Excerpt from Chapter 23 of Christ’s Faithful Servants, copyright 2023

. . . When Dwight and Emma returned to Chicago later that year, they found a gift waiting for them—a new home from their friends and admirers in Chicago. Early the next year, Harry Moorhouse arrived from England and offered to preach to Dwight’s congregation. Harry was only twenty-seven, and looked much younger. He spoke with a thick British accent, and had made his living as a thief and a pick-pocket before coming to Christ at age twenty-one. After his conversion, he became a preacher, and acquired a considerable reputation in England.

Harry’s preaching helped Dwight see God in a whole new light. Harry emphasized God’s tremendous love for people, including sinners, beginning with Christ’s death on the cross. More important, Harry backed up his views with stories and scriptures from throughout the Bible. Dwight, whose sermons usually emphasized God’s fierce judgment, began to realize how ignorant he was about God’s word. With Harry’s guidance, Dwight studied the Bible for at least an hour every day, and his sermons started to emphasize God’s love rather than judgment.

A Man Fully Consecrated to God. When Harry left in the summer of 1868, Moody became busier than ever. But now he began to feel God’s Spirit urging him to leave Chicago and preach on a wider scale. He resisted this urging for three years, in part due to the birth of William, his second child. Then, on October 8, 1871, God forced Dwight’s hand. On that date, the infamous Chicago Fire burned much of the city, including his church, his home, and the YMCA. While in New York City soliciting funds to rebuild, he experienced God’s overwhelming presence and love as never before. He finally found complete peace—the peace of God. His personal spiritual journey had taken another giant step forward. He returned to Chicago a much different man. He didn’t stay long.

He rebuilt the church, which reopened in December, 1871, and helped feed and clothe those who had lost everything in the fire. The following summer he made another trip to England, this time alone. Henry Varley, a lay preacher, commented to Dwight while he was there, “The world has yet to see what God will do with a man fully consecrated to him.” Moody decided to be that man. While in London, he led a revival which resulted in more than 400 people coming to Christ. Soon thereafter, he left for Chicago, but with the intent to return to England soon. A friend in Chicago, upon learning of Moody’s plan to go back, asked if he planned to preach to the miserable poor there. Dwight replied, “Yes, and to the miserable rich, too.”

Revival in England. In June 1873, Moody did return, this time with Emma and their two children. He also took along Ira David Sankey—a musician, singer, composer, and former internal revenue agent—to lead the musical parts of the worship services. Moody made virtually no advance preparations, apparently believing others had done that for him. He learned otherwise when he arrived and was met by Moorhouse. . . .

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