Early on Tuesday morning, Mr Moody and Mr Sankey were underway for Cupar the county town. Here they found a refreshing unanimity and heartiness among the local pastors. There were large concourses afternoon and evening - one in the Free and the other in the Established Church. It was market day, and many friends were present from the country districts. A splendid choir helped Mr Sankey in the service of song. In the evening there was a good after-meeting, and there is every reason to believe that the flying visit of the evangelists has left its mark in the district.
THE ALLOA MEETINGS.
Tuesday afternoon saw the opening in Alloa, the services being held in the fine Town Hall. Notwithstanding that heavy sleet had been falling all the morning, the building was packed long before the time announced for the afternoon meeting. Most of the ministers of the town were present, and several took part.
Mr Sankey sang "Throw out the Life-Line" with much vigour, and the old favourite, "The Ninety and Nine."
Mr Moody called attention to twenty-one things the Shepherd does for his sheep, and based his address on the 34th chapter of Ezekiel. Time did not permit him to speak on all of the twenty-one things in the chapter, but he urged his hearers to study them up for themselves. The whole chapter would well repay careful study.
In the evening the hall was again crowded in every corner, many being unable to gain admission, and a large overflow addressed by Mr Wm. Robertson being held in the Townhead Church.
Mr Moody is not a man to
WITHHOLD ANY PART OF HIS MESSAGE
to please men, and Alloa being a great brewing centre, he "let go" at the trade In the most merciless style. Taking his favourite "Whatsoever a man soweth," he showed that men reap (a) the same kind of fruit; (b) they reap more than they sow; and (c) ignorance of the kind of seed sown makes no difference.
It is seldom an audience breaks into applause during one of Mr Moody's discourses, but this happened when he urged those whose consciences were aroused on the liquor question not to sell it; but to pour it down the gutter. The evangelist immediately silenced the stamping, remarking that he wanted the truth to get into their heads, not into their feet.
On Wednesday, as the interest increased, special trains brought many into Alloa. With a view of reaching the careless and indifferent, tickets were issued for the evening meeting and Mr Moody, with his insatiable appetite for work, volunteered to speak in the Townhead United Presbyterian Church at 7 o’clock, before proceeding to the Townhall at 8 o’clock. The latter spacious building was crowded soon after seven, and the audience sat quietly for more than an hour, waiting the arrival of the evangelists.
Mr Sankey appeared first and commenced the meeting. In the meantime, Mr Moody preached to a large audience in the church, on the “Dying Thief” with the most intense earnestness. We have seldom heard anything more thrilling than the picture he drew of a drunken home and then the change that comes over it when the prayer, “Lord, remember me,” has gone up to heaven.
After preaching nearly an hour and leaving the enquiries to be dealt with by the ministers and friends, Mr Moody proceeded to the Townhall and spoke again for a full hour.
It seems as though 2/3 of the audience remained behind, in answer to the invitation that Christians would remain to pray whilst the anxious were being dealt with.
We had a most interesting case. A fine young fellow who had been longing for power to overcome sin, being beaten again and again, he was anxious to know Christ as his Saviour and Deliverer. He came into the light on John v. 24: “he that heareth and believeth hath…” And no sooner had the truth taken hold of him, but he expressed anxiety to get home before his brother went to bed, to tell him and try to lead him to Jesus, for, said he, “He is in just the same condition as I was – wanting to be a Christian.” It is worth coming to Scotland for this, if one gets nothing else.
From, "The Christian," February 11th, 1892.