A Bold Move
Dwight started a Sunday school in “The Sands,” Chicago’s worst slum. Many people referred to the area as “Little Hell.” Most families were headed by single parents, many of whom struggled with alcohol or opium addiction. Poverty forced many children to work and help support their families instead of attending school.
Life in The Sands was harsh. Children frequently suffered physical and sexual abuse, malnutrition, and constant exposure to vice, filth, and disease.
A Unconventional Approach
While most people in Chicago warned others to avoid The Sands, Dwight followed his convictions. He rented a vacant saloon in the heart of the neighbourhood and established a “Sabbath School.”
The children sat on the floor as Dwight preached from his makeshift pulpit: an old, discarded barrel. An early visitor described the scene:
“When I came to the little old shanty and entered the door, the first thing I saw by the light of the few candles, was a man standing up, holding in his arms a Negro boy, to whom he was trying to read the story of the Prodigal Son. A great many words the reader could not make out and was obliged to skip. My thought was, ‘If the Lord can ever use such an instrument as that for His honour and glory it will astonish me!’”
READ ALSO: WILLIAM AND CATHERINE (PART 25)
A Heart for the Children
When the meeting ended, Mr. Moody said to the visitor:
“I have got only one talent. I have no education, but I love the Lord Jesus Christ, and I want to do something for Him.”
The visitor continued to observe Dwight and eventually came to know him well. He later praised Dwight’s consistent conduct and character, saying he had never met a man who equalled him in these qualities.
Dwight’s passion for reaching these children, whom people unkindly called “Little Arabs,” continued to grow. He cared deeply about their lives and willingly abandoned conventional methods to reach them.
Winning Hearts
Perhaps remembering the shiny penny an old man had given him when he was ten, Dwight filled his pockets with pennies and pieces of maple sugar candy. He offered these treats to children who came to his school.
Dwight also joined in their games. Through play, he taught them to follow rules and appreciate teamwork. He soon discovered that he needed to keep his lessons short to hold their attention. So, he alternated five minutes of listening with five minutes of play.
Those play sessions often resembled a barroom brawl more than a simple game of tag! Dwight also seemed to believe the old saying, “Music calms the savage beast.” After playtime, he introduced five minutes of music before returning to the lesson.
This lively routine continued for about two hours, until the meeting finally came to an end.
TO BE CONTINUED…
Tale Tuesday 075
Date: 13th February 2024
Title: : Dwight L. Moody – The Greatest Layman (Part 7)
Source: God’s generals- The Revivalists
Author: Roberts Liardon
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