Dwight L. Moody: An Examination of the Historical Conditions and Rhetorical Factors Which Contributed to his Effectiveness as a Speaker

425 Pages·022.06 MB·English

by  Quimby, Rollin Walker

DWIGHT L. MOODY:
AN EXAMINATION OP THE HISTORICAL CONDITIONS AND
RHETORICAL FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO
HIS EFFECTIVENESS AS A SPEAKER
Rollin W. Quimby
A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy in the
University of Michigan
1951
Committee in charge:
Assistant Professor William M. Sattler, Chairman
Assistant Professor Winton H. Beaven
Professor Gail E. Densmore
Associate Professor Louis M. Eich
Doctor Sidney Fine
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There was a man sent from God, whose
name was John. The same came for a wit­
ness, to bear witness of the Light, that
all men through him might believe.
John 1:6-7.
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.
There was a man sent from God, whose
name was John. The same came for a wit­
ness, to bear witness of the Light, that
all men through him might believe.
John 1:6-7.
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to express my gratitude to the
following persons for the help they gave me in the
preparation of this study:
1. To the members of the committee in charge,
whose names are listed on the title page, for
their time, their guidance, and their patience
during the many months when this manuscript
was being written.
2. To the librarian of the Moody Bible Institute
for allowing me to browse at will through the
library's collection of books concerning Moody,
many of them scarce volumes not to be found
elsewhere.
3. To the librarian of the Crozer Theological
Seminary for letting me examine the material
gathered by Elmer William Powell during
thirty years of research.
4. To Dr. Howard Rubendall, Headmaster of the
Mount Hermon School, for so kindly providing
me with introductions to members of the staff
at the Northfield Schools. Due to his advance
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arrangements, my trip to Northfield was far
more profitable than it would otherwise have
been.
5. To Wilbur M. Smith for sending me articles on
Moody from his own collection, and for finding
time in a busy speaking schedule for an
interview with me.
6. To Dr. Henry Hutchins, Lake Avenue Congregational
Church, Pasadena, California, for allowing me to
borrow books from his private library, and for
helping me contact other persons who could be
of help.
7. To my wife, Margaret Stephens Quimby, for her
encouragement and patience during the time this
investigation was being carried on.
iv
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
LIST OF PLATES............ .................... viii
INTRODUCTION ................................... 1
PART I5 THE MAN
Chapter
I. THE LIFE OF DWIGHT L. MOODY . ........ 8
His Boyhood
His Conversion
His Chicago Apprenticeship
Moody Becomes a Famous Evangelist
PART II: THE HISTORICAL SETTING
II. MOODY’S RELATIONSHIP TO AMERICAN REVIVAL
MOVEMENTS.................... .. 45
Doctrines which Fostered Revivalism
Important Evangelists who Preceded
Moody
Comparison of Moody’s Methods to
Those of His Predecessors
Religious Interest in Moody’s Day
Summary
III. AMERICAN PROTESTANTISM OF THE NINETEENTH
CENTURY . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Pre-Civil War Protestant Thought
The Industrial Revolution Creates a
New Social Order
The Impact of Darwinism
The Social Gospel
Summary
IV. HISTORICAL FACTORS WHICH REINFORCED
MOODY’S EFFECTIVENESS ............ . 97
Moody’s Relationship to the
Religious Environment of His Day
Attitudes Expressed in Moody’s
Sermons
v
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e
Chapter Page
Activities which Strengthened
Moody's Effectiveness
Summary
PART III: THE SPEAKER
V. MOODr1S DEVELOPMENT AS A RELIGIOUS
SPEAKER................ .............. 140
Development of Moody's Delivery
The Mature Speaker, 1875-1899
Summary
VI. MOODY'S PLATFORM DELIVERY .............. 185
Physical Appearance
Voice
Enunciation and Pronunciation
Projection
Directness
Ethos
Summary
VII. THE CREATION OF MOODY'S SPEECHES ........ 226
Requirements for Successful Preaching
Moody's Religious Doctrine
Sermon Material
Summary
VIII. ORGANIZATION AND TYPES OF PROOF IN MOODY'S
SERMONS ............................... 256
Sermons Chosen for Analysis
Organization
Types of Proof
Summary
IX. THE STYLE OF MOODY'S SERMONS............ 303
Type of Analysis
Description of Moody's Style
Analysis of Moody's Style
Summary
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS .............. . 346
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APPENDICES Page
A. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF FIVE OF
MOODY'S SUPPORTERS................... 354
B. DESCRIPTION OF A MOODY CAMPAIGN . • . . 361
C. COMMENTS ON AVAILABLE TEXTS OF
MOODY’S SERMONS....................... 378
D. P LATES................................ 383
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY............................. 396
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LIST OP PLATES
Plate Page
I* Moody as a Young M a n . . . . . . . 384
II, Chicago Avenue Church . • ..................• 385
III* Moody Preaching in Agricultural' Hall,
London • • • • • . . . . . .............. 386
IV. Moody Preaching in Opera House, London • • . 387
V. Camberwell Hall • • • . • • • » • • • • • • • 388
VI. The Hippodrome, New York • • • • • • • • . . 389
VII. Moody Preaching in the Hippodrome • • • • • « 390
VIII. Interior of the Railroad Depot,
Philadelphia . . . . . • • • • • • • • • • 391
IX. Moody Speaking in Cooper Union Hall • • • • « 392
X. Tabernacle Used by Moody in Kansas City . . . 393
XI A. Sermon N o t e s ................................. 394
XI B. Continuation of Sermon N o t e s ............... 395
viii
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INTRODUCTION
Nature of the Study
Dwight L. Moody is universally recognized by
writers on religious history as one of the outstanding
American evangelists. Eoth the Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia
of Religious Knowledge^- and the Encyclopedia of Religion
p
and Ethics indicate that Moody dominated American
evangelism during the final quarter of the last century.
The latter encyclopedia declares that the prominent
American evangelists since Moody’s day have been Imitators
of him.3 This investigation is an attempt to discover the
historical and rhetorical factors which contributed to
Moody’s greatness as an evangelistic speaker.
Information for this inquiry was gathered from
sources In the following general classifications: (1) biog
raphies of Moody, (2) texts of his sermons, (3) newspaper
accounts of Moody’s American campaigns and of his city
mission work in Chicago, (4) accounts of Moody's activities
as found in magazines and religious journals of the day,
^~New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious
Knowledge" (New York: Funk & Wagnalls, 19Tl), x7 16.
^Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, ed. by James
Hastings Ttf« & T. ClarET l9l8j, X, 756.
3Ibid.
1
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