be invited to preach, but he saw how important the subject was and continued - the invitations kept flowing in. He spent a lot of time on this subject - time that could have been spent evangelising those in hos meetings.
Throughout his tour through the UK he met people who had come to the Lord through his ministry during his previous visits. He commented after speaking in nearly 50 towns in Scotland, that he found that most of the ministers he came across had been converted in past missions.
Despite my reservations mentioned above, I do think this was a great Mission, with many, many people saved and thousands of Christians taught and encouraged to go out and change their nation. Did the fruit extend beyond the meetings? Well that depended on the ministers and laymen who heard Moody's messages, but I have seen few reports - so, I don't know!
All the reports from Northern Ireland, Wales and England are linked to this page.
This is a summary of their Scottish mission, from "the Christian."
Messrs. Moody & Sankey in Scotland.
Our readers have been kept fully informed from week to week of the movements of these brethren, during their Gospel tour throughout Scotland, now concluded. Some notes and reflections, by way of summing up the characteristic features of the campaign, will be of interest to those who, in spirit, have followed the evangelists from place to place.
It may be remarked, at the outset, that nothing would be more foolish than to institute comparisons or contrasts between this visit and the two that have preceded it. The circumstances of the former missions in Scotland were entirely different; fewer centres were touched, and the stay in each place was much longer, generally speaking than on the present occasion. Mr Moody was led to the conclusion, on commencing the work last November, that the best way to fill up the brief time at his disposal would be to devote special attention to "the young men of the provinces," leaving the great seats of population out of account. This plan was faithfully adhered to, with the exception that Inverness and Aberdeen had each a week allotted to them. We think the results have proved that the decision of the evangelist, which was endorsed by the two cooperating committees at Glasgow and Edinburgh, showed wisdom and foresight.
It may be said by those who are desirous of criticising, that the stay in most of the places was so short that comparatively little fruit could be expected. When all the factors in the situation are taken into account, this contention will not hold good. Mr Moody often remarks that he would much rather set a hundred men to work than attempt to do it all himself. He and his colleague have acted on this sound principle during their sojourn in Scotland, and they have certainly been justified. All they really aimed at was to infuse a fresh spirit of realised responsibility and of consecrated zeal into the Christian churches wherever they went, leaving it to work out its natural result in a quickened practical resolve on the part of those churches to care for spiritually lapsed or semi-lapsed in their own communities. That is the ideal state of matters and the conviction of its necessity has, at any rate, been sharply brought home to the professed Christians throughout Scotland. It they have not fully risen to the height of their recognised privilege and duty, that is not the fault of the evangelists.
But much has been done in this direction. It would be very difficult to estimate the number of earnest and competent workers who have been stirred up to special and more or less prolonged effort in connection with this Scottish mission. Among the places visited by Mr Moody and Mr Sankey, numbering almost a hundred, there are very few that have not had a season either of preparatory united prayer and work or a time of "following up": in many cases there have been both. Our earnest hope is that these special endeavours by local or other friends will be kept up and that the fires will spread into corners untouched by the influence of our American brethren.
While urging this, we thankfully record that the direct and ascertained fruits of the meetings held and addressed by the evangelists themselves have been by no means small. We share Mr Moody's deep-rooted objection to any numbering of the converts. All movements of the kind have their residuum of unsatisfactory cases; but the good reports everywhere heard as to the stability of the converts brought in on former visits of our brethren, lead us to the confident belief that a like result will follow the mission just terminated. The Scottish people, as a whole, are so conversant with the doctrines of the Christian faith, that no prolonged preaching course is needed to prepare them for an intelligent saving acceptance of the truth. What is mostly wanted are a few such sharp and telling strokes, directed to the conscience and the heart, as will induce men and women to act up to the fulness of head knowledge they possess. Mr Moody has aimed at bringing this about in his brief and almost flying visits from district to district. Many have unmistakably been the slain of the Lord, and the responsibility of the local under-shepherds will be great if the many young believers throughout Scotland are not confirmed in the faith, and if the still wavering ones are not led to the point of definite decision. Mr Moody has no patent process. He certainly has open vision as to the state of the unregenerate man, and the absolute need for the new birth and the Spirit of the Lord has anointed him with a burning zeal that is too uncommon, with a pathos that sometimes seems irresistible, and with great persuasive powers of utterance. But all these gifts are equally at the disposal of every servant of God who craves their possession.
As in the two previous missions of Mr Moody and Mr Sankey amongst us, a great outstanding feature of the meetings has been the spirit of unity shown by those of diverse denominational names. Indeed, it exceeded anything experienced by our friends before and went far beyond their most hopeful anticipations. It has been conspicuously shown that Jesus Christ and his great salvation form a rallying ground for common effort among all who hold evangelical views of truth that no other theme possesses. Those who differ strongly on many subordinate though important matters of creed or church government, will gladly join hands in order to save their fellow men. The ecclesiastical world of Scotland is at present in a very disturbed condition, so that the well-nigh universal manifestation of unity in connection with the labour of the Evangelists is all the more remarkable.
The extremely strong position taken by Mr Moody on the omnipresent drink question and his scathing denunciations of the making, the vending and consumption of Scotch whisky, have been frequently noted in our weekly reports. The cordial endorsement of his utterances by the great bulk of his audiences affords ground for hope that the national conscience is being educated up to the point of practical and effective warfare against this gigantic curse.
With a few conspicuous exceptions, the daily press throughout Scotland has been friendly in its attitude towards the work of the evangelists. 'The Scottish Leader' alone, among all its contemporaries, rose to the occasion by giving full and daily accounts; but many of the local broadsheets did good service in scattering the utterances of Mr Moody and Mr McNeill. The accession of the latter to the evangelistic ranks was a very noteworthy circumstance and is likely to have lasting results for good in many parts of Scotland. His popular gifts are having the fullest scope among his own countrymen, and none rejoices more in his success than Mr Moody, who was largely responsible for setting his brother evangelist free for this service.
Of Mr Sankey's special share in the work little need be said in addition to what our weekly notes contained. The marvel is that he has been preserved in such excellent voice throughout our changeful winter and with so much exposure in journeying. The commonly expressed opinion has been that he was singing even better at the close of the mission than at its start, and all will join in the prayer that his consecrated voice may long retain its wonderful power as a vehicle for sounding forth the music of the Gospel.
As a final comment, we may say that the work of the past months has proved to demonstration that the old Gospel has lost nothing of its power to attract the masses of the people. Mr Moody's methods of preaching have not changed since he first came among us. He raises aloft the ancient Pauline banner, on which is inscribed "Christ and Him crucified " The people everywhere have flocked to it in their thousands, and have found in its glorious. motto the sufficient and efficient antidote for sin and all its woes.
From, "The Christian," April 7th, 1892.