KEITH AND HUNTLY
With one day at Keith and two at Huntly the evangelists closed their work for 1891. Keith has been generally regarded as an out of the world, barren kind of region, where the hearts of the community are as callous as the country is bleak and bare. However, that may be, the brief visit of Mr Moody and Sankey was the most hopeful in character. Probably the reason is to be found in the fact that for some time special gospel has been carried on there by the Hon Miss Waldegrave, Mrs. Stewart of Logie, Mr Butland and other friends. The afternoon and evening meetings of Wednesday last week were held in the Free Church, of which Mr Fitzpatrick is pastor. In the evening there was an overflow in the adjoining hall where Mr Sankey took part. At an after-meeting many were found seeking to know more perfectly the way of life.
The last day of the old year and the first day of the new year were given to Huntly. Here the evangelists were on what may be called classic ground in the history of modern Scottish revival movements… On their visit to Huntly seventeen years ago, Mr Moody and Mr Sankey spoke and sang the Gospel in the park, but on this occasion, of course, the services had to be indoors. The Established Church, where the meetings were held, is a very large structure, and at the six o'clock meetings its capacity was well taxed. The early meetings were at noon on both days, and even then there were large attendances with a great muster of pastors from the surrounding districts. It need scarcely be said that Mr Moody's addresses were most powerful, and the songs sung by Mr Sankey greatly moved the hearts of the people. In addition to the four meetings mentioned, the evangelists conducted a watch-night service in the last hour of the dying year. Mr Moody spoke of some "new things” that belong to the Christian life, and when the lapse of time had shown that 1892 was born, Mr Sankey sounded forth his fellow-worker's favourite song,
‘Then shall my heart keep singing.’
The evangelists went straight from a large after-meeting on Friday evening direct on to Aberdeen, where they rested on the Saturday, preparatory to the work of the present week. What may be the final outcome of their seven weeks' work in Scotland at the close of 1891 eternity alone will reveal, but certainly they have spared no pains and no effort to make it fruitful in good to souls and glory to their Divine Master.
From, "The Christian," January 7th, 1892.