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D.L. Moody
Dwight Lyman Moody (1837 - 1899). American evangelist, publisher, and founder of Moody Bible Institute, born in Northfield, Massachusetts, to a poor Unitarian family. Leaving home at 17, he worked as a shoe salesman in Boston, converting to Christianity in 1855 through his Sunday school teacher. Moving to Chicago, he founded a Sunday school for street children, growing it to 1,500 attendees by 1860. Without formal ordination, he preached across the U.S. and Britain, holding campaigns with song leader Ira Sankey, drawing millions, including 130,000 in London in 1875. Moody authored books like Heaven (1880) and founded the Chicago Evangelization Society (1889), now Moody Bible Institute, training thousands of missionaries. Married to Emma Revell in 1862, they had three children. His practical, love-focused sermons bridged denominations, influencing figures like Billy Graham. He established Northfield Conferences, fostering global missions, and raised funds for Chicago’s YMCA. Moody’s tireless work, delivering over 100 sermons annually, transformed 19th-century evangelicalism. His maxim, “If this world is going to be reached, I am convinced it must be done by men and women of average talent with hearts on fire,” drives his enduring legacy.
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D.L. Moody illustrates the urgency of salvation through the metaphor of a shipwrecked sailor who must abandon his damaged vessel and trust in the life-boat to reach safety. The sermon emphasizes that clinging to our old lives, represented by the wrecked ship, will only lead to destruction, while faith in Christ, the life-boat, offers hope and deliverance. Moody encourages believers to focus on the shore of salvation and to pull away from the storms of life, trusting in God's guidance and strength. The imagery of the morning star symbolizes the promise of a new beginning and the joy of reaching the safe haven of God's love.
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"Pull for the Shore, Sailor,"
A vessel was wrecked off the shore. Eager eyes were watching and strong arms manned the life-boat. For hours they tried to reach that vessel through the great breakers that raged and foamed on the sand-bank, but it seemed impossible. The boat appeared to be leaving the crew to perish. But after a while the captain and sixteen men were taken off, and the vessel went down. "When the life-boat came to you," said a friend, "did you expect it had brought some tools to repair your old ship?" "O, no," was the response; "she was a total wreck. Two of her masts were gone, and if we had stayed mending her, only a few minutes, we must have gone down, sir." "When once off the old wreck, and safe in the life-boat, what remained for you to do?" "Nothing, sir, but just to pull for the shore." Light in the darkness, sailor, day is at hand! See o'er the foaming billows fair haven's land, Drear was the voyage, sailor, now almost o'er, Safe within the life-boat, sailor, pull for the shore. CHO.—Pull for the shore, sailor, pull for the shore! Heed not the rolling waves, but bend to the oar; Safe in the life-boat, sailor, cling to self no more! Leave the poor old stranded wreck, and pull for the shore. Trust in the life-boat, sailor, all else will fail, Stronger the surges dash and fiercer the gale, Heed not the stormy winds, though loudly they roar; Watch the "bright morning star," and pull for the shore. —CHO. Bright gleams the morning, sailor, lift up thy eye; Clouds and darkness disappearing, glory is nigh! Safe in the life-boat, sailor, sing evermore; "Glory, glory, hallelujah!" pull for the shore. —CHO.
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Dwight Lyman Moody (1837 - 1899). American evangelist, publisher, and founder of Moody Bible Institute, born in Northfield, Massachusetts, to a poor Unitarian family. Leaving home at 17, he worked as a shoe salesman in Boston, converting to Christianity in 1855 through his Sunday school teacher. Moving to Chicago, he founded a Sunday school for street children, growing it to 1,500 attendees by 1860. Without formal ordination, he preached across the U.S. and Britain, holding campaigns with song leader Ira Sankey, drawing millions, including 130,000 in London in 1875. Moody authored books like Heaven (1880) and founded the Chicago Evangelization Society (1889), now Moody Bible Institute, training thousands of missionaries. Married to Emma Revell in 1862, they had three children. His practical, love-focused sermons bridged denominations, influencing figures like Billy Graham. He established Northfield Conferences, fostering global missions, and raised funds for Chicago’s YMCA. Moody’s tireless work, delivering over 100 sermons annually, transformed 19th-century evangelicalism. His maxim, “If this world is going to be reached, I am convinced it must be done by men and women of average talent with hearts on fire,” drives his enduring legacy.